What happens if my 3-month-old kitten eats adult cat wet gravy?

Yes, the adult food is a complete diet for all life stages. Usually kittens grow better with a kitten food as they do not have to eat as much to get the nutrients they need and the energy requirements. I usually feed kitten food until they are six months old then switch to adult food. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Hello and thanks for using Boop by Petco! Although it won't cause any major health concerns right away it is best to avoid letting Sparkles eat kitten food. Kitten food tends to be higher in fats and calories so it can cause an adult cat to gain weight quickly. In general canned cat food is considered much healthier for cats so perhaps you can entice Sparkles away from the kitten food by offering him canned food instead. Good luck with Sparkles and your new kitten!

It's okay if Toby gets an occasional bit of adult cat food here and there (such as eating from another cat's bowl, if you have an adult kitty in your home as well), but it shouldn't be his main diet. This is because kittens need more protein and other nutrients for growth at this age, which adult cat food doesn't provide. It's recommended to feed kitten food until 12 months of age, then switch to an adult diet that that time :)

So I agree that adult food should be fed to adult cats and kitten food should be fed to kittens. Kittens need more calcium and phosphorus to help them grow properly. They need more calories because they are usually more active than adult cats. Adults that eat kitten food for a long period will usually gain too much weight. If they become obese this can cause secondary problems like obesity and diabetes. Kittens who eat adult food occasionally will have growth abnormalities or poor weight gain. I hope this helps!

I generally recommend a basic adult diet for all cats six month and older. Prior to this, kitten food provides the necessary nutrients required for appropriate growth. If she likes the dry food, I might consider simply feeding the dry food exclusively. You can feed the adult wet food as a sort of treat. That would be my best plan. Hope this helps.

I'm not 100% sure of what you are asking. When you say "normal food" do you mean human food? If so, then the answer is no - they can't eat human food as their sole source of nutrition. Our food is not balanced for a cat's needs. It is best to feed cat food ESPECIALLY when they are kittens. They can have occasional human food (meats) as a treat but again, not as a sole source of nutrition. If you mean, canned cat food versus dry - either is fine. If you mean adult food versus kitten food - no, kitten food should be fed until they are a minimum of 8 month of age. I hope this answers your question. If not, you are welcome to post again - please be as specific as possible.

I think the schedule is reasonable and fine to stick with. Try to keep the majority of the kitten’s being the kitten food. That way most of the food intake will support their growth and development. If you have trouble finding food in the store, you might look online as you can often find it for reasonable prices. Ideally the kittens would eat all kitten food until they are about 11 to 12 months old. You could also feed a canned food that is meant for all life stages as this will support growth as well. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Rather than leaving dry food down I would feed each cat wet (canned ) food twice a day (kitten food for Chia and adult cat food for the other cat) and Chia can be fed a third time late at night for a third time. That way you ensure that each cat gets the food meant for it and the amount necessary. I recommend wet food over dry food as it has less carbohydrates and extra moisture. Cats are obligatory carnivores and should rather eat animal protein than carbohydrates.

It all depends on what the AAFCO statement says. You will have to check if the food has met AAFCO standards for feeding kittens, adult cats, or all life stages. The crude protein, fiber, etc. is not very helpful in determining if the food meets the nutritional demand of the life stage. Below is a link to an article that explains this a bit further and will tell you where to find the AAFCO statement. https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-look-for-when-choosing-your-pet-s-food/ If the food is deemed nutritionally adequate, then it's OK to feed them each other's food, but keep in mind the recommended amount to feed (should also be somewhere on the bag). The biggest concern with feeding an "all life stage" food is that it gives them too much calories, which can lead to obesity. If you notice that your cats starting to get chunky, then it's important to start reducing the amount of food they get. I hope that helps and all is well with the kitties.

Kittens do the majority of their growth in the first five to six months of life but continue to grow until they are around one year old. During this time of rapid growth and maturation of their bones, it is very important to choose a complete and balanced diet with the appropriate levels of nutrients. Diets formulated for growth include those labeled for kittens or “all life stages.” Canned foods promote increased water consumption in cats, and feeding dry food exclusively or in combination with canned is also acceptable. Offering a kitten with a variety of textures early in life can be helpful in minimizing the chance of having a picky eater. Regardless of diet selection, always make diet changes gradually by mixing the old and new foods together over five to seven days and make sure to carefully measure the appropriate portions of your cat’s food. Abrupt changes have a greater likelihood of resulting in vomiting and/or diarrhea.