Food: The First Few Weeks Matter
Your kitten arrives eating Royal Canin Kitten kibble, supplemented as a treat with Trilogy kitten meat in broth. Here is what to feed, when to feed it, and — very importantly — when not to change anything.
The Golden Rule
The stress of moving house is enough change for week one. Keep them on the exact same food they have been eating with us for at least a week.
Why We Are So Firm About This
All kittens have sensitive tummies. Combine a brand new home, new people, new sounds and new smells with a brand new food, and their stomach will almost certainly lose the plot. We have had families change food too quickly and end up with a kitten with diarrhoea who has stopped eating — and that is no fun for anyone, especially a baby Bengal.
So please: no food changes in week one. No matter how good the food you have planned for them is, it can wait a week or two.
But We Have Other Cats on Different Food
Do not worry — this is not a long term thing. Once your kitten is fully settled into your home, you can start to transition them over to whatever you would like them to eat by slowly mixing more of the new food into their current food over a week or two. This gives their tummy a chance to get used to it, and gives you a chance to watch how they handle it.
Before Your Kitten Comes Home
When we hand over your kitten we will give you a Royal Canin pack which lets you claim a free bag of kibble, but as that takes about a week to arrive we recommend getting some in beforehand so you are not tempted to improvise on day one.
A Note on Raw Chicken
Raw chicken drumsticks are normally fabulous — but during this period of Bird Flu we strongly, strongly recommend not feeding raw chicken. Bird Flu can cause fatal respiratory issues with kittens. Please keep the drumsticks on hold for now.
If You Did Switch Too Soon... DO NOT PANIC
We say this with care, but clearly: if you changed their diet, they will almost definitely have diarrhoea and may stop eating. If you did not follow our advice and that is where you are now — do not panic.
Just go straight back to Royal Canin and keep them on it. If you are concerned at all, give us a call. This is a very fixable situation, and we have talked plenty of families through it.
Why This Matters
Food is the single best window into how your kitten is travelling. A kitten on consistent food who is eating well and producing solid poop is a kitten who is settling beautifully — and that gives you a clean baseline to spot anything actually wrong.
Keeping an Eye on Weight
Your kitten should gain weight steadily while they are with you — but you do not need to weigh them weekly. A Bengal should look sleek, but you should not be able to see their ribs.
If you notice they are getting rangier (leaning towards lanky and lean), try adding a wet meal once a day to encourage eating more — we really recommend Trilogy.
If it is the opposite and they are looking a bit chubby, the answer is not less food overnight — it is more exercise (a cat wheel is brilliant for this), fewer treats, and not letting them have access to food 24-7. As our own Jane Wickham Darcy will testify, tummies can run in the family.
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