The food that kittens receive throughout their first year must obviously provide energy and materials to build the skeleton, muscles, and all new tissues. But nutrition doesn't stop there: it must also help kittens develop a fully functioning nervous system and effective immune system. Any deficiency in essential nutrients (those that cannot be synthesized by the animal's body) during this delicate period may affect the cat's future health.
Many recipes developed by veterinary nutritionists are available for owners who wish to prepare a nutritionally balanced home-made diet for their kitten. However, it is illusory to succeed in meeting all the required conditions because the nutritional balance of a household ration is subject to various hazards. Owners will always find it difficult to follow the recipe exactly, the necessary ingredients are not always available, and the nutritional composition can vary considerably depending on the origin of the product. With home-made diets, no laboratory analysis can verify the nutritional composition of the raw materials used.
Therefore, even when accompanied by a mineral and vitamin supplement, home-made diets for cats often show deficiencies in several nutrients such as choline, iron, and thiamine. In addition, cats cannot synthesize vitamin D as humans do (via exposure to UV rays), so this vitamin must be provided daily in the diet. For these reasons, choosing the best adult cat food—commercially prepared with the right balance of nutrients—is a safer and more reliable option as your kitten transitions into adulthood.