Cats: Healthy nutrition for all ages

katze riecht an einer packung mit adult katzenfutter

Whether kittens, adult cats or older felines – they all have special dietary and nutritional requirements that need to be taken into account.

Feeding kittens: Optimum care right from the start

After about 3 to 4 weeks, the mama cat's milk production decreases and it is time to get the kittens used to special kitten food. From the third month onwards, kittens only eat solid food. The foundation for healthy growth is laid during this phase, so cat owners need to pay attention to a few things. If the kittens do not accept the food straight away, you can mix it with a little kitten milk to make a liquid mash and feed it in small portions. However, you should reduce the proportion of kitten milk quickly, otherwise the kittens will exceed their energy requirements.

It's a good idea to feed your little ones equal amounts of dry, wet and home-cooked food so they can get used to different types of food. That way, if you need to change their feed, it will be much easier.

Kitten food for energetic kittens

The period up to the fourth month is particularly formative because the digestive tract is not yet fully developed and the kittens have a high energy requirement. Feeding times should already be introduced by this stage. As cats are nocturnal and eat many small portions over the course of a day, food should also be available at night. N.B.: Special kitten food optimally meets all their nutritional requirements, just like our CAT'S LOVE Junior food. Meaning, it is not necessary to supply an additional dose of nutrients for healthy kittens.

From the seventhmonth on, you can introduce a mixed diet of dry and wet food – with two main meals a day. You can put out dry food to allow your pet to eat between meals. But make sure you keep track of the total quantity and calorie intake!

Feeding adult cats correctly

There are also a few things to consider when it comes to adult cats. It is important to find out whether your feline friend is a "glutton" or a more fussy type. Because while some cats literally beg for food, others seem to have no desire to eat regularly. As a rule of thumb, an adult cat needs around 300g of high-quality wet food per day. High quality is particularly important here, because only really good quality food ensures that the cat is supplied with all the nutrients, vitamins and trace elements it needs. At CAT'S LOVE, we work closely with nutritional experts and vets to put together the highest quality food. We deliberately avoid everything that cats do NOT need: Added sugar, which can lead to weight problems; unhealthy chemical flavour enhancers; and also cereals, which can become a problem when dealing with intolerances. Our food has an extremely high meat content and is not only especially healthy, but also tasty.

Activity: Indoor cat or outdoor cat

The amount of exercise a cat gets every day also plays an important role in the type and quantity of cat food needed. If your cat is a lazy house cat, it needs far less energy than a free-roaming outdoor cat that is constantly on the move. High-quality food with a high meat content (over 70%) provides optimum satiety and supplies the cat with valuable protein.

The frequency of feeding is also an important point.A cat that lives on a farm, for example, eats prey about 15 times throughout the day. So we recommend feeding your cat at least 3 times a day. If you opt for a mixed diet of dry and wet food, it is important to keep track of the total energy supply.

Senior food: What older cats need

When your feline friend gets older, a lot of things change: Their nutrient requirement becomes higher, and their energy requirement lower, because they now generally move less. The cat's ageing process begins at age 8, while from age 12, she is considered to be a senior citizen.The most common issue in senior cats is kidney activity, which must be recognised and treated in good time. And the digestive system also becomes less and less active with age. So the food they eat at this age must be easy to digest and absorb. To optimally support kidney function, cats need high-quality, particularly meaty food with plenty of natural protein, but not too much. To protect the kidneys, the phosphorus content should also be significantly reduced compared to a younger cat.

katze sitzt neben einer dose katzenfutter für senior

Nutrients and food supplements

To ensure that your older feline friend is well looked after, senior cat food also contains important vitamin supplements so that the cat can properly absorb enough of them. Generally speaking,the nutrient requirement remains high, while the energy requirement drops significantly. This makes it all the more important that the food does not contain any added sugar or cereals – like our CAT'S LOVE Senior menus.

Be aware: Food supplements are only necessary if there is a specific medical need. So it's essential that you have your cat checked by a vet and only give supplements in consultation with your vet. That way, you can be sure that you are giving your pet what it needs!