Best Canned Food For Kittens

Instinct Original Kitten Grain Free Recipe Natural Cat Food

The Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe is my choice of wet kitten food because it satisfies essential criteria. This includes it being grain-free, having a smooth paté consistency, and not containing any meat by-products or artificial flavorings. Besides the chicken, it also contains salmon and meat liver, as well as whole foods such as carrots, cranberries, blueberries, cabbage, and broccoli. This means it is well nutritionally balanced and perfect for growing kittens.

Other popular and top-quality alternatives of wet kitten food include Blue Buffalo Wilderness, and Wellness.

Below youll full reviews of these three top products and why I love them so much. You will also find why wet food should be your kittens initial solid food, what a healthy kitten diet looks like, and how you can best aid your kittens transition to solid food. I even share a selection of homemade recipes if you prefer a little DIY.

Why Trust The Spruce

The products that were selected for this list were chosen after significant research was performed on their ingredients, manufacturers, and more.

Adrienne Kruzer is a Registered and Licensed Veterinary Technician in three states and has been writing on pet and vet topics for over a decade. She is also Fear Free Certified, has a special interest in pet nutrition, and loves researching, learning, and problem solving in order to better help pet owners. Her years of working in various animal hospitals, alongside her formal college education and elective continuing education classes, have provided her with a wealth of experience and knowledge to help kitten owners select the right food for their pet.

How Much Food Does A Cat Need Per Day

Overfeeding a cat leads to excessive calorie intake and weight gain, while underfeeding runs the risk of malnutrition. Feeding just the right amount depends on many factors, including age, size, overall health, activity level, and reproductive status.

For example, highly active cats will need to eat more to sustain their energy, while sedentary cats can do well eating less to avoid weight gain. Pregnant female cats require more food to meet the demands of pregnancy, while their spayed counterparts do not need to eat as much.

The WSAVA has a helpful chart for determining how many calories a cat should eat according to weight. This chart provides only general recommendations, so you should consult with your veterinarian to discuss your cat’s individual needs.

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Why Is Quality Wet Food Essential For Kittens

Kittens need the best nutrition that they can get to get a healthy start in life and develop into healthy, happy adult cats. As long as the food meets AAFCOs standards for complete and balanced nutrition for growth or all life stages, a kitten will do fine eating dry or wet food. Here are some specific benefits of feeding your little tiger wet food:

• Wet or commercial raw food, with its approximate 70% water content, can deliver the moisture that your kitten needs to stay healthy and well hydrated. High-moisture foods are also more satiating and help your kitten feel less hungry. Dry foods tend to be high in carbohydrates, which can increase the risk of obesity and other health issues, such as diabetes.
• The soft texture of wet foods makes it easy for kittens to chew and swallow. This is especially important for kittens that have been recently weaned and are just beginning to eat solid food.
• High-quality wet foods have a high amount of animal protein, such as chicken or turkey. This protein is essential to a kittens healthy growth and development.

Are There Foods I Should Avoid Giving My Kitten

Its OK to feed your kitten treats, as long as you follow the 10% calorie rule, Larsen says. This means that treats should make up less than 10% of your kittens total calorie intake. But this doesnt mean its a good idea to turn your leftover table scraps into treats for your kitten. Also, take precautions with the following foods:

• Raw meat or liver may contain parasites and harmful bacteria.
• Raw eggs may contain Salmonella and may decrease absorption of a B vitamin, leading to skin and hair coat problems.
• Raw fish may lead to a B vitamin deficiency, causing loss of appetite, seizures, and even death.
• Milk may cause diarrhea in weaned kittens and cats because they lose the enzyme needed to break down milk.

In addition, onions, garlic, chocolate, coffee, tea, raisins, or grapes can be toxic to kittens and cats.

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Best For Cats With Sensitive Systems: Hills Science Diet Adult Urinary Hairball Control Wet Cat Food From $45

While urinary tract infections arenât super common for cats , problems in that area can still happen, so prevention is key in order to maintain your catâs health. If your cat has a sensitive system, Dr. Nelson says that this variety pack from Hillâs Science Diet could support their overall wellness and add more magnesium into their daily diet. âThis functional food helps prevent the occurrence of urinary tract problems in cats, and also contains natural fiber to reduce hairballs, ensuring your cat stays comfortable and calm,â she says.

Varieties Of Canned Food For Cats

Canned cat food can be divided into different categories by quality.

Economy

The most common and affordable type. Experts do not recommend using them for pet feeding. In the manufacture of such feeds, low-quality raw materials are used.

Premium feed

Manufactured with more natural raw materials, the developers make the composition quite balanced.

Super-premium

Tremendous quality, natural raw materials are used in the production, the necessary vitamins and minerals are added, the article of carbohydrate, protein, and fat are well balanced.

Holistic food usually of the highest quality. It could be described as perfectly balanced and made of high-quality whole foods. Youll find often therapeutic lines.

The price is not nearly always an indicator of quality. Sometimes, even the most expensive nutrients will contain lower quality contents. The division into categories implies precisely the quality among the product produced by a definite technology using a certain higher quality of raw materials.

Treats dont provide complete nutrition, but they can be used to pamper your pet, help succeed stress, or persuade you think about medicine. They are designed such as to provide the body with everything necessary in individual needs.

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What Is The Healthiest Wet Food For A Cat

Smalls Cat Food is our top pick when it comes to the healthiest wet cat food. This is because the brand offers food that is primarily human-grade and, therefore, safe for your cat.

It also helps to give your cat a healthy coat and leads to a less stinky litter box. Your cat feels a lot more energetic and has better health overall.

Wet food is preferred for cats who have started to eat solid food. Additionally, it is also beneficial for cats who are older, have dental problems, or have lost their teeth due to their age.

Kitten Food Vs Cat Food

Kittens have unique dietary needs that are kept in mind when companies develop their kitten food formulas. They need more of the key nutrients than fully grown cats. For example, they need almost twice as much Vitamin A in their diet as adult cats. They will also need more protein and the amino acids Lysine and Tryptophan.

There are some foods designed for all-stages of life, but kitten foods are more likely to provide your feline friend with the proper things to make sure they grow up healthy and happy.

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More Top Rated Kitten Foods:

Kittens are individuals. Thats not to say theyre picky! Here are 6 more really good foods that we can recommend for your kitten. Many people believe that feeding your kitten a variety of textures and flavors while hes young can help him enjoy more foods when he gets older.

Earthborn Holistic Monterey Medley Grain-Free Natural Canned Cat & Kitten Food

First Five Ingredients: Fish Broth, Skipjack Tuna, Mackerel, Potatoes, Sunflower Oil

There are lots of Earthborn Holistic cat and kitten foods on Chewy.com but Earthborn Holistic Monterey Medley Grain-Free Natural Canned Cat & Kitten Food is, by far, the highest rated. Its high in protein with Fish Broth, Skipjack Tuna, and Mackerel as the first ingredients. This food is grain free with no artificial ingredients added. If your kitten doesnt like this tuna and mackerel recipe, we can recommend the other Earthborn Holistic canned grain free canned foods like Chicken Catcciatori. Chewy.com has a case of 24 3-ounce cans for $26.16 or a case of 24 5.5-ounce cans for $38.16.

Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Canned Cat Food

First Five Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Carrots, Natural Flavor

Nutro Kitten Soft Loaf Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat Food

First Five Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Pork Broth, Natural Flavors

Merrick Purrfect Bistro Grain-Free Kitten Dinner Pate Canned Cat Food

What Should I Look For In The Best Cat Food

First, lets dispel the myth that homemade cat food is better than commercial brands. Although it is possible to craft a diverse and balanced homemade diet, you would need a great deal of knowledge and ingredient combinations to satisfy every aspect of your cats complex dietary requirements.

On the other hand, while some brands are better than others, the majority of commercial cat foods are just what your cat needs to be healthy and live a long and happy life. The best cat food is made to benefit the health of cats, not only to make a profit from selling a substandard product!

But lets go through the important buying factors and considerations to avoid substandard food brands and ensure the best cat food for your feline friend.

Protein Type and Content. Cats are obligate carnivores that does not mean they should eat only meat and nothing else. However, it means they need meat or animal-sourced protein to thrive.

In terms of type, there are various options chicken, turkey, salmon, etc. Unless your cat is sensitive to certain proteins, you can choose the taste they like most. As for content, it depends based on the cats age and life stage.

The Ingredient List. Reading and understanding the entire ingredient list can be lengthy and confusing. The most important thing is to focus on the first five ingredients as they make up most of the food.

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Wet Cat Food Is Usually Low In Carbohydrates

Theres absolutely no nutritionally-based rationale behind the high carbohydrate content of dry cat food. These high-carb ingredients exist to bind the kibble, allowing the extrusion process to work. They dont do anything good for your cats health and, indeed, they could make your cats health worse by contributing to obesity and diabetes.

Whether its grain-free or contains grains, dry cat food is typically high in carbohydrates. Across the price spectrum and all varieties, wet food is almost universally lower in unnecessary plant ingredients, starches, and sugars.

Best Kitten: Purina Fancy Feast Grain Free Pate Wet Kitten Food

Courtesy of Amazon

Food Type: Wet | Amount: Not listed | Main Ingredient: Varies | Life Stage: Kitten

It’s important to feed your kitten food thats specifically labeled for kittens, as it will be formulated to help support their growth and healthy development with higher protein content and calories. It should also have increased vitamin and mineral supplementation , Dr. Barrack says.

This grain-free blend comes in smaller 3-ounce cans sized for kittens’ appetites. If you do have any left over, cover and refrigerate it will stay good for up to three days. The soft, paté style is easy for kittens to chew and digest. This box comes with four different flavors so you can experiment until you find their favorite.

Food Type: Wet | Amount: 3 ounces | Main Ingredient: Ocean whitefish | Life Stage: Adult

While the best food for your senior cat depends on your own cats unique health needs, in general, it is best to maintain a diet filled with proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and water throughout all stages of your cat’s life, Dr. Barrack says. This grain-free blend made in the U.S. from Purina contains 10 percent minimum protein to help maintain your older cats lean muscle mass, antioxidants beta carotene, and vitamin E to support their immune system, and prebiotic fiber for easier digestion.

Note that you may want to cut back on portion sizes if you notice your cat is less active or gaining weight.

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Is All Meat Created Equal

No. While its important to choose a food thats packed with meat, some meat is definitely better than others.

You want a food thats full of high-quality cuts of meat. Look for ingredients that plainly state what the meat is: chicken, tuna, turkey, etc. This means theyre using some of the best parts of the animal, which in turn, means that your pet is getting all the nutrition they deserve.

Organ meats are also important, as they have essential amino acids that lean cuts dont. If a food has liver or other internal organs inside it, thats a good sign.

Some foods use meals, which are ground-up mashes of several internal organs and bones. This sounds disgusting, but its full of things that your cat needs. Just make sure they specify which animal the meal came from.

What you dont want to see is animal by-products. This means theyre using the cheapest meat that they can find, and it often comes from sick animals or discarded carcasses. Its not meat that youd ever want to serve your cat, so dont buy them a food thats full of it.

Choosing The Best Canned Cat Food

For starters, the high moisture content can help ensure that your cat stays hydrated. Plus, the tasty recipes can encourage your cat to clean its dish. In fact, for the pickiest cats, canned foods are often the best solution to ensure they get all the nutrients they need.

However, when picking out canned cat food, there are lots of options on the market. This can leave you wondering, what is the best canned cat food for your cat? The reality is the best canned cat food for your feline family member depends a lot on its age, dietary needs, and any underlying health conditions. For example, kittens need a higher amount of protein and calories to support their growth than senior cats do. Similarly, an older cat might need a specialized diet that promotes digestion or one that supports healthy joints.

Well take a look at the best canned cat food in four key categories:

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Faqs: Soft Wet & Canned Kitten Foods

The amount you feed your kitten will depend on its stage of growth and the brand you select. We recommend reading the feeding chart on the food packaging so that your cat gets the right portions based on its nutritional values and quantity. You may need to adjust the quantity as your kitten grows.

You can find out if your kitten food is high-quality by reading the ingredients and visiting the manufacturers website. If the manufacturer is not transparent about the products, you can pretty much assume that the quality is poor and should find a different brand instead.

It is not recommended to feed kittens dry cat food. Kittens need quite a bit more moisture than adults. That is why you should always feed kittens wet cat food.

Kitten food actually is different from cat food. It includes different supplements and vitamins to nourish the kitten during its growing stages. Additionally, it includes more moisture, and the bite size of the food will be smaller so that the kitten can actually chew and swallow it.

Regardless of whether you feed your cat dry or wet food, you need a bowl that is sure to keep the mess containedyou can do just that with the Hepper Nom Nom Bowl.

This product is designed with your cats comfort in mind. The whisker-friendly bowls are low and wide to prevent whisker fatigue, and the wide catch tray ensures that all food stays exactly where it shouldinside the bowl.

How Do I Switch From One Kitten Food To Another

Cats are often considered the epitome of the picky eater. But it doesnt have to be that way. Get your kitten started off on the right paw.

Continued

Its easier to switch foods if a kitten has been exposed early on to different textures and flavors, Larsen says. If exposed to the same food over and over, cats tend to get a fixed preference for a particular flavor and texture.

If youre trying to make a switch to a new kitten food, try mixing the new food and old foods in the same bowl. Over time, offer smaller and smaller amounts of the old food along with the new food.

Remember that making rapid changes in food can cause stomach upset or hunger strikes. So you may need to make the transition to a new food over four to seven days.

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Best Wet Cat Food For Weight Loss

If your cat is struggling to lose weight, diet plays a big role. Your veterinarian may recommend switching to a wet cat food for weight loss to try to keep your cats calories regulated. Before starting your feline friend on a weight-loss food, make sure to discuss the change with your cats vet.

Here are our top picks for wet cat foods designed for weight loss.

If your feline friend has packed on a few pounds, this therapeutic diet from Blue Buffalo can help. It features an ideal balance of fat and calories plus plenty of fiber to help make your cat feel fuller longer. In addition to chicken as the main protein and chicken broth for extra moisture, other wholesome ingredients include potatoes, whitefish, carrots, flaxseed, blueberries, and cranberries. We also love that this recipe also has controlled levels of minerals to support cats urinary health. Its a win-win!

Highlights

• Ideal levels of fat and calories help cats lose weight
• Increased fiber helps cats feel fuller longer
• Controlled mineral levels help support urinary health
• Formulated by animal nutritionists and veterinarians
• No chicken or poultry by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives

Things to Consider

• This is a therapeutic diet that requires authorization from your veterinarian
• Feed 1-1.5 cans for every 6-8 pounds of body weight daily