Just like her big cat cousins, your kitten is a true carnivore. Her teeth, tongue and digestive system are all specially designed for eating meat. So to meet her natural nutritional needs, it’s important to get her diet just right.
As a carnivore, your kitten needs lots of protein, and a complex balance of nutrients. Also, because your kitten is growing so fast, she needs different levels of certain nutrients than an adult cat – including the right ratio of calcium to phosphorus.
Protein
Protein is essential for your kitten's healthy growth, muscle tone, fur, skin and claws. Proteins are built from smaller units called amino acids. Some of these – such as taurine and arginine – are called essential amino acids, which means your kitten can’t produce them herself. So you’ll need to provide them in her diet.
Essential fatty acids
Your kitten needs essential fatty acids to help keep her skin, coat, reproductive system and metabolism healthy. They’re an important source of energy – and they also make her meals taste great!
Vitamins
Vitamins are essential for your kitten's vision, bone growth and metabolism. There are lot of different vitamins, and each one has a very specific role. So if your kitten cuts her paw, one vitamin will help stop the bleeding while another will help repair the skin.
Minerals
Minerals give your kitten strong teeth and bones. The major minerals she needs include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride and magnesium. You’ll find all these, in exactly the right amounts, in a complete kitten food.
Carbohydrates and fibre
Your kitten uses carbohydrates as an energy source. In addition, dietary fibre will help her digestive system.