Understanding Kitten Growth
What ingredients in the Home Prepared Diet Recipe before neutering
What is growth?
We talk about growth, but in fact we should talk about growth and development:
* growth includes weight, height and size
* development is related to the deposition of new tissue. Body composition changes as development does not follow the same rate for all tissues and organs.
Thus most of the development of the nervous system is set very early in life, that of the skeleton is intermediate, and that of the muscles is the lastest.
Adipose tissue is apart: at early stages, it starts with the multiplication of adipose cells, and later, each cell can blow (each adipose cell may store fat, up to 1000 times its size). Both mechanisms are still opened throughout life, which allows morbid obesity!
So the adult size (linked to the growth of the skeleton) is reached before the muscular system is fully developped: this allows the skeleton to withstand the force imposed by the muscles.
We can thus have the impression that growth is terminated once the adult size is reached. But in reality, it is only statural growth that is completed.
The weight nevertheless continues to increase slightly by the deposition of muscles (lean mass) in the latest stage of growth.
If we don't allow a good muscle development, then the body composition may not be optimal: the young gains weight, but more adipose tissue rather than proper muscle tissue...
Growth in kittens
The growth of the kitten of course begins at conception. The maximum growth rate (ie the moment when the kitten gains the most weight per day) is before birth. Then the growth of the kitten is quite linear, it takes almost the same weight and more every day for several weeks.
The end of growth, and muscle development…, appears around 40 weeks (10 months), and until then, the diet must be adapted to growth (with more proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins…)… even in case of sterilization…
Puberty in cats
The puberty of the male cat occurs between 8 and 10 months. He begins to mark his territory with urine deposits (urinary marking) and to fight with other males.
The puberty of the female cat occurs between 4 and 12 months, with the appearance of the first heat. It becomes capable of reproduction, which should to be avoided before the end of growth.
AFTER NEUTERING
Even once desexed, the end of the growth (and the muscular development…) is approximately at 40 weeks of age (10 months). Until then, the food must be adapted to growth (with more proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins…).
Neutering, whatever the age and sex, decreases the caloric need by 20%, but does not decrease all the other nutritional needs, nor the appetite.
It is therefore necessary to modify the diet of the kitten so that it continues to grow without gaining weight below its optimal weight, but also that it gains weight that is "lean" and not adipose tissue.
Neutering does not mean that the kitten has acquired the digestive abilities, maturity of an adult cat.
To order a suitable recipe
Avoid: foods rich in fiber and starch (starch, carbohydrates).
To be favored: foods adapted to growth, rather wet foods, canned or adapted household ration (growth kibble can still be given but in limited quantities, weighed). The addition of a few dice of zucchini, little by little the amount can be increased.
What to prefer?
Feeding the kittens a diet adapted for growth (ie richer in proteins, vitamins, etc.) is essential.
The risk of overconsumption of the previous food is real if left to will. So it is necessary to weigh the food and limit the amount of food available as needed.
To cover the appetite, it is interesting to give at least a portion of wet food.
Either a mixed industrial recipe
- With a little kibble for growth, canned (wet) food and either a little zucchini (in Treats > fruits > zucchini: choose a gradually larger quantity)
Either a half-and-half recipe
- With a part of kibble for growth and a part of balanced homemade food designed without starch, will allow to cover all the needs and the appetite easily
In case of vacation, it will be easy to replace the homemade diet by wet food for growth (looking for canned food with no starch, for kitten) to keep the waterness and volume.
To get the kitten used to a variety of food, it is wise to accustom it to the variety of tastes and textures from an early age.
Ordering a homemade recipe for a NEUTERED kitten... What are the right choices?
Neutered kitten : meat or fish?
Meat or fish (we speak of fish fillet) are the main source of animal protein and amino acids in the recipe.
In the case of a household or half and half recipe formulated thanks to Cuisine-a-crocs.com, the meats or fish options offered can be used to establish a recipe adapted to the kitten.
The recipe finally proposed and calculated must be able to be given every day. Certain foods (tuna, etc.) can be given once a week, but not every day. A small * indicates this when you choose meat or fish in the home ration or mixed diet (half and half) recipe. In this case, you will have to establish another recipe most of the time.
Neutered kitten: starch or not?
Kittens begin to be able to digest a small amount of starch only at 6 weeks of age. Second, most kittens digest a small amount of cooked starch well.
All kibbles contain starch. Some trays/boxes contain some others do not. In a homemade diet, you have the choice to add some or not.
In case of a half and half recipe for kittens, the home made part is offered without starch. There will be starch provided by the kibbles and, possibly via the wet food, if the one chosen contains it.
In case of a totally home made recipe, it is possible to choose whether or not to add a starch. If your kitten does not tolerate kibble, you can choose a household ration without starch. In any case, the kitten manufactures glucose by gluconeogenesis from proteins.
Neutered kitten : veggies or not?
The kitten appreciates diced vegetables and tolerates them well if cooked, and in reasonable quantities.
In the kitten, vegetables can be brought because they contain water but ultimately quite little fiber. This is particularly true with succhinis.
Once neutered, you can stay with "few vegetables" or "normal amount" depending on the appetite.
If the kitten is very young or does not like vegetables at all, it is possible to choose "No vegetables"... you will have to add wheat bran: it does not take up space, mixes with coza oil and Vit'i5 and allows you to provide fiber essential to digestive comfort while it accepts vegetables.
You can add to the ration some diced zucchini (> fruit > zucchini: small amount) to gradually accustom it
Neutered kitten : what treats?
Available and chosen treats are taken into account in the final recipe. So if you want days with treats and days without, it's best to make multiple recipes, one with and one without, to provide the right amount of overall nutrition.
My favorite treats among their favourites: Olive (fruit category), plain yogurt (dairy > it's lactose-free), peeled shrimp tail (only one!)...
Once you have chosen the treat, you must choose the quantity you want to give from a list of quantities you can give, taking into account the characteristics of the kitten 