All stages of cat foods are made for adult cats, so is it OK to give it to kittens?
The answer is yes and no. While all stages of food do contain nutrients that are beneficial for kittens, it isn’t specifically tailored to meet their needs.
So, it would help if you continued to feed your kitten its regular diet, which will likely include specially formulated kitty food.
But if you’re looking for an easy way to add extra nutrients to your kitten’s diet, “all stages food” can be a good option as long as you closely monitor its intake.
As a pet owner, it’s essential to ensure that your animal is getting the right food at all stages of its life. You may move your kittens to the all stages formula if they are active and proliferating.
Our experts recently make a list of the best food for pregnant cats so we can stay worry-free about their energy requirements on such special days.
What is the Right Formula for Kittens
The right kind of food is necessary for your kitten to develop body weight, strong bones, a sharp brain, and good eyesight.
While keeping this in mind, different foods are formulated for different life stages, available commercially in the market.
Kittens usually need nutrition like a High level of protein, Medium fat, lower carbohydrates, Higher moisture, More calcium, and more phosphorus.
If the mother cat is absent in a kitten’s life, it is advisable to give them a good quality commercial formula instead of milk. It will provide all necessary nutrients for kittens and ensure healthy growth.
Kitten food has more calories than adult cat food. When kittens are playing, they require a lot of energy.
Food for junior cats contains slightly fewer calories than kitten food. Junior cats are still growing and sometimes use less energy playing.
The food for senior cats contains only the calories needed to maintain the cat’s weight and often includes a reduced amount of minerals and more dietary fiber. While on the other side kitten needs to develop bones and mass, so their needs are different.
If your kitten eats all stages of cat food, it might get fewer calories than required, but this is not a real problem as the kitten will only consume more often.
Negative Side of All Stages Cat Food For Kittens
All stages of food can cause diarrhea and malnutrition in kittens. Diarrhea is a condition that results from the bacterial composition of the food and isn’t usually harmful. But if it lasts too long, it can lead to malnutrition or weight loss because your kitten will stop eating.
Another problem with using all stages of cat food for kittens is that it is usually expensive, and formulations are not yet considered authentic and valuable for kittens. Also, kittens can experience gastrointestinal upset after eating it.
But an all-stage cat food for kittens might be a good option if you only need to add some supplementation to your kitten’s diet without affecting their daily nutritional needs, provided by their regular food.
How To Feed All Stages Cat Food to Kittens
All stages of kitten food can be used as a supplementary source of nutrition for kittens. However, when starting with this type of food, it is best to introduce the new formula by mixing some kitty food gradually.
If you’re switching from all stages of cat food back to kitten-specific types, increase the amount of kitten food and decrease the amount of all stages food until you’re back at a ratio that provides the right nutrients and calories.
You could also try finding a transitional formula for kittens and slowly mix it with your kitten’s regular food. Here are some helpful tips:
- → Kittens love to play; make sure they exercise as much as possible to burn off those extra calories.
- → If you’re not certain whether your cat is getting too many calories, feel its ribs – if there’s extra padding around the ribs, it may be time to cut back on the food.
- → Feeding kittens under one year of age all stages of formula will stunt their growth and cause bones to develop abnormally.
- → There is no need to supplement a diet that contains all stages of cat food with vitamins.
Tips on buying cat food in bulk, how you can save on cat food while making smart decisions.
Conclusion
It is advised to consult your vet or pet store staff before switching from one formula to another. It’s always best to provide a balanced and complete diet for our pets, so feed them whatever they’re supposed to eat!