Kitten food

[anniebelle]

all you cat lovers can help me please. I am planning to get a baby kitten just as soon as I can find the perfect little baby. My feelers are out, there are a couple litters that I know of, but not sure if they fit the bill!!! I think the shelters are about to open here, but I can't get out there yet (Covid restrictions). I have never had an orange and white cat, long haired preferred. But who knows???

It has been a very long time since I've raised a kitten, and don't want to make any mistakes. Looking for a premium dry kitten food, And not sure what to get. My Babygirl was on Hills feline c/d for many years. Any suggestions and why?

[Bella]

You are better off feeding a good quality high protein canned food. I would stay away from Science Diet. ( not the best quality) Felines are meat eaters of high protein. ( even more than dogs) Your better pet foods are sold at pet supply stores not at the grocery store or your vets office. I hate to say this but the higher priced foods are most always the best. Do some research online and check out all the different varieties that are available. There are some freeze dried brands that also include dry mixed in and are really good. I had 3 cats until a few years ago and all mine lived to be 15- 19 years old.

[Harlequin]

I would recommend kitten food dry it’s good for their teeth if you feed him canned food and it’s hard to get them on crunchies and with the wet food their stinks so bad, my vet recommended kitten chow now that they’re older the vet recommends hard cat food for hairballs Hope this helps jewelry queen knows a lot about cats and maybe she’ll answer have a Suggestion or two

[JewelryQueen]

@anniebelle

I too do not recommend Science Diet.

A reasonably priced yet good quality wet food is Wellness Kitten Pate Chicken Entree. It is available on Chewy. You can order IAMS Proactive Health Kitten Dry Cat Food there as well. That is a good quality dry food and budget friendly. If you come up with an order over $50 the shipping is free.
IN MY OPINION it is best to start out a very young kitten on wet food only initially. AS SOON as their teeth have developed enough to chew dry food adequately add that to the diet. Keep fresh water available at all times!!! I place the water dish at least a foot away from the food for multiple reasons. Also I prefer metal or glass dishes especially for the water as they hold less smell and are easier to thoroughly clean

When you are in the BRIEF wet food only period you will need to supply 2 cans of food a day, ideally 1/2 a can at about 4 hours intervals. This would be for about 2 wks to a month depending on how old your kitten is when you get it.

For the next stage I go with 1/2 can wet food in the morning. Cover the can and put the remainder in the fridge. Remove that dish when the kitten is done and wash. Put about a cup of dry food out (in a different dish) and allow the kitten to munch at will throughout the day. If your kitten does not eat it all, you can just keep adding the dry to what remains as dry food has a very long life. Then in the early evening provide the other 1/2 can of wet food. A fresh water supply is critical at this time as a lot of the water previously provided by the wet food is gone.

There is a lot of debate about this but I believe a wet food only diet can contribute to tartar buildup on the teeth and sometimes even tooth loss if you don't have your cat knocked out and their teeth cleaned every so often. That can be very pricey and not good for the cat.

A dry food only diet can lead to urinary tract infections and other problems as many cats don't drink enough water.

Wow I am wordy. So in conclusion if you get the long haired cat that is your heart's desire, be sure to begin by daily combing their fur with a fine comb and as they get older move up to a stiff brush. Otherwise you not only will have hair fur everywhere but the cat may get mats. Sometimes mats get severe enough that they start to cut off the blood supply to the skin. Not good! Then the vet will need to put them under and shave them. Traumatic for the cat... and for your wallet to the tune of $400 as an idiotic friend of mine learned. I also have accustomed any long hair cats in particular to getting a bath fairly often. This must begin in the kitten stage. Long hair is tough for a cat to maintain with only self-grooming, and then you also have the hair ball issue. Just be sure the water is not too cold or hot. Lukewarm should work.

Most of all, enjoy your new friend. Cuddle and snuggle and love as much as you want! It will be good for you both.

[Kat]

Dry food for cats is terrible for them. Any kind of wet food is good. My one cat was so picky I tried so many brands from expensive to cheap. They all loved freshpet. It's in the little fridges at the stores. But each cat is different. Buy what your cat likes and what you can afford. Congrats!!!!

[Sam]

I agree with Kat, every cat is different. I always have at least 7-15 cats at a time. I live in the country, get a lot of dumped kitties. Each of them have lived very long lives and hardly ever seen a vet. Mostly because they are indoor only. Babies get Friskies pate and Kitten Chow. I always have a dry feeder of Meow Mix for the adults. They share two cans of wet food a day (currently that's 7 adult cats), with one cat who won't touch wet food or meat of any kind. Guess he's vegetarian. Occasionally, they get a bowl of milk. But, like I said, it depends on the cat. It's trial and error. And what you can afford.

[Bella]

I always brushed my cats teeth daily and used a dental rinse and never had to have them put under anesthesia for a dental cleaning. My vet said they had nice clean teeth free from tarter and any other issues so they never needed any cleanings. I currently have a 13 year old Italian Greyhound and they are notorious for dental issues and her teeth are great. I brush them twice a day!! She eats mostly a raw diet and still acts like a much younger dog. I love both dogs and cats!

[JewelryQueen]

--
Bella

I admire your dedication, efforts and thoughtfulness towards your pet's dental health. Even more I admire your pets cooperation with this dental process. I have never had a cat that would put up with brushing much less a rinse and have only had one dog (an elderly rescue Irish Setter) that would allow it without causing massive stress. I still maintain the addition of some dry food is a practical solution for the majority of people.
I too love both cats and dogs. My Great Grandfather was a dog trainer for decades and they have always been a part of my life.

Kat

I agree that Pet Fresh is a wonderful product for both cats and dogs, although a bit pricey. One does need to be careful when choosing a dry food that it does not have soy, or corn meal, etc as filler since those type ingredients are very hard on the digestive system of cats. Ditto for dogs.

To everyone who is thinking about changing their pets diets :

You need to introduce a wee amount of the new product into the accepted product and SLOWLY increase the amount of the new food until you have switched over completely. To those who say their cat is too picky, I say you need to keep in mind the multiple cases where (unfortunately)the can opener with legs has shuffled off this mortal coil. Many a feline friend has feasted on their owner when they get really hungry. Keeping in mind that humans are the very last on the list of preferred food for any animal, this speaks to just how un-picky they can be when circumstances dictate. A cat can go 3-4 days without eating. You must relent by the 5th day as cats can have significant liver damage (fatty liver or liver failure I am sure) if there is not sufficient protein in their diet. I am sure I am going to take it in the shorts for some of my comments, but so be it.

[anniebelle]

Thanks so much @Bella , @Harlequin , @Kat , @JewelryQueen , @Sam (did I miss anyone?) for your responses. Jewelry Queen are you a veterinarian or something like that? you've really given me a lot to consider. I've raised several cats in my life. In the beginning of my adult life it was pretty much kitten chow, cat chow, with 9 lives thrown in for Sunday dinner! There was not a lot of variety out there. Even my first vet gave his kitties commercial food. When P&G bought Iams, I used that. The shelter
I volunteered at used Science Diet. Annie had urinary problems half her life. One vet said to use Blue Buffalo which a friend used also. The next vet put her on Hills feline c/d, which she ate for the rest of her life. Admittedly, I prefer dry kibbles for the convenience. Shopping has become an issue, so I need to keep it simple. I am awaiting a response from my vet. He claims to be married to a Crazy Cat Lady . . . They have 17 indoor cats!!!
Again thanks to everyone, I listen to all advice.

[honey]

Dear Abby, oops ... I mean Dear JQ,
I am kinda between a rock and a hard place about
trimming my ol' dogs nails.
When she was younger, she just always ran her nails
down. When she got older, 10/13, she would just lay
like the queen of everything while I'd give her a
mani/pedi. I've never cut to the quick, just nips with
the guard on the snippers. She just turned 14 and will
not let me trim her forepaws nails? They are not curled
around, because sometimes I get to clip one or two at time.
She wants to bite and yelp now. I was thinking maybe
for her age that she has arthritic pain.
I don't know just what to do. A groomer or even a vet
would probably just slap a muzzle on her and clip away?
As to why this has become so problematic, can ya throw
me a .... bone? Love ya