Rating of kitten feed and selection rules

Cats are among the most popular and most beloved pets. The appearance in the house of a small fluffy kitten brings to the owners not only joy, but also care. Very often, the owners ask: what is the best way to feed a kitten and how to choose the right feed for it? Let's try to figure it out.

The digestive system of small kittens, although not fundamentally different in structure from the system of adult individuals, still requires a certain approach in the preparation of the diet. Some enzymes that contribute to the digestion of food in the gastrointestinal tract of adult individuals are absent in kittens, so the composition of food for them is somewhat different from the food for adult animals.

In order for a small kitten to grow up into a healthy and nimble pet, it is necessary to choose the right age appropriate food. According to the accepted classification, kittens are divided by age into 3 categories. The first category includes individuals whose age does not exceed 4 months, the second category includes kittens from 4 to 8 months of age. The third group includes animals from 8 months to 1 year inclusive.

The composition of food for each age is strictly balanced for all the components necessary for the healthy development of the kitten. Fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins are not only present in the right quantity, but also in the right proportional ratio. Each component included in the composition affects one or another process in the growing organism.

Fat-soluble vitamin A promotes growth, affects the eyesight, skin and coat of the animal. Vitamin D belonging to the same fat-soluble group has an effect on the skeletal system and prevents the development of rickets. Without vitamin E, full development of reproductive function is impossible, and vitamin K is involved in the regulation of blood clotting and prevents hemorrhages. Water-soluble vitamin C is a guarantee of good immunity, in addition, it participates in the development of the digestive system and affects the elasticity of muscle tissue and blood vessels.

Mineral trace elements such as zinc, potassium, copper, calcium, phosphorus, iron, manganese and even silicon are necessary for the full development of a young body. Each of them has an impact on metabolic processes and on the vital activity of individual organs; therefore, the lack of even one of them in the body can lead to the development of a particular disease.

It is quite simple to teach little kittens to feed, the main thing is not to rush, the ideal age for getting used is 2-4 weeks. Before this period, experimenting is not worth it, as the kitten has enough mother's milk, the composition of which is perfectly balanced in all respects. Full refusal of milk occurs, as a rule, from 8-10 weeks of age. This period is considered the most optimal from a physiological point of view for the transition to industrial feed.

As you know, for cats release two types of feed: dry and wet. Both are ready to eat and perfectly balanced. Wet look is the best option for the smallest kittens, whose age does not exceed 4 weeks.Its soft and moist texture is excellently chewed on by not yet strong milk teeth. In addition, because of the teeth that are constantly cutting at this age, the gums are irritated, and the dry consistency of the food can lead to even greater irritation of the delicate surface of the gums, and as a result, a complete refusal to eat.

The percentage of water in the wet type of feed is close to 80, so kittens do not need additional liquid or its quantity should be minimal. Very often, babies eat hastily and pieces of food in the mouth simply do not have time to undergo treatment with saliva, which, of course, affects the quality of digestion. Insufficient time for processing small pieces in jelly or broth is unlikely to harm the delicate mucous membrane of the stomach, but dry large granules can injure it.

But there are some negative points. Wet food is sold in hermetically packed bags or cans. Pick up the appropriate packaging is not difficult, but after opening it expiration date is not as large as that of the dry one, so for kids it’s better to buy very small packaging.

Dry food is a small pieces of a dense and fairly dry consistency. The water content in it does not exceed, as a rule, 6%. To teach kittens to this type of FDI should be no earlier than 2 months of age, and it is better if the pet reaches the 4- or 5-month mark.

Dry type of food - quite economical option. In order for the animal to be saturated, you need a very small amount of pellets, and the feeling of satiety in an animal lasts much longer compared to wet food.

The solid structure of the feed plays a significant role in the prevention of tartar. Hard particles act on the enamel of the teeth as well as the brush, they perfectly clean the surface and do not give the remnants of food to attach to it.

In order not to injure the tender gums of a fluffy little friend and minimize digestive problems, it is better to soak the feed before serving. Make it simple enough, you just need to pour the granules with a small amount of water and leave them to swell for 10 minutes, then transfer them to the pet bowl. When a kitten reaches 8 months of age, dry food can be given without soaking.

Although the shelf life of a dry species is limited, it is much longer than that of a wet one, even if the pack remains open for quite a long time. It is not necessary to keep it in the refrigerator and to select a suitable container for its storage, you just need to remove it in a dark place, protected from direct sunlight.

But there are downsides to this type of feed. The composition of all types of dry feed includes salt, which means that fresh clean water should be constantly in the animal.

Today, there are quite a large number of firms producing the most diverse in taste and composition of food for kittens. To navigate this "sea" is quite difficult, because not always high price means a quality product.

The composition is the most important indicator by which food can be attributed to a specific category. Today there are only 4 of them: economy, premium, super-premium and holistic.

The feeds in this category are the most well-known, widely publicized and affordable. The dignity of the economy class feed is, perhaps, only in their low price, otherwise it’s quite controversial regarding its usefulness and quality of the product.

Low price means not important, and in most cases harmful for the health of a little kitten: waste of meat and fish production (less than 5% of the volume), unknown types of cereals, a minimum of vitamins, flavor enhancers and salt as a preservative. The presence of amplifiers leads to addiction and completely manic dependence of cats on the composition, which the manufacturers successfully use. In the future, it is very difficult to wean a kitten from such “stuffed with chemistry” food.

In addition, low-cost feeds are often supersaturated with trace elements such as Mg (manganese), P (phosphorus) and Ca (calcium). Their presence, not balanced to the necessary proportions, can lead to the most diverse diseases and pathological changes in the bone, muscle and nervous systems. And the ratio between proteins, fats and carbohydrates is not at the proper level, because the percentage of protein in good feeds is higher than carbohydrates, and in this category carbohydrates take the 1st place.

This group includes the feed of the average price category. They are better than a line of economy class, balanced in relation to proteins, carbohydrates and fats. In addition, this category is much more widely represented, it is possible to choose food for a certain group of animals, which include pets with allergic reactions and individuals with sensitive digestion.

The source of proteins in this line is most often chicken or its products, but in some formulations, the proportion of plant proteins is higher than the share of animal proteins.

As a source of carbohydrates in some formulations, crushed corn or wheat grains are present, which often causes allergic reactions in sensitive animals. The proportion of carbohydrates in most premium feeds is slightly exceeded relative to the generally accepted norm.

Although the premium class line is better than economy products, it is not ideal either. Almost all formulations contain preservatives and antioxidants, so that the food will remain usable for a long time. But their presence is not the worst if the manufacturer indicates this on the packaging.

Organix canned food from a Dutch company is produced in Russia, so their price is quite acceptable.moreover, they are even slightly lower in cost to economy class feeds, but they are far superior in quality.

The share of proteins is represented by beef and offal, the source of fat is vegetable oil, and the share of carbohydrates is rice groats. In addition, canned food is well balanced in vitamins and minerals.

But there is a small minus in these canned goods. The share of by-products is significantly higher than the share of meat, so they are only premium-class products.

Feed manufactured under the brand name Royal Kanin, stand out among the other products of this line with their wide range. For kittens produced as a dry species (from 4 months), and wet food, intended for the younger group (up to 4 months).

Foods for kittens are well fortified and sufficiently saturated with minerals. But the percentage ratio between proteins of plant and animal origin is not in favor of the latter. Manufacturers used rice, wheat and flour from unknown (not indicated on the packaging) crops as a source of carbohydrates. The use of animal fats, soybean oil and fish oil as a source of fatty acids is a definite plus, but the manufacturer did not bother to indicate the sources of fiber.

Purina Pro Plan feeds are affordable and widely distributed.. For kittens produce 1 version of the dry and 2 types of wet food.

In the composition there are proteins (about 36%), of which 21% are chicken, and the producers do not indicate specifically whether it is meat or other parts of the bird. The source of carbohydrates in this case is corn, and fats are fish and other fats, but of vegetable origin.

Excellent proven feed Treatment balance. Their composition is good enough, meat is present as a source of protein, and not only offal. Food is well enriched with vitamin-mineral supplements, manufacturers included chicken as a source of saturated fatty acids, not vegetable fat. The only disadvantage of this product are claimed, but not specified flavorings.

Italian food Schesir widely distributed in Russia. It is positioned by manufacturers as a super-premium class feed, but in terms of composition it is still closer to the premium group.

Proteins, and their share is only 15%, are declared only after carbohydrates represented by rice and barley, the share of each of which is about 19%. Present in the composition and proteins of plant origin, fiber in the form of beet pulp, fats of plant and animal origin. In addition, the composition is enriched with prebiotic in the form of chicory pulp and various antioxidants of plant origin. In the composition of this feed there is a good addition of vitamins and minerals.

This line of feed differs from premium in the highest percentage of protein content. Feed is well balanced in vitamins and minerals, which allows owners to not spend money on supplements.

One of the good ones in this lineup is feed from the Canadian company 1st Choice. In the feed, in addition to animal proteins, there are also plant proteins that occupy a larger than necessary proportion (about 30%). The share of meat in the protein part is not very large and is within 17%. Fatty acids are found in chicken and fish oils, and the source of carbohydrates is a complex of cereals. There are no artificial colors in the composition, and vitamin E (tocopherol) is used as a preservative.

Feed produced by a Czech company Brit Care I'kitten, rich in animal and vegetable proteins, with meat accounting for 22%, and the remaining 25% for dehydrated protein. Both rice in the form of bran, and cellulose in the form of crushed particles of dried apples, and high-quality sources of fat, and prebiotics, beneficially affecting the intestinal microflora, and even plant extracts are present in the composition.

Brit Care I'kitten food is the best option for kittens, it is not only perfectly balanced for all components, but also hypoallergenic, as there are no wheat and corn in the composition. A small minus of feed is the presence, along with meat, offal.

Grainless feed Arden grange is probably the best option for kittens. The protein fraction of the composition deserves the highest rating. It is represented by white fish (26%), fish meal (24%) and dry whole egg. But other components are no worse than the protein part. The composition includes potatoes, chicken and salmon fats, natural flavorings, peas as a source of fiber and other ingredients of natural origin. The downside of this feed is only its high price.

This category includes feed with a special improved composition. They differ from the super-premium category not only in their higher protein content, but also in their better quality protein, carbohydrate and fat content.

The protein portion consists only of fresh or dehydrated meat or fish.The carbohydrate part can consist either of potatoes, or of lentils, or of peas, and sometimes rice is also present.

There are no artificial colors in these feeds or preservatives harmful to animal health.. For long-term storage, fat-soluble vitamins are used.

Food Applaws, manufactured by a British company, 84% percent consists of animal protein. The protein part consists of dehydrated chicken flour (47%), similarly to processed duck flour (21%) and chicken mince (16%).

The carbohydrate portion is represented by potato fibers, and producers added salmon oil as a source of unsaturated acids. The food is enriched with beet pulp (cellulose), brewer's yeast (vitamins of group B) and other useful additives. As preservatives, in addition to tocopherol, manufacturers added rosemary and citrus fruits to the feed.

Aft Carnilove from Czech producers, proteins occupy 63% of the total composition. Food is very good in its composition, since all ingredients are of natural origin. It is perfectly fortified and enriched with minerals. Among the shortcomings we can only name the insufficiently accurate indication of the ingredients in the protein part and the high price.

Canagan feed from British manufacturers contains about 65% of animal proteins. In addition to meat ingredients, a dehydrated egg is present in the protein part (4%). This grainless food, in addition to various additives and vitamins, contains prebiotics, which is an undoubted advantage.

The most common in Russia is holistic from Canadian manufacturers. Acana. In its composition all ingredients are described most accurately in comparison with similar feeds of this category. The protein part of the feed consists of meat, fish and high-quality by-products. It contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals, and ingredients of natural origin are used as preservatives.

Choosing food for your little pet, you should be guided primarily by common sense. In order to choose the right food, you need to take into account both age and general condition, and, of course, carefully examine the composition indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer.

When choosing a feed, it is necessary to focus not so much on the category specified by the manufacturer, but on the composition, since some claimed classes often do not correlate with ingredients. High price is not always a guarantee of impeccable quality. You can always find food with the best composition at a lower price.

You need to choose the feed in which proteins as a percentage prevail over the other components, because protein is the main source of growth and development of a kitten.

There are many different opinions about what kind of food is most suitable for a kitten. According to the majority of veterinarians, you should choose a feed not lower than the premium class, and up to 4 months and completely prefer to feed the categories of super premium and holistic. They are the best fortified and enriched with minerals.

Although wet food and somewhat more expensive than dry food, but without them it will not work. Do not give a kitten up to 4-5 months to give dry food, as it not only spoils the tooth enamel, but also can lead to problems with digestion.

For sick and weak animals there is a special line of feed, and before buying one or another species, you should consult with a veterinarian. Only the attending veterinarian can give the right advice on choosing such a specific diet.

See below for an overview of various kitten feeds.