Rating Of Wet Food For Kittens: Which Is The Best, A Review Of Famous Brands, Premium Class, Reviews Of Veterinarians And Owners

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Wet food for kittens

Wet kitten foods are most often used as an intermediate in converting to pelleted diets. They allow you to achieve smooth preparation of the gastrointestinal tract for the digestion of foods that are too dense in consistency. However, it is important to choose the best quality feed, otherwise the animal will not receive enough nutrients, which in the future is fraught with disruption of the functioning of internal organs and systems.

Content

• 1 Basic rules for feeding kittens with wet ready-made diets
• 2 How to choose the best food for your kitten

• 3 Classes of finished feed

  • 3.1 Economy
  • 3.2 Premium
  • 3.3 Super premium
  • 3.4 Holistic

• 4 Popular wet foods

  • 4.1 Leonardo

    • 4.1.1 Poultry-based Leonardo Finest Selection Kitten for kittens
    • 4.1.2 Leonardo Rich in Poultry canned food for kittens with poultry flavor

  • 4.2 Almo Nature

    • 4.2.1 Classic Cuisine Kitten
    • 4.2.2 Legend Kitten Chicken
  • 4.3 Applaws
  • 4.4 Sheba
  • 4.5 Eukanuba
• 5 Pet Owner Reviews
• 6 Reviews of veterinarians

The main rules for feeding kittens with wet ready-made rations

Wet food can be given to kittens from 3-4 weeks, when babies are being transferred to "adult" foods, but it is better to wait until 5-6 weeks. If you do this ahead of time, you can provoke indigestion and dehydration in the animal. In some cases, pets develop pancreatitis due to premature termination of breastfeeding. Often kittens simply refuse to eat. At an older age, it is allowed to give wet food, but it is better to determine the future diet of the animal as early as possible, so that the digestive tract adapts faster.

Wet complete foods are not suitable for regular nutrition, even if they contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals. When converting to pate and jelly, the owner should take this into account. Wet food can be used as a treat, as a supplement to a basic organic food diet, or as an intermediate prior to conversion to dry granules.

Due to its specific consistency, wet food can be prescribed to a kitten by a veterinarian in case of gastrointestinal disorders, acute diseases of internal organs and in the postoperative period.

The need to combine different types of food is related to the consistency of the food. Pates and chunks in jelly contain too much moisture. In addition, during their production, meat is crushed, which leads to the destruction of natural fibers. It is more difficult for kittens to assimilate nutrients from such food. The gastrointestinal tract gets used to the reduced load and stops working at full strength. However, this is not the main problem.

Soft food does not naturally cleanse the walls of the digestive tract and the paraanal glands, which are small sacs of scent that allow animals to leave marks during bowel movements. With prolonged use of softened foods, rotting particles settle on the intestinal mucous membranes, which release toxins into the blood. As a result, the animal may develop symptoms such as watery eyes, itching, hair loss, etc. When my friend's cat deteriorated sharply, she suspected an allergy. Several veterinarians could not establish the cause of the ailment and advised only to try changing feed. Ultimately, she turned to a forum for help, where she was advised to smoothly transfer the animal to pelleted diets or natural food. That helped,although during the adaptation for another 2-3 months, the cat was sometimes worried about digestive disorders.

It is possible to diagnose inflammation of the paraanal glands after a visual examination.

In the case of the paraanal glands, the situation is even worse. If the excess secretion is not removed by mechanical action during bowel movements, the liquid accumulates in the sacs. Later, a blockage occurs, due to which the glands are not cleared even with normal stool consistency. The sacs become enlarged and inflamed. They cause discomfort to the pet, because of which he may try to ride on the priest on rough surfaces, pay too much attention to the anus area, and even try to gnaw out swollen glands. In the absence of treatment, tissue infection and the formation of purulent exudate occur. In severe cases, death is possible.

To prevent inflammation of the paraanal glands, it is important to include coarse fibers in the diet to cleanse the digestive tract and normalize the consistency of feces. The pet's menu should contain meat. 10% of the total volume can be taken by vegetables and dairy products. Another alternative is dry food.

Wet food must not be mixed with other food types in the same feeding. If the kitten refuses to eat organic foods without pates and jellies, you can add some spider sauce to the main course, but leave the hard pieces until next time. Up to 3 months, babies are given food 5-6 times a day, later the number of feedings is reduced to 4. After 4 months, the kitten can be offered food 3 times a day. By the age of six months, depending on the build and preferences, the pet is fed 2-3 times a day.

Wet food should not be left freely available as dry food. It provides an excellent environment for the development and reproduction of bacteria. Once placed in a bowl, the product remains usable for only 1–2 hours, so kittens are fed frequently, but little by little. The daily rate depends on the calorie content of the product and the physique of the animal and is selected individually, based on the manufacturer's recommendations.

Ceramic bowls are more reliable than plastic ones, because they do not react with trace elements contained in food

The maximum shelf life of an opened package is 1 day. To prevent food contamination by bacteria, food is transferred to a sealed glass container. The use of plastic dishes is allowed. Do not leave feed in metal cans, as this will lead to oxidation and premature spoilage. In the case of spiders, you can simply fasten the edges of the package with staples, but this does not guarantee maximum product safety. It is strictly forbidden to give spoiled food to kittens: due to the delicate gastrointestinal tract, this can provoke indigestion, diarrhea, dehydration and rapid death.

As bacteria grow better in wet food, it is important to keep your dishes clean. Bowls should be washed after every meal. It is wiser to use metal or ceramic containers. Plastic scratches faster. In microscopic cracks, due to the impossibility of high-quality cleaning, food particles accumulate and bacteria develop. It is recommended to change the bowls regularly. The frequency depends on the material. For example, it is recommended to use plastic containers no more than 1-2 months.

To assess the physique of a cat, you need to look at it from the side and from above, and also try to feel the hips

When feeding on wet food, it is important to monitor the animal's physique. It is recommended to regularly weigh your pet in order to notice the gain in time. You can navigate the tables of the corresponding breed, but due to individual characteristics, the normal weight for a particular cat may differ. It is advisable to evaluate the physique by appearance. The pet's ribs should be fumbled with moderate effort. The bones on the thighs and chest ideally protrude slightly, giving relief, but not sticking out. A barrel-shaped figure, bulging sides, and a drooping belly indicate weight problems.

How to choose the best food for your kitten

First of all, food for a kitten must be complete. This means that it contains all the necessary vitamins, amino acids and minerals: tocopherol, omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids, taurine, methionine, etc. Ideally, they should be presented in their natural form, i.e. as meat, vegetables, fruits and herbal supplements, however many ingredients cannot be used in wet food production. As a result, vitamin and mineral complexes have to be added to the composition. With a deficiency of nutrients in a kitten, problems may arise at the stage of development of the musculoskeletal system and the formation of immunity. There is a risk of pathologies of internal organs.

Rickets and limb deformities are the result of a lack of calcium in the menu

It is highly recommended to avoid feeds containing colorants, thickeners and sugars. They help to give the product a pleasant consistency and color, but for cats these parameters do not matter. Supplements can be hazardous to pets, especially at an early age. Some dyes can irritate the lining of the digestive tract and urinary tract. This leads to blood flow, inflammation, and poor digestion.

Manufacturers are forced to add preservatives to keep the feed fresh for as long as possible. Vitamin E (tocopherol) can act as an antioxidant, but it alone is not enough for reliable storage. The absence of preservatives in the list of ingredients is an alarming sign. This may indicate that the manufacturer is trying to withhold some of the composition information from the purchaser. It is recommended to give preference to the wet food, in the list of ingredients of which the type of preservatives will be specified. The substance must be safe.

Canned mango pieces are visible to the naked eye; the fruit is used to enrich the feed with vitamins and fiber

The presence of cereals in wet feed is not allowed. They are practically not absorbed by the cat's body and are used as an inexpensive litter that allows you to save money. Good quality wet food may contain small amounts of vegetables, fruits, or beans. They are necessary to improve digestion and normal excretion of hair from the digestive tract. Such ingredients should not be placed above the meat components.

Meat is the staple of a predator's diet. Ideally, animal products rank high on the ingredient list. It can be one variety or several, as well as offal. Most often, the composition includes the liver, kidneys, lung and heart. They are good sources of cartilage, protein and vitamins. An indication of a specific type of offal and type of meat is encouraged. It is advisable to avoid foods that contain common names such as “poultry”, “chicken”, “fish”, etc.

It is advisable to prefer foods that contain animal fats. They are better absorbed by cats. Vegetable oils are also necessary for pets, since the balance of unsaturated fatty acids in them is different, but their proportion should be lower. The most valuable ingredients for cats are turkey fat and salmon oil.

Thicker wet foods prevent indigestion when switching to solid organic foods and dry diets

The choice of consistency depends on the preferences of the kitten. In some cases, it is wise to use pate. This applies to animals with difficulty digestion and small kittens (3-5 weeks). In the absence of special needs, it is recommended to prefer fibrous pieces that are closest to meat in texture.

Finished feed classes

When choosing ready-made wet food, you must first pay attention to the product class. In some cases, it is reasonable to immediately abandon the purchase.

Economy

Economy Class is characterized by aggressive advertising but almost zero nutritional value. Most representatives contain sugars, dyes and potentially dangerous preservatives. Often the proportion of fat is lower than stated, which can provoke disturbances in the nervous system and the appearance of weakness in kittens. These foods most often contain more cereals and water than meat, so their presence on the menu is impractical. Economy class recipes do not match the natural needs of pets.

Economy-class food is easy to recognize: most brands can be seen both on TV screens and on hypermarket shelves

Systematic feeding with low-quality feed is fraught with many problems. After such foods, kittens often refuse other food. I do not know what manufacturers add to wet food, but I personally had the opportunity to wean my pet from the "Whiskas" and "Friskis" rations. I gave them to the kitten out of ignorance, until I visited the veterinarian for a preventive vaccination. My pet starved for 3 days, but did not go to the bowl of food until he realized that I would not give him any other food. This despite the fact that I did not translate it abruptly, but mixed different feeds. Judging by the feedback from other people, I'm still lucky. Many, after economical feed, have problems with the bladder, kidneys and pancreas.

Premium

The premium class, despite the name, is little better than budget feed. It differs from the latter in its increased meat content: on average 10–20% versus 4%. Considering that in most cases not fillets are used, but whole carcasses or, even worse, mixtures of unclaimed by-products, the proportion of high-quality proteins is actually lower. Many premium kitten foods contain cereals. Sometimes there are exceptions, but then other products act as fillers.

Royal Canin is a classic representative of the premium class and, despite the assurances of the manufacturer and representatives, such food should not be given to a kitten.

The premium class is conventionally suitable for feeding kittens, but these rations are best avoided. A friend of mine used to give her kitten Royal Canin spiders. This is a well-known brand that is famous for therapeutic diets, therefore, it inspires confidence among many. At first everything was normal, but closer to the year the cat developed urolithiasis. And this is far from the only problem that pet owners may face. Most often, pets develop allergies to bird protein and cereals.

Super premium

Super premium wet food is made up primarily of quality meat products. Cereal additives are extremely rare in them, but if they are present, then the manufacturer will certainly indicate the type of grains. Companies often specify the percentage of components. Manufacturers indicate not only the type of meat, but also the type of offal. Ingredients are used either fresh or raw, i.e. they are not subjected to repeated freezing and additional processing. Companies often clarify that they do not add whole carcasses to the feed, but pure meat or fillets.

Bozita is not the most popular brand, but it is she who is among those that can be recommended for purchase

Super premium food is the most acceptable option for kittens in terms of value for money. This is the most affordable food for a pet. Such diets do not cause the development of pathologies and help to maintain the optimal health of the animal. Only the holistic category is better than this class, but representatives of the latter group are distinguished by a high price and are not always suitable for pets.

Holistic

Holistic-class is the elite of the cat food. Manufacturers do not skimp on ingredients, so the proportion of liquid is relatively low, but sufficient for comfortable use (about 80%). The overwhelming majority of the composition is occupied by meat products. Most often there are several of them, which helps to provide the animal's body with various vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Beneficial substances are presented in their natural form. This increases their digestibility.

There is no special diet for kittens in the Grandorf wet food line, but in the case of holistic foods this is not required: due to the balanced composition, the product is suitable for any healthy animal.

The composition of the holistic class feed often includes therapeutic additives, vegetables, herbs, fruits, beans, etc. Often peas, which improve digestion, can be found on the lists. Yucca extract is added to slow down the growth of bacteria in the digestive tract. This helps to reduce fecal odor. My friend, when she transferred her kitten from economy class to holistic, immediately noted this advantage. However, the opposite situation is also possible: it is not uncommon for kittens that have been eating cheap food with cereals for a long time, when they switch to meat rations, indigestion occurs. It is important to take a small portion in order to observe the reaction of the animal, and if problems arise, transfer the pet to the super-premium class first.

Popular wet food

For comparison and an honest review, we will include representatives of different categories in the list. This will help you further distinguish quality from hazardous feed.

Leonardo

Food "Leonardo" belongs to the super-premium class. The line includes several varieties of ready-made diets for kittens. Two of them are wet food. They differ not only in packaging, but also in composition, so it would be appropriate to consider both compositions.

Leonardo's distinctive logo can be seen on the packaging

Poultry-based Leonardo Finest Selection Kitten canned food for kittens

Wet food is only available as spiders. One bag weighs 85 g. The average cost is 100–120 rubles, but you can save money if you buy a large package of 16 spiders. Its price is 1200-1300 rubles. Then the average cost of one bag is reduced to 75-80 rubles.

There is an icon in the form of a crossed out spikelet on the package, which indicates the absence of cereals in the composition

The canned food contains the following ingredients:

• poultry meat, heart, liver (70%);
• poultry broth (29.1%);
• fish oil (salmon family) (0.4%);
• minerals (0.5%).

It is commendable that the manufacturer includes fish oil and does not use thickeners, but I would recommend looking at other products. Confused by the presence of the "bird" in the composition. It can be either turkey or duck or chicken. This is important in the case of allergic animals. In addition, such questionable decisions on the part of the manufacturer undermine confidence, because the company may include different meat components in different batches. My friend has an allergy after the Leonardo food. It was only six months later that it was possible to calculate that it was the bird squirrel as a whole that was to blame.

Leonardo Rich in Poultry canned food for kittens with poultry flavor

Canned food is produced in metal cans of 200 and 400 g. The cost is 100-120 rubles. and 150-200 rubles. respectively. Taking into account the difference in weight, cans are more economical than spiders.

Surprisingly, the composition of canned food can be attributed, rather, to the premium class, and not to the super-premium, like spiders

The diet includes the following components:

• meat and meat offal (65%; of which poultry 40%, beef 25%, broth 29.5%);
• eggs and egg products (whole egg 4%);
• minerals (1%);
• vegetable oils and fats (fish oil (salmon family) 0.5%).

The reason for such a difference in price immediately becomes obvious: canned food in cans is worse in composition. The manufacturer uses meat and meat by-products as a basis. Even with clarifications, the component is questionable. Most likely, not only whole carcasses are used, but also industrial waste. The proportion of fish oil is greatly reduced. The only advantage is the presence of eggs in the composition. It is a source of easily digestible proteins and vitamins, but cats allergic to poultry can get worse.

Almo nature

Almo Nature is a super premium Italian food. The company also produces 2 types of canned food for kittens.

You can recognize Almo Nature products by their distinctive logo

Classic Cuisine Kitten

The food is released in small (55 g) spiders. The cost of one bag is 90–100 rubles. Unofficially, this recipe is referred to as holistic due to its high quality compared to other products in the series.

Almo Nature spiders are a kind of variation on the flavor variety of wet food, but they are holistic class, so the food will not worsen the health of gourmets

The feed contains the following components:

• chicken broth (42%);
• chicken (40%);
• rice (8%);
• cheese (3%);
• chicken liver (2%);
• oil (2%);
• dry egg product (2%);
• choline chloride (0.05%).

The proportion of chicken broth is relatively high. In most feeds, it is 25–30%. Another disadvantage of the product is the presence of rice. Perhaps in this case it is used as a source of plant fiber, but there are more useful analogues. Peas or vegetables, for example. Cheese is an unexpected ingredient in cat food. If there is no salt in it, then it is not dangerous and helps the pet to get enough fat, like oil. Chicken is better than just “bird”, but worse than fillet. Most likely, meat with skin is used. Choline Chloride is vitamin B4.

Overall the food is good, but could be better. It was possible to add prophylactic additives to the composition, for example, at least yucca. The presence of eggs and quality animal fat sources is commendable, but the presence of rice is questionable. It seems that the manufacturer decided to save money with the help of broth and cereals. And this is all against the background of the high cost: about 2 rubles. for 1 g. My kitten really likes this food, but I give it only as a treat. The state of health is good, the chair has been decorated after Almo Nature.

Legend Kitten Chicken

Legend Kitten Chicken is a classic canned food for cats. They consist almost entirely of meat and broth. On average, a large jar (140 g) costs 70–100 rubles.

A small kitten can eat with a large can, but for teenagers this is too modest a portion

Canned food contains the following components:

• chicken meat (75%);
• chicken broth (24%);
• rice (1%).

The proportion of rice is negligible, so it can be ignored. Legend Kitten Chicken is the most common canned food. They can be praised only for the meat component, but this is already a significant plus. The buyer can be sure that the cat does not receive low-quality offal, but a full-fledged fillet. However, the food cannot boast of anything more: it does not contain fat or plant additives that could provide the body with vitamins and minerals or ensure the prevention of ICD, the formation of wool lumps, etc. For this reason, I would not buy these canned food, because I and I myself can cook a fillet with broth for a kitten. It will come out cheaper. In no case should Almo Nature be used as complete food: it does not contain all the nutrients the animal needs. I was personally convinced of this when my sister's kitten had a goodit would seem that the diet began to peel off the skin due to the deficiency of vitamins A and E. With prolonged nutrition, the consequences may be worse. Legend Kitten Chicken can be used as a delicacy against the background of a natural menu in cases where for some reason you cannot cook your own kitten food.

Applaws

In the line of wet food Applaws there are 2 types of canned food for kittens: with chicken breast and tuna. In terms of composition, they almost do not differ from each other, so we will consider the last diet.

Applaws wet food is another representative of the classic canned food: only meat and broth, nothing superfluous, except gelatin

In the list of components, you can see the following items:

• pieces of tuna fillet (40%);
• fish broth;
• vegetable gelatin.

The quality of canned food for kittens is close to the super-premium class and resembles Legend Kitten Chicken, but the manufacturer saves even more on raw materials. At a rather high price (75 rubles for 70 g), the jar contains only 40% of tuna. I am glad that this is quality meat, but the cost of feed is too high. There are no vitamins and minerals in the composition, therefore, it cannot be used as a complete product. Vegetable gelatin is not dangerous for animals, but it also has no nutritional value. Its presence in the feed is undesirable. Despite the disadvantages, the diet can be a good temporary option for kittens that are prone to allergies. This is one of the few super premium brands that does not include bird squirrels.

Sheba

Sheba is alternately classified as economy or premium. In fact, the quality of the rations falls between these categories. We included the brand in the review to show how cheap feeds differ from expensive ones. There are no special products for kittens in the Sheba series. In theory, conventional foods can be given to babies, but this is not recommended due to the weak composition.

The appearance of wet food differs from that indicated on the package, which allows the manufacturer to be suspected of dubious marketing moves

For example, consider the list of Sheba ingredients with chicken and turkey. The ingredients list contains the following items:

• meat and offal (chicken min. 30%, turkey min. 4%);
• taurine;
• vitamins;
• mineral things.

The proportion of turkey is too small to be considered. The situation with chicken is better, but there is 1.5–2 times more meat in super-premium feed. In addition, low-quality raw materials are used in the production, as indicated by the general names of the ingredients. The proportion of pure meat is probably lower in the end. The presence of taurine in the composition indirectly indicates a lack of high-quality sources of animal proteins. The feed is complete, but this is achieved through enrichment with additional substances. In fact, there is little useful in the product. The advantages include the absence of cereals and a low price. Spiders (85 g) cost 30-35 rubles.

Eukanuba

Eukanuba has maintained a strong super-premium for a long time, but after the transfer of the brand to the Mars corporation, the recipes were changed. Now the feed is more of a premium category. The company specializes in producing dog products, but there is also a line for cats. The series contains diets for kittens.

The Eukanuba brand is one example of costly but low quality feed; the markup on products is due only to the previous reputation and brand

There is only one wet food. It includes the following components:

• meat and offal (including chicken at least 26%);
• cereals;
• vitamins and minerals;
• amino acid methionine;
• fish fat.

The use of fish oil is commendable, but it can be of poor quality. Cereals are an undesirable ingredient. It is in second place, so we can conclude that the manufacturer included it as a cheap filler. Methionine is found in meat products. Its presence indicates a lack of animal proteins. The first position is occupied by meat and offal, but their share is small (26%). Because of the common names, there is doubt about their quality.

The Eukanuba's feed has gone bad. Once I gave it to my cats without any problems, but the last time when I offered canned food to a kitten that I took for overexposure, he developed an allergy. The symptoms disappeared only after a week, although the feeding was once. And this despite the fact that it is expensive canned food. Standard pouches (85 g) cost 50-60 rubles, which brings them closer in cost to super-premium products.

Pet owners reviews

Veterinarian reviews

Wet kitten food, when chosen correctly, can help ease the consequences of switching to new foods, but it's important not to stop at canned food. A mono-diet can deteriorate health and lead to the progression of diseases. It is also necessary to pay close attention to the quality of the product: economy and premium feed can provoke an acute or chronic disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.