Kitten Nutrition Check: Signs Your Diet Is Actually Working 🐾

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

You’ve upgraded your kitten’s food — air-dried, raw, or high-meat wet. 👏 Now comes the big question:   How do you know it’s working?

This article gives you clear, vet-approved signs that your kitten’s nutrition is truly supporting growth, digestion, immune strength, and long-term health — plus what to fix if it’s not.

✅ Signs Your Kitten’s Diet Is Working

1. 💩 Healthy, Consistent Stool 

• Small, firm, dark brown stools (not runny or too dry)
  
• Once or twice daily is normal
  
• Low odor = highly digestible diet

2. 🧴 Soft, Shiny Coat 

• Glossy fur with minimal dander 
• No bald spots, flakes, or itching 
• Good hydration = skin bounce-back

3. 🐾 Lean Muscle + Energy (But Not Zoom-Crazy) 

• Kitten looks sturdy, not bloated or skinny 
• Zoomies are normal, but they should also rest well
  
• No overexcitement or sugar-crash behavior

4. 🧠 Focused Play + Confident Behavior

• Engages with toys and people 
• Explores, adapts, doesn’t cry constantly 
• Good diet = better serotonin, better resilience

5. 🩺 Great Breath, Eyes, Ears, and Teeth 

• No fishy or sour breath 
• Clear, bright eyes without gunk or tear stains 
• Ears stay clean (wax is normal, buildup is not)

🚩 Red Flags That Something’s Off 

• Loose, sticky, or unpredictable stool 
• Strong-smelling gas or breath 
• Scratching, shedding, or flaky skin 
• Low energy or long periods of hiding 
• Bloated belly or "skinny but round" body shape

If you see these signs, it may mean: 

• ❌ Too many carbs or fillers in the diet 
• ❌ Overfeeding or underfeeding 
• ❌ Protein source is too rich or reactive

📏 What You Can Track Weekly 

• 🪙 Weight (should gain steadily — not fluctuate) 
• 📝 Stool quality (firm, shaped, consistent) 
• 📸 Photos for coat and growth tracking

💡 Use a kitchen scale or pet scale — aim for slow, steady gain of 50–100g/week (depending on age and breed).

🛒 Best Foods for Visible Results 

• 🥇 Ziwi Air-Dried Raw – high protein, organ-rich, low carb 
• 🥇 Feline Natural Freeze-Dried or Canned – balanced and highly digestible 
• 🥇 Big Dog Raw (for kittens) – in AU/NZ markets

Plus: 

• 🥛 Raw goat milk or kefir for probiotics + hydration 
• 🧠 Freeze-dried organ toppers for mental enrichment

💬 From Dr. Duncan Houston

“You don’t need a microscope or a degree to see if your kitten’s food is working.   Trust what you can see: the coat, the poop, the energy, the sleep. Real health is visible — and natural food makes it obvious.

🐾 Coming next:   Why Your Kitten Needs Play As Much As Protein