After you bring your British Shorthair kitten home, whether picked up in person or delivered, keep them on the same food your breeder was using at first. You can transition to a different diet later, but do this gradually over 7 to 10 days, mixing in a small amount of the new food and slowly increasing it each day until the change is complete. Moving too quickly can upset your kitten’s stomach.

When choosing a food, remember that growing kittens generally need more calories than an adult cat to support healthy development, but British Shorthairs also have a naturally solid, cobby build and can gain weight easily, so portion control matters from an early age. Look for a quality kitten food with omega-3 fatty acids, which support healthy skin and help maintain their thick, plush double coat.