Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Is it okay for my adult cat to eat kitten food? What should I know?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 1 year and 3 months old | 10 lbs

Hi, I've noticed that my Luna likes my other cat's (Han) food. He is still eating his kitten food. I look at the ingredients and they are very similar. Protein & fiber are the same the only difference is the fat by 2%. I feed them both simply nourish Source Chicken dry food. But Han eats kitten and Luna eats adult. Is it okay for me to feed her kitten food?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 7th, 2017

It all depends on what the AAFCO statement says. You will have to check if the food has met AAFCO standards for feeding kittens, adult cats, or all life stages. The crude protein, fiber, etc. is not very helpful in determining if the food meets the nutritional demand of the life stage. Below is a link to an article that explains this a bit further and will tell you where to find the AAFCO statement.

https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-look-for-when-choosing-your-pet-s-food/

If the food is deemed nutritionally adequate, then it's OK to feed them each other's food, but keep in mind the recommended amount to feed (should also be somewhere on the bag). The biggest concern with feeding an "all life stage" food is that it gives them too much calories, which can lead to obesity. If you notice that your cats starting to get chunky, then it's important to start reducing the amount of food they get.

I hope that helps and all is well with the kitties.

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Food & Nutrition

Is it safe for adult cats to eat kitten food or kittens to eat adult food?

So I agree that adult food should be fed to adult cats and kitten food should be fed to kittens. Kittens need more calcium and phosphorus to help them grow properly. They need more calories because they are usually more active than adult cats. Adults that eat kitten food for a long period will usually gain too much weight. If they become obese this can cause secondary problems like obesity and diabetes. Kittens who eat adult food occasionally will have growth abnormalities or poor weight gain. I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My kitten won't eat kitten food. Can he eat adult cat food safely?

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! I would find an "All Stages" food that all the cats can eat. There are many companies that make this kind of food that can be fed to adults and kittens. If you google all stages cat food some will come up. Below is a link for an example, not saying to choose this particular one. VIP-Wholehearted-_-58700004176071259&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos={adpos}&scid=scplp2668813&sc_intid=2668813&kwid=p35223349871&device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI04iP__Sw3QIVA56fCh19PQa7EAQYBSABEgI90fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Good luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My 2-year-old cat eats kitten food. Is it safe for an adult cat?

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Although it won't cause any major health concerns right away it is best to avoid letting Sparkles eat kitten food. Kitten food tends to be higher in fats and calories so it can cause an adult cat to gain weight quickly. In general canned cat food is considered much healthier for cats so perhaps you can entice Sparkles away from the kitten food by offering him canned food instead. Good luck with Sparkles and your new kitten!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

Can my kitten eat adult wet cat food? Is it safe for them?

Yes, the adult food is a complete diet for all life stages. Usually kittens grow better with a kitten food as they do not have to eat as much to get the nutrients they need and the energy requirements. I usually feed kitten food until they are six months old then switch to adult food. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My kittens prefer wet food. Is feeding adult wet food & kibble okay?

I think the schedule is reasonable and fine to stick with. Try to keep the majority of the kitten’s being the kitten food. That way most of the food intake will support their growth and development. If you have trouble finding food in the store, you might look online as you can often find it for reasonable prices. Ideally the kittens would eat all kitten food until they are about 11 to 12 months old. You could also feed a canned food that is meant for all life stages as this will support growth as well. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My kitten eats adult food. Can my cats share food when free-feeding?

Rather than leaving dry food down I would feed each cat wet (canned ) food twice a day (kitten food for Chia and adult cat food for the other cat) and Chia can be fed a third time late at night for a third time. That way you ensure that each cat gets the food meant for it and the amount necessary. I recommend wet food over dry food as it has less carbohydrates and extra moisture. Cats are obligatory carnivores and should rather eat animal protein than carbohydrates.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My 4-month-old kittens ate adult food. Is it okay? How to transition?

How lovely of you to take on these kittens! Yes, you are correct they should be on kitten food and should stay on kitten food until they are one year of age. Purina kibble is a great food, just get the kitten version. To switch them to it, mix 75% old food and 25% new food, and feed them that for 3-4 days. After that time period, give them 50% old food and 50% new food mixed together. Again, feed that for 3-4 days. Then mix together 25% old food and 75% new food, and feed for 3-4 days. Finally, then give them 100% new food. This will help slowly transition them to the kitten food. If you see diarrhea at any point, add a little less new food and a little more old food to settle their stomach. Once the diarrhea is gone, continue the transition. I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share