Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
The best cat food for diabetes is a low-carb diet that keeps blood sugar under control while providing all the protein, fat, and other essential nutrients your cat needs to thrive.
With obesity and diabetes so closely linked, great foods for feline diabetes also help your cat slim down to reach a healthy weight. That’s why we recommend Tiki Cat wet cat food as the overall best cat food for diabetic cats. With less than 2% dry matter carbohydrate content, this low-starch food controls blood sugar and reduces your cat’s reliance on insulin.
We love Tiki Cat, but it isn’t our only top pick for diabetic cats. Read on to see our favorite diabetes-friendly cat food recipes.
At a Glance: Best Cat Food for Diabetic Cats To Buy
Tiki Cat After Dark Chicken Recipe in Broth Wet Cat Food
- Exceptionally low in carbohydrates
- Rich in animal-sourced protein
- Low in calories to support health weight loss
Smalls Fresh Smooth Fish Cat Food
- Contains over 62% dry matter protein
- Rich in animal-sourced omega-3s
- Conveniently shipped to your door
Open Farm Harvest Chicken Rustic Blend Wet Cat Food
- Single source of animal protein
- Contains under 10% carbohydrates
- Recyclable carton reseals for storing leftovers
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Kibble Dry Cat Food
- Packed with animal-sourced protein
- Very low carbohydrate content
- Small kibbles are easy to eat
Young Again LID Zero Mature Health Dry Cat Food
- Rich in animal-sourced protein
- Limited list of digestible ingredients
- Contains under 1% dry matter carbs
Weruva Truluxe Quick ‘N Quirky Wet Cat Food
- High in protein but low in fat and calories
- Relatively low phosphorus level to support kidney health
- Good source of hydrating moisture
Raised Right Original Turkey Adult Cat Recipe
- Made with a single source of animal protein
- Contains less than 10% dry matter carbohydrates
- Rich in moisture to support hydration
Caru Classics Turkey Stew Grain-Free Wet Cat Food
- High in protein with low calorie density
- Cooked in a flavorful gravy
- Very low in carbohydrates
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Funk in the Trunk Chicken in Pumpkin Consommé Canned Cat Food
- Multi-protein flavor many cats find appealing
- Good source of hydrating moisture
- Low carbohydrate content
What is Feline Diabetes?
Feline diabetes is a hormonal condition that affects the body’s ability to metabolize glucose. There are two main types of diabetes mellitus — type 1 and type 2. Extremely rare among cats, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that destroys the patient’s ability to produce insulin.
Instead, nearly all diabetic cats exhibit the metabolic patterns of type 2 diabetes. Also known as idiopathic hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), type 2 diabetes is an endocrine condition that typically involves some combination of insulin resistance and diminished insulin production in the pancreas. Many cats with diabetes require daily insulin injections, but dietary modification is key to managing the condition.
Also Read: Feline Diabetes: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Remission Demystified
Elizabeth Hodgkins, DVM, Esq., cat nutrition expert and author of Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life, describes feline diabetes as “a human-caused disease that kills cats.” Dr. Hodgkins has a point. Diabetes is common in cats fed high-carbohydrate diets that are out of sync with their biological needs.
Most diabetic cats who leave behind a biologically inappropriate diet see significant reductions in their insulin requirements. Many actually go into remission and no longer need insulin injections.
The best time to clean up your cat’s diet is before he shows symptoms of diabetes. As diabetes progresses, the pancreas may become exhausted and stop secreting insulin. In this case, there’s no hope of remission and insulin therapy becomes a life-long commitment. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
What to Look for in Cat Food for Diabetic Cats
The best food for diabetic cats honors your carnivorous cat’s dietary requirements. As obligate carnivores, cats thrive on nutrients derived from animals. They can’t survive without the amino acids, fatty acids, and micronutrients naturally found in their prey.
What your cat’s natural diet doesn’t have is large concentrations of carbohydrates. A wild feline diet may have as little as zero carbohydrate matter. What little carbohydrate or fiber their diet might contain would come from nibbles of grass and digested plant matter found in the digestive tracts of their prey.
Low carbohydrate content is key when feeding diabetic cats, but it’s not the only factor to consider. Here’s what to look for in cat food for diabetic cats.
Dry Matter Carbohydrate Content Under 10%
Compared to dogs and other omnivores, a cat’s physiology isn’t designed to digest heavy carbohydrate loads. For example, cats lack salivary amylase (carbohydrate-digesting enzymes in their saliva). Further down the digestive tract, cats have levels of the digestive enzymes necessary to break down carbohydrates in the small intestine.
To put those details together, cats have a limited ability to metabolize large glucose loads. Even healthy, non-diabetic cats exhibit mild insulin resistance. Look for a cat food that contains no more than 10% carbohydrate measured as dry matter.
High Moisture Content
To help flush excess blood sugar from the body, many diabetic cats develop increased thirst so they drink more water. Cats don’t tend to drink a lot of water on their own, however, so a high-moisture diet is generally the best way to support your cat’s hydration.
Cats with diabetes also have an increased risk of urinary tract infections and bladder stones. A high-moisture diet may help dilute urinary crystals to prevent painful inflammation and obstructions. Consider canned cat food, fresh or homemade cat food, or rehydrated freeze-dried cat food as an alternative to dry kibble.
Balanced Calorie and Fat Content
Diabetes is closely linked to obesity and overweight diabetic cats should be fed portioned, scheduled meals to prevent overeating. Losing weight may help you manage your cat’s diabetes, but don’t just start feeding them less of their usual food — this could result in micronutrient deficiencies. Instead, choose a high-moisture diet rich in lean protein with low to moderate fat content.
Not all diabetic cats are overweight. If your cat struggles to maintain lean muscle mass, a calorie-dense diet with higher levels of fat may be appropriate. The amount your cat can eat depends on the size of their stomach, so simply offering more food may not be enough.
The Best Diabetic Cat Foods: Our Top 8 Recommendations
Our top pick, Tiki Cat Hookena Luau Cat Food is ultra low-carb and packed with both species-appropriate animal protein and hydrating moisture. It may not be the ideal choice for your unique cat, however.
Every cat has their own needs and preferences which is why we’ve included a range of options categorized by price, food type, and other key considerations.
Why Trust Cats.com
Before making our recommendations, we personally purchase and tested the foods on this list. All products are purchased at full retail price and subjected to in-home testing with our own cats.
Throughout the process, we analyze the product information, research the brand, read customer reviews, and examine the food. We also gauge our cats’ reactions to the food’s smell, taste, texture, and general appeal.
In addition to performing our own research and analysis, we sent several recipes to an ISO 17025-certified food testing and analysis lab. This testing yields a report that shows the exact nutrient content of the recipe, as well as potential contaminants like mold, yeast, microbes, and heavy metals.
Also Read: Why We Lab Test Cat Food And How To Interpret The Reports
This guide should not be taken as a substitute for veterinary advice. That said, we consulted with seven veterinarians to make sure our recommendations are appropriate for cats with diabetes.
Our Veterinary Advisors:
- Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ
- Chris Vanderhoof, DVM, MPH
- Sarah Reidenbach, DVM
- Chyrle Bonk, DVM
- Jamie Whittenburg, DVM
- Albert Ahn, DVM
- Elizabeth Youens, DVM
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best food for cats with diabetes?
The best cat food for diabetic cats is a species-appropriate diet focused on animal ingredients with minimal carbohydrate content to help control blood sugar.
Is grain-free dry cat food good for diabetic cats?
Grain-free diets aren’t necessarily low-carb — many contain significant amounts of starchy vegetables and legumes. A grain-free cat food may be appropriate for a diabetic cat if it contains less than 10% carbohydrate measured as dry matter.
Is wet or dry food better for diabetic cats?
Wet cat food is generally a more species-appropriate choice for cats and many diabetic cats can benefit from the higher moisture content. That said, every recipe is different and it’s important to evaluate the product on its nutritional merits before feeding it to your cat.
Why are the calculations for carbs so different in the text describing the food from graphs?
Weruva gravy lovers says around 2% carbs in the text, but in your graphs shows closer to 15%. How does that make sense and how is 15% carbs low carb for cats?
I’ve actually seen very odd calculations all over the site, I’m not sure what to trust
Dillon, the charts and the percentages given in the article were calculated using different methods. I gathered the 2% mentioned in the review from the typical nutrient analysis shown on the Weruva website, while the pie chart was calculated automatically based on the guaranteed analysis (less accurate). I’m aware of the strange discrepancies across the site and have been talking with our development team about a way we can make these automatic calculations more accurate. In the meantime, I apologize for the confusion. Generally, the numbers given in the text will be more reliable than those in the charts, as frustrating as that is. Thank you for reading the site and asking this question.
I am trying to determine the relative appropriateness of available canned foods for my diabetic cat, but the labels don’t include % carbs on a dry matter basis. Apparently, the standard reporting for labels is % protein, fat, fiber and moisture but this seems to miss the carb differences. The only other thing I see is kcal/kg or cal/can … can that be a helpful index of carbs?
Hi Gary, you can get a rough estimate of any food’s carbohydrate content by subtracting all of the other percentages (protein, fat, fiber, and moisture) from 100%. This calculator makes it easy. Hope this helps!
Have you an opinion on the Hill’s M/D diabetic cat food — both dry and wet ?
My 9 yr old cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes . Our vet recommends the Hill’s products . Our cat doesn’t seem to like the dry , which she is used to eating . My goal is to get her switched to the wet . She has never tried any wet foods , so this may be a challenge .
I’d like to find Nancy ( cat’s name ) a good diabetic food she will like . Thanks
Hi Mark, that’s a good question. The m/d foods are well-thought-out and can help; they contain a variety of components intended to help cats lose weight and manage blood sugar (though you’ll still have to combine them with insulin support in most cases), but at about 15% carbohydrate (dry) and 13% carbohydrate (wet recipe), the effect on the blood sugar is most likely not enough to put a cat into diabetic remission. In contrast, this does seem to be possible when feeding a diet under 10% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis and closely monitoring blood sugar levels. You may also find that your cat accepts a different low-carb formulation more readily, because the m/d’s high fiber content (intended to slow sugar absorption and help with weight loss) can be unappealing to cats. For a cat who prefers dry food, you may be interested in Young Again’s Zero food for adult cats, which is popular among those feeding diabetic cats.
Just curious as to why Young Again was not included on your list of 7 best foods for diabetic cats ?
Hi – I failed to mention that Nancy , prior to her diabetic diagnosis, was eating the Hilll’s K/D Early Kidney dry food ( for kidney problems ). She has been on this for years – she’s 9 now .
Not sure I understand your response
Thank you for this helpful list. Is it safe to assume that all varieties of these top-rated brands are low in carbs, or just the form & flavor you highlight in the review?
For the most part, yes! I can’t make any promises at this time, since varieties can be added/changed, so you’ll want to double check. But for the most part, they are all good options!
Hello Mallory, If I fed my diabetic 12 pound cat on Tiki cat it would cost $10 a day and a 24 can pack would last less than 5 days. This is pretty unacceptable. Do you have suggestions for food that is affordable?
Thanks.
Hi Leslie, there are a lot of low-carbohydrate, affordable options out there. Fancy Feast’s Classics Paté foods are popular among diabetic cats for this reason.
I use Purina pro plan dry food dietetic . Have used over a year. My vet suddenly stopped selling it. Its still ok ?????
Hi Robin, I see no indication that there’s anything wrong with the food, but I would ask your vet why they stopped selling it!
My cat is overweight and has a diabetic tendency. The vet recommended Hill’s metabolic dry food. Is this ok for diabetic cats?
I have been feeding her Young Agsin, but she is now sore in her anal area and because of her weight, she can’t lick herself and the vet said she does not have urinary tract infection. What would you suggest?
Hi Mary, good question. I can’t overrule your vet’s advice on this, but I would lean towards sticking with the Young Again, as it is a lower-carb diet with more potential to help your cat enter remission. You will need to closely monitor her insulin levels, of course, to ensure that she doesn’t develop low blood sugar from the combination of a low-carb diet and insulin support. Regarding her anal soreness, do you think it’s due to constipation or something else? I would talk with your vet to pin down exactly what’s going on so you can address it. Additional fiber supplementation may be a good choice, but we’d need to know what’s happening in your cat’s body to make the right decision. Wishing you and your cat all the best!
Just found out my cat had diabetes, according to the blood tests and vet was caught early, but between the vet visit(s) and insulin and needle tips it’s taken me all but broke, I on a fixed income with a cat that isn’t a fan of wet food in general.
My questions are 1st what’s the best way to get him to eat the wet food vett said should be feed every 12hrs a can of food. When I feed in morning after 11-12hrs of no food (have other cats ) put him into pounder room with food and water even after an hour lucky if he ate 1/4-1/3 of a can of food , I ve tried mixing it with dry food he likes he may eat 1/3- 2/5 of a can and most of the dry food.
when I let him out he goes right to other cats bowels and will eat the couple of pieces left over in there bowel and feed them on different floors so I know he still hungry.
So any suggestions on getting him to eat
Second at least till next month when I get my next check and speak with vet they wrote a prescription for wet food pick up 2 cans one each flavor second one he picked for a second and wouldn’t eat, so need ask about a different brand.
I know carbs need be low below 7-10% is best any recommendations on food that can be bought over the counter at say Walmart or even pets mart (though closest one 45m ride away) or other stores or ideally a big box store where can get a good price on case of quality food. Would be greatly appreciated. Just found out his Diagnosis 2 days pior to my birthday on the 27th of April have do blood sugar curve in 12 days and just want to find a good quality food to feed him even if I get the prescription food I only be able to afford a case a month that’s 24 cans for 59.99 and he should have 1 and 1/4 cans a day so even if I can find a brand that I can use to make up the difference say 3/4 can of prescription and half can of none prescription would be outstanding.