I have just got a 9 week old kitten about 2 weeks ago?

Question

I have just got a 9 week old kitten about 2 weeks ago. For 2 days i was feedin her on wet food then i starterd to mix dry food to it but she only licks the meat out of it and leaves the dry. so i have to feed her wet food. I have heard that u shouldnt give kittens dry food till they are about 1 year old. is this ture. Because i really want her to eat dry food because the vets say that dry food is better for cats.

Answer 1

I also have a 9 week old. Vets advice was to give a little wet food (about a tablespoon) in a separate bowl to the dry food. Each day gradually reduce the amount of wet food to none. The kitten may be reluctant to eat the dry food but if there's nothing else on offer, she will start to eat. I don't think its true about not giving them dry food until they are 1 as long as the dry food you give her is formulated for kittens.

Answer 2

hi i read your other question about naming your cat but i couldnt quite come up with something so i am sorry but at the start i would carry on giving the cat wet food until she gets abit older and then do you have any other friends with a cat well then you could ask them when the right time to give her dry food is but like you say around about when she's 1 year old ok so hope that helps xx

Answer 3

When cats were young I would put one dish of kitten meat and one dish of kitten dry complete down for them.  Most cats prefer meat so will eat that first, once hungry they will eat the dry.  As your kitten is young she is still learning about eating, give her the option for both for a couple of weeks then slowly wean her off the meat.  Do this over a period as not to upset her stomach and make sure plenty of clean water available as once on dry food they drink alot more.

Answer 4

Try soaking the dry food with just a little bit of water to get it soft.  Then mix it in with her wet food.  Or don't give her the wet food at all... just give her the soft dry food.

Answer 5

Maybe the dry is too much for her mouth. Soak it for a little while then give it to her. see what she does. I think it might be the other way around. Give them wet food until 1 year then dry food. But im not sure.

Answer 6

Get a new vet if he truly thinks dry food is better for cats.

Who said you shouldn't give kittens dry food until they are about one year old?  You shouldn't give kittens CAT food until they are one year old.  Kittens need more protein and fat than cats do so the canned and dry foods you feed the kitten need to be made for KITTENS - not cats.

Answer 7

poor boiling water into the bowl of dry food and leave it to cool then give it to her

wet food can cause teeth problems with cats if not regularly cared for which can cost a lot when they have to go into the vets

Answer 8

wrong wrong!!! dry food is bad for kittens!!!

you should tell your vet to get some nutritional education and then become a VET!!!

kittens should eat wet most of the time... i oly leave these dry stufff out for him at night in case if he gets hungry which he does!! so the whole room wont smell...

do give himn biscuits but occasionally... not as a meal... that is horrible...

actually biscuits have no nutritional value as it is baked at high temperatures!! also filled with corn and stuff which he doesnt need.

my kitten was 6 weeks and was able to eat biscuits.. just gotta give him time.. and he'll go for it...

but NEVER GIVE IT AS A WHOLE MEAL!! JUST AS TREATS!

Answer 9

i got my kitten at 8wks old and she was already on dried food, try just putting dried food without the wet and she should start eating it, and as for waiting until there 1 year old thats rubbish,

Answer 10

Cats are "carnivores obligates", that means they must have meat.  Some of the cheaper dry foods are basically just corn, so are really no good for her.  That's why she's taking the meat and leaving the dry stuff.

Both the vets in our family say that cats should have moist food, that's where they get most of their moisture from; when you think about it, cats' systems are built for small, warm, moist pieces of mouse etc.  You should feed her on moist stuff, and you can give her occasional feeds of dry food as a change, for something to crunch on and help keep her teeth clean.

There you go, two free veterinary consultations for nothing!

Answer 11

Hi pac,

I am sure you are getting a lot of confusing answers here, to add up to your initial confusion about what to feed. I will try to explain the best I could and help you out.

There is nothing wrong with your feeding your kitten wet food. Actually, that is the BEST way to feed your kitten now, and when she reaches adulthood (when she turns a year old). There is no law that says a kitten has to eat dry once she is one year old. Many people believe that because they hear it from their vet,(like yourself), they cannot afford to keep on feeding wet food (it's costly), everyone they know feed their cat dry food, and many more reasons that one can come up with.

In reality, dry food is only beneficial to the cat owner and detrimental to a cat's health. Wet food is high in moisture and provides a substantial amount of much needed liquid for the cat's system to be able to function properly. Since cats are descendants of the desert wild cats, their thirst drive are extremely low. They obtain liquid/water from their prey and thus, they rarely drinks. This genetic makeup has been carried forward to our domestic cats and because of that, cats needs to obtain water from the food they consumed. This is where wet food becomes paramount in ensuring proper hydration.

Dry food on the other hand, are highly processed ans striped of moisture. Once ingested, the dry food will absorb moisture like a sponge from within, depleting your cat the much needed liquid it needs. And because cats has a low thirst drive as mentioned above, they tend to develop a host of related illness such as Feline Lower Urinary Disease (Urinary Infections)

I only feed 100% wet. I came to this conclusion after doing my own research and getting to know pets that suffer dire consequences as a result of being fed exclusively dry. These websites has great information if you are interested in learning more about feline nutrition and the proper diet for a cat.

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...

http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/canne...

http://cats.about.com/od/catfoo1/tp/tpca...

http://www.catinfo.org/

http://www.naturalmatters.net/article.as...

http://www.traciehotchner.com/cb/QandA.h...

I love to say this whenever someone ask this question.

Look at your cats. They are majestic animals, with their wild ancestors blood still running through their veins. They are predators, equip with sharp canine teeth to shred through meat. Now, imagine a lion or a tiger, feasting on a bowl of dry kibble. Does that sound right to you? Well, now you know why it is so ridiculous to feed your cat dry kibbles!

Domestication only changes the way the cats live but not the way the cats eat. If we cannot guarantee their wellbeing, we have no right to invite them into our home.