Animal Welfare Professionals

I am with a small non-profit that runs a Catio Cat Lounge, which is a large open environment with free roaming cats and kittens.  One of the Board members and a founder, is fairly insistent on using Purina One Sensitive Skin and Stomach brand food for all cats as she said it was recommended by a vet as being a good option for all ages of cats and kittens.  

We have the opportunity to partner with a food provider, good quality, who would provide cat food and kitten food, but it is difficult to separate them for feeding in a facility such as ours.  Cats would definitely become overweight if given kitten food and kittens may or may not do well on purely cat food.  We do try to give kittens wet food at least once per day by herding the crew into a separate room and giving them the opportunity to eat without being bullied away from the food.

There are several good brands who will partner with small and larger non-profits and shelters.  Where cats and kittens are separate, I would guess this is not an issue, but what does one do when they are all housed together?  Could kittens do well on adult cat food with the opportunity for canned 2x a day?  Maybe a veterinarian can weight in?  I know it depends a lot on the food, and this change would certainly not be cheap food.

This definitely sounds like something your groups should consult your vet about, since it probably partly depends on your specific population. (Mature/senior cats vs. young adult cats, for example.) 

Does the possible partner offer any foods that are all life stages diets? 

Since the kittens are already going into a separate room for their canned food snack, is it possible to shift their schedule and confine them there for a longer mealtime? Maybe even overnight? That way they could have plenty of time to eat their nutritious kitten food before going out into the general space with the adult cats (and their lower-calorie food.)

I am with a small non-profit that runs a Catio Cat Lounge, which is a large open environment with free roaming cats and kittens.  One of the Board members and a founder, is fairly insistent on using Purina One Sensitive Skin and Stomach brand food for all cats as she said it was recommended by a vet as being a good option for all ages of cats and kittens.  

We have the opportunity to partner with a food provider, good quality, who would provide cat food and kitten food, but it is difficult to separate them for feeding in a facility such as ours.  Cats would definitely become overweight if given kitten food and kittens may or may not do well on purely cat food.  We do try to give kittens wet food at least once per day by herding the crew into a separate room and giving them the opportunity to eat without being bullied away from the food.

There are several good brands who will partner with small and larger non-profits and shelters.  Where cats and kittens are separate, I would guess this is not an issue, but what does one do when they are all housed together?  Could kittens do well on adult cat food with the opportunity for canned 2x a day?  Maybe a veterinarian can weight in?  I know it depends a lot on the food, and this change would certainly not be cheap food.