American Shorthair Cat Food

Last Updated on December 4, 2022 by Amanda P. Brown

American Shorthair is the 4th most famous cat breed in the US. In contrast to herbivores like humans, who eat fruit and vegetables, American Shorthairs subsist nearly completely on animal products. As a breed, American Shorthairs take their time becoming old. Until about 3 or 4, even many do not attain their maximum growth.

Therefore, you should select a balanced food that satisfies the standard and dieter needs of the body of your American shorthairs to promote their development and growth. In addition, I have included specifics on American Shorthair Cat Food in the following discussion to better acquaint you with their recommended diet.

Do American Shorthairs Require a Certain Diet?

No, American Shorthairs do not require a certain diet. Generally, American Shorthair cats have no special dietary necessities than other cats. But they are a hazard of increasing obesity. However, choose a high-quality cat diet, certified balanced and complete by AAFCO. Feed a combination of wet and dry food. Moreover, healthy, balanced, and complete cat food is sufficient for the needs of American Shorthair cats. 

Basic Dietary Requirements of American Shorthairs

Generally, every cat has the same basic nutritional needs. But there are some special considerations for American Shorthairs. There are a few characteristics of good cat food that you should look for. Let’s see it below:

• Beneficial Complements: Mineral, vitamin, and probiotic supplements ensure your kitten gets the correct mix of nutrients for healthy development and growth.
• Quality Protein: Typically, as carnivores, your kittens have a high need for protein. However, this protein best comes from animals like fish, meat, and poultry.
• Digestive Capacity: You must ensure that your cat’s food is full of nutrients. Also, you need to ensure that it’s digestible So that the body can absorb all these nutrients.
• Healthy Fats: Generally, fat provides energy to your kitten for its development and growth. 

Shorthair Diet & Nutrition for Commercial Diet Food

Usually, many cat lovers prefer to feed their cats raw food. But following this type of diet is complex for everyone. On the other hand, many people feed commercial cat food to their cats. However, you should choose the food for your American Shorthair cat which AAFCO approves. Additionally, when selecting good cat food, there are some things you must consider in your cat’s diet.

• Avoid preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors.
• Named meats
• Low carbohydrates

 Moreover, cats are obligate carnivores. Therefore, meat protein is essential for all cats. Also, many cat owners like wet food to dry food. But canned/wet food contains significantly more moisture in a cat’s diet. Also, cats frequently get urinary tract infections due to dry food and insufficient water intake. In some circumstances, you might prefer to provide dry cat food. Also, you ensure that you are providing your cat with sufficient water. 

American Shorthair Cat Food Requirements

Feeding an American Shorthair nutritious and high-quality food is crucial to their longevity and health. Although hundreds of cat diets are available on the market, you need to choose a good quality food for the health of the American Shorthair. 

However, you have to be careful with their calorie and macro intake. Because these cats are prone to obesity, here are some basic macronutrient instructions that you should remember when searching for your cat’s food.

Macronutrient Requirements

Proteins 

 Usually, almost all cats are obligate carnivorous. This means their digestive system evolved primarily to digest flesh and meat. For this reason, a cat’s core function depends on many proteins. It is also necessary for building their muscle blocks and primary source of strength. 

With powerful limbs and a muscular body, American Shorthair cats have greater protein needs than other breeds. Therefore, American Shorthairs require at least 35% protein in their food compared to normal cats’ 25% protein requirement. 

Moreover, choose high-protein formulas for your cat which derive meat from premium-quality sources. Also, if your cat can digest it, you can choose any meat, like turkey, chicken, fish, and beef.

Carbohydrates

 Since many cats are obligate carnivorous, so carbohydrates are not the main part of their food. But domestic cats need some carbohydrates in their diet, which can keep them active and fuel their bodies.

Also, it would be best to feed your American Shorthair cats very little carbohydrates because this American Shorthair breed is usually quite lazy. So the extra carbohydrates they consume will be stored as fat in their body and make them fat. 

Moreover, you ensure that the carbs in your cat’s diet come from simply digestible foods like potatoes or brown rice. Also, your cat’s diet should be grain free because grains can reason digestive upset in cats. It can even cause an allergic reaction.

Fats 

The American Shorthair’s minimum fat necessity is 10%, which changes with age. The majority of your cat’s food and protein should be fats. You should ensure that the fats in your cat’s diet are plant-based or animal-based. 

Some excellent sources of necessary fats for these cats include flaxseed oil, salmon oil, and beef or chicken fat. Moreover, every cat requires a healthy amount of essential fats. Also, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids nourish your cat’s skin and give them a shiny and soft coat.

Read More: How to Choose Cat Food or Cook It Yourself? 

Factors to Consider When Choosing American Shorthair Cat Food 

The following points will help you find and choose the right food for your cat:

1. Activity Level

Generally, these cats are more lounging cats than energizer rabbits. However, some cats may be lazy or more active than others, which can change their calorie needs. Also, you should not under or over-feed these cats because they can easily become malnourished or obese without notice. 

Moreover, An American Shorthair older or adult cat needs an average of 280-360 calories per day. But to be fair, you should consult a vet with whom you will discuss your cat’s activity and attribute levels.

2. Age

The dietary needs of an American Shorthair cat vary with each life stage. As kittens, they require frequent meals and lots of calories to fuel their growing bodies. Also, they require constant macros as adults to be alert and active. As they get older, they need fewer calories and a higher protein diet to retain diseases and prevent obesity. 

However, the American Shorthair cat’s nutritional needs also change as they age. Kittens especially need a variety of micronutrients because of their growing bodies and developing senses. They also need glucosamine, amino acids, essential fats, and calcium to properly grow mature organs like the heart, eyes, brain, and bones. Therefore, choose a kitten formula with the right amount of macro and micronutrients to energize their bodies.

Again you can transition these kittens to adult cat food once they are 6 to 8 months old. You ensure their diet is as low in carbohydrates and protein-dense as possible. It would help if you were attentive to your cat as they are at high risk of disease and obesity. 

Select the protein-richest formula for your cat to maintain its lean body mass without gaining excess fat. Additionally, you ensure that your cat’s food contains antioxidants and glucosamine, which can deal with your cat’s immune system and weak bones.

3. Health Status

Typically, American Shorthair Cats are quite healthy. Also, these cats are mostly encountered by cats, so there is no possibility of disease. However, they tend to become obese, which can initiate many other health problems like pancreatitis, arthritis, and diabetes. 

Moreover, to keep an American Shorthair from becoming obese, you should feed them a high-protein food with minimal carbs. You also need to control your cat’s feeding habits and avoid excessive treatment consumption and free feeding. Also, if your cat is diabetic or overweight, you may need to feed them a low-carb diet and the same high-protein diet to control their weight. In addition, diabetes in cats is treatable. It does not require an insulin injection and can be managed by weight management.

American Shorthair Eating Habits

You can feed a 3-month-old American Shorthair kitten 3 small meals a day. Also, when the kitten is six months old, it could be decreased to two meals per day. But you need to raise the quantity of food. Even after around 10 minutes, discard any food that has not been consumed because any food sitting on the floor will spoil soon. This is especially true of canned/wet foods. Moreover, free feeding and overfeeding can commonly cause obesity in cats.

Read More: Homemade Raw Cat Food for Ragdoll Cats

American Shorthair Weight Guidelines by Age 

The American Shorthair is a medium breed of cat. This American Shorthair male and female kittens will start the same size. For example, their weight at birth will usually be between 80 grams (just less than 3 oz) and 170 grams (6 oz). 

However, when you meet your new American Shorthair kittens, they should be about 3 months old. This is the least age when a responsible breeder wishes to detach a kitten from its mother. Here’s a helpful weight chart to control your American Shorthair’s growth. Let’s check it out below:

At 3 Months

At 12 weeks, an American Shorthair is typically ready to quit its mother. Your healthy kitten should weigh 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz). The upper limit, 1.8 kg (4 lb), is 3 months old. Also, never give your cat dry food as a full meal. Because too much dry food can cause dehydration and kidney problems. 

You can provide small kibble as snacks, which will help the kitten develop clean teeth and strong jaws. 

At 4 Months

Your kitten should weigh around 1.8 kg (4 pounds) and 2.5 kg (5 pounds 8 ounces) in four months. Your kitten will be growing a lot at this age. Also, this American Shorthair cat can gain 500 to 750 grams (about 1 pound) every four weeks. However, they are a larger breed. So your kitten’s weight is hovering around the 2-kilo mark.

At 5 Months

In 5 months, your kitten should weigh between 2.3 kg (slightly more than 5 pounds) and 2.7 kg (6 pounds). However, at this age, kittens grow quite dramatically, especially boys. So feel free to worry too much if their weight is on the heavy end of the range. 

At 6 Months

 At 6 months, your kitten should weigh 2.5kg (just over 5 pounds 8oz) and 2.9kg (just over 6 pounds 6oz). Women tend to be underweight, and men are more likely to be overweight because dimorphism is increasingly pronounced. Although growth may fluctuate, your kitten still needs to gain and grow.

At 7 Months

At 7 months, a kitten should weigh between 2.7 kg (6 pounds) and 3.2 kg (7 pounds). But if it’s more, I’ll start to worry a little. Specifically, weights can vary greatly between female and male kittens.

At 8 Months

 In 8 months, this cat should weigh between 3 kg (6 pounds 9 ounces) and 3.5kg (7 pounds 11 ounces). Significantly, women may be underweight if the weight of their male kitten is under 2.75 kg. Then you can offer more high-calorie foods or snacks.

At 9 Months

 At this age, 3.5 kg is a necessary average. But 4 kg (8 pounds 13 ounces) is not uncommon. Probably, this weight is more in some men. Since it’s a larger breed, they can be slightly heavier than this without issue. 

At 10 Months

In 10 months, this American Shorthair cat would weigh more than 3 kg (6 pounds 10 ounces) unless you have a small female cat. However, a typical average weight is 4 kg (8 lb 13 oz), and some American Shorthair cats can get big at this weight. Even healthy male cats of this age weigh around 7 kg. 

At 11 Months

At this age, small cats will be around at least 3 kg (6 lb 10 oz), and large cats will be more than 4 kg (8 lb 13 oz). However, your cat has attained most of its adult size. However, they will continue to fulfill it.

At 1 Year

In one year, most American Shorthair cats will gain 3 kg (6 lb 10 oz). Also, large cats will weigh more than 4 kg (8 lb 13 oz). However, some large cats at this age are seen to weigh 5 kg or more without excess weight. Your cat probably won’t be very tall at this age. They may get a little increase in two or three years. Eventually, your cat reaches their full adult status.

At 3 Years

At 3 years old, most American Shorthair cats reach a weight of at least 3.2 kg (just over 7 pounds). However, it is not unusual for large male cats to top 7.5 kg (16 pounds 9 oz). 

Common Food-Related Health Issues

The breed of American Shorthair is incredibly healthy. These cats can have problems with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hip dysplasia. But these issues are not thought to be widespread in the breed.

However, a common health issue in American Shorthair cats is obesity. This could be caused by eating high-calorie foods, overfeeding, lack of exercise, always giving up food for free, and eating high-calorie foods. It can shorten your cat’s lifespan and affect its joints, digestive system, bones, and ability to breathe correctly. 

In this case, you need to feed your cat a low-fat, low-calorie diet to help the cat lose weight. In addition, if we overeat or eat such food, which gives our body the wrong direction. In this case, common health problems related to our diet may occur. Such as:

• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Heart disease
• Malnourished
• Overweight
• Cardiovascular disease
• Osteoporosis
• Decreased vision
• High blood pressure

Final Verdict 

As American short hair cats tend to be exceptionally healthy, it is not hard to choose a food that suits them. All that is required of you is to provide them with food in sufficient quantity and quality for them to flourish.

However, I’ve covered everything you need to know about American Shorthair cat food. You should provide your cat with diets high in healthy fats, easy to digest, and packed with different types of protein. Given that they are not like other cats, who love frequent walks, it is also important to provide them playtime and food to get them to keep fit and healthy.

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