Kitten diet help please

[Michen]

Hi guys

For my sins (am not a cat person!) I’ve taken on a little kitten, who I’m secretly falling in love with! He’s utterly bonkers and completely exhausting, enjoying swinging off my silk curtains and pouncing on everything possible. Very entertaining 😀

He had a bad stomach so I fed him plain boiled chicken for a couple of days which worked. Went back to whiskas kitten food- bad stomach again. Switched back to boiled chicken and all good.

So can only assume it’s the whiskas (happens with both wet and dry).

Can anyone recommend a higher quality kitten food that he may tolerate better? I know nothing about cats but seems grain free is the way to go.

How long should I leave him on the boiled chicken to truly settle his stomach? It’s been a couple of days this time around but Obviously it’s not a balanced diet for him.

Thanks for your help, pic of “Bob!”

 

[peanut]

I've always had my kittens and cats on dried food and they seem to thrive on it.

Hill's Science Plan Kitten Healthy Development contains all the essential nutrients they need.

 

[BeckyFlowers]

He's lovely, congratulations on the new addition! Some cats don't tolerate Whiskas, it can be too rich for them. You have done the right thing putting him on the chicken, but as you said it's not balanced for long term. I would go grain-free, my (adult) cat is on grain-free nuggets. There's loads of grain-free brands, my cat is on Lily's Kitchen and they do kitten food. Maybe worth popping into your vets just to have the discussion, given he's a kitten and he's had an upset stomach. They will probably recommend a sensitive stomach food to start him off with.

 

[BeckyFlowers]

Oh, and if we can have more pictures please that would be great

 

[ycbm]

He's just like one of mine and es called Bob as well 😁. So cute.

Have always worked on the basis that kittens eat what their mothers catch, which is the same as their mothers eat. I've never fed kittens anything but Butchers or supermarket adult wet and dry cat food. I've had eight over the years and never had a problem with that approach.

.

 

[Equi]

Puppy/kitten food is very rich. The adult food is generally more stable but i don't like wiskas. I stick to the store brand stuff like ycbm - its a bit like wanting to buy pedigree chum for dogs...big brand so it must be good and nooooo it is not. Ive never fed anything but store brand and never had an issue.

 

[Umbongo]

Foods that I have fed my cat on in the past: Thrive, Applaws (be careful though, a lot of their tinned foods are complimentary not fully balanced), Almo Nature, Lilys kitchen, Meowing Heads etc.

I would pop to pets at home and have a look at some of the foods they have on offer there. Obviously price will also factor in to your decision.
Generally a lot of the foods that you can buy in the supermarket eg: Felix, whiskas, sheba etc are full of fillers, flavourings etc
Also get him wormed if he hasn't been done already.

 

[Michen]

Thanks guys.

I bought some appleshaw today. Plan on mixing half the recommended amount with the chicken for several days to see how he goes.

He was allegedly wormed on the 15th this month, but not sure it can be believed. Am worried about worming him immediately incase he was actually wormed- believe you should leave 4 weeks gap?

He should be ready to see vet for first vacc shortly so can get some info then.

He was blatantly too young to leave his mother, but that’s another story. People are horrid. 😡

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I always start on the cheaper brands and work up if I have to. Mine loved Felix but wouldn’t touch Whiskas. They also wouldn’t touch Lily’s Kitchen or many of the very expensive “healthy” brands either. For mine Felix is the one they’re most likely to eat, it’s probably the equivalent of McDonalds but I got sick of throwing good food away.

 

[Michen]

Damn. Not full on diarrhoea but definitely back to soft and very stinky poos within hours of being fed appleshaw. So I’ve tried cheap, tried expensive.. not sure where to go from here.

It’s definitely food related as boiled chicken has twice now fixed the problem straight off, so back on it tomorrow, but he’s been on it on and off for 8 days now.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Personally I’d take him to the vet and get a health check sooner rather than later. They can then advise on feeding and prescribe any kitten safe medications and wormers.

 

[TPO]

Diarrhoea can be serious in young kittens.

Years ago when I took on two kittens, where old enough to leave mum, one got a really upset stomach while being fed the same as the other. I thought the same as you, to put her on a plain diet, but it was cat expert mum who explained she needed to go to vet asap. I think it's because they are so small and if yours is even younger and it's been happening for a wee while I'd get straight to the vet.

I took both of mine to the vet and I was given a tube of brown paste to give the upset stomach one. She got a tiny amount twice a day iirc. I think it was a probiotic and it done the job.

So yeah, I'd take Bob to the vet asap.

 

[Chippers1]

Kitten!! Agree about the vet as they can go downhill quickly. For feeding, wet is better but if you want to feed dry then always have some wet out too (cats can't get enough moisture from their diet when just fed dry, they don't drink enough to compensate for the loss either). Also dry food has much more calories in it than wet food so just be aware of that for weight gain!
As far as brands go, my cat spent the first year of his life with a dodgy stomach and I could not work out what was the cause (multiple vet visits too) but he now eats Sheba fine flakes and that suits him fine. He's also incredibly fussy so luckily I managed to find something he would eat that didn't cause problems!

 

[Michen]

It’s not diarrhoea with this appleshaw (it was with the whiskas) , the poos are “formed” they are just softer and much smellier than when on plain chicken. It’s such an obvious correlation between the change in food.

Just waiting for the vet to open and then I’ll pop along with him, hopefully they can give me some pre/probiotics to help and suggest what food.

 

[Gloi]

The vets also usually sell specialist kitten food so you might get some ideas there and move on to more generic food when he is a bit older.

 

[Michen]

Just cleaned out litter tray and there’s a perfectly formed poo 🙈. Think I will keep him on the Appleshaw in that case providing all uphill from here.

Going to pop him to the vets anyway though as he should be ready for de fleaing and first injection, plus maybe they can give me something for if the stomach starts again.

 

[BeckyFlowers]

Think you're doing the right thing by taking him to the vets.

 

[Michen]

Well seen the vet who was, tbh quite dismissive when I told him he’d had a normal poo this morning and explained the circumstances.

All he suggested was mixing the appleshaw with boiled chicken and gradually phasing it out. Didn’t want to give me anything unless it continued.


Hopefully it’s sorted anyway, but if not I’ll take him back somewhere else I think.

 

[Michen]

Naughty kitten having great fun spilling coffee... butter wouldn’t melt...

How long are they nutters for? 😂😂😂 I cannot believe that I am now a cat person posting photos on a forum...

 

[ester]

Fairly sure I mentioned destructive tendencies lol

 

[texas]

Congratulations, very cute!

In terms of grain free food - Sainsbury's own brand wet and dry, I actually think they might do a kitten one.
I feed Applaws dryfood, you'd have to check if they do a kitten one.

 

[BeckyFlowers]

Adorable, although I did think that was a massive diarrhoea on the chair before I read it! I want to give him a big cuddle.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Cats can stay nutters for many years unfortunately! I had one that would run up the full length curtains hang from the pelmets then fall asleep on top of them, she did it for years the curtains were pretty much buggered, don't even speak to me about the Christmas tree

 

[Michen]

Also, he's got so many comfy places to sleep.. but chooses to sleep on top of the square radio...even when it's off and not warm. Strange beast!

 

[HashRouge]

He's gorgeous!

Places cats sleep is one of my favourite topics - favourites in our house are the printer tray, the basket my mum uses when she picks fruit and veg, ideally on top of said fruit and veg (apparently apples are comfortable!), next to the bread bin, and any item of horse wear.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Very cute!!

Apparently whiskas is very rich, my childhood cat had it very briefly and it upset her tummy, we've had 3 since, with the last 2 being ragdolls. One of the ragdolls is now 11 and the other 1.

Older ragdoll is fed applawse wet food (basically looks like tuna you'd buy for people supposed to have high natural content) and he's also been kept on the renal biscuits old girl had before she passed away as figured it would be better for his kidneys now hes older.

New ragdoll is greedy. Very greedy. His kidney biscuits are kept in the bath as she is scared of it and would want to eat all the biscuits as she is on a diet at the moment. I was having a bath and she was trying to get them and I nearly ended up with a bath full of biscuits as she was stood up against the bath trying to get them. Last night she hooked her foot in the bowl and pulled them off so they were all over the floor 🙄

Her kitten diet is the only one I can remember due to being most recent, her breeder sent a small sample of some posh online only biscuits and she was also fed a little raw food. After her spay op the vet advised giving her a small amount of plain fish or chicken. She got some fish. Raw was now considered revolting she wouldn't touch it turned very fussy. She then went onto applawse kitten tins and some applawse kitten biscuits. She is currently on a diet but has applawse adult wet pouch and a weighed amount of applawse adult dried food.

Applawse has a much more pleasant smell the likes of "normal" cat food now makes me gag 😂

Another thing to check is is he up to date with his worming programme?

Think we need some more photos he has the tabby M marking on his head!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Oh and naughty cats are the most entertaining! Another household here who dont have a Christmas tree since now sadly passed away Forest Cat girly shinned up it as a kitten and down came the tree with her astride it. Xmas tree was never brought out again!

Xmas tree vs the ragdolls would be you tube worthy however! It would be utter carnage

Also a tip- cheap toys are most exciting! She loves her treat ball, use it like the horse ones where some of her dry food allowance is put in it. Put some biscuits in a folder over toilet roll or egg box for them to get out. Rolled up silver foil balls. A feather under a newspaper. Poundland have been selling a hessian type material fish with straw on the end, both of them go mad for it probably due to the rustly straw. Their first taste of cat nip aka cat cannabis is hilarious to watch.

 

[Fiona]

Lilys Kitchen cat food works for us Michen.....

Try getting a couple of kitten toys to use up some energy, a wee plastic ball, and something on a plastic wand/string to dangle...

Good luck x

Fiona

 

[Michen]

Lilys Kitchen cat food works for us Michen.....

Try getting a couple of kitten toys to use up some energy, a wee plastic ball, and something on a plastic wand/string to dangle...

Good luck x

Fiona

Thanks

He has all that, house is like a play pen! Worn out now though 😀

 

[Pinkvboots]

They love cardboard box as well although don't walk past it when his in it