Not all cats are built the same—kittens have different nutritional requirements than adult cats, and the same can be said for cats with differing physical activity levels. Thankfully ACANA™ pet food has a recipe for every stage of a cat’s life to provide them with the proper protein and nutrient levels as they age.
How to Provide Kittens with the Right Nutrition
Kittens have specific dietary needs to support their rapid growth and development. Look for a complete and balanced diet with high quality protein from animal ingredients which play a key role in the following:
- Brain Development and Healthy Eyes: EPA, DHA, and Taurine, all found in the guaranteed analysis on the back of the bag will support healthy eye and brain function.
- Muscle and Bone Development: High quality protein from animal ingredients support optimal muscle and bone growth and development.
- Shiny Coat and Healthy Skin: fish and fish oil are great sources of Omega fatty acids which will support a healthy skin and coat growth.
In addition to protein, we also recommend you ensure your kitten is getting enough hydration. As kittens grow and develop, they need plenty of fresh water, but wet food also plays a key role in giving them the hydration they need.
ACANA™ First Feast checks all the boxes to support the growth and development of kittens and is a great kitten food to start your kitten off on the right paw.
ACANA™ Highest Protein Kitten recipe provides kittens with even more of the animal protein they crave. It also helps support eye and cognitive health, healthy muscles and bones, and digestive health, making it a great recipe to start your kitten on.
ACANA PREMIUM PATE™ Kitten recipe with Chicken & Tuna is a hydrating, protein-rich wet food that is perfect for incorporating into your kitten’s diet to help nurture their development.
Adult Cats
Once a kitten reaches maturity at about one year old it is time to make the switch to adult cat food. Maintaining a diet rich in animal protein, EPA, DHA, taurine and Omega fatty acids remains integral to the overall health of the cat.
Feed your adult cat ACANA™ Highest Protein Meadowlands recipe for rich animal protein and nutrients that help support digestive health, healthy skin & coat and healthy heart & eyes.
For wet food for adult cats, we recommend ACANA PREMIUM PATE™ in 5 hydrating recipes including animal ingredients like protein-rich chicken, salmon and duck.
Additionally, if your cat spends the majority or all their time indoors, consider a diet that will help with weight management.
ACANA™ Indoor Entrée has balanced calories from protein and fat, plus naturally occurring L-carnitine which helps maintain a healthy body weight for those less-active cats who spend their days indoors. This unique recipe also helps control your indoor cat’s hairballs with fiber from ingredients like oat groats and miscanthus grass.
For another indoor cat option, ACANA™ Highest Protein Indoor Cat recipe is rich with even more animal protein, and helps support unique key health benefits for your indoor cat including weight management for those less active indoor days, digestive health, and healthy skin and coat.
Senior Cats
When your cat reaches age seven and above, you should consider switching them to a senior diet. This is because as cats age, their nutritional needs change. ACANA® Senior Entrée is a recipe rich with animal protein, fatty acids, fiber and a prebiotic blend to help support the unique needs of senior cats. This includes joint health, healthy heart and eyes and digestive health. Senior Entrée is also highly palatable to ensure your senior cat is getting the calories and nutrition they need.
Transitioning Food
For tips on transitioning your cat from kitten food to adult food, visit our blog here. The main takeaway is to start off slow and steady, and gradually increase the new food over the course of about a week. Additionally, adulthood is the perfect time to start introducing different ingredients into your cat’s routine with a rotational diet. Rotational diets are a great way to expose your cat to different proteins, from poultry to red meat to fish, which can help with picky eaters and even decrease the chance of your cat developing a sensitivity or allergy to a specific protein.
Whatever food you decide on for your cat, make sure you’re selecting a complete and balanced diet that’s appropriate for your cat’s life stage to help support a long, healthy and happy life.