When your cat is pregnant, you are feeding them for two. However, it would help if you kept in mind your pregnant cat’s health and the fetus inside. Feeding your feline properly during nursing and pregnancy is critical. A malnourished cat might give birth to low-weight kittens that could be at risk from several health issues with reduced survival rates.
Here, the end goal is to provide your pregnant cat with optimal nutrition and nourishment. So, which is the best food for a pregnant cat? How do you select what is right for your nursing feline?
Before we narrow down the top dietary choices for pregnant cats, let us understand the basic needs of a soon-to-be mother cat.
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Our experts recently update the list of senior cat foods and exclude the foods with recall history.
What Does Your Pregnant Cat Need in Terms of Nutrition?
A pregnant cat needs more nutrition as compared to any cat. Here are some nutritional priorities needed for a pregnant cat:
- More energy from a calorie-based diet helps with better growth of the fetus and helps keep the mother healthy
- There is a need for an enhanced amount of protein for the pregnant cat’s development and growth with muscle-mass maintenance
- Enhanced amount of fat to adhere to the calorie demands of a pregnant cat
- The high amount of phosphorus and calcium for the fetus’s bone growth and to ensure more production of milk after delivery of the kittens
- Take up food that is easy to digest and ensure that the calories are delivered in more frequency in smaller amounts
Why are more fat content and energy important for pregnant cats?
A higher amount of fat and energy is very critical for nursing and pregnant cats as they need a lot of energy to retain fetal health and the mother’s health. Pregnancy is an energy-demanding stage for felines. Therefore, they would need 2X or 6X energy requirements compared to an adult feline.
Moreover, digestibility is also important to ensure the maximum amount of nutrition is absorbed during the process and nothing goes to waste. Moreover, the fetus takes up a lot of space inside the abdomen, leaving less space for the digestive system. So, the little that passes through the digestive tract should ensure maximum nutrient absorption.
What is the gestation period of pregnant cats?
Typically, the gestation period of felines ranges between 63 to 65 days. It is recommended that pet parents consult with veterinarians regularly to assist with the pregnancy & nursing necessities. In addition, it helps assess the food and weight intake in a better way.
As a pet parent, you must keep track of the kitten’s stool consistency, weight, & overall activities. If you see any major changes, make sure you contact the veterinarian.
Feeding a Pregnant Cat the Right Way
Pregnancy can be a wonderful yet exhausting time for your pet & you. So, as a pet parent, it is your responsibility to provide your pet with things that can aid their health and nutritional requirements.
Selecting the best food plan for your pet during their pregnancy term would ensure the proper development and growth of the fetus. It will also provide your pregnant cat with the required energy to help deal with nursing and birth.
Your regular adult food could be fine for your pet’s daily diet. However, it won’t provide them with the added energy needed to handle the requirements during pregnancy.
To ensure that your cat and its future baby stay healthy, select a formula designed to support them both. With a top-quality food formula, your cat will thrive during its pregnancy term. As soon as the pregnancy has been confirmed, introduce this new diet and continue it until a couple of weeks post-birth.
This will ensure that the cat will stay strong & loaded with energy to help them raise the kittens properly.
What is the right amount of food for your pregnant cat?
The food intake required by your pregnant cat would increase gradually right from the point of mating until the kittens are delivered. At the peak of the pregnancy, your cat would eat about 50 percent more than they eat normally.
Fortunately, feeding your pregnant cat isn’t as complicated. The key is not to leave them starving for long. Pregnant cats are intuitionally sensible and tend to eat only what they require & stop when they are full.
Make sure you keep your pet’s choice in mind while selecting the food type they love. For example, if they usually love wet food, stick to that. However, keep in mind that wet food contains fewer calories than dry food.
So, you might have to create a calorie-rich mix by adding some supplements or dry food as is needed. Moreover, you also need to ensure that your feline has surplus water to keep them hydrated.
Try not to experiment with any new formula as it might not suit their digestive system and lead to gastritis, diarrhea, or other digestive issues. This isn’t good for the mother and the unborn fetus.
Now that you know the basics of food for your pregnant cat, here are the top choices you can try out for your feline friend.
Top 3 Best Food for a Pregnant Cat
1. The Best Food for Pregnant Cat
The Royal Canin Mother & Babycat feline health cat food is formulated to deliver your pregnant cat with the best hydration requirements. This wet cat food can easily be digested and provides your cat with ample nutrition for the mother and soon-to-be-born kittens.
Its ultra-soft mousse-like texture ensures that your pregnant or nursing cat can chew it with ease and ensure proper growth for the fetus. In addition, the formula contains an exclusive combination of vitamins and antioxidants that keep the mother cat healthy and disease-free with a good immunity boost.
The saucy texture of the wet cat food is easy on the mouth and allows easy transition from the old cat food to this new formula with better nutrition. The formula also consists of easy-to-digest proteins & prebiotics that help support the digestive system.
Pros:
- The formula contains DHA that builds a strong brain foundation for the fetus
- Saucy texture provides ample nutrition and hydration for pregnant cats
- Matches up to the macro-nutritional profile of mother cats
- Provides immune system support with tweaking of natural defenses
- Helps with proper lactation post-birth
Cons:
- Quantity is less for the price
- Some cats might not like the taste
2. Acana Cat Real Meat Protein-Rich Premium Cat Food
Ideal for indoor pregnant cats, the Acana Cat Real Meat cat food gives your pet the best nutritional supplement. The dry food helps keep your pregnant cat’s weight in check while ensuring they get enough nutrition to keep the fetus and the mother healthy.
The formula is rich in protein content & loaded with highly nourishing ingredients such as taurine & omega-3 & omega-6. It helps keep the feline healthy and free from diseases that might affect the kittens to be born soon.
Acana dry cat food is formulated with fresh & raw ingredients that match the natural physiology and diet preferred by pregnant cats.
Pros:
- Formulated with the use of top-notch ingredients acquired from trusted suppliers
- It doesn’t contain any artificial flavors or preservatives, or colors
- It helps maintain a healthy weight for pregnant cats
- It helps ensure a healthy and shiny coat/skin
- It helps maintain a healthy digestive system and immunity
Cons:
- It might cause some cats to puke
- Kibbles are a bit hard to chew on for pregnant cats
3. Royal Canin Mother & Baby Dry Cat food
Formulated for the pregnant queen cats, the Royal Canin dry food for pregnant cats adheres to both mother and fetus needs. In addition, the formula adheres to the needs of a pregnant cat during and even after the gestation period.
The cat food contains a combination of necessary vitamins and complex antioxidants that ensure the fast growth of the mother and the soon-to-be-born kittens. The kibbles are designed small with an easy-to-chew texture. It can also transition young kittens from mother’s milk to this solid food.
The formula also contains prebiotics and easy-to-digest proteins that ensure your pregnant cat’s digestive system thrives during pregnancy.
Pros:
- Ensures better brain healthy for developing fetus with DHA
- Provides ample support to the pregnant cat’s immune system
- A savory aroma that allures even the picky eaters
- It can be paired with wet food for a smooth transition
- Appealing texture for cats with preferences
Cons:
- It might cause vomiting issues in certain cats
- It tends to make the poop a bit smelly
Is an all stages cat food ok for kittens is a resource that will help you to understand why all stage formula is not good for kittens and we also discuss cheap ways to buy cat food in a separate resource.
Conclusion
When picking the right cat food for your pregnant cat, you are responsible for more than one life. So, you must take the right decision and keep monitoring your pet at frequent intervals. Also, do not forget to seek veterinarian help if you are ever in doubt during an ideal dietary supplement selection process.