From 2000 to 2025, the feeding and observation group at Feline Future Cat Food Company was composed primarily of cats in need of homes. In light of the broader animal welfare situation — and the reality of too many cats and too few homes — we adopted adult cats from branches of the BC SPCA and other rescues, fostered kittens, brought two rescued cats from Indonesia to Canada, and occasionally scooped up a feral kitten from the side of a local road.

This approach was ethically aligned with our values. However, it meant that while we monitored long-term health, we did not control early-life variables such as gestation, lactation, or neonatal development.

Previous Feeding Trials for Growth and Reproduction

The last time we purposefully raised cats for the specific purpose of breeding and structured nutritional observation was in 1996. That cohort of “Feline Future” kittens was followed from birth through adulthood, with detailed monitoring of gestation, lactation, growth, lifelong health, and longevity. That group of cats lived to 18 years of age, with the final member of the group passing in 2014. There are many photos of them and their parent on the page dedicated to My Cats.

In 2025, I set out to repeat this structured trial.

A New Trial Validating Previous Results

Two purebred cats were selected from reputable breeders, with the specific intention of observing their development from kittenhood into adulthood, and ultimately allowing them to produce one litter. The goal is straightforward: to confirm, in a real-world biological setting, that the technical formulation data behind TCfeline Original premix translates into normal growth, successful reproduction, healthy gestation and lactation, and robust kitten development — from conception through weaning and transition to solid food.

Breeders were chosen deliberately. This allowed for known ancestry and minimised the likelihood of infectious, nutritional, or inherited disease confounding the observations. To further reduce the risk of breed-specific genetic issues influencing results, two different breeds were selected. The male is a Traditional Siamese; the female, an Oriental Shorthair. Both breeds are also known for generally adapting well to multi-cat households — an important practical consideration.

Starting From Scratch: Growing the Study Cats from Kittens

Both kittens were born in early February 2025. The male arrived at eight weeks of age, the female at twelve weeks, travelling from opposite sides of the country. They were raised together and, prior to arrival, had eaten exclusively dry food.

The first step was dietary transition — from a fully dry diet to a homemade raw diet prepared with TCfeline Original premix. This proved to be both a reminder and a valuable refresher in the practical realities of food transition. Read Transitioning to Raw to learn how I went about it. As expected, once successfully transitioned, both kittens developed into normal, healthy, active, beautiful young adults. Read Feeding Kittens  how I raise kittens.

In December, at ten months of age, they were permitted to mate. The timing was intentional: to align the birth of their litter with their first birthday. By fortunate coincidence, the kittens were born on their sire’s birthday.

With the successful rearing of these two cats to breeding maturity, Phase One of the new feeding trial was completed in December.