When a kitten appears in the house, then for a long time it is he who becomes the main member of the family, which requires maximum care and attention. Let's talk about such an important matter as the proper feeding of kittens. Indeed, it is often the food that determines the health and future longevity of your pet.
Of course, breast milk is best suited for a very small kitten. But already in the third week it can be fed from the bottle with cow's, slightly diluted with water.
Kitten feeding is introduced after the first month of life: they begin to give grated boiled chicken and low-fat beef. It is still impossible to give meat in pieces, because the animal is unlikely to chew and swallow it.
Sour-milk products like sour cream, kefir, yogurt are also good. It is very useful to give a mixture of milk and egg yolk.
In the period from one and a half to three months, porridge and vegetables are gradually added to the kitten's diet. It is necessary to alternate cereals, vegetables, fish and meat. The frequency of feeding at this age is five to six times a day, the daily norm is approximately 150-180 grams. A period of up to three months is extremely important for the future development of the animal, therefore it is necessary to carefully monitor the quality and balance of nutrition.
During the fourth month of life, special feeds can be added to kittens. It is best to start with wet canned food, and then offer the pet and dry food soaked in water. The norm per day is 180-200 grams of food. From the age of three months to six months, kittens have permanent teeth, so there may be problems with chewing for some time, a general lethargic state, and loose stools. If the baby approached a bowl of food, tried several times to bite and walked away, it means that it most likely hurts him to chew. Food during this period should be soft and uniform.
By the seventh month, the kitten is more like an adult animal, it is gaining almost two-thirds of its final weight. Starting from this period, it is already possible to give him the usual food that adult cats and cats eat, and transfer to three meals a day. The average daily amount of food is 200-250 grams per day.
After a year, cats normally feed only twice a day, while maintaining a constant daily amount of food in the region of the previous two hundred grams.
Good feeding kittens:
1) A bowl of clean water must be around the clock. The capacity to wash and water needs to be changed daily.
2) Milk porridge with oatmeal, buckwheat, semolina.
3) Sour-milk diet products.
3) Several times a week - cream and boiled yolk.
4) Finely chopped boiled meat - chicken, turkey, beef. You can also give thawed minced meat without spices.
5) Boiled low-fat fish - cod, hake.
6) Unsalted soups with meat.
If feeding kittens consists of natural products, then it is necessary to add special vitamins such as "Biofar" or "Farmavit". If the diet consists of high-quality dry food and canned food, then you do not need to give vitamins - the whole complex is already included in the composition of such food.
Categorically not:
1) Fatty meats.
2) Leftover dinner or lunch from your desk.
3) Salty, spicy food.
4) Sweets, especially chocolate.
5) Fish and chicken bones.
6) Potatoes and any kinds of legumes.
Of course, from the first days you need to accustom your pet to the rules of nutrition. Definitely you can’t feed him slices from your table. Firstly, these dishes are most often not intended for cats and can cause digestive problems, and secondly, you instill bad habits in your pet. Cats generally very quickly get used to a certain eating behavior, so they will then beg for food from the owners and guests, steal from the table.
Another important point: your pet should not have round-the-clock access to food. Dose food strictly according to the amount of feed - divide it by the desired number of feedings and do not give in excess, or remove the bowl in an inaccessible place. Now the problem of obesity is very relevant not only for people, but also for their pets. Therefore, kittens need to be accustomed to the normal amount of food from childhood.
Feeding kittens is universal and independent of the breed. The only thing that can vary is the daily amount of food. For large breeds, it is slightly higher, and it is better not to overfeed small animals.
Feeding of British kittens is slightly different, because food can affect coat color, which is important for exhibition animals. Breeders noticed that carrots, liver and seafood can darken their hair - and this is very evident, especially on blue cats.