Purina offers a selection of nutrition for cats backed by its experienced scientific team, featuring food labels which make sense to humans while being appealing to felines.
Find recipes with at least 92% meat content, and avoid foods containing wheat gluten which is often used as filler and can lead to gastric issues in some cats.
1. Smalls
When selecting food for your cat, it is essential that it meet industry and veterinary standards and match his/her individual dietary needs based on life stage, activity level, digestive health issues or any other relevant considerations.
Smalls’ makers utilize only premium meats and nutritious ingredients in their recipes, without using poultry by-products like livers or lungs that do not provide as much nutritional value to the primary protein source. Instead, their dishes consist of an assortment of meats as well as other sources of protein for maximum nutritional benefit.
Their products are produced at their facilities in Chicago and Brainerd, and each recipe is thoroughly checked for foodborne pathogens prior to being sent out to customers. Furthermore, natural preservatives are used instead of artificial flavors, colors or fillers which is an added layer of quality assurance for customers.
The company offers an assortment of foods for cats, from dry and canned food to freeze-dried options that don’t need rehydrating. Wet food may be more palatable to cats and may help increase fluid intake.
2. Meow Mix
Canned cat food tends to contain more moisture than dry food and can be an ideal option for older or ill cats, or those who require special diets for health reasons. Our selections feature various price points with AAFCO certification and nutrient profiles; additionally, their ingredient lists should appeal to most cats while still providing essential proteins (at least 26%), fat, taurine and vitamins and minerals that cats need in their daily diets.
Many pet parents appreciate this food due to its combination of cage-free chicken as the first ingredient and nutritious grains, prebiotics, fiber-rich fruits and veggies as well as antioxidants like cranberries and blueberries.
Another advantage to this food is that it comes in various textures to meet your cat’s preferences; choose between mousse, pate or terrine mouthfeel to find one they enjoy most. Taurine is also essential to cats’ survival as an amino acid which supports their vision, heart muscle function and immunity systems; many veterinarians recommend taurine as a defense against disease.
3. Ziwi Peak
The top five cat food brands of 2023 prioritize optimal nutrition by using only premium-quality ingredients and catering to specific dietary needs. Their products can be found at independent pet stores and holistic veterinary offices worldwide and exhibit qualities such as transparency and accountability – featuring proteins, fatty acids, superfoods and essential nutrients without fillers, unhealthy carbs or artificial preservatives.
Ziwi Peak is a New Zealand-based brand specializing in locally sourced meats. Their products are tailored to satisfy the nutritional needs of obligate carnivores, and include both dry and canned food options. All their grain-free offerings contain muscle and organ meats while being free from carrageenan and guar gum which could interfere with absorption of essential nutrients.
Ziwi Peak’s Daily Cuisine Grain-Free Canned Cat Food is made in New Zealand using an assortment of meats and organs such as venison, lamb liver, venison heart and tripe as well as various vegetables chickpeas dried kelp and minerals; additionally it contains 3% green-lipped mussel as a natural source of joint-supportive chondroitin.
4. Instinct Raw Boost
Instinct Raw Boost is a grain-free dry food made of high-protein kibble and freeze-dried raw ingredients. Starting with cage-free chicken and adding probiotics and prebiotics for digestive health support. Furthermore, organ meats such as beef liver provide essential energy boost. Manufactured in the US without using grains such as potato, corn, wheat soy by-product meal or artificial flavors this food makes an excellent meal option!
Nature’s Variety was established in 2002 to produce holistic pet foods. Their products forgo artificial flavors or colors for natural alternatives like mixed tocopherols; additionally they use named animal fats instead of canola oil – making for healthier options for pet consumption.
Royal Canin is an internationally-recognized producer of both wet and dry cat food products for cats of every age and stage of life, including solutions that address specific dietary needs such as urinary tract health or weight management. Furthermore, they conduct extensive scientific research before using only high-grade ingredients when producing their pet food products.
5. Wellness Complete Health
This company is well known for their range of diets tailored to meet the needs of different ages and lifestyles, but also for using natural ingredients. Their selection includes fish and turkey proteins for those cats sensitive to chicken.
This diet is free from meat by-products, fillers and artificial flavors and preservatives, offering only high-quality de-boned chicken or chicken meal as its first ingredient, alongside nutritious grains such as brown rice, oatmeal or barley as well as vegetables, fruits and antioxidants for whole-body wellness.
It also contains plenty of moisture, making this food ideal for older cats who lose fluid quickly. Unfortunately, its price point may deter some buyers.
Hill’s Science Diet is another popular brand that places emphasis on scientific research when formulating its cat foods. They offer various options tailored for kittens, adults and senior cats with high-quality, biologically appropriate ingredients supported by veterinarians and nutritionists.
