Feed your kitten the right food at the right time
Kittens will prefer every meal to be fresh, served at room temperature and in clean bowls.
Picture: iStock
In the wild, big cats know exactly what they need to eat.
By feeding your kitten the right food at the right times, you’ll be supporting its natural instincts as a carnivore and solitary hunter.
Special kitten food
For the first four to five weeks, kittens get all they need from their mother. They are normally weaned by seven weeks, but from week four can begin eating specially prepared kitten food.
Picture: iStock
Small tummy, big appetite
They grow 15 times faster than a human baby. With stomachs that start out as the size of a thumbnail, they can’t eat much in one go, so it’s important to feed kittens small meals up to six times a day.
Spread the food on a plate for the kitten to lick it.
Kitten to cat portions
Whiskas Kitten Pouches are perfect for a single meal for kittens between two and 12 months. They should be fed three to four meals a day until they are six months old. Then two to four meals a day.
Picture: iStock
Careful eaters
In the wild, big cats are careful eaters, avoiding anything that tastes “off”. Kittens will prefer every meal to be fresh, served at room temperature and in clean bowls.
Not on the menu
After kittens are weaned, they lose their ability to digest milk – so no cow’s milk for them!
Many human foods can be harmful to cats, for example, onions can cause anaemia. So, don’t be tempted. If you feed your cats the right food at the right times, they’ll be getting all the nutrition they need.
Picture: iStock
Sensitive to taste
Kittens’ tongues are highly sensitive to both temperature and taste. Just like their big cat cousins, they’ll protect themselves by avoiding stagnant water or anything that doesn’t taste fresh.
That’s why kittens may prefer to drink from a puddle in the garden – they can taste the harmful chemicals we use to keep tap water clean.
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