How Much To Feed 4-month Old Kitten?

[DeepSpaceCats]

Ever since I brought my kitten home she's been eating Primal dehydrated raw. (We've been rotating proteins.) I was feeding her as much as she wanted at first, about 5 feedings a day, and in the last week or so I've bumped her down to 4 feedings daily. However, I feel like her tummy is hanging a little lower than I'd like, so should I go down to 3 feedings per day? This is the food she's currently on: [Link]

Topic: Is 3 nuggets of dehydrated food daily enough for a 4-month old kitten?

 

[Yanaka]

I don't know much about feeding raw, but I want to suggest you still feed her as much as she wants, because that will also be what she needs. My kittens got those pouches, too. I think it's a feline thing. It went away for the sister, but the male still has it--might be their version of sexy abs lol

 

[Yanaka]

Why do many cats have a saggy belly? | Pet Meds News

They call it a "primordial pouch" apparently!

 

[DeepSpaceCats]

Yeah, my other kitty has a pretty big one, but she's an old gal who free-feeds, so putting her on a diet is a no-go. (She would sooner starve lol) I've read up on those pouches, and unfortunately there are only theories, but their overall weight definitely affects the size of the pouch. I don't want to overfeed her! This food is protein-packed and very filling, so I just want to make sure I'm giving her what she needs while ALSO not over-feeding her

 

[Yanaka]

She's a baby, you can't really overfeed her. My kits are fit, the male just have that pouch. They're slim, solid and I can feel their ribs easily. I'm guessing your kitten is that way, too. No fat-shaming at this point

PS: it appears that they look for a developed pouch in Bengals. I don't think they want them overweight! lol

 

[DeepSpaceCats]

Interesting! I had no idea it was considered desirable lol Well then I might keep on feeding her 4 nuggets per day, and just watch her weight for now.

 

[Neo_23]

Four nuggets is not enough food for an adult, much less a kitten. If you look at the package it will tell you that 4 nuggets is only about 130 kcal. That is less than half the amount a kitten should be eating. A kitten 4 months of age should be getting at least 100kcal per kg of weight. You should probably be feeding her maybe three times as much as you are feeding now. I would add in some canned food and give her as much as she will eat spread across 4 feedings a day. Also make sure you are adding water to freeze dried food when you serve it.

 

[DeepSpaceCats]

I used the Primal Food calculator (I feel silly for not just checking there in the first place) and it's telling me, based on her weight and age, to only give her 3 nuggets daily! Here are the results:

Is this wrong?? This was on their website, I assumed it would be correct!

Edit: Oh and I definitely add water to each meal! I alternate between water and goat's milk And if it helps, she has TONS of energy and doesn't seem overly hungry. (At 4 feedings per day)

 

[Neo_23]

I'm not sure how they are calculating it, but if your kitten is 1.8kg then I think she should be getting at least 180 calories a day. This information is coming from my vet who has nutrition expertise and not a food company. I would just offer her some more food than you are doing now and see if she eats it. If she does, then she is still hungry and she needs it. It doesn't make sense to restrict food for a 4 month old or put them on a diet. Some days they will look chubbier than others because they are growing. I really don't think 130 calories a day is enough for a 4.1 pound kitten, especially if they will eat more if you offer it to them.

 

[DeepSpaceCats]

I'll make sure to offer her more food then! I'll see if she'll take 2 nuggets per feeding instead of 1.

 

[Neo_23]

I'll make sure to offer her more food then! I'll see if she'll take 2 nuggets per feeding instead of 1.

I would increase her intake slowly just in case it upsets her tummy to have too much at once. So for example, instead of offering 4 nuggets a day, try offering 5 for a few days. If she eats 5, then maybe offer 6.

 

[DeepSpaceCats]

I will! Oh, and can I ask something else? You mentioned adding canned wet food to her diet I think, is that safe to offer her if she's also eating raw? It was my understanding that raw food digests at a different rate than cooked food/kibble, so does wet food count? I wouldn't mind buying her some grain-free wet-food in addition so long as it doesn't upset her tummy.

 

[Neo_23]

I think it’s fine to feed canned and raw. Some people avoid dry and raw. I personally feed both can and raw food. Just always introduce anything new slowly.

 

[orange&white]

That website is incorrect for kittens. The kitten I brought home at 4 months was eating 6-8 ounces of raw food the first month or two before her appetite decreased as she grew. Not sure how that compares to dehydrated food, but 6-8 ounces was at least 300 calories a day. Her calorie intake dropped quite a bit during her 7th month. Every kitten will be a little different.

The pouch is a primordial pouch and normal. Also, my kitten went through phases or cycles where she looked very chubby for several days then all the "chub" got distributed into her next growth spurt and she'd look awkward and lanky for a while. Back and forth. She ate all she could eat until she was a year old.

And yes, it's all right to mix raw and canned food.