Do kittens have unique nutritional needs?

Young kittens may nurse from their mother up to six or eight weeks of age. But three weeks is a good time to get them started on solid food.

Luckily there’s plenty of appetite for both kinds of food. That’s because young kittens need one-and-a-half times as much protein and three times as many calories, per pound of body weight, as an adult cat. That’s easy to provide if you choose a commercially prepared kitten food — a so-called “growth diet.” Make sure to follow label instructions on how much to feed, how often.

The time will come when growth formula is too rich for your adult cat, so consult your veterinarian about when to switch your cat’s diet.

– Dr. Andrea Looney, DVM for the “Purina® Animal Instincts” Podcast Series

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