The best canned kitten food for your pet kitty should have appropriate and balanced nutrients for her optimum growth and health. These nutrients include especially protein, taurine, DHA, and folic acid. A kitten is usually weaned and starting to eat solid food at around 8 weeks old and should be given solid canned food at least 4 times daily.
Best canned kitten food
Compared to adult cats, kittens need as much as 3 times more calories, protein, fat, and other nutrients especially since they’re still in the growing-up stage of their lives. A consultation with your vet is highly recommended for the best diet for your kitten.
Here are our recommended best canned kitten food for your furry pets:
1. Wellness Complete Health Kitten Canned Cat Food
This wet canned food is very suitable for kittens under 4 months old because it’s in pate texture which means it is a completely smooth recipe with uniform consistency. Experience shows that kittens typically eat like it and this eat enough for their needs. It provides protein for strong and healthy muscles as well as fish oil for healthy skin and coat. It also contains antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to support a balanced nutritional requirement for your pet kitty.
Its ingredients include chicken, chicken liver, chicken broth, carrots, cranberries, guar gum, ground flaxseed, taurine, salt, fish oil, beta carotene, riboflavin, Vitamin E supplement, biotin, folic acid, Vitamin D3, and Vitamin B12, among others. The caloric content is 97 kcal per 3 oz. can with 11% protein, 7% fat content, 1% fiber content, and 78% moisture content.
These are its key benefits for your pet kitten:
- it supports balanced nutritional requirements needed for kittens to have healthy tummies, strong teeth and gums, healthy eyes, lustrous skin and coat, and immune health
- it’s loaded with antioxidants, omega fatty acids, and balanced minerals and vitamins for overall growth and development
- it contains the world’s finest ingredients and doesn’t contain artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors
- it keeps your pet kitten hydrated and supports urinary health
2. Purina Fancy Feast Kitten Canned Wet Cat Food
This option from Purina is made of tender ocean whitefish which kitten typically like. It also has a smooth texture that’s easy to nibble and digest. Your kitten should get all the nourishment she needs because it contains high-quality kitten formula ingredients. It also has vitamins and minerals in every serving for overall health and wellness.
Its ingredients include ocean whitefish, liver, meat by-products, fish broth, chicken, milk, egg product, guar gum, taurine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, Vitamin A supplement, folic acid, biotin, Vitamin B12, and riboflavin supplement,among others. The protein content is 12%, fat 4%, fiber 1.5%, calcium .3%, taurine .07%, and moisture content is 78%.
These are its key benefits:
- it provides 100% complete and balanced nutrition for kittens
- it has essential vitamins and minerals to support your kitten’s health
- it’s made with real milk
- its main ingredient is ocean whitefish that kittens find flavorful and tasty
3. Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Mother and Babycat Canned Cat Food
This premium kitten canned food is considered as first stage food to help your kitty transition from her mother’s milk to solid food. It is suited for kittens under 4 months old. It has a soft mousse consistency which is something in-between milk and solid food for a fuss-free transition. This wet canned food also provides immune system support with its antioxidant complex and has a good balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
Its ingredients include chicken, chicken liver, pork by-products, wheat gluten, guar gum, taurine, fish oil, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, folic acid, marigold extract, and L-carnitine, among others.
These are its key benefits:
- it’s formulated specifically for growing baby kittens age one to 4 months old as well as for pregnant or nursing cats
- it provides support for a kitten’s immune system with antioxidants and vitamins to keep them healthy and strong
- it has a fluffy mousse texture in the sauce which makes it easily digestible for young kittens
- it promotes digestive system development through its highly digestible proteins and prebiotics
- It has docosahexaenoic acid or DHA to provide a strong foundation for brain development
4. Purina Pro Plan Kitten Canned Wet Cat Food
This wet canned food for kittens is made with real chicken and liver and specially formulated for kittens up to one year old. Each serving has high-quality ingredients and DHA to support brain and vision development. It helps nourish a kitten’s developing immune system and has a smooth and tender texture and flavorful taste that kittens will love. It also provides high-quality protein and gives a key source of energy which is suited for hyperactive and playful kittens. Its flavors include chicken and liver entree, ocean whitefish and tuna as well as salmon and ocean fish.
Its ingredients include chicken, liver, fish, meat by-product, rice, guar gum, taurine, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, and Vitamin D3 supplement, among others
These are the key benefits:
- it’s made with real chicken and liver
- it contains DHA for brain and vision development of your kitten
- it has essential nutrients for complete nourishment and supports a kitten’s developing immune system
- it’s specially formulated for kittens as balanced solid food all throughout her first year of life
5. Instinct by Nature’s Variety Kitten Wet Canned Cat Food
This wet canned cat food for your kitten provides high-quality protein. It has a mix of salmon, chicken, beef, and, liver that are great protein sources and it has ingredients that help reduce food sensitivities. It does not contain artificial colors, grain, corn, and preservatives but only natural ingredients. This wet canned food has a pate texture that’s very chewable and easily digestible. It also has natural DHA from salmon for your kitten’s eye and brain development along with vitamins derived from fruits and vegetables like cranberries, parsley, tomatoes, cabbage, and pumpkin. All in all, it has a balanced combination of fish, poultry, and meat to provide complete nutrition for your furry babies.
Its ingredients include chicken, beef liver, chicken broth, salmon, eggs, taurine, potassium chloride, Vitamin A supplement, riboflavin, biotin, Vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, broccoli, kale, cranberries, and kale, among others.
These are the key benefits:
- this flavorful canned food has high animal protein and a savory pate texture that’s perfect for kittens
- it has a balanced combination of salmon, real chicken, and beef liver which are good protein sources
- it doesn’t contain grain, corn, potato, wheat, soy, by-product mean, artificial coloring, and preservatives
- it has natural sources of DHA to promote healthy brain and eye development of kittens
- it’s made in the USA and with high-quality ingredients sourced from around the world
Factors to consider when buying canned food for your kitten
There are some factors that you have to consider when choosing and buying canned food for your little furry babies. As expected, wet canned food will also be more pricey compared to dry food. Here are some of the factors to keep in mind:
Moisture content
Hydration is important for kittens that’s why veterinarians highly recommend that they should be given wet food because of the moisture content. However, some brands contain too much moisture, thus, your kitten may not get enough of the other nutrients. Most wet food contains around 80% moisture which means there are only a few ounces left for other needed nutrients like protein and fat. Because of this, most manufacturers recommend at least several cans daily to keep up with the calorie demands of your kittens.
Food texture
Since kittens are still growing they still have small mouths and teeth so you have to consider the food texture that will best suit them. The best choice for kittens is pate since it’s easy to chew and digest. As your kitten grows you may then introduce other food textures like cubed, flaked, or shredded so long as they can already manage to chew the food well.
Taste
This is a vital factor since kittens tend to be sensitive to tastes and flavors. Most manufacturers combine protein sources like pork, chicken, fish, and lamb to entice kittens to eat their canned food. However, be on the lookout for artificial flavoring which should be avoided. Most brands will also opt to put a dash of salt for more tasteful recipes.
Price
The price of canned food is also an essential factor and most of the time, high-quality canned food is generally more expensive. However, this shouldn’t discourage you from feeding your kitten with wet food because it will have better quality protein sources and lesser carbohydrates.
It’s important to note that aside from these mentioned factors, you should also make sure that the canned food you’re buying for your kittens should have vital nutrients like protein and other nutrients like vitamins and minerals. It’s also imperative to avoid canned food that contains a lot of fillers like corn, wheat, and soy since these don’t add nutritional value at all.
Also, check out our earlier article on how much wet food to feed a kitten per day for other essential information.
Conclusion
The best canned kitten food for your furry babies should have a good protein source and contains a balanced mix of nutrients like taurine, folic acid, vitamins, and minerals that will help your kitten achieve full development. It’s also essential to keep in mind the right texture and taste to ensure that you’re only giving the best and high-quality canned food for your precious kittens.