How much should a 12 week old kitten be eating?

Just trying out different food for the cats - anyone know of a good quality dry food without any fish and peas?

(yes we'll be slowly incorporating wet food too).

What are you feeding now? And by no fish do you also include fish oil?

merrick's Cowboy Cookout - has no grain, but does have beef (I hear beef could be a little rough on the bowel ?? )

http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/...p?c=52&s=20246

- or

Merrick's Thanksgiving Day (Turkey and another no grain) - canned
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/...p?c=52&s=01803

the can directions - 1 can (5.5 oz) per 6 lbs/day/adult
kittens: 2 x's the adult requirement

I also like Wellness (no grain) just Turkey (canned)
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/recip...x?pet=cat&ft=2

Kitten guidelines (Wellness)
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/produ...ing-guidelines
this is the info on the kitten 3 oz can:
Product GuaranteeFeed according to the age, size and activity of your kitten.
For 3 oz. can:- Up to 20 weeks, feed as much as your kitten will eat in 3 or 4 feeding per day.-
From 21 to 30 weeks of age, feed about 2/3 can per pound of body weight per day.-
From 31 to 52 weeks of age, feed about 1/2 can per pound of body weight per day.

I have heard that kitten food and adult food are really pretty much the same - but, don't quote me on that because I can't find the source.

Kittens should eat as much as they want.

http://www.thecatsite.com/Cats/Cat_Care.html
http://www.catinfo.org/
http://www.cats.com/question/catfeed...ten-eat-a-day/

Cat and kitten canned usually differ by 10% calories and roughly 5% dry matter protein( using 9% protein and 11% protein) and 5% fat

Cat to kitten dry is roughly the same calorie difference to canned but the protein and fat are usually within 3%...

Many Only all life stage foods say cat and kitten are alike

how weird - the title of my post was NOT "How much should a 12 week old kitten be eating?" It was something like "Any premium dry food without fish and peas"? No idea how it got changed to something else!

If a cat is allergic to fish, would fish oil still be okay?

Originally Posted by Ummm

how weird - the title of my post was NOT "How much should a 12 week old kitten be eating?" It was something like "Any premium dry food without fish and peas"? No idea how it got changed to something else!

If a cat is allergic to fish, would fish oil still be okay?

Click to expand...

Technically oil is 100% fat and thus not an allergen but modern processing can get some proteins in it...

Thanks Sharky! Guess have to try and see if fish oil is still okay. There are so many food that has fish meal in it even though it's advertised as chicken or whatever else.

Nature s variety makes a few without fish in the Instict line

I have heard of issues with digestion with fish oil if a cat has a fish allergy. There are many high quality foods. Look for highest proteins- 50% or more. Try brands like:
Solid Gold
Blue Buffalo
Wellness
Arcana
Taste of the Wild

oops wrong thread, meant to make my own.

Originally Posted by GloriaJH

merrick's Cowboy Cookout - has no grain, but does have beef (I hear beef could be a little rough on the bowel ?? )

http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/...p?c=52&s=20246

- or

Merrick's Thanksgiving Day (Turkey and another no grain) - canned
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/...p?c=52&s=01803

the can directions - 1 can (5.5 oz) per 6 lbs/day/adult
kittens: 2 x's the adult requirement

I also like Wellness (no grain) just Turkey (canned)
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/recip...x?pet=cat&ft=2

Kitten guidelines (Wellness)
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/produ...ing-guidelines
this is the info on the kitten 3 oz can:
Product GuaranteeFeed according to the age, size and activity of your kitten.
For 3 oz. can:- Up to 20 weeks, feed as much as your kitten will eat in 3 or 4 feeding per day.-
From 21 to 30 weeks of age, feed about 2/3 can per pound of body weight per day.-
From 31 to 52 weeks of age, feed about 1/2 can per pound of body weight per day.

I have heard that kitten food and adult food are really pretty much the same - but, don't quote me on that because I can't find the source.

Kittens should eat as much as they want.

http://www.thecatsite.com/Cats/Cat_Care.html
http://www.catinfo.org/
http://www.cats.com/question/catfeed...ten-eat-a-day/

Click to expand...

No fish listed in these foods - I, too, look for foods without fish - and, it is hard to find.

Originally Posted by Cat Connection

I have heard of issues with digestion with fish oil if a cat has a fish allergy. There are many high quality foods. Look for highest proteins- 50% or more. Try brands like:
Solid Gold
Blue Buffalo
Wellness
Arcana
Taste of the Wild

Click to expand...

I'm feeding TOTW right now, and it has fish and peas. she doesn't get as itchy as when I feed her food with herring, so makes me wonder if she's sensitive to peas or other fish.

I tried the 2 non-fish Acana - same. Really itchy with the lamb (has herring), and some itchy with the chicken. Orijin (non-fish) made her really itchy again (herring). So did Evo fish (herring!)

I do have a sample of Solid Gold and Blue Spa Indoor... guess just have to keep trying!

I fed her Wellness when we first got her but stool was soft, but it could be due to the transition. Could try that again but it does have fish...

Thanks GloriaJH. Wanted to see if I can find a dry food without fish/peas... with our schedule, it works best if we feed them dry in the morning because I don't want to leave the wet food out too long... plan is to feed dry in the AM, and wet in the PM (we do 2x scheduled feeding... the kitty who is allergic to herring LOVES food, we can leave food out or she'd eat the other 2 cats' food too.)

Originally Posted by Ummm

Thanks GloriaJH. Wanted to see if I can find a dry food without fish/peas... with our schedule, it works best if we feed them dry in the morning because I don't want to leave the wet food out too long... plan is to feed dry in the AM, and wet in the PM (we do 2x scheduled feeding... the kitty who is allergic to herring LOVES food, we can leave food out or she'd eat the other 2 cats' food too.)

Click to expand...

just wondering - re: itchy skin - I took one of my cats off grain because he had itchy skin - but, don't really know if it was the meds (steroid or antibiotic) that may have been the problem - so, to play it safe - keeping him off grains as much as possible

re: dry food -- no doubt our household is the exception (ha), I put out canned food before I go to bed - the cats are "grazers" and only eat a little at a time - anyway - sometimes I wake up to them finishing off the food - and they haven't had problems with making them sick - but sounds like you have one that would gobble up everyone's food leaving the others hungry ...

We all find ways that work - there's no hard and fast rule - sounds like you have a schedule that works for both you and your cats.

I'm sorry, but am leaving this link just in case you're bored one day and want to check out Dr. Pierson's take on cat food

http://www.catinfo.org/

and this for canned food: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodNew.html

Peas: are you sure she's not foolin' you - maybe she just is trying to get out of eating her peas.

Hope you find what you need for your furbabies!
g

Thanks for the links GloriaJH.

I am not certain about peas yet - that's why I want to try to find one without pea to see if it could be a problem - I thought I read somewhere that cats can be allergic to peas... who knows! She'd probably eat fresh peas if I give her - she LOVES food, and so far the only thing she doesn't like is citrus (orange peel) and mountain dew lol! no we didn't feed her that, but she walked backwards when she went near them!