When to start on adult food?

Fluff15

Hi everybody,

My two kittens are now 11 months old, and I'm wondering when will be the best time to switch to adult food? They're both maine coon x british shorthair, and both these breeds are known not to stop growing until 3/4 years old, which has thrown me.

They definitely don't look very adult like yet either, although they're both 4kg! And they're still growing, we can tell by how much of our paper lantern lamp is left... However, I'm thinking it would be nice to give them a bigger variety of food, because generally kitten food in each brand only comes in one flavour.

What do you guys think? I was thinking about switching their dry food to adult (I feed applaws) but keeping their wet food for kittens for a few more months?

Mrs_pbradley936

If cost is not a problem I would stick with the kitten food at least half the time. It will have more nutrition and if they are still growing they could do with it. That said I doubt they will come to any harm if you switch to adult food now because they have done a great deal of their growing.

I would make any changes gradually because of tummy upsets if you do it suddenly. Unless they are very greedy I would offer wet food once or twice a day and have dried food out all the time. You cannot do that if they wolf down anything in sight!

Fluff15

Thank you - they are extremely greedy! I have to give them smaller portions of dry else they'll just wolf it all down in one and still be whining for more later on. It's not only their own food they do it to either, if I've left them alone for even just a short time like going to the loo, and I've left food around, it's fair game to them and they're eating it like a shot.

They've worked out how to open doors now too - so I can't shut them out whilst eating my dinner. I end up chucking them a tiny bit of broccoli or green beans which they bat around for a couple of minutes before eating, it gives me a few minutes peace!

I've decided to stick with kitten food for another couple of months. I'll first switch their dry to applaws adult as it's almost nutritionally the same as the kitten, then switch their wet food. Both adult foods are cheaper than kitten, but only by a small margin so it can wait. Thanks for your help

HappyMJ

Fluff15 wrote: »

Thank you - they are extremely greedy! I have to give them smaller portions of dry else they'll just wolf it all down in one and still be whining for more later on. It's not only their own food they do it to either, if I've left them alone for even just a short time like going to the loo, and I've left food around, it's fair game to them and they're eating it like a shot.

They've worked out how to open doors now too - so I can't shut them out whilst eating my dinner. I end up chucking them a tiny bit of broccoli or green beans which they bat around for a couple of minutes before eating, it gives me a few minutes peace!

I've decided to stick with kitten food for another couple of months. I'll first switch their dry to applaws adult as it's almost nutritionally the same as the kitten, then switch their wet food. Both adult foods are cheaper than kitten, but only by a small margin so it can wait. Thanks for your help

They are Maine Coon cats...they eat a lot. A 400 gram can per cat each day plus dry food would be quite normal.

Fluff15

HappyMJ wrote: »

They are Maine Coon cats...they eat a lot. A 400 gram can per cat each day plus dry food would be quite normal.

I know, it just shocks me how quickly they've finished their meals! I tried them on RC Maine Coon as that has bigger kibble for their big jaws, but it didn't really help and the nutritional value isn't great.

I try not to overfeed them, as they're practically indoor cats. By choice might I add - I have the window open for them all the time and I've tried encouraging them to come out by going outside too. One will go out, but only for five minutes a day and the other just refuses... I've not seen any other cats hanging about and we back on to a lovely field with woods, I think they're just happy to be at home.