A kitten has specific feeding requirements for the first year of her life. Here are some expert tips to help you make the right choices for your itty bitty kitty.
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To keep your kitten full of rambunctious energy, you need to give her the proper food. Once she's weaned from her mom, usually at 6 to 8 weeks, she's ready to eat on her own. Not pasteurized milk, though-it will only upset her digestion. Fortunately, there are numerous options on the market specially-formulated for kittens.
How Much Food Should a Kitten Eat?
More than you might think for a tiny fuzzball! Tarina L. She says kittens have much greater nutritional needs than adult cats due to the sheer level of growing they do. Anthony, DVM, is a longtime practitioner of feline-exclusive medicine, and owner and medical director of Aurora Cat Hospital and Hotel in Aurora, Colo. This means you'll have to consider frequency and variety.
"Kittens should be fed free-choice from about 8 weeks to around 6 months," Anthony says. "It's best to expose them to both canned and dry food, as it has been shown to improve acceptance of foods later in life-if prescribed for a medical need, for example."
Free-choice means leaving nibbles out continuously, but stay mindful of quantity and that means you know how much food your kitten should eat. The Cornell Feline Health Center indicates she'll probably head for the bowl three to four times daily when you leave a small serving in it. As she grows, you'll put her on a more regimented feeding schedule.
Mixing together wet and dry food makes it easier for wee kitten teeth to gradually crunch into kibble. Be sure to supply fresh water each day as well.
How To Choose the Best Food for Your Kitten
Young felines need plenty of protein and fat to help them grow. When scanning shelves of kitten food products, Anthony offers these basic tips for reading labels:
- Pet food ingredients are listed by weight.
- The first three or four ingredients are the main bulk of the food.
- Meat should be near the top: first or second (to water) in canned food and definitely in the top three for dry.
- Look for a food that meets the requirements set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). The wording will either say "formulated to meet standards" or "animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures".
Anthony notes that kittens should have a checkup with the veterinarian prior to any diet change. "Body condition, GI health, and other concurrent issues should be addressed by a doctor first," she says. Your vet might have additional recommendations for the best kitten food brands to complement the ones listed below.
- Best Dry Kitten Food: Purina Pro Plan Kitten Shredded Blend Chicken and Rice Formula Dry Cat Food
- Best Wet Kitten Food: IAMS Perfect Portions Grain Free Healthy Kitten Paté
- Best Canned Kitten Food: Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Canned Cat Meals
- Best Kitten Formula: PetAg KMR Kitten Milk Replacer Powder
- Best Value Kitten Food: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy Growth Kitten Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Foods
- Best Kitten Treats: Get Naked Kitten Health Grain-Free Soft Cat Treats