Is A Complete Dry Food Diet Okay For My 6 Month Old Kitten?

[Ariel2611]

I know everyone here is just telling me the obvious and I know I should be giving her a better food than Felix but it's what I have now...

I'm sorry to all, I'm not a bad owner! I'm just a young person who wants the best for her baby! I think I'm going to continue feeding her the James & Felix for the next few months and I will sometimes add in some other wet canned foods that I find at the store or that I order such as Smilla (only sometimes to valence everything out and give her a range or flavours etc)

I will also do research on homemade food too Columbine thank you!

Is this okay ?

Thanks to everyone who took their time to help me find some answers and gain some extra knowledge :-)

 

[Columbine]

The Bozita packs are twice the size of the felix pouches, so you'll be feeding less of them at a time Don't just look at price per pack - look at the feeding guidelines and pack sizes. My reading is that the two dry foods I suggested are cheaper per kilo than the James Wellbeloved, and you're feeding less of them.

The Felix kitten food is £0.29 per 100g, so £2.90 per kilo. The Bozita kitten tetra packs are more expensive at £3.29 per kilo (pack size 190g), but the cans, if you get the saver pack, are only £2.19...plus they're four times the size of the felix pouches. Animonda Carny works out at £2.70 per kilo if you buy the 400g tin size saver pack (again four times the size of the felix pouches). The Animonda vom Feinsten is a good food, but much more expensive.

At 6 months old, you don't strictly speaking need to feed kitten food. I'd move into adult wet foods now - I did with my boys and they thrived on it I'd suggest Catessy in Jelly (pouches or cans - £2.50/kg for pouches or £1.35/kg for the bigger cans), Smilla tetra packs or cans (£2-£2.70/kg) or Bozita tetra packs (£2.36/kg). They're all better quality and cheaper than the Felix pouches, going off Zooplus prices. I'd order some (more expensive) trial packs, see what she likes, then go for the cheaper saver packs in those brands. My guys love the Catessy pouches, and the Bozita and Smilla tetra packs (if I get the right flavours ).

ETA - Tesco adult pate trays are great, and they're only 10p per kg more expensive than the Felix...and they're a much better food If they have an offer on (as they often do) they're even cheaper! Butcher's Classic from Pets at home is very cheap too, so that's another good option

 

[tabbytom]

What I mentioned is not based on your calculations. What I meant is you can budget for now but in your kitten’s growing year or years, it’ll be higher now than when she’s an adult.

But then again, it depends on the individual kitten’s appetite for growth. Some eat more and some less. Female cats are always lighter and smaller in size compared to male cats.

You can try to find food that’s labeled ‘For All Life Stages’ and feed them to your kitten. This one both kitten and adult cats can consume. My boy is on this since he was 3 weeks old till now.

I do not know about the brands in your country and i don’t feed my boy with the brands you mentioned and so I’m sorry that I cannot offer you any ideas on that.

 

[MrsCassandra]

Can I ask why your vet does like E-numbers? It's not something I'm super familiar with, since it's the EU system, but just looking at the various ingredients given E-numbers, they don't seem inherently bad. There's riboflavin (Vit B2), tocopherols (vit E), safe acidity regulators and preservatives, stabilizing agents, emulsifying agents, fatty acids. I mean, without half of these things the food would be nutritionally incomplete, possibly unsafe, and textually unappealing, among other downsides. Lumping all E-numbers into a 'bad' group is just irresponsible. Yeah, sure, some of the E-numbers you probably wouldn't want in cat food, but that doesn't make all of them evil.

Like I said, I don't really know much about the E-number system, so if I'm misunderstanding something please let me know.

I believe the vet was referring to other ingredients such as preservatives, gums and similar which come with E- numbers.

Food Additives | European Food Safety Authority

 

[Ariel2611]

The Bozita packs are twice the size of the felix pouches, so you'll be feeding less of them at a time Don't just look at price per pack - look at the feeding guidelines and pack sizes. My reading is that the two dry foods I suggested are cheaper per kilo than the James Wellbeloved, and you're feeding less of them.

The Felix kitten food is £0.29 per 100g, so £2.90 per kilo. The Bozita kitten tetra packs are more expensive at £3.29 per kilo (pack size 190g), but the cans, if you get the saver pack, are only £2.19...plus they're four times the size of the felix pouches. Animonda Carny works out at £2.70 per kilo if you buy the 400g tin size saver pack (again four times the size of the felix pouches). The Animonda vom Feinsten is a good food, but much more expensive.

At 6 months old, you don't strictly speaking need to feed kitten food. I'd move into adult wet foods now - I did with my boys and they thrived on it I'd suggest Catessy in Jelly (pouches or cans - £2.50/kg for pouches or £1.35/kg for the bigger cans), Smilla tetra packs or cans (£2-£2.70/kg) or Bozita tetra packs (£2.36/kg). They're all better quality and cheaper than the Felix pouches, going off Zooplus prices. I'd order some (more expensive) trial packs, see what she likes, then go for the cheaper saver packs in those brands. My guys love the Catessy pouches, and the Bozita and Smilla tetra packs (if I get the right flavours ).

ETA - Tesco adult pate trays are great, and they're only 10p per kg more expensive than the Felix...and they're a much better food If they have an offer on (as they often do) they're even cheaper! Butcher's Classic from Pets at home is very cheap too, so that's another good option

Thank you for your reply!
Oh Okay, about the Tesco ones... Don't they have a low meat content of only 4%?
Is it these ones: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/274746654
The butchers classics don't have high meat content either ... sorry if I'm wrong

 

[Ariel2611]

The Bozita packs are twice the size of the felix pouches, so you'll be feeding less of them at a time Don't just look at price per pack - look at the feeding guidelines and pack sizes. My reading is that the two dry foods I suggested are cheaper per kilo than the James Wellbeloved, and you're feeding less of them.

The Felix kitten food is £0.29 per 100g, so £2.90 per kilo. The Bozita kitten tetra packs are more expensive at £3.29 per kilo (pack size 190g), but the cans, if you get the saver pack, are only £2.19...plus they're four times the size of the felix pouches. Animonda Carny works out at £2.70 per kilo if you buy the 400g tin size saver pack (again four times the size of the felix pouches). The Animonda vom Feinsten is a good food, but much more expensive.

At 6 months old, you don't strictly speaking need to feed kitten food. I'd move into adult wet foods now - I did with my boys and they thrived on it I'd suggest Catessy in Jelly (pouches or cans - £2.50/kg for pouches or £1.35/kg for the bigger cans), Smilla tetra packs or cans (£2-£2.70/kg) or Bozita tetra packs (£2.36/kg). They're all better quality and cheaper than the Felix pouches, going off Zooplus prices. I'd order some (more expensive) trial packs, see what she likes, then go for the cheaper saver packs in those brands. My guys love the Catessy pouches, and the Bozita and Smilla tetra packs (if I get the right flavours ).

ETA - Tesco adult pate trays are great, and they're only 10p per kg more expensive than the Felix...and they're a much better food If they have an offer on (as they often do) they're even cheaper! Butcher's Classic from Pets at home is very cheap too, so that's another good option

For the bozita tetra packs because she's on mainly dry food could I split it in two and feed one over two days? They are bigger like you say..

 

[Ariel2611]

The Bozita packs are twice the size of the felix pouches, so you'll be feeding less of them at a time Don't just look at price per pack - look at the feeding guidelines and pack sizes. My reading is that the two dry foods I suggested are cheaper per kilo than the James Wellbeloved, and you're feeding less of them.

The Felix kitten food is £0.29 per 100g, so £2.90 per kilo. The Bozita kitten tetra packs are more expensive at £3.29 per kilo (pack size 190g), but the cans, if you get the saver pack, are only £2.19...plus they're four times the size of the felix pouches. Animonda Carny works out at £2.70 per kilo if you buy the 400g tin size saver pack (again four times the size of the felix pouches). The Animonda vom Feinsten is a good food, but much more expensive.

At 6 months old, you don't strictly speaking need to feed kitten food. I'd move into adult wet foods now - I did with my boys and they thrived on it I'd suggest Catessy in Jelly (pouches or cans - £2.50/kg for pouches or £1.35/kg for the bigger cans), Smilla tetra packs or cans (£2-£2.70/kg) or Bozita tetra packs (£2.36/kg). They're all better quality and cheaper than the Felix pouches, going off Zooplus prices. I'd order some (more expensive) trial packs, see what she likes, then go for the cheaper saver packs in those brands. My guys love the Catessy pouches, and the Bozita and Smilla tetra packs (if I get the right flavours ).

ETA - Tesco adult pate trays are great, and they're only 10p per kg more expensive than the Felix...and they're a much better food If they have an offer on (as they often do) they're even cheaper! Butcher's Classic from Pets at home is very cheap too, so that's another good option

Thank you so much! Your suggestions have been brilliant! I will look into the smilla & bozita tetra packs ASAP. I did not even know tetra packs existed and I hate cans! So this is great!
If I give them the bozita or smilla it works out to 50p a day for one wet food feed and 3 dry which IS cheaper than others. If I split one tetra box into two it works out to £168 a year on goof quality wet food! I was very under budget with the Felix but again this IS better. Thanks

Please do give me some more information on the Tesco pate trays and if they're good and why.
Thanks again!

 

[Columbine]

Thank you for your reply!
Oh Okay, about the Tesco ones... Don't they have a low meat content of only 4%?
Is it these ones: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/274746654
The butchers classics don't have high meat content either ... sorry if I'm wrong

I think you're getting confused by labels. The 4% chicken refers to that meat only, not the total meat content. The foods I listed are all high meat foods - they're just from a mix of different meats. The 4% listing refers to the flavour/variety only (like a strawberry yogurt might be 4% strawberries). I hope that makes sense

For the bozita tetra packs because she's on mainly dry food could I split it in two and feed one over two days? They are bigger like you say..

Yes, exactly. The kitten Bozita you ordered will last her 2 days, not one. The big 370g packs will do 4 meals...just keep it in the fridge to preserve it (or even freeze half for defrosting at a later date. Just be sure to label it clearly).

 

[Ariel2611]

I think you're getting confused by labels. The 4% chicken refers to that meat only, not the total meat content. The foods I listed are all high meat foods - they're just from a mix of different meats. The 4% listing refers to the flavour/variety only (like a strawberry yogurt might be 4% strawberries). I hope that makes sense


Yes, exactly. The kitten Bozita you ordered will last her 2 days, not one. The big 370g packs will do 4 meals...just keep it in the fridge to preserve it (or even freeze half for defrosting at a later date. Just be sure to label it clearly).

If it does four meals does that mean that it will last 4 days!? Since I only feed her one wet food meal a day???
These are the ones I found:

Smilla Chunks in Sauce 6 x 370g | Top deals on wet cat food at zooplus
Bozita Chunks Jelly 6 x 370g Wet Cat food|Free P&P £29+ at zooplus!

 

[Columbine]

Yes - the big packs last four days. I feed mostly wet, and a big tetra pack does one day for 2 cats (and they're big cats too!). Or two days for one, with 4 mini meals a day.

 

[Ariel2611]

Yes - the big packs last four days. I feed mostly wet, and a big tetra pack does 2 days for 2 cats (and they're big cats too!)

Wow! That's great!
Considering that I feed mostly dry and one wet food meal a day that'll be brilliant for me! I have contacted Zooplus about a trial pack we will see what they say.
Sorry I'm confused about the 4% part!

 

[Columbine]

Zooplus does trial packs - they're listed with the rest of the brand. It's usually a 6 pack of mixed flavours so you can work out what your cat likes. They don't have them for Smilla tetra packs as theyr'e pretty new, but they are very close to the Bozita ones. If your girl likes a Bozita flavour, she'll very likely like the Smilla version too.

 

[Columbine]

Wow! That's great!
Considering that I feed mostly dry and one wet food meal a day that'll be brilliant for me! I have contacted Zooplus about a trial pack we will see what they say.
Sorry I'm confused about the 4% part!

Ok. To legally say a food is, say, chicken flavour, there has to be a certain percentage of chicken in there. The rest of the meat can be beef, pork, lamb etc - any meat really. So '4% chicken' just means there is that amount of chicken in there, not the TOTAL meat quantity. Usually they use cuts that are good meat, but that we humans aren't as fond of (offal, belly, that kind of thing). Some premium foods are single protein (so only chicken or only beef) - great if kitty has food allergies, but not necessary for most cats. That's the difference.

 

[Ariel2611]

I have now found a great wet food upon Columbine 's recommendation (thank you!) on Zooplus which i will soon try out after letting her tummy settle on only James dry before giving her new food all over again ...
That's a good idea right ?

It's the bozita adult one.
It's £168 for a year of it and it's only 0.50p altogether if you do the calculations for two meals a day. It's a large 370g tetra pack which is brilliant and so I can easily store it etc. And I hope she will like it.

I will be giving both James and bozita if she likes it... is that okay?

I will be giving her james dry at 8am in the morning
One quarter of bozita tetra pack at 12pm, james dry at 4pm
And then another quarter of bozita wet at 8pm... leaving me with half for the next days two feedings

Is that all okay?

Thanks

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm sorry to all, I'm not a bad owner! I'm just a young person who wants the best for her baby!

You aren't a bad owner, far, far from it - from what I'm seeing here looking at the very first post and these last few, you are a super concerned, loving, smart person, a great cat person and all around terrific human being.
In my opinion I think you're very much on the right track with this;

I will be giving her james dry at 8am in the morning
One quarter of bozita tetra pack at 12pm, james dry at 4pm
And then another quarter of bozita wet at 8pm... leaving me with half for the next days two feedings

 

[Columbine]

What Furballsmom said

That all looks good to me When you transition onto adult dry food, consider switching to Purzion or Applaws adult - they're a little cheaper and better quality. By all means let her tummy settle for now. I'd use maybe 3/4 of what you have, then transition onto one of the other two dry foods over the course of a few weeks. James Wellbeloved isn't a bad food. I just think there are better out there, and it's overpriced for the ingredients used. I have a friend who feeds James Wellbeloved to her girl, and she's thriving on it. Definitely don't feel bad about feeding it. I'm just giving you my personal opinions

I'm so glad I was able to help you

 

[Neo_23]

Ariel2611 You are a wonderful cat parent. Thank you for putting so much thought into the health of your kitty.

But, my only piece of advice is to just try and take a few deep breaths and relax! Enjoy the time with your kitty and don’t stress too much. Do the best you can but don’t forget to enjoy your kitty’s company too.

 

[Columbine]

Ariel2611 You are a wonderful cat parent. Thank you for putting so much thought into the health of your kitty.

But, my only piece of advice is to just try and take a few deep breaths and relax! Enjoy the time with your kitty and don’t stress too much. Do the best you can but don’t forget to enjoy your kitty’s company too.

 

[Ariel2611]

Aww thank you everyone !
You are right! I do tend to over think mainly because I feel like I don't do enough lol!
I just wanted to know Columbine and I'm sorry about this but how is purizon cheaper than James wellbeloved ? Sorry I am dumb please explain if possible as I don't mind switching her over to that once James finishes. I prefer purizon over applaws personally

 

[Ariel2611]

Also is there any point of me feeding her kitten dry ? When I order more dry should I order adult? Thanks