As a general rule, cats that are less than one year of age are considered kittens. It is important to feed your pet kitten formula for up to one year. An exception would be larger cat breeds, such as the Maine Coon, which do not reach adult maturity until they are 18 months to two years of age.
Learn more about switching from kitten food to cat food with Purina and Blain’s Farm & Fleet.
Can kittens eat cat food? The answer is on the label. If the label (or bag) of food reads “for all life stages,” then it is nutritionally sufficient for kittens as well as adult cats.
When can kittens eat hard food? Kittens can begin eating solid food at around four weeks old. Begin by feeding your kitten soft or wet canned food.
As they grow used to eating solid food and their teeth continue to develop, begin to mix in dry food softened with a bit of water. Gradually increase the amount of dry food over several days, paying attention to the feeding instructions on the back of the bag.
Kittens grow and develop every day. They require a food that meets the high-energy demands of their bodies. As your kitten becomes an adult cat, you may need to adjust their diet.
How do you know when to switch to adult cat food? Sometimes it’s hard to know when to stop feeding kitten food, but generally, you should begin slowly transitioning your kitten to adult cat food when she is one year old, or when your veterinarian recommends doing so. Spread out the transition process over a 7 to 10-day period, gradually increasing the amount of her new food each day.
For more tips on caring for your feline family members, visit our Cat Care blog. And remember, you can trust your Blain’s Farm & Fleet animal experts to supply you with everything you need to take the best care of your dogs and cats.
This blog article was originally posted by Purina.
