Providing your new kitten with proper cat food is crucial to raising your new pet. In order for a baby kitten to stay happy and healthy, it is vital that all of their nutritional needs be met. It is not just a matter of dropping some cat food into your pet's bowl and then leaving to go on with your day. There is more to feeding your cat then this.

Early Nutritional Needs

A kitten will receive all of their nutritional needs from their mother for the first few weeks of their life. As the kitten approaches four to six weeks of age, the breeder will most likely start supplementing the mother cat's milk with hard kitten chow that is moistened with water, or with canned kitten food. The kitten will have been weaned off the mother's milk by eight weeks of age, and will be eating a primarily kitten food diet. It is important to make sure that your breeder provides you with some of the kitten food that your new kitten was eating, or at least get the name of the kitten chow.

If you are thinking of changing the kitten chow brand that your kitten started with, then you should still purchase a small bag of the their current brand and mix it with the new brand. This will aid your new kitten's digestive system and allow them to gradually adjust to the new food that they will be eating.

How Much Should They Eat

Young kittens are growing at an incredibly fast rate from the ages of eight weeks to approximately six months. They will require a large amount of food to start, which means that they will need to eat a number of times during the day. Kittens that are under six months of age do not have very large stomachs but require a lot of fuel. For this reason it is best to feed them four small meals per day, and provide them with an unlimited supply of water all day long.

The growth rate of your kitten will dramatically start to slow down at around six months of age. At this time you may find your kitten becoming a bit less active. The amount of feedings necessary can also be cut back to around two to three meals per day. At this stage of their growth it is also important not to change their food from kitten chow to adult cat food. Your cat is still in a growing stage.

Your cat will be able to eat adult cat food when they reach a year old. Feeding adult cats is somewhat easier then feeding a kitten. You can simply fill their dish up with dry cat food. Adult cats will usually eat when they are hungry. At this stage is important to ensure that your cat does not overeat. If you find your cat becoming overweight then you will want to feed them approximately twice a day. Adult cats can be fed canned food, but you will also want to provide them with dry food as well. Canned food should not be left out for your cat to eat all day.

Cat Food Shopping

It is very important to choose food that is both nutritional and well-balanced. When looking at food labels, be sure to select only ingredients that have protein listed within the first few items. You also must be aware of your cat's health condition. If they suffer from any serious health matters, such as urinary tract infection or hairballs, then be sure to select foods that will help manage these medical issues.

You should also feed your cat both dry and soft foods. Although your pet will prefer soft foods, it is best to supply them with dry ones as well. This will help to maintain their dental health. A dentist should perform yearly checkups on your pet, to eliminate any tartar build-up on their teeth.