This is a specific conversation about Kitten food — the right nutrition from the start — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Congratulations on your new Selkirk Rex — what a brilliant first cat to have! Kittens have very different nutritional needs from adult cats: they need higher protein, more calories, and specific nutrients like DHA and calcium to support bone growth, muscle development, and brain function. Getting this right in the first few months sets them up for a much healthier life. To point you in the right direction, how old is your kitten exactly, do you know the breed, and is the rescue sending them home on any particular food?
She's 9 weeks old, Selkirk Rex, just adopted from a rescue. They gave me a small bag of dry kitten food to take home but didn't tell me much else. I've never owned a cat before so I genuinely don't know what I'm doing.
inparticular.ai
You're in exactly the right place — and honestly, the fact that you're asking already puts you ahead of most first-timers. At 9 weeks, her digestive system is still quite delicate, so the most important thing right now is not to make a dramatic food change all at once. What dry food did the rescue send home with you? That'll help me figure out whether you should stick with it, transition away, or add something in alongside it.
The bag just says 'kitten complete' — it's a supermarket own-brand one. I don't know if it's any good.
inparticular.ai
Supermarket own-brand kitten food is generally fine for a short bridge — it's unlikely to harm her — but the ingredient quality and protein content tend to be lower than you'd want for the long term, especially for a breed like the Selkirk Rex, which can have a sensitive stomach. At 9 weeks I'd also strongly recommend introducing a good wet food alongside the dry. Kittens at this age need high moisture intake and wet food makes that easy, plus it's closer to what a cat's natural diet looks like. Has she shown any signs of loose stools or vomiting since you got her?
She had one episode of loose poo on day one but seems fine since. She's eating and running around. Just want to make sure I'm feeding her properly.
inparticular.ai
One loose stool on arrival day is completely normal — that's just stress from the move. She sounds like she's settled in well. Here's my clear recommendation: switch her to Royal Canin Kitten wet food in the pouches as her main diet, and use the dry food you have as a small topper or treat while you transition. Royal Canin Kitten is formulated specifically for cats aged 4 to 12 months, with the right protein levels, DHA for brain development, and highly digestible ingredients that suit sensitive young stomachs. It's one of the most consistently reliable kitten foods available, vets recommend it regularly, and it's very easy to find on Amazon UK. Transition over about a week — start with 80% old food, 20% new, and gradually shift the ratio. Once she's fully on the Royal Canin, two to three pouches a day split across meals is about right at her age and weight.
That's really helpful. Should I keep giving her dry food at all, or just do the wet?
inparticular.ai
For a 9-week-old kitten, wet food as the primary diet is the better call — the moisture content is genuinely important at this age and kittens that eat mainly wet food tend to have better kidney health long-term. Once she's a bit older, around 12 weeks or so, you can introduce a small amount of good quality dry alongside the wet if you want the convenience. Royal Canin also do a dry kitten version that pairs well with their wet food. But for now, focus on getting the wet food established and don't worry about the dry. You're doing brilliantly for someone who's never done this before.
