Nutrition for the kitten

• Access to the first milk or colostrum is critical, it contains valuable nutrients and immune system factors
• Adequate nursing will ensure good growth during the first 4 to 6 weeks until weaning
• Kittens should then begin to eat solid food, and this should be of good quality
• Many cats do well with free-choice feeding, but it is also important to note that bored housecats will eat more and gain weight if food is always available
• Clean fresh water should be available at all times and changed as often as needed. Some cats prefer running water from a tap.
• Treats and snacks should not be overly fed as they can contain excessive calories
• The number one malnutrition disorder in cats is obesity and it can be prevented when your cat is still a kitten

Nutrition for the adult cat

• Lifestyle dictates what and how much you should feed: active, outdoor cats may require more calories, although they often ‘supplement’ this through hunting
• Know how much your cat is eating daily to prevent overfeeding or wasting of food
• Providing a high quality, balanced diet is essential
• Treats and snacks and table scraps add calories
• Prevention of obesity is very important in the adult cat

Nutrition of the senior cat

• As the cat ages so does its stomach and the diet should be easy to digest
• Providing a high quality, balanced senior diet is optimal
• Monitor appetite closely and provide ready access to clean water
• Remember that the metabolism slows down with age and obesity can quickly develop