Getting a kitten...

[POOOS]

Picking it up on Saturday. It'll be 7 weeks old.

 

We're sorted for litter, litter-tray, carrier, bed, climbing thing, scratching post, toys etc. Just not sure on food.

 

We're gonna try dry food. While we try to find one that, hopefully, the kitten will like, we are just gonna get a small amount. I was wondering if anyone would know how long a 1kg bag is likely to last?

 

Also, can anyone recommend any decent dry food? We're thinking of getting the Kitten and Junior in this:

 

IAMS Dry Cat Food: great selection at zooplus: IAMS Dry Cat Food - 25% off selected large bags at zooplus!

 

Thanks.

[Magic Sponge]

A 1kg bag would last Tony Montana about 3 days.

 

Hope this helps.

[POOOS]

A 1kg bag would last Tony Montana about 3 days.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Is he house trained?

[Magic Sponge]

[Dougie Do'ins]

Go to Pets at home. They do a great range in dry foods. I'm sure there's a kitten range. Iams is pretty good. Might not be a good idea to just feed it dry stuff at such a young age. There's a vet on here who usually gives good advice but I'm fucked if I can remember who it is.

[Jennings]

We got a kitten for my daughter last year. Here is a vid she made on the second day we had it:-

 

[YOUTUBE]t7x0B1e-JoE[/YOUTUBE]

 

Sorry I can't answer your question because I refuse to have anything to do with the little blighter (the cat...not my daughter).

[Uncle_Meat]

I'd be feeding wet food, along with some bits of fish and/or meat along with kitten supplements at that age. Bear in mind that 7 week old teeth will not be brilliant for dry food. Introduce the dry gradually along the moister stuff.

 

Royal Canin is good for dry foods though, and also a variety of different blends for different needs. When it comes to wet foods, I find the Felix and Whiskas stuff can be a bit rich, especially for mogs with more delicate tummies. I prefer the Butchers Classic, I've fed plenty of mogs who have been a bit squitty with Felix or Whiskas, but who have been OK with Butchers.

[Indian Red]

We have one. Goes by Iggy (named after a former L!verp001 f00tb@11 player). Boss kitten, well a bit grown now.

[POOOS]

I'd be feeding wet food, along with some bits of fish and/or meat along with kitten supplements at that age. Bear in mind that 7 week old teeth will not be brilliant for dry food. Introduce the dry gradually along the moister stuff.

 

Royal Canin is good for dry foods though, and also a variety of different blends for different needs. When it comes to wet foods, I find the Felix and Whiskas stuff can be a bit rich, especially for mogs with more delicate tummies. I prefer the Butchers Classic, I've fed plenty of mogs who have been a bit squitty with Felix or Whiskas, but who have been OK with Butchers.

 

Thanks everyone.

 

While I appreciate the teeth thing, the dry food does say 1-12 months. This would indicate it'd be ok for kittens?

[Scott_M]

We got a kitten last year, only because my girlfriend wanted one and she must be about 18 months now.

 

I was never a cat lover at all but from the first day we got her, I fell completely in love with her.

[neko]

ask someone who cares.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

actually I think uncle meat is right.

 

pics of the kitten would be nice as well.

 

name yet ? goblin, perhaps ?

[The Flâneur]

I use Royal Canin, but eased her in with loads of fish, with the occasional bit of egg if she got a bit squitty. She doesn't touch anything else now, fussy bitch.

 

Except deadly expensive brown shrimp.

[ChrisM]

PICTURES.

[ChrisM]

BTW we buy Royal Canin, but only because they do a food specific to our cats breed -

 

 

And she fucking loves it OMNOMNOM.

[Pony Princess]

When I first got my cat he was 6 months old, but I believe for the first 8 weeks they need wet, plain food as they are still growing all the good bacteria in their stomachs which was part of mums milk.

 

Then you can mix the wet food with 'junior/kitten' dry foods, then choose to either give them a mix or just dry once they are settled. I'd do what you said and only buy small packs of a few different brands. Like Uncle Meat's cats, mine would have a really bad stomach on Whiskas. Settled on go-cat and occasionally wet food pouches.

 

I've heard good and bad things about IAMS, Eubanika etc but you'll have to do your own research and weigh it up. I just give mine go-cat and if he's been a good lad, those little tins of sardines in tomato occasionally.

 

If he is going to be an indoor cat, try and get indoor cat food. It has stuff for them to shift hairballs and usually herbal ingrediants which stop their poop stinking your house out.

 

Hope your cat has a nice happy start to life.

[Uncle_Meat]

Thanks everyone.

 

While I appreciate the teeth thing, the dry food does say 1-12 months. This would indicate it'd be ok for kittens?

 

 

I suppose so, but I always think "How would they eat naturally?", and at that age they would still be on the tit, with with more and more meaty treats brought in by mum. So, in that case I think wet food and pieces of fish, ham, chicken and so on for that meaty treat thing...

 

If I had to stick to dry food, I would be moistening it slightly for them until they're older.

 

Top tip for wet food. Do *not* try warming it up in a saucepan as a special treat for the cat on cold winter nights. Not that it'll do any harm to the cat, but it will stink the kitchen out for days.

[ChrisM]

I fucking love my cat.

 

[Tossed and blown]

Dry food is fine, irrespective of the age of the kitten. Cats don't actually chew the food much, so wet is not really necessary. Dry food keeps better in the warmer weather and there are now no recognised disadvantages to feeding it I'd choose a decent proprietary brand, but it's worth pointing out that there's no food that all cats will get on with. If palatability and stool are reasonable then stick with it. Manufacturer's guidelines tend to err on the side of overfeeding (unsurprisingly). I'd advise against getting into the trap of feeding loads of different things as sometimes you can end up with really fussy pets. Well trained cats (and dogs) should be governed by satiety, not variety.

[Guest simon]

Hope your not planning on Cheesing

[neko]

Hope your not planning on Cheesing

 

huh ?

 

[Charles Penrose]

Can't understand people feeding their cats dry food exclusively. As a supplement yes but Cats naturally get their water intake from their food. If you get wet food, stay away from the shit that is Whiskas and Felix etc. It's like feeding them chips.

 

Oh and seven weeks is way too early to be taking a kitten from it''s mother. Common, but not right at all!.

[Ian Beales Gut]

Cats are shit get a dog. Dogs are ace!

[redheart]

Can't understand people feeding their cats dry food exclusively. As a supplement yes but Cats naturally get their water intake from their food. If you get wet food, stay away from the shit that is Whiskas and Felix etc. It's like feeding them chips.

 

Oh and seven weeks is way too early to be taking a kitten from it''s mother. Common, but not right at all!.

 

Why whats wrong with Felix Kitten pouches? With a sprinkiling of Whiskers hard food?

[Uncle_Meat]

Why whats wrong with Felix Kitten pouches? With a sprinkiling of Whiskers hard food?

 

 

As above, I've noticed that Felix and Whiskas tends to be too rich (or just too shit, as Mr. Penrose points out) and tends to give rise to sloppier, smellier shits which is not good. Give that stuff to a cat with an already gippy tummy and you're looking at a veritable shitstorm...

 

As a sidenote, what I find works well for mogs with iffy bellies is a bit of pure slippery elm in their food. Just as a pallitive, mind you, but can be handy to help whilst you find out the cause, be it food/stress or owt else.

 

I leave out a bowl of dry food for them to graze upon (Never had any problems with Go-Cat myself) , but feed them morning and evening with wet food for the main diet, with the odd bowl of chicken, boiled fish, tuna, prawns and so on.

 

Tazcat likes ginger nut biscuits, so the occasional biccy with a saucer of tea suits him fine.

 

Obligatory Tazcat pic.

 

[POOOS]

The kitten is an all black female. Got no pics, but here's a stunt double:

 

 

I will post some cute pics at the weekend.

 

As it's all black, we (me and my 5-y-o daughter) have decided to call her Sammy - short for Samantha the Panther.

 

As for the food...lot of different views and opinions (all gratefully received) - so it looks like I'll just have to make the choice myself. Have seen Go Cat recommended, so may well give that a try first, adding a little bit of water/kitten milk to wetten (?) it up a bit.

 

Cheers everyone