The 6 Best Cat Foods For Gassy Cats
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The best cat food for gassy cats is clean, efficient, and easy-to-digest.
We recommend Vital Essentials Rabbit Mini Patties as the best cat food for gassy cats because it is a meaty, low-fiber food that doesn’t contain any of the most common flatulent inducing ingredients.
With rabbit its main ingredient and not much else in the recipe, this streamlined food is a good solution for cats with digestive issues of almost any variety.
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At a Glance: Best Cat Foods For Gassy Cats To Buy
We highly recommend looking at the comparison table we have below where we highlighted the features of each product. You’ll also find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Compare Best Cat Foods For Gassy Cats
|
Overall Best
1. Vital Essentials Rabbit Mini Patties Grain Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food |
Best Dry
4. Dr. Elsey's cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food |
Best For Weight Loss
5. Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken in Chicken Consomme Grain-Free Canned Cat Food |
Best For Senior Cats
6. Feline Natural Chicken Feast Grain-Free Canned Cat Food |
||
|
Protein
52% Min |
Protein
21% Min |
Protein
10% Min |
Protein
59% Min |
Protein
16% Min |
Protein
9.5% Min |
|
Fat
15% Min |
Fat
8.05% Min |
Fat
2% Min |
Fat
18% Min |
Fat
2.6% Min |
Fat
5.5% Min |
|
Fiber
3.0% Max |
Fiber
0.4% Max |
Fiber
1% Max |
Fiber
4.0% Max |
Fiber
0% Max |
Fiber
0.25% Max |
|
Life Stage
Adult |
Life Stage
Adult |
Life Stage
All Lifestages |
Life Stage
Adult |
Life Stage
Adult |
Life Stage
Adult |
|
Type
Freeze-Dried |
Type
Fresh |
Type
Wet |
Type
Dry |
Type
Wet/Canned |
Type
Wet/Canned |
|
Made In
United States |
Made In
United States |
Made In
United States |
Made In
United States |
Made In
Thailand |
Made In
New Zealand |
Here’s what to look for in the best cat food for gassy cats.
For cats, flatulence—especially the kind that makes enough noise or smell to make you aware of it—stems from a slowdown in the digestive process.
A variety of gases start to bubble up during any period of additional digestive effort. Some types of fiber, for example, may start to ferment in the gut, producing methane gas that eventually makes its way out of your cat’s body.
Other causes of gassiness include eating too quickly, consuming irritating foods, food allergies, or other medical conditions. Most causes have a dietary link and can be controlled by choosing the right food.
Perhaps most importantly, the best cat food for gassy cats is low in plant matter.
Plant ingredients, especially higher-fiber ingredients and legumes, are some of the biggest dietary culprits behind excessive gas. Compared to meat and other animal-derived ingredients, plants are more demanding on the digestive system and get different microbes in on the digestive action. This leads to more gas production and more flatulence.
If you want to control your cat’s gassiness, you will want to give him a more efficient diet that demands less effort from his digestive system. For an obligate carnivore like your cat, a prey-inspired diet is the most efficient choice.
Look for foods that emphasize meat ingredients over plants. Minimally-processed foods are ideal. Ingredient lists should include clearly-named meats like chicken, lamb, beef, and pork.
Foods that feature beans, peas, soybeans, or other legumes are a no-go for gassy cats, but these classic sources of complex carbohydrates aren’t the only ingredients you should be avoiding. Steer clear of foods that contain corn, wheat, wheat gluten, and other plant ingredients among the first few ingredients.
Limited-ingredient or novel-protein diets can help.
Because food allergies and intolerances are often to blame for a gassy cat, consider limited-ingredient products that feature novel proteins. By slimming down the ingredient list, you can get a better understanding of what may or may not be triggering digestive issues.Feeding novel proteins—protein sources your cat hasn’t eaten before—will also help to reduce your cat’s exposure to irritants.
Choosing this type of diet is your first step in a food trial, which will help you to identify the ingredients to which your cat is sensitive, then eliminate them from his diet.
Click here to learn more about the best limited-ingredient cat food for sensitive cats.
Our Top Picks For The Best Cat Foods For Gassy Cats
Vital Essentials Rabbit Mini Patties Grain Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food
Product Info
- Protein: 52% Min
- Fat: 15% Min
- Fiber: 3.0% Max
- Life Stage: Adult
- Type: Freeze-Dried
- Made In: United States
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Rich in ultra-digestible animal protein
- Minimal ingredient list reduces your cat’s exposure to allergens and irritants
- Features herring oil as a source of nourishing omega-3 fatty acids
- Doesn’t contain any common sources of flatulence
- Some cats dislike the rabbit flavor
With finely ground whole rabbit, rabbit heart, rabbit liver, lungs, kidney, trachea, and blood the first few ingredients, this food clearly emphasizes rabbit above all else. Because rabbit isn’t an extremely common cat food ingredient, this is a novel protein for most cats and can help you to avoid irritants.
Aside from rabbit muscle meat, organs, and bones, there’s not much else in this food. It contains raw goat’s milk, which is not a commonly irritating ingredient, and herring oil, a source of anti-inflammatory omega-3s.
Overall, this food is a straightforward, fluff-free product that doesn’t contain anything that will bog down your cat’s digestion.
Smalls Fresh Ground Bird
Product Info
- Protein: 21% Min
- Fat: 8.05% Min
- Fiber: 0.4% Max
- Life Stage: Adult
- Type: Fresh
- Made In: United States
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- High in premium animal protein
- Made with human-grade ingredients
- Shipped right to your door
- Low in carbohydrates
- Only available by subscription
- Not packaged by individual portion
- Contains beans and peas, which can cause an increase in gas in some cats
This fresh cat food formula is made with human-grade ingredients starting with fresh chicken breast, chicken thigh, and chicken liver. Green beans and peas deliver a healthy dose of nutrition with essential vitamin and mineral supplements added for balanced nutrition. The total protein content is 21% with just 8% fat.
To order this recipe and other Smalls formulas, you’ll need to start a subscription. You’ll receive fresh cat food delivered right to your door in predictable deliveries.
WholeHearted All Life Stages Canned Cat Food
Product Info
- Protein: 10% Min
- Fat: 2% Min
- Fiber: 1% Max
- Life Stage: All Lifestages
- Type: Wet
- Made In: United States
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Primarily made from highly-digestible chicken meat
- Contains tuna oil as a source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids
- Doesn’t contain irritating artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- One of the lowest-priced foods you can buy
- Contains xanthan gum, which doesn’t agree with some cats
- Diets for all life stages tend to be more calorie dense and may not be ideal for overweight cats
It’s a flaked food that features chicken as its main ingredient. With chicken its lone protein source, the recipe is relatively lightweight and may be appropriate for cats with food intolerances.
Though it’s a meat-based food, the food contains a few less-than-optimal plant ingredients, with tapioca starch showing up early on the ingredient list and xanthan gum slightly later. Xanthan gum may be irritating for some sensitive or allergic cats.
Dr. Elsey's cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Product Info
- Protein: 59% Min
- Fat: 18% Min
- Fiber: 4.0% Max
- Life Stage: Adult
- Type: Dry
- Made In: United States
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- A good alternative to traditional kibble
- Primarily made from easily-digestible animal ingredients
- Contains salmon oil, a good source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids
- Contains flaxseed, which is a high-fiber ingredient that may contribute to your cat’s gassiness
- Not a single-protein food
While most dry foods contain gobs of minimally-digestible plant ingredients, this food emphasizes digestibility and bioavailability. It is primarily made from chicken, dried egg product, and pork protein isolate, all good sources of protein.
Instead of legumes or grains that might slow down your cat’s digestion, the food contains gelatin as its primary binding agent. It contains salmon oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help to soothe GI inflammation.
Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken in Chicken Consomme Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
Product Info
- Protein: 16% Min
- Fat: 2.6% Min
- Fiber: 0% Max
- Life Stage: Adult
- Type: Wet/Canned
- Made In: Thailand
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- A low-calorie food appropriate for cats who need to lose weight
- Primarily made from readily-available protein sources
- A single-protein food with a slim ingredient list
- Extremely low fiber content may help to relieve gas
- Made with plant oil instead of animal-derived fat sources
This Tiki Cat recipe is a straightforward food featuring shredded chicken in a thin chicken broth. With no gums or thickeners added to the recipe, this food manages to keep its fiber content at 0%, which may help to curb flatulence.
Besides having several features that make it a good fit for gassy cats, the food is extremely moisture-rich, satisfying, and low in fat—all qualities that make it a good fit for cats who need to lose weight.
Feline Natural Chicken Feast Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
Product Info
- Protein: 9.5% Min
- Fat: 5.5% Min
- Fiber: 0.25% Max
- Life Stage: Adult
- Type: Wet/Canned
- Made In: New Zealand
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Primarily made from ultra-digestible protein sources
- Contains multiple sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3s
- Doesn’t contain any commonly irritating ingredients
- A single-protein diet with a limited ingredient list
- Expensive
- Doesn’t receive consistently positive reviews
With an ingredient list centering around beef, beef tripe, heart, kidney, spleen, liver, and blood, this product knows how to nourish your cat like the carnivore he is.
In addition to this array of beef muscle meat and organs, the food contains New Zealand green mussel and fish oil as sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These ingredients help to ease inflammation throughout the body, including the GI tract and arthritic joints.
The food doesn’t contain any thickening gums or binders that might bog down your cat’s digestion. Instead, it contains flaxseed flakes, but the food’s overall fiber content appears to sit under 2% on a dry matter basis. It’s an efficient, easy-to-digest food that should be a good match for cats of all ages.
Final Thoughts
Although diet plays an important role in determining whether your cat develops flatulence, It is not not the only contributing factor.
While most cases of gassiness are innocuous and can be resolved through dietary changes, flatulence can also be a symptom of more serious health issues. From IBD to cancer to worms and obstructions, an array of medical issues can cause excessive flatulence. If your cat is exhibiting any signs of illness, such as diarrhea, weight loss, or vomiting, along with gas, it’s time to see a veterinarian.
