Just for Kittens
A Growing Machine : Birth to 6 weeks
The Social Animal : 6 to 12 weeks
Finding a Place in the World : 12 to 14 weeks
Still Growing Strong : 6 to 12 months
You're a Big Cat Now : 1 year old
Cats up to 6 years old
Cats 7 and older
Pregnant and nursing cats
A Growing Machine : Birth to 6 weeks
A newborn kitten is a virtual muscle, bone, hair and teeth-making machine. One of her main jobs in life (besides playing) is eating. She has to consume a lot of nutrition if she's going to increase in size by 2,000 percent in just twelve months, which is typical. Naturally, the better her quality of nutrition, the more likely she is to reach that goal.
Mother's milk is her ideal first food. Although she won't be ready for weaning until six to eight weeks, she will start to nibble solid foods at three to four weeks. That's the time to offer small portions of a high-quality, high-protein kitten food like Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula, moistened according to package directions. Unlike adult cat food, it will provide the extra calories and nutrients your kitten needs for bursts of energy and rapid growth.
Back to Top
The Social Animal : 6 to 12 weeks
By this time, your kitten is turning into a real social animal. She's rolling and tumbling, stalking and pouncing and relishing human contact. After weaning at six to eight weeks of age, she'll typically eat dry or moistened food at will. So keep a bowl of dry Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula within reach. It's a great way to make sure fresh food is always on hand.
Keep in mind, your kitten by nature requires higher levels of protein than a puppy. She also has a unique requirement for an amino acid called taurine. In fact, a lack of taurine could result in impaired vision. So don't ever substitute puppy food for kitten food.
Instead, it's a good idea to start with a good kitten food and stick with it. Consistency is important to a kitten's delicate digestive tract. Switching foods can cause tummy upsets and diarrhea and create a finicky eater.
Back to Top
Finding a Place in the World : 12 to 14 weeks
This is an exciting time of exploration and curiosity as your kitten seeks to find her place in the world, or at least the household. Her permanent teeth are replacing her baby teeth and her eyes are changing from blue to her permanent color. In other words, she's growing up. But she's still a kitten.
Like most, she's probably an occasional eater, eating tiny portions several times a day. Don't be alarmed if she sniffs the food, eats a few bites, then scampers away. A healthy kitten will be back, again and again.
Back to Top
Still Growing Strong : 6 to 12 months
Although she may look grown-up on the outside, your kitten is still developing on the inside. Her bones are becoming stronger and her body is filling out. At this point, you'll be strongly tempted to switch to an adult food, but resist that temptation. She needs the extra nutrients found in Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula now as much as ever. So keep it coming.
Back to Top
You're a Big Cat Now : 1 year old
Congratulations, your kitten is officially an adult. Your tender loving care and Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula have turned her into a strong, healthy cat. She no longer needs the extra calories and nutrients she required during her growing stages, so it's time to make the transition to a high-quality adult food like Purina ONE TOTAL NUTRITION Salmon & Tuna Flavor or Purina ONE TOTAL NUTRITION Chicken & Rice Formula.
Start by mixing the new food with the previous food, and gradually increase the proportion of the new food. The complete switch should take 7 to 10 days.
Back to Top
Cats up to 6 years old
The diet for a healthy, adult cat aged one to six years old is called a maintenance diet. Unless your cat is pregnant or nursing, a high-quality, complete and balanced maintenance diet is just what the doctor ordered to maintain a good body condition.
A good body condition is one in which the animal is well proportioned, with an observable waist behind the ribcage and ribs that can be felt with a slight fat covering over them.
Because cats tend to be nibblers or "occasional eaters", they should have access to their food for several hours each day. Also, clean, fresh water is important for virtually all body functions - digestion, absorption, circulation, transporting nutrients, building tissues and helping to regulate body temperature.
Cats require a higher level of dietary protein and a different nutrient balance than dogs. Optimal protein level helps your cat maintain muscle mobility and flexibility. Like kittens, mature cats require the addition of taurine to their diet while dogs do not. In fact, lack of taurine can result in impaired vision. So never substitute dog food for cat food.
Finally, the quality of ingredients and the digestibility of the food will determine how much nutrition stays with your cat and how much simply passes through as waste. So your best value is to choose a nutrient-dense, highly digestible formula like Purina ONE TOTAL NUTRITION Salmon & Tuna Flavor or Purina ONE TOTAL NUTRITION Chicken & Rice Formula.
Back to Top
Cats 7 and older
At age seven, a cat's nutritional needs start to change. She may need fewer calories to compensate for a slower metabolism, but protein may become more crucial than ever, to help maintain lean muscle mass.
Purina ONE Senior Protection Formula addresses the nutritional needs of the older adult cat. It provides antioxidant-rich nutrition to help fight the stresses of ageing and help support joint health.
No supplements necessary. All Purina ONE diets are formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition. Additional vitamins, minerals or other supplements are not required unless specified by a veterinarian.
Back to Top
Pregnant and nursing cats
Like kittens, pregnant and nursing cats are virtual muscle, bone, hair and teeth-building machines. So Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula turns out to be an ideal food for them, too. It has the extra calories and nutrients they need at a time when their bodies are under additional physical stress.
Keep in mind, food consumption may vary during pregnancy, so feed the amount needed to maintain good body condition.
Milk production is another one of the most nutritionally demanding tasks in a female's life. Food intake may double or even quadruple during lactation. Remember, a generous, ever-present supply of fresh, clean water is essential for milk production.
Back to Top
