Mindy writes with a question that arises every once in a while: “Hi there. I have a couple quick questions. I am in the process of adopting 2 kittens and have been slowly buying stuff for when they come home. My first question is, what is the best litter to use for 2 month old kittens? I’ve used clumping litter for my last 2 cats but I’ve read online that clumping litter is not good for kittens. I was hoping you might have some good suggestions. Also, the veterinarian said that they should be on kitten food but here in Canada, there are no cans of wet food that specifically say kitten. Are 2-month-old kittens ok to eat wet food like Fancy Feast and Whiskas? Thanks in advance, Mindy.”
Mindy is wise to question what she’s read on the Internet. Remember, the Internet is where you find those e-mails from Nigeria!
For many years rumors have been spread about cats eating their litter and causing intestinal obstructions. It may be that it actually happens, but I’ve never seen it, never spoken to a colleague who has seen, nor have I ever read a report in a scientific journal on that problem. To me, that’s pretty good evidence that it doesn’t happen.
At an early age preferences are not strong. Therefore, you may train your kittens to use the same litter as your adult cats and that will likely continue to be their preference for a lifetime. However, read this article to understand that preferences sometimes change.
The only factor to consider is quality. You want a brand name that has a good reputation. A good reputation will translate into a litter that isn’t dusty and clumps hard for reliable removal.
There is no need to feed kittens canned food. Before purchasing food read this post, then buy the best you can afford. At approximately one year of age change the kittens to a top-quality adult cat food.
We wish you the best of luck with your new kittens.
See you tomorrow, Dr. Randolph.
My boy “Nemo”, who is now 4 years old had a blockage caused by clumping litter the size of a marble. He ingested the litter when he was about 5-6 weeks old. At 8 weeks of age my veterinarian did surgery on him because it was sitting at the ‘end of the line’ (rectum), and he could not pass any stool. Surgery went well, spent about 10 days on i/d canned food and hasn’t ever had any problems. He was very lucky I had him as his previous owner wanted to try acupuncture to cure his ails.
Acupuncture wasn’t going to fix that, was it? I’m glad you were there! Dr. Randolph