What is the best food for a nursing cat?

mommy-cat and kittens

An estimated 220 million cats live all over the world and they devour over $15 billion in wet food per year. Cat food is therefore a huge market and accordingly there are many different products for our favorite pet. But how can I find out the best food for my cat. Many producers often mix almost unidentifiable additives into the food, some of which can harm the cat. Sugar is also often mixed into the food, as it makes the contents look nicer. But the cat can not taste the sugar, the animal gets from it at most tooth decay and weight problems.

Different types of meat entice the buyer who wants to treat his cat to something special, but it is important to pay attention to how much meat content is actually in the food. Unfortunately, there is no law that forces manufacturers to ensure a minimum proportion. For example, it is quite permissible to label a can with 4% chicken meat as “chicken meat”, although the feed is mainly composed of other substances. To fill up the feed can then cereals, rice or even soy is used. Therefore, when buying feed, always pay close attention to the composition. Here, the high meat content is particularly important for our four-legged friends.

It is also important to note that there are different types of food that either alone, or combined lead to the proper nutritional supply of your cat Many manufacturers indicate feeding instructions on the package, for example, a food that does not require additional products for a complete nutritional supply is particularly excellent. We also need to distinguish between dry food and wet food when it comes to types of food. Since cats absorb most of their liquid requirements through the food, wet food is preferable here.

Observe eating habits and favorite tastes

mama cat feeding kittens
What to feed a mom cat? If you have now found a good product, unfortunately, this does not mean that this also tastes the cat. Cats are rather picky about food. This is due to the fact that cats are habitual eaters. This is where smell comes into play with our favorite animals in particular. So if a cat is fed with a certain food from its young age, it is difficult to get it used to something else. This is also the reason why food manufacturers like to give away free kitten starter packs. The kittens get this free food and then get so used to it that they hardly want to eat anything else.

An easier transition to a new food can be achieved by offering the same flavor. Sometimes you have to reach a little deeper into the bag of tricks to teach the animal a new habit.

Cat food at fair prices

Dry food and wet food with a high meat content and without harmful ingredients unfortunately often has its price. Since bad food can be reflected later on the vet bill, many accept the higher price, however. We show you that you can still save with a few tricks with high quality cat food.

TIP: Since cats are habitual eaters and the food and the cans also stay fresh a little longer, it is advisable to buy in larger quantities, or to use savings subscriptions. Also don’t forget about cashback when buying on Amazon, etc.

What should a nursing mother cat eat?

We have compiled a short checklist for you, which contains the most important characteristics for high-quality cat food.

  1. High meat content

    In a good feed should be at least 50% meat. Also make sure that good meat has been processed and is not only declared as “animal by-products” in the list of ingredients.

  2. No grain

    It should not contain cereals, because many cats have problems with it and do not tolerate it. Other vegetable content should also be clearly declared and not exceed 10%.

  3. High liquid content

    Cats absorb much of their fluid needs through food, so fluid levels should be high.

  4. Additives

    Good cat food should not contain sugar and other additives. Especially high phosphorus content can lead to kidney problems.

  5. Minerals

    It should contain all the important minerals and, moreover, be well tolerated.

The test winners

We tested a wide variety of cat food and chose the following products as the winner. A more detailed report on the cat food test can be found here.

Top #1

Best food for mama cat - test winner #1

Iams Proactive Health Adult Indoor Weight & Hairball Control Cat Food




  • Brand: Iams
  • Chicken or Salmon
  • Size: 3.5 lb. / 7 lb. / 16 lb. / 22 lb.
  • Optimal Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acid ratio

Top #2

Top #2 tested food for adult mama cat

Hill’s Science Diet Dry Cat Food, Adult, Chicken Recipe




  • Brand: Hill’s Science Diet
  • Flavor: Chicken
  • Size: 4 lb / 7 lb / 16 lb
  • Adult dry cat food with taurine for heart health, plus balanced minerals for kidney and bladder health

Top #3

Top #3 product in mommy cat test food

Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Adult Instinctive Loaf in Sauce Canned




  • Brand: Royal Canin
  • Item Form: Gravy, Wet
  • 3 Ounce: (Pack of 6) / (Pack of 12) / (Pack of 24)
  • Satisfies even the pickiest eaters with an instinctively preferred ratio of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates

Good cat food list

What would cats most like to eat? Probably mice. This does not surprise us at all, because mice are so to speak the ideal food for our little fur tigers. To get the food, the cat is first animated to move and stimulate the metabolism, furthermore, the composition of a mouse offers a very good nutritional content and high-quality proteins. This is crucial for the growth and also later for the health of the cat: the liver as well as kidneys are spared, because not so many superfluous amino acids as with vegetable protein must be converted and excreted. It is also important to take a balanced ratio of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and taurine, so that the body is optimally supplied.

Since we cannot and do not want to put live mice in front of our cats every day, we have to resort to cat food. There are countless brands of cat food on the market and it is often difficult to keep track of them. Especially if you are just starting to read up on the proper feeding habits of cats. We made it our mission to make the choice a little easier. That’s why we’ve put together a list of good cat food and good cat food brands.

  • Iams
  • Purina
  • Rachael Ray
  • Meow Mix
  • Hill’s Science
  • 9Lives
  • Blue Buffalo Company
  • Taste of the Wild
  • CRAVE
  • Dr. Elsey’s
  • Natural Balance
  • Royal Canin
  • Instinct
  • ORIJEN

Winner of our test video

Automatic Cat Feeder For Your Cat

Pets need love, attention and care. This automatic pet feeder helps care for your pet with customizable portions and feeding schedules, which you can quickly set with an easy-to-use LCD display, based on your pet’s age, weight and activity. So your pet is fed regularly and feels safe, closely connected to you through your voice recording, as feeding calls even if you are away.
Automatic Cat Feeder For Your Cat easy-to-use based on your pet's age, weight and activity

Cat Litter Box for Small Apartments