Pet Food Ingredients - K - Kitten Food

K

Kitten Food

Kitten, that's me!

I read somewhere - though I can not recall where - that in the wild there are no mice labeled  'Adult' 'Senior' or 'Kitten'

It amused me, and it makes a very valid point. 
After the kitten is old enough, a momma cat will bring its killed prey for her babies to eat. As they gradually get bigger, the momma will bring mice that are a little less on the dead side - this gives the babies a chance to learn how to hunt and kill their food. 

So do we really need to feed kittens a different food than what we would feed an adult cat?

Yes and no.

Since they do not sell canned mousey for Fluffy, we are left with wet food and kibble. 

I recall the big seller as I was growing up to be -

Kitten Chow. 

Ingredients:

Chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, soy flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), wheat flour, fish meal, animal liver flavor, dried yeast, turkey by-product meal, calcium carbonate, phosphoric acid, salt, choline chloride, taurine, potassium chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese sulfate, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, added color (Red 40), copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite. 

 

Purina^® Kitten Chow^® Brand Kitten Food
- Nuturing Formula

(I can at least spell Nurturing... I did a copy and paste from the website)

Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude Protein (Min) 40.0%
Crude Fat (Min) 12.5% 
Crude Fiber (Max) 4.0%
Moisture (Max) 12.0% 
Calcium (Ca) (Min) 1.2%
Phosphorus (P) (Min) 1.1% 
Thiamine (Min) 75 mg/kg
Riboflavin(Min) 10 mg/kg 
Choline (Min) 2400 mg/kg
Taurine (Min) 0.125% 
Docosahexaenoic Acid* (DHA) (Min) 0.02%

 

Age	Daily Amount*	Frequency
3 - 6 weeks	1/4 - 1/3 cup	3 - 4 times a day
7 weeks - 6 months	1/3 - 3/4 cup	3 - 4 times a day
7 months - 1 year	1/2 - 3/4 cup	2 times a day

 ***************************

Cat Chow

Ingredients:
Poultry by-product meal, corn meal, corn gluten meal, ground whole wheat, brewers rice, soy flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), fish meal, meat and bone meal, brewers dried yeast, phosphoric acid, animal digest, calcium carbonate, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, calcium phosphate, taurine, zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, added color (Red 40), copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.  


Guaranteed Analysis
  Purina^® Cat Chow^® Brand Cat Food
- Complete Formula

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (Min) 34.0%
Crude Fat (Min) 13.0%
Crude Fiber (Max) 4.5%
Moisture (Max) 12.0%
Linoleic Acid (Min) 1.25%
Arachidonic Acid (Min) 0.02%
Calcium (Ca) (Min) 1.1%
Phosphorus (P) (Min) 0.9%
Selenium (Se) (Min) 0.30 mg/kg 
Vitamin A (Min) 10,000 IU/kg
 
Vitamin E (Min) 70 IU/kg 
 Taurine (Min) 0.15%

Weight	Amount Daily*
(lbs)	(cups)
5 - 9	1/2 - 3/4
10 - 14	3/4 - 1

Interestingly enough.. The adult Cat Chow has kitten feeding instructions as well as adult ones.


So the difference is...
Kitten Chow has -
6% More protein 
.5%  Less Fat
.5 %  Less Fiber

But this is a sac 'o' crap
Lets look at what I would consider a better brand.. at least better than this.


Wellness Core - Kitten

Ingredients:
Deboned Turkey, Whitefish Meal, Deboned Chicken, Herring Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Turkey Meal, Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Natural Chicken Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Cranberries, Chicory Root Extract, Choline Chloride, Salmon Oil, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)], Minerals [Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate], Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein	Not Less Than	45.0%
Crude Fat	Not Less Than	18.0%
Crude Fiber	Not More Than	3.0%

 Wellness Core - Adult

Ingredients:
Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Herring Meal, Peas, Turkey Meal, Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Natural Chicken Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Cranberries, Chicory Root Extract, Choline Chloride, Salmon Oil, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)],Minerals [Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate], Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract.

Crude Protein	Not Less Than	45.0%
Crude Fat	Not Less Than	18.0%
Crude Fiber	Not More Than	3.0%

Just in case you wondered... Yes these are 2 different products - you are not seeing double.. well you kind of are...

The point I want to  make is that all pet foods have to be made with 'balanced nutrition for all ages'

Granted some suck at it.

The consumer is being led to believe that each stage needs a different bag.. or can.

Companies love this! Not only can they make more money from you  - because didn't you know..kitten food tends to cost more than regular adult food. 

They get to fill the shelves with all these different bags and cans- something for each type, age, size, even breed specific. 
Good ole Royal Canin and Science Diet - by golly they take up a lot of shelf space in the pet food store. 


There are some reasons for different types of food that are actually useful. 
Royal Canin Baby Cat has been very good for young kittens that weaned too early. The size of the kibbles are small and easy for the tiny meows to eat. 

For dogs - small and large breed  - large breed dogs may require a few things that a small breed may not. 

Special Diets for pets who have issues with certain systems - digestive, urinary - problems like these sometimes need a certain type of food.

But - do I believe all of these foods need to exist? 
Waste of the bag that holds it. 

The main reason for all of these different types of each brand is what I stated before - They fill the shelves. 

The more room they take up, the less room left for their competitors. 

You will find this a lot more with massive companies like Purina and Hills. 

Wellness is basically laughing at you while you buy a bag of kitten food with the exact ingredients and Guaranteed Analysis as the Adult food.

But it says KITTEN and I have a KITTEN!

Good for you, now you have less money. 

How much you feed is key - kittens need more food than an Adult. 
A Senior needs less than an adult. 
A Fluffy kitty needs you to stop feeding it so much!


If you have a healthy animal and feed it good quality food - the right amount of food - then you do not have to buy one directed to it's age. 
If it makes you feel better - buy one that states  'All Life Stages' 

Read the Guaranteed Analysis and Ingredients.

Try not to be fooled by gimmicks.

Make educated purchases for your pets. 

These are just my thoughts on this topic. If you are concerned about your pets nutritional needs - and if they are being met - consult your Veterinarian.