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My son found a stray kitten in the park a week ago. I'm positive it was a stray. There were no other cats around, and she was sitting on the same rock when we went to leave as she was when we arrived. Which I thought was pretty odd behavior for a cat considering this was a roadside park, and something should've scared her away. When I approached her, her eyes were all goopy and sealed shut, and she was mewing so pitifully that I took her with us even though I, definately, was not in the market for a pet. As cold and wet as it was, I thought she'd be dead by morning, and I couldn't bear the thought.
The vet said she's between 6-8 weeks old, and started her on oral antibiotics and eye drops. I have to take her back after she finishes the meds because her left eye is still milky although it doesn't seem to affect her vision. After a couple days she seems as active as any kitten her age.
Doing a raw diet seemed beyond my abilities, so I've been feeding her the Blue Buffalo Spa Select kitten formula, but I can only find it in one "flavor". I've read cats can either get sick of eating the same thing or get so used to it they won't eat anything else. Does anyone know if this comes in other flavors? I know the adult cat formula does, but I've read that I shouldn't feed her adult cat food until she's a year old. If I switch it up and give her one of the other BB kitten formulas, do I have to follow the gradual rule or because it's the same brand it should be okay just to offer a variety?
Expense is certainly the biggest actor, as is the time it takes to prepare it. (I have three kids, they barely leave me alone long enough to make THEIR meals.) However, my issue is that it sounds very complicated (i.e. they have to have certain vitamins/minerals in certain proportions, and you have to figure out how much is in the meat, what's missing, and how much to add in, it has to be prepared in a sterile environment, etc. As I said, I have three kids keeping the kitchen clean is a constant battle.) and I'm in no way qualified to be an animal nutritionist.
I suppliment with raw instead. I roast a chicken at least twice a month so she'll get the gizzards. She gets bits of tuna when we make sandwiches, etc.
Not especially a fan of Blue Buffalo, but there are probably worse. I can't enumerate off the top of my head anything that would make you go "OMG I'm not feeding that anymore".
So just some general things here:
There's no particular reason that you need to feed a "kitten" food that I'm aware of. This is a marketing gimmick for humans, not a nutritional value for cats. Now, that said, there may be higher caloric density to the kitten foods, which means you may need to feed a fair bit of other foods. Have to make sure she gets enough. But you can feed anything.
Look for foods without grain and veggies (cats don't need these, read the full ingredient list) and I wouldn't feed fish too often (but the occasional bite as a treat like you described should be fine). It's not a bad idea to rotate flavors and even rotate manufacturers in case of a discovery of some deficiency. I can certainly attest to how tough it is to get cats to change once they are used to one thing. And stick to canned foods, this is better for them. Very difficult to get them off dry sometimes once that gets started; it's practically addictive.
My understanding of doing your own raw is that it can be very cost-effective (as opposed to commercially produced and marketed raw, which is pretty expensive). To some degree if you can use the whole animal (bones, organs, etc) you are in pretty good shape nutrition-wise I think, but I am not well-versed in this and have not tried it myself. There are also supplement mixtures you can buy that are made for use in the raw food that would take the guesswork out of it perhaps.
Look into a good quality CANNED food for this kitten. It's the best way to go. Dry kibble is causing all kinds of grief with cats. I'm not at home so don't have the information at hand but there are several good websites by veterinarians that discuss the proper nutrition of cats and kittens.
Thank you for taking this poor little kitten in and caring for her.
I do feed my cats a 100% raw diet. Basically I just give them all of my scraps. I never go out to eat so anytime I make any type of meat or fish I set aside a little bit for the cats. I also give them the gizzards from the chickens which usually comes with liver and heart as well as the wing tips. Before I cook the chicken I cut off the wing tips for the cats. I also buy half a beef at a time (much cheaper this way) and ask for all of the organs.
Basically I feed my cats scraps twice a day and a small piece of liver and heart once a week. Bone is also important so I occasionally will give them a chicken drumstick or the wing tips.
I suggest you try to do as much raw as possible. When you can't feed them a good wet food not dry. Wet food is so much better than dry food. Wellness and Natural Balance are both decent.
My son found a stray kitten in the park a week ago. I'm positive it was a stray. There were no other cats around, and she was sitting on the same rock when we went to leave as she was when we arrived. Which I thought was pretty odd behavior for a cat considering this was a roadside park, and something should've scared her away. When I approached her, her eyes were all goopy and sealed shut, and she was mewing so pitifully that I took her with us even though I, definately, was not in the market for a pet. As cold and wet as it was, I thought she'd be dead by morning, and I couldn't bear the thought.
The vet said she's between 6-8 weeks old, and started her on oral antibiotics and eye drops. I have to take her back after she finishes the meds because her left eye is still milky although it doesn't seem to affect her vision. After a couple days she seems as active as any kitten her age.
Doing a raw diet seemed beyond my abilities, so I've been feeding her the Blue Buffalo Spa Select kitten formula, but I can only find it in one "flavor". I've read cats can either get sick of eating the same thing or get so used to it they won't eat anything else. Does anyone know if this comes in other flavors? I know the adult cat formula does, but I've read that I shouldn't feed her adult cat food until she's a year old. If I switch it up and give her one of the other BB kitten formulas, do I have to follow the gradual rule or because it's the same brand it should be okay just to offer a variety?
You are a real hero for rescuing this kitten and you and your family will be rewarded for many years with unconditional love and much laughter.
Any high quality canned food (I am of the grain free "club" also) will be good for the little baby and feed her as much as she will eat. Smaller meals more often is best while she is so young, kittens shouldn't go very long without food.
Quote:
Originally Posted by myladeybugg
I do feed my cats a 100% raw diet. Basically I just give them all of my scraps. I never go out to eat so anytime I make any type of meat or fish I set aside a little bit for the cats. I also give them the gizzards from the chickens which usually comes with liver and heart as well as the wing tips. Before I cook the chicken I cut off the wing tips for the cats. I also buy half a beef at a time (much cheaper this way) and ask for all of the organs.
Basically I feed my cats scraps twice a day and a small piece of liver and heart once a week. Bone is also important so I occasionally will give them a chicken drumstick or the wing tips.
This is not at all a safe balanced way to feed a cat. Cats have very unique nutritional needs, that need to be extremely balanced when not feeding a commercial diet. I am not talking against raw feeding, just the way in which you say you are doing it.
I do feed my cats a 100% raw diet. Basically I just give them all of my scraps....
This isn't a balanced diet. You need to add the proper supplements which you don't mention, or feed the entire carcass including entrails of small mammals such as rats, mice, baby chicks and small rabbits.
This was just a brief description of how I feed my cats. I have done thorough research and how and what to feed a cat with a 100% raw diet.
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And stick to canned foods, this is better for them. Very difficult to get them off dry sometimes once that gets started; it's practically addictive.
