How to Transition a Kitten to Adult Food

For your cat's first year of life, it's important to feed him or her kitten food, which has the nutrients and fats necessary to fuel their growing bodies. Around their first birthday, however, you should transition them to adult food, since the fatty kitten food can quickly cause them to become overweight. To make this change smooth--both for your and your kitty--follow these guidelines.

Things You'll Need

  • Kitten food
  • Cat food
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Take your kitten to a veterinarian for their annual check-up and ask if your pet has any special dietary needs or allergies.

    • 2

      Buy a bag of adult cat food a few weeks before your kitty's first birthday. At their normal feeding time, measure the recommended amount of their normal kitten food, then replace a little bit of it with adult food and mix them together thoroughly.

    • 3

      Each day, add a little bit more adult food and a little bit less kitten food.

    • 4

      Continue adding more adult food and less kitten food each day until the bag of kitten food is empty.

    • 5

      Feed your cat the same adult food every day. Do not switch flavors or brands, as this can upset their stomachs or affect their appetite.