Rating of the 10 best foods for kittens

Updated: 04/22/2021 17:12:37

Expert: Rudenko Irina Sergeevna

*Review of the best according to the editors of expertology.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

Pets give joy to their owners, and they, in turn, must provide them with attention and care for a long, fulfilling life. A balanced diet is the key to good health. Many people choose natural food for their cat and consider it a win-win option. But there are pitfalls here, because it is very difficult to monitor the amount of incoming vitamins and minerals necessary for the proper growth and development of the pet.

Ready-made food is the most optimal solution in this matter. They come in three types: canned, dry and wet. The advantage of the first is a long shelf life, but when opening the package this time is reduced. Canned food meets the daily water requirement, making it ideal for cats who don't drink much. Wet food is packaged in bags designed for one use. Dry food is good for your pet's teeth. It will become an indispensable solution when the owner of the house is absent for a long time. But in this case, we must remember that there must be fresh water nearby.

Among the variety of cat foods available, it is very difficult to choose the one that is ideal for your cat. Our experts have compiled a rating of ready-made food intended for different ages and conditions of animals.

Josera

Josera Cat Minette food

German super premium food, which took first place in the rating due to its price-quality ratio. There are no by-products, only natural meat. Tocopherol (vitamin E) is used as a preservative.

The best-selling food for babies is Josera Cat Minette (2 kg costs 288 rubles). Dry granules are suitable not only for kittens up to one year old, but also for lactating and pregnant cats. The food is created taking into account all the energy and nutritional needs of a young animal.

Another product from this segment is Josera NatureCat (2 kg for 310 rubles). It is an easily digestible food for kittens from 6 months of age. It does not contain grain, only salmon and poultry meat. Therefore, the food is ideal for cats with sensitive digestion. But it’s hard to find it on sale; it’s more common on the Internet.

Meow

Mjau (Meow) feed production is located in one of the most beautiful places in Sweden. It is here that farmers use the least amount of chemicals than in other countries of the world, and Swedish livestock have been a guarantor of the quality and safety of agricultural production for many decades. And according to manufacturers, the raw materials used in Mjau (Meow) feed are of the highest quality, without chemical additives, hormones, dyes and antibiotics.

Reviews for this product are mixed. Some buyers compare it with Kitekat food, but cheaper. However, it is important to understand that Meow food is an economy class food. Its low cost matches its quality.

Advantages: very low price. The food does not have a strong odor, but rather has an appetizing aroma. Almost all the granules are intact, and the food does not feel greasy to the touch. Quite a lot of flavours.

Disadvantages: the composition is veiled. There are animal by-products and grains that are very harmful to the digestive system of cats. Contains preservatives and antioxidants. It is not advisable to use it as a permanent food. Cats become addicted to food.

Purina Pro Plan

Purina Pro Plan junior food

French super-premium food with increased levels of protein (up to 42%) and fat (21%), designed to provide all the kitten's energy needs.

The large complex of vitamins and minerals in this food are optimal for the development and maintenance of a healthy skeleton and teeth. I would like to note that Purina croquettes are very small and convenient for babies.

One and a half kilograms of it cost 270 rubles.

The best wet foods for kittens

Wet food is the best solution for feeding small pets and can be used as complementary food from four weeks of age. The texture of the food in the form of pate, soufflé or mousse will help the baby learn to eat independently. For kittens older than one and a half months, in addition to pureed food, food with pieces of meat in jelly, sauce or broth can be introduced into the diet.

This type of food is well absorbed by the animal’s body and can serve as a complete diet. Especially for those pets who drink little liquid during the day.

6 Brit Premium, grain-free, with chicken

Our rating opens with wet food for kittens from Brit Premium, with chicken, without the addition of grains.
Available in pouches (soft packages made of foil and polyethylene) of 100 g each. The finished food for kittens includes more than 80% meat protein, about 8% chicken by-products, a small amount of fish, plant components and minerals. No dyes or preservatives. To create food for animals, the manufacturer uses a unique technology for steaming products, thanks to which the original taste and smell of meat components is preserved unchanged.

Brit Premium food is suitable for any breed of kitten weighing from 2 to 8 kg. They enjoy eating pieces of meat in a deliciously tasty sauce, which serves as an additional source of liquid. Therefore, this food is ideal for animals that drink little during the day. The food contains vitamins D3 and E, iodine, copper, zinc, biotin and taurine.

Kitten owners choose wet food from Brit Premium for its affordable price, convenient packaging, balanced composition, and the presence of a large number of meat ingredients. Among the negative aspects, there was a strong smell, so some pets refused to eat it.

Pros:

Nice packaging design.
Ease of use.
Balanced composition.
Lots of meat pieces.
Vitamins and minerals.
Affordable price.

Minuses:

Strong smell.

Brit Premium wet food for kittens, grain-free, with chicken

5 Royal Canin Instinctive, with cold cuts

The fifth place is taken by kitten food from the world famous company Royal Canin.
Available in pouches, the weight of the product is 85 g. The food is a canned product consisting of pieces of meat in sauce. Designed for complete nutrition of kittens in the second phase of growth, until they reach 12 months. The food contains: cold cuts and offal, cereals, protein of vegetable origin, vegetable oil, yeast, vitamins, minerals.

Royal Canin wet food is the food kittens instinctively prefer. All components are perfectly selected according to the macronutrient profile. Thanks to this, daily use of food contributes to:

Gaining healthy weight.
Full development.
Maintaining the natural pH of the animal’s urine.
Replenishing 100% of the deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals.

Users prefer this wet food due to its affordable price, convenient packaging, large number of different types of meat, vitamin and mineral complex in its composition, pleasant aroma and taste, which animals appreciate.

Pros:

Affordable price.
Bright packaging design.
Ease of use.
Pleasant aroma and taste.
Lots of meat pieces.
Contains vitamins and minerals.

Minuses:

Yeast included.

Royal Canin Instinctive wet food for kittens, with cold cuts

4 Pro Plan Nutrisavour, grain-free, with turkey

On the fourth line is Pro Plan Nutrisavour wet food with turkey in sauce, without the addition of grains.
Available in packs of 85 g. Wet food contains the optimal amount of nutrients and nutrients necessary for the proper growth and development of the body. Experts recommend using it for feeding kittens from 2 months of age. The innovative formula of Pro Plan Nutrisavour takes into account all the needs of an animal in a given growth phase.

The food contains Omega-3 fatty acid, which affects the development of the kitten's brain. The high content of meat protein, calcium, vitamin D3 and phosphorus ensure the proper development of the skeletal system. The food is easily digestible, even for pets suffering from digestive disorders.

In their numerous reviews, users highly rate Pro Plan Nutrisavour wet food for kittens. They note its affordable price, attractive packaging, pleasant aroma, ease of use, taste (animals eat it with pleasure).

Pros:

Nice packaging design.
Affordable price.
Verified manufacturer.
Useful substances in the composition.
Pleasant taste and aroma.
Improves animal digestion.

Minuses:

The composition contains dyes.

Wet food for kittens Pro Plan Nutrisavour, grain-free, with turkey

3 Schesir grain-free, with tuna

The third place is occupied by wet food with tuna from the company Schesir, intended for feeding kittens aged 2 months and older.
Packaged in packs of 100 g of product. Wet food is developed by specialists taking into account the needs of the kitten’s body. It is enriched with nutrients, vitamins and minerals, amino acids necessary for the full development of the pet.

The composition uses only natural ingredients: tuna, vegetable oil, minerals (iodine, iron, manganese, zinc), gelatin, vitamins: A, D3, E, taurine. For the production of food, only environmentally friendly raw materials are used - selected tuna fillets, no artificial preservatives or dyes are added. Pieces of fish in a delicious sauce are steamed, thereby preserving all the nutrients.

Owners of kittens are happy to buy Schesir food for their pets. They highly appreciate the quality of the product, convenient packaging, natural ingredients, vitamin and mineral complex, pleasant aroma and appearance, and a large amount of fish. One of the negative aspects is the high price.

Pros:

Convenient packaging.
Premium quality raw materials.
Natural composition.
Vitamins and minerals.
Lots of fish pieces.
Pleasant aroma.

Minuses:

Price.

Schesir wet food for kittens, grain-free, with tuna

2 Monge Grill, grain-free, with salmon

The next line in the rating is occupied by wet food with salmon for kittens from the Italian brand Monge, known throughout the world for the high quality of its products.
Available in pouches, the weight of the finished product is 85 g. The basis of the important food is pieces of Norwegian salmon, which is grilled, as well as vegetables grown in ecologically clean areas of Italy. Such nutrition retains all the beneficial properties of the products necessary for the healthy growth and development of small pets. In addition, the food is additionally enriched with a complex of vitamins.

Complete canned food contains a large number of fish pieces in jelly. In addition to salmon, it contains rabbit meat, potatoes, fish oil, milk protein, vitamins (E and D3) and minerals (iron, manganese, iodine, copper, selenium, zinc). Gelatin is used as a thickener. Experts recommend introducing this complementary food to kittens from the age of one month and subsequently combining it with dry food in a 1:2 ratio.

Users in their reviews highly rate the product from Monge. They note its pleasant design, convenient packaging, which is enough for one feeding, balanced composition, natural ingredients, and affordable price.

Pros:

Nice decoration.
Practical packaging.
Natural composition.
Enriched with vitamins and minerals.
Pleasant aroma.
Affordable price.

Minuses:

Difficult to find on sale.

Monge Grill wet kitten food, grain-free, with salmon

1 Hill's Science Plan, with turkey

The leader among wet foods is Hill's Science Plan, with turkey in gravy.
Available in packs of 85 g. Designed for feeding kittens with a body weight of 500 g. The wet food includes: turkey meat, vegetable protein, cereals, minerals, fish, eggs, sugar, vegetable and animal fats. The carefully balanced composition of the product provides all the needs of the kitten’s growing body:

Fish oil is essential for proper development of vision and brain.
Minerals help strengthen claws and teeth.
High-quality animal protein has a beneficial effect on muscle and skeletal development.
Antioxidants support immune health.

Kittens enjoy eating delicious pieces of meat in sauce. The food, made from natural high-quality ingredients, is suitable for animals with digestive problems.

Those surveyed prefer Hill's Science Plan food for its affordable price, high quality ingredients, balanced composition, convenient packaging, pleasant aroma and taste (pets eat with pleasure). Among the disadvantages, the size of the meat pieces was too large; it was inconvenient for kittens aged 1-3 months to eat them.

Pros:

Nice decoration.
Convenient packaging.
Large amount of meat.
Appetizing sauce.
Balanced composition.
Improves digestion.

Minuses:

Large pieces of meat.

Hill's Science Plan wet kitten food, with turkey

Eukanuba

Kitten Healthy Start Chicken & Liver food

A corporation that produces feed in America, the Netherlands and Russia. Eukanuba is super premium food. You definitely won’t find any offal or soy in them, as well as chemical additives, even those approved for humans.

Kitten Healthy Start Chicken & Liver - intended for babies from one month of age. The main components in it are chicken and liver (up to 43%), and other sources of proteins are animal protein and dry whole egg. The food is not cheap - 2 kg costs about 900 rubles.

Pronature

Balanced and complete food for premium kittens. It is free of soy, wheat and corn. Crispy chicken pieces provide all your nutritional needs. In addition, there are vegetables and rice, whole eggs, natural fatty acids, which help normalize the functioning of the small animal’s brain and participate in the formation of its nervous system. The food also contains taurine - it is important for heart and eye health, and has a positive effect on processes associated with reproductive functions. The balanced content of phosphorus and calcium is responsible for the normalization of the musculoskeletal system. The bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract is supported by chicory and yeast. Omega-3 and Omega-6 provide healthy skin and beautiful coat. Thyme from the composition has antibacterial properties and has a beneficial effect on digestive processes. Yucca extract neutralizes the release of ammonia and reduces the unpleasant odor of feces.

ADVANTAGES: The food contains no grains that provoke allergic reactions. It contains the proper level of carbohydrates and exclusively natural preservatives.

DISADVANTAGES: Not noted.

Brit Care Cat

Brit Care Cat Crazy I'am Kitten food

A Czech super-premium product that produces Crazy I'am Kitten food for babies. They, unlike other manufacturers, are not recommended to feed adult cats that are pregnant or have recently given birth.

In the composition you will find only hypoallergenic and easily digestible proteins (in particular chicken fillet and its dehydrate), rice and its bran, extract for a better smell of feces, sea buckthorn and a complex of vitamins.

The manufacturer also uses various saccharides to further protect the animal's intestines. 2 kg of dry food costs 313 rubles.

Arden Grange

Arden Grange Kitten Fresh Chicken and Potato food

Super premium food, made in the UK. They have a very well written composition, which shows what types of protein are included in this or that product.

Arden Grange Kitten Fresh Chicken and Potato is a grain-free food for babies from 5 weeks. Among the main ingredients, Arden Grange has the highest protein content: chicken meal - 30% and fresh chicken - 26%. The source of carbohydrates is potatoes (26%), and pea starch acts as a thickener. The price for 2 kg is 650 rubles.

Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Feline

Dry food from America, universal, super-premium and holistic. It is suitable for any cat age, including young animals.

At the same time, food helps cope with the most common problems: hair loss, sensitive skin and stomach. The manufacturer claims that only its food contains unique sources of proteins (such as smoked salmon or roasted venison).

A package weighing a little more than 2 kg costs 465 rubles.

Grandorf

Feed from a Belgian manufacturer, which also recently settled in the CIS market, but quite successfully pushed aside the stagnant leaders and calmly took its place on the pedestal. The food is well known in veterinary circles because of its positive qualities. The manufacturer has a separate line for kittens “Grandorf Lamb & Rice Kitten”

Advantages

The food from this manufacturer is holistic, which already sets it apart from its competitors. In addition, the manufacturer focuses not only on protein, but also on protecting the immune system. Thus, a complex is created for the development of all animal systems. The food is hypoallergenic and does not contain: wheat, soy, gluten, or dyes. Such nutrition has a special effect on its appearance; the cat will be deprived of problems with fur and teeth.

Flaws

When purchasing, carefully read the ingredients, the amount of meat depends on it. Depending on the taste, it can range from 40-70%. It is also not recommended to use kitten food on adults; the granules are too small, so cats often swallow them without chewing, creating plaque on their teeth.

Royal Canin

Royal Canin Babycat food

This is a premium segment food, but medicinal lines are often prescribed by veterinarians during a diet. It is produced both in Russia and abroad, and the European one, as usual, is better. There is a large selection of food for each individual breed.

This is a balanced product, which, in addition to protein content, contains preservatives, dyes, flavors, vegetable proteins and soy. But at the same time, the price for the premium segment is quite affordable, the range is large and is sold in a wide retail network.

One of the best-selling is Royal Canin Kitten for kittens from 4 to 12 months, pregnant and lactating cats (2 kg cost 384 rubles).

There is also a Royal Canin Babycat (2 kg for 409 rubles) for babies up to 4 months old. As well as food for British shorthair babies (from 4 to 12 months) at a price of 435 rubles per 2 kg; for May-Coon kittens; spayed and neutered young animals from 6 to 12 months.

It is important to know

Note that the focus on the food class is somewhat arbitrary. There is no legislation that would regulate the criteria for ranking nutrition for animals in a strict order. According to research by Roskachestvo, the best cat food does not contain GMOs, infectious agents, or other toxic and dangerous elements. However, the nutritional value of formulations can vary significantly within the same class. In this regard, a manufacturer may call a product premium cat food that it is not. Therefore, it is important to study the composition of each dry or wet diet and its details.

Another reference point is the manufacturer. There are companies that have proven themselves better than others in the cat food market. At the same time, some of them offer a wide range broken down by breed and physiological characteristics, while others focus on universal diets.

The rule “more expensive is better” does not always work. There are richer premium squads, and there are poorer ones. There are those in which the actual content of micro- and macroelements does not correspond to what is stated in the labeling. This is not against the law, but may mislead the buyer.

To make it easier for you to navigate, we provide a list of worthy manufacturers. Some of their premium cat foods are more successful, some less so (again, we focus on the composition), but in general their products are safe for pets: Animonda, Belcando, Leonardo, Berkley, Brit, Farmina, Hills, Royal canin, Four-legged gourmet, Pro plan, Cat chow.

Hills Feline

Hills Science Plan Kitten food

Premium product from the Netherlands. This is one of the best foods in its segment, with balanced content. There is European and Russian production, which you should pay attention to.

There are many types of food for kittens. There is Science Plan Kitten - for babies from the moment of weaning until puberty with an increased content of omega-3 (2 kg cost 527 rubles).

And also Plan Kitten Chicken with chicken, Plan Kitten Tuna with tuna meat (minimum 6%) and Nature Best Kitten with Chicken.

Farmina N&D

Food from a European manufacturer, which is of the highest quality. The line is divided into two main areas: grain-free and low-grain foods. You can also add pumpkin-based products to the distinctive features, which will help protect the kitten from cholesterol problems and strengthen the cardiovascular system. The line for kittens is called “Kitten”.

Advantages

The composition of the feed consists of 70% meat protein, and the remaining 30% supplements the diet with vegetables and fruits. The grain-free option is perfect for active kittens. Don't be alarmed by the presence of gluten; it is completely destroyed by stomach enzymes. Quinoa-based foods are also available. The latter is the most beneficial cereal for cats. Feed absorption is 80-90%, which significantly reduces the amount of feces.

Flaws

The main drawback is the packaging. A small 1.5 kg bag has a fairly high price, products of 3 and 5 kg, on the contrary, are an incredibly profitable option, however, the absence of preservatives significantly reduces storage time, and not all animals can absorb feed in such quantities.

Probalance

ProBalance Kitten food

Premium food with chicken, created using Danish technology and produced in Russia.

It is suitable for daily feeding of all breeds of kittens from 2 months, pregnant and lactating animals. Available in packages of 400 grams (75 rubles) and 10 kg (1760 rubles) and it’s a pity that the most convenient packaging of 2 kg is missing.

The granules are very small (5 mm). The main component is dehydrated poultry meat (up to 32%), barley and rice, flaxseed as a source of omega acids, as well as a special extract that reduces the odor of feces.

But - the composition contains unnatural preservatives E320, E321.

What are the features of premium class

This cat food not only has a subtle natural smell (without the use of synthetic ingredients), which attracts pets, making it extremely rarely abandoned. It compares favorably with economy class in its composition.

Premium cat food has these features

the presence of natural protein of animal origin - meat, fish, eggs, offal;
ash concentration within 6–7% (if it contains fish, which itself contains more minerals than meat - up to 9%);
the supply of carbohydrates is provided by rice, barley, oats, potatoes;
there are no flavors, dyes, or preservatives - they are replaced with tocopherol and rosemary;
taurine is present - an essential amino acid needed by cats;
digestibility - 70-75%.

The packaging of a good premium cat food lists ingredients with quantities and percentages, minerals, and vitamins. There is also a table of energy values broken down by proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Approximate composition

dry food looks like this:

meat and offal - from 35%;
plant components - no more than 25%;
animal protein - from 20%;
offal (liver, lungs, etc.) - 10%;
vitamins, mineral and other useful components - 10%.

Good premium cat food should not contain synthetic antioxidants (usually labeled E320, E321). Another sign of a quality product is the absence of sweeteners (cellulose, sugar, propylene glycol). If you see artificial colors in the composition (the most common is E127), it is better to look for another food.

Club 4 paws

Food Club 4 paws

A premium product intended specifically for small representatives of the cat family, from 2 months (as well as nursing and pregnant women). It is produced in Ukraine and is one of the cheapest products in its segment (3 kg of it costs 187 rubles)

Contains 34% protein (of which 28% is poultry flour), taurine (which cats cannot synthesize on their own), a complex of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a preservative approved in the European Union.

Acana

This food contains 80% high-quality natural meat ingredients: cartilage, chicken, liver - liver, kidneys, heart. They are supplied by livestock and poultry farms. In addition, there are options with turkey, trout or pike perch, which are caught in Canadian lakes. This cat food also contains probiotics and animal lactobacilli. There are no grains at all, as well as concentrated proteins from potatoes or peas. But there are meat proteins of animal origin. They help kittens build muscle mass. Among the ingredients are: fresh eggs, chickpeas, red lentils, pollock fat, dried alfalfa, dried kelp, fresh parsnips and pumpkin, blueberries, cabbage, apples, mustard and turnip greens, chicory and turmeric root, burdock and rose hips, milk thistle and lavender. It also contains copper and zinc with choline. Can be used dry or slightly moistened.

ADVANTAGES: Meat components are not frozen - only fresh products are used in the feed. There are no artificial flavors, GMOs, gluten or preservatives. All kittens like it.

DISADVANTAGES: The range of these foods is limited.