The best kitten food you can buy

Why you'll love it: An affordable choice that offers high-quality nutrition, this Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Healthy Kitten Recipe comes in both dry and wet food form.

Top-of-the-line kitten food can be expensive, but it is well worth the cost when it comes to the benefits for your kitten's health. If premium kitten food is out of your price range, choose the highest quality product you can consistently afford. Though the quality of your kitten's diet is important, it is also important to avoid frequent changes to his diet.

If you're looking for an affordable kitten food that offers quality nutrition, we recommend Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Healthy Kitten Recipe.

Available in both dry food and wet food form, this food is uniquely formulated for both indoor and outdoor kittens. It features both chicken meal and turkey meal as concentrated sources of protein with grain-free carbohydrates like potatoes and peas. Chicken fat provides a nutrient-rich source of energy while dried fermentation products offer probiotic support. Plus, the brand is created by Merrick Pet Care, one of the most trusted pet food brands in the industry.

Breedsy features the wet food version of this food in its top 11 picks for the best kitten food, noting its high protein content and low carbohydrate content. Kitty Catter reviews the Whole Earth Farms brand as a whole, giving it a 4.5-star rating for its high-quality and the fact that it is made in the US and has a very short list of product recalls (specific to Merrick Pet Care, not Whole Earth Farms products).

This Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Healthy Kitten Recipe is surprisingly affordable for a grain-free recipe and carries a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with more than 100 reviews. Cat owners love the price and quality, though there are comments about some kittens refusing the food.

Pros: Affordable price (especially for grain-free), concentrated source of animal protein as first ingredient, nutrient-rich chicken fat, plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics

Cons: Contains some plant protein (peas and pea protein), some kittens don't like it

Buy Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Healthy Kitten Recipe on Amazon for $24.99

Why you'll love it: Rich in protein and moisture to improve palatability, the Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Canned Food offers complete and balanced nutrition for kittens with wholesome, natural ingredients.

A kitten's baby teeth start to grow in around three-weeks-old and their permanent teeth grow in around three to four months. As your kitten transitions from his mother's milk to solid food, he may find wet food more palatable and easier to chew.

Many cat owners choose to continue feeding their kittens wet food because it tends to be higher in both moisture and protein content than commercial dry food. Our top pick for the best wet food for kittens is Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Canned Food.

This food comes in a smooth, palatable loaf loaded with fresh chicken and chicken liver. As a grain-free recipe, it features fresh carrots, cranberries, and flaxseed as the only carbohydrate ingredients, all of which supply essential nutrients. This formula is rich in omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat with chelated minerals nutritional balance. These are mineral supplements that have been chemically bound to protein molecules to increase absorption.

The Idle Cat says this food is easy for kittens to eat and highly appealing flavor-wise. The reviewer also notes that it contains taurine, a nutrient essential for heart and eye development. The Spruce recommends this food because of its high-quality, natural ingredients.

With more than 300 reviews on Amazon, this Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Canned Food has a 4.1-star rating and carries an Amazon's Choice award.

Pros: Real chicken as first ingredient, grain-free for digestibility, rich in moisture and natural flavor, plenty of omega fatty acids, chelated minerals for increased absorption

Cons: Contains some thickeners (some kittens may be sensitive), some kittens don't seem to like it

Buy Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Food on Amazon for $29.52

Why you'll love it: Made with several sources of premium animal protein and packed with essential fatty acids, Blue Buffalo's holistic kitten food will support your kitten's growth and development with high-quality nutrition and natural ingredients.

Dry cat food is typically the most convenient and cost-effective option. Not only can you save money by buying in bulk, but dry food has a longer shelf-life than wet food and it provides some dental benefits as well.

When shopping for dry kitten food, you need to check for high protein content, moderate fat content, and low carb content. Our top pick for the best dry food for kittens is Blue Buffalo Healthy Growth Kitten Recipe Dry Food.

It features real chicken as the first ingredient with chicken meal and menhaden fish meal as concentrated sources of supplemental protein. It provides the ideal balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for skin and coat support, with supplemental fiber and probiotics to ensure healthy digestion.

This recipe contains fresh fruits and vegetables as natural sources for key nutrients with vitamins and chelated minerals to ensure nutritional balance. Overall, it provides 36% protein and 20% fat with 3.5% fiber.

The Blue Buffalo Healthy Growth Kitten Recipe Dry Food has been given an Amazon's Choice award and carries a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with more than 450 reviews. It is also included in Best Reviews Guide's list of top 10 picks for the best kitten food.

Cat owners love the quality ingredients and high digestibility, though there are some comments about the inclusion of grains including brewer's rice, which some kittens are sensitive to.

Pros: Real meat as first three ingredients, rich in omega fatty acids, fresh fruits and vegetables, nutritionally complete and balanced, supplemental fiber and probiotics

Cons: Not a grain-free recipe (some kittens may be sensitive), contains some plant protein (pea protein), contains brewer's rice (some kittens may be allergic)

Buy Blue Buffalo Healthy Growth Kitten Recipe Dry Food on Amazon for $19.98

Why you'll love it: Made with real chicken and formulated with highly digestible grain-free carbohydrates, Blue Buffalo's grain-free recipe provides your kitten with a nutritious source of protein for healthy growth and essential fatty acids for skin and coat support.

There is a great deal of controversy surrounding grain-free diets for pets, but the fact remains that cats are obligate carnivores and have a limited ability to digest plant products. Choosing a grain-free cat food doesn't necessarily guarantee that it will also be low in carbohydrates, but many kittens have an easier time digesting grain-free food. If you're considering a grain-free diet for your kitten, we recommend Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free Kitten Indoor Recipe.

This food has it all. Not only does it feature protein-rich chicken as the first ingredient, but it contains digestible grain-free carbohydrates, plenty of omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. Uniquely formulated for indoor kittens, this recipe contains cranberries for urinary tract health and supplemental fiber to reduce litter box odor. Nutritionally complete and balanced with 10% crude protein and 7% fat (45% and 32% dry matter), this recipe is just what your kitten needs to grow up healthy.

The Spruce recommends this food and notes the additional benefit that it is free from by-products, artificial additives, and low-quality fillers. Catalogical reviews this product favorably as well, commenting that it is loaded with protein and very low in carbohydrates compared to many similar products.

This Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free Kitten Indoor Recipe carries a four-star rating on Amazon with more than 120 reviews. Cat owners love the quality of the ingredients and high protein content, though there are comments about some kittens disliking the food.

Pros: Real meat as the first ingredient, digestible grain-free carbohydrates, rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, fresh fruits and vegetables

Cons: Contains several thickening agents including carrageenan, contains an unnamed source of fat (fish oil vs. salmon oil), may be too high in fat for some kittens

Buy Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free Kitten Indoor Kitten Recipe on Amazon for $28.99