After testing over 150 plus food for pregnant cats, we have shortlisted these 5 best food for pregnant cats that are extremely healthy and tasty!
“With good news comes great responsibilities.”
Yes, you heard it right, now since your feline friend is expecting so get ready to welcome a new member in the family and take the charge of looking after them from the initial days only.
Now she will be eating for two, three, or five, she will require proper nutrients, calories proteins to raise her babies.
We have eased your work a bit by researching rich quality food products. So, you don’t have to waste your time reviewing thousands of food products.
We have shortlisted the best food for pregnant cats which are easily available in the market. Check out the reviews and consult with your pet’s vet for a better understanding.
Food for Pregnant Cats Reviews by Veterinarians – Our 2023 Favorites
Best Overall
Purina One Healthy Kitten Formula Food
- Made with real chicken and essential nutrients.
- Crunchy kibbles are easily eatable.
- No fillers are added, which helps to boost the immune system.
Editor’s Pick
Royal Canin Feline Care Nutrition Cat Food
- Highly recommend it for pregnant cats.
- Includes vitamins and minerals.
- Helps to antioxidant kitty’s body.
Affordable Pick
The 5 Best Vet Recommended Food for Pregnant Cats
The responsibility of pet parents gets doubled during their feline’s pregnancy. They have to look after their feline friend’s diet, plus essential substances are being provided to the unborn kittens via meal or not.
Feeding the right meal will begin when you select appropriate food for your cat. You don’t need specially formulated food for pregnant cats, just need the correct food that offers high proteins, calcium, vitamins, other essential substances for the proper growth of a baby.
We have prepared a review list of the best food for pregnant cats that will help you to select the right one for your would-be mother cat.
Let’s get straight to the review section.
1. Purina One Healthy Kitten Formula Food
Our overall premium pick is healthy dry food by Purina One Store because it includes DHA, and nutrients that will aid in the healthy development of the unborn kitten’s brain and give strong vision.
This appetizing dish gives your feline friend a delicious taste that will tempt her taste buds, as well as food, which contains high-quality proteins that will help in the body development of the baby.
So fill your kitty’s tummy with this veterinarian recommendation dish, which is good for both mother and baby’s health.
To conclude, we think this is the overall best food for pregnant cats.
Pros:
- It is made with real chicken and essential nutrients which is good for your kitty as it boosts energy level in her body that aid to give physical and mental strength which is very important during the pregnancy period.
- This solid food has crunchy kibble small texture which is easily eatable by your feline friend, and she will enjoy grazing the whole day, as well as it helps to keep her teeth clean.
- In this dry cat food, no fillers are added it is made of all-natural ingredients which means your kitty will get a healthy meal only during her pregnancy and also help in building a strong immune system of a baby.
Cons:
- The ingredient includes corn gluten, which might take time to digest.
2. Royal Canin Feline Care Nutrition Cat Food
The Soft Mousse Wet Cat Food by Royal Canin is our editor’s pick from the pregnant cat food product available in the market. Its soft mousse in the sauce makes it our top choice as it is loved by the majority of cats and kittens. Besides being one of the best cat foods for pregnant cats, this recipe is also recommended for mother cats and baby cats.
The fluffy mousse texture gives a tempting look, which is easily eatable by your pregnant cat. The food ingredients include high proteins and prebiotics, which help to digest the food easily.
Here’s a tip for you mix this wet food with a dry one, it will give great taste to your feline taste buds and is good for her body development as she will get more calories.
Pros:
- It contains all-natural ingredients and no artificial flavors to give food a better taste, so it is highly recommended for pregnant cats as their body will get healthy ingredients only.
- All needed vitamins and minerals are added to this food for pregnant cats product to give proper development of the kitten’s body.
- The ingredients of this food boost her immune system, which helps to antioxidant your kitty’s body and increases the strengthening power to carry her babies.
Cons:
- Carrageenan is added to this food, which is not the fit for a few sensitive cats as they cannot eat it.
- This food for pregnant cats is too costly as compared to other available ones.
3. Purina Kitten Chow Dry Food
The kitten chow dry food by Purina is our budget-friendly pick among the best cat food for pregnant cats on the market. Purina’s offers high-quality food at a lower price, so it has to be our top pick choice. It includes essential vitamins and minerals for the better development of the baby.
One of the main ingredients of this food is real chicken, which provides high proteins to develop babies’ muscles. It also includes DHA which is good for your pregnant cat as it helps in developing the baby’s brain and gives good eyesight.
Pros:
- The kitten chow food can be refrigerated, it will not get soiled.
- It comes in different textures/shapes which attracts cats to eat it and the food has a tempting smell, so your feline friend won’t be able to resist herself for a long time.
- Essential nutrients are present in this food ingredient, the same as those found in mother’s milk.
- No additives like colors, flavors are added to this food ingredient which makes it an ideal choice for a pregnant cat’s meal, only healthy substances will be consumed by her.
Cons:
- The snag of this food for pregnant cats is that it includes corn gluten, which takes time to digest.
4. Hill’s Science Diet Dry Food for Pregnant Cats
The dry food by Hill’s Science is one of the best options for pregnant cats as it includes DHA which is extracted from fish oil that helps in developing a baby’s brain and also gives strong eyesight to them.
The consumption of this dry food by your pregnant cat will aid in the development of lean muscle of the litter because its ingredient includes high-quality protein, which is good for a pregnant cat.
Pros:
- It includes all-natural ingredients and balances the minerals portion to give strong muscle to the baby.
- This dry food comes in a small texture and is easily chewable by your kitty.
- Easily digestible as it comes in small kibble size so easily break down in the kitty’s mouth which leads to fast digestive procedure.
Cons:
- You can serve this dry food for pregnant cats only until she gives birth to her baby because it is not suitable for long-term feeding to adult cats.
5. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free Food
The high-protein cat food by Blue buffalo store is made from real chicken and is grain-free. For your pregnant kitty, it is one of the great choices as it also includes DHA, which is good for the brain development of unborn kittens.
The wet kitten food for pregnant cats contains high proteins and has a smooth texture to attract the feline’s attention, which she can’t resist. It helps to chew, swallow the food properly, and is easily digestible.
Pros:
- Apart from the real chicken, the food ingredients also include fruits and vegetables, which aid to increase vitamins and minerals in her body for the proper development of babies.
- The food doesn’t contain wheat, corn, artificial flavors, which means your pregnant feline can have a healthy meal.
- The food smells delicious, which is a plus point to attract the kitty so that she can finish her meal.
Cons:
- The food may cause diarrhea issues to some pregnant cats, so to avoid this issue, better to offer a small proportion of food and observe your kitty for a few days.
How to Choose the Perfect Food for Pregnant Cats?
Choosing the appropriate diet plan for your kitty during her pregnancy is important because her body will need more proteins, calories, and nutrients consumption to deliver a healthy kitten. A regular diet will not boost her immune system.
So, it is important to go through the food ingredients that will give you an idea of which will fulfill the nutritional needs of your pregnant feline friend.
A bit of advice for you, if you notice, that she starts to lose weight during her pregnancy, then immediately contact your vet to avoid complications.
Dry Food V/S Wet Food
Your cat will decide what kind of food she wants, so it solely depends on her preference. According to the survey, it was found that dry food for pregnant cats includes more calories as compared to wet foods. Feeding wet foods mean you have to give her frequently, which might lead to overeating also.
If your cat likes only wet food then you can do one thing, mix a small portion of wet food with a dry one and serve it as a combo meal.
Food Quality
Your feline friend needs a rich meal during her pregnancy to give proper nourishment to a fetus that helps them in developing and growing. A rich meal includes proteins, nutrients, omega fats, vitamins, etc.
Meat is the best source that contains high protein, so make sure to look for meat as the first ingredient. It gives would-be mother cat strength and extra energy as she is going to give birth to new life and throughout her pregnancy period she will need high-protein consumption.
She will also need essential nutrients in her body like docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which help out to develop her overall body to carry a healthy kitten. So before buying, do check out the nutrients.
Apart from all these she also needs an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals in her body to keep her healthy which helps babies to develop a strong immunity system.
Digestibility
Before buying food for your pregnant cat, don’t forget to check the digestibility ratio because it is one of the important factors as it aid to provide more calories. As cats have less abdomen space during pregnancy and the body requires energy, it’s better to give them a healthy diet that can digest easily.
FAQs About Food for Pregnant Cats
Which is the best food for pregnant cats?
Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula Food and Royal Canin Feline Care Nutrition Cat Food comes under the best food for pregnant cats list available in the market. They provide essential nutrients, high proteins, DHA for the proper body development of both mother and baby. No fillers are added, so these two are the ideal choice for pregnant cats’ meals.
How much does food for pregnant cats cost?
Basic rich quality food for pregnant cats will cost you under $14 to $43. The best premium high-quality food is also available in the market, which will cost you under $25 to $96.
Can I feed the kitten food to the pregnant cat?
Kitten food is rich in nutrients, proteins, which exactly your feline friend needs during her pregnancy. So yeah, you can add kitten food to their diet and start feeding them from early-stage only and continue until they give birth. This will help your kitty to stay healthy and strong so that she can raise her baby.
How much should pregnant cats eat?
Your pregnant cat will tend to eat more than usual during her pregnancy period. Their food intake ratio will increase gradually from the early weeks of pregnancy until she gives birth. She will be eating 50% more than her usual diet, and she might experience weight gain during her pregnancy, but be careful that you don’t overfeed your cat.
Is tuna good for pregnant cats?
The majority of the cats are addicted to tuna, but if your kitty is pregnant, then it’s better not to add tuna to her regular diet. As it leads to malnutrition in the pregnant feline’s body because she will not get an adequate amount of needs nutrients in her body. Once or twice a week you can add tuna to her diet.
How often should a pregnant cat eat?
During pregnancy, the cat avoids too much eating at a time because of the pressure she gets from babies, and she doesn’t need extra meals. So it’s better to offer small meals to your feline friend, like four to six times a day. In this way, she will get a proper meal, no overeating.
Conclusion
Our overall best choice is Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula Food, this no-filler dry food contains all the essential nutrients, vitamins, proteins, and other essential substances which a pregnant cat should intake for proper growth development of her babies and also give strength to her body.
Our best choice in terms of money is Purina Kitten Chow Dry Food, this one is also a great choice, you will get rich quality for your pregnant cat at a low price.
A friendly piece of advice for you is, don’t suddenly switch your kitty’s meal routine, firstly give her a mixed meal i.e. new and old combo, and when her digestive system gets used to the new meal then switch it entirely.
So, here we would like to conclude our article, hopefully, our review on the best food for pregnant cats helps you to make a wise decision for your kitty.
References
- Feeding the pregnant cats – VCA Hospitals
- Caring for your pregnant cat – Cats Protection
- Feeding your pregnant cat – Purina