When to transition to adult food?

[csteen85]

Hi everyone!

Tony is just about 7-8 months old. I currently have him on a 50% wet/dry diet.
His dry food is grain-free (Now! Grain-Free Kitten Food) and his wet is Whiskas Entrees (I've tried EVERY premium food available and he won't touch them). He eats 1/2 cup of dry and 1 entree per day in total.

I'm thinking of introducing a new adult dry food when I get close to the bottom of this bag.

1) Is this a good idea or should I wait longer?
2) Any recs on an easy-to-find, yet healthy adult dry food?

His coat looks great and his stool seems good... albeit a little stinky at times. The only thing is the dry food I have him on now is a little hard to find. I've been wanting to transition him for a while, but I was waiting to do so when it was time to move to adult food.

So, when did you move to adult food?

Thanks!

 

[rad65]

You can start your kitten on adult food as young as 6 months, though it's best to wait a bit after that for them to fill out some more. If he's almost 8 months, I'd say that's fine to start on adult food when his current bag empties.

 

[GoldyCat]

Most of the information I've read says they should be on kitten food for the first year while they're growing. I switched my kittens over to an all-stages food earlier than that, around 6-7 months I think. They've all done very well on it, and I can feed the same food to all of the cats, no matter how old they are.

 

[-_aj_-]

I kept my kittens on kitten food for a year then switch over I don't think there is a rule of thumb so the speak for it

I'm pretty sure there's a member on here feeds kitten good upto 18 months

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by GoldyCat

Most of the information I've read says they should be on kitten food for the first year while they're growing. I switched my kittens over to an all-stages food earlier than that, around 6-7 months I think. They've all done very well on it, and I can feed the same food to all of the cats, no matter how old they are.

All stages do make it easy but you have to make sure it is a higher protein and fat all stage...

To the OP .... find the affco seal and see if it says all life stage or growth and maintenance ... or growth and lactation only... If the first two it is fine for the kitties life or till diet requirements changes due to illness or disease

I keep kittens on kitten food for 18 months at least normally as most cats are finishing up growth at this pt

 

[GoldyCat]

Originally Posted by sharky

All stages do make it easy but you have to make sure it is a higher protein and fat all stage...

To the OP .... find the affco seal and see if it says all life stage or growth and maintenance ... or growth and lactation only... If the first two it is fine for the kitties life or till diet requirements changes due to illness or disease

I keep kittens on kitten food for 18 months at least normally as most cats are finishing up growth at this pt

I've been using grain-free, either TOTW or Indigo Moon, which both have the higher protein and fat content.

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by GoldyCat

I've been using grain-free, either TOTW or Indigo Moon, which both have the higher protein and fat content.

It was Not directed toward you I used the quote to bring out a point... realize many all stages are in fact low % protein and fat adult foods

 

[ducman69]

Don't get hung up on marketing. Just look at the ingredients and find something similar with healthy ingredients that is priced well.

You really only notice a difference between caloric density and protein/fat content between "adult" and "kitten" branded kibble with the cheap stuff.

With premium food such as Wellness, its 99.99% the exact same thing, and since the adult is available in larger bags that cost less per feeding, it makes sense to go with adult.

If you look at the ingredients of Adult Complete Care vs Kitten, you will see they are virtually identical, its just marketing.

Here's guaranteed nutrition info compared Adult VS Kitten formula:
Crude Protein
36.0% vs 36.0%

Crude Fat \t
18.0% vs 18.0%

Crude Fiber
3.0% vs 3.0%

Moisture
11.0% vs 11.0%

Ash
6.5% vs 6.5%

Magnesium
0.098% vs 0.098%

Vitamin E
300 IU/kg vs 250 IU/kg

Taurine
0.2% vs 0.2%

Omega 6 (Linoleic Acid)
3.5% vs 3.5%

Omega 3 (Linoleic Acid)*
0.45% vs 0.45%

Total Micro-Organisms*
80,000,000 CFU/lb vs 80,000,000 CFU/lb

Caloric density:
3950 kcal/kg vs 3950 kcal/kg

 

[GoldyCat]

Originally Posted by sharky

It was Not directed toward you I used the quote to bring out a point... realize many all stages are in fact low % protein and fat adult foods

I was already feeding my adult cats TOTW when I realized that it was all-stages food. I did a comparison with the kitten food to make sure that I wasn't going to be shorting the kittens on what they needed. I never really looked at other all-stages food.

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by GoldyCat

I was already feeding my adult cats TOTW when I realized that it was all-stages food. I did a comparison with the kitten food to make sure that I wasn't going to be shorting the kittens on what they needed. I never really looked at other all-stages food.

I think we have all done that

...

Yes ,some cat and kitten are just marketing but most unlike the example of Wellness actually have a difference ...

Typically kitten has 5-10% higher calories .. up to 20% more fat and protein vs the same line adult...

 

[ducman69]

Originally Posted by sharky

Yes ,some cat and kitten are just marketing but most unlike the example of Wellness actually have a difference ...

Typically kitten has 5-10% higher calories .. up to 20% more fat and protein vs the same line adult...

You have to ask yourself though, what IS the ideal caloric density though, and what IS the ideal protein and fat percentage? You can say, "Well, Purina Kitten has 3% more protein and fat than Purina Adult", but if their Purina Kitten formula has 1% less than Royal Canin Adult...

Nutrition label > marketing label, and its the only way to compare apples to apples between different brands.

The reason you only really notice big difference within cheaper brands between their "kitten" line and the "adult" line, is that with adults they can get away with putting in more cheap fillers as its no big deal with a developed cat that isn't growing. With kittens, they know you can't without getting obviously stunted growth, and so you get a slightly better quality food.

And if there really is only say a 5% calorie difference, would you notice that? Think about it for your own food, would you notice a bag of potato chips that was 1000 calories versus one that was 950 calories? You'd just eat a tinsy bit more or less per serving from the bag and not notice.

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by Ducman69

You have to ask yourself though, what IS the ideal caloric density though, and what IS the ideal protein and fat percentage? You can say, "Well, Purina Kitten has 3% more protein and fat than Purina Adult", but if their Purina Kitten formula has 1% less than Royal Canin Adult...

Nutrition label > marketing label, and its the only way to compare apples to apples between different brands.

The reason you only really notice big difference within cheaper brands between their "kitten" line and the "adult" line, is that with adults they can get away with putting in more cheap fillers as its no big deal with a developed cat that isn't growing. With kittens, they know you can't without getting obviously stunted growth, and so you get a slightly better quality food.

And if there really is only say a 5% calorie difference, would you notice that? Think about it for your own food, would you notice a bag of potato chips that was 1000 calories versus one that was 950 calories? You'd just eat a tinsy bit more or less per serving from the bag and not notice.

Actually yes.. Think wt control most vets only want calories cut 5-15% .. because the ave kitten starts out at less than 100 calories a day... Trust me I have compared nearly every food to every other one

... Honestly, you can feed 99% of adult foods to a kitten based on the Merck manual and affco % s and standards but NO I would not .... I have found more "fillers" in the 3-4$ per lb than the 1-2 $ per lb but then again I know what does and does not digest

I do tend to like "kitten " food until they hit senior in dry foods for the additional stuff that you cannot get normally in a all life stage( grain frees are bit different) ....

 

[ducman69]

5% of 100 calories translates into eating a kibble or two more or less though, that was the point. Kitty just eats slightly more or less. And we know that caloric density varies more than 5% between brands.

Just saying that one can't say, "well a kitten needs 5% more calories and 5% more protein and fat per serving" if one can't say more than what exactly. More than Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult? More than Natura Innova?

Natura Innova has 36% protein, 20% fat, and 4008kcal/kg. Thats higher figures than Wellness Kitten formula, a reputable "top tier" brand.

And Purina Kitten Nurturing Formula has only 12.5% fat, a 37% difference to Innova which is meant to be fed to adults.

Not trying to be argumentative, and I agree kittens need a rich food, but I believe that the only way to determine that across brands on an equal basis is by comparing the ingredient lists and guaranteed analysis, NOT by looking at which bag says "kitten" or "adult" on it.

 

[rad65]

Originally Posted by Ducman69

Just saying that one can't say, "well a kitten needs 5% more calories and 5% more protein and fat per serving" if one can't say more than what exactly. More than Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult? More than Natura Innova?

I believe they meant 5% more than an ADULT, not that the 5% was comparing one food to another.

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by rad65

I believe they meant 5% more than an ADULT, not that the 5% was comparing one food to another.

Exactly.. ON ave 5-10% more calories in a kitten than a like adult... Wellness is a odd duck all around

...

Try to use a quote button for factual quoting

 

[ducman69]

Originally Posted by rad65

I believe they meant 5% more than an ADULT, not that the 5% was comparing one food to another.

Either way, the same applies, what is the exact protein, fat, and caloric density ideal for an adult?

If you can define that, then any food which exceeds that by whatever percent, regardless of the label on the bag, is good to go.

There doesn't appear to be any qualification needed to slap a "kitten", "all stages", or "adult" label on the bags, or at least its extremely low. And we've seen that there are kitten formulas with lower caloric density and very low fat levels compared to other brand's "adult" formulas, so just advising to check the ingredients and analysis and ignore the marketing.

If I'm missing something specific in the difference, by all means I'd like to know.

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by Ducman69

Either way, the same applies, what is the exact protein, fat, and caloric density ideal for an adult?

If you can define that, then any food which exceeds that by whatever percent, regardless of the label on the bag, is good to go.

There doesn't appear to be any qualification needed to slap a "kitten", "all stages", or "adult" label on the bags, or at least its extremely low. And we've seen that there are kitten formulas with lower caloric density and very low fat levels compared to other brand's "adult" formulas, so just advising to check the ingredients and analysis and ignore the marketing.

If I'm missing something specific in the difference, by all means I'd like to know.

Your missing a foundation of education in animal nutrition and the books and sites that are used .
Yes ,there are Macro and Micro nutrients that are different for a Kitten Vs Adult label ... If you do some research you will find them in multiple locations on and offline.... All stage covers both but in many cases mimics an adult in the lower range of the % of fat and protein... Yes, the macro nutrients minimums are low by what any of us with some nutritional education would consider good but they are for maintaining life( and / or growth) vs not ....

Kitten VS Adult has a higher likelihood of going threw actual feed trials to substantiate it s ability to maintain.. All life stage are more likely to be based on scientific data and %s to met a guideline ....

Not really that easy

... but it is ... Realize even low end foods may crossover the lines ... ie Cat chow and Kitten chow are both all life stage though one barely meets the guidelines...

 

[sharky]

Caloric denisity is 15-30 cal per lb for an adult of proper wt

Protein and Fat I can give you the minimums but the maximums and the "ideals" will vary on who your talking to

 

[ducman69]

Originally Posted by sharky

Your missing a foundation of education in animal nutrition and the books and sites that are used .
Yes ,there are Macro and Micro nutrients that are different for a Kitten Vs Adult label ... If you do some research you will find them in multiple locations on and offline....

I have done quite a bit of reading, and Kitten, Adult, Senior, Hairball, and Dental are terms that are not regulated by the FDA and for which no recommended guidelines have been produced by the AAFCO. As an example, a manufacturer can put "uses human grade ingredients" on the front of the bag, which per the FDA no foodstuff qualifies that at some point was processed at a petfood facility (such as Wellness), and so can use the label even though it is incorrect as its not regulated.

As mentioned before, there are bare minimums in place based on the regulated term of "complete and balanced", but they are low and any food be it labeled adult or not that exceeds this could just as well be labeled "kitten" or "all stages" complete and balanced.

Originally Posted by sharky

Kitten VS Adult has a higher likelihood of going threw actual feed trials to substantiate it s ability to maintain.. All life stage are more likely to be based on scientific data and %s to met a guideline ....

Any cat food that meets or exceeds an existing nutrient profile doesn't have to undergo any testing whatsoever, which from what I have read is almost all cat food. Which source demonstrates where kittens are tested more often? This would be good to know, but the only information I see on it is that the trials are a joke anyway. With adults they take a handful of cats and IIRC if they don't lose more than 15% of their bodyweight over a short period, it passes.

Luckily the quality brands self-regulate and OVER nutrition is apparently the bigger problem than under, but the point was that chicken is chicken, rice is rice, and so really all you should be looking at is the actually regulated nutrition labels on the bag that specifically show whats in there and in what amounts, as one brand's "kitten" labeled product may very well fall short (as demonstrated) to another brand's "adult" labeled product, and with some manfacturers the "Kitten" and "Adult" formulas are both essentially the exact same thing like with Wellness, and they do this because it easily exceeds the guidelines for either and it was simply a marketing choice to call it "Kitten and Cat", create separate bags one "Kitten" and one "Cat", or call it "All Stages" or any other term from everything I've read unless I missed something.

 

[ducman69]

Originally Posted by sharky

Caloric denisity is 15-30 cal per lb for an adult of proper wt

Thats feeding suggestions, not caloric density of the food. I was listing numbers XXXkcal/kg, and the numbers were in the thousands since I was listing the food, not the suggested serving size.