Kitten Nutrition Check: Signs Your Diet Is Actually Working 🐾
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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