By Brent Mayabb, DVM

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Royal Canin Babycat 34 is a formula designed for kittens from 1 to 4 months of age. True to our philosophy of constant innovation, this diet nutritionally addresses the special needs of the kitten in the early stage of life.

At about 3-4 weeks of age, a kitten's deciduous teeth ("milk teeth") erupt. It isn't until 3 months later that the permanent teeth will begin to emerge. Babycat 34 has a tiny, soft kibble designed to for this stage of development. The weaning process is normally a stressful event for kittens, and if the food chosen is dif?cult for the kitten to eat, the stress is compounded, possibly resulting in health problems. The kibble of Babycat 34 is soft and easily rehydratable so that the transition from milk to solid food is not abrupt. It is easy for kittens to chew, and small enough for them to manage.

Kittens also have a decreased digestive ability. Initially, kittens digest milk very easily, but can not digest starch. As the kitten ages, the ability to digest starch increases, but the ability to digest lactose actually wanes. In essence, cats become lactose-intolerant with age. Gastro-intestinal upset is frequently a result in this stage of life. Diarrhea is the most common sign. Babycat 34 incorporates an exclusive association of ingredients called Acti-Digesttm that produce a highly-digestible diet.

The immune system of a kitten is naïve after birth, but increases over time with vaccinations. During the interim period, the kitten is protected from maternal antibodies acquired by passive transfer on the ?rst day of life. At about 8 weeks, the protection passed from mom begins to decrease, but the protection conferred from vaccination is not yet present. This period is termed "immunity gap." In order to help stimulate immunity and shorten this gap, Babycat 34 incorporates MOS and vitamins E and C. MOS is short for mannan-oligosaccharide and it is an extract from yeast cells that serves two purposes: it prevents potentially pathogenic bacteria from adhering to the intestine, and it also has been shown to stimulate IgA (a speci? c antibody) production locally. Vitamins E and C are synergistic antioxidants. Vitamin E protects cellular membranes from free radical damage and strengthens the immune system. Vitamin C protects from free radical damage, and also serves to help regenerate vitamin E.

Traditionally, the nutritional approach has been to treat all kittens the same, regardless of age. Royal Canin has taken the lead in developing a diet that addresses issues during both stages of kitten growth. This specialization facilitates a better diet for each stage of growth and promotes better overall health through nutrition.