How to switch from Kitten to Adult food
Author: The Vet Shed Date Posted:11 November 2018
You got your kitten at the perfect age, made sure everything was set up, he/she had toys, a cosy bed and kitten food ready. But when is it time to switch from kitten food to adult food? We are here to make sure you know the ins and outs of feeding your ever growing kitten!
Kittens need a specific diet for their ever changing growing little bodies. In kittens diets they need; more calories, Omega fatty acid DHA for their brain and vision, Vitamins and minerals for the immune system and calcium and phosphorus levels. It is a time of high energy and playfulness so kitten food is full of all of the perfect ingridients to make sure he/she grows into a big, strong and healthy cat!
The nutritional needs of cats and kittens are extremely different, therefore once your kitten hits adulthood their food needs to be changed! He/She should be transitioned when he/she reaches around 90% of their adult weight. This is generally around the 10-12 month mark. The main rule of thumb when transitioning from kitten to adult food is to do it gradually. Cats are not like humans, they eat the same meal every single day. Therefore their Gastro-Intestinal microbes get used to digesting the same thing and become very good at it. If your cats diet is changed too quick the Gastro-intestinal microbes do not have enough time to adjust in order to digest the food.
Your cats food should be transitioned as shown:
Just like kitten food cat food comes in a wide range of flavours and textures. By now your kitten has probably shown a liking to one flavour more than another so it will be easy for you to choose a cat food they will like. When considering an adult cat food there are a few things to consider, eg is your cat long haired? If so then a diet with hairball prevention in it is going to help them wtih digestion. Take a look at the huge range of premium quality adult cat foods here - as always if you have any questions or need any assistance The Vet Shed team are here to help.
