Your kitten has to get proper nutrition now so it can grow up to be strong and healthy. During the first ten weeks of life, it is essential for your kitten to feed from its mother’s milk. During this time period, your kitten will also grow substantially. In fact, most kittens weigh around three ounces at birth and they gain ½ ounce every day. By the time they reach the ten week mark, most kittens weigh around two pounds – that is a full ten times what they weigh when born. If the average human baby were to grow this quickly, he or she would be about 80 pounds when just ten weeks old!

Once your kitten is three to four weeks old, you can start to introduce solid foods. The kitten’s mother’s milk should still be the primary food source, but solids should be offered as well. Since your kitten still will not have all of its teeth and will have a tender tummy, you should stick with canned foods when first introducing solids. By the time your kitten reaches ten weeks old, you can start weaning it from its mother milk and feed more and more solids.

Once your kitten is fully weaned from its mother’s milk, it is important for you to maintain a properly balanced diet. This includes providing your kitten with protein, minerals and vitamins. If you are purchasing commercial cat food for your kitten, be sure to purchase food that is specifically formulated for kittens. This way, you can be certain it has the proper nutrition density. Some of the most important nutrients to include in your kitten’s diet include: Calcium, Essential fatty acid, Phosphorus, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Taurine, Thiamine, Zinc

As your kitten grows older, you should also try to vary the types of foods that you feed to it. Rather than feeding only dry food or only canned food, alternate between the two or offer a bit of each type of food each day. You might also feed dry food to your kitten that has been softened with some warm water in order to make it easier for your kitten to eat it. In addition, feel free to feed your kitten as much as it wants to eat up until it is about eight months old. Your kitten is growing quickly and needs plenty of nutrition to help it grow!

Nobody wants to consider the possibility of their kitty being injured or becoming ill with a chronic health condition. But every year, one in three pets will need emergency vet care. And two out of three will develop a serious health problem over the course of their lifetimes. Purchasing pet medical insurance now can prevent a heartbreaking choice later.

Before you buy any cat health insurance, do your homework. There are many companies selling many different policies. It can be confusing, so compare the policies carefully so you can make a wise decision.

Ask the following questions:

* Has the company been in business for fifteen or twenty years? This is a competitive business, and companies selling health insurance for pets come and go. You don’t want to find out your company is out of business when you try to file a claim.
* Has your vet ever heard of this company or had dealings with it in the past? He or she may be able to suggest a good company or one to avoid.
* Can you go to any licensed vet, or are you limited to a certain network? Is emergency care covered? What about in the middle of the night? Now is the time to get answers, not when you are in the midst of a crisis.
* What exactly is covered? This will determine your how high your premiums are. If all accidents and illnesses are covered, your premiums will be a lot higher than if you have a policy that covers accidents only or accidents and certain conditions.
* What about pre-existing conditions? What are they? If your cat is treated for a condition, will it be considered “pre-existing” when you renew? If so, further treatment for the condition won’t be covered.
* Should you choose a high or low deductible? If your deductible is higher, your premiums will be lower. But you’ll pay more every time your kitty goes to the vet. So think about how many times a year your feline visits the vet. A higher deductible is fine for a pet with few vet visits, but may not be so great for one who needs more vet care.
* Is there a penalty for changing your plan or deductible? You want to be able to do this in case you have some financial problems and need to change your plan.
* What conditions are excluded? Understand exactly what is and is not covered so you don’t wind up with an unpleasant surprise later on. Are there caps on the amount the company will pay each year, or for a certain condition? Is there a lifetime cap per animal?
* Can you renew the policy when your pet gets older? Some companies won’t insure older pets. How much will your premiums increase as your pet ages?
* How is your reimbursement calculated? Some companies pay a certain percentage of the amount you paid your vet. Others have a benefit schedule where they decide how much they’ll pay for a certain treatment. Then they pay a percentage of this amount, which may be less than what you’ve already paid. Be sure you and your insurance company are on the same page when it comes to reimbursements.
* Is the pet insurance company licensed in your state?