"Light" food for an 8 month old kitten

[Millys Mum]

I would change her to the adult version, that will be lower cal than the kitten but not as low as the senior/light. Do you weigh her food out? They dont need very much if you read the bag info 

[fluffybunny]

Please let me know how the RC ultra light goes down - I know she liked the RC sensitivity pouches as she finished off some of Sylvester's when he was ill.

It's physically going down very well - he is eating it all up and licking the bowl clean, and in fact Milly keeps on leaving her food and wandering over to sniff his, so it's obviously tasty stuff!  It's too early to tell how it fares on helping Geoffrey to lose his middle-aged spread though! 

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

She certainly doesn't sound overweight at 2.6kg! My Rufus is 8 months and weighs over 4, he is very muscular but even so. Maybe she just carried her weight around the middle? I personally wouldn't worry too much as I am sure she will grow out of the puppy fat stage. Just carefully measure her food so she's not over eating and she will be fine

[JayneH]

Thank you for the replies. I have just brought her home and weighed her in her carrier then the carrier on its own and she weighs approx 2.6kg. I have to admit I would have thought that was on the light side for an average kitten especially when compared to Sylvester - a month or so older and he weighed 4.2kg when the vet weighed him when he was ill with cellulitis a couple of weeks ago. He does have huge paws though and she is much more petite.

Will avoid Hills Light Mark - thanks for the advice. Have emailed JWB about their light / senior food to see if it is suitable as she really likes their kitten food. Still quite taken aback as she is a really active kitten, she has loads of dangly toys to jump and play with, as well ping pong balls which she rolls around the entire lounge bouncing from wall to wall, and both kittens spend hours chasing each other.

Please let me know how the RC ultra light goes down - I know she liked the RC sensitivity pouches as she finished off some of Sylvester's when he was ill.

[fluffybunny]

I'm just starting Geoffrey off on Royal Canin ultra light, it's brand new out.  It seems very palatable and I guess time will tell whether it has an impact...and if so which way! 

[Mark]

Don't be tempted by Hill's Light - It is really fattening 

Kylie ballooned on it over 3 years. We are struggling to get her to lose weight now.

[sheryl]

TBH if she is only 8 months I wouldnt worry too much - all my Benglas were "tubby" kittens but have slimmed out as they have grown upwards (if that makes any sense) how much does she weigh at the moment

[Indys Mamma]

I've never seen a kitten light food, but now she is spayed you are fine to switch her to normal adult food which is lower energy and maybe invest in a laser pointer and increase her play/running/climbing

[JayneH]

Just had a telephone call from my vet who has spayed my kitten this morning telling me that the operation was more difficult than usual as she has a lot of fat. I nearly fell over in shock as Bella is so much tinier than my other kitten. We have been worrying about her size and had kept a close eye on her to make sure she eats what we give her - even to the point of separating the two kittens to make sure she gets her share when we have been concerned that she is not eating and weighing the food out.

She is not a huge fan of wet food and usually has JWB kitten dry food. When she first arrived she was eating IAMS but we changed her over to JWB as felt this was a better quality food. She will eat a little HiLife kitten food with a couple of biscuits on it, but if you offer her white fish, salmon or prawns as a treat she she throughly enjoys these and tells you so!  I do want her to have a mix of dry and wet food.

The vet has advised that she needs to lose a little weight and has suggested a "light" food. I have looked on JWB website and their light food is also a senior food. Not sure if this is suitable for a 8 month old kitten. Any suggestions? She was tried on whiskas before she came to me and I was told that that made her be sick, although I know that is not uncommon in a kitten but I have tried to give her a better quality food. 

Bella is a bit of a "wuss" cat, and not keen on going outside - which has suited us as she was not neutered but she has got plenty of exercise chasing Sylvester round the house, so I don't think the weight issue is from lack of exercise. When we first had her, at 9 weeks" she was called "belladrome" as she was tearing around my bedroom so much just like the olympic cyclists in the velodrome!