How long do I feed puppy or kitten food for?

This depends on your puppy or kitten's breed, their age and development.

In general, when a puppy or kitten stops growing ‘up’ & starts filling ‘out’ that’s a sign they are ready to transition to adult food. That is often around 9 to 12 months of age. The bigger the breed the longer it tends to take for them to reach their adult size. Remember no matter what food you feed, always change the diet slowly over at least 7 days. Avoid suddenly changing a pet's diet. 

Find out more below

Large breed puppies

Large and giant breed dogs are often fed a large breed formula, which they may stay on long-term. These days many Large Breed formulas are formulated for all lifestages, meaning they are for growth and for adult dogs, so your puppy is able to stay on the same food as an adult. Check the AAFCO statement on the bag, or check the food's website mentions large breeds specifically.

Large breed kittens

Like dogs, larger breeds of cat - like the Birman and Maine Coon - also take longer to reach full size, so may stay on kitten food for longer than domestic cats & other, smaller breeds. 

You may prefer to choose an 'all-lifestage' food when they're young, so you don't have to worry about knowing when to change their diet as they get older.

Multi-pet households

Many dog and cat formulas are now all-lifestage formulas, so you can feed the same formula to both puppies and to adult dogs, or kittens and to adult cats, an ideal solution for multi-pet households who get into each other's food!  

Check the AAFCO statement on the bag, or the food’s website, to see if the formula you’re feeding is for all lifestages, just for adults (called a maintenance food), or only formulated for growth. Look for an all-lifestage food to prevent any issues if your puppy or kitten eats your adult pet's food.

If you’d like more guidance specific to your puppy or kitten, please contact us, ask your Vet, or ask your breeder for advice.