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Kitten Food Help
MincePied
Forumite 6 Posts
Hi, I am thinking about purchasing two kittens. One boy and girl. I am on a bit of a budget and trying to work out the costs involved before committing myself.
I am stuck with the food, so many conflicting things online, some people say dry food best for the teeth, some people say wet food best to give hydration and help prevent urine infections.
I was considering maybe one pouch of wet food per day and the rest dry food.
Please could someone with experience offer assistance bearing in mind i am on a budget but want them to eat healthy. What make of food?
Would one Felix kitten pouch and a complete dry food work?
Should i mix the wet and dry food together in the same bowl or just give wet for one meal and dry for the other two meals?
The kittens are currently eating Felix pouches only so i would need to introduce them to dry.
What make of dry food is healthy for them but reasonably priced?
Thanks
I am stuck with the food, so many conflicting things online, some people say dry food best for the teeth, some people say wet food best to give hydration and help prevent urine infections.
I was considering maybe one pouch of wet food per day and the rest dry food.
Please could someone with experience offer assistance bearing in mind i am on a budget but want them to eat healthy. What make of food?
Would one Felix kitten pouch and a complete dry food work?
Should i mix the wet and dry food together in the same bowl or just give wet for one meal and dry for the other two meals?
The kittens are currently eating Felix pouches only so i would need to introduce them to dry.
What make of dry food is healthy for them but reasonably priced?
Thanks
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Replies
I normally give mine Felix and she has a mix of cheap (shop brand) and named brand kibble to nibble on as and when she wants.
As you are saying about two kittens I would say a tin of kitten food will work out cheaper than packet meat.
Kitten meat is smaller chunks than adult meat; out of all the cats over the years only one was ever given kitten meat and that stopped when he was munching on my adult cat's food!
Supermarkets regularly have special offers on pet food. We stock up when they are on offer.
Make sure there is plenty of water for them to drink and be mindful that purely a kibble diet could lead to kidney trouble.
It's all down to your budget with feeding; supermarket, petshop or homemade.
The one food they both eat is the Felix pouches - fish in Jelly is their preference and they have Harringtons dried as well
So a pouch each mornings and evenings and the dried during the day when no one is home
Not really to the book when it comes to the kitten, but then have you ever tried telling a kitten, thats his bowl and he cant eat from any other?
If you really are on a budget, Lidl do some fantastic food for very little money. Grain free etc. However cats are fussy wee so and sos and will decide was was manna from heaven one week, spawn of the devil the next
At least the local cats home take my over buys
Sleep well.
My two cats have choices of wet and a big bowl of dry, wet for breakfast and dinner and dry for snacking. Plenty of access to water around the house and garden. Including the pond which is green and skanky and is favoured... go figure.
A pair of young adult cats from a rescue would be cheaper than buying two kittens: neutering, vaccinations, prescription flea/ worm treatment, microchipping all done.
If not a rescue, I would strongly recommend only getting kittens from a reputable breeder: again the kittens would already be vaccinated, flea/ wormer, microchipped, health checked by a vet, and will already be covered by insurance. The kittens will not leave their mother until around twelve weeks old. If this is not all clearly documented walk away.
AFAIK there is no scientific evidence that dry biscuits clean pets' teeth. Some veterinarians (see their websites) and some reputable breeders now advocate raw meaty bones eg. raw chicken wings/ necks/ ribs - for this purpose. You should check with your veterinarian what age this can be started. See YouTube for how easily a small cat can tackle a relatively large raw chicken wing! :cool:
Do read the ingredients on any pet food you are considering. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they must eat meat for health. 'Meat' for carnivores includes eating the bone/ fatty skin/ organs, not just the expensive part of the farm animal we humans eat! On cat foods you may see this nutritious mixture of bone/ fatty skin/ organs/ meat labelled on pet foods as meat derivatives or fish derivatives.
As obligate carnivores, cats have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate/ starch rich ingredients (eg. grains, potato, maize, rice). Carbs/ starches are the basis of many dry foods, both cheap and pricey brands. Limit or avoid these ingredients.
Your veterinarian or reputable breeder might advocate a kitten specific food because these are more energy dense to support growth spurts and boisterous activity. Obviously take their advice on this.
For young adult cats Butchers Classic and Butchers Really Meaty are decent quality wet cat foods. A pack of six large 400g cans is ~£2.80. Based on nutritious meat derivatives and fish derivatives, no unnecessary carbohydrates/ starch rich ingredients.
My little cat has been eating Butchers since she was around a year old. She is now over eight years old and has never needed any dental care whatsoever. Four or five years ago Vets4Pets claimed that her teeth would need a clean within a year, but my current vet practice have repeatedly told me that my little cat has very good teeth, nothing but a little plaque. Since dentals under anaesthetic are risky and expensive it is shocking that Vets4Pets tried to mislead me.
Please do not mix wet and dry food in the same bowl unless it is specifically recommended by your veterinarian or by the manufacturer. Microbes (bacteria & fungi/ yeasts) need food, warmth and water to grow.
HTH!
Research costs for vaccinations, insurance, possible vet costs as well as food costs.
Do you go on holiday? Think the costs of a cattery etc when you go away.
Can you afford to finance two kittens/cats for 15 years or so.
I know that will be close which is why i am asking advice before committing myself.
If i did need slightly more i would much sooner cancel the sky TV subscription (only paying £20 per month for basic channels) and use that money. The kittens would bring much more enjoyment than the basic SKY channels ever will