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Cats belong to the Felidae family which also includes tigers and lions. Although your little bundle of cuteness is not as fierce as its other distinct family, it still has similar physiological and nutritional needs. Compared to other pets, cats and kittens need more protein for adequate growth and development. Hence, their guardians need to ensure they include kitten food with high protein in their kitty’s diet.
Kittens need more protein as they need more energy. Hence, when choosing kitten food, you must go for foods with higher protein content. Most kitten food use plant and meat-based protein to meet the kitten’s daily protein requirement. While protein is essential, you must also consider your cat’s allergies and medical diagnosis before choosing any protein for kittens.
High-protein kitten food should contain the appropriate balance of all essential amino acids and good-quality digestible protein alongside other important nutrients. Cats are primarily carnivores, which means they largely depend on meat as their main source of nutrition.
Amino acids are molecules that come together to form protein. Cats need two essential amino acids for their overall growth and well-being, unlike other species that need nine specific amino acids. Hence, when looking for protein for kittens, you should search for the following essential amino acids:
Ideally, all types of kitten food contain protein. However, as cat parents, you should check its percentage daily value to ensure that you get high-protein kitten food for your growing feline friend. Yet, you must know that your kitten’s protein requirement will change as it ages.
Cats need approximately 3.9 grams per kg of their body weight. Hence, cat parents should look for kitten food with high protein for their fur baby. Typically, cats need approximately 35 to 45% protein for better growth and development. Refer to the table below to know the approximate amount of protein content in kitten food:
Cat’s growth stage | Approximate % of protein required |
Kitten | 40-50% |
Adult | 35-40% |
Pregnant/nursing | 45-50% |
Senior | 35-38% |
Protein is an essential element required for your cat’s consistent growth and health. Cats highly depend on protein for energy. Therefore, kitten food high in protein is supposed to be an integral part of your tiny fur baby’s diet not only in their initial years but also as they grow up. When creating a dietary plan for your cat, you must check for the kitten food protein content to ensure you make the right choice. The following are some of the most common sources of protein that will help you make better choices when selecting a cat food brand.
You should look for these meats when buying kitten food with high protein. IAMS Proactive Health Mother and Kitten™ is made with chicken meat and salmon as well as tuna flour, so your kitty can receive the right amount of protein. It supports eye and brain development while also ensuring healthy digestion.
Essentially, all cats need protein for their ideal growth and overall development. But how to identify how much protein is enough for your kitty? Ideally, all adult cats require approximately 35% protein in their diet. According to AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials), cats need a minimum of 30% protein for growth and reproduction and 26% protein for adult maintenance. Poor-quality protein or low protein might lead to indigestion and loss of muscle mass in kittens and cats. Hence, all cat caregivers must ensure to include the optimum quality of protein in their pets’ daily meals.
AAFCO provides nutrient recommendations based on dry matter. This means, if you are feeding wet cat food to your kitten, then you might have to manually calculate its protein content. The following is the formula for calculating wet cat food’s protein content:
Step 1: Find dry matter of the food by subtracting the maximum moisture percentage from 100.
Step 2: Divide the minimum crude protein by the per cent of dry matter.
Step 3: Multiply its result by 100 to get the result of the percentage of protein available in the dry matter of the meal.
You can choose between animal-based and plant-based protein when looking for high-protein kitten food. Please note, it is recommended to consult their veterinarian before choosing the right protein for kittens.
Yes, protein is the main source of energy for cats. This means a high-protein diet is ideal for kittens as it aids their overall growth and development.
Most cats prefer meat-based proteins. The three main sources of high-quality protein preferred by kittens are chicken, lamb, and fish.
Allergies may differ from cat to cat. Chicken is believed to be a common food allergy in most cats. However, some cats might also be allergic to beef, egg, soy, milk, turkey, and other food items. Please consult a veterinarian before giving any new type of protein-rich kitten food to your kitty.
One of the easiest high-protein food for cats to digest is chicken. However, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian to confirm the kitten’s allergies before feeding them any new brand or type of protein-rich meal.
You love your cat. But the sight of watching your cat gag and cough up a hairball is anything but pleasant. Moreover, cat hairball can also cause intestinal blockages, which can lead to serious health issues for your cat.
Cat furball is common, but its seriousness varies from cat to cat. Long-haired breeds, such as Maine Coons and Persians, are more susceptible to developing hairballs. Besides, hairballs are more common in cats who shed excessively or groom themselves obsessively because they swallow a lot of fur.
In fact, you may have noticed that your cat didn't have hairballs when it was younger but developed the habit as it grew older. Cats become better groomers and even better at getting rid of fur from their coats with their tongues, resulting in more hairballs for you to clean up. It is this grooming behavior that is linked with the intake of fur.
Diet can be important in hairball relief for several reasons. The fiber combination of powdered cellulose and beet pulp in IAMS™ hairball formulas help move hair through the digestive tract. IAMS research has shown that cats fed IAMS ProActive Health™ Adult Hairball Care pass 80% more hair in their feces than cats fed a leading premium dry cat food. By helping ingested hair to be passed from the digestive tract, IAMS hairball formulas help reduce the opportunities for hairballs to form. This fiber blend also includes a moderately fermentable component to promote intestinal health. High-quality, animal-based protein and fat, found in IAMS hairball formulas, provide important nutrients for skin and coat health. Maintaining skin and coat health may reduce the risk of excessive shedding, ingestion of hair from grooming, and, consequently, hairball formation.
It's important to treat your cat's lack of appetite, as even a short period of time without food can have a significant influence on your cat's health. A decrease in appetite could suggest that your cat's hairballs have caused an intestinal blockage. It can also be an indication of a range of other issues. But regardless of the underlying cause, it is a problem that must be addressed as soon as possible.
Fatigue and lethargy are also common signs of a range of health problems in cats. They can, however, arise in conjunction with intestinal clogs. If your cat appears lethargic or weak, it may have a hairball blockage and require medical attention.
Keep a watch on your cat's litter box if they are vomiting hairballs frequently. Hairballs and constipation are both signs of a hazardous blockage that should be treated by an emergency veterinarian. Constipation in cats can be fatal on its own. Therefore, this is an issue that needs to be addressed correctly to ensure your cat is healthy.
This could indicate that something is extremely wrong with your cat's digestive system, especially if it happens frequently. Cats with frequent diarrhea can quickly get dehydrated, so make sure they're getting enough water. Try boosting their liquid intake with wet food until you can get them to the vet.
If your cat is getting constant hairballs, then you should take your cat for regular grooming. The best way to overcome cat hairball issues is by brushing or combing their fur regularly. This way, less fur will wind up in their stomach as hairballs. It will also be a fun way for you to bond with your cat.
Hairball formula or cat food is another remedy to prevent cat hairball. Hairball-reduction cat diets are now available from any pet food company. These high-fiber compositions are meant to promote the health of your cat's coat, reduce shedding, and help hairballs move through the digestive tract in cats.
There are several cat hairball treatment products available on the market today. The best thing about them is that most of those laxatives are mild that aid in the easy passage of hairballs through the digestive tract.
