Is my kitten/mother cat on the right diet?

[Mr_Kitty]

Hi everyone,

As you know from the couple threads I started (whoever commented, thank you) I just bought a cat from a non-breeder and it is a week old now. I was kind of concerned about the food the mother cat is eating as well as the food the seller will feed my kitten when it is ready to eat solid foods (dry/wet).

I just called a Vet clinic and they helped out a lot but also got me worried at the same time. They said not only is the Kitten's diet supposed to be KITTEN food rather than regular cat food (since it includes more nutrients) THE MOTHER CAT needs to be on that diet as well since she is feeding them milk and the food she is eating must be kitten food as well.

I was advised to go to a pet store and get something from there and was told to stay away from supermarkets when it comes to cat food especially kitten food. I doubt the seller is giving it high quality food and I actually suspect it is cheap supermarket food. Do you think this already has at least some minimal adverse effect on my kitten's development after a week or no worries at all?

I will go to a pet store TODAY right after work and buy a bag of whichever brand you will all recommend. Can you please give me some general tips on the kitten's and mother cat's diet during these crucial 12-14 weeks? Are there any supplements I can give her mother cat to make up for the week of garbage food (if she was indeed feeding bad food to the cat)

She also has a bunch of Whiskas laying around and I hear it is a bad addition to a cat's diet, especially early on since it is PURE junk food.

I want to make sure my kitten and its mother cat are getting the best care so I don't have to pay for it in the future.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

I just received a response from the seller saying that she is feeding her cat Whiskas & Friskies. Not sure how much of each and how often but I will hopefully meet with her later today and sort out the cat's diet. This is getting even more expensive but I guess if I have such demands, I need to pay for it myself. Unfortunately, not everyone has the funds to buy their pets quality food.

 

[Willowy]

Whiskas and Friskies wet foods aren't the worst. Almost all canned foods (in the US and Canada anyway) are halfway decent, with high meat content and not a lot of bad additives. But the dry versions are fairly crummy, lots of grains and colorings.

And Friskies patè wet foods are approved for all life stages, so they're appropriate for kittens. I'm not sure about Whiskas.

Now, once you jump down the rabbit hole of cat feeding, you might learn more than you want to know . Some of the more expensive brands aren't much better than the cheap brands. What brand/formula were you considering?

 

[Mr_Kitty]

The Whiskas is Wet but the Friskies is Dry. I don't know how to tell her to stop feeding the cats this stuff, especially during this stage. It MUST feed on kitten food according to everyone I am speaking to in vet clinics and every article I am reading.

I was suggested Royal Canin, Hill's and Purina. Also SPECIFICALLY Kitten food and not regular adult cat food (so the mother can eat the kitten food and transfer the nutrients while the kittens are feeding on her milk.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

I just got off the phone with a Vet clinic and they're telling me I should get OSPCA involved because the Seller should have had the mother cat on kitten/lactating food throughout the pregnancy as well as since the kittens' birth until they're all off to their new homes.

Also she did not take the mother cat to the Vet for check ups as far as I know (during the pregnancy) and there were no X-Rays or any Exams done during the pregnancy and they also said she needs to bring the mother cat and kittens to the Vet clinic for a routine check-up on the 4th week, which I don't think she will do.

The woman on the phone promised me that the kittens will for sure have some issues knowing what I just told her and that is stressing me out. I said I can try to make sure the diet will be changed right away and she said that is good but the damage has already been done throughout the pregnancy as well as the past 10 days since the birth of the kittens.

Can anyone confirm the accuracy of these claims?

 

[Willowy]

Yeah, see, RC and Hill's aren't a lot better than cheaper foods. Purina is kind of a cheaper food, depending which formula you get. I'm not saying they're junk (I use Purina ONE myself), but they aren't super high quality.

Maybe you could get a big bag of Purina ONE for kittens (Petsmart has the big bag or you can order it on Chewy: PURINA ONE Healthy Kitten Formula Dry Cat Food (Free Shipping) | Chewy) (ETA: oh wait, I keep forgetting you're in Canada; Chewy doesn't ship to Canada yet. Well, it should be at most big box stores) and offer it as a gift. It's better than dry Friskies but not super expensive so you can brush it off as "just a gift for the hungry mama!"

I think the vet lady was being a bit overdramatic. Friskies is approved for all life stages and as long as the pregnant/nursing cat is fed enough, it's far from criminal neglect. Again, cats have been born in barns and fed scraps for thousands of years and SOMEHOW we've gotten this far. Not that I'm recommending that, but I don't think we need to get too worked up over a lower-grade but still complete and balanced food.

If it makes anyone feel any better, Friskies is made by Purina .

 

[lutece]

I think the vet lady was being a bit overdramatic. Friskies is approved for all life stages and as long as the pregnant/nursing cat is fed enough, it's far from criminal neglect.

I agree! I would go a little farther and say that I wouldn't suggest going to that particular vet clinic once you get your kitten... it sounds like they might be the type of place to recommend unnecessary tests and procedures in the future.

Pregnant cats do not really need to go to the vet for prenatal checkups unless there is a reason for concern. I do take mine for prenatal checkups and ultrasounds, but this is a luxury, usually pregnant cats are just fine. Kittens do not need to go to the vet at 4 weeks for a checkup, and I would actually advise against doing this. Young baby kittens and nursing mothers shouldn't go to the vet unless something is wrong and they actually need vet care, because you don't want to expose them to other cats' viruses at the vet clinic. It's fine to wait for the first checkup until 8-9 weeks of age when the kittens get their first vaccinations.

Willowy's advice is excellent. The Purina ONE food would be a good choice, as it is affordable, nutritionally adequate, and most cats like the taste, so the mother cat will probably be willing to eat it.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

Yeah, see, RC and Hill's aren't a lot better than cheaper foods. Purina is kind of a cheaper food, depending which formula you get. I'm not saying they're junk (I use Purina ONE myself), but they aren't super high quality.

Maybe you could get a big bag of Purina ONE for kittens (Petsmart has the big bag or you can order it on Chewy: PURINA ONE Healthy Kitten Formula Dry Cat Food (Free Shipping) | Chewy) (ETA: oh wait, I keep forgetting you're in Canada; Chewy doesn't ship to Canada yet. Well, it should be at most big box stores) and offer it as a gift. It's better than dry Friskies but not super expensive so you can brush it off as "just a gift for the hungry mama!"

I think the vet lady was being a bit overdramatic. Friskies is approved for all life stages and as long as the pregnant/nursing cat is fed enough, it's far from criminal neglect. Again, cats have been born in barns and fed scraps for thousands of years and SOMEHOW we've gotten this far. Not that I'm recommending that, but I don't think we need to get too worked up over a lower-grade but still complete and balanced food.

If it makes anyone feel any better, Friskies is made by Purina .

I was also recommended Science Diet and Pro Plan. I don't know which one is the best from all 4 I was suggested to look into.
Is Purina ONE as good as those or are the 2 new ones I mentioned better? They're pricey, around $45CAD after taxes.

Yeah the lady I just spoke to at the Pet Store who volunteered at a Rescue for 2.5 years told me that most kittens will have minor respiratory issues and/or worms which are both easily taken care of with a round of antibiotics/deworming. She said she doubts they will have ANY birth defects due to momma cat not being checked by a vat during pregnancy and not being fed the kitten/lactating food during pregnancy and after birth.

Oh okay so Friskies is decent from the cheaper food options.

I agree! I would go a little farther and say that I wouldn't suggest going to that particular vet clinic once you get your kitten... it sounds like they might be the type of place to recommend unnecessary tests and procedures in the future.

Pregnant cats do not really need to go to the vet for prenatal checkups unless there is a reason for concern. I do take mine for prenatal checkups and ultrasounds, but this is a luxury, usually pregnant cats are just fine. Kittens do not need to go to the vet at 4 weeks for a checkup, and I would actually advise against doing this. Young baby kittens and nursing mothers shouldn't go to the vet unless something is wrong and they actually need vet care, because you don't want to expose them to other cats' viruses at the vet clinic. It's fine to wait for the first checkup until 8-9 weeks of age when the kittens get their first vaccinations.

Willowy's advice is excellent. The Purina ONE food would be a good choice, as it is affordable, nutritionally adequate, and most cats like the taste, so the mother cat will probably be willing to eat it.

I was under that impression too but it did worry me she said that. Out of 5 clinics I called, this was the only time I was suggested this. Had she told me that IDEALLY you should do this then I would take it as a luxurious option but she made it sound like the kittens are pretty much a write-off and while it won't be severe, they will for sure have SOME issues due to what I mentioned.

Okay so I will see if the seller is willing to pay for the food with me and this way I am okay with buying at least 1 bag for her. I doubt she will need more than one as she will give it Friskies AND the one I will purchase almost for sure.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

I just spoke to someone at PetSmart and she suggested I go for a Mother and Baby food rather than Kitten or Lactating. Such controversial advice all over the place, this is so confusing.

Here is what she says is the best (this is the wet version, I will see if I can find the dry food option and if not I can get kitten dry food and keep the mother and baby wet food):

Royal Canin® Feline Health Nutrition™ Mother and Babycat - Ultra Soft Mousse Cat Food

 

[Kieka]

Pet food is a highly controversial topic, welcome to the rabbit hole. I recommend researching WWII impact on the pet food industry, its fascinating.

I tend to look at ingredients, look for something with meat as the first few ingredients and avoid anything that has a lot of fillers (grains, peas, potatoes, veggies, fruits). I specifically avoid anything with plant proteins listed since that lowers the usable animal protein content. Personally, Science Diet and Royal Canin are overpriced for their ingredients. They are often recommended though because they were seen as a gold standard for a while along with heavily marketed. Price doesn't equal quality just good marketing, good ingredients equal quality.

I feed Natures Variety Limited rabbit (wet and dry) along with a mix of others depending on price and avilabilitt but my cats are poultry intolerant. I am not super familiar with Canada options but I know they have some good ones.

The worst bad nutrition does at a young age is stunt growth and possibly impact adult size. My girl was fed 9Lives dry kibble which is basically the cheapest dry kibble. She had chalky orange poop her first day with me from the food, stank to high heaven, her coat was a mess and she was barely a pound. I did blue Buffalo for the high fat content with her. She topped out at 7 pounds and now has a glossy coat.

 

[Willowy]

I've had success with Babycat. But it's very expensive, and nursing mothers/growing kittens eat a lot so I don't know if you're willing to spend that much on feeding the mother and the entire litter for 12 weeks. That's why I recommended Purina ONE, because it's not that expensive and is readily available.

But, yeah, researching pet foods could make you crazy, go easy on that, lol.

(Babycat is really the only Royal Canin formula I like. The rest are overpriced for the quality, imo.)

 

[lutece]

Royal Canin Baby Cat is a decent dry food for young kittens just starting to eat, as it's very palatable, digestible, and the kibble size is extremely small... but I agree it's overpriced, and I think you said that you have a limited budget?

Most breeders that use Baby Cat are members of their breeder program, and order large bags at a discount straight from the company. It's too expensive when marketed directly to the public in those tiny bags. And the Baby Cat wet food costs a fortune!

A food like Purina ONE is fine considering what it costs, and the mother cat is likely to eat it. If you were raising these kittens yourself, you could experiment with different foods for the mother cat... but since she's not your cat, I would try to keep it simple and just make sure she has reasonable quality food labeled either for kittens or for all life stages. Once you get your kitten, you can experiment with food to your heart's content.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

Pet food is a highly controversial topic, welcome to the rabbit hole. I recommend researching WWII impact on the pet food industry, its fascinating.

I tend to look at ingredients, look for something with meat as the first few ingredients and avoid anything that has a lot of fillers (grains, peas, potatoes, veggies, fruits). I specifically avoid anything with plant proteins listed since that lowers the usable animal protein content. Personally, Science Diet and Royal Canin are overpriced for their ingredients. They are often recommended though because they were seen as a gold standard for a while along with heavily marketed. Price doesn't equal quality just good marketing, good ingredients equal quality.

I feed Natures Variety Limited rabbit (wet and dry) along with a mix of others depending on price and avilabilitt but my cats are poultry intolerant. I am not super familiar with Canada options but I know they have some good ones.

The worst bad nutrition does at a young age is stunt growth and possibly impact adult size. My girl was fed 9Lives dry kibble which is basically the cheapest dry kibble. She had chalky orange poop her first day with me from the food, stank to high heaven, her coat was a mess and she was barely a pound. I did blue Buffalo for the high fat content with her. She topped out at 7 pounds and now has a glossy coat.

Yea it seems to be a very controversial topic, I am definitely going to research more into it.

I do this too, the more natural ingredients and in this case specifically Meat (and preferably at the top, meaning it has that the most) is the best way to go. I wonder how much better Science Diet and Royal Canin are than Purina ONE... I just don't want to make a mistake I will regret later.

I know I can probably correct it like you did with your cat by giving it the best diet which let it grow well and fix up the coat. I just want to make sure the kitten does not develop any issues due to a poor diet.

I've had success with Babycat. But it's very expensive, and nursing mothers/growing kittens eat a lot so I don't know if you're willing to spend that much on feeding the mother and the entire litter for 12 weeks. That's why I recommended Purina ONE, because it's not that expensive and is readily available.

But, yeah, researching pet foods could make you crazy, go easy on that, lol.

(Babycat is really the only Royal Canin formula I like. The rest are overpriced for the quality, imo.)

Yeah it definitely is not cheap but I am considering to give it something like that once I own it and have it at my place. I think I will have to buy 2-3 bags of whatever food I choose for it for 12 weeks... If she pays for some of it I may still do that.

I hope Purina ONE is better than just okay. I really need this kitten to be healthy. While I want it to be small when it is an adult, I want it to be due to genetic reasons and not health flaws due to malnutrition etc.

I will see what I choose. I will research all night and decide tomorrow.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

Royal Canin Baby Cat is a decent dry food for young kittens just starting to eat, as it's very palatable, digestible, and the kibble size is extremely small... but I agree it's overpriced, and I think you said that you have a limited budget?

Most breeders that use Baby Cat are members of their breeder program, and order large bags at a discount straight from the company. It's too expensive when marketed directly to the public in those tiny bags. And the Baby Cat wet food costs a fortune!

A food like Purina ONE is fine considering what it costs, and the mother cat is likely to eat it. If you were raising these kittens yourself, you could experiment with different foods for the mother cat... but since she's not your cat, I would try to keep it simple and just make sure she has reasonable quality food labeled either for kittens or for all life stages. Once you get your kitten, you can experiment with food to your heart's content.

Okay... So it really seems that I should go with Purina ONE right now as a gift... To make sure her cat doesn't eat garbage food. I will literally ask her to GIVE me the Whiskas and Friskies so I can give it to my friend's cat and this way I can guarantee she won't be feeding that garbage to them. I think this is a good compromise considering I am paying for her own cat and other people's kittens' wellbeing.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

Okay I think I can say with certainty that considering everything you said as well as my budget and the momma cat/kittens' health; I am going to go for these options for dry and wet foods:

Purina ONE Healthy Kitten food (dry)
Royal Canin® Feline Health Nutrition™ Mother and Babycat - Ultra Soft Mousse Cat Food (wet)


One is specific for Kittens and apparently it is great for the momma cat to eat that as well while she is supplying the milk.

The other one is meant for both momma cat as well as the kittens and is specific for this period of time they're in development from what I understand.

I honestly hope that this is the right choice and that she will not feed my kitten and her cat with anything else. I am going to make her a deal and ask her to hand over all of her cat food and give her this instead. This way I can be more sure.

 

[lutece]

I would suggest that you just give her some cat food as "a gift for the hungry mama" as Willowy said, but not imply to her that she is feeding her cats garbage by demanding the other food from her. You want to maintain a good relationship with her and don't want to drive her crazy with your demands. It's still many weeks until you get your kitten. If she feels too burdened by your demands and needs, it's possible that she could decide to give you back your deposit and sell the kitten to someone else.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

I would suggest that you just give her some cat food as "a gift for the hungry mama" as Willowy said, but not imply to her that she is feeding her cats garbage by demanding the other food from her. You want to maintain a good relationship with her and don't want to drive her crazy with your demands. It's still many weeks until you get your kitten. If she feels too burdened by your demands and needs, it's possible that she could decide to give you back your deposit and sell the kitten to someone else.

See... I wanna do that but then what guarantees me she would only feed her that... I would be just throwing out money I already don't have for nothing. I can say I grabbed it from a friend and he needs a replacement as he doesn't have kittens so it doesn't matter and he's doing me a favor. This way I can make sure I don't offend her or hurt her feelings. I know I am extra, I know that trust me. I just wanna make sure they're all healthy. I am sure she would do this too and she probably just doesn't have the $$$. She seems like a great person who cares about her pets so I want to believe that.

 

[cataholic07]

Any kitten food would work. Rc mom and babycat is great but yes expensive. You can check online to find any sales. I hope the lady stops rescuing cats. There's no reason a kitten should be adopted out with health issues. Zero. I would maybe suggest to her having the mom and kittens go to an actual rescue.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

Any kitten food would work. Rc mom and babycat is great but yes expensive. You can check online to find any sales. I hope the lady stops rescuing cats. There's no reason a kitten should be adopted out with health issues. Zero. I would maybe suggest to her having the mom and kittens go to an actual rescue.

So I think I am just gonna go with the following like I wrote earlier:
Purina ONE Healthy Kitten food (dry)
Royal Canin® Feline Health Nutrition™ Mother and Babycat - Ultra Soft Mousse Cat Food (wet)

I honestly think that is better than what they're getting now and also not too expensive and at the same time most cats like this stuff apparently. I hope it is a lot better than Friskies dry food and Whiskas wet food because unless it is significantly better I don't see why I would do this lol. From what I am reading it is significantly better quality.

 

[Willowy]

There's no reason a kitten should be adopted out with health issues. Zero.

I don't think the kittens have any health issues, unless I missed something.