How to feed a kitten: TOP-5 options for the right food for a four-legged baby

The Czech manufacturer Brit Care has established itself as a good and relatively low-cost option for premium feed. Food for kittens from 1 to 12 months Brit Care Crazy I am Kitten is presented as a complete and hypoallergenic. And this is especially important for some breeds (for example, the sphinx) and given the fact that many babies are prone to food allergies. It is also suitable for pregnant and nursing cats.

The main ingredients are chicken with rice. The chicken in this feed is 47%: of which 25% is dehydrated ("dehydrated") and 22% is chicken fillet. In second place, rice is one of the cereals allowed to kittens. It also contains salmon and chicken fat, brewer's yeast, vegetables, fruits, biotin, L-carnitine, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, iodine vitamins C, A, D3, E. As well as omega-3 and omega-6 acids and mineral components important for the nervous system.

Yucca Schidiger extract contributes to the normal functioning of the digestive tract of the pet, so its presence is very commendable, and vitamin C, prebiotics and sea buckthorn extract strengthen immunity. There are no dyes, flavor enhancers and flavors in the feed, and this is a huge plus. It does not contain corn, soy and wheat (very unhealthy and allergenic components). Although the smell of food is regarded by some cat owners as quite sharp.

The size of the feed pellets is designed for a small animal, and some owners complain that it is too small, and it is inconvenient.

The product is designed for kittens and young cats of North American blood, Maine Coons from 3 to 15 months. Breeders claim that they can also feed kittens of other large long-haired and semi-long-haired breeds (for example, Siberian, Norwegian forest, etc.). There is also food for kittens for 15 months. Since the breed is large (a three-month-old Maine Coon baby weighs about 2 kg), it has features in the structure of the skeleton and jaw, it also requires special nutrition. Royal Canin veterinarians love it for the presence of special breed diets — for example, there are options for Siamese cats, Persian.

The French brand Royal Canin has been on the market since 1968, but since 2004, the food of this brand has been produced in Russia. But still experienced cat breeders recommend buying this food labeled FR (made in France).

The product is positioned as contributing to the improvement of digestion, immunity, bones and joints, supporting the health of the skin and coat. But if you deal with the composition, questions arise. Because the percentage of certain ingredients is not specified, and this is a minus for a product of this class.

The main component is dehydrated proteins of animal origin. That is, it is not meat, but a processed source of animal protein, which is not very good.

Fats are in second place, followed by cereals (the main one is rice). There is also an isolate of vegetable proteins labeled "L.I.P." (that is, with an increased degree of digestibility), taurine to improve heart function, vitamin E and antioxidants to improve immunity, omega-3 and omega-6 acids for the beauty of wool and skin health; vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus for bone health and yeast and psyllium seeds as prebiotic supplements for digestion. As well as vitamin A, minerals, vegetables, fiber, fish oil and soybean oil. The composition, in general, is decent.

But there are also components that are not very useful for kittens, such as corn, wheat flour and preservatives.

This feed contains 23% fat (for comparison, in the usual, for other breeds, 18%), and this is good. The shape of the granules is cubic, for the convenience of chewing and to maintain the health of the kitten's oral cavity.

Despite the ambiguity of the characteristics, this feed has many adherents. Cat owners praise the food for its good effect on the coat and digestion of the animal, its rapid and healthy growth. Some also give kittens natural food (chicken, beef, offal). The price-quality ratio is optimal.

The Canadian manufacturer's food can be given to kittens from 2 months to 12. That is why the translation of the product name is "Healthy Start". Nursing and pregnant cats will also enjoy them with pleasure, since the food contains all the necessary ingredients for them. The braces are small, if necessary, they can be dissolved in water.

The basis of the diet is fresh chicken (17%) and chicken flour (17%). Dried egg, pea protein, and flour from American herring (menhaden) also act as protein sources. There are 2 types of cereals, fiber, flax seed (a source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids), taurine (an amino acid for strengthening the heart), vegetables, vitamin and mineral supplements.

The source of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) for the development of the nervous system, vision and brain is salmon fat, which is part of the feed. There is also chicken fat. I am pleased with the presence of prebiotics to improve digestion and immunity. And also calcium for bones. For intestinal health, there are extracts of Yucca Schidiger, yeast (also a source of vitamin B), and chicory. However, the exact amount of useful additives is not specified. But the fact that there is a preservative in the composition, sodium bisulfate, is not very good. But in general, the quality of the feed is at the level (however, the price is also).

Purina Pro Plan, a brand of the Swiss Nestle corporation, offers Cat Junior Optistart Rich in Chicken ("dry full-fledged chicken feed with OPTISTART complex") as food for kittens already from 3 – 4 weeks. It is also designed for young cats, pregnant, nursing and sterilized cats.

The basis of the composition is chicken, 20%. Other sources of protein are dry poultry protein, dried egg and colostrum. Also included in the composition are vitamins E, A, C and D3, fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids), cow colostrum for immunity and good pet growth. Other ingredients include rice, proteins, and minerals. In general, the feed contains 40% protein, which, given the balance of calcium and phosphorus, really promotes healthy bone and muscle growth.

But corn and wheat gluten in the composition are of questionable benefit, since they can cause allergies in tailed animals and are generally not useful for them. There are preservatives in the composition, which also does not please.

The food produced by Canada of holistic class (without the use of chemical additives, only fresh and organic raw materials — as close as possible to natural nutrition) is intended for kittens from 2 to 12 months. The pellets are specially adapted to the characteristics of kittens' teeth so that they develop chewing skills, and provide a soft transition to solid food after mother's milk.

The main ingredients are fresh chicken, as befits feeds of this class. The manufacturer indicates that his product contains 57% of meat, 15% of fruits and vegetables, and 28% of other ingredients. The total amount of fat is 20%, protein is 30%. And of course, there are vitamins and calcium. Protein is also represented by chicken flour (this is how the English "chicken meal" is translated, and not "dehydrated chicken", as it is written on the packaging in the Russian version. Other sources of protein include dry egg (the correct translation is "dried egg product", not "dehydrated egg", as in the Russian version), and trepang (invertebrate marine animal). The source of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) for normal brain development is herring flour.

Potatoes in the composition enrich the feed with betacarotin (vitamin A), carbohydrates, vegetable protein and starch. We also see honey as a prebiotic, a natural antiseptic. To improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, there is also fiber and carob (although some veterinarians consider it a sweetener, superfluous in the composition). For immunity — vitamins E, C, dry chicory root, and yeast; for the heart — taurine. Cereals include brown rice, processed barley and oat kernels, rice bran and millet. Flaxseed is a source of omega–3 and 6 acids, vegetable fat, and New Zealand mussels are GAGS (glycosaminoglycans), "builders" of cartilage tissue. Yucca Schidiger extract reduces the smell of feces. In total, there are 66 ingredients in the diet.

So, there is enough meat and animal protein in the feed, this is great for the development of a kitten. At the same time, there are still quite a lot of cereals, root crops and fiber, as well as quite exotic elements, the usefulness of which is difficult to prove.