How to feed kitten after neuter?

[catheetiem]

Good morning everyone! I've dropped my little guy off at the vet for his neuter, he should be coming home in a few hours! I will ask the vet this same question when I pick him up, but it is a curbside service and I don't actually interact with the vet, only an employee who brings the animals out, so I don't really expect a great answer.

On my adoption paperwork it is recommended to feed the kitten as much as he will eat up until the time he is neutered, at which point I should be feeding him based on the packaging directions. My question is how much should I really be feeding him? In the two months I've had him, he has eaten far more than the packaging directs. He eats like double what the packaging says he should for his weight. He is by no means overweight, he has always been on the thin side and when I first got him he was pretty skinny. He is a little over 5 months old, weighed 6 lbs 4 oz a week ago, and so far he has been gaining weight at almost double the normal rate (he's been gaining about 2 lbs a month). He was underweight when the shelter I got him from got him, so I figured he's been catching up this whole time.

I'm worried about setting him back by suddenly dropping his calorie intake, but I also don't want to overfeed him. I was just wondering what you guys thought of this, if I should follow the shelter's directions or feed him more similarly to how he's been being fed.

 

[klunick]

He is a baby. Feed him as much as he will eat. They need all the calories they can get to grow.

 

[tabbytom]

He is a little over 5 months old, weighed 6 lbs 4 oz a week ago, and so far he has been gaining weight at almost double the normal rate (he's been gaining about 2 lbs a month). He was underweight when the shelter I got him from got him, so I figured he's been catching up this whole time.

He may not eat immediately after coming home after the surgery as he may still be drowsy over the anesthesia. Let him have some water and see if he drinks, if he doesn't. it's ok for the time being and eating may cause him to vomit out whatever he eats. Once he's more stable and the anesthesia has worn off, feed him some food.

As you mentioned, your kitten is only 5 months old is is still very much a kitten. Feed him wet good as much as he can eat at one spitting and feed him 4 - 5 times a day. Wet food is full of nutrients and proteins and he needs it for his formative year.

Best is feed him food labels for kittens as they are meant for them in the growing up year or feed him with food labeled 'For all Life Stages'.

A kitten is very active and eats lots. Wet food keeps him fuller and help maintain weight.

 

[Willowy]

He should get as much as he wants until he's around 12-18 months old. His food intake will peak around 9 months, you'll wonder how to keep him fed, lol (like a human teenage boy!).

After that you might need to tinker a bit with his intake to find the right amount to maintain his healthy weight. The amount on the bag/can is usually too much for a housecat.

I agree that it's a lot easier for a cat to maintain a healthy weight on canned food. The increased moisture tends to keep them from eating too much.

 

[klunick]

I had my two spayed/neutered about two weeks ago. When you pick up, you will be told to feed the kitten about half what you normally would for their first meal. Like if you feed half a can, you will feed it 1/4 of a can. If everything is ok, then you can slowly add more later on until you get it back to normal amounts. Your kitten probably won't eat much for a day or two but they bounce back quick.

 

[catheetiem]

He may not eat immediately after coming home after the surgery as he may still be drowsy over the anesthesia. Let him have some water and see if he drinks, if he doesn't. it's ok for the time being and eating may cause him to vomit out whatever he eats. Once he's more stable and the anesthesia has worn off, feed him some food.

As you mentioned, your kitten is only 5 months old is is still very much a kitten. Feed him wet good as much as he can eat at one spitting and feed him 4 - 5 times a day. Wet food is full of nutrients and proteins and he needs it for his formative year.

Best is feed him food labels for kittens as they are meant for them in the growing up year or feed him with food labeled 'For all Life Stages'.

A kitten is very active and eats lots. Wet food keeps him fuller and help maintain weight.

Thank you, I'll keep feeding him as I have been! He gets mainly wet food already, he has dry out at all times but he only munches on it here and there; his diet is basically all wet, and he's been on kitten formulations the whole time

 

[catheetiem]

He should get as much as he wants until he's around 12-18 months old. His food intake will peak around 9 months, you'll wonder how to keep him fed, lol (like a human teenage boy!).

After that you might need to tinker a bit with his intake to find the right amount to maintain his healthy weight. The amount on the bag/can is usually too much for a housecat.

I agree that it's a lot easier for a cat to maintain a healthy weight on canned food. The increased moisture tends to keep them from eating too much.

Thank you, it's good to have an idea how long he should be fed this way! I'll keep feeding him as we have been! It seemed so counter-intuitive to suddenly drop his intake; he's been increasing up to this point, my 2-case shipments have been disappearing much more quickly lately!

 

[tabbytom]

Thank you, I'll keep feeding him as I have been! He gets mainly wet food already, he has dry out at all times but he only munches on it here and there; his diet is basically all wet, and he's been on kitten formulations the whole time

Thats good and as what W Willowy mentioned as his food intake peaks around 9 months meaning that he's going through the growth spurt period which his food intake will be more than usual and will taper off later around a year +.

 

[catheetiem]

I had my two spayed/neutered about two weeks ago. When you pick up, you will be told to feed the kitten about half what you normally would for their first meal. Like if you feed half a can, you will feed it 1/4 of a can. If everything is ok, then you can slowly add more later on until you get it back to normal amounts. Your kitten probably won't eat much for a day or two but they bounce back quick.

Thanks!! Did they happen to recommend a cone for your boy? I've been reading that often cones aren't necessary for boys, but my boy is quite fastidious in his cleaning and he does clean himself down there every single day, at least once, so I wonder if he may need one?

 

[klunick]

Thanks!! Did they happen to recommend a cone for your boy? I've been reading that often cones aren't necessary for boys, but my boy is quite fastidious in his cleaning and he does clean himself down there every single day, at least once, so I wonder if he may need one?

They did but he was not having that. I have one of those inflatable rings and was going to use that. It's not as bulky and they can eat and drink normally. Boone kept getting both feet stuck behind the ring and struggling to get it off. I was afraid he was going to dislocate his shoulders in that position. I opted to not use the ring and just watched him. He would lick his privates but never excessively. That is what you want to avoid. Excessive licking. As for my female, she LOVED wearing the ring. Walked around like a fashion model. Her brother was very concerned with her wearing it though and eventually she started fussing about it so I took it off. She did real well with not licking her incision too much either.

 

[Willowy]

Cleaning the area normally is fine. What you want to intervene in is excessive licking or destructive chewing/biting (pulling stitches out, etc.). But a kitty's got to keep clean .

 

[catheetiem]

They did but he was not having that. I have one of those inflatable rings and was going to use that. It's not as bulky and they can eat and drink normally. Boone kept getting both feet stuck behind the ring and struggling to get it off. I was afraid he was going to dislocate his shoulders in that position. I opted to not use the ring and just watched him. He would lick his privates but never excessively. That is what you want to avoid. Excessive licking. As for my female, she LOVED wearing the ring. Walked around like a fashion model. Her brother was very concerned with her wearing it though and eventually she started fussing about it so I took it off. She did real well with not licking her incision too much either.

Hahaha too funny!! I'm really hoping he puts on a performance like your girl did, that's hilarious! I'll see if I can get one of those rings and keep my camera ready lol

 

[catheetiem]

Cleaning the area normally is fine. What you want to intervene in is excessive licking or destructive chewing/biting (pulling stitches out, etc.). But a kitty's got to keep clean .

Okay cool, thank you! And yeah, he sure does that!! Plops right down next to me every afternoon and cleans it all, inside and out. The little guy has no shame, doesn't even face away from me!

 

[klunick]

Hahaha too funny!! I'm really hoping he puts on a performance like your girl did, that's hilarious! I'll see if I can get one of those rings and keep my camera ready lol

Yeah, I wish I had gotten it on video. Whenever Boone would come over and "help" her get her ring off, she'd look at him like, "Watch out. I'm on the runaway. I am a diva, don't you know??"

 

[klunick]

Good morning everyone! I've dropped my little guy off at the vet for his neuter, he should be coming home in a few hours! I will ask the vet this same question when I pick him up, but it is a curbside service and I don't actually interact with the vet, only an employee who brings the animals out, so I don't really expect a great answer.

On my adoption paperwork it is recommended to feed the kitten as much as he will eat up until the time he is neutered, at which point I should be feeding him based on the packaging directions. My question is how much should I really be feeding him? In the two months I've had him, he has eaten far more than the packaging directs. He eats like double what the packaging says he should for his weight. He is by no means overweight, he has always been on the thin side and when I first got him he was pretty skinny. He is a little over 5 months old, weighed 6 lbs 4 oz a week ago, and so far he has been gaining weight at almost double the normal rate (he's been gaining about 2 lbs a month). He was underweight when the shelter I got him from got him, so I figured he's been catching up this whole time.

I'm worried about setting him back by suddenly dropping his calorie intake, but I also don't want to overfeed him. I was just wondering what you guys thought of this, if I should follow the shelter's directions or feed him more similarly to how he's been being fed.

I forgot about this part. My male is 6 lbs 6 oz and not even 5 months yet. Like yours, not overweight. He is just a big boy. We joke and say when fully grown he will be the size of a mini horse.

 

[catheetiem]

I forgot about this part. My male is 6 lbs 6 oz and not even 5 months yet. Like yours, not overweight. He is just a big boy. We joke and say when fully grown he will be the size of a mini horse.

Oooooh big boy! Haha yeah I'm really curious how big he'll get! I don't know anything about either of his parents so it'll be a total surprise! Is that your two in your signature? They're so, so adorable!!!!

 

[cataholic07]

I forgot about this part. My male is 6 lbs 6 oz and not even 5 months yet. Like yours, not overweight. He is just a big boy. We joke and say when fully grown he will be the size of a mini horse.

When kittens are 7-9 months old they really slow down in size. My boys were 7lbs at 5 months old and they are 12lbs now. My 10 month old girl is 10lbs. By 9 months old they can start to pack on the pounds so might need to be monitored unless they are super high energy. I struggled with my girl figuring out how much to feed her, she goes from being skinny to chunky in less then a day lol.

 

[klunick]

Oooooh big boy! Haha yeah I'm really curious how big he'll get! I don't know anything about either of his parents so it'll be a total surprise! Is that your two in your signature? They're so, so adorable!!!!

Yes, that is Boone and Gracie. Boone is the sweetheart and Gracie is the terror. She gets herself in trouble with her mischief.

 

[klunick]

When kittens are 7-9 months old they really slow down in size. My boys were 7lbs at 5 months old and they are 12lbs now. My 10 month old girl is 10lbs. By 9 months old they can start to pack on the pounds so might need to be monitored unless they are super high energy. I struggled with my girl figuring out how much to feed her, she goes from being skinny to chunky in less then a day lol.

Boone is the opposite of high energy. Unless Gracie gets him up and running around, he would be lounging around all day. They are fed small portions so hopefully it will be easier to monitor any weight gain. He is a very solid boy. No squishy bits on him.