Best Dry Cat Food for Your Kitten | iPetCompanion

Best Dry Cat Food for Your Kitten

Finding the best dry kitten food for kittens is an important task given that it will help to shape the way in which they develop during the early years. Get it right and they will live a happy and healthy life with enough energy to play freely. However, if you get it wrong, it is likely that your cats will face health issues and experience other problems with their skin or coat. To help you with this task we have conducted extensive research into what is the best dry kitten food.

As well as displaying our findings and attributing a star rating to each of the products, we will also provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions relating to the best kitten food dry. In addition, we will make a recommendation as to which one of these products we think is the best dry kitten food of all and that you should feed to your kitten. So let us begin by taking a look at some of the food products in the list of Our Top Picks.

The Best Cat Food for Kittens: Our Top Picks

hill's science dry cat food

  • Recommended by vets
  • Contains various antioxidants
  • Suitable for pregnant cats

Rated by: Amber

blue buffalo kitten dry food

  • Free from grain
  • Keeps kittens healthy
  • Enjoyable chicken flavor

Rated by: Amber

wellness core dry kitten food

  • Rich in protein
  • Dense in caloriest
  • Good for gut health

Rated by: Amber

1. Hill's Science Diet Dry Cat Food

Quick Summary

Rated by: Amber

Coming highly recommended by professional veterinarians, Hill's Science Diet Diet Dry Cat Fod is a good quality product. This is because it has been developed by expert animal nutritionists, food scientists, and veterinarians themselves to ensure that the food contains only ingredients that are beneficial to kittens. One of these is a natural DHA, which helps to develop the eyes and brain of kittens.

As well as this, the range of various antioxidants that are included have been clinically shown to boost a kittens immunity system. This is particularly important during the first 12 months of a kitten’s life, as they are really vulnerable to disease and illness, so this extra protection is much needed. The good quality protein that is used in Hill's Science Diet Diet Dry Cats Fod is really easy for kittens to both digest and use inside of their body. 

Also contained within the food are countless amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

The inclusion of vitamin E and vitamin C work to boost the immunity system, as well as act as a preservative. What is not included in Hill's Science Diet Diet Dry Cats Fod are artificial colorings, preservatives, or flavors. Thanks to the inclusion of chicken, the food has a great taste. Because of the many benefits that the food provides, it is also suitable for any cats that are nursing or are pregnant. 

You may also want to read our article: Best Dry Cat Food For Indoor Cats

PROS

  • Highly recommended by professional veterinarians
  • Contains various antioxidants
  • Suitable for nursing or pregnant cats

CONS

  • Expensive price point

2. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free Natural Kitten Dry Cat Food

Quick Summary

Rated by: Amber

With a strong reputation for producing good quality dry kitten food, Blue Buffalo have done it again with the Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free Natural Kitten Dry Cats Fod. It contains nothing that is artificial and only sweet potato and chicken (de-boned). These two ingredients provided good sources of carbohydrates and protein. Carbohydrates make up an important part of any kittens diet, as they provide them with the energy that they require to play and grow.

Another ingredient of the Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free Natural Kitten Dry Cat Fod is taurine. This amino acid is essential in the development of healthy eyes and a healthy heart. As well as this, the food contains Blue Buffalo’s LifeSource bits, which contain various different vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. All of these help to keep kittens both happy and healthy.

What is not included in Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free Natural Kitten Dry Cat Fod is chicken by products, corn, soy, or wheat. The strong chicken flavor is enjoyed by almost all kittens and so ensures that they keep coming back for more and getting all of the health benefits that it possess. 

PROS

  • Free from grain
  • Keeps kittens happy and healthy
  • Enjoyable chicken flavor

CONS

  • Makes kitten poop really smelly

3. Instinct Original Kitten Grain Free Recipe Natural Cat Food

Quick Summary

Rated by: Amber

Specifically designed for growing kittens, Instinct Original Kitten Grain Free Recipe Natural Cat Fod contains lots of different animal sourced proteins to ensure that they are provided with the amount of energy that they require to grow and play. To help with development of the eyes and brain, completely natural DHA has been added to the food. Because it contains no grain, then it makes the food perfect for those kittens that have allergies or intolerances.

This indicates that the more important animal sourced proteins are the main ingredient rather than cheap fillers. This is really important for kittens during their quick development. In fact, 81 percent of the Instinct Original Kitten Grain Free Recipe Natural Cats Fod is made up of good quality oils and products sourced from animals. The rest of it (19 percent) consists of ingredients that are wholesome, such as vegetables and fruits like cranberries, apples, and carrots.

It is also important to mention that the chicken meat used in Instinct Original Kitten Grain Free Recipe Natural Cat Fod comes from chickens that were not kept in cages. This goes to show that the company cares about animals. The tasty chicken flavor of the food keeps kittens coming back for more and the ingredients unlock the potential of any kitten that eats it. This is why it is particularly good for kittens under the age of 12 months.

PROS

  • Contains no grain
  • Predominantly animal proteins
  • Cage free chicken

CONS

  • Inconsistent product

4. Iams Proactive Health Kitten Dry Cat Food

Quick Summary

Rated by: Amber

This lower price point dry food is specially designed to be eaten by kittens. It helps with their development thanks to the inclusion of DHA, Omega 3, and lots of protein. These also help with the development of a kitten’s brain. The main ingredient in Iams Proactive Health Kitten Dry Cats Fod is chicken and it includes no filling agents. Not only does the chicken taste nice but it also helps to build muscles and strength.

Vitamin E is added into Iams Proactive Health Kitten Dry Cat Fod, which helps to boost a kitten’s immunity system. Additionally, the dry food contains many of the essential acids that all carnivorous animals require in order to function correctly. A much respected and well trusted dry kitten food brand, Iams has been around for many years. During this time, they have researched what dry foods for cat are the best, whilst also keeping them affordable.

Depending on how many kittens you have, you are able to purchase the dry food in 3 different size bags, ranging from 3.5 pounds at the smallest through to 16 pounds at the largest. Because they are so confident that their Iams Proactive Health Kitten Dry Cats Fod is of such good quality, Iams will provide you with all of your money back should you not like the dry food under their 100 percent money back guarantee. This is because the checks on quality that Iams use are extremely strict and go way above those set by the USDA and FDA. 

PROS

  • Low price point
  • Added vitamins and minerals
  • Money back guarantee

CONS

  • Kibbles are quite large

5. Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Cat Food

Quick Summary

Rated by: Amber

Available in four different flavors (Green Pea & Salmon, Green Pea & Duck, Green Pea & Chicken, Green Pea & Venison), there should be a flavor of the Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Cat Fod that suits the taste buds of your kitten. In order to ensure that the dry food is easy to digest and not hurt a kitten’s stomach, only a limited amount of ingredients are used in the dry food. This includes no grains such as wheat, corn, soy, or potatoes.

What are included in Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Cats Fod are various different nutrients such as fatty acids and omega 3. These work to provide kittens with a healthy and shiny coat, along with lots of energy to play and grow. Depending on how many kittens you have, you are able to purchase the dry food for kittens in various size bags, ranging from 2 pounds at the smallest through to 10 pounds at the largest.

The peas found within the Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Cats Fod include a high amount of fiber, which supports the functioning of a healthy digestive system. These health benefits come as a result of the collaboration that Natural Balance has had with animal nutrition experts and veterinarian professionals from across the country. Because of this, the dry food for kittens comes with a complete 100 percent money back guarantee, meaning that if you are not satisfied with the product you can get all of your money back with no questions asked.

PROS

  • Comes in various flavors
  • Limited amount of ingredients
  • Easy to digest

CONS

  • Duck is not the best flavor

6. Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dry Kitten Cat Food

Quick Summary

Rated by: Amber

Rich in protein, the Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dry Kitten Cat Fod has a 45 percent content of protein. This is an important attribute for any dry kitten food given the fact that they require large amounts of it to develop and function. In particular, it is used to build tissue and forms various substances within the body of a kitten. Because the food is really dense in calories, it provides kittens with all of the energy that they need to play and grow.

These calories are mainly derived from fats and proteins, with only a few actually coming from carbohydrates. Because the dry food is free from grains, it will not cause flare up in those kittens that are intolerant or allergic to such ingredients. Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dry Kitten Cats Fod uses only natural ingredients and does not contain any meat by products, anything artificial, or corn, wheat, or soy.

In order to keep a kitten’s gut in good health, the Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dry Kitten Cats Food contains various species of CFU Enterococcis and Lactobacillis. Depending on how many kittens you have, the food is available in two different size bags - 2 pounds and 5 pounds. Because it is made in the United States of America you can rest assure that what you are given to your kitten is a high quality product that meets all of the necessary regulations and requirements.

PROS

  • Rich in protein
  • Dense in calories
  • Good for gut health

CONS

  • Some kittens will not eat it

FAQs – A Buyer’s Guide

Having reviewed each of the products in the list of Our Top Picks, we will now provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions relating to kitten food. To help us with this, we enlisted the help of various industry experts and animal nutritionists in order to provide you with the best and latest information. So let us see what they had to say.

What is the best kitten food?

Because kittens grow so fast they need a diet that is rich in both fat and protein. By choosing the right food for kittens, you will reduce the possibility of any sort of set back or upset as they go through this development. The two different options that are available to you in terms of types of kitten food, these are canned / wet kitten food or dry food. For most kitten owners, it is canned / wet food that they used. However, for the best outcome it is best to use a combination of the two different types.

This is also a better option for your wallet, rather than just using canned / wet food, as it is much more expensive than dry food. Some of the best canned / wet food products that are currently available on the market include Instinct by Nature's Variety Kitten Wet Canned Adult Cat Wet Food, Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Gravy Canned Kitten Wet Food, Wellness Complete Health Kitten Canned Kitten Food, and Royal Canin Mother Adult Cat & Baby Cat Canned Kitten Wet Food.

What is the healthiest kitten food?

It is from about 3 weeks of age that kittens begin to start eating foods that are solid. The first solid food that they eat should be both easy for them to digest and soft. For this reason, dry kitten food should be soaked in either kitten milk or water. It is important not to give them cow’s milk because it can cause upset in their stomach. By the time that a kitten reaches the age of 8 weeks old, their stomach is big enough to take around 5 small meals each and every day.

From this point, as they grow older, the amount of kitten food / meals that they are given should be slowly reduced until they reach the age of 5 months old. By this point they should be eating 2 meals each and every day. All of the kitten foods that feature in the list of Our Top Picks are healthy and possess many different health benefits. To find the healthiest kitten food for kittens, we recommend consulting with your veterinarian.

You may also be interested in: Best Dry Cat Food for Cats With a Sensitive Stomach

The Best Cat Foods for Kittens Of All

Now that we have looked at each of the products in the list of Our Top Picks and answered some of the most frequently asked questions, we will now make a recommendation as to which is the best kitten dry food of all for your kitten. Basing this on the pros and cons, and star rating of each, along with our new found knowledge about kitten food from the experts, we cam to the decision that the Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free Natural Kitten Dry Cat Food best of all.

The reason why we finally settled on this rather than any of the other products is that it is free from grain so will not flare up any allergies or intolerances that your kitten may have, it is full of lots of beneficial ingredients that will work to keep your kitten both happy and healthy, and has an enjoyable chicken flavor so that eating the Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free Natural Kitten Dry Cat Food is something that they enjoy doing and is not a chore. The only problem we found with this food is that it will make your kittens poop smell really bad, but when did it ever smell nice?

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