# Worried about her choking.



## Alex (Dec 7, 2012)

Hi guys, I got Hannibell some Blue Buffalo kitten food earlier, and she absolutely loves it. However, the size of the kibble concerns me...Until I know for sure I've been crushing it into smaller pieces for her, but I was wondering what everyone else does with Blue Buffalo? The size is pretty much perfect for her to choke on it if something were to happen, but I also know that Blue Buffalo is the most recommended food. Should I have gotten her the adult cat food instead? Is there a size difference there, or am I just supposed to be crushing them up for her like I already am?

Thanks guys


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Is the size perfect for choking in that it's smaller than usual, or an odd shape? Unless she's underweight and needs to gain some (I'm not sure, I think I remember you saying she was good and that you were giving her worms for extra fat), it'd actually be better to have her on an adult food. It's much easier to keep them at a good weight with a lower staple diet and added fat as needed, than a higher fat staple and then trying to lower the fat content when they're getting too big. As for the size, I haven't used Blue Buffalo Kitten I don't believe, but I imagine it's smaller than the adult, which has triangular regular pieces and hard round "lifesource bits".

On a side note, Blue Buffalo isn't the most recommended brand, it's just one of the good quality ones out there for people to consider.  Some of my favorites are Fromm, Solid Gold, and Natural Balance (though the pieces are pretty hard compared to others).


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## Shell (Aug 23, 2012)

I'm using the blue buffalo adult and the size is perfect for Percy. The peices are pretty small (hard to believe the kitten food can be smaller) so I'm wondering if the kitten food is the same size as the adult? If it is, you should be fine but I'm sure someone on here has used the kitten blue buffallo to give you better advise.


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## Alex (Dec 7, 2012)

You're right, LizardGirl, in that the 'perfect size for choking' is just that the pieces are much smaller. I'd just hate to have her try biting down and something slip and it go to the back of her throat, that scares the heck out of me. So as I stated before, I'm crushing it up until then. I also am trying to put a little bit more weight on her..I got her weight the other day and she was only 236g. I think it's because she doesn't eat much when she runs a lot, I'm not sure. If adult cat food would be better for her I can certainly go get her cat food and just start giving her a couple more insects a day..With the adult food, do you crush that up as well or simply give it to them as-is? I guess I'm just paranoid about it haha.

Shell; I actually just googled it, and I think they might be the same size? I'm not sure...It sounds like I'll end up going back to get the adult food instead and I can let you know then, haha. I'll get a picture of the kibble size for anyone else that needs it as well.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I actually prefer to use foods with small kibble pieces rather than the larger ones, because they have to struggle at each piece for a bit before breaking it in half or so, so that it's a small enough piece to eat like normal. The Fromm food that I love has great small pieces that aren't so hard to eat. I don't worry so much about choking, as I do about different size/shape pieces getting lodged in the roof of their mouth. Here, I don't grind up the small kibbles (and go out of my way to find formulas with them) but any of the regular sized cat or dog kibble gets crushed up, not for fear of choking, but so they don't have to put so much effort into trying to eat. But yes, getting the adult food and then just giving her additional wax worms and mealies would be a good way to do it!


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## Shell (Aug 23, 2012)

I just measured Percy's Blue buffalo indoor adult and they are approzimately 5mm X 5mm if that helps. lol
They look like little tiny tree logs (flat at the ends) and I use to worry too since they were roundish, but he has no trouble. I find them softer than the food I was using so now he doesn't bite down so hard.


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## Alex (Dec 7, 2012)

LizardGirl: Thank you again for the help; Sometime today or tomorrow I'll go out and get her an adult cat food, then; the only reason I had gotten the kitten one was because I think it had a little more fat in it, but you're right that it'd be easier to just supplement rather than try to diet her back down when she finally gains enough weight. I think I may end up crushing them up all the same though, haha. I realized last night that when I crushed up her food, I must have missed a couple kibbles, and she ate all the crushed ones and wouldn't touch the whole ones until I'd crushed those too. She's so picky haha; this isn't a hassle for me at all though  If it's what she'd prefer it's what I'll do, and I'll just go get that adult cat food. Thank you again, you're always so helpful!

Shell: That actually sounds about right for the kitten food as well, the shape and everything. Do you mind if I ask what you were using before? I'm always looking for a softer food just because Hannibell scares herself with the crunching noises when she bites down haha, so I think softer foods do her good; so just in case I want to branch out and try something else, I know not to go to the harder food you were going to


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## Shell (Aug 23, 2012)

I was feeding Percy Nutrisource kitten food and kept him on it past 6 months old and he gained too much weight (was also mxing it with the Nutrisource adult grain free holistic at the time), so I took him off the kitten and kept him on adult. I don't think it was anymore softer than the Blue Buffalo to tell the truth. SInce putting him on the adult, he's been losing weight and I'm just adding mealie's and crickets. The kitten food was too fatteniing for my guy.


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## Alex (Dec 7, 2012)

Just for the record, I've kept her on the kitten food for a bit and her weight has stayed about the same. She put on a few more grams, but hasn't gained so much weight I'm concerned about it...Given how much running she does and how much exercise she gets, I'm wondering if she might just be one of those hedgies that does better on kitten food, ha. Once she's through this back I'll put her on the adult food and see how she does, but she's doing great right now!


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