When it comes to kittens, even Bengal kittens it’s always important that they are provided with the healthiest kinds of nutrition that you can give them. Many people often wonder if Bengal kittens, because their breed tends to look so “wild” or “exotic” that they might require some sort of special needs when it comes to food. In this post we will cover the following so you can better understand what kinds of foods your kitten might like.
- What Do Bengal Kittens Like to Eat?
- How to Find Good Foods to Feed Them?
- Tips for Choosing Healthy Cat Treats
What Do Bengal Kittens Like to Eat?
Of course when they are first born and for several months the only food they will need is milk from their mothers. So, in the beginning, there really isn’t much you have to worry about when it comes to feeding a Bengal kitten. However, once they are old enough you need to consider what kind of food that your Bengal kitten will benefit from best.
If you get a Bengal kitten from a breeder then often it will be quite easy to give your kitten the food they like and need. This is because you can just continue on the diet the breeder has had them on since they were weaned from their mother.
When you do bring them home and if you decide to change what they are eating, you really do need to make sure that it’s something they’re going to like. It’s also important to do your best to try and hold off on making a diet change immediately. You should change the kind of food they are eating slowly and introduce different foods to them to try and find out what your Bengal kitten likes most.
Once you figure out what they seem to like it’s important that you change their diet by just adding small portions of this new food to the food they are accustomed to eating. This cuts down on waste and it allows for your Bengal kitten’s stomach to adjust to their new food.
Even though your Bengal kitten may really love raw meat, and often they do, it’s not always the best thing to give to them as a steady diet. This does not mean that you should never give it to them, they really do love it. It’s alright to give them a little raw meat every once and awhile as a good treat or a protein supplement added to their regular food. It’s best to try and find a commercial food that is grain-free and has meat of some sort listed number one on the ingredients.
How to Find Good Foods to Feed Them?
Everyone wants to make sure that their Bengal kitten is healthy and given every opportunity to grow up strong and have a long life. So, it’s important that you know what to look for when it comes to good food that you feed them.
The AAFCO or Association of American Feed Control Officials has a set of guidelines that must be included on all cat food labels. As their pet parent you need to be aware of this. Pet food companies are required to contain one main ingredient in their food and it has to contain at least 95% of that certain food. For example, if the label names beef as the number one ingredient then there should be 95% beef in it. Pet foods that use descriptive words such as dinner, entree or platter in the names then they only are required to have at least 25% of the ingredient named.
Always make sure to check for animal protein in the list of ingredients. The ingredients listed are often listed by weight and the ones that have a lot of moisture such as chicken, fish, or beef will tend to be at the top of the list because of this. This means sometimes further down on the list you still might find some important nutrients like protein that weight less because the water’s been removed for dry food.
The cat food you choose must have some kind of animal fat as well as protein for it to be good for your Bengal kitten. All cats need nutrients like taurine and arachidonic acid in their diets and they can only be found in different animal sources. You will never find them in any kind of plant sources. So a vegetarian diet is off limits for your Bengal kitten. This animal source can be found in beef, chicken, turkey, fish and other types of meats or forms of by-products.
There is controversy that still surrounds the use of grains in pet foods. Many foods contain grains because they are a great way for your Bengal kitten to get carbohydrates. Cats easily metabolize these carbohydrates and can use them as a good source of energy. But, there are some who like to avoid grains and believe that a diet that has a lot of protein and low carbohydrates is actually healthier. This is more of a personal choice of the pet parent, unless of course the kitten shows signs of difficulty digesting carbs.
Foods containing by-products are not all bad. As of late, by-products have really gotten a bad name and many people try to avoid them totally. But there are some that are extremely nutritious but then there are some that are totally worthless. It’s important then that you find a very reputable cat food company that uses high quality by-products included in the food. This means you need to find a company that you trust.
Canned food vs dry food seems to be an ongoing debate. When it comes right to it, it really all comes down to being a personal preference of your Bengal kitten and you. Some like only dry, some like only canned food. Then there are some that prefer both types. It will take a while before you figure that one out, but let it be the choice of your Bengal kitten.
When picking a food for your kitten make sure that it’s a balanced fit for whatever life stage your cat is in. When it comes to a kitten you need to realize they have different nutritional needs than an adult. So, it’s important that you choose a good food designed just for kittens. It’s also important to note that your Bengal kitten should remain on kitten food until they are a year old before you transfer them over to the adult version.
When feeding your cat or kitten you want to always try to keep them lean and at their ideal body weight, so it’s important to ask your vet for guidelines on this and do your best to feed them accordingly. Sometimes the suggestions on the food labels will be ideal for your Bengal kitten, others may not be and you may need to adjust it accordingly.
Here’s a cute video of a Bengal kitten eating:
Tips for Choosing Healthy Cat Treats
Everyone loves to pamper and spoil their pets and Bengal kittens are no different. It’s alright to feed your kitten treats, after all, they deserve it. However, it’s important that you know what to look for when choosing the right treat for your Bengal kitten.
- Moderation is Key – Just like people, your kitten can develop a big taste for special treats, and because of these, if given too many treats they may decide they don’t want their own food. This is the reason why you shouldn’t give your Bengal kitten treats more than three times a week.
- Be Easy With “People Food” – Even though there is nothing wrong with giving your Bengal kitten an occasional treat of people food, it should remain as a minimal part of their main diet. They need food that has the right amount of minerals, amino acids and vitamins for a healthy diet and too much people food doesn’t offer that.
- Avoid Harmful Foods – Don’t all your Bengal kitten to get a hold of foods or beverages such as: raisins, grapes, onions, salt, tea, coffee, chocolate, alcohol and others. If you don’t know the entire list of harmful foods, make sure you ask your vet.
- Green Treats – Don’t forget to offer both catnip and cat grass to your Bengal kitten as a treat. They are both low in calories and you can grow both of these treats in a bright sunny window for your kitten to enjoy.
- Use the Treats as an Apology – There are a lot of things that your Bengal kitten may not like doing such as: tooth brushing, giving medication, going to the vet and so on. Treats can be a great thing to give them as a reward for having to put up with something they hate.
- Make Your Own Treats – You can save money and know that the treat is healthy if you make your own. You can take and cook up small amounts of liver, fish, meats or eggs for your Bengal kitten and use them as a small part of their diet they’ll truly enjoy.
So, what do you think? Did this post help you any with what Bengal kittens like to eat and should eat? If you would like to add anything or comment about this post, please feel free to do so by posting your comment below.
