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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Adult Cat Food

23 replies

Almostfifty · 25/09/2013 14:36

Someone DS3 bought adult cat food instead of kitten food for our four month old kittens.

They're currently eating kitten Felix pouches (what they were on when we got them) but I'm changing them over gradually to dry food.

I'm hoping to have them off wet food altogether before they go onto adult food. Am I ok to give them one of the adult pouches a day to get rid of them?

OP posts:

Mogz · 25/09/2013 15:39

Would it not be possible to take the pouches back and exchange them? I expect one pouch wouldn't harm them but much more than that and you're asking for runny tummies and upset kittens.

Original poster

Almostfifty · 25/09/2013 16:39

I opened the box then realised.

That's what I thought, but wondered if say, one a day wouldn't matter too much.

OP posts:

Mogz · 25/09/2013 16:58

It's been so long since I've had kittens, when are they meant to start eating adult food? Could you use a couple now to tide them over until you can get more kitten food then stash the rest until you know they're ready and use them as a treat? I just really wouldn't want to be dealing with the pooey results if they couldn't handle it!
My two, now 4years old, are on a dry food diet 90% of the time but wet food gets used if they have to take medicine, or (because I'm a softy) on special occasions like Christmas, so we tend to have a small box of pouches in, they seem to have a pretty long shelf life.

cozietoesie · 25/09/2013 16:59

It's better to feed them kitten food because it has the right nutrients but I wouldn't have thought it would actually harm them. (That's only half a pouch per kit after all.)

One thing though - if you have a look at the pouch 'use by' dates, you'll likely find that they're 2014 or 2015. That's oodles of leeway so you could put them in the back of the cupboard and have them there for when they're a little older or for emergencies.

Lonecatwithkitten · 25/09/2013 17:04

Adult cat food is mostly designed to kick in when they are neutered so not very long away. I would just hang on to it.

Original poster

Almostfifty · 25/09/2013 20:54

I was hoping to have them on dry food by then. I do have another pack of kitten food, but they've eaten half the pack today as I had no dry food left!

I was thinking it was the nutrients that's in kitten food rather than the fact it's for more adult cats. I might have to use one or two, but I'll get more kitten stuff (and dry food) tomorrow.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 25/09/2013 20:56

You (and they) will be fine until then. Let DS3 yourself off the hook.

Original poster

Almostfifty · 25/09/2013 21:00

Thank you. It's been a long time since kittens. They are so cute, but they eat so much!

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 25/09/2013 21:10

They're eating and growing machines, true. They should calm down and eat more moderately soon enough - in fact if they get to the stage of an older cat with you, you could well find yourself trying to get them to eat more! (Some much older cats don't eat enough for various reasons so there can be a constant battle to keep their weight up.)

Original poster

Almostfifty · 25/09/2013 21:17

I know, our last lovely girl had cancer and I watched her lose so much weight over the last few months. Before that she seemed to eat very little in the house, survived on rabbits and mice I think.

I'm just not used to litter trays any more, our last ones went into the woods!

OP posts:

itsnothingoriginal · 25/09/2013 21:22

Our kitten was on Felix adult food when we got her at 10 weeks

We gradually weaned her off it but I don't think a pouch of it will hurt especially if the dry food is for kittens so has the required nutrients.

Our kitten ate LOADS when she had Felix - since we changed her food she eats a lot less (and much less wind too )

Original poster

Almostfifty · 25/09/2013 21:27

Oh the wind! The boy one's not as bad but our girl is dreadful. She is so pungent, especially when sitting on DH's knee...

OP posts:

Mogz · 25/09/2013 21:35

Oh gosh, I do not miss kitten farts! They were worse than my mum's elderly dog, no idea how as they were a hundredth of her size.

Original poster

Almostfifty · 25/09/2013 21:48

I will cure her. Sooner rather than later.

OP posts:

issey6cats · 26/09/2013 10:10

by the way a totally dry food diet in the long term can cause kidney problems in later life if you go this route make sure they drink plenty of water , the foster kittens i have at the moment are on butchers classic which is adult food and they love it , they wouldnt eat the kitten food, and they dont have runny poos but felix is not the best food in the world anyway its full of cereal and appetisers to get the cats addicted to it

Original poster

Almostfifty · 26/09/2013 21:16

Yes, I've learned that from this forum, though my last two cats were fine. I do give them quite a lot of chicken and fish as well. There's always water to drink.

I am finding it hard to get them off the wet food, never had this problem with my last two kittens.

OP posts:

moonbells · 28/09/2013 13:56

So an almost 6-month neutered 3kg kitten is OK to move to adult?

DH has been saying it would stunt Moonkitten's growth but I can't see how... he has ad lib dry kitten food and water too.

itsnothingoriginal · 28/09/2013 16:39

I think so moonbells. Our 5 month kitten has been on butchers choice adult cat food for a few months now with kitten kibble ad lib. She seems to be thriving and vet said this combination was ok.

moonbells · 28/09/2013 22:43

Glad about that! Just bought a job lot of pouches while they were on offer!

issey6cats · 29/09/2013 14:54

moonbells according to the vet i took my two for re thier jabs worming etc over 2kgs he classes them as adult cats re worming tablets so presumably other stuff aswell

Applecrumbly · 30/09/2013 00:28

I wondered about this recently as I too have a kitten(5 months).So I actually stood in Tescos last week with two boxes of felix in my hands-one kitten /one adult.I painstakenly read through each ingredient and the only difference was that the kitten food had approx 3 more vitamins in it than the adult one.
I didnt know that they can go on adult food once they are neutered.

kiwik · 30/09/2013 00:58

My DH keeps them on kitten food until 12 months, then gradually changes them onto an adult appropriate food. He desexes at about 4-5 months, depending on gender. Males usually earlier than females.
He recommends Hills or Royal Canin to clients in his surgery.

itsnothingoriginal · 30/09/2013 12:35

kiwik - if they are having a dry kitten food do they also need a wet kitten food? My kitty has Royal Canin Kitten complete dry food but I give her a bit of Butchers Choice every day for variety. The decent quality kitten wet food is sooo expensive so I had hoped this combination would provide her with enough vitamins etc. My vet seemed to be suggesting this was ok

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