Until six to seven weeks old, your fluffy kitten only drinks breast milk. Cute to watch, isn’t it? Once they reach this age, most young kittens can switch to solid food. But which kitten food is the best choice? And how many times a day can your kitten eat?
From six weeks onward, a kitten can eat both dry and wet kitten food. Ask the owner of the litter when you go to pick up your new pet what the kittens have been eating. This way you know what your new pet is used to. Normally, a kitten automatically switches to solid food. But if it’s a fussy eater or doesn’t take to its food right away, give it a helping hand...
Which dry food is best?
Be sure to choose kibble that is specially made for kittens. It’s made a bit smaller, because your kitten still has its baby teeth. If necessary, soak the kibble in lukewarm water to soften it. Kitten kibble also contains more protein, minerals and calories since kittens are more active than adult cats.
Proteins and fats are indispensable for your playful kitten to grow fast enough in this first phase of its life. In addition, for example, this crunchy kitten kibble contains the necessary extra vitamins so that your kitten grows into a healthy adult cat.
How to feed your kitten wet or dry food
On average, a kitten eats about five to six times a day. When they eat, the kitten only ingests a small portion of food because its stomach is not yet large.
Kibble can be left out for the entire day, as it remains crunchy and fresh. You can only serve wet food once a day, or spread one portion out over two meals. The point is not letting the wet food get dirty or go bad. Also provide several cups of fresh water at room temperature, in different places in the house.
Are you switching from one solid food to another? Then switch gradually, by mixing the previous food and new food for seven days, slowly phasing out the old.