The 10 Best Canned, Soft, & Wet Cat Foods of 2024

184 thoughts on “The 10 Best Canned, Soft, & Wet Cat Foods of 2024”

1. rick Feb 4, 2019 at 3:42 pm

   question, first of all, thank you for this site and research Mallory. my question is, if after you have fed your cat a certain kind of pate for weeks, then your cat vomits once, does that mean your cat is now intolerant of THAT particular kind of food? my wife switches can food every time our cat vomits and it make me question it.

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   1. Mallory Crusta Feb 5, 2019 at 5:01 am

      Hi Rick,

      Thanks for your question! Vomiting once after weeks of feeding doesn’t necessarily indicate an intolerance. If you really want to get to the bottom of this, I’d recommend trying an elimination diet and carefully reintroducing proteins to determine which, if any, protein sources trigger GI issues. Otherwise, you’re switching foods willy-nilly and, even if your cat does have a food intolerance or allergy, you don’t know exactly which ingredients he or she is sensitive to.

      Hope this answers your question!

      Best,

      Mallory
   2. Linda Owings Apr 10, 2021 at 12:11 pm

      What I have to say is nothing nice but…if the truth be known all cat’s domestic and the big cat’s are carnivores they have to have meat (red meat)Fish and seafood is good (shrimp, lobster, white fish, trout, cod )poultry not so much. Red meat is a must have without red meat cat’s can suffer from anemia and die. Now Science and research are using cat’s for research, trying to find out what makes the cat’s do what they do. Always land on their feet, their independence, survive on their own even the house cat will become feral. As for all this new high tech food Seriously fruits and vegetables probiotics vitamins etc,etc etc. Not only cat’s, dog’s, and pretty much all species are lab rats. Trying to get cat food close to human consumption! Lots of luck. A cat will leave you if you don’t feed them what they want. People can’t own a cat although they are dedicated loyal mysterious their instincts and intuition is amazing. But very Finicky when it comes to eating, when they refuse to eat the food trust and believe they will be gone and catch their own
   3. Emmbee Nov 10, 2022 at 9:30 pm

      Dear Linda. With respect, there are many (many) points you make that are simply not true…not factual. Please be careful when adding content to websites like these. Someone who doesn’t know better may actually take what you say at face value and the only one to suffer in the end will be their cat.
   4. Michele Beckett Mar 1, 2023 at 1:39 am

      We have been lucky to find cats people throw away. Some have been ill. I try to use good cat food, even organic but with 6 cats it is not easy. I have some issues with my older cats, 3 were born with heart murmurs, now we found a lil one and went thru hard time with spay surgery as they changed her food. I keep up on recalls, but I still love my ProPlan, it has been recalled once (dry), I use the urinary tract wet once a week (one can for all). I found Gentle Giant, it is made in USA, it excellent food, no recalls that I have seen. It is bit costly but this lil one we found fell in love with it, turned nose up to all the good brands (til now). I did not see a review but it is for all ages, has vitamins for amino, joints, growing. I have it added to all the foods including our Puppy has dry. It is 1/to and no complaints no health issues. It helped a cat along with Hemp oil who had colon cancer for years, he left us this year. My lil Boo had kidney failure or heart. He was 8. Now we have skinny 6 mos old with all the energy you can imagine. She does approx 3/4 of can a day. We have added other foods to let her get more basic cat needs in meat. The wet helped us thru day but not bowl full. I keep it contained since all my others love free meals. I hope we are doing well but I think package directions do not help estimate daily allowance/meal cup or spoonfuls. I think it gets confusing for people. I use teaspoon, give her til she does not want…one and half max. She eats 4 times a day, dry is probably the same about 2 tablespoons, she eats , then snacks as needed. She is 6 mos, approx 6 pounds 3 oz. I would like a lean cat…what is best feeding til she turns a year. I am keeping her on kitten as I have no idea what she was fed. She has some injuries which Vet said she is living with well for her youngness. PIZZA (Pizzazz) is cutie, still on downtime as her surgery was week ago. Today was her first day out with the crew. Each of our cats have their own story and needs, so it is hard to get it perfect.
      I Thank you for the gum info. I do not recommend many greens as cats eat little fruits or greens, can cause their own problems. With need to dump food pet food seem to be the dump pit. I do not have time or money to buy food they do need. Hopefully one day I can again. Just wish I could serve a mouse a day to each. Mine do look, in fact by their weight I think they snack too much.
      Thank you

      I read lot of comments, thanks to all for input. I feel so deeply when my cat dies. Except for Boos mystery kidney failure, I only know I have fed them as well as I could, saw vet regularly. I find cats thrown away and I never know why. Some have health issues from start?, from where they came? or from throwing them out..physical problems yes. I had Evening, he was found outside, eating my chicken fod and living with them, oh my. He had always lived in confinement Shelter ? He took long time to teach to come put and use kitty litter outside cage. He was seen, but no one knew why he had prolem. I put him on Hemp Oil and he lived 8 years with us, was approx 10 or so. He died of colon cancer, he had it the whole time, as his issues the last week came back, only in full force. Wild Child was thrown, could not get her…but I found her and kittens…they Mo and boo all have heart murmurs. Mo and Mom have gained weight back since he died 5 mos ago so how do I stop them from eating mice in between meals? Tipser he is approx 16, he was abused but he has a n aura and rought up Wild Child kidz, now Pizza but he cannot have wet or we have issues. Is it the time to change his diet? He is getting up there, and he was losing weight with others, but I di not like that Mo started to eat their foods after Boo died. Now we have been sitting while eat, he is looking better and as I said been loving to new kitten. UK was thrown out, has FIV and is aggressive to my cats..he thinkg they were snacking on him. Evening did pick on him so he is confined to his space and mingles with us as much as possible. He is a Russian Blue, imagine throwing him out…the disease can be lived with, now we may introduce him to Pizza as she sits at his space .. not ready yet as she is healing. They all have issues, and all eat good food. I do have them on ProPlan for Coat, Skin, Urinary. Have been using since it came out for my Rotties. Their coats shined, nothing but ProPlan. One recall. But their Wet Food except Tipser is all great brands and we experiment with meats, fowl, fish. Besides being over weight, we do try to contain their intake of food, so mice might be problem. They are Indoor and sleazy compared to the 6 mos. I believe we all care enough to be here. My problem is the way food is on bags, cans. I do not use grams, etc. I want spoonfuls, cups. I want Calorie idea, and fiber, protein I hear from one Vet low protein over 6 for dogs and cats, then I read no cats need protein. I never thought of carbs because no maufacturer has a bit of info on age, weight Just buy or food … yu do rest. With mixuture of cats we need a chart to use. Manufacturers should have it instead of boasting about their food.
      I do look at organic content as much as meow mix ..must keep consistency in food or issues happen in one or another. I get tired of prescribed food, it has never kept my animal living. Disease progresses, only love, Vet advice is what we have. I eill look into the Petco food but most other contries in East, Africa, south America does not inspect or have guidelines as we do. I do not want to pay for water/broth I can add that. If I am paying $3 a can I better have meat no fillers. Unless I see different, I know cats eat grass, catnip but I never saw my cats eating beans, peas, tomatoes. Or I would cook daily for them. I believe in Hemp Oil, and Diamaceous Earth. I wish we did not have to put chemical on these kidz. I raised dogs and cats for decades with garlic, breweres yeast. Less health issues, no fleas, ticks never heard of Heart Worm. In past 25 years I have spent money on chemicals…one girl licked flea crap ended up with leukemia. WE need real food, real natural treatments, less chemicals if we want our pets to have longer lives. My dogs and cats lived to 18. I am glad to get to * years with my kidz due to throw out issues, that they get to 14 or older I am very glad to have all that love. Thank you all for your input again. Each cat is different, unfortunately disease does not care. I just hope everything you teach me gets me extra weeks, months, years. I have a Pizza to let out. I hope I can learn how to feed her so she doesnot get heavy. But she is stretching out/growing so I will watch when it stops. She likes her wet, I will keep her on it. My cats love water I never thougjt about cats not drinking. Mine get me to change theirs daily, like their litter clean up has to be two days. We haver two ltters per cat. 5 cats right now from 6 mos to 16 years Puppy 3 years this month ….sorry for the full story but at wits end with a kitten been too many years ago Mine had moms
   5. Rosie Mar 26, 2024 at 12:16 am

      I find my one cat will vomit from eating the chunky style food as opposed to pate. Also I started feeding mine on raised dishes as I read that that helps with throwing up and that has really helped. I spread the food around too on the plate to make him eat slower as I find if he eats too quickly he will throw up. Sometimes it can be a hairball too and have nothing to do with the food.
      Hope this helps!!
   6. Kate Barrington Mar 26, 2024 at 4:55 pm

      Great tips, Rosie. Thanks for sharing!
2. Jill Feb 20, 2019 at 4:12 am

   FYI – Bravo does not appear to be selling canned cat food anymore. Just raw kibbles.

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3. Thais Bell Apr 22, 2019 at 5:05 pm

   The cat I feed and provide a safe place for her to sleep outdoors is a feral Her ear is clipped, which means she is fixed and had shots, hopefully. She loves Meow Mix singles, which I hate due to bad ingredients. I am sure she eats mice, birds and insects, so I want to feed her a better wet cat food and not Pate, which she hates. She loves chicken. What could you suggest? Note: I can’t afford the high price brands.

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   1. mEOW meow MEOw Apr 26, 2019 at 3:47 pm

      Wholehearted is a Petco brand priced on par with Fancy Feast/Meow Mix but with much better ingredients. Recommend looking into their wet food formulas!
   2. Mallory Crusta May 3, 2019 at 12:13 am

      Good recommendation!

      To add to what mEOW meow MEOw said, I’d recommend Wholehearted’s flaked chicken food for your feral. It should satisfy her texture and taste requirements, and for the price of Fancy Feast, you get a dye-free, meat-based food nutritionally similar to high-priced brands like Weruva. Good deal!

      Here’s a link: https://cats.com/recommends/wholehearted-all-life-stages-canned-cat-food

      Take care,

      Mallory
   3. Cheryl Mar 11, 2022 at 4:23 am

      Did you do the same lab tests for senior cat food?
   4. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 11, 2022 at 6:01 am

      We’re starting with the most popular foods from the brand, but we may move into testing foods marketed to seniors as well.
4. Alex May 5, 2019 at 8:37 pm

   Hi. Are there any non grain free wet cat foods that you would recommend. Your top ten are all grain free. I have been reading worrying things about the effects of grain free food on dogs. Worried that these may also be detrimental to cats.

   Reply ↓
   1. Mallory Crusta May 6, 2019 at 6:31 pm

      Hi Alex,

      Thanks for your question. I’m not sure what you’ve read about the effects of grain-free food for dogs, but there’s no reason why a grain-free diet would be detrimental to a cat’s health. The foods on this list were chosen for their ingredient quality and meat-heavy, low-carbohydrate formulations. Why? Because that’s what appears to be both natural and nourishing for cats. In terms of feline nutrition, grains are no different from any other high-carbohydrate plant ingredient. They don’t do anything to make cats healthier or happier and there’s no reason to include them in cat food.

      Hope this was helpful!

      Best,

      Mallory
   2. ALEX ROBINSON May 10, 2019 at 12:02 pm

      Thanks for your reply Mallory. Here is the latest update from the FDA regarding their grain free pet food investigation. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy
   3. Mallory Crusta May 11, 2019 at 8:38 pm

      Hi Alex, thanks for sharing that link.

      I’m thinking that since almost all of the reports were associated with grain-free dry food rather than any other variety, the problem is not in the absence of grains but more likely in the presence of other ingredients like potatoes, peas, and other legumes. These ingredients are essential in most grain-free dry foods but very few canned foods have them. Others have speculated that other exotic proteins, fruits, and vegetables may be to blame. These are likely more common in grain-free foods because the grain-free dry food market is so trend-driven. That said, most canned food has been grain-free since day one. Because they’re not as fashionable as grain-free kibble, fewer canned foods contain exotic or trendy ingredients.

      This is an interesting issue and I’ll be staying tuned to learn more about the FDA’s findings.

      Best,

      Mallory
   4. Leslie May 18, 2024 at 4:10 am

      Alex, grain free can definitely be a concern for seniors, geriatrics, and some chronic diseases as they have a harder time digesting/processing. Always seek advice of your Vet, that knows your cat, whenever you have a concern.
5. Becca Bruce May 16, 2019 at 10:23 pm

   My cat was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and has been eating prescription food since. Now my vet says her numbers have been normal for over a year and it must have been an acute reaction. He wants her to go off of the prescription kidney food. I’m concerned about going from a high carb diet to food that is high in protein, which they all seem to be. What food is higher in carbs and are certain carbs that are better for cats?
   Thank you.

   Reply ↓
   1. Mallory Crusta May 19, 2019 at 7:07 pm

      Hi Becca,

      I understand your concerns about switching your cat off the prescription food—I’d probably be apprehensive, too.

      I’m not a vet, so of course, take this with a grain of salt, but I have never found any indication that a high-carbohydrate diet is in any way beneficial for cats with kidney issues. Renal diets tend to be higher in carbohydrates because renal diets are typically low in protein, not because they do anything good for a cat with kidney disease. Carbohydrate matter just happens to fill the void when you cut back on protein. Healthy, diabetic, or suffering from another condition, cats seem to do well on a diet with 10% carbohydrate content or less.

      Secondly, there’s a growing group of veterinarians and researchers who think protein quality is more important than quantity when it comes to controlling kidney disease, so increasing your cat’s protein content likely won’t cause a problem so long as that protein is highly-digestible. Digestibility is a pretty poorly understood area, but in general, it appears that the most digestible protein comes from named meat ingredients—not animal by-products or plant proteins.

      Then there’s the phosphorus issue. You can find plenty of non-prescription foods with phosphorus levels that are safe for both healthy cats and those with kidney disease. Off the top of my head, good brands include Nom Nom, Weruva, and Tiki Cat. Foods that contain ground bone will typically have more phosphorus. This cat food database allows you to search for foods by phosphorus content: https://catinfo.org/chart/index.php

      If you want to learn more about the fundamental ideas behind renal diets, please read our article on the best food for cats with kidney disease. https://cats.com/best-cat-food-for-kidney-disease

      Again, I’m not a veterinarian, but if I were in your position, I would look for a non-prescription food with highly-digestible protein and controlled phosphorus levels. These two qualities would put my mind at ease just in case she does still have some kidney issues and they’re equally appropriate for a cat with full kidney function.

      Hope this answered your questions and helps you to make a decision!

      Take care,

      Mallory
   2. Tori Mar 7, 2024 at 8:46 am

      I also feed my 3 cats Weruva and Tiki Cat. And I feed them Pure Cravings, kind of surprised I haven’t seen anyone else mention that brand. It’s my cats’ favorite canned food. Real pieces of fish in a broth. Says on the can that it is mercury tested. Would like to hear reviews on this brand to make sure it is as good as I think it is.
   3. Kate Barrington Mar 8, 2024 at 5:34 pm

      Thanks Tori, we’ll add Pure Cravings to our list of brands to consider for testing!
6. Julie Roberson Jun 8, 2019 at 10:17 pm

   I have 7 cats and really want to feed them the best food which I think is wet food. I have been feeding them the Natures Variety Instinct & Weruva can foods. Also feed them dry (Natures Variety Instincts) mix with the wet. I just really am not sure if that is good for them or not plus I just can’t really afford it. I research and think I have found something but then find out it’s had recalls, or something that’s not good in it. What do you recommend for 7 cats ages 1 year to 3 years old.

   Reply ↓
   1. Mallory Crusta Jun 9, 2019 at 6:00 pm

      Hello Julie,

      First off, it’s great that you’re trying to find the best food for your seven kitties. I know how challenging it is to try to find something that meets all of your requirements. It sounds like you’re on the right track with what you’re feeding your cats now, but if you want something more affordable, you might consider a brand that another commenter recently brought to my attention—Petco’s WholeHearted. WholeHearted food is similar to Tiki Cat or Weruva at a much lower price. Plus it’s never been recalled, which should give you some peace of mind.

      Hope this helps!

      Best,

      Mallory
   2. Barb Nov 20, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      My cats were on Wholehearted for 20 years.
      I plan on putting my 4 mo old kitty on it as well once he reaches 1 yr old. (He’s on pricey Royal Canin Kitten)
7. Rose Stone Sep 4, 2019 at 2:42 pm

   Hi, I have a three year old cat, Schmoopy, who was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure and given a three month to three year survival time. After some research I have decided on an organic herbal heart remedy and most importantly a high quality human grade pet food. In your opinion is there such a pet food on the market? Are any of the above foods superior for a sick kitty?

   Reply ↓
8. Mallory Crusta Sep 4, 2019 at 9:54 pm

   Hi Rose,

   Thanks for your comment. I’m sorry to hear that Schmoopy was diagnosed with congestive heart failure—that must have been hard news to receive.

   To answer your question, any of the foods listed in this article should be good for your kitty. Of the brands listed, Weruva, Tiki Cat, and Nom Nom are the only ones that claim to use human-grade ingredients or human food processing facilities. While the others are made in Thailand, Nom Nom is made in a US kitchen that meets human food safety standards. All of the brands on this list—whether they emphasize human-grade ingredients or not—appear to use top-quality ingredients and have good safety reputations, but if that human-grade status is your top priority, I’d go for Nom Nom.

   Remember—many companies use ingredients that are technically human-grade but don’t make human-grade claims about their food. Feel free to try a variety of foods to find out which ones meet both your and Schmoopy’s standards.

   Hope this helps!

   Take care,

   Mallory

   Reply ↓
9. Delmy Rivera Oct 1, 2019 at 3:32 am

   Hi, I have a cat that was diagnosed with crystals in his urine.. I want to know if I should switch his food from Royal canin to Farmina vet life Strivite it’s another prescription food.He really likes it and it has potato as one of the ingredients. Is this good for my cat?

   Reply ↓
   1. Mallory Crusta Oct 3, 2019 at 1:50 pm

      Hi Delmy,

      Thanks for commenting!

      Farmina Vet Life Struvite food may be able to help your cat—provided that you know he has struvite, not calcium oxalate, crystals.

      It’s hard to say whether the Farmina or Royal Canin food is a better option, especially since you didn’t mention which Royal Canin food you’ve been buying. Royal Canin has a larger variety of urinary tract foods, including a selection of wet recipes, so they’re a better option for those who want to make sure their cat gets enough moisture.

      As far as I can tell, Farmina Vet Life Struvite Management is only available in a dry variety. This means that while it addresses crystal formation in other areas, it fails to provide something vital to urinary tract health—moisture. Unless absolutely necessary, we always encourage people to pass on dry food—prescription or otherwise—in favor of high-moisture diets.

      Ultimately, I would continue feeding the Farmina Vet Life food while incorporating more water-rich products as much as you can.

      Our article on the best cat food for urinary health may help you further:

      https://cats.com/best-cat-food-urinary-tract-health

      Hope this helps!

      Best,

      Mallory
10. Emily Johnston Oct 26, 2019 at 2:17 am

    Hi 1st time kitty mama here I’m trying to do all the research I can to make sure I’m feeding her healthy foods. And after looking at this site the food I thought was a good food was given a C by this site so I had gotten some samples of the simply nourish and she seems to like it..which from reading on here it’s looks like it’s a pretty good brand for dry food. I’ve been buying the blue buffalo kitten wet food though… However I have heard mixed reviews about blue buffalo as well so I’m thinking maybe of going to the wellness brand or natures variety. But anyways any tips for this 1st time cat owner would be greatly appreciated. It really looks like this site really dives in and does it’s research. So thank you for having this out here for us!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Oct 28, 2019 at 1:42 pm

       Hello Emily,

       Glad to have you here!

       Simply Nourish, Wellness, and Nature’s Variety are all decent options for your kitten. I recommend giving all of them a try. Find out which of them she prefers and which work for you.

       Feeding a cat should be easy and intuitive—if you ever find that it’s stressing you out, you’re worrying too much. To keep it simple, remember that your kitten is a carnivore. The more her food resembles an animal, the better. Like a fresh prey animal, a good feline diet is high in protein with moderate fat, low or no carbohydrates, and all of the vitamins, amino acids, and fatty acids your cat needs to thrive. Most freeze-dried and raw diets do this pretty well, with canned foods a close second. Dry foods are usually a little bit more plant-heavy and don’t have the water content your cat needs. Once you have that foundation down, it’s all about accommodating budget, taste preferences, and sometimes, health issues.

       Have you read our complete guide to feline nutrition? If you haven’t, you may want to check it out—it’s a long, comprehensive piece that will give you a good sense of which foods are best and why.

       https://cats.com/the-complete-guide-to-feline-nutrition

       Other than that, enjoy your new kitten! This is a special time and I’m excited for you.

       Take care,

       Mallory
11. Datdamwuf Jan 21, 2020 at 9:33 pm

    Hello,
    good breakdown but can you tell me how you reached the estimated cost per day? I used to have a link to good calculator for calories per day by (healthy) weight but can’t find it. Is your estimate based on a 10 lb cat, or? My main coons ate 5.5 ounces 2 x a day of Wellness grain free and similar brands.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Jan 22, 2020 at 1:55 pm

       Hello!

       Thanks for commenting.

       I calculated the typical cost per day based on 200 calories per day, which is a generally good target for a 10-lb cat. I don’t know how it compares to the calculator you used to have a link to, but you might like this calculator:

       https://cats.com/cat-calorie-calculator

       Hope this answers your question! Let us know if you need anything else.

       Best,

       Mallory
    2. Norfarizan Atan Jun 22, 2020 at 10:04 am

       Hi Mallory, writing from S’pore here. Happened to this website by chance and very glad that I did. I have a senior girl cat, whom has a dehydration issue. She became fussy about eating in the past year and only eats wet food now. She does not like drinking water and so, i’veen feeding her a combination of puree, mousse, canned food, and weekly chicken/tuna fillets as treats. This was by recomended by some friends but it turns out, her dehydration issue has not improved, based on the blood tests just did yesterday. Sorry for being long-winded. Can you please recommend a suitable range/brand for my cat? Must be free of pork ingredients…..thank you. PS: bought a water fountain but she wont drink from it(:
    3. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 23, 2020 at 5:45 am

       Hey there! Glad you stumbled upon the site. Between the variety of high-moisture foods and the water fountain (even though she won’t drink from it), you’re certainly giving your cat plenty of options for getting hydrated. Before focusing on her diet, I would focus on the underlying cause of the dehydration.
    4. Mahnoor Khan Jan 10, 2021 at 2:55 am

       Hi Mallory! I have a 1 year old cat that I want to feed her wet food. Currently, I’ve been feeding her dry cat food with water added. Could I start feeding her wet food right away or should I transition to wet food slowly? Also, can you tell me if the Berkley Jensen Beef and Poultry in Gravy wet cat food is good for my cat please?
       Thanks!
    5. Mallory Crusta Post authorJan 11, 2021 at 4:00 pm

       Hello Mahnoor, I would recommend a gradual transition. As for the quality of Berkley Jensen Beef and Poultry in Gravy food, it appears to be an acceptable choice similar to food from Friskies or Fancy Feast. While some of its vaguely-labeled ingredients like “animal liver” and “meat by-products” do raise some questions about quality, the food presents a good concentration of animal ingredients and protein without a lot of starch. Considering that it’s also formulated to meet AAFCO requirements, it appears to be a sound wet food choice.
12. CpCats Jan 23, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    I would not recommend the Dr Elsey’s Clean Protein for senior cats. The inclusion of agar-agar makes it a no go for cats with hyperthyroidism, which is an extremely common disease in senior-age cats.
    Agar-agar is a seaweed derived ingredient (like carrageenan) and so contains excess iodine, which will make hyperthyroidism worse

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    1. South Florida cat mom Oct 26, 2020 at 5:45 am

       Thank you for posting this comment. It is very helpful.
13. Mallory Crusta Jan 27, 2020 at 1:10 pm

    Hi CpCats,

    Thank you for your observations on agar-agar for cats with hyperthyroidism. Though Dr. Elsey’s food still looks like a worthwhile option for the majority of senior cats, you’re right—it might not be a good choice for cats with hyperthyroidism. We’ve updated the article to address this issue.

    Best,

    Mallory

    Reply ↓
14. Judy M. May 6, 2020 at 4:29 am

    Great article with clear concise information. I just adopted two five month old kittens. I need to be at a moderate cost on the food but want good quality. I purchased some Whole Hearted wet kitten food and somehow missed the very tiny Product of Thailand on the label. I want to stick to made in the USA. I’m thinking that I’d like to feed a combination of wet and dry (not mixed together). I lost a cat to Feline Urological Disease once and never want to go down that road again. Thanks for the great information and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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    1. South Florida cat mom Oct 26, 2020 at 5:47 am

       Thank you for posting your comment. I, too, have decided to focus on foods manufactured her in the U.S.
15. Dana Stevens May 14, 2020 at 2:28 am

    I notice Smalls is not in your list of best wet cat foods. But I also see you gave it a very good review separately. Not having been able to get my cats to eat nom nom, I m trying to decide between Smalls fresh and Tiki Cat canned salmon which they also love. How would you compare Smalls fresh with Tiki Cat?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 14, 2020 at 4:01 am

       Hi Dana, good question! Smalls fresh cat food is nutritionally comparable to Tiki Cat and slightly cheaper. The biggest question is whether or not it appeals to your cat’s texture and taste preferences. I’d recommend giving Smalls a try and seeing if your cat likes it, then making a decision from there.
16. Jenny azcat May 22, 2020 at 9:12 am

    I’ve ordered this before and my cats like it and it’s healthy good food. My only issue is with the vendor, K9 Naturals. The cans were all loose out of the packaging and many were dented. It looked like someone tossed them into the box from across the room. This is not okay in any circumstances, but especially for the high price of this food!

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17. Camryn Jun 10, 2020 at 6:23 am

    Our 3 year old cat has never been picky about canned food. He loved everything. We bought this for him because of the great ingredients and now he refuses to eat anything else. I mean absolutely will not go near anything else. Now we have to commit to the pricetag. Lesson learned: don’t buy the good stuff if you can’t commit!!

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    1. South Florida cat mom Oct 26, 2020 at 5:50 am

       Which brand specifically are you referring to? It looks like your comment might have been in reply to one about the Smalls brand.
18. Ann Moody Jul 11, 2020 at 12:27 am

    Based largely on your reviews and advice, we have been transitioning our overweight senior, recently adopted shelter cat to a wet-based diet. She had been on Hills Science Diet Adult Light exclusively for several years due to observed indigestion problems at the shelter, and I appreciate their efforts to take the best care of her that they could. I was nervous about any change for this reason. However, I am transitioning her to a more varied, wet-based diet (probably about 60-40 wet to dry but I want to get her to about 80-20), and her kibble to Tiki Cat Born Carnivore Light, which she really likes – though it probably has more fiber and plant matter than she needs, it seems to be a good transition food from the corn, wheat, and rice that were the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ingredients in her prior diet.

    I also have given her several Tiki Cat wet foods, including the full Grill line and the Tiki Cat Stix wet treats. I notice in other brand reviews you mention a concern with too much fish in a cat’s diet so I have been introducing novel proteins as well – like lamb, venison, and duck. I want to thank you for this site and all your useful information. Right now in the house we have cans of Nulo, Authority, Purina Muse, Wellness Core, Tiki Cat, Nutro, Fancy Feast (flaked fish and shrimp only) , Great Choice (Petsmart cheapo store brand), and Sheba, which in particular is handy because it’s readily available at the local Dollar General and also pretty cheap, and my mom finds it easiest to feed the cat in the little portioned servings as packaged.

    I do not shop strictly by brand, but by ingredients as you have basically taught me. I can see it might be possible to get a budget or store brand with meat based ingredients and no grain or carrageenan which could be healthier than a fancy brand full of cornmeal and icky additives.

    I am happy to report that in spite of the shelter stating this cat had to be kept on the strict dry diet of just the one food, which she was on for at least two full years, she has been doing very well on the wet-based diet and completely different kibble. LItter box use indicates the plumbing is functioning well, hairballs don’t seem to be a problem. She has seemed to like almost everything I have given her and it’s literally all been because of your recommendations. I have not been focusing on her weight but I think she is losing very slowly as wet food makes up a higher proportion of her diet and I will gradually cut down as needed going forward.

    Thank you not only for the details on so many brands and varieties, but much more importantly, the education on what to look for on every single package before we buy so I can make good choices for her every time I shop. This is easily the best website I have found anywhere on the internet for outstanding cat food advice.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJul 14, 2020 at 3:54 pm

       Oh, Ann, this is such a wonderful comment! It brightened my day. It’s great to see your thought process as you made changes in your cat’s diet and—best of all—to hear that your choices are bringing about such great results. Keep up the great work!
    2. Geoffrey Schrader Feb 15, 2023 at 2:38 pm

       This is the first mention of Sheeba. which surprises me. Sheeba is the primary wet food Rainbow eats, with a kibble in-between Sheeba in the morning and evening. It’s tough here, particularly since the pandemic. There’s not a lot of choice. Rainbow and I live in a RV in the Sonoran desert of Southern Arizona. There are two stores that carry cat food and the nearest pet store is 40 mile round-trip away in Phoenix. I cannot afford fuel for my pickup to go that far with fuel around $5/gallon. Rainbow was a rescued feral, a Turkish Van. She was brought out of the desert at approximately two months old when I adopted her. She looks healthy. I’m just sayin’ , because we can’t be too picky.
19. Amanda Antognini Jul 12, 2020 at 12:34 am

    I have a 14 year old male. He has been eating blue Buffalo dry and canned. He now seems to vomit every time he eats the canned food, also does not seem interested in the dry food. We recently adopted an overweight 6 year old female who is eating rachel ray’s grain free wet food my senior wants her food but vomits unless I give him a tiny bit. I have read and researched for hours, just when I think I’ve found the right food I find something that makes me second guess my choice. Please help!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJul 14, 2020 at 3:47 pm

       Hi Amanda, it is a challenging situation! Have you ruled out illness? If your 14-year-old is vomiting after eating both the Blue Buffalo and Rachael Ray food, it could point to something other than a dietary issue. I would seek a veterinarian’s input before seeking dietary modifications.
20. Rosa Maria Aug 12, 2020 at 9:27 am

    Feline natural canned cat food and pure vita are a few of them which my little kitty likes the most. By the way, I have noted other cat foods you suggested. However, I am not sure if my cat loves a different taste or not. Still, I would love to try them. Thanks!

    Reply ↓
21. Denise Sep 13, 2020 at 9:37 pm

    What is your opinion on Newman’s Own cat food? I know the brand to be organic and natural for humans.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 14, 2020 at 6:24 pm

       Newman’s Own foods can be a good option if you’re intent on choosing organic cat food! Their foods contain a little more plant matter than I’d consider ideal and they contain carrageenan, but overall, they seem to have comparably high-quality ingredients and, if you can find them in a store in your area, they could be a good choice. I’ve noticed that their cat foods are difficult to find online through Chewy or Amazon.
    2. Moe Jun 6, 2021 at 10:36 am

       Hi
       Love your work! Question: on you page recommending the top 11 wet cat foods, the written list on the page and the foods in the video don’t match. Which should we look at?

       Here is the page
       https://cats.com/reviews/best-canned-cat-food
    3. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 7, 2021 at 5:13 pm

       Hi there. While we can easily update the articles, it’s more difficult to update our videos. I would go with the recommendations on the page. Thanks!
22. Susan Sep 27, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    Thank you for your research and the resulting list. I completely switched to wet food a few years ago but unfortunately lost a very special cat not long after. Exploratory abdominal surgery found abscesses all over his pancreas leaving only about 10% of the organ viable. The vet was quite surprised at this finding and told me this is quite rare in cats and more common in dogs. I still don’t know if this condition could have been caused by something in what I had been feeding (I had him since he was old enough to adopt as a kitten and lost him at age 11). As a result I take what I feed even more seriously than before. I have fed a couple of the brands in your top 10 and am re-evaluating for my 2 cats (one is 12, the other 2). I also found a pretty extensive list with recommendations of what to feed and what to avoid, along with explanations, at the following link: https://happycatshaven.org/knowledgebase/cat-food-what-to-feed-what-to-avoid/. This list includes many of the things you say to avoid and adds others. Unfortunately even the “better” brands often have ingredients this list says should be avoided. Additionally I noticed kelp in a couple of brands in your top 10 and found an article discussing the possible dangers of kelp for cats and dogs, https://www.pethealthandnutritioncenter.com/kelp-iodine-for-dogs-and-cats.html. Finding a truly healthy/ species appropriate food is challenging and time consuming. I want to make a very informed decision for my 2 guys.

    Reply ↓
23. Judy Nov 17, 2020 at 12:59 pm

    Hi, regarding the Ziwi review, the can and ingredients say it’s venison, but your review says lamb. Venison is deer meat so these can’t both be correct. Lamb is not listed in the ingredients. Just thought you might want to correct whichever is the error. Thanks!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorNov 18, 2020 at 4:37 pm

       Hi Judy, thank you! I’ll correct that right away.
24. Jackie Ann Nov 24, 2020 at 3:36 am

    Hi! I just got my sampler of smalls- thought I should ask, are you sponsored in any way by them? I’m eager to give them a shot but I am a little weary of cat foods with a lot of bone content as my 1.5 year old already has a little granular activity going on in his bladder, which I think was due to feeding him orijen six fish for a while. I just want to make sure he stays healthy! Thanks for this site- very helpful!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorNov 25, 2020 at 6:13 pm

       Hi Jackie, thank you for commenting! We are not sponsored by Smalls, but we do receive affiliate commissions on sales made through our links. As for the bone content of Smalls and how it might affect your cat’s health, I would certainly recommend consulting with a veterinarian before making this decision. Their freeze-dried food does contain bone and may have slightly higher-than-absolutely-necessary levels of phosphorus and other minerals, but it’s difficult to say exactly how that would affect your cat’s health. Thank you again for stopping by and I hope you find something that’s a good fit for your kitty!
25. Susie Nov 29, 2020 at 11:16 am

    Thank you so much for your research! I have three felines and feed them both dry and wet food. One is an older kitten but the other two are adults. They are picky eaters and I’ve had a time finding food they all like. One of my girls is a large (big boned) cat who is a bit overweight as well so I worry about diabetes – but so far so good.
    I recently switched to Purina pro plan LiveClear because my son, who visits frequently, has developed a severe cat allergy. The food did not seem to make a difference so I am open to switching again and will consider your recommendations for dry food here. QUESTION : I have been feeding them AVODERM Grain Free Tuna and Chicken recipe which I picked up from Chewy and at the time had good reviews. I do not see a that you reviewed this food yet but maybe I missed it? Your comments would be mightily appreciated! PS: one of my cats tends to vomit for unknown reasons – she has been given a clean bill of health. I have not found a food that makes a difference with that.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorNov 30, 2020 at 9:14 pm

       Hello Susie, we didn’t cover the specific recipe you’re feeding, but we did review the Avoderm review last year: https://cats.com/avoderm-cat-food-review

       Hope this helps!
26. Akrivi Dec 2, 2020 at 2:16 pm

    Hello from Greece,
    I have read almost everything you have written and I must say that I feel more confident about my decisions. As you may know, here in Greece we don’t have so many different brands – alternatives. I am a mother of two cat girls (Naomi- 1,5 year old and Beady- 1 year old) and a little puppy. My girls have been recently neutered and started to gain some weight that doesn’t worry me for the moment but I take into consideration. Their favorite dry food is obviously the worst (Whiskas) and from wet food they’re in love with Purina Gourmet. I’m trying to change it slowly because they become picky sometimes. I would like to know your opinion about Purina Cat Chow (they also love it ) and Farmina. I’m thinking of starting to feed with Acana or Orijen and if not so bad to give them occasionally Gourmet in order to do them a favor and not to feel so bad… Any other wet food recommendations?

    Thank you in advance for your time!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 2, 2020 at 7:10 pm

       Hello Akrivi, thank you for commenting! Purina Cat Chow doesn’t rank among our top recommendations, but Farmina appears to be among the best dry food brands on the market, perhaps ranking above Acana and Orijen in terms of reputation. As for other wet food recommendations, I’m unfortunately not very well-versed in brands sold in Greece. As long as your cats’ wet food is primarily made from animal ingredients and nutritionally complete and balanced, it should be a good choice. Sorry I wasn’t able to give more specific advice, but I hope that this helps you to feel even more confident about your choices for your two kitties.

       Best,

       Mallory
    2. Akrivi Dec 2, 2020 at 11:25 pm

       Thank you very much for your help. I didn’t know that Farmina was considered to be better than Acana and Orijen. I will do my research ?.
    3. Akrivi Dec 4, 2020 at 1:08 pm

       Hello Mallory,
       I need your experience and help again! They recommended to me the following brand. I would really appreciate it if you had a look and let me know what you think!
       https://www.optimanova.eu/en/products/cat
    4. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 5, 2020 at 9:09 am

       Hello again, Akrivi! It looks like Optimanova is aiming to do something similar to Royal Canin by creating a line of condition-specific recipes. While doing that, they appear to be using pretty outstanding ingredients and, from what I can tell, they’re doing a good job of emphasizing fresh and dehydrated meat ingredients in their recipes. Overall, they do appear to be offering a high-quality product. That said, their foods do seem to be relatively high in carbohydrates and still aren’t ideal. It appears that at least some Farmina N&D recipes are higher in protein and may also have somewhat less carbohydrate content. I would choose one recipe from each brand that appeals to you and compare them side-by-side to determine which has the most protein from animal sources. By looking at the food’s fat and protein content, you can determine its carbohydrate content, which is probably the most important thing to consider when evaluating a dry cat food. Here’s a carbohydrate calculator that may help you make your final decision: https://felinenutritioncenter.com/
27. Fritz Jan 27, 2021 at 4:40 pm

    I’m surprised to see Natures Variety/Instinct and Weruva listed, considering both companys’ recall history.
    Thats was why we switched to Ziwi and Tiki. Although both are rather expensive and I’ve begun to distrust Tiki made in Thailand of late.
    And who knows where many of these companies source their ingredients.
    While the Nos, Smalls & Cate persons are prolly the best of the lot, they are all more expensive, by a lot, than DIY, which I’ve decided to try. I’d bet that is why those 3 and others like then have come to exist.

    Reply ↓
28. Pat Feb 17, 2021 at 1:40 pm

    Hi I have a very fussy cat that will not eat any wet canned food it has to be pouches. Can you recommend any for her? One of the recommended ones instinct for fussy cats she won’t even go near it. Help! Thanks for your time.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorFeb 19, 2021 at 10:49 pm

       Hi Pat, I would think about the qualities of the food in the pouch that make it appealing to your cat. Is it more juicy than the food in a can? Are you feeding different flavors from the pouches? Different textures? If you can identify what makes the pouched food preferable, you can find canned foods with the same qualities. Otherwise, try a gradual transition from dry to wet and consider alternatives like rehydrated freeze-dried food or a fresh homemade-style diet.
29. Maryann Mar 5, 2021 at 10:16 pm

    Hi Mallory, My vet recommended a diet that is high in fiber for my senior cat with kidney issues. But now I’m confused after learning that cats are not supposed to have carbohydrates in their diet. I just subscribed to the Smalls program because I want my cats to get more hydration from wet foot, but now I’m concerned that my cat will not be getting enough fiber given the Smalls food is mostly protein. Can you please help “de-mystify” this for me? Are cats supposed to have fiber/carbs? If so, how much? Thank you in advance for your help! -Maryann

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 8, 2021 at 7:46 pm

       Hi Maryann, thank you for commenting. A high-fiber diet isn’t necessarily the same as a high-carbohydrate diet. Fiber is indigestible carbohydrate matter, and it doesn’t increase your cat’s blood sugar. In the case of a cat with kidney disease, I would prioritize managing the kidney condition over other considerations. Consultation with your veterinarian should help to clear things up.
30. Kea Mar 18, 2021 at 5:04 pm

    Hello! We have a 7 year old indoor cat that weighs just under 8 lbs. Other then throwing-up occasionally (1-3x every few days), she seems very healthy. For the past 4 or so years, we have been feeding her the following: 1/4 3 oz. can of Fancy Feast grain-free wet classic pate (in a variation of flavors) 3x a day (9a, 4:30p, and 10p) + she has 24/7 access to dry food (Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Natural Dry Cat Food in a couple different flavors) which is stored in a food dispenser. Every Friday night, since it’s pizza night in our home, we treat her to a 1.32 oz. can of Sheba wet pate in place of her regular Fancy Feast dinner. When we first got her, we attempted to feed her much higher-quality wet food, but she refused to eat it. At that point we started feeding her Fancy Feast out of convenience and because she loved it, but went the grilled route versus pate until our vet recommended we switch to the latter. Now that she’s getting older, I’m curious about whether we should try for a better-quality food again. I’m also curious if we should be feeding her more. She seems satisfied by the amount we feed her now for the most part, but I don’t know if 2.25 oz. a day is substantial enough. Given that we’re also on a budget, what foods (wet and dry) would you recommend we try, and how much would you recommend we feed her each day? I’d also like to know your thoughts about what we’re feeding her currently, whether you consider them good, decent, or total crap options. It’s hard to know since there seem to be so many mixed reviews out there. Thanks in advance for your time/insight!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 19, 2021 at 5:58 pm

       Hi Kea, frankly, I think that what you’re feeding your cat sounds almost ideal for someone on a budget and whose cat doesn’t like some of the fancier options out there. Constant access to the Rachael Ray dry food should ensure that she never goes undernourished. And considering that she’s maintained her weight well, it sounds like it’s working well for her. As she gets older, your main consideration will probably be keeping her on a highly-digestible diet with plenty of very bioavailable protein, and this may mean switching to something that doesn’t contain animal by-products. Assuming that its phosphorus content is in line with your vet’s recommendations for kidney health, I might consider trying a freeze-dried diet for potentially-superior protein intake. This might also help with some of that chronic vomiting you’re seeing.
31. Paul Mar 24, 2021 at 2:49 am

    Hi, I found out that some cat foods don’t contain ash, how can I calculate the carbs or DMB if I don’t see the ash? TY

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 25, 2021 at 4:53 am

       Hi Paul, unfortunately, it’s difficult to get good estimates on any of this. I generally assume roughly 3% ash for wet foods and 6% ash for dry, though, as these percentages seem to be typical. Hope this helps!
32. kittymeowmeow Apr 7, 2021 at 4:27 am

    Hello! I was wondering what your thoughts are on the new Instinct by Natures Variety kitten frozen and freeze dried food. I have been trying to get my 7 month old to eat a raw diet but I cannot find the phosphorus % for this food and fear feeding anything with too much bone. Also, recommended amount for kittens is 2 grams per 1,000 calories of phosphorus. How much would this be on an as fed and dry matter basis? Do I just divide by 2 to find adult amount? One last thing, when checking the typical analysis of cat food, is it dry matter basis? I also have been considering Stella and Chewy boneless recipes with kitten wet food. Thank you, I was put in charge of the new kittens diet, its a stressful job! I don’t think I would have made it as a cat parent without you!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorApr 16, 2021 at 6:09 pm

       Hi there! Sorry about the late reply. This is a great comment—you’re asking some challenging questions. So, here goes:
       1. On a very general level—just looking at the ingredient list without the added nuance of ingredient amounts and manufacturing processes—Instinct by Nature’s Variety raw and freeze-dried food for kittens looks good. I’m seeing a nice mix of muscle meat, organs, and bones, plus a nice range of additives to ensure that the food is nutritionally complete and supports healthy digestion. I think that either the freeze-dried or frozen recipe would be a great choice for a kitten.
       2. I had to contact the company, and they said that the frozen food is 1.33% phosphorus, while the freeze-dried food is 1.2% phosphorus, both on a dry matter basis. As I’ll mention later, this sounds about right for a kitten according to AAFCO guidelines.
       3. As for converting from grams/calories, it’s going to be different for every food, since they have different caloric densities. This is the calculator I use to make these types of conversions: https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2017/08/nutrient_converter/
       4. AAFCO’s guidelines require that an adult food is at least 0.4% phosphorus versus 1.0% for kittens (on a dry matter basis). So it’s not quite double. While I respect taking an interest in phosphorus content for the sake of being informed, in most cases, it’s probably not really necessary to know the phosphorus content if you’re buying food that is formulated for your cat’s given life stage. Yes, there are some concerns that some adult foods contain too much phosphorus as there aren’t any upper limits in AAFCO’s guidelines, and you may want to pay attention to this if you’re concerned about kidney health, but in general, commercial foods are already formulated for the nutritional requirements of the labeled life stage.
       5. Whether or not the typical analysis is on a dry matter basis depends on where you’re getting it and who you’re asking. I usually ask for a typical analysis on a dry matter basis. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with moisture being one of the values in the analysis.
       6. A mix of adult and kitten food should be okay—I would just try to make sure that the kitten food constitutes the majority of the food.

       Hope this was helpful! Let me know if you have any more questions.
33. Jaime May 3, 2021 at 1:00 am

    Hello – Because of the review of Smalls on this website AllAboutCats, I decided to try their sampler. And because of my experience with Smalls, I no longer trust reviews by AllAboutCats. AFTER placing an order for a sample at Smalls, I received a flash notification that I just agreed to a monthly auto-subscription – I did not. Furthermore there is no email confirmation of the auto-subscription terms or how to cancel, there is no account I can sign into for the terms or to cancel. I call and I receive a message that they don’t answer the phone, and to send an email. I email, telling them I do not have the not terms of the auto-subscription nor do I know how to cancel, and I have no account to sign into to learn the terms or to learn how to cancel. They respond that I should not worry, they will not place an order for me with out my consent, but then they do. I really needed to cancel because my cats hated the food. This business tactic is illegal, under the law, companies have an obligation to explain the details of the deal up front, clearly disclose any automatic renewal terms, get consumers’ express consent before billing, and offer simple ways to cancel.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 5, 2021 at 9:47 pm

       Hi Jaime, thanks for commenting. I am acutely aware of the issues that Smalls is facing and the effect that it’s had on our reputation as well. We’ve been communicating actively with Smalls to find out why they’ve been getting so many complaints, and it seems that your experience was characteristic of the system of problems that arose after a system change left customers with no customer portal. According to our contact at Smalls, your order has been canceled and you should no longer be experiencing any issues. Again, I’m sorry that we let you down with this recommendation, and we’re working on making sure that all of our reviews are up-to-date.
34. Kim May 23, 2021 at 10:58 pm

    Hello. Thanks for such great information! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes and I am looking for a better low carb alternative to the Fancy Feast pate which was suggedted by her vet. The FF seems to give her diarrhea, even with an added probiotic. I was planning to try the Weruva, which your review says is low in carbs, but your chart shows dry matter carbs as 17.06% which is very high. I’m confused!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 28, 2021 at 9:48 pm

       Hi Kim, thanks for the comment! You’re right that there was an inconsistency in this article; I’ve updated it to make things clearer. The claim of low carbohydrate content applied to the Weruva brand as a whole. Many, many Weruva recipes arequite low in carbohydrates, as you can see in the charts here. As long as you choose the right recipe, Weruva can be a good low-carb option for a diabetic cat.
35. Matthew May 30, 2021 at 4:39 am

    Hello Mallory,

    Recently I did some on-line research to try to determine which canned cat foods have BPA and which do not. I quickly found information about just how bad the products of the big pet food companies are, and that their parent companies are the same large corporations that produce junk food for humans. Producing such unhealthy food for both pets and people should be illegal, however that will likely never happen. In the meantime, we just have to put in the effort to make ourselves informed of the benefits and dangers of our food, and that of our pets. I found your website to be a tremendous help in researching healthy (or at least healthier) options for my cat, so thank you very much.
    I was wondering if you had any recommendations for food that will help clean a cat’s teeth. Hill’s Prescription Diet Dental Care ( a dry food in a large kibble form) might work as claimed, however its list of ingredients is not encouraging (e.g.: chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn & powdered cellulose are the first five ingredients). Thanks again for the great website, it really helps in managing the enormous amount of cat food options that there are out there.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 7, 2021 at 10:42 pm

       Matthew, thanks for reaching out. My best recommendation is to feed a raw diet that includes small (again, raw) bones that your cat can chomp down on—or feeding raw treats on occasion. This will help to engage your cat’s entire mouth and may help to slough off some of the plaque that has accumulated.
36. Kevin Jul 5, 2021 at 7:31 pm

    I was feeding my cats Smalls wet food. They tolerated it, but did not love it. It arrives frozen (well, is supposed to be). One order arrived melted, they replaced shipment. Another delivery the food seemed off. I cancelled my subscription. Like the idea of human grade, but they have kinks to work out.

    Reply ↓
37. Beth WISEMAN Jul 30, 2021 at 7:07 am

    What ingredients and food do you recommend for my cat with liver disease? He is all skin and bones.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 2, 2021 at 11:02 pm

       Hi Beth, thank you for commenting. Unfortunately, I’ve not done enough in-depth research to give more recommendations at this time, but according to Jennifer Coates, DVM, a diet for cats with liver disease should have:

       High quality protein to reduce the workload on the liver

       Highly digestible carbohydrates

       High quality fats

       Added antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C and selenium to combat oxidative stress

       You can learn more in this article: https://www.petmd.com/blogs/nutritionnuggets/cat/dr-coates/2014/april/feeding-cats-liver-disease-31536
       I would recommend asking your veterinarian for specific recommendations.
       Best,
       Mallory
    2. Carley Aug 28, 2021 at 6:51 pm

       Have you looked into reviewing the Redford’s Naturals brand from Pet Supplies Plus? It’s the closest pet store near me and I’m looking for a budget-friendly option to add to my rotation of wet food. It’s a young brand so any info I’ve found online is mixed.
    3. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 29, 2021 at 10:12 pm

       Hi Carley, I responded to some of your other comments, but yes, we will consider it as a future review. Redford Naturals’ wet food does look promising—some of their recipes appear to be relatively meat-focused and low-carb, so I would look at the packages at the nearby store and evaluate those ingredient lists. Hope this helps!
38. Beth WISEMAN Aug 2, 2021 at 6:12 pm

    My senior male cat has had liver failure for several years. He is all skin and bones but eats well. What food do you recommend for him to gain weight? He is eating Fancy Feast. I am trying to start him back on Hills Diet.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 2, 2021 at 11:55 pm

       Hi Beth, this is a good question. I would recommend reading our article on the best cat food for weight gain. Have you talked to a veterinarian about the best dietary options for cats with liver disease? While I would prioritize weight management, there are certain qualities that set apart foods for cats with liver disease. The appropriate food for your cat, however, will depend on his unique situation. That’s why vet consultation may be helpful.
39. Nico Sep 2, 2021 at 11:30 pm

    Hi Mallory!
    I’m a first-time mom to a 1 year old cat, who I’ve had since he was 3 weeks old. Grey’s a picky eater who had a hard time weaning off KMR at 6/7 weeks to Royal Canin Mom & Baby Kitten pate. At 6 months, I changed his food to Hill Science Kitten and he didn’t even go near it, so i changed to Royal Canin Kitten pate (next level after the mom & baby) and he refused to eat for a week until he eventually caved. Now that he’s officially 14 months, I want to transition him to an adult wet food that is great quality and not as expensive as Royal Canin ($50 for 24 cans). Currently, he eats one 3.3 oz can a day (half at 9 am, half at 6 pm), supplemented with 1/4 cup of Hill Science Indoor Kitten dry food each feeding. I’ve watched so many of your videos, read all your reviews, cross-referenced with contradicting Amazon reviews, and I’m completely overwhelmed by the options lol. I’m definitely having decision paralysis and don’t want to commit to buying a case/subscription of one brand only to have him not eat it/starve until we find the right one. I didn’t understand the cat lady stereotype until I had my own little fur baby, and now i get it. I know I’m overthinking it and that it’ll all come down to what he likes and dislikes, but can you please give me the top 4 brands of wet food that you would buy if you had a cat like Grey? I swear I’ll buy them all tonight, I desperately just want this 2-month research journey to be over and for my cat to be healthy for the next 18 years LOL.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 13, 2021 at 3:12 am

       Hello! First off, I am so sorry about the late reply! I know you’re looking for an end to this struggle, and waiting ten days for a response was not what you were hoping for. Anyway, to jump into things without wasting any more of your time:
       My first idea is related to something you said about your experience when switching from the Mother & Babycat formula to the Kitten paté. Your kitten didn’t eat for an entire week? Did he have any treats or table scraps during that time? If so, I would look at whatever snacks or treats he enjoys and use those as guidance when choosing a diet. Monitor textural and flavor preferences as much as you can. If you don’t see a pattern, that’s fine, too! We can figure this out.
       As for top four recommendations:

       • I’m curious as to whether or not you’ve tried freeze-dried food. I think something from Stella & Chewy’s could be a very good option for you. It tends to be really palatable, and you choose the right formula, it’s relatively affordable compared to Royal Canin.
       • This option is definitely not cheap and would cost more than the Royal Canin, but you might like Caru’s human-grade stews. The quality is excellent, and I know both from experience and customer reviews that their foods are very palatable and a great option for picky cats. They also have a very soft texture that I think Grey might enjoy.
       • Smalls may be a good option for your kitty as well. We are still seeing some complaints about consistency, and I’m not 100% on whether or not they’ve ironed out the issues that were causing some of the earlier complaints around customer service, but I think you’ll be very impressed with their ingredient quality. Grey will probably like their foods, too; I’ve found that they’re very appealing to cats, and I know my cats love them. Depending on how much you order, it could either be more expensive than Royal Canin or a little bit cheaper.
       • Finally, you may want to try Nulo cat food. It’s not mentioned on this list, but they make some good canned foods that cats tend to like quite a bit. You might try their Freestyle Turkey & Chicken Recipe.

       I hope this helps! All the best to you and Grey. 🙂
40. Brit Sep 8, 2021 at 2:25 am

    Thank you so much for your site. Do you know of any other brands like Hound & Gatos or Dr. Elsey that sell wet food for cats? I’m looking for canned food that is protein & nutrition focused at a similar price, or lower.

    Unfortunately, my cat won’t eat Hound & Gatos, no matter how healthy it is for her. She loves Dr. Elsey’s wet food, but they have been having major supply chain issues since COVID hit and it has been really difficult to get regularly. My cat was on a prescription food to rule out a medical issue, and luckily it has been ruled out, but now I don’t know what to feed her.

    Reply ↓
    1. Brit Sep 9, 2021 at 3:34 pm

       After doing more digging around your site, I’m going to try Redbarn! Thank you for all your work, this site has made things so much easier. I hadn’t figured out how to sort brands by rating before, that really helped.
41. Rebecca G Sep 23, 2021 at 2:21 am

    So much information and it is very appreciated. I currently have 3 cats ages 11, 3, and 19 months. A few years ago we started feeding science diet kibble and friskies or other similar wet food. I try to boil chicken and rice to supplement the wet food. The 2 youngest cats are new to our home 1 by rescue and 1 a very sick stray that’s now mine and getting well thanks to a great vet and lots of love! Anyways, trying to feed 3 cats strictly wet food that’s good quality is too expensive right now. I’m a student and we have 5 children. I’m just trying to find something better than friskies but with a friskies price. I’m also not sure how much each cat should be fed. And, if I can reduce the amount of wet food I need by adding boiled chicken (I can add other things also) to help up nutritional value and lower cost. I have considered feeding homemade but that is probably out of my budget.
    Thanks for any help you’re able to offer! I appreciate your time and all you do.

    Reply ↓
42. Roma Hanson Oct 2, 2021 at 9:16 pm

    I have just found this site, and hope that you can help me. I am encouraged by the many comments I have read on this post. My 11 yr old rescue kittie, Vinnie, has suddenly started to refuse food. He primarily eats wet food, but I do offer him Inception chicken dry kibble also. He has been loving Applaws chicken/duck, and he liked Royal Canin Indoor. Merrick Rabbit, and Sheba. For the past week or so, however, he doesn’t seem to have any appetite. I have now tried Stella & Chewy – he gobbled up 1 pouch of Tuna, Salmon & Mackerel, then refused the same a day later. He did have large hairball over a week ago, and following his upchucking that, I took him to vet. She ran blood tests and set all looked in normal range except for a slightly elevated thyroid level I need to bring to him in for another thyroid test in a week or so. But I don’t understand the sudden lack in food, when he always had a voracious appetite. In desperation, I opened up a small can of human tuna, and he had some, but again wouldn’t not eat any the next day. Have you any recommendations for what I might try? Or am I just overreacting?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 3, 2021 at 7:03 pm

       Hi Roma, any change in appetite is a sign that something’s changed, so I don’t really feel that you’re overreacting. I would first rule out the possibility that your cat has found a second food source (is someone in your home feeding him some tasty treats without you knowing? Is he getting outside and eating mice?). Once you’ve considered that, I would look for any behavioral changes like reduced activity or physical signs of illness like diarrhea or vomiting (aside from the hairball recently). If there aren’t any other signs of illness, I would probably take a “wait and see” approach (but I’m not a vet, and this isn’t veterinary advice!) You may appreciate veterinarian Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ’s video on what to do if your cat’s not eating. All the best to you and Vinnie!
43. Diana Oct 8, 2021 at 2:20 am

    Hi,

    I noticed that in your review it says that you get 16 ounces of food from Smalls, however on their website each packet is 11.5 ounces. Is that something that was recently changed? If so, I feel like that skews the cost per day significantly and Smalls ends up costing a lot.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 10, 2021 at 10:38 pm

       Hi Diana, that’s a good observation! I’ve ordered a new batch of Smalls and will be doing a complete update of our Smalls cat food review soon to reflect any changes in pricing. For now, the change in packet size should not have that great of an effect because your payment is not calculated based on package size but how much you order and how frequently your shipments come in.
44. Christina Oct 19, 2021 at 4:36 pm

    Hi,
    Have you reviewed “Know Better”? Curious about your thoughts on making your own cat food as an option.
    Thanks!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 31, 2021 at 5:47 pm

       Hi Christina, thanks for commenting! We haven’t reviewed Know Better yet, but you can learn more about our thoughts on homemade cat food here.
45. scott Dec 7, 2021 at 6:57 am

    thank you, great web site

    Reply ↓
46. Emily Dec 29, 2021 at 4:53 pm

    Hi, what are your thoughts on the Amazon cat food Lifelong?

    Reply ↓
    1. All About Cats Editorial Dec 29, 2021 at 8:14 pm

       Hi Emily

       We have not reviewed Amazon cat food Lifelong yet, but we’re going to add that to our pipeline of up and coming reviews
47. Carolyn Jan 19, 2022 at 10:02 am

    I tried Cat Person as well as Smalls. My kitty won’t eat either one!!! I love the equipment they send each provide to keep food fresh and easier to serve and I would have liked to continue with either of them, but I can’t get my boy to eat wet food lately. If anyone has advice on a healthy, and widely-known liked food by picky kitties, please let me know.

    Reply ↓
48. Nancy Feb 23, 2022 at 7:03 pm

    Hello. Mallory. I appreciate your efforts in researching cat food and educating cat people, plus your conscientiousness in responding to comments. I have been feeding Authority canned food, the Petsmart brand, to my cat, Javy. I chose this food because it is affordable (I’m on a limited income), you gave it a good review last year, plus it is not grain free. My vet does not recommend grain-free food because research suggests it causes heart problems. She said it is not known whether it is the lack of grains that cause this condition or whether it’s the ingredients used to replace the grains. Although current research is not conclusive, I’ve made the decision to feed Javy canned food that is not grain free. Unfortunately, I am having problems buying Authority on a regular basis. As of today, it is not available through the Petsmart website nor the two Petsmart stores in our city. Is there a canned brand you can recommend that is both affordable and not grain free? I appreciate any guidance you can provide. Thank you!

    Reply ↓
49. Mike Mar 9, 2022 at 10:49 am

    Can you review Tiny Tiger wet/dry foods, they appear to be good and on the cheaper side.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 11, 2022 at 6:07 am

       We already did!
50. Victoria Mar 16, 2022 at 4:30 pm

    Hi! I was wondering if you could give some advice about what I could cook/prep vs buying canned food?

    Thanks so much for all your hard work and dedication, this site is awesome!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 27, 2022 at 2:46 am

       Hi Victoria, I’m so sorry about the delayed response! You might appreciate our article going over all the details on homemade cat food, including some pros and cons comparing it to commercial food. If you decide to make homemade food, refer to this article—it also gives several homemade recipes for you to reference.
51. Debi Mar 18, 2022 at 1:01 am

    My cat has a chicken allergy. Looking for a good canned wet catfood that is pate & does not hace chicken in it. Alot of beef canned food still has chicken in it!!!!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 28, 2022 at 8:16 pm

       Hi Debi, we’re working on an article on the best chicken-free cat food as we speak! Stay tuned. 🙂
52. Debi Mar 28, 2022 at 8:46 pm

    Excellent. Thank U!!! Please eamil when yor article comes out. Thank U!!!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 28, 2022 at 9:18 pm

       Just sent you an email—will be in touch. 🙂
53. Julie S. Apr 29, 2022 at 4:52 am

    Hi Mallory.

    We’re considering transitioning our two cats from dry Tuscan Naturals food to a wet food for at least one meal a day, so I’m reading reviews to find a reasonably-priced option. I read this article and “The 5 Best Cheap Cat Foods that are Affordable and Healthy” and found a confusing inconsistency: In this article, you list Authority Chicken Entree Adult Pate as the “Best Budget” choice. However, in the other article, your top pick is Wholehearted Grain Free Chicken Recipe Flaked in Gravy. Is one clearly better, in terms of ingredient quality and species-appropriateness?

    Thanks!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 2, 2022 at 1:43 pm

       Hi Julie, the article on the best cheap cat food is a bit outdated—we’re currently working on an update that will make the two articles consistent. We’ve learned that the WholeHearted food has higher carbohydrate content than thought initially, and it shouldn’t be ranked as highly as it is in that article. I would lean towards the Authority food over the WholeHearted product. You can also consider wet food from Nulo, which isn’t mentioned on either list currently and has a lot of excellent qualities for a low price. Thanks for the comment!
54. Julie Snyder May 2, 2022 at 4:54 pm

    Great. Really appreciate you responding!

    Reply ↓
55. Carole Hayes Jul 13, 2022 at 6:57 pm

    Hi! Found your cat food reviews recently and am SO grateful to you for doing this!

    Could you please do a review of Amazon’s KITZY brand? (the ingredient list looks pretty good to me, but I know there’s a lot more that you look at…)

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJul 14, 2022 at 3:59 pm

       Adding it to the list! Thanks, Carole.
56. Trinity Sears Jul 20, 2022 at 1:48 am

    Would love if you would review the justforcats brand of fresh cat food. Love how you do independent lab testing!

    Reply ↓
    1. All About Cats Editorial Jul 24, 2022 at 7:57 pm

       Here you go:
       https://cats.com/just-food-for-cats-review
57. Karen Sabyan Jul 28, 2022 at 1:49 am

    Hello,

    What wet and dry foods do you recommend for kittens?

    Thank you,

    Karen

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 3, 2022 at 6:48 pm

       Karen, I can’t share anything I haven’t already written in our guide on the best cat food for kittens.
58. Chris Jul 29, 2022 at 9:49 pm

    Out of curiosity, why is Feline Natural now not even in the top ten after previously being the number one recommendation? I see on the product review page that its biggest dings are from the parent company recall history and affordability. It looks like the recall issue is a one-time incident from 2018, which would have been considered in the original review. Did you change how heavily you weigh these two factors, or did something else happen (e.g. did the price increase significantly)?

    I am asking because I’m not a fan of the peas in smalls or having to deal with frozen food. I have been feeding Ziwi Peak for a few years, but with the recent sale of the company, they are discontinuing the provenance line, which are the only formulations that don’t have chickpeas. My cats are not thrilled about the recipes containing chickpeas, and neither am I. I’m also frankly tired of all the fluctuations in price and product availability over the past year, although perhaps that has impacted all brands given supply chain and inflation issues. I’m fortunate that right now I can afford pricey cat food, and want to get the most species-appropriate recipe for my two healthy 3-year-old cats. It seems like Feline Natural fits the bill, but would like to know if I’m missing something important given its fall in your ratings.

    Thank you for all of this amazing research that you do. I’ve found it tremendously helpful as a first-time cat parent.

    Reply ↓
    1. Kate Barrington Aug 1, 2022 at 5:03 pm

       Hi Chris! We tend to rotate products in and out of these “top 10” style round-ups simply because there are so many brands worth recommending. Sometimes it does have something to do with a new recall or other concerns with the company but I don’t believe that was the case with Feline Natural. Feline Natural is still a personal favorite of mine and it’s still one of our more highly rated brands overall – we just chose to highlight a few others here for one reason or another.
       Also, I feel the same way about peas and chickpeas in cat food, so it’s disappointing to hear that Ziwi is discontinuing the Provenance line! I’m glad you’re able to afford the best for your cat, however, and applaud you for putting so much thought into feeding your cat well!
    2. Chris Aug 1, 2022 at 6:10 pm

       Got it, thank you! This is very helpful. I’ll try Feline Natural and hole that my picky ladies will accept it!
59. Chris Jul 31, 2022 at 11:28 pm

    Hi! I posted a question about Feline Natural a day or two ago, but the comment seems to be gone now. Was it removed for some reason or did something just go wonky with the comments section? Thank you for all of this research you do, it is very helpful!

    Reply ↓
    1. Kate Barrington Aug 1, 2022 at 5:04 pm

       Sorry Chris! All comments have to be approved once submitted, so we were just a few days behind. I’ve replied in more detail on your original comment!
    2. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 3, 2022 at 2:44 am

       Hey Chris, I can see your comment and Kate’s response to it—not sure what happened in between there, but everything should be fine now. I will add to Kate’s reply and say that the specific reason Feline Natural was removed from the list was availability issues. It was becoming hard to find it available through our usual retailers, so it was removed.
60. Chris Aug 1, 2022 at 6:07 pm

    Ah no worries, thanks! Just wanted to make sure it didn’t fall into an internet black hole.

    Reply ↓
61. George Holland Aug 23, 2022 at 6:31 pm

    Why do you call hounds and gatos expensive when it is marked as two dollars a day? it is pennies cheaper than instinct which you call budget food.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 29, 2022 at 8:52 pm

       Hi George, thanks for pointing that out! I’m editing the piece now.
62. Lanza Aug 26, 2022 at 8:17 pm

    The price for Cat Person is incorrect. They sell Pack of five 2.75 oz cups at a price of $9.50. A normal size cat will approximately need 2-3 cups per day. Their daily price should be about $3.8-$5.7.

    Reply ↓
    1. Melanie Dec 30, 2023 at 5:18 am

       Hello, I am a mother of 2 4-year-old Persian cats. I am currently giving them Royal Canin Persian but I am concerned about the ingredients list. We live in Mexico and it is a very popular brand that all veterinarians recommend. Could you recommend the best food for them, both dry and wet. I’m not worried about the cost. just not grain-free because they are very thin. thanks a lot
63. Chloe Sep 1, 2022 at 9:45 pm

    I just want to say thank you Mallory! I have been consulting your site since first adopting my kitten. I came right back when deciding on which adult cat food to feed him- and he loves the Hounds & Gatos! All of your efforts are so appreciated!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 1, 2022 at 10:58 pm

       Hi Chloe, thank you for stopping by and letting me know! I’m really glad to hear that you’ve referred to All About Cats to help you choose the right adult food for your cat, and it’s great to know that he likes Hound & Gatos. All the best to you and your cat!
64. Hana Sep 20, 2022 at 2:05 pm

    I have been using Smalls for about a year now and love giving my cat food that didn’t have fillers. I order a lot of meal kits (for people) so was familiar with the subscription model, which seems to be a complaint many people have. I recently had an issue where I pushed back an order, but was still charged and am dealing with it. However, I am much more concerned about thread worms, which is the reason why I pushed back the order. My cat has them, and they are rare apparently. The vet said they are not spread via feces the way other worms are, but by eating raw or under-cooked animals / food.
    I love the idea of Smalls, but the quality has been inconsistent. I usually have old packets left in the freezer when a new box arrives so can easily compare between batches. I have gotten batches that were much darker and smelled burnt (though cat seemed fine with them so I didn’t complain). I have also gotten “smooth” bird that was very chunky and “ground” bird that was pate-like. Again, cat didn’t seem to mind, so I never complained. However, if they can overcook / burn food, I am concerned they can under-cook food, too, resulting in thread worms. Any suggestions on getting more information? Thank you.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 20, 2022 at 7:21 pm

       Hana, thank you so much for the thoughtful comment. I have to ask about your vet’s expertise because cats do not get infected with threadworms (also known as pinworms). Additionally, it is quite normal for cats to get worms from raw meat, especially from wild animals. Is Smalls the only food you’ve given your cat? Does your cat ever go outside? Is it possible that your cat ate a mouse or other animal that could have given her the worms? Has she ever had a flea infestation? This is also a common source of worms. The meats we feed our cats, even if uncooked, very rarely are contaminated with worms.
       Thank you again for asking about this, and I’ll be in touch. Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you’d like to keep the conversation going.

       – Mallory
65. Tammy Skinner Nov 8, 2022 at 10:31 pm

    Hi, I have a 6-year-old man Coon that was brought up on friskies dried cat food. After looking at the ingredients I slowly switched her to Blue Buffalo and she loves it. She will not eat wet cat food she will only lick the gravy off of it. I want her to have whatever is best for her, please help me I do not want to lose her and I very much want what is best for her. Thank you very much.

    Reply ↓
    1. Tammy Skinner Nov 10, 2022 at 3:25 pm

       Hello, I was given a Maine Coon female cat and she is 6 years old. Her previous owner fed her meow mix, and I wanted baby on a much better diet. So I weaned her off and put her on Blue Buffalo. After reading several articles I’m concerned about giving it to her. I’ve tried wet food and she only licks up the gravy but does not eat the food. She does eat the dry food kibbles. I really want her to be on a good diet and would really like to know what you would advise. I cannot afford super expensive foods, but if I could find foods to implement with her Blue Buffalo that would be great. Again I’ve not been seeing too many good things about Blue Buffalo, so what would you suggest please? Also is baby considered a senior at 6 years old?
66. Julie Nov 18, 2022 at 11:47 pm

    I’m not sure who you’re calculating Price per Day. When I click the links you give to buy the products on Amazon, the price per day is more than double – unless cats are only meant to have one 5 oz can per day. Am I missing something?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorNov 21, 2022 at 5:37 pm

       Hi Julie, we base these numbers on feeding 200 calories per day—I believe the discrepancy you’re seeing is the result of inflation over the last year. We’ll check and update. Thank you!
67. Pepper Hume Nov 22, 2022 at 4:34 am

    Wow! I just found this site and read thru the entire Question and Responses page. I have bookmarked it.
    For now: My 12# Maine coon mix was a rescue, so his age is estimated about 10. He gets very insecure when his kibble bowl is not full but also demands wet food twice a day. Yet he won’t eat more than a tablespoon of it so even a 3 oz. can of Fancy Feast lasts us days! He prefers minced/shreds in gravy but I have yet to figure out if he prefers fish or poultry. His vet put him on Royal Canin Urinary Adult dry food last year. When she advised against treats for our daily game of catch, he readily accepted leftover Purina Cat Chow kibble! He refused all hairball supplements, so I substituted maybe a tablespoon of Purina One Hairball Formula kibble for the game. Doesn’t matter what I toss him, it’s the game he loves.

    Hairballs were radically minimized this summer, but he still vomits. Sometimes it’s virtually whole unchewed kibbles as tho he simply ate too fast. he seems perfectly healthy otherwise, litterbox habits look good.

    So, I think I need to try changing his wet food. ?? I keep him indoors.

    Reply ↓
68. nasrin Nov 23, 2022 at 5:01 am

    Hello,

    I recently noticed that Ziwi Peak has not made it to the list this year and on other categories on best canned food.
    Is It due to change of ingredients? Just curious cause I give my mainecoon ziwipeak canned food. However, I am debating to change to Tiki Cat.

    Reply ↓
    1. Kate Barrington Nov 28, 2022 at 6:15 pm

       Hi Nasrin! We really like Ziwi Peak as a brand and have included it in many lists throughout the year. Unfortunately, the brand has been sold out a lot online recently and we try to keep our lists updated to ensure that the products we’re recommending are actually available for purchase. If you’re able to still find Ziwi Peak and your cat still enjoys it, there’s no reason to make the switch. We do, however, also recommend Tiki Cat if that brand is easier for you to find!
69. Rebecca Dec 2, 2022 at 11:31 pm

    Hi, I noticed you have a best for kittens wet food option different than the one in the post about kitten foods. Why is that and which one is actually better? So far I’ve tried instinct original kitten, wellness classic core Turkey and chicken liver, blue wilderness (which I don’t think you recommended but they seem to really like) and the nulo one that’s recommended here. So far they don’t seem to like that one much at all—that actually refused it the second time and held out for something else. I want to be sure I’m giving them what they need, but I’m so confused by all the options. My previous cat was a special diet boy (hydrolyzed only) so I haven’t really had to figure this out in over a decade.
    Thanks in advance, and thank you for the information provided on this site. It’s very helpful, even if I’m still confused.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 5, 2022 at 8:16 pm

       Hi Rebecca, it makes perfect sense that you’d be confused. I believe we changed to the Nulo recipe because another Wellness CORE recipe was shifted into the “best paté” position, and the choice was primarily based on what would make sense presentationally rather than just the nutritional merit of the recipes. In fact, when I first wrote this article, the Wellness CORE recipe listed on the best kitten food article was recommended as the best kitten food. I’m going to ask to have this article changed up again, because the order and labels don’t quite make sense to me anymore, either. Apologies for all of the weirdness!
70. Cosmin Dec 8, 2022 at 3:21 am

    Hello ! Do you have any thoughts about Schesir Bio organic ?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 20, 2022 at 9:07 pm

       Not yet, but we’re planning to publish a complete review of the Schesir brand in the near future. Thank you!
71. Cosmin Dec 9, 2022 at 6:33 pm

    Hello. What do you think about Schesir Bio ? Think you’ll ever do a review on it ? I live in Europe and most of the brands on your blog are not accessible here. I really appreciate your work, I recently changed my cat’s food from Hill’s to Carnilove based on what I learned from you and it’s great ! Thank you very much !

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 13, 2022 at 2:00 am

       Hi there Cosmin, I’ve just requested that we do a review of the Schesir brand!
72. Marco Dec 16, 2022 at 5:44 pm

    Hi ! Can you please consider to make a review of Zooplus Bio and Yarrah brands ? They both state that their products are organic. Thank you !!!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 20, 2022 at 11:08 pm

       Thank you for the suggestion—I’ve added these brands to our list.
73. Cris Jan 2, 2023 at 10:13 pm

    Hi there!
    I’ve been researching European wet cat foods (as I’m from Europe and it’s harder/more expensive to buy your top wet foods) and I’ve come across Rosie’s farm, Greenwoods Joy and Purizon which are all from the same mother company, they’re sold online on zooplus. I’d love to see a review on the first two from you since there’s a Purizon review already, if possible? I’ve emailed their website asking about binders/thickeners as I’m a bit concerned on that matter. The pet food industry is truly frustrating.
    Thanks for your hard work.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJan 3, 2023 at 4:42 pm

       Hello Cris, thank you for the question. I’ve added these brands to our list, and we should have them reviewed on the site soon!
74. Vera Jan 11, 2023 at 6:38 am

    Hello, Your site is very informative and helpful.
    I would appreciate if you could find out as to what happened to Boreal wet canned cat food. All they seem to sell is all fish recipes. They used to have chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, beef.
    Even a couple of nearby pet stores (Ruffins/Global) are unable to get these recipes from Boreal for almost two years now. My cat is allergic to fish. But did so well with the other recipes. Thank you, for your help.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJan 12, 2023 at 6:17 pm

       Hi Vera, thanks for the comment. I called Boreal, and a representative explained that they’ve had supply issues for a couple of years, and there’s no real end in sight, unfortunately. I hope you can find an alternative that works as well as those Boreal recipes did for you.
75. Heather Feb 2, 2023 at 10:17 pm

    Hi Mallory,
    I’m wondering why Ziwi Peak and Feline Natural did not make your 2023 list of best wet cat foods (I know they’ve been at the top the last several years.) Did something change recently?
    Thanks,
    Heather

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorFeb 6, 2023 at 6:33 pm

       Hi Heather! Ziwi cat food was out of stock for extended periods over the last year, so we replaced it with more reliably-available brands on numerous product roundups. Hope this helps!
76. Heather Feb 6, 2023 at 6:52 pm

    Thanks!
    Was product availability the concern with Feline Natural as well?

    Reply ↓
77. Karen Mar 4, 2023 at 10:51 pm

    Please check the latest reviews on Chewy.com regarding a recipe change for the chicken and turkey recipes and foods being manufactured in Ecuador. Disappointed Jan. 2023 had a cat illness because of the change in the chicken and did not have a good customer relations experience. Many describe the consistency as very watery. This is a concern for a highly rated brand.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 6, 2023 at 8:09 pm

       Thank you.
78. Leanne Mar 12, 2023 at 11:49 pm

    Hi Mallory, been utilizing your website for a few years now, thanks for all you do! I was looking for a new wet food because I realized that Instinct is now using guar gum in their pate recipes, and I had been feeding it for a while based on it being gum free. I noticed that your stated ingredients on the 10 best list don’t show this recipe change. Here’s the ingredients of the chicken pate via your link to Chewy: Ingredients
    Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Egg Product, Dicalcium Phosphate, Turkey, Peas, Carrots, Pumpkin, Tomato, Kale, Cabbage, Ground Flaxseed, Tuna Fish Oil, Guar Gum, Broccoli, Potassium Chloride, Cranberries, Blueberries, Salt, Parsley, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Magnesium Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Iron Proteinate), Choline Chloride, Vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement).

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 16, 2023 at 7:59 pm

       Thank you for letting us know!
    2. Ken Ryder Mar 18, 2023 at 5:05 am

       Do not give your cats tap water, tap water contains minerals and other stuff that can be bad for you cats. Special Kitty is harmful to your cats as the ingrediants can be harmful to them. Even though it is a cheap version of food, the ingrediants are bad for them. I have lost 2 cats due to this. I’m not sure how they are still in business,.
79. Berj May 1, 2023 at 5:48 pm

    Hello Team! What are your thoughts on the Salmon & Mackerel version of Nulo Freestyle canned wet food?

    In your review of the Nulo wet cat food, your team spoke highly of the “Turkey & Chicken” recipe but wanted to get the team’s thoughts on the Salmon & Mackerel” recipe as my cats prefer that one. Thank you so much!!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 8, 2023 at 7:16 pm

       Hi! The overall quality is about the same—my only hesitation around fish-based foods is the increased likelihood of heavy metal contamination. It’s fine if your cats like it, but perhaps you can incorporate it as part of a rotation with other foods in the mix as well.
80. Megan Sep 11, 2023 at 6:08 pm

    Most of wet food has many fish ingredients, is it safe to feed the wet food for cats everyday? I reached out to many manufacturers, they replied unclear answer like our food is below maximum tolerable limits.

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81. Elizabeth Grant Oct 10, 2023 at 11:37 pm

    Why don’t you list NON-GMO wet cat food? Yes that’s Tiki but many on this list have GMO’s. They play games and say ‘some’ of the food is listed as non-GMO. I want NO GMO’s like I had when TJ’s had wet cat food.

    I’m looking to find a ‘somewhat’ reasonably priced Non-GMO wet cat food that does not have mercury high fish? NO tuna, No tilapia.

    Please focus on what is the most important – the health of our beautiful pets.

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 23, 2023 at 2:02 am

       Hi there! Thanks for the request. We’ll consider doing a piece on the best non-GMO cat food in the future. Appreciate it!
82. Carlotta Dec 9, 2023 at 6:46 pm

    Next time you do testing please include the best mousse wet catfood. Please include nulo , tiki cat dark and nutrition recipe in this testing I am currently feeding Tiki cat dark mousse to my Cassie kitty with IBS. She loves it.

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83. Richard Dec 19, 2023 at 7:00 am

    I bought chicken and turkey this week for $1.99 per pound, which comparatively speaking, works out to 12.5 cents per ounce. Far less than the prices I’m seeing here. Would there be a problem with feeding my cats ‘people food’ such as this? I’m sure there would also need to be some kind of other nutritional sources combined, but it does seem like a far more reasonable solution. Please let me know what you think about this option and maybe point me to where I can find more info on putting together a ‘people’s food’ diet for my pets. Thanks.

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 25, 2023 at 4:01 am

       Hi Richard, there’s a lot of complex nutrition to consider here, and it will take some thought and effort to get the balance right. I would recommend reading our article on how to make homemade cat food.
84. Stacey Jan 28, 2024 at 6:33 pm

    Question. Is it best to just stick with one brand of these top wet foods you recommend? Or can you get 2-3 brands and alternate with feeding. How would that work if so. Feed one brand for a week and switch to another brand, or would you do one month then switch? Or just stick with one. I am leaning towards the Rawz brand and the Weruva

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    1. Kate Barrington Feb 6, 2024 at 6:57 pm

       Great question, Stacey! You can certainly rotate between different products, but it’s important to transition your cat from one to the next to avoid digestive upset. Once they’re used to the food, however, a later swap might be more easily tolerated. I think you can try different methods and see what works for your cat. I personally use one product as a staple diet and offer a different one at one meal per day.
85. NancyFollett Jan 28, 2024 at 7:37 pm

    The fussy cat chicken, golden wet food is disgusting. I bought it for my cats. They wouldn’t touch it. I felt the chicken it was gross. It was rough. It felt horrible. I ended up throwing it away. I wouldn’t have fed that to my cats. I feed a lot of fussy cat to my cat, but that was just disgusting, I’m sorry I went with your suggestion that that was a good cat food wet. It is just gross. The chicken was all dry and it felt like it was a mechanically cut. I just can’t tell you how disgusting it was.

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86. Cosmin Feb 8, 2024 at 2:35 pm

    Is there any chance for you to make a review about the Zooplus Bio brand?

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87. Linda Kenney Mar 18, 2024 at 12:22 pm

    Thank you for this list. I am currently feeding Ziwipeak . However I found out that this brand is very high in phosphorus, so I am looking for a nutritional food, made in the US or New Zealand, that is not high in phosphorus. Are any of these foods low in phosphorus?

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    1. Kate Barrington Mar 21, 2024 at 4:50 pm

       Hi Linda! Freeze-dried food does tend to be high in phosphorus when it contains significant amounts of raw bone. Has your cat been diagnosed with kidney disease? If so, the stage of kidney disease may dictate what level of phosphorus they can tolerate (prescription foods are the lowest, but some non-Rx options have restricted phosphorus levels). We have a roundup of low-phosphorus foods for cats with kidney disease here: https://cats.com/best-cat-food-for-kidney-disease
88. Ann Marie Demers May 17, 2024 at 9:39 pm

    You people and all the vets in the world can recommend wet foods that you think are best. BUT if the cat won’t eat it, what’s the point. They know what they want, and it’s not necessarily the best or most expensive food. When I adopted my cat, she came with a couple of portions of Sheba and half a bag of Purina Cat Chow. Since she’s FIV+, I wanted her to eat the best foods I could afford to keep her healthy. She liked the Sheba, but I thought I could do better. Through doing research on other foods, I found out it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. But I tried different foods anyway to see if there was something better. I tried several of the high-end brands, and she turned up her nose at all of them, even with trying to do the slow transition. So I went back to Sheba, and continued to research. I found that Purina Fancy Feast had changed their formula to remove all the preservatives, colors, grains, and such, so I decided to try that. She prefers it over any of the high-end brands that I tried, and I know I’m not feeding her the best, but it’s not the worst either. I’m just glad she likes it.

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89. Tina Jun 10, 2024 at 1:31 am

    Are any of the pet food companies listening to us ask for non-GMO, and organic? I know of one brand claiming organic but it really didn’t continue to work for my cats. Glyphosates impact me and I want to get my cat’s food switched too. She has some chicken sensitivities now. I’m feeding Royal Canin but she’s not great on that either. I added real turkey to her diet and that seems to help. We tried Tiki Cat but she didn’t stay on it. I’m trying to get away from the biggest culprits on the GMO train. Those ingredients are appearing everywhere in pet food.

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