What are good foods to keep pregnant and nursing cats healthy?

Question

hello ... We have a neightborhood cat that we all love and all the neighbors feed and care for ... She recently had a litter of 5 kittens ( which found good homes ) but as a result of nursing she became very skinny and lost almost all of her fur .. well its been a few moths she is no longer nursing , her hair is growing back and now she has gotten pregnant again !! ( oh no ! )... I know Idealy cats should be spayed .. but since its not an option is there a special diet she can eat to help her stay strong during the pregnancy and nursing ..??

thanks

Jayne

Answer 1

She doesn't need cat food she needs kitten food. Stay away from Kitten Chow or other store brands. If possible stick with pet store brands. Also she needs to be on this food through weaning of the kittens.  

Answer 2

Kitten chow will help.

I don't know why spaying her is not an option.  If no owner, it becomes a cat anyone can take responsibility for.

Answer 3

High protein cat food with meat(not meat by products) as the first ingredient, with a bit of unground raw meat added and kitten milk replacer if she will drink it.  

Answer 4

Any high qullity canned diet would be great!

Cats were never meant to eat dry food, also known as cereals or kibble. We, humans, make them eat it for convenience to us. It has nothing to do with them or their nutritional needs. It's completely species inappropriate.

All small domestic cats descended from desert cats. In the wild, desert cats derive their entire liquid intake from their prey. They do not have a thirst mechanism because they don't need it when eating a species appropriate diet. They get all they need from what they eat. Additionally water was usually not available to them in their desert climate. So they do not often drink water. Regular ol' house cats have descended from those same wild desert cats.

So in a home environment, your kitty does not get the moisture it needs from dry food and it’s almost always in a constant state of dehydration. Water fountains are encouraged to TRY to get your cat to drink more and your kitty may even enjoy it, but it will never meet its water intake needs drinking from a bowl.

Deadly feline illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure, obesity, allergies, Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), bladder stones, kidney stones,  urinary tract blockages and Urinary Tract Infections (FLUTD), with and without deadly crystals run rampant these days. Cats are not taking in enough water to stave them off. Proper water intake through a species appropriate diet alone can prevent most of these conditions.

Overall,  wet is all around better for any cats diet, be it canned or Raw and they should never be fed dry cereal kibble if we wish to most closely match their wild nutritional and dietary needs. Kibble meets our needs… not our cats.

I recommend varying the diet with a constant rotation of accepted canned foods that your cat enjoys. If you do this, and allow your cat the same assortment they would have in nature when eating mice, bugs, birds and rabbits, your cats’ digestive system won't be so sensitive and you won't have to run around looking for a specific brand when your store is out. You will have a nice variety to choose from instead.

Canned foods I recommend for your rotation:

Nature's Variety - http://www.naturesvariety.com/content.la...

Wellness Grain Free Formula’s - http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_welln...

By Nature Organics - http://www.bynaturepetfoods.com/productp...

Organix -  http://www.castorpolluxpet.com/store/org...

Evanger's Holistic Pheasant - http://www.evangersdogfood.com/cat/20089...

Evanger's Organic Braised Chicken - http://www.evangersdogfood.com/cat/50103...

Evanger's Turkey & Butternut Squash - http://www.evangersdogfood.com/cat/50111...

Answer 5

She needs to be seen by a vet - so the best thing to do is to take her to a shelter where she can get the best care for her and her soon-to-be kittens.  Plus, they will spay her to stop this cycle.  I realize she is well loved in the neighborhood, but you are doing more damage to her health by allowing her to roam and continually get pregnant.  Take her to shelter if you can pick her up (make sure you put her in a carrier or a sealed box with airholes when she is in the car - otherwise it could cause you to have an accident) - if you can't pick her up, then call around and see if you can borrow a humane trap.

Answer 6

Mama cat needs to be on the highest quality kitten food you can afford to buy. She needs to have this available until all the kittens are weaned. After the kittens are weaned and eating solid food, you need to take up a collection from all the neighbors who love her and get her spayed. I have personally euthanized hundreds of beautiful healthy animals who lost their good home or never had one in the first place. Many communities have a low cost option or voucher to help defray the cost of neutering. Contact your nearest animal shelter or Veterinarian to see what is available in your area. Good luck.