The majority of cat owners feed their pets dry food. It’s cheap, readily available, and often assumed as the best choice. Plus, it stores longer and doesn’t require special keeping, other than airtight storage if you don’t want it to go stale. Of course, you do still want to think about nutrition and what is going to be best for your cat, whether that’s dry food or not. Before you go making any decisions, check out our guide.
To start with, you’ll want to look at the brand reputation and quality above all else. This will automatically let you know which foods are likely to be more nutritious. They are going to cost a little bit more, but that will be worth the money. Besides listening to the experts, though, how do you go about getting the best and most nutritious cat food? Here’s what you need to know.
The Best Dry Cat Foods
Choosing the best cat foods starts by figuring out what your cat needs. Most cats have a similar diet that consists mostly of proteins. Even though cats are technically omnivores, they prefer meat and proteins, so you will want to make sure that there are plenty in their diet. However, choose foods that have the right caloric density in regard to your cat’s weight, and make sure that you consider any other factors that might impact the best cat food purchase.
Many people are choosing grain-free cat foods today because they offer premium nutrition without all of the fillers and things that cats don’t need. This means that you can feed less and get more nutrition in each meal, so the extra cost is worth every single penny. Up next, check out our favorite brands and see what each has to offer.
Our Favorite Brands
When it comes to nutrition and getting more for your money, we have a few favorites that have established themselves as leaders in the pet food industry. Each has its pros and cons, as well as different options for wet and dry food, but you’ll ensure that your cat is eating better food when you choose these brands.
- BLUE Wilderness: BLUE uses a unique process for making their cat food, which is always grain-free and packed with nutrients. They create food using cold-forming, which helps avoid excess heat that often destroys valuable nutrients. The goal is to provide high-quality food that resembles their wild, natural diet more realistically.
- Hill’s Science Diet: For years, Hill’s has been a leader in nutrition for cats and dogs. The brand focuses on creating unique formulas for specific ages, stages, and conditions in a cat’s life to ensure that they always get the ideal nutrition, regardless of their needs. This brand is also one that has many prescription formulas available for those cats that need something a little extra.
- Purina ONE: Specifically, this brand has a Urinary Tract formula that is great for indoor adult cats. Urinary tract health issues are common in adult cats and having the right food can help prevent them. This formula is more affordable than the other brands discussed here, too, making it a good choice for those who want something better than grocery-quality, but without the high price of high-end cat food.
- Rachael Ray Nutrish: This cat food line is known for the famous face behind it, but Ray commits to helping give cats and dogs better nutritional options. Plus, most of the profits from the line go to charities through the Rachael Ray Foundation, and there are plenty of proponents that will tell you this is one of the best dry cat foods that you can find. It’s available in salmon or chicken, too, giving your cat options and variety. Plus, it’s another more affordable brand.
What About Prescription Cat Food?
Some people have heard about (or had to use) prescription pet food before. These foods are typically designed in special formulations or with unique added ingredients to address specific health concerns. For example, there is a cat food available that’s a hepatic formula, designed to help with kidney and liver health. These have to be prescribed by a vet, though, and are only used as a means of treating a health condition, so they won’t be on the average cat owner’s radar.
If you think that your cat has a condition or nutritional situation that warrants prescription food, you should talk to your vet. They will be able to discuss the options and figure out what’s best, even if it’s a standard food brand that you can buy without a prescription. Ultimately, as with any choice, it’s about getting what’s best for your cat.
What Should I Look For?
Aside from protein, you will also want to make sure that the first few ingredients aren’t fillers. These include things like corn, cornmeal, or anything that ends in “meal” or “byproduct”. The best cat foods will have real ingredients first, and typically the proteins (chicken, beef, salmon, etc). Rice is acceptable, as it’s actually nutritious and not just a filler.
Make sure that you compare the cost to value if you’re shopping on a budget because there are a lot more affordable options than you might think. For example, if you can get a 20-pound bag for the same price as a 15-pound bag and the brands have similar nutritional value, you might want to pick the cheaper, bigger bag. While nutrition counts, there’s more to choosing your food than just looking at the ingredients, after all.
If all else fails, ask friends, family members, pet store employees, and anyone else what they think about the most nutritious food for cats. Everyone will have their own opinions, but you can combine that information with what you’ve learned here to help you make an educated decision about what is best for your cat. Whether that’s one of the brands listed here or any of the other dozens of brands available, as long as it’s healthy, that’s what counts.