Q: My kitten is so fussy about her food now she's teething, what can I do?
Q: My 3 month old kitten is teething and is suddenly fussy about food, but I wonder if it's ok to feed him kitten canned food mixed with dry food? He won't eat anything substantial really unless I feed him this combination. Plus do you know how long this teething phase will last?
A: The fussiness with respect to dry food is not uncommon in a teething kitten. Basically, his gums are inflamed and possibly a little painful from time to time, so the hard dry food may hurt to chew. Paradoxically, some teething kittens will prefer to eat dry food during this time as the roughness of it actually helps soothe the gums - a little like teething babies!
It is absolutely fine to mix the canned food with the dry if that helps him eat better. You could also soak the dry food in boiling water, let it cool, and feed him the softened biscuits. Dry food has more calories than an equal quantity of wet food, so if you are feeding wet food make sure he is receiving a sufficient amount for his age and size. You will be able to find the feeding guidelines on the back of the food packets/boxes.
The teething should be over by the time your kitten is 6-7 months of age. If the fussiness persists, please visit your veterinary surgeon and have the kitten's mouth examined, just in case there are any problems.
Send your pet questions to Dr. Dalya at drdalya@petside.co.uk
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Comments (2)
Johanne Kennedy January 3, 2011 9:54 AM
FlagMy cat scratches only my pure wool carpets. It is just before feeding times it seems. Won't scratch anything else and if I take up the carpets,does not scratch anything. What can I do so I can have my carpets?
Replyruth anderson March 16, 2012 12:02 PM
FlagWe have a new puppy who is 3 months old. Cocker Spand w/ Sherpard mix. What type of food should we feed him at this time?
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