The 6 Best Wet & Dry Cat Food Brands
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A high-quality, balanced diet is essential for your cat’s long-term health and wellness. What many cat owners don’t realize, however, is that not all cat foods are created equal. If you were to pick up two bags of cat food from a pet store shelf that look similar on the outside, you might find when reading the list of ingredients that they are actually quite different.
The top cat food brands use natural, whole-food ingredients with beneficial supplements to ensure complete and balanced nutrition for cats. Keep reading to learn what to look for when shopping for cat food and to see our top picks for the 6 best cat food brands.
Compare Best Cat Food Brands
|
Types
Dry, Regional, High-Protein |
Types
Fresh Cat Food, High-Protein |
Types
Wet, Dry, Grain-Free, Raw-Infused, Limited Ingredient, Raw, Mixers |
Types
Wet, Dry, Grain-Free, Baked, Air-Dried, Food Toppers |
Types
Wet, Dry, Grain-Free, Indoor, Food Toppers |
Types
Wet, Dry, Freeze-Dried, Grain-Free, Limited Ingredient |
|
Made By
Champion Pet Foods |
Made By
Smalls |
Made By
Nature’s Variety |
Made By
WellPet, LLC |
Made By
Solid Gold Pet, LLC |
Made By
Merrick Pet Care, Inc. |
|
Manufacturing
USA & Canada |
Manufacturing
USA |
Manufacturing
USA |
Manufacturing
USA & Thailand |
Manufacturing
USA & Thailand |
Manufacturing
USA |
|
Recalls
No cat food recalls to date |
Recalls
One voluntary recall in 2021 |
Recalls
One voluntary recall in 2013 |
Recalls
One cat food recall (2011) |
Recalls
No cat food recalls to date |
Recalls
No cat food recalls |
What To Look For In A Cat Food Brand?
If you were to pour a bowl of cat food from five different brands, they might all look very similar. What you may not realize, however, is that the ingredients used in those five formulas may be significantly different – they may also have very different compositions of essential nutrients like protein and fat. All cat foods are not created equal, so you need to know some general things to look for to help you tell the good cat food brands apart from the bad.
Here Are Some Important Things To Look For In A Good Cat Food Brand:
- Real animal protein as the first ingredient. Cats are obligate carnivores, so animal protein should be the focus of any good cat food. Animal proteins are more digestible than plant proteins, and they contain all of the essential amino acids your cat needs.
- Rich in healthy animal fats. Healthy fats provide a concentrated source of calories for cats as well as support for skin and coat. It is most digestible when it comes from animal sources.
- Limited content of digestible carbohydrates. Cats have no nutritional need for carbohydrates but digestible forms like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, can provide supplemental energy, fiber, and essential nutrients. Just make sure protein and fat are the focus of the recipe.
- Complete and nutritionally balanced. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has created nutrient profiles for pets, so make sure the cat food you choose features an AAFCO statement of nutritional adequacy to show that it is complete and balanced for cats.
- No artificial additives, fillers, or by-products. Low-quality fillers, by-products, and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives have no place in a high-quality cat food. Avoid any brand that uses corn and wheat ingredients or artificial colors and flavors to a significant degree.
- Variety of products to choose from. Aside from making sure that a cat food brand will meet your cat’s nutritional needs, you also want to make sure the brand offers a variety of product choices so you can find the perfect one to suit your cat’s tastes.
Now that you have a better idea what you should be looking for in a cat food brand, it’s time to start shopping! Keep reading to see our top 6 picks for the best cat food brands.
Our Top Picks For The Best Cat Food Brands
There are dozens and dozens of cat food brands on the market, each with their own variety of products. Choosing the best cat food brand is not necessarily about picking the most expensive product – it is about finding a high-quality cat food you can consistently afford.
We’ve put together a list of our top 6 picks for the best cat food brands at different price points to give you some options.
Acana Cat Food
Product Info
- Types: Dry, Regional, High-Protein
- Made By: Champion Pet Foods
- Manufacturing: USA & Canada
- Recalls: No cat food recalls to date
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Fresh, regionally sourced ingredients from the USA
- Biologically appropriate diets high in protein and fat with low carb content
- Wide variety of product choices including limited ingredient and single-source protein recipes
- Brand currently doesn’t offer any wet food recipes
- Very expensive compared to most cat food brands
Their formulas are designed to mimic the biologically appropriate diet of cats, which makes them high in protein and healthy fats with very limited carbohydrate content. They also offer a variety of classic, regional, and limited-ingredient formulas.
Smalls Chicken Kibble Cat Food
Product Info
- Types: Fresh Cat Food, High-Protein
- Made By: Smalls
- Manufacturing: USA
- Recalls: One voluntary recall in 2021
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Made with high-quality ingredients to improve digestion and nutrition
- Rich in animal protein and naturally grain-free
- Delivered automatically in perfectly portioned packages
- Can be very expensive to maintain as a staple diet
Your cat’s food will be prepared and delivered fresh on a monthly basis, sent in perfectly portioned packages that you can refrigerate or freeze.
Simply fill out your pet’s profile online to get started and choose from their recipe collection.
Nature’s Variety Instinct Cat Food
Product Info
- Types: Wet, Dry, Grain-Free, Raw-Infused, Limited Ingredient, Raw, Mixers
- Made By: Nature’s Variety
- Manufacturing: USA
- Recalls: One voluntary recall in 2013
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Wide variety of product choices, all feature real animal protein as first ingredient
- Specialty diets available like limited-ingredient and raw-infused
- Nutritional benefits of raw food with the convenience of dry food
- Fairly expensive compared to most pet food brands
Every recipe features a premium animal protein as the main ingredient, and they manufacture everything in their own company-owned kitchens in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Wellness Cat Food
Product Info
- Types: Wet, Dry, Grain-Free, Baked, Air-Dried, Food Toppers
- Made By: WellPet, LLC
- Manufacturing: USA & Thailand
- Recalls: One cat food recall (2011)
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Wide variety of products including baked and air-dried recipes
- Wholesome, natural ingredients with no artificial additives or fillers
- Company-owned manufacturing facilities and products made in the USA
- One cat food recall and two dog food recalls since 2011
- Dry food recipes contain some plant proteins
Wellness owns and runs their own manufacturing facilities and has only had one cat food recall to date (2011) due to inadequate levels of thiamine.
Solid Gold Cat Food
Product Info
- Types: Wet, Dry, Grain-Free, Indoor, Food Toppers
- Made By: Solid Gold Pet, LLC
- Manufacturing: USA & Thailand
- Recalls: No cat food recalls to date
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Holistic, natural recipes made with high-quality ingredients
- Wide variety of product choices, both grain-free and grain-inclusive
- Company-owned manufacturing facilities, no product recalls to date
- Somewhat pricier than other cat food brands
- Some recipes contain nutritionally significant amounts of plant protein
They offer both dry food and wet food options, including both grain-free and grain-inclusive formulas. Solid Gold manufactures their own products and has yet to have a single product recall.
Merrick Cat Food
Product Info
- Types: Wet, Dry, Freeze-Dried, Grain-Free, Limited Ingredient
- Made By: Merrick Pet Care, Inc.
- Manufacturing: USA
- Recalls: No cat food recalls
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Several product lines with wide variety of choices
- All recipes feature real animal protein as the first ingredient
- Grain-free, limited-ingredient, and life stage options available
- Some recipes are very expensive (Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused line)
- Some reports of mold in canned food
In addition to their grain-free, limited-ingredient, and raw-infused cat foods, Merrick also has a line of affordable pet foods under the name Whole Earth Farms.
Final Remarks
No matter what your cat’s age, breed, or size, a balanced diet is essential for good health. The best cat food brands use wholesome, natural ingredients with a focus on high-quality animal proteins and healthy fats.
You may also see vitamin and mineral supplements for nutritional balance with additional supplements like probiotics. The key to finding the best cat food for your cat is to learn how to read a pet food label and to have a basic understanding of your cat’s nutritional needs to understand the information provided on that label.
If you’re still not sure where to start in looking for a good cat food, just try out one of the top 6 best cat food brands we’ve reviewed above. Good luck!
