Depending on the characteristics of the cat’s body, feeding kittens lasts from 40 to 60 days. At the beginning of life, the baby eats only mother's milk, and feeding it does not present any problems. This period lasts several weeks. The kitten suckles from its mother for only 3 hours a day, and the rest of the time it grows.
In order to determine whether a kitten is full or not, pay attention to its behavior: well-fed cubs sleep peacefully or suckle the cat, while hungry ones squeak, crawl around their mother or suck the finger extended to them. In this case, you need to feed the kittens. Babies left without a mother will also need feeding.
Kitten and baby food
A newborn, one-month-old kitten can be fed with diluted baby formula and baby meat puree, but it is better to purchase a cat's milk substitute at a pet store.
It is best to feed a newborn kitten using a pipette or syringe tip without a needle. At one and a half months, kittens can lap and eat small pieces, and you can put a bowl for them. Read more in the article on what you can feed a kitten, which shows the rules and secrets of feeding from 1 week to a year.
The need for fish for cats
Can cats fish and is it necessary to include this delicacy in your pet’s diet? Veterinary experts believe that the menu for four-legged friends can include boiled marine fish. Before cooking the product, you need to separate all the bones to avoid injury to the animal’s larynx and esophagus.
Can a neutered cat eat fish?
What grass should not be given to rabbits, and what can be fed?
Why can't cats fish? It is believed that after castration the risk of developing bladder stones increases. Poor nutrition can contribute to the development of a dangerous pathology. However, some veterinary experts believe that it is still possible to occasionally give fish delicacies in small quantities to pets who have undergone the castration procedure.
Note! The presence of fish in the diet of animals does not in any way affect the risk of urolithiasis, despite the fact that the product contains a large percentage of phosphorus, which creates conditions for the formation of struvite in the bladder area.
Fish for a sterilized cat
Why can't cats be fed fish? Cats that have been neutered should not eat this product frequently. Scaly ones can only be in a pet’s diet as a rare treat. Although, if possible, it is better to avoid such a product.
Important! Under no circumstances should you give raw products, as this risks, at a minimum, infection with helminthiasis. If you want to give your cat a fish, you should give preference to marine varieties that will do more good than harm. All dice must be pre-selected.
Is it possible to give canned food?
Super-premium canned food, which is prepared for fluffy purrs, does not contain harmful substances. Among the main ingredients of the products, there are a large number of natural elements, minerals and vitamins that can help restore the health of the animal and compensate for their deficiency in the body. However, when choosing canned food, you should pay attention to quality. Of course, not every owner has the opportunity to purchase ready-made holistic food, but a super-premium diet is available to the majority of consumers.
Important! Fish, like milk, should rarely be present in the diet of animals.
What kind of fish to give: raw or boiled
It is important to pay attention not only to the type of fish, but also to the method of its preparation. It is unacceptable to give your pets whole fish raw. It is worth considering that not every part is digested by the four-legged friend’s body in the same way. In addition, raw fish can cause the development of helminthiasis. Cat owners who introduce raw food into their cat's daily diet can cause a deficiency of vitamin B1 in the body. If a cat eats raw fish systematically, its health will undoubtedly worsen.
Note! Veterinarians advise sometimes pampering your pets with raw cod fillet, which does not contain parasites.
Can cats eat fish and in what form is it best to give it? It is best to give your pets a small amount of boiled fish delicacy. Before cooking fish, it is necessary to clean it of scales and bones so that the animal does not injure the area of the larynx and esophagus. The broth is not added any salt during the cooking process. This will not affect the taste of the fish delicacy in any way.
Under no circumstances should you give in to the temptation to treat your animal to smoked or salted fish. The high percentage of salt contained in products increases the likelihood of the formation of stones in the bladder. And carcinogens contained in smoked fish can negatively affect the condition of the liver.
Fish delicacy should be given only a couple of times a week
Is it possible to feed fish to a kitten?
Veterinarians allow the opportunity to pamper a kitten with boiled fish fillet a couple of times a month. When going shopping for a product, you should pay attention to the quality and freshness of the product. Fresh produce will emit a pleasant aroma. If you press down on the loin with your finger, it will not fall off on the sides, but will retain its shape.
If desired, a kitten, like an adult cat, can be given a piece of defrosted fish fillet, which does not have bones.
At what age can dry food be given and how exactly?
As soon as the kitten can physically transition from milk to solid food. You can start complementary feeding slowly from 3.5–4 weeks - a few soaked granules per day, and from 5–6 weeks you can feed exclusively dry food. It is convenient and absolutely safe if you have selected food that meets the criteria above.
If it seems to you that the baby cannot cope with the granules or does not show interest in them, at first you can continue to soak the food with warm water. Each portion will have to be prepared anew. Read more about how to switch a kitten to dry food from milk, natural food or wet food here. The scheme is also valid when transferring from one dry food to another.
What kind of fish can you feed cats?
How often can you wash a cat - how many times a month and examples of when not
Not every animal owner knows which fish is healthier for a purring pet - sea or freshwater. Veterinarians advise against the second option. It is unacceptable to feed castrated pets with such fish. It is more advisable to offer your cat fillet as a fish treat:
- salmon;
- sardines;
- flounder;
- herring;
- cod;
- salmon;
- mackerel;
- tuna;
- blue whiting.
Salmon is a healthy treat for cats
However, even such a healthy cat fish should not become the basis of the furry purr’s diet. And in this case, it doesn’t matter whether they are just planning to castrate/sterilize the pet or have already done it. The delicacy should be served in small quantities. As a rule, it is included in the cat's menu once every 6-10 days. The portion should be small. It should be borne in mind that the body of a mustachioed friend needs to obtain large amounts of fatty acids.
Often, pet owners lacking experience are interested in how much to cook blue whiting for a cat (or another type of product). After the water boils, the delicacy should simmer over low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
For your information! If it is not possible to cook the fish fillet, it should be pre-frozen (beef and chicken are prepared in the same way for fluffy purrs). The procedure should last about 24-48 hours. It is recommended to freeze only fresh products, since repeated freezing contributes to the destruction of beneficial omega-3 acid.
When choosing fish for your pet, it is important to pay attention to freshness
In order not to worry about your cat becoming infected with helminths, it is best to boil the fish fillet. Cooking will be able to destroy the harmful thiaminase enzyme contained in the composition and will not reduce the percentage of beneficial omega acids. After the fish fillet has been boiled and cooled, you should inspect it, removing bones that are not able to be digested in the animal’s body after cooking.
Note! If your pet is served fish that has been frozen, it is acceptable to leave the cartilage.
Fluffy purrs can feast on fish delicacies no more than 4-5 times a month. It is advisable to mix the sirloin with a small amount of oatmeal and chopped vegetables. The frequency of feeding castrated cats with fish products should not exceed 2 times a month. This will minimize the risk of bladder stones. If the diet contains factory-made food with fish ingredients, it is better to completely exclude the fish product from the menu of the four-legged friend, which will make it possible to avoid upset of the digestive system.
Fish is a product that can only be given to cats occasionally. However, it is very important which species is present on the animal’s menu. It’s better to avoid freshwater altogether. It is unlikely to bring any benefit, but it may well cause infection with helminths or the development of urolithiasis. For your pet to live for many years, it is important to provide it with the right diet.
Vitamins, minerals
Vitamins, minerals, amino acids must be supplied to the kitten’s body with food and feed. Ready-made high-quality feed contains all the necessary substances, so the ready-made diet is not supplemented with vitamin-mineral complexes and additives.
If the kitten receives natural food, to replenish the deficiency of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, ask your veterinarian what vitamin preparations to give your pet.
It is best to use complex formulations (Brevers, Stress Tabs for kittens) in tablets, capsules, or powder. At five months, the kitten’s body needs proteins, amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, iron, vitamins A, B, C.
At 1.5 months
Below we will consider how and what to feed a 1.5 month old kitten at home:
At this age, the pet can already feed on its own, and its diet should be balanced. At this age, the kitten can be fed:
- rolled oats and buckwheat porridges;
- vegetables (any vegetables, except potatoes, served boiled or raw);
- raw meat (low-fat varieties). Served raw, boiled or scalded with boiling water. Meat products make up from 60 to 80% of the total daily food volume.;
- boiled offal;
- cottage cheese - 30 g per day, preferably not fatty;
- raw fish, previously doused with boiling water (about 1 time every 7 days);
- greens (you can ask at the animal department).
How often should I feed?
Kids eat a lot, 5-6 meals a day is the norm. In general, a kitten should eat 120 g per day. The baby cannot eat this amount at once. If the kitten eats less than normal, then you should try changing the food. If the animal refuses food, it is better to contact a veterinarian.
Optimal time to start complementary feeding
In the natural environment, breastfeeding lasts about 2 months. But you can introduce complementary foods a little earlier. It is necessary to assess the condition of the kitten and its well-being. A healthy baby at this age can already be fed without special formulas.
It is difficult to determine exactly how many weeks old a kitten comes into a house from the street. You need to show your pet to a veterinarian who can determine its age and choose the right diet. A visit to a veterinary hospital will help assess the health of the animal and provide treatment, if necessary.
General rules for feeding babies are as follows:
- formula milk is used for up to a month;
- at the age of 1-2 months, complementary feeding and solid food are introduced;
- after 2 months, we apply the usual diet of an adult animal.
Kittens that live in a house with a mother cat do not need to be given complementary foods until they are 4 weeks old. During this period, the micro- and macroelements contained in breast milk are sufficient for proper development.
Feeding mode
It is important not only to take a responsible approach to preparing a diet for your pet, but also to properly organize the nutritional system, observing the feeding regime. Food and feed are given to the kitten at a strictly defined time.
Important! Violation of the feeding regime can cause a failure of metabolic processes and disturbances in the functioning of the animal’s gastrointestinal tract.
To accustom your small pet to a feeding schedule, put the bowl in the refrigerator after eating. In between feedings, do not feed your pet with food from our table or other treats.
It is equally important to calculate calorie content and portion sizes. The kitten should not pass or be hungry. The average daily food intake should be on average 180-210 g with a predominance of meat products in the natural diet.
A five-month-old kitten should be fed 4 times a day. From six months onwards, transfer your pet to three meals a day, gradually increasing the portion size. We also note that by 6 months the kitten should already be accustomed to a specific diet.
