Have to find a new kitten food-possible allergies

I need some guidance. I took Bakker into vet for rabies shot and Dr. J commented on his bad breath. He also pointed out swollen gums and I mentioned the "gas". Plus Bakker always smells-I can't pinpoint any particular odor but its there!! He is thinking he might be having an allergic reaction to the cat food. Even though he is only 5 1/2 months he would not yet kitten food when I got him so he is eating the purina cat chow with the others. I do not know what he was being feed at the rescue-with so many cats I'm sure it wasn't anything special. The vet said to try Eukanuba or science diet. I picked a small trial bag of iams kitten food up and also the Eukanuba kitten. He did not want either one which is odd as I can buy any time of wet food and he will eat it!!. I also need to switch the others off of Purina cat chow anyway as Ox need to go on a senior cat food and Grizzly on a food for overweight kitties. That however does not solve my initial question of what to try. So many of us cat owners try lots of different food. Perhaps anyone with experience could provide advice????

I thought that even though vets always recommend Eukanuba or Science Diet, it's not the best food for them? Regarding Purina - my vet didn't like that I was feeding Baylee that.

I feed Baylee Nutro Natural Choice and it's pretty good, she's not as stinky as she used to be. Other good choices are Petguard (which Baylee loves), Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, California Natural, Innova, Solid Gold, Felidae...

So many choices! Personally I wouldn't feed Eukanuba or Science Diet... you DO have a wide range of cats that need different foods though so maybe do the research and see which high quality food fits what you're looking for (go on their websites?).

Good luck!

all of my kittens have eaten wellness dry food and loved it. it is in a green bag.

Oh yeah forget to add Wellness...

At 5 and a half months he should be teething, and that would explain the bad breath. I'm really surprised your vet didn't mention that. I was worried about it too when L.S. was a little over 5 months, and so the vet took the time to give me a crash course in kitten growth, just so I wouldnt' worry.

He really should be on a kitten formula. Almost every maker of cat food (even grocery store brands) now makes a kitten formula, so if he won't eat one there's always another to try.

Since I do have two at home I think I'll moisten one of them up and give it another try. I think some of this comes from teething too as he really wants to chew on stuff-I guess it never seemed so apparent with the others.

I can't say I care for Iams any longer (at one point, I was quite loyal to it, but the company changed and quality seemed to go downhill), or Eukanuba.

Some great brands have already been mentioned, my suggestions would be to consider the Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care foods, though for a senior cat, I am a little concerned over the high (7%) ash content (as-fed).

Your kitten, if you can not find a kitten dry food he'll eat, needs a quality for-kitten canned food, added to the diet OR food that states it is adequate/formulated for all lifestages...which would include a brand such as Felidae.

Actually, for all your cats, a canned diet might be the best idea. The overweight cat doesn't need the carbohydrate content that is needed to process dry food, even the very best dry food, and it is easier to control the amount with meal feeding, and the senior cat could use the extra fluids to keep hydrated. And the kitten likes it. So, best idea all around, canned. Becky