Find out all you need to know to ensure your kitten grows into a strong and healthy cat!

KITTEN

Kittens should be at least 7-8 weeks old before they are taken away from their mothers to be re-homed. Healthy kittens are usually curious, and will show interest in strangers, so when choosing a kitten look for one that is lively and playful, without being too aggressive.

As kitten’s stomachs are so small – initially not much larger than a thumbnail – they should be offered as many small amounts of calorie and nutrient dense food as they will eat. WHISKAS® Kitten dry food contains a variety of tasty, crunchy pieces, including VITA-BITES® with delicious fillings, providing the all the nutrition necessary to ensure the best start in life.

Kittens need to be fed the right quantity and balance of energy, protein for growth, and vitamins and minerals for healthy bones and teeth.

Although your cat may begin to look fully-grown from 6 months, it is still developing on the inside and still needs to be fed on kitten food until 12 months of age.

The key socialisation period in cats occurs between 8 and 10 weeks of age. This is when your cat is most receptive to situations and people, so it’s important your kitten gets used to people during this time.

The colour of your kitten’s eyes will change as they get older. It is not until a kitten is 12 months old that you will be able to see their final eye colour – and this varies from breed to breed. 

ADULT CAT

Cats have a very strong sense of taste, which increases as they get older. It is therefore very important to provide your cat with variety at mealtimes so like us, it doesn’t get bored.  WHISKAS® offers an extensive range of tasty and nutritious meals in a range of formats including dry, can, pouch, tray, milk and treats, so you can feed your cat great tasting meals everyday!

Water is an essential part of a cat’s diet – an average cat requires between 150ml and 200ml of water everyday. You should therefore ensure your cat has plenty of clean, fresh water available at all times. 

Cats are obligate carnivores – which means unlike dogs, they can’t survive on a purely vegetarian diet.

Cats have 30 teeth: 12 incisors, 4 canines, 10 premolars and 4 molars.

A cat’s nose contains 60 million smell related nerve endings while humans only have 5 million! 

SENIOR CAT

Once a cat reaches 8 years of age, their dietary needs change. Cats not only become ‘fussier’ eaters, but their ability to digest the protein, fat and energy in their food declines.

Senior cats need to be fed specially created food found in senior ranges. This is because older cats need food which is highly digestible and palatable, with increased essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, to meet the needs of their less efficient digestive systems.