Kitten
[3] When they are born, kittens emerge in a sac called the amnion, which is bitten off and eaten by the mother cat.
These innate skills are developed by the kittens' mother or other adult cats, who bring live prey to the nest.
Some mother cats will scatter their kittens as early as three months of age, while others continue to look after them until they approach sexual maturity.
[19] Domestic kittens in developed societies are usually vaccinated against common illnesses from two to three months of age.
[23] When feeding a kitten, it is often recommended to use highly digestible ingredients and various components to aid in development in order to produce a healthy adult.
[25] Key components of the diet are high fat content to meet caloric requirements of growth, high protein to meet requirements for muscle growth as well as supplementation of certain nutrients such as docosahexaenoic acid to benefit the development of the brain and optimization of cognition.
Lasting health and longevity can be accomplished partly through proper nutrition[28] and establishing a healthy gut from birth through utilizing colostrum.
[29] The immunoglobulins and growth factors found in the colostrum begin to establish and strengthen the weak immune system of the offspring.
[23] Until approximately one year of age, the kitten is undergoing a growth phase where energy requirements are up to 2.5 times higher than maintenance.
[33] Pet nutritionists often suggest that a commercial cat food designed specifically for kittens should be offered beginning at four weeks of age.
[30] It is recommended that kittens consume a diet containing approximately 30% protein, on a dry matter basis, for proper growth.
[35] Taurine is an essential amino acid found only in animal tissue; the mother cat cannot produce enough of it for her kittens.
[37] Kittens deprived of taurine can experience poor growth[36] and can result in retinal degeneration in cats.
The domestic cat's liver has adapted to the lack of carbohydrates in the diet by using amino acids to produce glucose to fuel the brain and other tissues.
[39] Studies have shown that carbohydrate digestion in young kittens is much less effective than that of a mature feline with a developed gastrointestinal tract.
Soluble fibre such as beet pulp is a common ingredient used as a fibrous stool hardener and has been proven to strengthen intestinal muscles and to thicken the gut mucosal layer to prevent diarrhea.
[24] Kittens require an increased amount of protein to supply readily available amino acids for daily maintenance and for building new body components because they are constantly growing.
[25] Kittens also need the following amino acids supplemented in their diet: arginine to avoid an excess of ammonia in the blood, otherwise known as hyperammonemia, isoleucine, leucine, valine, lysine, methionine as a sulfur-containing amino acid, asparagine for maximal growth in the early post-weaning kitten, threonine and taurine to prevent central retinal degeneration.
[42] Choline is also a AAFCO recommended ingredient for kittens, which is important for neurotransmission in the brain and as a component of membrane phospholipids.
[42] Antioxidants help support the development of a healthy immune system through inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules, which are essential for a growing kitten.
[43] Young orphaned kittens require cat milk every two to four hours, and they need physical stimulation to defecate and urinate.
[45] Depending on the age at which they were orphaned and how long they were without their mothers, these kittens may be severely underweight and can have health problems later in life, such as heart conditions.
