Kitten Formula Ingredients

Kitten formula can be purchased in pet shops, some grocery stores and online. Kittens that have been taken away from their mother before the age of around 6 weeks need to be fed kitten formula. Even if the kitten is already accustomed to canned or dry food, he will need to get a special formulated food, similar to the mother's milk, to offer him the right nutrients and protection.

How to Choose Commercial Kitten Formulas

Kitten formula can be purchased in stores in the form of mixable powder or as an already mixed liquid solution. Cat's milk contains the antibodies that the kitten needs in order to develop immunity. If a kitten is taken away from his mother, he is more vulnerable to disease because he has no immunity to various infections.

It is desirable to buy a formula that is designed for kittens rather that one recommended for all life stages. Kitten formulas are lower in filler ingredients and higher in nutrients.

Once the kitten is old enough to be fed dry or canned food, you can switch to a kitten food formula until the age of one. Basically, kitten food, just as adult cat food, should contain four main ingredients:

  • Protein (meat-based); you should choose a formula that has a meat-based protein listed first
  • Taurine
  • Vitamins
  • Minerals

If you got the kitten from a breeder, it is possible that the mother has been fed a certain kitten formula during her pregnancy and while she was nursing. It is recommended that you use the same kitten formula when you start feeding the kitten.

Some veterinarians recommend canned kitten food as opposed to dry kitten food, claiming that the former is more nutritious and already contains water. Dry kitten foods are more convenient, because you can simply leave it out for the kitten to eat whenever he's hungry.

Homemade Kitten Formula Ingredients

If you want to make sure you know what your kitten is eating, you might want to prepare his kitten formula at home. You should not prepare more than a day's worth of formula at once. You will need:

  • 1 cup of lactose free milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons of powdered protein
  • 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast
  • 100 mg powdered calcium
  • A single day dose of cat formulated vitamins

Mix the ingredients well and warm the formula at low heat. Stir well, to prevent burning. When fed to the cat, the formula should not be warmer than 98 degrees Fahrenheit.

Avoid feeding baby formula or cow's milk to the kitten, because these ingredients may cause stomach upset.

How Often to Feed Kitten Formula

During the kitten's first week of life, he should eat 10 times per day, in portions of 1 ml every 2 hours. The portions should be increased by 0.5 ml every day. During the second week, the kitten should eat 5 to 7 ml per serving. The number of feedings should decrease to once every 4 hours. By the fourth week you can start mixing soft kitten food with the formula.

 

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