What's a good kitten food to start out on?

I will likely get as many different answers as those who post replies to this question, but here goes. I'll take at least one, probably two babies home within the next couple of weeks or so, and I'm thinking in terms of taking some kitten food out so that they can be transitioning to a food I'll be feeding them when I bring them home. :wow

I was strongly considering using Purina One Kitten Growth & Development. If I understand the label correctly, it's also okay for lactating females. BTW, mom cat looks pregnant again already.

Should the Purina One furnish them with adequate nutrients to get them through the baby stage?

I feed my five cats Purina One kitten Growth and Development.

My cats do very well on it.

All "kitten formulas are adaquete if your looking for what is best ... look at the pet store for Nutro natural choice or max kitten , Royal Canin baby cat these have no by products are reasonabley priced and have no chemical presevatives

Sharky beat me to it I agree with the brands listed. Here are the ingredients from the Purina One Growth and Development, I've bolded all ingredients I'd not choose to feed my kittens.

"Ingredients

Chicken, chicken by-product meal, soy flour, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), fish meal (source of DHA), whole grain corn, non-fat yogurt, poultry by-product meal, animal digest, wheat gluten, phosphoric acid, salt, brewers dried yeast"

Just my opinion.

i use science diet for my cats, they all got a wonderful shiny coat and get all their vitamins and such.

although yes they're are higher quality foods out there we use a Purina One, and Purina Pro plan mix for all our kits. and the vet is very very impressed with them. She couldnt belive how soft Lily and Lace's coats were on their last visit and I have even noticed less eye goopers (persians). All in all shes pleased with them.

Most important is a quality food (try to stay away from meow mix and the likes) that fits your budjet and that the kits like!

Nutro is good product, we use the nutro wet pouches here with the Purina dry. Congrats on the little ones!

Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

Chicken, chicken by-product meal, soy flour, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), fish meal (source of DHA), whole grain corn, non-fat yogurt, poultry by-product meal, animal digest, wheat gluten, phosphoric acid, salt, brewers dried yeast"

Click to expand...

just adding to what you said...my vet told me that alot of pet food manufacturers are using soy in their foods and she has noticed alot cats do not tolerate soy. she said it is being used as another cheap protein source. (one of my cats has an intolerance for soy--it's even in canned foods!)

Thanks for sharing that...yep, I don't see the reason for the soy!

I'm with Pat and Sharky on this one. Go with Nutro!

Science Diet, Purina, Iams and Eukanuba are no better than the cheap brands like Meow Mix, Nine Lives and Friskies. Why? Because they use cheap ingredients, too. By products are the inedible parts of an animal (boiled down beaks & claws, intestines, genitals, blood, etc.) Corn is not good for cats, either. What about animal digest? Don't get me started.

Some of the brands that used to be good have been adding garlic. Garlic irritates a cats esophagus and can cause asthma. Over time, garlic will disrupt a cat's red blood cell production causing serious illness and even death. For that reason, it's best to stay away from Wellness and Innova.

Nutro doesn't cost any more than Iams and, unlike Iams, it has top quality ingredients. That's the brand I feed my kitty and that's the brand I recommend.

I used to feed my kittens the Purina Kitten, but as soon as I started them on Iams, they have more energy, softer coat, and seem healthier.

I'm surprised at some of the comments about the Purina feeds. As big a manufacturer as they are of animal feeds, it's interesting they'd put such by-products and stuff into cat feeds.

My vet recommended Iams, Eukanuba, or Science Diet. We picked Iams.

Another vote for Nutro. My cats are on the Complete Care Adult right now, and doing great. Less shedding, their poo isn't as stinky, and they LOVE it. They get measured amounts twice a day because they are too fat, and they are right there to eat and clean it up. Good kitties!
Purina seems to be bottom of the line, in my opinion. Thier dog food is full of corn, chicken by products, and dyes (Beneful is WORSE than Dog Chow), thier cat food is pretty much the same. Some horse people I know aren't too happy with thier horse feed. I don't put much stock in Purina. My cats didn't do nearly as well on the Purina as they do now that they are getting thier Nutro.

Amber