What should I feed my pregnant/nursing cat?
Pregnancy: Your adult cat should eat a healthy adult pet food such as Drs. Foster & Smith Chicken & Brown Rice formula prior to breeding, to ensure optimal health before pregnancy. Continue feeding Drs. Foster & Smith adult cat food for the first few weeks of pregnancy. Starting the fourth week of pregnancy, begin adding Drs. Foster & Smith Chicken formula kitten food to her diet. Each week increase the amount of the kitten food and decrease the amount of adult food, so when she is in her final week of pregnancy, she is eating all kitten food. Increase the frequency of the daily meals to three by mid pregnancy. She may need to eat small meals every 3-4 hours during the last week of the pregnancy as the kittens continue to take up more room.
Lactation: During the last week of pregnancy and the first 3-4 weeks of lactating, your cat may eat 1½-2 times the amount she ate before pregnancy. She should receive the food as long as she gains a healthy amount of weight without becoming obese. In order to produce an adequate supply of milk, a lactating cat needs access to fresh water at all times.
Additional Information: If a high-quality food is being fed, a pregnant cat does not usually need any additional supplements. Poor diet or incorrect supplementation can cause problems with the developing fetuses or the mother. If you have questions about diet or supplements, talk with your veterinarian.
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