Welcoming a brand new kitten into your private home is an thrilling and joyful expertise. As a pet guardian, guaranteeing your kitten receives the appropriate diet is essential for his or her development and improvement. In the course of the kitten stage (post-weaning to 6-8 months), your little furball is gearing as much as develop right into a full-sized cat.
This development section requires plenty of power and particular vitamins to help their fast improvement. Right here, we’ll discover the must-have vitamins for kittens, contemplating the nutrient suggestions from the Nationwide Analysis Council (NRC) and the Affiliation of American Feed Management Officers (AAFCO).
Power
Power is just not technically a nutrient, however it’s a required part derived from vitamins similar to protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Kittens want extra power than grownup cats because of the immense power wanted to construct and develop physique tissues. Offering a eating regimen wealthy in energy-dense vitamins ensures that your kitten has the gas they want for his or her lively way of life and development spurts.
Protein
Cats are obligate carnivores, which suggests they’ve a excessive requirement for protein and for particular amino acids – the constructing blocks of protein. Protein is crucial for muscle improvement, tissue restore, and development. Excessive-quality animal-based proteins are essential, as they provide important amino acids that kittens can’t synthesize on their very own. Cats have increased necessities for amino acids than canines, and kittens have a good increased want for these than grownup cats. A few of these amino acids are mentioned beneath!
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Taurine: Did you additionally know that cats have extra important amino acids than us people and even canines? Cats have a further requirement for the important amino acid Taurine which is concerned in coronary heart well being, imaginative and prescient, and the mind!
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Methionine: Methionine is crucial for each cats and canines – however kittens have a a lot increased requirement for methionine than grownup cats. Methionine is vital for an array of capabilities all through the complete physique which is why it’s so vital for development!
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Arginine: In comparison with canines, cats have a a lot increased requirement for arginine as a result of cats have much less capability to make arginine inside the physique. Arginine is required for the removing of ammonia as a part of the urea cycle, in addition to in immune perform, hormone regulation, and cell capabilities.
Calcium and Phosphorus
Bone improvement in kittens depends closely on calcium and phosphorus, together with vitamin D. These minerals are important for the formation of robust bones. Kittens require the next quantity of calcium and phosphorus of their eating regimen in comparison with grownup cats, and it’s vital that these minerals are offered within the appropriate ratio. An imbalance can result in skeletal points and developmental issues. Guarantee your kitten’s eating regimen is formulated to fulfill the NRC and AAFCO pointers for these important minerals.
Fatty Acids
Kittens have a selected requirement for the next fatty acids: arachidonic acid, linolenic acid, and EPA and DHA. These fatty acids are an vital part to your kitten’s eating regimen and play a big function in cognitive improvement, pores and skin and coat well being, and the absorption of fat-soluble nutritional vitamins (A, D, E, and Okay). Fat are additionally vital for cell membrane integrity and performance. Moreover, fat present plenty of power to assist kittens meet their excessive power requirement throughout development. Together with wholesome fat in your kitten’s eating regimen helps their general improvement and well-being.
Nutritional vitamins and Minerals
Along with calcium and phosphorus, kittens want a variety of nutritional vitamins and minerals to help their development. Vitamin A is essential for imaginative and prescient and immune perform, whereas vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, defending cells from harm. The B nutritional vitamins are vital for power metabolism and nervous system well being. Hint minerals like zinc, copper, and selenium are additionally important for numerous physiological capabilities. A balanced eating regimen formulated for kittens will embrace these important vitamins within the acceptable quantities.
Water
Typically underestimated is water – which is crucial for all life levels, together with kittens. Guarantee your kitten has entry to recent, clear water always. Correct hydration helps digestion, nutrient absorption, and general well being. Cats can generally wrestle to get sufficient water consumption, so encouraging hydration is vital to your kitten. You may assist encourage water consumption by having a number of water dispensers round your private home (a easy bowl of water, a flowing water fountain, and so on) and by feeding a meals excessive in moisture content material!
Total, offering your kitten with a balanced eating regimen that meets the AAFCO nutrient suggestions is vital to their wholesome development and improvement. Search for high-quality kitten meals to make sure they comprise the appropriate stability of important vitamins. By giving your kitten the diet they want, you’re setting them up for a wholesome and comfortable life as a full-grown cat.

We now have two cat meals at Tom&Sawyer which are formulated to help All Life Phases in line with the AAFCO nutrient suggestions. Our Bento Field mimics the nutrient profile of a pure prey and is nice for fish-lovers! And in case your kitten has meals intolerance issues then our Wild West Kangaroo meal is a good, restricted ingredient possibility!
Click on right here to see recent, wholesome meals to your kitten.
Keep in mind, each kitten is exclusive, and their dietary wants might fluctuate. Seek the advice of along with your veterinarian to tailor a eating regimen plan that most accurately fits your kitten’s particular person necessities.
Written by: Hannah Godfrey
Animal Nutritionist
BSc.H. | MSc. Animal Vitamin
www.tomandsawyer.com
References
Nationwide Analysis Council. 2006. Nutrient Necessities of Canine and Cats. The Nationwide Academies Press, Washington, DC.
AAFCO. 2021. Affiliation of American Feed Management Officers Official Publication. Saint Paul, Minnesota: AAFCO, Inc.