The 10 Best Kitten Foods of 2024

#1 Overall Best: Wellness CORE Kitten Turkey & Chicken Liver Pâté

• Made In: Canada, United States
• Guaranteed Protein: 12% Min
• Age Range: Kitten
• Calories Per Ounce: 36
• Typical Cost Per Day: $3.6 per day

While some people write off chicken meal as inferior to so-called “real chicken” and put it in the same category as poultry by-products, those criticisms don’t hold up to examination. Chicken meal appears to be just as nutritious and digestible as any other chicken product. In fact, it packs a harder protein and calorie punch—which is exactly what your growing kitten needs.

The inclusions of herring and menhaden fish oil make the food a good source of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that contributes to brain and eye development in kittens.

Though it’s grain-free with no potatoes or soy, this pâté contains small amounts of certain plant ingredients, including ground flaxseed, dried kelp, chicory root extract, and alfalfa meal.

Though these ingredients aren’t essential in a carnivorous diet, they have a few benefits for kittens. Chicory root extract, for example, is a prebiotic. Along with probiotics, this type of fiber could help support digestive and immune system health.

What We Liked:

• One of the most protein-packed kitten foods on the market
• Ultra-soft pâté texture is easy for kittens to eat
• Calorie-dense recipe to fuel growth and development
• Rich in moisture for optimal hydration
• Supplemented with fish oil as a source of DHA

What We Didn’t Like:

• A little more expensive than many kitten foods
• Contains some plant ingredients

#2 Premium Pick: Tiki Cat Baby Chicken, Salmon, & Chicken Liver Recipe Wet Cat Food

• Made In: Thailand
• Guaranteed Protein: 15% Min
• Age Range: All Life Stages
• Calories Per Ounce: 35
• Typical Cost Per Day: $5.80 per day

Packed with animal-sourced protein, this wet kitten food is a species-appropriate choice. Chicken muscle meat, fresh salmon, and chicken liver make up the bulk of the food’s 68% dry matter protein content. The food contains over 22% dry matter fat and minimal carbohydrates.

Not only is this Tiki Cat recipe formulated to support the needs of growing kittens, but it comes in a texture that’s easy to chew. It consists of a layer of smooth mousse topped with fine shreds.

Priced around $1.00 per ounce , this kitten food might be a bit of a splurge for some cat owners. The small cans are well-suited to feeding kittens, however, and you can always use them as a meal topper or mixer for a more affordable kitten food.

What We Liked:

• Made primarily with animal ingredients
• Rich in protein with minimal carbohydrates
• Good source of hydrating moisture
• Texture is easy for kittens to chew

What We Didn’t Like:

• Costs about $1.00 per ounce

#3 Best Budget: Fancy Feast Kitten Tender Turkey Feast Canned Cat Food

• Made In: United States
• Guaranteed Protein: 11% Min
• Age Range: Kittens
• Calories Per Ounce: 32
• Typical Cost Per Day: $1.86 per day

This unpretentious formula from Fancy Feast emphasizes animal ingredients, keeps carbohydrates to a minimum, and has a reputation for both affordability and palatability. The recipe isn’t perfect, though. It contains both natural and artificial flavors, includes artificial colors, and uses meat by-products.

Meat by-products are often inaccurately portrayed as bad or unhealthy ingredients. According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), by-products are defined as what’s left over after the initial processing of a particular product. These by-products are then processed to kill disease-causing bacteria before being included in pet food.

So, although the word ‘by-product’ sounds off-putting, the presence of by-products in your kitten’s food does not necessarily make it less healthy or lower quality than a by-product-free food.

Another questionable quality of this food is the inclusion of cow’s milk. Most cats, including weaned kittens, are lactose intolerant and may have diarrhea after eating milk. That said, customer reviews suggest that this reaction is rare.

What We Liked:

• Features high-quality animal protein as the main ingredient
• Hydrating canned food with a strong reputation for palatability
• One of the most affordable options for kitten food

What We Didn’t Like:

• Contains meat by-products and artificial colors/flavors
• Contains milk which could cause GI upset in some kittens

#4 Best Mid-Price: Wellness Complete Health Kitten Chicken Entree Pâté Canned Cat Food

• Made In: Canada
• Guaranteed Protein: 11% Min
• Age Range: Kittens
• Calories Per Ounce: 35
• Typical Cost Per Day: $2.75 per day

This grain-free smooth loaf from Wellness’ Complete Health line is slightly cheaper than the Wellness CORE recipe listed as our number one pick. But with protein-rich chicken and chicken liver leading the ingredient list, it looks like a nutritious, species-appropriate option.

The food’s biggest flaw is its carbohydrate content. The food contains carrots, which drive its total carbohydrate content to around 14% on a dry matter basis. While that’s low compared to many wet foods and most kibble, we’d rather see carbohydrate percentages in the single digits.

The recipe includes menhaden fish oil as a source of the fatty acid DHA, helping to promote healthy brain and eye development. Overall, it’s a protein- and energy-dense choice for kittens that is easy to chew and digest.

What We Liked:

• Made primarily with animal-based protein sources
• Contains menhaden fish oil for DHA
• Highly palatable and hydrating canned food
• Calorie-dense option with 122 calories per can

What We Didn’t Like:

• Somewhat more expensive than some kitten foods
• Relatively high in carbohydrate content

#5 Best for All Ages: Fussie Cat Fine Dining Pâté Chicken Entrée Canned Cat Food

• Made In: Thailand
• Guaranteed Protein: 7% Min
• Age Range: All Life Stages
• Calories Per Ounce: 30
• Typical Cost Per Day: $2.94 per day

While kitten food typically has a higher protein concentration than adult cat food, there’s no reason an adult cat can’t eat the same food they ate as a kitten. This Fussie Cat formula is nutritionally complete for cats in all life stages, delivering plenty of animal-sourced protein in a moist, easily digestible form.

Chicken muscle meat is the primary ingredient in this food and the main source of protein. It’s supplemented by dried egg powder for a combined dry matter protein content of nearly 44%. We’d prefer to see animal-sourced fat over sunflower oil, but the food does meet kittens’ minimum requirement for essential fatty acids.

This Fussie Cat formula has a smooth pâté texture and a gravy topping. Tapioca starch acts as a thickener and binder for the ingredients and, while not harmful to cats, it doesn’t offer significant nutritional value and adds to the food’s carbohydrate content.

Overall, however, this is an easily digestible, protein-rich cat food your kitten can enjoy even after they transition into adulthood.

What We Liked:

• Smooth pâté texture is easy for kittens to eat
• High in moisture to support hydration
• Good source of protein
• Nutritionally complete for all life stages

What We Didn’t Like:

• Relies primarily on plant-sourced fat

#6 Best Fresh: Smalls Ground Other Bird Fresh Cat Food

• Made In: United States
• Guaranteed Protein: 14.5% Min
• Age Range: All Life Stages
• Calories Per Ounce: 40
• Typical Cost Per Day: $2.75 per day

Smalls is a fresh cat food subscription service that sends monthly deliveries of protein- and moisture-packed fresh food right to your door. All recipes are formulated for cats in all life stages. High protein content and concentrations of healthy fats fuel your kitten’s growth and development.

This Ground Other Bird recipe features turkey as a single source of high-quality animal protein. Turkey muscle meat is the first ingredient followed by turkey liver with a handful of digestible fresh veggies for nutritional support. Cod liver oil is the only source of added fat and a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA and EPA.

Smalls fresh food is a little expensive, but it’s made with human-grade ingredients and frozen at the peak of freshness to preserve its nutritional value. The food is high in moisture to support your kitten’s hydration and it doesn’t contain any animal by-product meals or artificial additives.

What We Liked:

• Single source of high-quality animal protein
• Rich in moisture to support your kitten’s hydration
• Good source of omega-3 fatty acids
• Highly digestible and low in carbohydrates

What We Didn’t Like:

• Only available as a subscription plan
• No phone support (text and email only)

#7 Best Human-Grade Wet: The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Câté Wet Cat Food

• Made In: United States
• Guaranteed Protein: 10% Min
• Age Range: All Life Stages
• Calories Per Ounce: 31
• Typical Cost Per Day: $3.92 per day

If you’re interested in human-grade food for your kitten, you might be interested in wet food from The Honest Kitchen. While most kitten food is considered feed-grade and produced in facilities that only handle pet food, The Honest Kitchen prepares, cooks, and transports all of its products according to human food manufacturing standards.

Formulated for both adult cats and kittens, The Honest Kitchen’s food is rich in protein from animal sources, featuring chicken as its primary ingredient. In addition to chicken meat, the food contains salmon oil, which is a good source of animal-based omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial for your kitten’s brain and eye development.

The food comes in resealable and recyclable 5.5-ounce cardboard cartons. It is on the more expensive side at over $0.59 per ounce , but that price may be worth it for a top-quality, human-grade food for your kitten.

What We Liked:

• Chicken as a single source of high-quality animal protein
• Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
• Rich in moisture to support your kitten’s hydration

What We Didn’t Like:

• Contains some unnecessary plant ingredients
• Price on the high side

#8 Best Dry: Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe Dry Cat Food

• Made In: United States
• Guaranteed Protein: 42.5% Min
• Age Range: Kittens
• Calories Per Ounce: 127
• Typical Cost Per Day: $0.66 per day

Dry food generally isn’t our top choice for kittens but many cat owners find it more affordable and convenient than wet food. Kibble tends to be low in moisture and high in carbohydrates which can contribute to a variety of potential health problems like urinary tract issues and feline diabetes.

This dry kitten food has a dry matter carbohydrate content that is relatively low at just over 25%. It is composed of 81% animal ingredients, including animal fat.

With concentrated sources of animal protein as the top three ingredients, this protein-rich formula helps support kitten growth and development. It contains animal-derived omega-3s for eye and brain health as well as probiotics to support optimal digestion and nutrient absorption.

This recipe is calorie-dense at 557 calories per cup. It’s free from low-value grains like corn, wheat, and soy as well as artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. It also contains freeze-dried chicken and chicken organs for a boost of flavor.

What We Liked:

• Composed of 81% animal ingredients, including animal fat
• Calorie-dense to support healthy kitten growth
• Contains animal-based omega-3s for eye and brain development
• Supplemented with probiotics for digestion and nutrient absorption

What We Didn’t Like:

• Contains starchy plant ingredients
• No dry food provides the moisture your kitten needs

#9 Best Premium Dry: Open Farm Kitten Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

• Made In: United States
• Guaranteed Protein: 40.5% Min
• Age Range: All Life Stages
• Calories Per Ounce: 120
• Typical Cost Per Day: $0.77 per day

Formulated to meet the high-protein requirements of growing kittens, this Open Farm dry food features a blend of humanely raised chicken and turkey with other ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients.

This recipe starts strong with four animal-based sources of protein: chicken, turkey, ocean whitefish, and herring. Menhaden fish meal provides supplemental protein a few ingredients later and salmon oil provides an animal-based source of omega-3 fatty acids including DHA.

While this dry kitten food meets AAFCO requirements for kitten growth and development at around 44% crude protein and 21% crude fat (measured as dry matter), it’s higher in carbohydrates than we’d like. It is, however, supplemented with functional ingredients like fiber-rich pumpkin to support healthy digestion and antioxidant-rich cranberries for urinary tract support.

Keep in mind, when feeding your kitten dry food, that kibble doesn’t provide the moisture your kitten needs. Be sure to supplement your kitten’s diet with wet food or an additional source of moisture to ensure optimal hydration.

What We Liked:

• First four ingredients are animal-based proteins
• Contains salmon oil as an animal source of DHA
• Made with humanely raised, ethically sourced ingredients
• Free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives

What We Didn’t Like:

• Contains over 20% dry matter carbohydrate
• No dry food provides the moisture your kitten needs

#10 Best Budget Dry: Nulo Freestyle Cat & Kitten Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

• Made In: United States
• Guaranteed Protein: 40% Min
• Age Range: All Life Stages
• Calories Per Ounce: 106
• Typical Cost Per Day: $0.56 per day

Featuring turkey, fish, and duck as main ingredients, this budget-friendly dry cat food contains over 44% dry matter protein. With yellow peas, red lentils, and chickpeas on the list, however, it’s hard to say how much plant protein contributes to that total. The food relies primarily on animal-sourced fat, offering a dry matter total of 20%.

With flavor from multiple animal proteins, many kittens find this Nulo Freestyle recipe appealing. The small, disc-shaped kibbles are easy for kittens to chew and, because the recipe is formulated for all life stages, your kitten can continue to enjoy it into adulthood.

Like any dry food, this recipe doesn’t provide the hydrating moisture your kitten needs and it’s higher in carbs than we’d like. Consider pairing it with a wet food topper or adding some warmed bone broth before feeding.

What We Liked:

• Rich in animal-sourced protein
• Good source of omega-3 fatty acids
• Disc-shaped kibbles are easy for kittens to eat

What We Didn’t Like:

• Contains some hard-to-digest peas and legumes
• No dry food provides the moisture your cat needs