If you've been honored with the absolute pleasure of bringing up a sweet little kitten, one of your prime responsibilities is making sure that all of her nutritional needs are fulfilled. Food and drink formulated for human consumption, however, does not cater to your cutie's very particular dietary requirements.
About Ensure
Ensure is a dietary supplement that comes in liquid form. The shakes are formulated for people to drink -- not cats, and certainly not young kittens, either. The protein-backed supplements aim to give the human immune system a boost, while simultaneously encouraging weight control and wellness of the gastrointestinal tract. Ensure is available in a wide array of flavors, from banana cream and strawberry to chocolate and even butter pecan.
Nursing
Kittens do not require any solid foods until they're about a month old, according to the ASPCA. When kitties hit around 4 weeks, their mother cats begin the slow and steady process of getting them acquainted with "real" food and away from breast milk exclusively. Weaning doesn't happen instantly, however, and some kittens continue drinking mom's milk until they're a little over 2 months old, although to a much lesser degree.
Kitten Milk Replacer
When the mother cat is not involved in nursing, kittens can get all of the nutrition they need either through a "substitute" queen feline or through the use of a kitten milk replacer (KMR). You can provide a little fluff ball with all of the nutrition she needs via bottle feeding with a KMR, so never fear. Up until a kitten is begins weaning, it is important to never allow her to consume anything other than her mother's milk or special kitten weaning formula. Ensure has no place in a proper kitten diet.
Solid Food
Even after a little one starts weaning, it is essential to only feed her foods that are specific to kittens -- not nutritional supplements like Ensure that are intended for humans that have virtually nothing in common with her. The kitten diet calls for ample amounts of minerals, calories, vitamins, proteins and fat -- enough to keep up with the boundless energy of a fluffy bundle of joy. Whether you feed your kitten dry or moistened meals, make sure to offer her commercial food that is tailored to her needs -- and certainly not to those of humans. Play it safe when it comes to your pet's dietary health. Leave Ensure and other human supplements, food and drink totally out of the equation.
Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet, medication, or physical activity routines. This information is not a substitute for a vet’s opinion.