Can Kittens Play After Eating? Stop Or Play [3 Key Points To Stop Worrying]

Oh! Your kitten has just eaten, maybe it’s a good time to play? Can kittens play after eating is a common question new cat owners make. After all, we all want kittens to be safe and happy.

This is why after thorough research I have made this article that will give you all the information you need to know for a safe play time with your kitty, let’s go!

Disclaimers

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In summary – Can kittens play after eating?:

Kittens shouldn’t play after eating, but if your kitten has eaten just a small amount of food it should be fine.
The ideal time to play is before a meal
Give your kitten hunting toys that stimulate their hunting behavior (this helps a ton to lower their pent-up energy! )

Related articles:

Should Kittens Play After Eating?

No, kittens shouldn’t play after eating, especially after a heavy meal.

Instead, you can play with your kitten before he/she eats, this will help relieve the excess of energy and keep them calmer after eating.

Some recommended games and activities to exercise your cat is:

Walk your kitty

Play fetch
Play hide and seek
Play with the feather and string toy

Create a kitten space with cat trees, cat hammocks, cat shelves, etc.

For more information about how to reduce the energy of your kitten before eating check out our article How To Tire Out A Kitten – 3 Tips For Tired Cat Owners that will help you give you ideas to help your cat be calmer!

How Long Should A Cat Rest After Eating?

According to pet health network, cats need around 10-24 hours to digest their food.

However, this does not mean your cat or kitten can’t play for 10-24 hours! It just means their body is smaller than humans and need more time to digest their food.

But, in order to prevent any unwanted events like throwing up, it is advisable that you prevent your cat from eating too fast, or giving them an excessive amount of food in one go.

According to various sources and authoritative pet health sites like petmed, some tips to achieve this are:

Give them small sizes of food throughout the day.
Take advantage of automatic feeders that will help dispense just a little bit of food during the day, this is especially handy if you have chores or can’t be in your home.
Use activity bowls ( such as a puzzle bowls) that stimulate the hunting instincts of your cat which helps burn off their energy while eating.

How Many Times A Day Should A Kitten Eat?

After answering your question to can kittens play after eating, and knowing it is best to feed them small portions of food through the day, you may be wondering: “How many times per day should my kitten eat ?

Well, according to the Cornell University Veterinary Department the answer will vary according to each kitten health needs, preference and age. Kittens that are up to six months may require at least 3 meals a day and older kittens may need only 2.

Also, according to Dr Joanna Woodnutt MRCVS as seen in Petsradar your kitten will need to take in around 250-280 calories a day when is around 8 weeks old and 200 calories a day when is 6 months+.

But remember this can vary based on your kitten’s health needs, age, type of breed, and preferences so you need to consult with your vet in order to know how much and what type of food should be best for your kitten.

Can Kittens Play After Eating FAQ’s

Cat Zoomies After Eating

Cats usually get zoomies after eating to burn off extra energy. Zoomies are normal cat behavior and usually happen because your cat needs more exercise to get rid of pent-up energy.

Cat Zoomies After Pooping

Cat zoomies after pooping generally occur because of the nerve stimulation they sense after pooping, giving them a euphoric feeling, which might trigger zoomies.

But, according to Dr. Mike Paul, an expert contributor of the Pet Health Network, sometimes it can also happen by “infections or inflammatory processes involving the urinary tract, colon or rectum.” Therefore be sure to always check with your vet to discard any underlying health conditions.

Are Cat Zoomies Good?

Cat zoomies are normal cat behavior that occurs after sleeping, eating, pooping, or peeing, it can be good or bad depending on the intensity and cause.

The most common cause is that your cat needs to get rid of pent-up energy, therefore you shouldn’t worry as your cat only wants to get rid of excess and practice its hunting skills!

However, always keep an eye on your kitty behavior and check if the zombies are accompanied by your cat scratching itself, making loud noises, or other uncommon behavior as though far less common it could mean that your cat zoomies have an underlying health condition.

Should I Play With My Cat During Zoomies?

In general, you can play with your cat during zoomies, in fact, this is a great time to bond with your kitty, and will prevent zoomies during nighttime when you are trying to sleep.

Conclusion

So, can kittens play after eating?

Kittens can play after eating if they have had just a small amount of food, so do not worry if they get cat zoomies after eating and wants to play!

Remember the key is to play with them BEFORE eating, this will help them burn off energy but also improve their health and prevent any unwanted food digestion problem after their meal.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section.

Can Kittens Play After Eating? Stop Or Play [3 Key Points To Stop Worrying]

Should Kittens Play After Eating?

How Long Should A Cat Rest After Eating?

How Many Times A Day Should A Kitten Eat?