All pet owners know that they need special attention and also a proper good quality food and this is why we added the 8 best wet kitten foods in 2022 for you to find what is suitable for your pet. The rule “what the owner eats, then the pet can eat also”, doesn’t always apply when we talk about kittens. Feeding your kitten with specific and diverted food is very important for its general health. In addition to the fact that your veterinarian may recommend a certain type of food for your kitten, you need to be informed which is the best wet kitten food so that you can choose only good quality food, even if you are tempted to choose the cheapest food. With so many options on the market to select from (hundreds, probably), it’s not quite so easy to settle on some wet food and not only.
The best wet kitten food quality is the most significant criteria for your cat’s diet and health. In general, the quality is closely related to the ingredients from which the food was made. Animal protein should be the first specified ingredient, but also the quantity or percentage. A minimum protein of 7.5g / 100kcal is recommended for kittens and pregnant cats. The nutrition standards that must be followed are recommended (or should be) on the food label.
Top 8 Wet Kitten Foods In 2022
Choosing the best wet kitten food it’s vital for your little ball of cuteness, we’ve made a list below, with different options and definitely, you can find something that works for you.
1.Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Mother & Babycat Ultra-Soft Mousse
Specifically designed so you can feed it to kittens, pregnant cats, and nursing cats, between the ages of one and four months old. Baby cats grow so quickly and certain kitten foods aren’t designed to their nutritional needs. Royal Canin has almost 50 years of research on pet’s unique nutritional formulas and continues to deliver precise combinations of nutrients.
PROS:
– High-quality ingredients
– Formulated by veterinary nutritionists
– Includes DHA for brain development
– extra calories
CONS:
– may not be suitable for all kittens
2. Purina Fancy Feast Kitten Classic Pate Collection, Variety Pack
This variety pack contains four different flavors, so there’ll be for sure some delicious recipes that your kitten will fall in love with. It’s formulated to provide the maximum percentage of a balanced diet for your kitten during her first year of life. This wet kitten food has a great price, it doesn’t come with nutritional values that are as impressive for kittens.
PROS:
– Nice portion size for small kittens
– Good price per can
– Includes taurine
– No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
CONS:
– recommend buying individual cans
3. Purina Pro Plan Kitten Canned Wet Cat Food
Another excellent product from Purina is this one that we added to our 8 best wet kitten foods in the 2022 list. For older-aged kittens, this entree is tailored with a high protein diet. It is also rich in ingredients like calcium, DHA, omega 6, vitamin A (live probiotics for digestive and immune health, and antioxidants to support a kitten’s developing immune system).
PROS:
– Made with real poultry or fish
– Chicken and fish flavor
– Multiple protein sources
– Also vets recommendation
CONS:
– Not suitable for newborns
4. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free
People around the world also put on a high rank “the chicken recipe can pate” from Wilderness. This high-protein best kitten food features a smooth texture with the finest natural ingredients enhanced with vitamins and minerals. It makes your kitten “purr” when eating because it has: moisture 78.0%, protein 10.5%, fiber 1.5%, fat 9%, DHA 0.1%, and taurine 0.10%.
PROS:
– Smells like human food
– Cool can design
– Fair price/quality ratio
– Transformed kitten’s fur into silk
CONS:
– Not for kittens with a sensitive stomach
5. Wellness Complete Health Kitten Canned Wet Food
This kitten smooth loaf is Amazon’s choice. As the first ingredient, it has chicken – a high-quality option, and as the second ingredient, we have chicken liver, both excellent options for kittens. It’s protein-rich, with fruits and veggies with no wheat, corn, or soy, no artificial flavors, essential vitamins and minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. Exceptionally calorie-dense, with 122 calories and total carbohydrate content of around 14%, we can say this product it’s what all peoples want to buy.
PROS:
– SUPERIOR ingredients
– Lots of calories, fat, and protein
– Good source of animal protein
– Recipe may work for a pickier kitten
CONS:
– just a little more expensive
6. Sheba Perfect Portions Paté Wet Cat Food Variety Packs
A huge and important step was made by Sheba, back in 2014, returning to the purrfect portions, with these cans. They come in two convenient same-sized serving cans, so there are no messy leftovers. Positive reviews for Sheba food – 29,363 – being Amazon’s bestseller, and is grain-free, meat-based, and affordable.
PROS:
– Premium ingredients
– Good source of animal protein
– It’s a great value pack
CONS:
– Contains added color
7. IAMS Perfect Portions Kitten Chicken Recipe
The nutritional analysis says that it has 78% moisture, 9% protein, 5% fat, and these “cans” which include two meals, are the USA sourced and produced. Unique design packaging compared with other wet kittens food. The container causes minimal trash when thrown away and opens easily. There are a lot of healthy ingredients which help your kitten to grow as you wish.
PROS:
– High-quality ingredients
– Includes DHA, vitamin E
– Affordable
– Snap, peel, serve
CONS:
– Thicker texture, not every kitten would like
8. Wellness Core Grain Free Kitten Recipe
The last from my top 8, but also one of the best options for your kitten. And some people say this is the best of the best. The recipe also includes lots of good stuff like turkey, chicken liver, turkey broth, chicken, herring, natural flavor, cranberries, vitamin E/D3/B12 supplement.
With prebiotics and probiotics, this type of food could help to support digestive and immune system health.
PROS:
– Premium ingredients
– Ultra-soft pate texture
– Good protein-packed kitten foods
– DHA added
CONS:
– Contains some plant ingredients
BUYERS GUIDE
This guide will help you not only to find the best kitten food for your pet but will give a better knowledge of what to consider when buying.
Age is a very important aspect to consider when we speak about a type of food. Depending on age, there are 4 major types of food for your pet: baby-cat food, junior, adult, and senior:
a) Kitten food – is given to cat babies up to 2 months old.
b) Junior cat food – contains many vitamins and nutrients and is generally administered
until the age of 12 months old.
c) Adult and senior – has the most balanced composition, meant to maintain a weight
of cat food within the optimal limits, according to age.
Also, food selection differs. There is economic food (the cheapest), premium food, and super-premium food:
The economical food – is the lowest quality with very little animal protein. Although it may seem tempting due to its low price, it can be harmful over time to your kitten.
Premium food – is medium to high quality and is generally prepared from quality ingredients and at a price, fairly affordable. This type of food is chosen by most cat owners. It is considered a healthy food even by vets, and the price compared to the quality is cheap. Premium food is recommended for all cats, especially cats that don’t have any health problems.
Super-premium food – is the most expensive in most cases (but some cases say the contrary). It has in its composition the best ingredients available on the market and some of them are good for human consumption (as even some manufacturers say).
If we take into account that certain breeds of cats are prone to certain health problems, it is necessary to keep in mind that personalized diets are preferable. These diets are designed by vets for certain breeds and personalized needs, so it is not recommended to deviate from the “recipe” by administering a different type of food. In general, any personalized diet of a cat/kitten will be established by the veterinarian after a thorough analysis and a clear diagnosis, after a consultation.
Dr. Laci Schaible, a veterinarian, and advisor for the veterinary software company IVEE, (veterinary pet health record technology) say that “some very young kittens will prefer wet food simply because it is easier to chew while other kittens prefer dry because of the friction on the gums attenuates some teething irritation and pressure.” He recommends feeding your kitten with both wet and dry kitten food. Having tiny stomachs, kittens need to eat every few hours. For this reason, it is recommended to leave some dry out at all times, even if you decide to offer a wet formula during the daytime.”
The opinions are split, because Dr. Gary Richter, author of “The Ultimate Pet Health Guide,” strongly recommends making wet food a significant part of your kitten’s diet to make sure they are getting plenty of water. “Canned diets or fresh, whole food diets have a much higher moisture content than dry kibble,” he says.
Dry food contains approximately 10% water and 90% dry matter, including fats, vitamins, and carbohydrates, and usually comes in bags, compared with wet food, which comes in cans or pre-measured portions and may contain around 70% more water. So, with emerging teeth, growing bones, and developing digestive and immune systems, they need the right nutrition for healthy growth.
What Should You Consider When Shopping For Wet Canned Cat Food?
Compared with adult and senior cats, kittens have a totally different diet. Their needs are bigger because they are growing so they need food with a higher concentration of protein, vitamins, amino acids, and so on.
AAFCO creates a statement with the requirements that the food needs to have, based on the amounts of the key nutrients. Best diets are formulated correctly because the food companies hire nutritionist vets. In other words, it means that your kitten’s food should follow the AAFCO recommendations and must be AAFCO certified. In this way, you know for sure that your kitten gets the right amounts of ingredients and nutrients, proteins, vitamins, supplements. And that’s why we’re here, to give you help when we speak about nutrients percentage and ingredient list.
When we mention quality ingredients, we must speak about mainly meat products. Of course, there are fruits and vegetables that your kitten benefits also, but they must be in small amounts. Kittens/cats are meat-eaters, and they can’t handle just any type of food, like dogs. Wet kitten food, meat-based, contains, in some cases, by-products and fillers.
When we say by-products we speak about leftovers from processed animals, and we don’t know what they are, more important they are less digestible than meat.
When we say fillers, we refer to all those grains and starches that some companies are using. Yes, they are used for food shape and texture, and have a rich protein level but also an excessive level of carbs. Beyond the beautiful pictures of meats and veggies that grace the packaging, we find corn products with a high level of protein to meet the metabolism standards of your kitten. Sometimes the smell of meat is there just to assure your cat that it’s a happy carnivore. Safer food is that one with an AAFCO label on it, with all that AAFCO, doesn’t define exactly the term “fillers”.
We spoke about quality, ingredients, and nutritional levels. By the way, your wet kitten food should have 70+ percentage moisture content or higher. In the same area of “what to consider when shopping for wet food”, we can add value and transparency. When you purchase kitten food, just make sure, in terms of value is worth the price (really good food it’s more expensive). And some companies create high-quality products because they really care about their customers, and they have a bit of transparency.
For choosing the best-wet kitten food, we should consider and remember the next things:
- High protein, high moisture, and low carbohydrates
- Real animal protein (chicken, beef, eggs, venison, lamb, salmon, sardines, mussels, duck)
- Organ meat, such as chicken or beef liver, is a bonus also.
- Antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins in vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, apples, and berries
- Good fats (omega-3 fatty acids, known as EPA, DHA, and ALA).
DO NOT BUY, AND STAY AWAY FROM, IF KITTEN FOOD CONTAINS:
- Ingredients are sourced from a cheap location
- Ingredients are vague
- Artificial colors or flavors, artificial or synthetic preservatives, corn, wheat, soy, sugar sodium nitrate, and sodium nitrite any byproduct, rendered fat and vitamin 3K
FAQ
Why do kittens need special wet food?
A wet food diet will increase your kitten’s water intake due to the high amount of moisture it contains. Wet food is often tastier and smellier (in a good way!) than dry food. In fact, because of this reason, wet food is usually recommended for cats that have lost their appetite to motivate them to eat more.
Is wet or dry food better for kittens?
It’s important that very young kittens have at least some canned food to eat as part of their diet. Very small kittens have very small teeth and can’t chew dry food well. Without some canned food, they won’t get enough nutrition to grow properly. … If they’re only eating canned food, they should be fed four times daily.
When should I stop giving my cat kitten food?
The age at which a kitten reaches adulthood (their full-grown size and weight) can vary by breed and other factors. Typically, when your cat is about 12 months old, it’s time to switch to a maintenance formula of adult cat food. At this age, cats no longer need the extra calories and nutrients found in kitten food.
How Often and How Much Should You Feed Your Kitten?
It’s important to feed your kitten small portions at regular intervals, 4 – 6 times a day. Some vets prefer free-feeding, meaning providing unlimited kitten food all day long, tapering off to meal eating at around four to six months of age. BUT this opinion leads us to the next question.
Can you overfeed a kitten?
Do not overfeed the kittens because it can cause diarrhea and loose stools. A well-fed kitten’s belly should be round, but not hard and distended. Smaller or weaker kittens may eat less per feeding and will need to be fed more often. TIP: kittens need to be burped, just like human babies.
Why does my kitten eat only from the middle of her bowl?
If your cat’s bowl is too deep, this may be the cause. They may be eating out of the middle of the bowl because their whiskers are so sensitive and touch the sides of it. You might consider buying a bowl with lower sides.
Resources used:
https://www.thedodo.com/dodowell/vet-recommended-kitten-food
Conclusion
With so many different types and flavors of food to choose from, Pet Food Reviews know you can find your kitten food so they can live an active life in good health, which, as I said, it’s crucial during their first 12 months.
Providing the best nutritional analysis and ingredients for kittens, a complete diet is crucial during nutritional kittenhood. Our top 8 best wet kitten food in 2022, and buyer’s guide, give you the opportunity to go through our selection and choose what’s the best wet food for your kitten. These products even some of which are a little expensive combine great ingredients, while some others have a low price tag. Top them off, we’re sure that even picky eaters will enjoy this food.
