Complete kitten foods sold in the UK compared on what they cost per day for a 4-month-old kitten weighing 2 kg (expected adult weight about 4 kg), using each maker's feeding guide.
Dry, complete. Complete dry kitten foods here cost £0.27–£0.78 a day.
Wet, complete. 3½–4 pouches a day at 12–26 weeks.
Wet, complete, grain-free. Chicken, pork, trout and beef make up 65% of the recipe.
Cost per day uses each maker's feeding guide for a 4-month-old kitten weighing 2 kg (expected adult weight about 4 kg) and the one-off price on zooplus UK, with no voucher or Repeat discount. Larger bags and multipacks are often cheaper per day.
Showing 8 of 8.
| Best for | Price and pack | Maker's daily amount | How we worked out the cost | 30 days | Main protein (label) | Ad | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purina Pro Plan Kitten Healthy Start (chicken), dryDry, complete (label: complete diet for kittens 1–12 months) | The lowest daily cost of the dry kitten foods here that list a meat first (chicken 20%). | £22.19 for 3 kg bag | 65 g at 4 months (dry only) | £22.19 ÷ 3,000 g × 65 g | £14.40 | Chicken 20%, then dried poultry protein | £0.48checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Whiskas Kitten 2–12 Months with Chicken, dryDry, complete (label: complete food for growing cats) | The lowest daily cost of all the kitten foods we compared. | £7.79 for 1.9 kg bag | 65–75 g at 4–5 months | £7.79 ÷ 1,900 g × 65–75 g | £8.10–£9.30 | Cereals first; 4% chicken in the brown kibble | £0.27–£0.31checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Hill's Science Plan Kitten <1 with Chicken, dryDry, complete (label: complete food for cats) | The highest declared poultry content of the dry kitten foods here (45%). | £28.09 for 3 kg bag | 70 g for a 2 kg kitten aged 4–6 months | £28.09 ÷ 3,000 g × 70 g | £19.80 | Chicken and turkey meal (45% poultry in total) | £0.66checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Royal Canin Kitten, dryDry, complete (label: for cats aged 4–12 months) | Feeding guide set by both age and weight, so the amount for a 2 kg kitten is exact. | £40.59 for 4 kg bag | 66 g for a 2 kg kitten at 3–4 months | £40.59 ÷ 4,000 g × 66 g | £20.10 | Dried poultry protein, then rice (no % declared) | £0.67checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| James Wellbeloved Kitten Turkey & Rice, dryDry, complete (label: complete cat food) | A single named animal protein (turkey), labelled hypoallergenic by the maker. | £16.69 for 1.5 kg bag | 60–70 g at 4–5 months | £16.69 ÷ 1,500 g × 60–70 g | £20.10–£23.40 | Dried turkey protein 26%, then white rice 21% | £0.67–£0.78checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Felix Kitten As Good As It Looks (in jelly), wetWet, complete (label: complete wet food for kittens) | The lowest daily cost of the complete wet kitten foods here. | £8.99 for 24 × 85 g pouches | 3½–4 pouches a day at 12–26 weeks | £8.99 ÷ 24 pouches × 3½–4 pouches | £39.30–£45.00 | Meat and animal derivatives 18–20% (e.g. 8% chicken) | £1.31–£1.50checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Royal Canin Kitten in Gravy, wetWet, complete (label: for kittens up to 12 months) | Feeding guide by expected adult weight, and pairs with Royal Canin Kitten dry for mixed feeding. | £12.59 for 12 × 85 g pouches | 3 pouches a day at 4 months (expected adult weight 4 kg) | £12.59 ÷ 12 pouches × 3 pouches | £94.50 | Meat and animal by-products (no % declared) | £3.15checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
| Lily's Kitchen Chicken Paté for Kittens, wetWet, complete (maker: nutritionally complete grain-free wet food) | The highest declared meat content of the kitten foods here (65% named meat). | £24.19 for 19 × 85 g trays | 255–310 g for a 1.5–2 kg kitten aged 4–9 months | £24.19 ÷ 1,615 g × 255–310 g | £114.60–£139.20 | Chicken 30%, pork 21%, trout 10%, beef 4% (65% named meat) | £3.82–£4.64checked 21 Oct 2026 | ViewAd |
£22.19 ÷ 3,000 g × 65 g
£7.79 ÷ 1,900 g × 65–75 g
£28.09 ÷ 3,000 g × 70 g
£40.59 ÷ 4,000 g × 66 g
£16.69 ÷ 1,500 g × 60–70 g
£8.99 ÷ 24 pouches × 3½–4 pouches
£12.59 ÷ 12 pouches × 3 pouches
£24.19 ÷ 1,615 g × 255–310 g
Prices, feeding amounts and labels from the zooplus UK pages linked, checked on 21 October 2026. 30 days = cost per day × 30.
What we did
What we did not do
Sources checked
Prices and terms change. Confirm on the retailer's page before you buy.
Dry, complete (label: complete diet for kittens 1–12 months)
Why it made the list
The lowest daily cost of the dry kitten foods here that list a meat first (chicken 20%).
£22.19 ÷ 3,000 g × 65 g
Dry, complete (label: complete food for growing cats)
Why it made the list
The lowest daily cost of all the kitten foods we compared.
Watch out for
Cereals are the first ingredient and the label gives only 4% chicken in one kibble type.
£7.79 ÷ 1,900 g × 65–75 g
Dry, complete (label: complete food for cats)
Why it made the list
The highest declared poultry content of the dry kitten foods here (45%).
£28.09 ÷ 3,000 g × 70 g
Dry, complete (label: for cats aged 4–12 months)
Why it made the list
Feeding guide set by both age and weight, so the amount for a 2 kg kitten is exact.
Watch out for
The label starts at 4 months; no total meat percentage is declared.
£40.59 ÷ 4,000 g × 66 g
Dry, complete (label: complete cat food)
Why it made the list
A single named animal protein (turkey), labelled hypoallergenic by the maker.
£16.69 ÷ 1,500 g × 60–70 g
Wet, complete (label: complete wet food for kittens)
Why it made the list
The lowest daily cost of the complete wet kitten foods here.
Watch out for
Meat content is low (18–20% meat and animal derivatives) compared with Lily's Kitchen.
£8.99 ÷ 24 pouches × 3½–4 pouches
Wet, complete (label: for kittens up to 12 months)
Why it made the list
Feeding guide by expected adult weight, and pairs with Royal Canin Kitten dry for mixed feeding.
£12.59 ÷ 12 pouches × 3 pouches
Wet, complete (maker: nutritionally complete grain-free wet food)
Why it made the list
The highest declared meat content of the kitten foods here (65% named meat).
Watch out for
The highest daily cost here.
£24.19 ÷ 1,615 g × 255–310 g
There is no single best food for every kitten. What matters most is that the label says complete and is for kittens, so it is designed to be the whole diet for a growing cat. After that, the differences we could measure are cost and what the label declares: the dry foods here cost £0.27–£0.78 a day for a 4-month-old kitten weighing 2 kg (expected adult weight about 4 kg), the wet foods £1.31–£4.64, and declared meat ranges from 4% chicken in one kibble (Whiskas) to 65% named meat (Lily's Kitchen).
The FEDIAF nutritional guidelines put a kitten's energy need at 2.0–2.5 times adult maintenance up to 4 months, 1.75–2.0 times at 4–9 months and 1.5 times at 9–12 months, which is why feeding guides rise and then level off. Work out your kitten's calories with our cat food portion calculator.
International Cat Care notes that cats tend to concentrate their urine rather than drink more, so cats fed dry food should be encouraged to drink, and that some cats form wet or dry preferences as kittens. Several guides here give a mixed-feeding amount: Royal Canin, for example, gives one Kitten in Gravy pouch plus 45 g of Kitten dry a day for a 4-month-old expected to reach 4 kg.
Prices differ between retailers. Lily's Kitchen's own shop listed the Chicken Paté for Kittens, 19 × 85 g pack at £21.50 on 21 October 2026, against £24.19 on zooplus, which brings the daily cost for this kitten to £3.39–£4.13. Delivery charges differ too, so compare the basket total.
Every kitten food we compared is labelled for kittens up to about 12 months. Change food gradually: several makers' guides here (James Wellbeloved, Whiskas, Purina) say to introduce a new food gradually. For cats that are neutered or live indoors, International Cat Care notes that they need fewer calories, so check the adult food's guide for “indoor” or “neutered” amounts. See our adult cat food comparison and what food costs over a month in the cat food cost guide.
Setting up for a new kitten? Our new kitten checklist covers the rest, and kitten insurance explains cover. If your kitten has a sensitive stomach, see cat food for sensitive stomachs; if you are worried about your kitten's eating, weight or stools, contact your vet.
Choose a food labelled complete for kittens. Of the eight complete kitten foods we compared, dry foods cost £0.27–£0.78 a day and wet foods £1.31–£4.64 a day for a 4-month-old kitten weighing 2 kg (expected adult weight about 4 kg). Whiskas Kitten dry was the cheapest; Lily's Kitchen paté declares the most meat (65%). If your kitten has a health condition, ask your vet.
For a 4-month-old kitten weighing 2 kg (expected adult weight about 4 kg), from about £0.27 a day (£8.10–£9.30 for 30 days) for Whiskas Kitten dry to £4.64 a day for Lily's Kitchen kitten paté, at one-off zooplus UK prices on 21 October 2026. Costs rise as your kitten grows and eats more.
Every kitten food we compared is labelled for kittens up to about 12 months (Royal Canin: 4–12 months; Purina Pro Plan: 1–12 months; Whiskas: 2–12 months; Hill's: under 1 year). Ask your vet when to switch if your kitten is a large breed or has been neutered early and is putting on weight.
Kitten food is made for growth. International Cat Care says growing kittens need more protein and calories, while neutered or indoor cats need fewer calories, so an adult cat is better on an adult food. Speak to your vet if your adult cat needs to gain weight.
Usually, per gram. Lily's Kitchen's kitten paté label gives 96 kcal per 100 g against 90 kcal for its adult Smooth Paté. FEDIAF puts a kitten's energy need at 1.75–2.0 times adult maintenance at 4–9 months.
Tell us and we will check it. Corrections are dated on the page and listed in our corrections log.