Food for Nursing Mother Cat

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DLM - 11 Jun 2004 16:09 GMT

Hi............

A friend of mine has a mother cat w/4 kittens who are about 4 weeks old.
She was told to feed the momma cat since she is nursing kitten food.
Is this correct?
I was under the impression feeding kitten food after birth is not that good
for them.
Too much protein & fat can cause kidney problems. Am I wrong?
However I have heard it's okay to feed them kitten food while pregnant to
build up
body mast for the pending birth.
Even though this momma cat has always been on the thin side to me she seems
very
skinny now & not very happy.
Your advice on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

Diane

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Mary - 11 Jun 2004 18:00 GMT

>She was told to feed the momma cat since she is nursing kitten food.
>Is this correct?

Yes, feed momma cat kitten food while she is nursing. You can also supplement
with Nutrical.

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kaeli - 11 Jun 2004 19:24 GMT

> Hi............
>
> A friend of mine has a mother cat w/4 kittens who are about 4 weeks old.
> She was told to feed the momma cat since she is nursing kitten food.
> Is this correct?

Yes. Lactating females give almost as much nutrients to the kittens as
pregnant cats. She needs the extras until the kittens are weaned. If she
remains underweight, supplement with a high cal, high fat vitamin
enriched paste for underweight animals, often sold under the brand name
Nutrical.
Kittens should be weaned between 6 and 8 weeks of age. Mama will usually
make this decision - don't force it and don't take the kittens from her
until they are fully weaned.

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Laura R. - 11 Jun 2004 22:47 GMT

circa Fri, 11 Jun 2004 15:09:16 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
DLM (dlemasson@NoSpam.prodigy.net) said,

> A friend of mine has a mother cat w/4 kittens who are about 4 weeks old.
> She was told to feed the momma cat since she is nursing kitten food.
> Is this correct?

Absolutely.

> I was under the impression feeding kitten food after birth is not that good
> for them.

Not true; they need additional fat and protein and calories in order
to endure the rigors that nursing places on them.

> Too much protein & fat can cause kidney problems. Am I wrong?

Well, basically, yes. First, most researchers/veterinarians/etc. now
believe that it?s *phosphorus*, not protein, that exacerbates kidney
problems (and may cause them). But we?re talking about *long term*
here, and even if it *were* protein and fat that caused kidney
disease, feeding a nursing queen kitten food is not going to cause
kidney failure.

> However I have heard it's okay to feed them kitten food while pregnant to
> build up
> body mast for the pending birth.

Absolutely, but why would you think that her body is any less
stressed while she?s nursing?

> Even though this momma cat has always been on the thin side to me she seems
> very
> skinny now & not very happy.
> Your advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Please take your friend?s advice. Nursing cats need extra calories.

Laura

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Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.
-Oscar Wilde

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DLM - 12 Jun 2004 01:38 GMT

Thank you, Laura, Kaeli & Mary,

You all have given me excellent advice & I do appreciate this information.
I was given this wrong information by a vet tech & felt it was not right but
thought
she work for a vet she would know.
I knew I would find the right answer by asking here!
Again thank you for setting me straight.

Diane

> circa Fri, 11 Jun 2004 15:09:16 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
> DLM (dlemasson@NoSpam.prodigy.net) said,
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
>
> Laura

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