Cats have always been choosy about food. They can sit all day near a full bowl if the food seems to them not tasty enough. The same thing happens with little kittens. After the cat stops feeding his baby, it is imperative that he continues to receive the necessary vitamins and other useful ingredients that will help him grow strong and healthy.
Pleasing about their reputation, manufacturers constantly come up with some new tastes, with due meticulousness, study pet preferences and make the diet useful by adding natural ingredients. Less respectable brands just stuff their food with flavors and other substitutes, worrying only about momentary benefits.
Wet food
Despite the saturation of the market with dry food, cats mostly prefer a wet diet. Therefore, experts strongly recommend adding canned food or some other, namely, dainty treat to croquettes.
As for kittens in particular, it is impossible to start bait with a dry diet in any case. After mom’s cat’s milk, croquettes are like metal balls for the stomach: it’s very difficult to digest and contributes to an upset stomach. Veterinarians do recommend an intermediate option for starters: empty broths and soups without any additives.
Food for kittens
On the shelves of specialized stores and at other points of sale you can see the feed for both cats and kittens. Moreover, the latter, as a rule, are much more expensive. Experts in this field have repeatedly taken samples and conducted independent examinations in order to dispel existing myths or, conversely, confirm them.
A good half of manufacturers are disingenuous with this “children's” segment. On the one hand, we have ordinary and really high-quality canned food, and on the other, these are the same ingredients, only in a different package. Companies re-brand a particularly successful option and, changing the composition of wet cat food, for example, to a chemical designation (or vice versa, to a trade name), produce food for kittens - wholesome, tasty and ... very expensive.
Some manufacturers add more protein and carbohydrates to canned food to increase energy value and focus on this as a marketing move. Yes, kittens require a lot of strength, and to make up for them, they absolutely need such ingredients. But you can take the usual option for cats and just pour a little more feed. With proper feeding with metabolism, kittens will have no problems, and the necessary proteins and carbohydrates in any case will linger in the body.
So there is simply no critical difference between the “adult” and the “childish” option. Therefore, do not worry if suddenly there is no special food for kittens on the shelf: regular wet food is also suitable, the main thing is that it be of high quality. We will discuss the last point in this article.
So, we present to your attention the rating of wet food for cats from premium to holistic class (super premium), which includes only high-quality canned food approved by veterinarians and other experts in this field. Almost all of the options listed below can be found both in specialized stores and in hypermarket chains.
Rating of the best feed for kittens:
- Brit Care.
- Petreet Natura.
- Applaws.
- Almo Nature Legend.
- Leonardo
Consider each participant in more detail.
Leonardo
Canned food is included in the rating of wet food for premium kittens due to the extremely high-quality and well-selected component of meat and seafood. “Leonardo” is based on chicken (about 80%), and the rest is additives that depend on the type of canned food (fish oil, offal, etc.).
In addition, the feed also contains minerals, which is important for growing kittens. You will not see any synthetic additives, such as soy, dyes or flavorings. It is also worth noting that Leonardo holds high places in the ratings of dry and wet cat foods. Expert reviews about them are mostly positive, so you can recommend it to all owners of kittens. After the pet grows up, it can be completely painlessly transferred to a dry diet of the same brand.
Feed Benefits:
- Perfectly balanced in the ratio of price / quality.
- A lot of meat.
- Exceptionally natural ingredients.
Disadvantages:
- Only suitable for kittens in their pure form, and "teenagers" and adult cats are not suitable as the main diet.
- In some regions of the country (Ural, Middle Volga) there are no distributors.
Estimated cost - about 100 rubles per jar weighing 200 g.
Almo nature legend
Canned food is included in the rating of super-premium feed for cats due to correctly selected ingredients. Here, about 75% of selected meat or fish, with whole and soft slices, as well as 24% of nutritious broth and 1% rice.
On sale you can find food with the addition of liver, cheese, vegetables and other components that are equally tasty for kittens and cats. Canned foods are also enriched with minerals, vitamins and have good indicators of energy saturation.
The brand has firmly established itself at high lines in the ratings of dry and wet (canned) feed for holistic-class cats and is distinguished by a large number of positive reviews on its products. Therefore, experts strongly recommend these canned food for kittens and growing cats.
Feed advantages:
- exclusively natural components;
- a huge assortment of all kinds of flavors and additives;
- competent enrichment of the composition with minerals and vitamins.
Minuses:
- great for kittens, but for maturing individuals - only as an addition to the main diet.
Estimated price - about 80 rubles per jar weighing 70 g.
Applaws
Applaws canned food, included in our rating of super-premium cat food, can be found in three versions: jars, paste and jelly. The composition of canned food is similar to products of other manufacturers: about 75% of meat, and the rest is natural additives (broths, cereals, etc.).
The main components to choose from may be fish (for kittens it is better to choose without bones) and several types of meat. There are gourmet options with shrimp, cheese and other equally attractive ingredients. Judging by expert reviews, no synthetic additives in canned food were noticed.
Feed Benefits:
- only natural ingredients;
- a large selection of meat ingredients;
- various tastes and types of canned food.
Disadvantages:
- suitable only for small kittens, the rest - as an additive to the main diet.
Estimated cost - about 80 rubles per can weighing 70 g.
Petreet natura
These canned holistic categories are included in our rating of wet kitten feeds due to the extremely careful and thorough approach of the producer to the composition. Here you can see fish and meat of only the highest class with the addition of healthy vegetables and cereals, which are so necessary for the growing body of a kitten.
Additional ingredients can vary greatly depending on the preferences of your cat (well, or the owner): from vegetable ones like asparagus, potatoes or olives, to meat ones like shrimp, squid, etc. If you want to set up your growing cat for a “sporty” lifestyle, then the manufacturer’s assortment includes chicken breast pastes, where the fat content is minimal (from 0.5 to 1.2%). Despite the apparent modesty of the diet, this option contains a large amount of protein, so the energy component is normal.
Features of canned food
Brand products are included in the rating of wet kitten feeds also due to the large number of positive reviews. Canned Petreet natura is recommended even by the most picky cat breeders. The ideal balance of ingredients has a very positive effect not only on the digestive tract, but also on the health of the skin and coat. Therefore, the owners of rare and finicky breeds, this option will come in handy.
Feed advantages:
- perfect balance of ingredients;
- only natural ingredients;
- large flavor assortment;
- there are "diet" options;
- It is suitable as a complete diet without other additives.
Minuses:
Estimated price - about 130 rubles for a can of 70 g.
Brit care
These canned foods are included in our rating of wet kitten feeds not only due to natural and well-chosen ingredients, but also due to the presence of hypoallergenic components. The last moment is especially appreciated by the owners of exotic and extremely picky breeds of seals and those whose cats can not tolerate beef or chicken.
The composition of canned food includes about 40% of soft meat pieces, as well as a whole list of vitamins and minerals. Many experts confirm that daily consumption of Brit food as the main diet improves the condition of the skin, coat, teeth and eyes of the pet, and also has a very positive effect on its digestive system.
Feed Features
Canned food from this manufacturer is included in our rating of wet food for kittens also because they have very positive reviews from veterinarians and experts in this field. The perfectly balanced price-quality ratio allows recommending Brit products to any owner of small cats and cats, regardless of breed.
Feed Benefits:
- hypoallergenic components;
- only natural ingredients without a hint of synthetics;
- suitable as a basic diet;
- perfect value for money.
Disadvantages:
- experts are not identified.
Estimated cost - about 70 rubles per jar weighing 80 g.
Summarizing
In order to answer the question of what kind of food is best for a pet, you first need to decide for what purpose it is purchased - as a treat and supplement to the diet or as the only food.
In the holistic segment, canned foods consisting of more than 75% meat, such as Applaws, Leonardo and Almo Nature, are more suitable as a supplement or treat. For the smallest kittens who have just stopped drinking mom cat’s milk, they will also fit as the main food, but only for a week or two. Then you need to transfer your pet to good nutrition. Fiber, cereals and other healthy ingredients are very important here.
When the kitten grows a little more, you can already switch to a complete diet with a 40 percent meat content, but rich in a variety of minerals and vitamins. In this case, you need to pay attention to canned food from Brit and Petreet.