The 7 Best Kitten Foods of 2025, Recommended by Vets

Updated Dec. 31, 2024
Two kittens eating food. The best kitten foods are complete and balanced for their life stage.

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All products in this article have been reviewed by our trusted vets and experts. PetMD is owned by Chewy.

Welcoming a new kitten into your home is always an exciting experience, and nothing compares to the joy of watching them explore their new world. As cat parents, we want what's best for these little furballs, especially during their crucial growth stages and overall development.

Everything Our Vets Recommend

Just like humans, kittens require a balanced and nutritious diet to support their growing bones, including the right mix of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and essential nutrients. The best food for kitten health ensures they grow up healthy, strong, and full of energy to pounce and play.

When it comes to feeding your kitten, the type of food you choose will depend on not only their health, but also their age. Your veterinarian can help you determine the best kitten food, especially if you have a weaning kitten or need to invest in kitten formula before wet or dry kitten food.

Our team of veterinarians sifted through countless options to bring you the best kitten food that will meet the unique needs of your growing kitten.


Our Vet Pick: Best in Show Dry Food

Nourishing, DHA-formulated dry kitten food for a healthy start

Our vet team agrees this Hill’s Science product is the best dry food for kitten health. What they particularly love about this kitten food option is its high-quality ingredients specially curated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist.

Aside from having a good balance of prebiotics, omegas, and antioxidants, it’s also specially formulated with DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) to support healthy brain and eye development. Plus, it's approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), highly digestible, and has a taste guarantee—all without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Things to Consider
  • Formulated with DHA
  • High-quality ingredients
  • Formulated and balanced by a vet-certified veterinary nutritionist
  • AAFCO-approved
  • No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

Honorable Mention: Best in Show Dry Food

Crunchy kibble with meaty shredded pieces for picky eaters

We had to give a shout-out to Purina as a close runner-up. This kitten diet is highly recommended by our vets for nutritional support that is complete and balanced for kittens. It boasts chicken as the first ingredient, and includes high-quality ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids (including DHA) for brain and vision development. It also has live probiotics to support digestion and immune health. 

Things to Consider
  • Formulated with DHA
  • Chicken is the first ingredient
  • AAFCO-approved
  • Delicious combination of kibble and meaty, shredded pieces

Our Vet Pick: Best in Show Wet Food

Tasty wet cat food for healthy digestive and immune systems

Our vets’ pick for the best wet food for kitten health, this Hill’s Science Diet product is a great choice thanks to its high-quality ingredients and well-balanced diet. From a brand known for its rigorous long-term feeding trials, this kitty food is enriched with prebiotics, DHA, and age-appropriate vitamins and minerals.

This wet kitten kibble also has prebiotic fiber that not only aids in digestive health but also strengthens the immune system. It also has DHA, which supports vital brain and eye development. Our vets note that wet food can seamlessly blend with Hill’s Science Diet dry kitten food to help kittens transition to dry food.

Things to Consider
  • Soft enough for weaning kittens
  • AAFCO-approved
  • Formulated with prebiotics, vitamins, and minerals
  • Free of artificial flavors and preservatives

Our Vet Pick: Best for Weaning Kittens

Gentle, balanced nutrition for your kitten's first solid food

For weaning kittens, our vet experts recommend this canned kitten food from Royal Canin for its soft mousse texture that’s gentle on tender gums.

Formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists, this cat mousse offers a nutritionally balanced diet, complete with immune support and prebiotics for a healthy digestive system.

It’s also formulated with DHA from fish oil, which can support eye and brain development. Highly digestible and easy on tiny tummies, this product is the best food for weaning kittens.

Things to Consider
  • Soft mousse texture is gentle on weaning gums
  • Contains fish oil
  • Suitable for nursing mother cats
  • Formulated with DHA and prebiotics
  • Pricier than other options

Our Vet Pick: Best Powder Formula

A powder formula that provides essential nourishment for newborn kittens

The PetAg KMR Powder Milk wins our vets’ choice for the best powder formula for kittens. This milk replacer provides a complete and balanced diet for newborn, orphaned, or rejected kittens, as it closely mirrors the protein and energy ratios found in mother's milk. It’s also the number one-selling milk replacer in the U.S.

Enriched with prebiotics and probiotics, it supports immune function and is designed to be easy on the digestive system. It is also formulated with a special fiber blend to further improve gut health. As it meets the AAFCO-prescribed cat nutrient profiles, it’s also a suitable supplement for nursing and post-weaned kittens. When searching for what to feed a newborn kitten during bottle feeding, this is a great choice.

If you’re weaning kittens at home, PetAg also offers a complete kitten nursing kit that includes a bottle, latex-silicone nipples, and a cleaning brush.

Things to Consider
  • For kittens newborn to 6 weeks of age
  • AAFCO-approved
  • Enriched with prebiotics and probiotics
  • Mimics nutrient profile of natural mother’s milk in protein, fat, and carbohydrates
  • Good supplement for nursing and post-weaned kittens

Our Vet Pick: Best Liquid Formula

Ready-to-feed milk replacer for kittens’ early nutrition

This liquid kitten formula, also made by PetAg, delivers a complete and balanced diet, perfect for newborns, orphaned, or rejected kittens, and even adult cats requiring extra nutrition. Available in a consistent, ready-to-feed formula, this makes it a great and convenient choice for busy cat parents.

The probiotics and prebiotics help promote easy digestion and a strong immune system for newborns. It also meets AAFCO’s strict nutritional standards while maintaining an all-natural composition with no preservatives.

Things to Consider
  • For kittens newborn to 6 weeks of age
  • Comes in a ready-to-feed formula
  • 72-hour shelf life once opened; can be frozen and stored up to six weeks
  • All-natural with no preservatives
  • Easy to digest and gentle on the stomach

Our Vet Pick: Best Budget

Affordable, nutritious support for your kitty’s health.

If you're on a budget but still looking for the best cat food for kitten health, our vets highly recommend IAMS ProActive Health Kitten Dry Cat Food.

Without hurting your wallet, this choice offers a well-balanced diet formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists. It's designed to support healthy kitten growth, featuring DHA that may support cognitive development, vitamin E to help with a growing immune system, and a blend of probiotics and beet pulp to support a kitten’s digestive health.

Plus, it’s made with real chicken for a tasty flavor that’s a hit with picky felines. Made by IAMS, a vet-trusted brand, it underscores a commitment to pet health.

Things to Consider
  • Budget-friendly
  • No artificial preservatives
  • Small kibble size for easy chewing
  • Contains real chicken
  • AAFCO-approved