For those who have a new kitten, I'm worried about what kind of food and how much to give.
A 3-month-old kitten is in the growth phase, so the type of food you give it will greatly affect its future growth.
In this article, we will tell you about the type, amount, and frequency of feeding your 3-month-old kitten.
I want my cat to grow up healthy and strong! If you are the owner, please read it.
Types of food for 3 month old kittens
The rice given to a 3-month-old kitten should be a comprehensive nutritional food labeled "for kittens under 1 year old" or "for kittens."
Diets for adult cats differ in calories and nutritional content, so it is important to always feed kittens.
Comprehensive nutritional diet is a balanced diet that can maintain health if only the food and water are given.
In addition to comprehensive nutritional diets, there are general diets, snacks, and other targeted diets.
Many pouch products are not comprehensive nutrition foods, so be careful when choosing.
In addition, around the age of 3 months, it is the time when the preferences of future meals are determined, so let's enjoy various flavors and ingredients (white meat, chicken, beef, etc.) and textures.
Specifically, we recommend a diet called “mixed feeding,” which is a mixture of dry food and wet food.
By using mixed feeding, you will grow into a well-balanced and unbalanced cat.
A 3-month-old kitten is still teething, so it's okay to give it crunchy without soaking.
However, kittens need a lot of water, so you should continue to moisten them or mix them with wet food.
Wet food is 70-80% water, and is recommended for cats that are prone to kidney disease in the future.
People's meals are NG!
Even if you say, "You should feed them various things!", don't give them food.
If you take an interest in what other people eat, not only will it be difficult for you to eat it on the table, but it will also increase the number of accidental ingestions while you are away.
In addition, there is a possibility of poisoning due to excessive salt intake or unsuitable diet. Make sure to only feed cat food.
How much should I give?
Regarding the amount of food to give, it is not possible to say how many grams it is because the calories of the food are involved.
Therefore, it is better to increase the amount indicated on the package.
By the way, there is the following formula for calculating the number of calories a cat needs per day (daily energy requirement: DER).
Daily Energy Requirement (DER) = Resting Energy Requirement (RER) x Activity Factor
*RER (unit: kcal) = body weight (kg) x 30 + 70
A resting energy requirement is the amount of energy a cat uses when it's just sitting around doing nothing.
By multiplying this with an activity coefficient, which takes into account factors such as age, amount of exercise, and the presence or absence of contraceptive castration, it is possible to calculate the amount of energy required per day.
A 3-month-old kitten has an activity factor of 2.5.
However, please note that there are individual differences in metabolism and physique, so some children may have more than the calculated amount, and some may have less.
In fact, it's a good idea to determine the amount based on your cat's body shape, weight, bite, and texture.
How often should you eat?
When you are a kitten, try to divide the number of meals as much as possible.
This is because the stomach is still small, so the amount of food that can be eaten at one time is small.
If you are 3 months old, you should divide it into 3 or 4 times a day.
However, it depends on how the child eats, such as a child who eats all at once or a child who eats little by little.
If you are working and it is difficult to share,
- before going to work
- since i came back
- before sleep
It would be nice to give it to etc.
Many owners say, "I can't give them at 8 hour intervals...", but it's okay if the time is not strict.
How much does a 3 month old kitten weigh?
Generally, a 3-month-old kitten weighs around 1.0-1.5 kg.
There are differences in physique, so some children are lighter and heavier than this.
It is important that the weight is increasing day by day, so be sure to weigh yourself regularly.
Obviously bony feeling is too thin, so increase the amount of food or consult a veterinarian.
What to do when your kitten won't eat
Some kittens are not used to the house yet, and some of them are picky eaters and only eat small amounts.
However, if you don't eat much, you're worried about your body's growth.
In such a case,
- give it a try
- put it on the floor
- warm up
- Try changing the type of device
- try changing the location
- Try changing the time of day
- give it to me after playing
- mix the snacks
It's good to try to devise a lot of things.
Try changing the atmosphere with mofcat's recommended food bowl!
There are many types of kitten food on the market, so it might be a good idea to try a variety of them.
However, there are times when he won't eat due to a cold or illness, so don't hesitate to see a veterinarian if your dog doesn't eat well or has other symptoms.
[Summary] About the amount, type, and frequency of feeding a 3-month-old kitten
At 3 months of age, kittens are still growing, so it's a good idea to divide your kitten's complete diet 2-3 times a day.
At that time, it is called mixed feeding, which makes it difficult to choose food in the future by mixing foods with different tastes and textures.
The amount varies depending on the type of meal, so let's decide based on the food package and the formula we gave you.
The 3-month-old kitten is an important period for building a body, so let's manage the diet properly!
Reference material
- Toshinori Samuka, Matanobu Abe, Seinosuke Oshima, Kazuyoshi Tokumoto, Yutaka Momota, Akihiro Mori, Clinical Nutrition, interzoo, 2019, p4-p14
- Nippon Petfood HP