Adding a new kitten to your home can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. You get to see a kitten discover their new world, play like crazy, cuddle with you, and grow up into a charming cat.
While it is important to keep up with their vaccinations and other medical needs, they also need a careful diet. They need the right foods with enough vitamins, probiotics, and nutrients to help them grow and develop a strong, healthy body.
With the best kitten food brands, you are providing all those essentials with each meal. Not every food brand supplies what they promise, though, as the essential nutrients could be outweighed by grains and other filler foods that provide more weight than a healthy meal to a growing kitten.
With careful research and using the provided list below to your advantage, you will be sure to find the right food for your kitten.
Best Kitten Food Brands
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1. Blue Buffalo Healthy Growth Natural Kitten Food
Blue Buffalo Healthy Growth Natural Kitten Food
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Features
- Contains one (1) 7-lb bag of BLUE for Cats Healthy Growth Kitten Dry Cat Food, Chicken & Brown Rice
- Always features real meat as the 1st ingredient. Made with High-quality protein from Deboned Chicken, plus Chicken Meal, Fish Meal and Egg helps develop strong muscles. Contains wholesome whole grains, garden veggies and fruit.
- DHA and ARA, important fatty acids found in mother's milk, along with Choline, support healthy development of cognitive learning and retinal function.
- A Natural Cat Food enhanced with vitamins and minerals. Contains BLUE's exclusive Life Source Bits - precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists that support immune system health, life stage requirements, and healthy oxidative balance.
- NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals. NO corn, wheat or soy. NO artificial flavors or preservatives
One of the more popular and well-known pet food brands, Blue Buffalo lives up to its reputation.
Key Features
- Protein is the first ingredient
- No by-product meals
- Good source of nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants
Growing kittens need high protein diets filled with the essential vitamins that they need to grow strong and healthy.
Blue Buffalo understands that and makes sure that all of their kitten formulas use high protein meats, not by-product meats, and only used whole grains and vegetables as a nutrient source.
Their kitten food formula is focused solely on the kitten life stage to provide the correct level of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals kittens need without overwhelming their bodies.
Blue Buffalo prides in the way they create their kibble bites as they are cold-formed to best retain the potency of the ingredients and not lose any nutrients to high heats.
By using Blue Buffalo your kitten will have a healthy immune system, better muscle growth, healthy skin, a shiny coat, better brain growth, plenty of energy to play, and so much more. Give only the best quality food such as Blue Buffalo to your kittens to ensure a healthy, long life.
2. Nulo Grain Free Canned Wet Cat Food
Nulo Grain Free Canned Wet Cat Food
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Features
- 24-PACK of our 5.5 oz cans. Based in Austin, TX and proudly made in the USA, Nulo Wet Cat Food is guaranteed all-natural without use of corn; wheat; soy; carrageenan; white potatoes; tapioca; artificial colors, flavorings or preservatives.
- GRAIN-FREE & HIGH MEAT/LOW CARB recipe contains 5 animal protein sources. This supports healthier skin and coat, and more energy. Our proprietary blend is ideal for cats with diagnosed grain allergies and sensitivities.
- GREATER NUTRITIONAL PUNCH because its proteins and animal fats have a beneficial mix of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to reinforce a healthy immune system and keep your pet energized longer
- PROMOTES WEIGHT MANAGEMENT through reduced carbohydrate intake. Your cat remains lithe and agile while being less susceptible to kidney disease, heart disease and osteoarthritis.
- MAY REDUCE food sensitivities or allergies. Nulo Grain Free Cat Food is nutritionally balanced for a lustrous coat and good vision.
Your kittens need a high-quality food like Nulo to give them a great start in life.
Key Features
- Grain-Free
- High source of protein
- Fewer carbohydrates
- Good for all life stages
Nulo goes further to make sure all of their recipes are grain-free by not including potatoes, tapiocas or similar products.
Instead, they use peas and lentils to promote an active kitten. Kittens need a high protein source to grow, and Nulo provides 83% of protein from all natural, high-quality animal sources.
The first four ingredients are all animal products, so you can be sure your carnivorous kittens are getting the meat source their bodies naturally need.
Nulo is also low in carbs to avoid obesity in less active kittens. Nulo is also packed with high sources of vitamins to improve the overall health of your kitten.
Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids help your kitten’s skin stay healthy and their fur smooth and shiny.
Their patented BC30 Probiotic supports gastrointestinal health so there are fewer stomach issues for your kitten. You will not have to worry about switching food brands either as Nulo is made for all life stages.
Your kitten will enjoy mealtimes more when you use a nutrient-packed yet delicious kitten food such as Nulo.
3. Best Feline Friend (B.F.F.) Grain-Free Cat Food
Best Feline Friend (B.F.F.) Grain-Free Cat Food
Free shipping
Features
- B.F.F. Pouch Variety Pack including two of each of our six pouches (12 total), all recipes featuring wild-caught red meat skipjack tuna - a small sustainable fish & a cut of tuna cats can't resist
- Minimally processed and FREE OF Grain, Gluten, GMOs, MSGs and any other bad stuff. That means NO corn, soy, wheat, or artificial colors or preservatives!
- Complete and balanced diet for adult maintenance with added vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Low in ash, magnesium & phosphorus with proper moisture levels to promote a healthy urinary tract
- Sustainably sourced ingredients and produced in human food facilities under the strictest B.R.C. Global standards for foods. B.F.F. is the real deal for your Best Feline Friend!
- Weruva is a family owned company, wholly owned and operated by pet parents David and Stacie Forman
Best known for their wet foods, Weruva peaks your kitten’s natural carnivorous needs.
Key Features
- All natural ingredients
- High protein source
- Good for all life stages
When you think Weruva, if you know the product, then you think of their wet food line, and for good reasons. Weruva started off as a wet food centered company before expanding to dry food and even cat litter.
Their wet food has animal protein as the first ingredients so that the majority of calories and nutrients comes from the protein. For kittens, who need the protein, this is beneficial to them. Some kittens do not drink water as often as they should sometimes, which can develop into serious health concerns.
Weruva helps with that thanks to their hydration focused foods that provide a liquid source for kittens who need the extra liquid in their diet.
From pates to shredded meats in a natural gravy and a variety of vegetables, you will be sure to find the right texture and flavor combination for even the pickiest of kittens.
Weruva does not have a specific line of wet foods solely for kittens as all of their wet foods are balanced for all of your kitten’s life stages. Satisfy your kitten’s carnivore needs with Weruva a nutrient-packed wet food brand.
4. Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Food
Hill's Science Diet Kitten Food
$34.99
Free shipping
Features
- New and improved Hill's Science Diet Kitten Healthy Development Chicken Recipe dry cat food is recommended for kittens from weaning up to age 1, and pregnant or nursing cats
- This Science Diet kitten food provides natural DHA for optimal brain and eye development
- Hill's dry kitten food delivers a clinically proven combination of antioxidants for a strong immune system
- High-quality natural cat food with easy-to-digest, natural ingredients plus vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
- Same great nutrition with new and improved taste
Provide the best for your kitten so they can grow into happy, active, and healthy cats with Hill’s Science Diet brand kitten foods.
Key Features
- No artificial ingredients
- Supports healthy growth
- Kitten centered formula available
Hill’s Science Diet uses only the highest quality animal ingredients and vegetables to ensure that your kitten grows healthy and active, not at risk of weight-related health issues.
Their kitten formula is ideal for kittens who are weaning up till they reach their first year of age. The bite-sized kibbles are easy to digest for kittens with sensitive stomachs and are packed full of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to ensure a healthy body.
There are no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or additives that can potentially harm your kitten and develop future health issues. Hill’s Science Diet also has a clinically proven combination of antioxidants to help build a strong immune system.
From dry food to wet food, you can provide a natural and beneficial food source your growing kitten deserves with Hill’s Science Diet. Do not settle for low quality food brands when you want to be sure your kitten gets all of the essential nutrients that they need.
5. Instinct Original Kitten Grain Free Recipe
Instinct Original Kitten Grain Free Recipe
$19.99
Free shipping
Features
- KITTEN GRAIN FREE CAT FOOD WITH CAGE FREE CHICKEN: Instinct Original is made with 81% real animal ingredients and nutritious oils; 19% vegetables, fruits and other wholesome ingredients. Cage free chicken is the #1 ingredient - for energy to grow & play.
- NATURAL KITTEN FOOD: Instinct Original dry cat food for kitten is made with probiotics for digestive & immune health and omegas for healthy skin & soft fur. Made without grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, by-product meals, artificial colors or preservatives
- THE FIRST RAW COATED KIBBLE FOR KITTEN: Our grain free, natural cat food offers complete & balanced nutrition for kittens. Each piece of kibble is coated in freeze dried raw for nutrition & taste. Delicious flavors that even picky kitties will love.
- POWER OF RAW INGREDIENTS: Our kitten food is made with the real nutrition of raw. Raw is natural, made from real meat & whole food ingredients, protein packed & minimally processed. Made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world.
- INSTINCT, THE RAW BRAND: We craft dry & wet cat food from real ingredients. Compare Instinct to Blue Buffalo, Fancy Feast, Hill's Science Diet, Royal Canin, Rachel Ray, Natural Balance, Merrick, Purina One, Friskies, Wellness, Iams, Purina Beyond & Weruva
Instinct taps into your kitten’s natural carnivorous instinct by providing a raw meat option.
Key Features
- Grain-Free
- High protein source
- Packed with essential nutrients
- Raw option brand
No grains, potatoes, corn, soy, wheat, by-product meals, artificial flavors, or preservatives are used in this brand’s kitten food.
They only use real ingredients resourced from the USA. 81% of the food is made from animal ingredients and nutritious oils while the remaining 19% is made of vegetables, fruits, and other nutrient-packed ingredients.
Probiotics and omegas aid in digestive health, immune health, skin health, and soft fur. What makes this brand stand apart from other kitten food brands is that it is a raw diet kitten food.
The bite-sized kibbles are freeze-dried raw in order to capture the highest quality proteins and nutrients growing kittens need.
Since it is minimally processed your kitten will taste delicious flavors even picky kittens will not be able to resist. Their wet and dry foods are made in the same way for better quality control.
Raw food such as Instinct may be scary for some owners to consider, but it is ideal in order to give your kitten the nutrients they need straight from the source.
6. Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Free shipping
Features
- A taste of the wild with ROASTED VENISON and SMOKED SALMON; optimal amino acid profile, HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN rich for LEAN, STRONG MUSCLES
- Premium ingredients with added vitamins & minerals; fruits and vegetables as SUPERFOODS for hard-working ANTIOXIDANTS; fatty acid blend for SKIN & COAT
- Ingredients from TRUSTED, SUSTAINABLE sources around the world; made with NO GRAIN, corn, wheat, filler; no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives
- Nutrient rich and HIGHLY DIGESTIBLE with PROPRIETARY PROBIOTICS that survive and thrive in the GI tract; at guaranteed levels
- MADE in the USA; FAMILY OWNED & run; food made with the most scientifically advanced food safety protocols; We'd appreciate your CALL 800.342.4808
Your kitten has ancestral genes connected to the big wild cats of the world, so Taste of the Wild makes sure your kitten eats what they were meant to eat.
Key Features
- Grain-free
- Species-specific probiotics
- A prime source for natural nutrients
- Good for all life stages
Taste of the Wild uses no grains in their kitten foods, instead, they use vegetables, legumes, and fruits as the vital vitamin, mineral, fiber, and antioxidant source to help support your kitten’s overall health.
Real meat, fish or fowl is the first ingredient in their foods to provide the best protein sources for muscle growth, organ health, immune system growth, healthy skin, and a shiny coat.
In order to provide your kitten with the same probiotics that their wild relatives eat, Taste of the Wild uses species-specific probiotics that provide active, live cultures that help your kitten have a healthy digestive system.
Once your kitten reaches their adult stage of life you will not have to worry about switching brands. Taste of the Wild is good for all life stages.
Tap into your kitten’s wild side and make sure they are getting the nutrients and protein that they need to grow strong and healthy with Taste of the Wild.
7. Natural Balance Kitten Formula Dry Cat Food
Natural Balance Kitten Formula Dry Cat Food
Free shipping
Features
- Contains 1 - 6-pound bag of cat food
- Optimal balance of premium proteins & key nutrients created by Natural Balance's expert nutritionists
- Nourishes your kitten's complete well-being by taking an entire body approach
- Supports the needs of your growing kitten, including specially selected shapes for smaller jaws
- Helps support healthy teeth, bones, heart, & eyes
Natural Balance is a popular brand of pet foods known for their limited ingredient pet foods.
Key Features
- Grain-Free
- Limited ingredients
- Kitten life stage formula available
Natural Balance strives to provide high-quality foods by using limited ingredients. In using limited ingredients this limits the chance of your pets having an allergic reaction to their food.
For kittens, who are still growing and can develop allergies, this is extremely beneficial. Their kitten food brand uses meat as their first ingredient in order to provide your kitten with the high protein meal that they need.
Their grain free formulas have no fillers that can cause obesity in growing cats. Since they create life stage centered brands you can be sure you are providing the right balance of nutrients and vitamins for your growing kitten.
Natural Balance is a top quality kitten food that is centered on them and their health.
8. Wellness Complete Health Natural Grain Free Kitten Food
Wellness Complete Health Natural Grain Free Kitten Food
$21.49
Free shipping
Features
- GRAIN FREE COMPLETE HEALTH: Grain free, complete and balanced everyday nutrition for your cat
- KITTEN FORMULA: Delicious dry kitten food made with quality proteins including chicken and added taurine for healthy eye and heart development
- ALL NATURAL: Contains only premium, all natural ingredients with no wheat, corn, soy, meat by-products, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives
- MADE IN USA: Backed by the Wellness Guarantee and proudly made only in the USA
Provide the essential nutrients that your growing kitten needs with the Wellness Natural Pet food brand.
Key Features
- Grain-Free
- Nutrients to help a growing kitten
- Made in the USA
Wellness only uses ingredients sourced from the USA, no filler foods, wheat, corn, or soy that could trigger allergies in kittens or cause kitten obesity.
They only use high-quality meat and meals as the first ingredient for optimal protein intake, no meat by-products, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
Their kitten formula line is packed with nutrients and vitamins to ensure a strong immune system, brain development, eye development, muscle development, and increased bone strength.
Once your kitten is old enough to switch from the delicious kitten food line, you can move on to any of the adult cat formulas in order to stay in the Wellness family. Watch your kitten grow strong and healthy by using Wellness Natural Pet food.
9. Chicken and Rice Cat/Kitten Food
Chicken and Rice Cat/Kitten Food
$34.60
Free shipping
Features
- Chicken is the Number One Ingredient!
- Formulated with all natural ingredients
- Highly digestible for maximum nutrient absorption
- Made with no wheat, no corn, no soy
- For Kittens and Adult Cats
Give your kittens all of the nutrients they need to grow into a healthy adult cat by giving them Nutri Source.
Key Features
- Grain-Free
- Aids in all aspects of your cat’s health
- Made for all life stages
Nuri Source is a family owned brand that uses only the highest quality proteins, vegetables, fruits, and other ingredients as if they were making the food for themselves.
They use a grain free formula that does not add fillers and is known to be eaten easily by even the pickiest of cats. The minerals packed into each kibble bite aids not only in better nutrient absorption but also a healthier skin and coat.
A special prebiotic, Bi-Mos, helps cats with various stomach sensitivity issues like gas, loose stool, vomiting and even helps in hairball control.
All of the nutrients, supplements, and vitamins packed into each bite gives your kitten everything that they need to grow without having to give them an excess amount.
The best part is that this food is good for all life stages so you will never have to worry about switching your kitten to an adult cat food with the risk of them not eating the new food.
Provide the best quality food for your kitten when they are young and when they grow into adult cats with Nutri Source.
Key Information About Kitten Food Brands
When you have picked out which brand of food you want to give to your kitten you still have one more step to take before giving your kitten their new food. What you need to learn now is how to properly give your kitten their food and the difference between wet and dry food.
What’s the Best Diet for Kittens?
For kittens, since they are growing, they are going to need to eat more than an adult cat since they are burning calories faster. Ideally, kittens should get around a ½ cup of dry food a day and a small can of wet food. You can separate the meals into two portions so your kitten is not overloaded with food in one sitting and so they are able to regain the calories they had lost while playing.
Try not to leave the food out all day so the kitten can graze or refill their bowl if you see it empty as this can cause over-eating and obesity in kittens. The food brand you pick also has a reference guide on how much to feed your kitten depending on their age, weight, and activity lever to further help you make sure you are giving the right amount of food to your kitten.
Wet vs Dry Kitten Food
Both wet and dry kitten food is essential for a healthy kitten. Dry food provides kittens with extra nutrients, vitamins, probiotics, and many other health benefits necessary for a growing body. But kittens who only eat dry food are not getting enough of the meat protein or water that they need.
Wet kitten food gives them that direct source of animal protein and water that they need dry food cannot give on its own. But you have to be careful not to give your kitten too much wet food as this can discourage them from drinking water normally and can potentially add excess water weight. When you provide both types of food to your kitten they are getting a balanced and healthy meal that will support them greatly as they grow and develop.
Bottom Line
Picking the best kitten food brand for your kitten can be potentially difficult, especially with all of the different brands available for you to pick from. Not all brands are made the same, so it is important for you to make sure that you are picking the brand that will give your growing kitten the vitamins and nutrients they need, not just filler products to fill their stomachs with no nutritional intake.
When you are choosing a brand for your kitten you can always pick one of the listed products above or use them as a guide when picking from the brands you have available to you. Always read the ingredient list on the back and make sure that meat is the first ingredient, not some form of corn, wheat, or grain. Also look into seeing if there are any extra probiotics or antioxidants included in the food for an extra boost in helping your kitten’s body develop into a strong, lean, active and healthy adult cat.
The Review
Best Kitten Food Brands
Kittens need the proper care and diet to grow into thriving adults. Read through these products before deciding on the best one for your kitten.
Review Breakdown
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Blue Buffalo Healthy Growth Natural Kitten Food
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Nulo Grain Free Canned Wet Cat Food
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Best Feline Friend (B.F.F.) Grain-Free Cat Food
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Hill's Science Diet Kitten Food
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Instinct Original Kitten Grain Free Recipe
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Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
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Natural Balance Kitten Formula Dry Cat Food
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Wellness Complete Health Natural Grain Free Kitten Food
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Chicken and Rice Cat/Kitten Food
