The 10 Best Kitten Foods

When your kitten is still growing, it’s important to provide him with a nutritionally complete kitten recipe that supports development. Kittens require a much higher concentration of calories and protein than adult cats, so it’s best to feed a kitten kitten food rather than adult cat food.

As your kitten matures, his rate of growth will slow down and you can start thinking about making the switch to adult cat food. If you have a purebred kitten and have an expected adult size, you can start transitioning onto adult cat food when your kitten reaches about 80% of his expected size. For mixed breeds, size predictions are tricky so it may be best to simply go with the 12-month rule.

While some breeds take longer to develop than others, many kittens stop growing or grow at a much slower rate after 12 months. This is the ideal time to make the switch to adult cat food because your kitten no longer needs the higher calorie content. Protein will continue to be essential throughout your cat’s life, however, so be sure to choose an adult cat food formula that is rich in animal protein.

To transition your kitten onto an adult cat food, simply mix small amounts of the new food with his current diet and increase the proportion over the course of a week or so. If your kitten has a sensitive stomach or experiences digestive upset during the transition, you may need to draw it out longer.

All cats have the same basic nutritional requirements, though there are some differences in optimal concentrations for key nutrients between different life stages. For adult cats, the most important thing is maintaining a healthy body weight. For kittens, growth and development is the key.

Commercial cat foods are formulated in accordance with the recommendations set forth by AAFCO. In order to meet these recommendations, adult cat foods must contain at least 26% protein and 9% fat and kitten foods must contain at least 30% protein and 9% fat. So, kitten food will certainly meet the minimum nutritional requirements for adult cats, but it may not be the best choice.

While kitten food is higher in protein than adult cat food, it also tends to be more concentrated in calories. This could be beneficial for very active cats who have trouble keeping on weight, but it could be a problem for overweight or obese cats who don’t need the extra calories.

There’s certainly nothing dangerous about kitten food for adult cats, but it’s generally best to select a recipe appropriate for your cat’s life sage.

As your kitten is growing and developing, he needs a steady influx of energy. Not only should you choose a calorie-dense kitten formula, but you should feed your kitten often enough to sustain his metabolism. For most kittens, that means at least three daily meals.

An adult cat needs between 2.5 and 3 ounces of wet food per 10 pounds of body weight per day. Growing kittens may need up to twice as many calories than adult cats per pound of body weight, though their needs will change as they grow.

Very young kittens should be offered unlimited amounts of wet food or dry food mixed with water or milk replacement to soften the texture. By the time your kitten is fully weaned, you can continue to let him feed freely or start to offer portioned meals.

Up to six months of age, kittens should eat about 2 ounces of wet food per pound of body weight per day. Between six and 12 months, give your kitten about 1.5 ounces of wet food per pound of body weight daily. After your kitten reaches maturity at 1 year, you can switch to adult portions.

Something to keep in mind when feeding your kitten is that different recipes have differing calorie content. It’s a good idea to check the calorie content on the can and refer to the feeding recommendations, using your kitten’s age and weight to determine the proper portion. Keep an eye on your kitten’s growth to determine whether you need to make adjustments from there.

Kittens require a diet that is rich in protein and calories to support their rapid growth and development. While all cat food that is formulated in accordance with AAFCO nutrient profiles contains the minimal protein requirements for adult cats, kitten food has higher levels of protein – they also generally have more fat. Higher concentrations of protein provide the amino acids your kitten needs for healthy muscle development while extra fat provides calories for energy to sustain growth.

For these reasons, it’s best to give kitten food to kittens and feed adult cat food to adult cats. There’s certainly nothing harmful about adult cat food, but it simply isn’t going to support your kitten’s optimal growth and wellness.

If your kitten snacks from an adult cat’s bowl, you don’t need to be concerned about any significant negative effects. Your kitten might experience some digestive upset if the two recipes are very different, but there isn’t anything in adult cat food that isn’t good for kittens.

When it comes to feeding your kitten, finding a nutritionally complete recipe is the most important thing. As long as you choose a recipe formulated to support kitten growth and development, you have the freedom to choose between wet cat food and dry cat food.

Though you can certainly feed your kitten whatever type of kitten food you like, there are some advantages to wet food over dry cat food.

Wet cat food is a more species-appropriate choice for kittens than dry cat food for several reasons. First and foremost, it tends to be higher in protein than dry food and lower in carbohydrates. Dry cat food requires the use of starches and other binders to shape it into kibble – it also typically requires the use of added preservatives which canned food does not.

Depending on your kitten’s age, wet cat food may be easier to eat. Very young kittens that have only just begun to eat solid food generally do best with wet food or moistened dry food. The soft texture of wet food is often more palatable and certainly easier for kittens to eat.

While wet cat food may be a more species-appropriate choice for kittens, there’s no reason you can’t feed your kitten dry cat food. It is often more affordable and easier to portion and store than wet food. If that’s what’s in your budget, there’s nothing wrong with it.