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Tailored health nutrition has a fundamental role to play in maintaining the health and beauty of British Shorthair cats. Food provides energy to help with vital functions and a complete nutritional formula for British Shorthairs should contain an adapted balance of nutrients. Feeding them in this way will offer a diet that’s neither deficient nor excessive, both of which could have adverse effects on your cat’s health. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times to support good urinary regularity. Cats are also naturally adapted to eating small servings - between 7 and 10 times a day. Giving the recommended daily ration of kibble once a day will let your British Shorthair regulate their own consumption. Given the British Shorthair’s placid nature and a tendency to gain weight easily, both a specific diet and the right sized daily portion are essential from a very young age. The following recommendations are for healthy animals. If your cat has health problems, please consult your veterinarian who will prescribe an exclusively veterinary diet.

Growth is an essential stage in a kitten’s life. It is a time of big changes, discoveries, and new encounters. A British Shorthair kitten’s requirements, in terms of energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins, are much greater than those of an adult cat. They need energy and nutrients to maintain their body, but also to grow and build it. A kitten’s growth comes in two phases:

Construction

From birth to 4 months

Weaning is the transition a kitten makes from liquid - or maternal milk - to solid food. This period naturally corresponds to the time when they cut their milk teeth, at 3 to 6 weeks old. At this stage kittens are not yet able to crunch, so a soft meal (rehydrated kibble or an adapted wet food) helps facilitate the transition between liquids and solids. Until they’re 12 months old, a British Shorthair kitten’s immune system is still gradually developing. A complex of antioxidants, including vitamin E, can help support their natural defences during this time of big changes, discoveries, and new encounters. The digestive system matures progressively, with digestive aptitudes reaching full maturity toward twelve months of age. A cat is then able to consume adult food.

Between 4 and 12 weeks after birth

The natural immunity a kitten receives from the mother’s colostrum - or first milk - decreases while the kitten’s immune system gradually develops. This critical time, called the immunity gap, requires a complex of antioxidants, including vitamin E, to help support their natural defences. Kittens go through an intense and particularly delicate period of growth during which they’re prone to digestive upset. Their diet at this time should not only be rich in energy to meet their essential growth needs but should also contain highly digestible protein to cater to their digestive system that’s still maturing. Prebiotics, such as fructo-oligosaccharides, can also support their digestive health by helping to balance intestinal flora. The result? Good stool quality, all around. The kitten’s food should contain omega-3 fatty acids - EPA-DHA - which helps support the proper neuro-cerebral development.

Consolidation and Harmonisation: from 4 months to 12 months

From the fourth month, a kitten’s growth slows down. A food with an adjusted protein content and precisely balanced vitamins and minerals will help support the development of healthy muscles and bones for a healthy growth. The addition of L-carnitine, which is involved in healthy fat metabolism, can also be beneficial. The British Shorthair kitten’s energy requirement during this period remains high. A food lower in fats is recommended. This is particularly important after a cat is sterilised. Between 4 and 7 months, a kitten’s milk teeth fall out and are replaced by permanent ones. When the adult teeth have come through, a kitten needs to eat a specially designed moon-shaped kibble that’s big enough with a texture that makes it easy for the British Shorthair kitten to grasp. The unique kibble encourages chewing to help support oral hygiene.  Until they’re 12 months old, a British Shorthair kitten’s immune system is still gradually developing. A complex of antioxidants, including vitamin E, can help support their natural defences during this time of big changes, discoveries, and new encounters. The digestive system matures progressively, with digestive aptitudes reaching full maturity toward twelve months of age. A cat is then able to consume adult food.

In addition to maintaining a healthy urinary function as for all cats, the main nutritional goals for adult British Shorthairs are:

Caring for their massive body by contributing to maintaining an ideal muscle mass and supporting their joint health.

Helping to preserve the health of their skin and the beauty of their incredibly thick, short coat, with the enriched addition of targeted nutrients.

Supporting good oral hygiene with an adjusted size and shape of kibble that’s easy for them to grab with a texture that induces chewing. Indeed, the British Shorthair has a tendency to gulp their food down without chewing it. They are therefore prone to dental disease, such as gingivitis.

Supporting cardiac health with optimal levels of nutrients, such as taurine, L-carnitine, EPA-DHA, and antioxidants. The British Shorthair can suffer from the hereditary disease hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or a thickening of the walls of the heart. The condition can be easily identified by an echocardiogram test.

A senior cat - one over the age of 12 - may sometimes have difficulties with absorption. To maintain the weight of the ageing cat and minimise the risk of deficiency, they should be given an extremely digestible food filled with essential nutrients.

As they get older, cats increasingly suffer from teeth problems, and in some senior cats, the sense of taste and smell may decline as well, which can lead to a lowered intake of food. To ensure they continue to eat enough, the shape, size, and hardness - meaning texture - of their kibble needs to be tailored to their now potentially more fragile jaw.

Note that the best energy level for any cat still depends on their lifestyle, even those who are ageing. A senior cat that continues to go out regularly will benefit from a diet with a slightly higher fat content. On the other hand, ageing does not protect an indoor cat from the risk of obesity. Their calorie intake should still be closely monitored. A food with a moderate fat content then may be optimal.