Kitten Food?

graciecat

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Okay, as some of you know we've recently added another member to our fur family...we had three girls, Gracie, Lizzie and Annabelle and added a male named Kidd...not my choice of name, but that's a whole other story.

Anyway, he had the runs when we first brought him in and when I took him to be checked out and neutered at the Vet he gave me six pills to give Kidd to take care of the runs...two a day for three days and one for the next three days...that did nothing.

I talked to my neighbor who had been feeding him and she said that he'd been eating kitten food, the Wal-Mart brand...without looking at the bag I think it's called "Special Kitty".
Here's my question is it alright to feed an 18 month old cat kitten food?
He already weighs 10 pounds, won't it make him gain even more weight?

The Vet recommened that I start him on a good brand Urinary Tract food, he said that male cats can get crystals and that if they do it will kill them.
He said it was fine for the girls to eat it too.

BUT, I just got over the bout of runs and I sure don't want to go through that again and I will introduce the Urinary Tract Health food slowly with all of the cats, but in the mean time is the Wal-Mart Kitten food going to hurt him in anyway...I'm sure it's not the best quality food out there.
But he loves it and no more runs
 

sharky

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As a general rule if you buy it at wal mart or the grocery store it is not a very good food... Yes there are exceptions but not many.... I recommend kitten food for babies under a yr ... I am just weaning my 2.5 yr old of kitten ... Vet said she wanted her off kitten before age 7, ie it is safe but watch the scales...
 

jen

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I stop feeding kitten food at 9 months or so. Unless they are gaining too much weight, or I will keep them on it longer if they are doing poorly. I would definately not feed him Special Kitty. It is awful junk food. Pet Stores sell a decent selection of wonderful foods. Foods without by-products and lots of fillers. Just search around on here for some suggestions.

As for crystals and UTIs, yes males are more prone to them but you will know when he starts peeing on the floor and take him right to the vet to treat it. It won't kill him unless it is left untreated for years and years and it gets really bad. A good way to prevent UTIs and crystals from happening is to feed high quality food, one for UT health, with cranberry in it, or give cranberry extract on the side, or you can feed wet food which helps a lot not just for UTIs but for water intake since cats usually don't drink enough of it.
 
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graciecat

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Originally Posted by sharky

Vet said she wanted her off kitten before age 7, ie it is safe but watch the scales...
Thanks, I figured it wouldn't do any real harm to him as long as I made sure he wasn't gaining a lot of weight.


Originally Posted by Jen

A good way to prevent UTIs and crystals from happening is to feed high quality food, one for UT health, with cranberry in it, or give cranberry extract on the side, or you can feed wet food which helps a lot not just for UTIs but for water intake since cats usually don't drink enough of it.
That's what my Vet said, to get him on a UT health food to prevent the UTIs and crystals.
He does eat about half a can of wet food a day.
I'm going tomorrow to get the UT health food, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that as long as I introduce it slowly none of my babies get upset tummies.
Thanks to both of you for your help.
 

juliekit

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Just an added though: If your baby gets the runs again try adding a tablespoon of pumpkin in his dry. It really helps with the runs but it has to bie 100% pumpkin with no added spices.
 
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graciecat

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Thanks, I'll have to keep the pumpkin in mind if it should happen again.
I'll have to keep a clothes pin handy too...the smell of pumpkin turns my stomach
 
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