What Dry Food To Feed A Kitten: The Age From Which You Can Give, A Review Of The Best Brands, Rating For 2019, Reviews Of Veterinarians

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

Dry food for kittens: which is better to feed

At an early age, cats quickly adapt to environmental conditions and the final formation of internal organs. For this reason, it is important to introduce complementary foods in the diet on time and balance the menu. The easiest option is ready-made granular products, the recipe of which is balanced by specialists. However, you should carefully choose the brand, since poor-quality feed will provoke the development of gastrointestinal pathologies.

Content

• 1 Is it possible to give kittens dry food
• 2 Rules for feeding kittens with ready-made diets
• 3 How to choose healthy dry food

• 4 Review of popular brands

  • 4.1 1st Choice
  • 4.2 Hill's Science Plan
  • 4.3 Royal Canin
  • 4.4 Purina ProPlan
  • 4.5 Josera
• 5 Pet Owner Reviews
• 6 Reviews of veterinarians about dry food for kittens

Is it possible to give kittens dry food

It is practically impossible to give an unambiguous answer to the question of whether it is possible to give dry food to kittens without taking into account the circumstances. Conventionally, a cat is considered a kitten up to 12 months. By 3-4 months after the change of teeth, the animals are finally transferred to granules. Until this moment, it is not recommended to give the product in its original form: problems may arise during the formation of the bite. It is advisable to dilute the feed with water, gradually reducing the proportion of liquid so that the transition is gradual.

In soaked form, the granules load the digestive organs less and do not injure the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract

If we are talking about very small kittens, then complementary foods are introduced into the diet after 3-4 weeks. With the addition of a granular product to the menu, even when soaked, it is recommended to wait up to 5-6 weeks: a variety of food helps the kitten's digestive tract to adapt to different types of food. This is especially true in cases where complementary foods will consist of economy or premium rations. They are not balanced enough, so the pet will be deficient in substances, which is fraught with the development of systemic pathologies.

In most cases, the packaging of dry food for kittens has an age range.

If necessary, you can start giving dry food to the kitten from 3 weeks. In this case, you can only use those products that are marked accordingly. If the manufacturer himself recommends feeding from 4 or 8 weeks, you should heed: such a warning may be associated with an unsuitable balance of nutrients for small kittens. If the animal has health problems, you must first consult a veterinarian. Kittens are distinguished by sensitive digestion and are more prone to malfunctions of internal organs than adult pets, so any error in nutrition can become an indirect cause of death.

When my cat gave birth, I studied a lot of recommendations from breeders, veterinarians and pet owners, but they all contradicted each other. Someone advised introducing granules into complementary foods as the only product, since in the future the kittens will also eat the same way. Someone recommended to wait, because "natural" better provides the kitten's body with useful substances. For myself, I concluded that it is better to be guided by the situation. For example, if you are feeding a baby for yourself, that is, you are not going to sell or give away, you can immediately start with soaked granules. If a change of owners is planned, it is better to resort to the classic scheme: cottage cheese, meat, eggs, etc. It is easier to translate from a natural menu to dry food than vice versa, and the preferences of future pet owners are unknown. Since 5 weeks I began to give my kittens wet rations. They are a versatile option. There were no further side effects when switching to dry food.

Rules for feeding kittens with ready-made diets

When feeding kittens, the following rules should be observed:

1. You cannot mix different types of food. For the digestion of dry food and natural products, different acidity and a set of enzymes are required. In addition, combining different types of food can cause errors in calculating the proportion of nutrients in food. With prolonged improper feeding, there is a slow development of gastrointestinal tract pathologies, and malfunctions are often observed in the work of the stomach and intestines. Supplementing the diet when feeding with granules is allowed only with pates and spiders. Wet and dry food is given at different times, without mixing them with each other. It is advisable to choose products of the same brand, so that the animal is guaranteed to receive the full range of necessary nutrients. Also, an exception is possible during the period of accustoming to granules, but the transition should not take more than 7-14 days.

2. It is advisable to choose super premium food or holistic food. A cat is an obligate predator, so meat should be the basis of its diet. A small share is taken by offal, even less is taken to fermented milk dishes, vegetables, fruits and herbs. Cheap food 80–95% consists of cereals, which are practically not digestible by cats. An excess of carbohydrates provokes obesity and diabetes. Due to the lack of nutrients, the work of all organs and systems is disrupted. Also, budget feeds often contain potentially hazardous ingredients: dyes, preservatives, flavor enhancers, etc.

   

   Manufacturers of premium food often use aggressive advertising, which makes many brands easy to recognize, but few know that these rations are close in quality to those of Whiskas.

3. With a balanced diet, it is forbidden to give kittens vitamin and mineral complexes. Complete feed already contains the necessary set of nutrients. The introduction of supplements in the menu can provoke the development of hypervitaminosis and the appearance of concomitant deviations. Deficiency can occur only when eating budget feed. Conventionally, they contain enough useful substances, but most of them are simply not absorbed by cats. The question of the advisability of using vitamin and mineral complexes should be decided only if there is a strict necessity. You should first discuss this measure with your veterinarian.

4. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for serving size, but be guided by your pet's physique. All animals have different energy needs. If the kitten is playful, loves to run and has an accelerated metabolism, the standard portion may not be enough for him. On the contrary, a passive pet will have too much of the specified amount of food. If the pet's ribs and brisket are clearly visible, you need to increase the rate. If you can't feel the ribs, reduce the portion. Additionally, consider the calorie content of other foods.

   

   With prolonged overfeeding, animals develop obesity, which negatively affects the condition of the joints

5. The kitten needs to be fed often, but little by little. Divide the whole amount into 4-12 feedings depending on age. Small kittens (up to 6 weeks old) are given food up to 8-12 times a day. By 2-3 months, the number of feedings is reduced to 5-6. At 4-5 months, food is offered only 3-4 times a day. After 6 months, the animal is transferred to two or three meals a day. Open access to food is only suitable for teenagers. Many kittens are unable to control how much they eat, which can lead to overeating.

You should not humanize the kitten and feel sorry for him because he eats the same thing. Cats are by nature very conservative. Their internal organs get used to a stable daily routine and a stable chemical composition of food. It is more comfortable for pets to eat according to the same scheme. If a natural menu implies relative flexibility, then when feeding granular products it is advisable to exclude additives "from the table", as well as fruits, vegetables, meat, etc. When my pet was a little kitten, I sometimes gave her a little scrapie as a treat. At first everything was fine, but then after each treat there was a digestive upset. I had to replace meat with spiders: the cat's body reacted to them less.

I recommend weighing your portions with a scale. Branded measuring cups are designed for a specific type of feed, and even then the marks do not always correspond to the specified one. I had a similar situation with glasses from Orijen. When I decided to check how much a large portion weighs, it turned out that there is an error of 25–30 g. For an incomplete glass, the deviation will be less, but in the case of kittens, even 5 g is a lot. The error can lead to obesity and joint problems.

How to choose healthy dry food

When choosing, you must first pay attention to whether the feed is complete. This may be evidenced by a special mark on the package or the presence of minerals and vitamins in the composition. In low-quality products, the latter are presented in the form of additives; in elite feeds, useful substances are contained in plant components and by-products. In addition, the manufacturer's recommendations can indirectly indicate the presence of all the necessary nutrients: if the manufacturer specified the gramme in the feeding rates, most likely, the pellets can be used for systematic nutrition. If the food does not contain enough nutrients, the animal will inevitably become deficient. In the future, this can cause malfunctions in the work of internal organs.

An inscription indicating that the feed is complete should be on the front side or in front of the composition

The second step is to determine the grade of the feed. There is no official division and uniform criteria, so the classification is conditional, but by product category, you can immediately draw conclusions about its quality. There are 4 classes:

1. Economy. The most affordable feed. The meat content in them often does not exceed 4%. Herbal ingredients are also not of high quality. In most cases, manufacturers do not use whole grains, but flour, gluten, outer shells, etc. From these ingredients, the animal receives even less nutrients. The cereal mixture is additionally enriched with protein extracts and vitamin and mineral complexes. The result is a feed that conventionally contains enough substances, but in reality it is categorically unsuitable even for very healthy animals. It is not recommended to give kittens economy class food.

   

   "Whiskas" is one of the most famous representatives of the economy class

2. Premium. These feeds are not much better than budget feeds, although their cost sometimes even exceeds the price of a super-premium class. The share of meat is slightly higher, but otherwise there are few differences. Manufacturers use cereal mixtures or separate parts of the grains, as well as by-products of dubious quality. Premium food is not suitable for kittens. For some time they can feed on them, but later, deviations in the work of internal organs are often revealed.

   

   Eukanuba food is one of the typical representatives of the premium class.

3. Super premium. The category is distinguished by an acceptable meat content (30-50%) and the use of quality ingredients. Manufacturers indicate the type of components. The packaging may contain the percentage of the main components. These feeds can be fed to kittens on a permanent basis.

   

   The super-premium class includes, for example, Sanabelle food

4. Holistic. Preferred feed type. Products in this category contain elite components: different types of meat, healthy by-products (liver, kidneys, lungs, etc.) and many herbal supplements as preventive ingredients and a source of vitamins and minerals. The assimilation of holistic is very high, so the animals receive enough nutrients. It is advisable to accustom the kitten to such foods from childhood in order to ensure the correct functioning of the internal organs.

   

   The food packaging has the mark "Cat & Kitten", which indicates that the product can be given to both adult cats and kittens

If you need to choose a holistic-class feed, its specialization can be ignored. In most cases, the recipe for products is based on the principle of biological conformity, that is, the composition is as close as possible to the natural menu. This food is equally well suited for kittens, and elderly animals, and adult cats. It is understood that when eating biologically appropriate foods, animals will not have health problems, so there are usually no specialized rations in the lines. In the case of super-premium feeds and below, you should pay attention to the manufacturer's recommendations, since most often they save on the compositions of everyday feed for animals without special needs.

The first positions in the list of ingredients should be products of animal origin: fresh or dehydrated meat, as well as whole carcasses ("duck", "chicken", "turkey", etc.). They may be followed by small amounts of by-products and vegetable components. Fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries are preferred over grains because they contain more nutrients. The list of ingredients should contain specific names, and not vague definitions ("vegetables", "cereals", "meat and processed products", "poultry", etc.). The latter allows the manufacturer to change the composition at his own discretion at any time, which can provoke digestive upset or the development of allergies in cats. Often, vague names hide not the best quality ingredients. For example,the manufacturer may use beef tripe or bladders as by-products. The first contains enzymes and improves digestion. The bladders are industrial waste. They are used as a cheap filler and preservative because urine contains salt.

Chicken liver is often included in dry food; although it contains a small amount of trace elements, its main task is to give the diet a pleasant taste and smell

The presence of the following ingredients in kitten food is not encouraged:

1. Cereals. The most dangerous are corn and wheat: they are allergens. Other grains are less problematic, but contain little to no health benefits. Sometimes producers use beans and potatoes instead of grains. They also have little usefulness. An excess of carbohydrates in the composition provokes the development of diseases.
2. Protein extracts. They are used exclusively to give the normal balance of the BJU in the composition. If the ratio of nutrients on the package looks attractive, then in reality animals absorb only a part of such extracts. In addition, pets may not be getting some essential amino acids.
3. Pure methionine and taurine. These are amino acids that the feline body needs for the heart, eyes, and other internal systems to function properly. The presence of taurine and methionine in the composition is, of course, commendable, since they are not synthesized by animals on their own. However, the presence of pure additives indicates a lack of meat in the feed. In the natural environment, cats obtain amino acids from animal products.
4. Dyes. Kittens are indifferent to multi-colored granules, but many of these substances can irritate the mucous membranes. This leads to inflammation, accompanied by increased blood flow. Due to the swelling of the tissues, the natural ducts are narrowed. As a result, the circulation of biological fluids worsens, which can cause the development of pathologies.
5. Preservatives. In itself, the presence of antioxidants is necessary, since without them the feed will spoil too quickly. However, a vague component name may indicate the use of hazardous substances. If the manufacturer has nothing to hide, he will clarify the type of ingredient. Most premium food contains a mixture of tocopherols (vitamin E) and rosemary. These are gentle preservatives that do not impair the health of the kitten.
6. Flavors and flavor enhancers. Even if the manufacturer has specified that they are natural. Specific components are preferred (eg digest or liver). Otherwise, potentially dangerous additives may be present.
7. Sugar and caramel. Most often found in wet feed, but can also be included in pellets. Used as a colorant to give a richer brown color. Sugar is practically not absorbed not only by kittens, but also by adult cats, and causes symptoms that resemble allergies: watery eyes, skin redness, itching, hair loss, etc.

Review of popular brands

Let's look at the composition of popular feeds in order to understand with examples which products should be bought and which ones should be avoided.

1st Choice

Once the brand was famous for its high quality: the manufacturer was the first to include fresh chicken in the feed. There are many competitors and more balanced diets on the market now, but the brand still holds its position as a tough average. The line includes specialized food for kittens. The corporation also produces canned food for babies.

The manufacturer recommends feeding kittens over 2 months

The dry food for kittens contains the following components:

• fresh chicken (17%);
• chicken flour (17%);
• rice;
• chicken fat preserved with a mixture of natural tocopherols (vitamin E);
• pea protein;
• dried egg;
• American herring flour (menhaden);
• brown rice;
• specially processed kernels of barley and oats;
• hydrolyzate of chicken liver;
• beet pulp;
• pea fiber;
• whole flax seed;
• salmon oil (source of DHA);
• dried tomato pulp;
• potassium chloride;
• lecithin;
• choline chloride;
• salt;
• calcium propionate;
• calcium carbonate;
• yeast extract (source of mannan oligosaccharides);
• taurine;
• sodium bisulfate;
• DL-methionine;
• chicory extract (source of inulin);
• iron sulfate;
• ascorbic acid (vitamin C);
• L-lysine;
• zinc oxide;
• sodium selenite;
• alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E);
• a nicotinic acid;
• yucca shidigera extract;
• calcium iodate;
• manganese oxide;
• D-calcium pantothenate;
• thiamine mononitrate;
• riboflavin;
• pyridoxine hydrochloride;
• vitamin A;
• cholecalciferol (vitamin D3);
• zinc proteinate;
• biotin;
• dried mint (0.01%);
• dried parsley (0.01%);
• green tea extract (0.01%);
• manganese proteinate;
• vitamin B12;
• cobalt carbonate;
• folic acid;
• copper proteinate.

Most of the list is occupied by the names of vitamins and minerals. This is, of course, more commendable than the general definitions, but herbal supplements that contain the same substances in their natural form are better. Among the components there is sodium bisulfate - an artificial preservative E222. Sorbic acid (E200) is preferred as it is safer. Sodium bisulfate can cause allergies and digestive upsets. This happened to my cat when she tried this food when she was still a kitten. She started having diarrhea, and at first I thought it was due to the transition to a new food, but after the appearance of itchy spots on the skin, it became obvious that something was wrong. After changing the feed a week later, the condition returned to normal.

Paws, the area around the eyes and ears are the most sensitive areas in a cat, therefore, with allergies, hair loss and itching begin with them.

The first 2 positions are occupied by high-quality animal products - fresh chicken and chicken flour. This means that if there are offal in the mixture, then their share is small. Usually, whole carcasses without internal organs are hidden under this name. When analyzing, it should be taken into account that fresh chicken contains a lot of water. If the manufacturer indicated dehydrated meat, its share would be 3-4% in the dry matter. In total, the total amount of chicken barely reaches 20%. This is not very much, especially considering that there are several varieties of cereals going further. Rice rarely causes allergies, but it is still not the most suitable food for kittens. Pea protein is even worse, since it is not whole beans, but amino acids isolated from them, which are needed to create an optimal balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The pluses include the presence of flour from herring meat and salmon fat. They are valuable sources of vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids.

The cost of dry food is 1400 rubles. for 2.72 kg and 2500 rubles. for 5.44 kg. The average price of 1 kg is 500 rubles. This is a normal indicator: the product is much better than budget rations, but inferior to elite food. It can be given to kittens, but it is better to prefer a grain-free holistic.

Hill's Science Plan

The Science Plan line can be conditionally classified as a premium class: the composition of feed leaves much to be desired. The manufacturer is famous for therapeutic diets, but it is better to avoid everyday products in the absence of health problems. For kittens, the company produces 2 types of dry food: with chicken and with tuna. The second diet is preferable, since fish contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids and tocopherol, so we will consider its composition as an example.

The manufacturer recommends giving dry food from 3 weeks, however, due to the poor composition, this can lead to health problems

The list of ingredients contains the following items:

• flour from chicken and turkey meat;
• corn;
• animal fat;
• tuna flour (6%);
• corn gluten flour;
• protein hydrolyzate;
• minerals;
• flax seed;
• dry beet pulp;
• fish fat;
• L-lysine hydrochloride;
• salt;
• L-tryptophan;
• taurine;
• vitamins;
• trace elements and beta-carotene:
• natural preservatives (mixture of tocopherols).

The composition really contains tuna, which justifies the name of the feed, but its share is very small - only 6%. The main source of animal protein is chicken and turkey flour. It is commendable that the manufacturer does not put fresh meat in the first place, trying to mislead the buyer, but the total share of plant components is still higher. The ingredients list includes corn and corn gluten flour. They should be combined into one component, but, most likely, then the cereal would come out on top, so the manufacturer does not. In addition, protein hydrolyzate is on the list. Surely it is obtained from plant components, so conditionally it can be added to corn.

Tuna food would be a good hypoallergenic option, but the manufacturer decided to use chicken and turkey as the main ingredient. If you are allergic to bird protein, you will have to switch to another brand. The share of tuna is quite small, so there are no significant differences between the formulas.

The cost of feed is 300 rubles. for 400 g and 1300 p. for 2 kg. The average price of 1 kg is 650–750 rubles. This is quite a high cost: it is close to the super-premium class, although the quality of the ration does not hold out. The price is determined by the brand. Better options can be found in this segment. "Hills" sometimes suits kittens well, but it should be borne in mind that against the background of the absence of alarming symptoms, animals still experience a deficiency of nutrients, which can lead to a slow progression of pathologies.

Royal canin

Royal Canin used to be distinguished by good quality and a good therapeutic line, but after the Mars corporation bought the rights to the brand, the recipes were changed towards cheaper prices. This led to the emergence of health problems in those animals that ate these diets. Recently, the brand's reputation has deteriorated.

The wide range is designed for appearance only: in reality, kittens of different breeds have approximately the same dietary requirements

The company produces several types of food for kittens. Some of them are for specific breeds, others cover different age ranges. The line includes a diet for sterilized kittens up to 12 months.

As an example, consider the composition of food for kittens from 1 to 4 months. The list of ingredients contains the following items:

• dehydrated proteins of animal origin (poultry);
• animal fats;
• rice;
• vegetable protein isolate;
• flour from cereals;
• hydrolyzate of proteins of animal origin (flavoring additives);
• vegetable fiber;
• yeast and fermentation by-products;
• fish fat;
• soybean oil;
• minerals;
• fructooligosaccharides;
• yeast hydrolyzate (source of mannan oligosaccharides);
• extract of marigold erect (source of lutein).

The average cost of 1 kg of feed is 600 rubles. This is a lot, since the line-up barely reaches the premium class. Doubt is caused by protein extracts. The source of animal fats is not indicated. Rice is used as a cheap filler. The type of yeast is not specified, but culinary yeast can cause digestive upset. There are a lot of fats in the composition (25%), which can provoke the development of gastrointestinal pathologies. The food meets the needs of the kitten only conditionally, in fact, it is a complex of individual nutrients.

Purina proplan

ProPlan is another example of an initially good food, which deteriorated after the transfer of rights to the brand. The brand was bought by the Nestle corporation. The kitten range includes 2 pelleted diets: standard with chicken and for animals with sensitive digestion. In the latter, turkey acts as the main source of proteins. Let's consider it to check if the composition is as stated.

Dry food for animals with sensitive digestion should contain less fiber, as well as easily digestible sources of animal protein; the presence of corn and wheat is unacceptable due to the risk of developing allergies

The ingredients list for turkey feed contains the following items:

• turkey (17%);
• corn gluten;
• rice (17%);
• pea protein concentrate;
• dry turkey protein;
• animal fat;
• corn starch;
• dry chicory root (2%);
• corn;
• minerals;
• flavoring feed additive;
• yeast;
• fish fat;
• vitamins;
• antioxidants.

The pluses of the feed include the absence of chicken in the composition. The turkey is better accepted by the feline organism. However, the proportion of meat is small: 17% including water. There are much more plant components. They occupy 3 positions at the top of the list. In addition, corn and corn gluten are present, which can trigger GI symptoms in sensitive digestion. Although chicory can help improve microflora, in reality, the food does not meet the manufacturer's claims. It should not be given to animals with sensitive digestion.

The cost of 1 kg is 500 rubles. Overpriced at the expense of the brand. In terms of meat content, the feed is closer to economy class.

Josera

Josera food belongs to the super premium class. The line contains only one diet for kittens. Let's consider its composition.

The appearance of the packaging is inconspicuous, which is quite typical for representatives of the super-premium class

The following items can be found in the list of components:

• duck and turkey flour;
• beef flour;
• salmon flour;
• hydrolyzed chicken protein;
• dried turkey liver;
• duck fat;
• corn and rice flour;
• corn gluten;
• beet pulp;
• potassium chloride;
• sodium monophosphate.

The share of meat ingredients is very high: the first 3 positions are occupied by high-quality sources of animal proteins. The hydrolyzed protein is a little darkening the picture. The composition contains several unwanted ingredients: corn and rice flour, as well as corn gluten. Cereals can cause allergies, but in general, in the absence of food intolerances, this is a good option. The cost of 1 kg is 450–500 rubles. This is a good value for money. The disadvantages include the lack of preventive supplements, but for the super-premium class this is not critical. The food is suitable for healthy kittens.

Pet owners reviews

Reviews of veterinarians about dry food for kittens

Choosing food for a kitten is a responsible occupation, since the wrong decision can lead to the development of chronic diseases in the animal. In babies, pathologies develop faster due to the fact that their internal organs are not fully formed and are only adapting to new conditions. It is much more difficult to cure diseases that appeared at an early age. Often they remain with the pet for life, so it is better to adjust the menu in a timely manner than to constantly maintain the condition of the animal.