What Can I Feed a Kitten?

Learn what nutrients are a must for your new little one

21 August 2024

In this article:

What nutrients do kittens need? Feeding newborn kittens Best kitten food options What can I feed a kitten besides cat food?

Providing your kitten with a nutritionally balanced diet is crucial for their growth, development and overall health. When deciding what to feed your kitten, you must understand their unique nutritional needs and choose high-quality, age-appropriate food to support their growing bodies.

Navigating life with a new pet? Head to littleKin!

littleKin™ is Kinship’s home just for puppy and kitten parents. Bop over to check out expert advice, new pet tools, and special deals—all curated for your newest family member.

What nutrients do kittens need?

Kittens can be rambunctious, snuggly balls of fun. Their bodies need proper nutrition to keep up with the demands of play and growth. For the first year or so, kittens require age-specific food. Diets made for kittens are more nutrient dense and are formulated to support rapid development and growth. The nutrients that kittens need include:

Protein

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they need protein from animal sources to be healthy.

Kittens require high-protein diets from a young age and require more protein than adult cats. Essential amino acids (those that must be consumed) such as arginine, taurine and methionine, are vital for kitten growth and development.

Calcium and phosphorus

Kittens grow super fast, and need additional calcium and phosphorus to support rapid bone growth.

Fat

Kittens need to consume more fat and essential fatty acids than adult cats. Fats aid in the absorption of certain vitamins. Fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA), are important for kittens’ brains, vision and intestinal development.

Vitamins and minerals

Kittens require adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, and they can be more sensitive than adult cats to diets that are deficient or overabundant in certain vitamins and minerals.

Water

Water is often considered the most vital nutrient. Relative to their body weight, kittens require much more water than adult cats. Kittens need plenty of water for normal bodily functions and to replace water lost through peeing, pooing and evaporation.

Kitten Behavioural Milestones You Should Know

Keep track of all their fun phases with these guidelines

Feeding newborn kittens

During the first two days of life, nursing from their mother should be a nutritional priority. This is when kittens are able to consume colostrum – milk that is rich in antibodies and helps to build a newborn kitten’s immune system. Kittens should nurse from their mum for the first 4–6 weeks of life. Weaning should start at around four weeks.

In cases of orphaned kittens, the next best option is to find a surrogate cat who is willing to let an extra kitten nurse. If nursing is not an option, kittens should be bottle-fed milk-replacement formula made specifically for kittens. They shouldn’t be fed cow’s or goat’s milk.

Milks from other species don’t contain all the nutrients that kittens need and can cause stomach upset and diarrhoea. If you’re bottle-feeding an orphan kitten, seek veterinary guidance to ensure the kitten is getting adequate nutrition and care.

Best kitten food options

Kitten parents face a plethora of decisions, from choosing a vet to where to put the litter box to what food to feed. Early nutrition is vital for kittens to get a good start in life. Without proper nutrition, kittens can face stunted growth, poor development and immune deficiencies.

With the myriad of options available, it can be easy to fall into a trap of analysis paralysis. After all, you want the best for your kitten. But picking kitten food doesn’t have to be a complex (or final) decision. There is no single best food for every cat, but there are some guidelines to follow. Assuming there are no specific health concerns, when choosing kitten food, opt for one that:

Meets the life stage requirement: meaning it is formulated for growing kittens.
Is nutritionally adequate: pick a brand that is a member of the UK Pet Food Organisation (formerly the Pet Food Manufacturing Association, or PFMA). This will mean the food is safe for your pet and high quality. Check the packaging to find out.
Your kitten tolerates it: meaning they want to eat it and make healthy, formed poos after eating it.
Fits your budget and lifestyle: meaning there is leeway to do what works for you and your cat. You don’t have to buy the most expensive food. Get the highest-quality food you can afford.

Best wet kitten food options

Wet food has the benefit of being the easiest transition from milk or kitten formula to solid food. Additional benefits of wet food for kittens include:

High water content: kittens may not be big on drinking water, so feeding canned food is an easy way to keep them well-hydrated.
More enticing: the strong aroma of wet food can be more enticing to kittens.
Easy to chew: the soft texture is easier to chew and helps to ease the transition to solid food.
More protein: tinned kitten food tends to have more protein than dry kibble, making it easier to provide some essential nutrients for growth.

Best dry kitten food options

Dry kitten food is convenient and easier to keep fresh after opening. Additional benefits of dry food for kittens include:

Small kibble size: kitten kibble is sized and shaped to be easy for kittens to chew and swallow.
Dental health: chewing on dry kibble can help reduce plaque and tartar build-up, promoting dental health.
Convenient for free feeding: dry food can be left out, allowing kittens to graze and eat at their own pace.
Cost: in general, dry food tends to be more cost-effective than canned kitten food.

Overall, exposing kittens to a variety of scents and textures early in life can help combat picky eating habits in adulthood. Most cats will develop a preference over time, though.

Kitten prescription diets for health issues

Many feline prescription diets are made for adult cats with chronic health issues, though occasionally, kittens can also benefit from prescription diets.

Diets formulated for ‘recovery’ or ‘urgent care’ are nutrient dense and highly digestible. They can be prescribed for kittens recovering from illness or surgery, or kittens that are just off to a rough start.

Prescription diets formulated for intestinal health are highly digestible and easy on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These may be prescribed for kittens recovering from severe vomiting and diarrhea or intestinal surgery. Kitten parents should only feed a prescription diet if it is recommended by their vet.

7 Steps to Keep Your New Kitten Happy and Healthy

A vet breaks down everything you need to know when you bring home a new kitten

What can I feed a kitten besides cat food?

The advantage of quality commercial kitten diets is that they are “complete and balanced”, meaning they provide all the necessary nutrients without needing additional supplements. Unless your kitten has very specific medical needs requiring a veterinarian-guided diet, a commercial diet is recommended.

Human foods safe for kittens

Exposing kittens to new foods and textures can be fun and enriching. Only offer tiny, bite-sized portions and give human food sparingly. Human foods and treats should not make up more than ten percent of a pet’s diet, and too many new foods can cause diarrhoea. Some human food your kitten can taste include:

cooked chicken (no salt, seasoning or bones)
cooked white rice
cooked peas
cooked eggs (no shell)
tinned tuna (in water, not oil)
certain fruits and vegetables, in moderation

cat climbing onto a table with various vegetables on it

Is a Plant-Based Diet Safe for Your Cat or Dog? Experts Weigh In

Curious about a plant-based diet for your pet? Discover what science has to say about it

Frequently asked questions

When can a kitten eat wet food?

A kitten can start to eat wet food around four weeks of age. Kitten parents can slowly introduce wet food by adding 1–2 tablespoons of tinned kitten food mixed with water or kitten-replacement formula to create an easy-to-eat gruel.

Can a kitten eat dry food?

Kittens can eat dry food once all their baby teeth are in, at about six weeks of age. To introduce dry food, soften the kibble with warm water for the first week or so. Add less water over time to allow your kitten to get used to the crunchy texture.

What can I feed a baby kitten?

Newborn kittens should nurse from their mum for the first 4–6 weeks of life and start weaning at four weeks old. Orphaned kittens can nurse from a willing surrogate cat or be fed commercial kitten-replacement formula (not cow’s or goat’s milk).

References:

Dr. Alycia Washington, DVM, MS

Alycia Washington, DVM, is a small animal emergency veterinarian based in North Carolina. She works as a relief veterinarian and provides services to numerous emergency and specialty hospitals. Dr. Washington is also a children’s book author and freelance writer with a focus on veterinary medicine. She has a special fondness for turtles, honey bees, and penguins — none of which she treats. In her free time, Dr. Washington enjoys travel, good food, and good enough coffee.

What Can I Feed a Kitten?

Share Article