Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Veterinary review of this article includes only the medical information in this article. The veterinarian reviewing this article does not personally endorse, recommend, or vouch for the efficacy or claims of any product mentioned in this article.
Whoever said “making gains” was just for jocks? Our cats need many of the same nutrients as people to build muscle and stay fit.. Finding the right food for your cat to maintain a healthy weight can be a difficult task.
There are many brands out there, and it can be hard to tell which cat food would be best for your beloved cat. This is why we went out and did a ton of research in order to find the absolute best high-protein, high-fiber and low-carb cat food for an optimized and healthy cat diet plan.
At a Glance: Best High Protein Low Carb Canned Cat Food To Buy
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Smalls Ground Bird Fresh Cat Food
- Species-appropriate, single-protein recipe
- Contains over 48% dry matter protein
- Very low in carbohydrates
Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken in Chicken Consomme Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- Grain-free, gravy-free and gently cooked food for a healthy and nutritious diet.
- No heavy starches make for an easily digested meal for your cat.
- Low carbohydrate content helps in maintaining your cat’s weight and blood sugar.
Wellness CORE Signature Selects Flaked Skipjack Tuna & Wild Salmon Entree in Broth Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- All the ingredients are naturally blended with no meat by-products, fillers, or artificial additives.
- Gives your cat a balanced nutritional diet.
- Shredded food with delicate cuts of real meat and seafood.
Open Farm Harvest Chicken Rustic Blend Wet Food
- Made from 100% human-grade ingredients
- Humanely raised chicken as the primary ingredient
- No fillers, by-products, or vaguely named ingredients
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Turkey Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- This food is highly recommended for cats that have sensitive digestive systems or related food allergies.
- Complete nutrition helps with immune function.
- Natural flavors used for great taste.
Should I Consider Other Foods Besides Wet Food?
High-protein & low-carb canned cat foods are often recommended because their low carbohydrate content means better weight control for your cat, especially for those lazier felines.
In addition, canned cat food products are usually supplemented with vitamins and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Another important reason why you should feed your cat wet canned foods is that the high moisture content can help in the prevention of urinary tract problems.
If your cat ever has such problems, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best cat foods for cats with urinary tract problems here.
These canned foods are generally lower in carbohydrates than dry food, minimizing extreme alterations in your cat’s blood glucose levels. This can be crucial when your cat is diabetic and in need of a low-carbohydrate diet. So whatever your cat’s taste preferences are, you can follow our advice here and rest assured that you will find something that will be just right for your cat.
Why Trust Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
When selecting wet and canned cat foods for testing, we prioritized recipes made primarily with animal ingredients and chose a variety of flavors and textures. Our selections were informed by in-depth research into the nutritional value of wet food for cats as well as our team’s experience having tested hundreds of products with our own cats.
We ordered these products at full price and tested them at home with multiple cats. While our cats provided their opinions on taste and general appeal, we performed an in-depth analysis of the product information and made my own observations. I also researched the brands, seeking information about their recall history, manufacturing practices, and general reputation within the cat-lover community. Here’s the full methodology behind our cat food ratings.
We also consulted our team of veterinary experts to determine what features to look for in a healthy high protein wet cat food.
Finally, we consulted seven veterinarians to get their professional opinion on what makes great cat food.
Our Veterinary Advisors
My cat is now diabetic, but we caught it early. He has been on insulin for 2-3 weeks. He is doing great and feeling good! I believe I can get him in remission with the right diet of high protein, low carb wet food. I just don’t know how to find it, since the nutrition percentages are not described on the cans.
Please give me some direction!
Hi I am in the same boat as you. I switched to tiki cats wet canned food the chicken and ahi tuna flavor. Does anyone here know how much carbs is in it? What can flavor has the lowest carb?
Hi,
Here is the Caloric Content for Tiki Cat Hookena Luau Ahi Tuna & Chicken in Chicken Consomme:
1,042 kcal/kg, 83 kcal/2.8 oz can, 177 kcal/6 oz can
For more info, you can look up on the product information listed on Chewy.com (Guaranteed Analysis section)
Purrs,
Catinfo.org list the protein, fat and carbs on a large selection of canned cat food. Lots of great nutritional info.
Hi RP,
You can click on the See Guaranteed Analysis tab to see the protein, fat and carbs on recipe.
Hope this helps!
Purrs,
Pedro
This page has been very helpful with my decision to change from dry food (metabolic, Science Diet) to help my overweight cat, to a high protein low carb wet food!!! Thank you guys for doing the research!!!
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that you found it helpful!
My cat is overweight. Dr. prescribed SC Metabolic. Along with it being very expensive. He has been eating it throughout this pandemic since last year and has not loss any weight. Of the brands above, which one would help with weight loss?
Hi Stacey, thanks for commenting! I wouldn’t recommend relying on a weight loss-oriented food to help your cat lose weight. Instead, focus on controlling your cat’s portions and monitoring his caloric intake. Food can also help, so I would recommend any of the options on our list of the best cat food for weight loss.
Thank you
Stick with pate. Stay away from gravy and broths. Many of these foods have 6-12% carb content – that is high. Fancy Feast pate canned wet food has 1-4 % carbs. Much better.
Very true. My vet said the same thing
Could you recommend a wet and crunchy kitty food that is healthy, for finicky kitties without Breaking the bank? I’ve tried a lot of the foods that you suggested and they won’t touch them. I’ve been feeding them Purina pro plan and even from that they only like two flavors, which they’re always out of. I want to feed them something healthier but I just don’t know what to do. Please help!
Oh and they do not like pate nor do they like any of the foods that look like they have real chicken and just broth they will not eat them.
Hi Ashlea, thanks for the comment. Have you tried the foods on our list of the best budget cat food? We recently updated it with a few new recommendations your cat might like. Remember, you can experiment with other varieties from the same product line, and these may have tastes and textures that your cat prefers.
This is a great site. My vet always recommended under 10% carbs for my chunky, IBD 14 yr old
It’s great I can look that up on here
Thank you !!!
I just don’t see trout listed in the Blue Wilderness Turkey recipe though you mentioned trout several times. Thanks !
I dont feed fish so I always look at labels. The Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Cat Food mentions it has small fish but I also don’t see fish listed in the ingredients. Thanks!