It’s hard to say no when your kitten gives you that look. You know the one. While it may be tempting to give your cat a bowl of milk or a bit of tuna as a treat, feeding your own food to your pet isn’t recommended because human diets are not nutritionally sound for cats.
Believe it or not, most cats are lactose intolerant. If your kitten eats dairy products, they could experience gastrointestinal upset.
Table food that includes fat trimmed from meat can also cause an upset tummy, possibly resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.
Regularly feeding your kitten tuna is dangerous because of its mercury content. Plus, some kittens will hold out for these treats and refuse to eat their well-balanced cat food. If you choose to give your kitten table food, be sure that at least 90% of their diet is good-quality commercial kitten food.
Don’t worry about your kitten becoming bored with their diet. Even though humans enjoy a variety of things to eat, most cats actually prefer not to change from one food to another, especially since sudden diet changes can upset their stomachs.
And don’t be concerned if your kitten doesn’t gobble up their food right away (unless they always have before). Some cats are grazers who like to eat whenever they want instead of adhering to the schedule we’ve chosen for them. You can slowly train your kitten to eat meals instead of grazing by gradually decreasing the amount of time the food is out for the day so your kitten will learn to eat it while it’s out.
If you have questions about your kitten’s diet, contact your VCA care team.
With shopmyvca.com, you can easily select foods that are nutritious and delicious for your kitten and even have it delivered to your home.
