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Best Kitten Foods for 2022

When your young kitten is starting out in life, they need all of the necessary vitamins and nutrients to ensure they are growing properly and develop into healthy adults.

This will come from their food, and as they have different requirements for adult cats, you will have to use dedicated kitten food.

There is a wide variety out there, from brand choices to types, ingredients and price brackets. The best for you may depend on your cat’s tastes, but we have rounded up and reviewed the most popular and highest rated available online.

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    Our Top Picks

    Image Product Details
    Royal Canin Kitten Food
    • Ziplock to keep fresh
    • Large long-lasting bag
    Check Price
    Felix As Good As It Looks Kitten Pouch
    • Choice of flavours daily
    • Top grade meat used
    Check Price
    Natures Menu Chicken Meal for Kittens Pouches
    • Few ingredients
    • Human grade meat
    Check Price

    The Top Foods For Kittens Reviewed

    1.
    Royal Canin Kitten Food

    Specially formulated to provide your kittens with everything they need for their start in life, this crunchy kibble won’t only aid their dental health but also help to promote a healthy cat inside and out.

    Good for kittens from the age of four months up until a year, and is perfect for setting them up until adulthood. It contains a unique recipe which will boost their natural immunity, and vitamins E and C will also support overall vitality too.

    There are the all-important Taurine and Lutein to help promote a healthy heart and vision, and Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids will keep them looking tip-top on the outside as well.

    Royal Canin does a huge range of cat foods too, from breed-specific options to health conditions, so if you are concerned about the inevitable adult food switch, sticking to this one brand should make it easier.

    Features

    • Ziplock to keep fresh
    • Large long-lasting bag

    Specifications

    • Type: Dry Biscuits
    • Capacity: 10kg
    • Ingredients: Dehydrated Poultry Meat, Rice, Vegetable Protein Isolate, Animal Fats, Maize, Vegetable Fibres, L-Lysine, Beet Pulp

    2.
    Felix As Good As It Looks Kitten Pouch

    Variety is the spice of life. You would probably not want to eat chicken, chicken and more chicken for every single meal so why should your cat have to?

    But buying different varieties can be a nightmare both in terms of storage and shelf life, so this variety pack will work well. Three beef, three chicken, three tuna and three salmon gives you a good amount of rotation, and if your cat prefers one over the other, you know what to buy going forward.

    It is made from pieces of meat which give them plenty of bite and chewing for their teeth, and the jelly adds extra taste. Each pouch is foil sealed to maintain freshness, and it is nice and easy to portion out depending on how much your kitty needs.

    Features

    • Choice of flavours daily
    • Top grade meat used

    Specifications

    • Type: Wet Jelly
    • Capacity: 12 x 100g
    • Ingredients: Chicken/Beef/Tuna/Salmon

    3.
    Natures Menu Chicken Meal for Kittens Pouches

    Europe’s leading experts on raw and natural foods for dogs and cats, this is a great food for your kitten if you want them to have a healthy, nutritious diet.

    It uses ethically sourced human grade meat and has been specially formulated to be easy to digest. Grain-free, it has all of the essential vitamins and minerals, including taurine. As a bonus, the four ingredients mean that there is no mistaking what your kitten is eating if you are wary of usual pet food.

    All of the ingredients are steam cooked, to ensure all of the goodness remains locked in. It has been veterinary approved and can be given to your kitten from weaning.

    Features

    • Few ingredients
    • Human grade meat

    Specifications

    • Type: Wet Sauce
    • Capacity: 12 x 100g
    • Ingredients: Chicken, Broth, Fish Oil, Minerals

    4.
    Purina ONE Kitten Dry Cat Food

    Purina One Kitten has been formulated to meet the nutritional needs of kittens (from weaning to 12 months) and pregnant or lactating cats.

    It uses Purina One Bifensis, which is a unique formula designed to help your cat build up their natural defences and ensure their insides are just as healthy as their outsides.

    Until they are three months old, you just feed three to four servings of moistened kibbles per day. Reduce the moistness until they are fully grown and then it is an easy switch to the adult food. Great if you are concerned they may reject any taste differences or change in biscuits.

    Features

    • Bifensis for a healthy immune system
    • No smell

    Specifications

    • Type: Dry Biscuits
    • Capacity: 4 x 800g
    • Ingredients: Chicken, Dried Poultry Protein, Wholegrain Wheat, Maize Gluten Meal, Wheat Gluten Meal, Animal Fat, Soya Meal, Maize Starch

    5.
    Lily's Kitchen Fabulous Fish Complete Natural Dry Food

    Made with 60% white fish, 5% trout and 5% salmon, this is a very fishy and very natural fish food for your young cat.

    They’re great if your kitten is obsessed with fish flavour and food, but you don’t want to give them something wet. Everything added is beneficial for your cat, from vitamins and chelated minerals to help maximise nutrient absorption to the essential taurine.

    The meat is fresh, with no meat meal or offal. As a bonus, it comes in eco-friendly packaging and all of the ingredient sourcing is sustainable.

    Features

    • Natural
    • Eco-packaging

    Specifications

    • Type: Dry Biscuits
    • Capacity: 2kg
    • Ingredients: Freshly Prepared Fish, Potato, Dried Egg, Sunflower Oil, Salmon Oil, Salmon Gravy, Plant Fibre, Fish Gravy

    6.
    Whiskas Junior Dry Cat Food

    With all of the nutrients needed for your kitty to grow into a strong adult, this food is suitable for kittens 2-12 months.

    It is a dried pocket food – that is, crispy biscuits filled with a creamy filling to add to the taste. Perfect for those kittens who love treats and seem to turn their nose up at everything else.

    Each meal is balanced to give them everything they need in one place. It has been developed with those at The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, a leading authority on the subject, so there is no doubt it is good for felines.

    The biscuits are all extra small too, so easy for your cat to consume.

    Features

    • Tasty milky centre
    • Small biscuits

    Specifications

    • Type: Dried Biscuits
    • Capacity: 6 x 340g
    • Ingredients: Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Oils and Fats, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Minerals, Milk

    7.
    IAMS Delights Wet Food for Kittens

    A great price for this top-quality cat food, perfect for any cats who seem to prefer gravy over jelly or sauce and pure chunks of meat.

    Good for weaned kittens from 1 to 12 months, the mixture of chicken and pork in each pouch creates a tasty balance. Cats are obligate carnivores, so this content is essential for them. It also enhances the smell so they are more likely to be interested and eat.

    The animal protein promotes strong muscles, and minerals give them strong teeth and bones. Biotin and minerals also help their coat to look mighty fine on the outside. Many other kitten foods are good for kittens from 2 months old, so this one would be the best if you need to wean your kitten on to wet food at an earlier stage.

    Features

    • Builds up immune system
    • Subscription option

    Specifications

    • Type: Wet Gravy
    • Capacity: 12 x 85g
    • Ingredients: Meat And Animal Derivatives, Oils And Fats, Derivatives Of Vegetable Origin, Minerals

    8.
    Applaws Natural Cat Food

    These little tuna flavoured tins are sure to be a hit with your kitty. They feature a high meat content and are naturally high in taurine, to promote lean muscle tissue, and healthy eyes and heart.

    Additive and preservative-free, they promote natural diets and health. It is a dedicated kitten formula which will help ease digestion and be easy to eat. Each tin is made from limited ingredients, so there is nothing in there to act as a filler.

    The tins are available in tuna or sardine flavours, and as they are low in carbohydrates, they can help prevent obesity if you have an indoor kitten or one which can’t be so active.

    Features

    • Limited ingredients
    • Low in fats and carbohydrates

    Specifications

    • Type: Wet Sauce
    • Capacity: 24 x 70g
    • Ingredients: Tuna Loin, Fish Broth, Vegetable Jelling Agent

    9.
    James Wellbeloved Kitten Food Turkey Pouch

    A complete wet food which also happens to be hypoallergenic and grain-free.

    Keeping it to just one protein source (turkey), you can rule out any allergens or ensure your kitties tummy doesn’t get too sensitive. A nice high meat content versus other brands covers the carnivore qualities of your cat, and there is no strong off-putting smell.

    It is a little pricier than other options of kitten food so perhaps isn’t an exclusive choice, but is perfect as an occasional treat or a bit mixed with dry food.

    Features

    • No additives
    • Natural ingredients
    • Balanced nutrition

    Specifications

    • Type: Wet Sauce
    • Capacity: 12 x 85g
    • Ingredients: Turkey Meat, Pea Protein, Tomato Pomace, Cassava, Potato Flakes, Sunflower Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Linseed Oil

    10.
    Meowing Heads Dry Cat Food for Kittens

    This dry food contains 100% natural fish and chicken, blended with brown rice and vegetables.

    Free from anything artificial and packed with vitamins to promote strong teeth and bones, it also contains ingredients which help to promote brain health. The bag is a foil material and is easy to reseal so everything stays fresh.

    It has been approved by vets for kittens, and there is protein from various sources such as meats, fish and dairy, so they have a balanced diet and aren’t relying too much on one thing.

    When they reach adulthood, Meowing Heads has a range of foods which can help, with anti-furball and low-fat recipes popular.

    Features

    • Resealable bag
    • Great for weight loss

    Specifications

    • Type: Dried Biscuits
    • Capacity: 1.5kg
    • Ingredients: Freshly Prepared Deboned Chicken, Dried Chicken, Rice, Dried Fish, Dried Egg, Oats, Chicken Fat, Chicken Stock, Salmon Oil

    Buying Guide

    Food Types

    For kittens, you can usually buy dried or wet food.

    The former is the option of choice for many pet owners. It is easier to portion out, promotes teeth health with the crunching, and is often a bit more wallet-friendly too. Dried biscuits can usually be moistened with a bit of water for young kittens, and the level of moistness reduced as time goes on.

    This can also help if you know you want to feed them on dried biscuits when they are older, as they are then used to the taste and texture.

    Wet food is often a complete food, but some people will choose to mix it with dried for a balance. It is often a bit more expensive, but the perfect treat. Advocates for wet pet food do say that it is the best option as it contains more water, which helps with cats who have a low thirst drive.

    This is important for their urinary tract and kidney health, so therefore a balance is a perfect option. If you offer your kitten a mixture of wet and dry food from the start, in a range of different flavours, their adult palate will be broadened and they will be less likely to turn their nose up in later life.

    Make sure you adjust the portion sizes of each food type so they aren’t being overfed.

    What To Look Out For In Kitten Food

    Did you know that a cat has 500 taste buds compared to the 9,000 humans have? This means that smell and texture are actually more important to a cat than flavour.

    Select food which is the right shape and size, and then pick an option which is easy for you to serve up to four times per day at the start.

    Price

    Dried food is cheaper than wet, and buying in larger bulk packages is often better value for money too.

    If you have several cats, work out how much they will need feeding every day, and how often you want to buy. Purchasing a bag of food every month makes more sense than smaller bags with the need to buy every few days.

    Other Buyers Ask...

    What do kittens need from their diet?

    The daily diet of a kitten differs from an adult cat as they use more energy, due to activity levels and their growing body.

    Initially, they will feed on their mother’s milk, but then you need to wean them onto solid food. Kittens do not need variety as a human would so find a food they like and stick to that – changes can cause stomach upsets.

    In terms of the nutrients they need, look out for taurine, extra calories, protein and fat, and vitamins and minerals including vitamins E, and selenium. You should buy food which also had good calcium to phosphorus ratio for proper bone growth.

    They need meat as obligate carnivores, and this should be as high a percentage as possible. Don’t worry – food made for kittens will include all of this.

    Do I need to go grain-free?

    Cats don’t produce salivary amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch. This has made grain-free food very popular over the past decade or so.

    Cats have not naturally evolved to eat this, and it would not be a natural part of their diet either. Dry foods often have carbohydrates in as it can help bind the biscuits together.

    You don’t have to steer clear of it completely – most foods will not contain enough to cause any issues – but keep it to a minimum.

    When should I wean my kitten?

    You should start feeding your kitten on solids from the age of four weeks. This is the best time to move them away from their mother’s milk to ensure they continue to get a full balance of foods.