How Much Does A Nursing Cat Need To Eat
It is important to note that at this point the kitten is almost fully dependent on the mother for all its nutritional needs hence what the mother feeds on should be best suited for the kitten too.
How much does a nursing cat need to eat. The best way to determine how much food your cat needs is to talk with your veterinarian. Nursing is the most energy-demanding stage of a cats life. Indoor cats may not get as much exercise as an outdoor cat would so they need fewer calories.
The best cat food for nursing cats is high-quality kitten formula food. Cats with two or more kittens need at least three times more calories than usual. If she is a picky eater do not hesitate to try feeding her canned tuna chicken or salmon.
Switch your cat to a wet kitten food. Outdoor or indooroutdoor cats living in regions with cold winters may need more food in the winter. They may start eating solid food at 4-5 weeks but theyre really just starting to be weaned at 6 weeks.
If cats become used to being fed too much food it can be difficult for them to get used to a restricted amount of feeding. Nursing cats have 2 to 6 times the energy requirements of a healthy adult cat. The mothers energy requirement will decrease and return to normal by about eight weeks post-delivery.
A 15-pound pregnant or nursing cat needs about 851 calories per day. Kittens have different nutritional needs than adults or senior cats. Nursing mother cats need to eat a high quality kitten formula food.
Here are some factors to consider when deciding how much food your cat should eat. The mother cat can keep the babies warm but if she leaves to eat or use a litter box the kittens can get cold. Age Life Stage.