Best Cat Foods Of 2022
A lot of people think that vets dont get much education in nutrition. In fact, as a veterinarian, I had endless hours of nutrition lectures, practicals, seminars, and workshops, not to mention many years of experience since.
But what I recommend might still surprise you its probably not what youve been told or read in online reviews!
First, I discuss the veterinarians approach to diet. Next, I get into the best wet cat food reviews, then the best dry cat food reviews, and lastly, the top-rated cat foods for other health needs. Lets go!
Best Variety: Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Variety Pack Canned Cat Food
Courtesy of Chewy
Key Ingredients: Varies by flavor | Calories per Serving: 82 to 107 depending on flavor | Texture: Wet, varies | Balance: Varies but most are Crude Protein min. 10.0%, Crude Fat min. 6.5%, Crude Fiber max 0.5%, Moisture max. 78.0% | Life Stage: Adult
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Nutritional and flavor diversity for your cat
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No prescription needed
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Meat by-products are the first ingredient
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Added color
If your cats digestive system can tolerate more than one type of food, a variety pack is a wonderful way to give them a broader range of flavors and nutrients at the same time.
Purina Pro Plan Focus Classic Urinary Tract Health Formula Adult Wet Cat Food Variety Pack comes as a case of 12, 24, or 36 cans. It can be purchased as four, eight or twelve cans each of three flavorsOcean Whitefish or Beef & Chicken, Chicken, and Turkey and Gibletsor as twelve cans each of two flavorsOcean Whitefish and Salmon.
Each recipe has low dietary magnesium and has been designed to reducing urinary pH. Purina products are also manufactured in the U.S. and are widely available and among the more affordable brands on shelves today.
What Do Kittens Need To Eat
Once kittens are weaned off milk by their mothers, they start to enjoy a more varied diet. If youre wondering what to feed kittens or what kittens eat, its wise to search for products that are specially formulated for young cats and to opt for high-quality foods that are packed with essential nutrients. Kittens need a balanced diet rich in protein for growth and development and increasing energy levels, calcium to develop healthy, strong teeth and bones and DHA to promote brain development and vision.
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Taste Of The Wild Canyon River Grain
Our Top Pick for the Most Popular Cat Food for Diabetic Cats: When youre not sure what to feed your cat, you can always go with a popular brand like Taste of the Wild. Their Canyon River Grain-Free Canned Cat Food is an excellent option for diabetic cats because it is rich in protein and moisture, grain-free, and very low in carbohydrates. This particular recipe features real trout as the first ingredient with ocean fish, salmon, and eggs for supplemental protein. It is a grain-free recipe and very low in carbohydrates, taking less than 6% of its total calorie content from carbs. In addition to being protein-rich and nutritionally balanced, this recipe is highly digestible and contains natural sources for key nutrients as well as prebiotic and probiotic supplements to ensure healthy digestion. Your cat will love the natural meat flavor, and youll love the quality nutrition.
- Pros: Real trout as main ingredient, several premium animal proteins, rich in protein and moisture, very low in carbohydrates, grain-free and highly digestible, beneficial supplements
- Cons: Contains some starch
Wet Food Just Might Be Better
Though quality ultimately matters, in general, wet food is the superior option for cats when choosing between canned wet food and dry kibble. Typically, wet foods meet a cats nutritional needs better than dry, but that may not be the case if the wet food in question is of very low quality, Dr. Coates says. Just make sure youre thoroughly cleaning your cats bowl between every wet food feeding, since it can be a harboring ground for bacteria, one of the ways it could be making your cat sick.
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Tiki Cat Puka Luau Succulent Chicken In Chicken Consomme Grain
Our Top Pick for the Best Affordable Cat Food for Diabetic Cats: You dont necessarily need to spend a small fortune to buy your cat a high-quality, low-carb cat food. The Tiki Cat brand is very affordable and offers a wide variety of flavor options. This particular recipe features succulent shredded chicken breast cooked in a flavorful broth, ensuring that it is rich in both protein and moisture. In addition to being protein-rich, this formula is grain-free and very low in carbs less than 2% of calories come from carbohydrate sources. Though it is low in carbs, this recipe is rich in omega fatty acids to support your cats skin and coat condition and to provide plenty of healthy energy. It is also supplemented to ensure complete and balanced nutrition so your cat can start recovering from the damage done by his diabetes. Plus, hell love the natural meat flavor.
- Pros: Affordable price, rich in protein and moisture, less than 2% from carbs, plenty of omega fatty acids, full of meat flavor, grain-free formula, beneficial supplements
- Cons: Some cats are sensitive to chicken ingredients, no notable dietary fiber content
Blue Wilderness Dry Cat Food
- Price on the high side
- Pieces maybe very hard to chew
This kibble is great for feral cats because of its a high protein, with no grains, recipe. This food is also free of glutens and is good for all stages of cats lives.
This food has combined natural ingredients, a precise blend of vitamins, minerals and is antioxidant-rich. It contains no by-product meals, no corn, wheat or soy and nothing artificial.
It is not only made with high-quality protein but natural fiber sources, meaning this recipe is made to support weight control in cats. The addition of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants is made to support a cats healthy immune system no matter the age or breed.
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What To Consider When Selecting Food For Your Cat
Choosing a cat food is one of the most important decisions youll make when it comes to your cat.
The right food can help keep your cat healthy, full of energy, and at a good weight throughout its life. It should also be a food that your cat looks forward to eating and that you feel good about feeding to him or her.
When you walk down the cat food aisle at the store, it can be very difficult to know which is the best food for your cat. There are so many brands, varieties, flavors, and formulas that it can be overwhelming to know which one is best for your cat.
To simplify things, here are the five most important things to consider when choosing a food for your cat.
Five important factors to consider when choosing the best cat food for your cat.
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The 6 Best Foods For Feeding Feral Cats
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Feral cats need commitment to proper care and long-term feedings. Once you become a colony manager the cats become dependent on you. This means feeding the most highly nutritious food food at the best price.
Dry cat food is most popular when feeding colonies of feral cats, mainly because it is less expensive, easy to transport and wont freeze in cold weather. Feral cats will benefit from animal proteins a quality cat food has to offer, but need higher calories than an average house cat.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cat foods for feeding feral cats as well as their pros and cons.
Contents
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How Do I Get My Picky Eater To Feed My Cat
Pet owners can actually help to create a fussy eater by taking advantage of the huge variety among cat foods different kibble flavors and sizes, different textures and flavors of canned foods, pouches of semi-moist food, and freshly packaged meals in the refrigerator section of the grocery or pet store.
What Are Aafco Standards
Since its establishment in 1906, the nonprofit Association of American Feed Control Officials has set nutritional guidelines for pet food in the United States. AAFCO is not a regulatory agency, but the regulatory FDA is an AAFCO member with a non-voting advisory role. AAFCO does not test, approve, or certify pet food brands. Instead, it defines the ingredient, labeling, and testing standards that establish whether a pet food is nutritionally complete for animals at different life stages.
A cat food that meets AAFCO’s minimum standards is considered complete and balanced at one of two life stages: growth and reproduction, which includes kittens and pregnant or lactating females, or adult maintenance, which is intended for cats over a year of age.
To meet the minimum AAFCO standard, an adult cat food must contain at least 26% protein, 9% fat, and essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Food for kittens up to a year of age and pregnant or lactating adults must have a minimum of 30% protein, 9% fat, and higher levels of vitamin A, calcium, and phosphorus than adult maintenance foods.
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How Can You Tell If A Cat Is Feral
Stray cats are active during the day while feral cats are primarily nocturnal. Feral cats show hostility in a fearful situation and will run away if approached. Stray cats may appear disheveled because they are accustomed to being cared for while a feral will be well groomed due to being on their own.
Tips For Managing Your Cats Diabetes
Once your cats condition has been diagnosed, you and your vet will work together to come up with a cat diabetes treatment plan. The goal of treatment for feline diabetes is to restore normal blood glucose levels, to restore the cat to a healthy body weight , and to normalize the cats appetite and water consumption.
When it comes to diabetes in cats, treatment options can be broken down into two categories:
Insulin therapy involves injecting insulin into your cats body to help prevent sudden spikes or drops in blood sugar. At first, your veterinarian may recommend a 12-to-24-hour glucose curve a period of time during which insulin is administered intermittently while measuring the cats blood glucose levels. This test is designed to determine the type of insulin the cat needs and the dosing frequency to best control his blood sugar.
Supplemental insulin will help your cats body utilize the glucose he gets from his diet, but there are certain dietary changes you should make to help keep your cats blood sugar stable. Restricting your cats intake of dietary carbohydrates is a good idea, and you may need to increase his protein and fat intake if he needs to gain weight.
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What To Do If Your Cat Wont Eat
Sometimes cats can be picky about where they eat and the type of food they enjoy, and they may not eat what you’re feeding them. This can be normal behavior, and a few simple changes can help. These might include:
- Moving food dishes away from litter boxes or dirty food containers
- Moving food dishes out of busy areas
- Feeding your cat away from other animals
Timed Feeding. You might feel that you should be tough and hold out for your cat to get hungry enough to eat. However, this can be hard on your catâs body and could cause them to get sick. Instead, try setting out smaller amounts for 15 to 30 minutes at a time four to five times during the day. As your cat eats more, you can move back to one to two meals a day.
Picky eaters. If your cat is picky about eating, try rotating between two or three different foods. This will give a variety of flavors that can keep your cat from becoming a picky eater. Changing the brand occasionally might also help with variety. Make sure to choose one that meets your catâs nutrition needs.
Refusing food. If your cat suddenly stops eating, this can be a sign of illness. Itâs best to take your cat to the vet to rule out any problems.
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Cats With Medical Conditions
Your vet might recommend that your cat is fed a special diet if they are diagnosed with certain medical conditions. These will often be prescription diets, which have been designed to help some cat illnesses such as skin problems, obesity, kidney disease and diabetes. If your cat has an illness and youre not sure which food is best for them, speak to your vet for advice.
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Can Cats Eat Eggs
As part of a balanced diet, cats can eat a small portion of cooked egg: scrambled or boiled. Eggs contain nutrient-rich amino acids and protein which can be fed to cats as part of a healthy, occasional treat. If cats eat raw eggs, similar to humans, they are also at risk of contracting bacteria like salmonella, which can make them unwell.
Your Cats Particular Health Needs
The best cat food for your cat will be unique to their lifestyle and nutritional needs.
For example, if your kitten or cat is of normal weight and healthy, then a kitten or adult maintenance diet should be sufficient. If your cat is overweight, it may be best to look for a low-fat diet.
If your cat has a health condition, your veterinarian may prescribe a specific diet formulated for that disease. For example, kidney diets are recommended in most cats who develop kidney disease, or a urinary diet may be more appropriate in cats who have lower urinary tract disease.
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How Much Should You Feed Your Adult Cat
As your kittens metabolism starts to slow down and he reaches adulthood, you might notice him start to put on excess weight. Obesity is a common issue among adult cats and, when not corrected early on, may lead to complications later in life. Regular exercise and a well-controlled diet will help to prevent obesity and keep your cat in good shape.
Whether you feed your cat homemade cat food or the best commercial cat foods, its critical to feed him the right amount per day. But theres no single amount of food that every cat should eat each day.
Calorie needs vary from cat to cat, with many factors coming into play. When deciding how much to feed your cat, youll have to consider his breed, age, reproductive status, underlying health conditions, and more. In general, however, the recommended daily caloric intake is about 20 calories per pound of bodyweight.
that helps you identify how many calories your cat needs per day.
Feeding Your Older Cat
As your cat gets older, they need a diet to meet their more mature needs. Your cat is often considered to need an adult plus or senior diet when they are around 7-10 years old , and they are classed as geriatric or aging once they are over 10-14 years old. Senior or aging cat foods tend to be more easily digestible and contain a balance of nutrients which can help to compensate for some of the changes older cats experience.
Diets for older cats will contain different amounts of certain nutrients compared to younger adult foods. There are some parts of your cats diet that become harder for them to process as they get older, such as salt. The altered amounts in senior foods help to support their organs, such as their kidneys, as well as helping them maintain their weight and muscle.
Its important to know that many senior and geriatric cat foods often contain more calories per gram compared to adult cat foods. This may mean you need to reduce the amount youre feeding them to make sure youre giving them the calories they need each day.
With geriatric and senior cats, its even more important to monitor them closely to check how much theyre eating and drinking each day. Eating less, eating/drinking more or losing weight can be a symptom of problems such as organ disease , dental problems or diabetes, which become more common as your cat ages. If youre worried, always speak to your vet for advice.
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I’ve Heard Conflicting Advice About Feeding My Cat
Feeding your cat does not have to be mysterious. By recognizing a few key concepts and attributes of cats we can create a very reasonable feeding plan for them.
Cats are creatures of habit. We can use this fact to our advantage by creating a regular feeding schedule and sticking to it. Feeding an adult cat at regular times provides the security and predictability of a routine. Meals become a cornerstone event of the day around which other activities are added. A feeding routine helps your cat cope when there are changes in the household .
“A feeding routine helps a cat cope when there are changes in the household.”
A feeding routine makes a necessary food change easier. When your cat is used to eating at the same times each day, her body becomes conditioned to expect food at those times. Hunger can be a great motivator! If the stage is set for increased hunger followed by meals at regular times, then transitioning to a new food will often be seamless and straightforward.
Cats have a simple stomach anatomy – just like humans. Because cats have a simple stomach structure, once the stomach is filled with food, it will empty within a few hours as food moves into the small intestine. After 8 – 10 hours, an empty stomach begins to send signals to the brain stimulating a hunger response. For this reason, at least two meals per day are best for your cat. Imagine if you only got to eat breakfast each day, and that was it!