What is the Best Cat Food for Kittens?

Food is the fuel that keeps us all going. It is not just an energy source for us but huge impact on our health, mood, mental fitness, skin, hair, and almost everything in the body. The same is true for kittens. And now that you are looking for the best foods for kittens, we assume that you’ve just welcomed a small feline baby at your house. So, before we move to food for your four-legged baby, here’s a short manual on kittens.

The first few weeks are extremely important for kittens. They double their weight in the first week itself and grow rapidly in the first 6 months. They learn most through imitating their mothers. They are curious creatures and would love to explore every corner of your house. In the initial years though, they tend to spend most of the time resting. It can be as high as 18 hours a day. Physical activity is important at an early age for them as they learn crucial skills like hunting, stalking, and pouncing. To ensure they have enough energy to do so, food and diet come into the picture. 

So, let’s get to it. 

What is the Best Food for Kittens?

Best here can be defined as food that gets easily digested in the kitty’s system and provides all the necessary nutrients for its healthy growth. There are a few things you should keep in mind while choosing food for your kitty – 

When to Feed Kittens

The diet schedule depends on the age of the kitty.

You need to ensure that the daily requirement of calories is met but not exceeded. 

What is the Best Food for Maine Coon Kittens?

Dietary needs can be breed-specific as well. Depending on the activity levels, indoor vs outdoor lifestyle, etc. your kitty may need less or more calories. Maine Coons are playful, intelligent and energetic. These cats can grow bigger than some dog breeds as well. Given their size, it is recommended you give a high-protein diet. Less carbs, small amounts of taurine and arginine and a variety of vitamins will ensure a well-rounded growth.

What is the best Cat Food for Gassy Kittens?

Gas is normal in kitties, but excessive gas is not just smelly but also an indication of something being wrong in the digestive tract. In medical terms, this is called ‘Flatulence.’ It can be caused by a variety of factors like lactose intolerance, hairballs, excessive fiber intake, and food allergies. 

While choosing food for a gassy kitten you can consider the following – 

While you keep the above points in mind, it is recommended that you visit a vet and get the kitty checked.  

What is the Best Kitten Wet Food?

Wet food is usually costlier than dry food but in the initial ages of a kitten, it is recommended you give wet food or a mixture of both. While choosing wet food for your kitten, it is advised that you choose the one with high-quality meat, such as chicken, as the first ingredient. Try to avoid the ones that list wholegrain cereals, or cereal/meat by-products, as the first ingredient. Cats are carnivorous and hence the majority of their nutrition should be derived from meat. Lastly, you need to look for a balance of real proteins, fats and oils, minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates.

Wet or canned food faces the challenge of short shelf life. It typically lasts for 24 hours once opened. Leaving wet food out for more than a few hours can get contaminated and cause gastrointestinal problems for your kitten. 

What is the Best Kitten Dry Food?

There is nothing wrong with dry food, but it is recommended that you give a mixture of both, dry and wet food to your kitten. The differences between dry cat food and wet cat food are – 

While choosing the best dry food for your kitten, the checklist for you remains the same as for wet food mentioned above. However, whenever you feed dry food to your kitten, you need to ensure that the lack of water in it is compensated by feeding water directly to your kitten at regular intervals. 

Dry food has a longer shelf life and does not need refrigeration. But dry food can be difficult to digest at times for kittens. Also, cats and kittens with medical conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, or lower urinary tract disease should be fed canned food over dry food as they can benefit from the additional water. 

More About Spot Pet Insurance

With an accident and illness plan from Spot, you can take your kitten to any licensed vet in Canada or the U.S. Spot plans have no networks, so veterinary services used to diagnose, treat, or manage a covered condition can be eligible for reimbursement. Spot’s accident and illness plans can help cover a large variety of conditions. Examples include bite wounds, poison ingestion, behavioral conditions, cancer, intestinal parasites and more. For an additional fee, Wellness Riders can be added to accident and illness plans to help cover the eligible costs of preventive care services including vaccines, wellness exams, dental cleanings, and more. Learn more about kitten insurance or to get a free quote.