Delicious and nutritious options for your feline friend
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Making a choice in cat food is not always simple. The owner of a cat is responsible for providing for all of the cat’s fundamental needs, which may change over time and include its food requirements.
According to Dr. Lewis Singleton, a veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital in South New Jersey, cats are what are known as obligate carnivores, hence the majority of their diets must contain protein. Since cats are unable to naturally generate some vitamins and amino acids, such as taurine, arginine, vitamin A, vitamin D3, and other B vitamins, these nutrients must be added to their diet. Wet cat feeds often contain the bulk of flavorful meat combinations that are rich in amino acids, but what about dry kibble?
The top premium dry cat foods are listed below in accordance with Dr. Singleton’s recommendations.
Best Overall: CRAVE Grain Free High Protein Indoor Adult Cat Food
What We Like
- Comes in various flavors
- Uses real meat
- Provides immunity support
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive
Crave Indoor Adult Cat Food is the best premium option all things considered. It comes in a wide range of flavors, such as combinations of chicken, turkey, salmon, and ocean fish. Due to the high protein content of meat, it is the main part of the meals that cats need to thrive. Additional nutritious components include pea protein, potato protein, flaxseed, and a number of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, which studies have shown helps benefit cats’ immune systems. The recipes are made with premium protein and carbs for strong muscles, energy, and immune support and are modeled after your pet’s ancestors’ hunting diet.
Best for Weight Loss: Blue Buffalo Weight Control Natural Adult Dry Cat Food
What We Like
- Uses real deboned meat
- Grain-free
- Formulated without artificial preservatives
What We Don’t Like
- Bag isn’t resealable
Blue Buffalo is suggested. If you’re looking for a dry cat food to help you lose weight, consider Weight Control. It was made with the right proportion of calories to animal protein, assisting your pet in achieving and maintaining a healthy body mass. Genuine deboned beef is the first ingredient. Brown rice, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as vegetables, fruit, and vitamins, come next. According to the manufacturer, the finely molded bites in the round kibble are processed at a lower temperature to preserve the nutritious value of the components.
What Testers Say
“The food is entirely free of corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, and preservatives. It also meets the nutritional standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), meaning that it’s a well-balanced and complete meal.”
-Nick Ingalls, Product Tester
RELATED: The 6 Best Cat Foods for Weight Loss of 2022
Best for Kittens: Orijen Biologically Appropriate Cat Food
What We Like
- Uses fresh ingredients
- 85 to 90 percent animal-derived ingredients
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive
If you have a kitten at home, we recommend Orijen Biologically Appropriate Cat Food (formerly called Orijen Cat & Kitten Dry Food). Your growing kitten will receive the nourishment they require to grow since it is created with fresh, whole ingredients like cage-free eggs, wild-caught fish, and free-range chicken. Furthermore, none of the ingredients include grains, which some owners wish to avoid. The elements in the recipe were all selected with your cat’s biological needs in mind.
Best for Adult Cats: Royal Canin Indoor Grownup Dry Cat Food
What We Like
- Digestion-friendly
- Rich in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals
- Comes in 3-, 7-, or 15-pound bags
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive
The best premium dry cat food for adult cats is Royal Canin Indoor Dry. Dr. Singleton advises it because it is made with a blend of fiber for digestion and weight maintenance.
This cat food has the ideal amounts of chicken meal, animal fat, vegetable fiber, carbs, vitamins, and minerals. Your adult cat will stay healthy, active, and satisfied thanks to the easily metabolized and highly absorbed nutrients. Make sure you get it from a reputable pet retailer because there are allegedly counterfeit versions of this pet food on the market. When making an Amazon purchase, it is best to ensure that the product is being sold and provided by the manufacturer.
RELATED: The 8 Best Healthy Cat Treats of 2022
Best Raw: Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Dry Cat Food
What We Like
- Grain-free
- Digestion-friendly
- Rich in omega-3 fatty acids
What We Don’t Like
- Uses chicken and turkey meal
If you (or your pet) prefer raw ingredients, Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused is the finest option. The conventional feline diet is followed by this dry cat food, which is all-natural. Because it is filled with crave-worthy animal protein, such as freeze-dried large chunks of raw fish or game birds, the food for your cat tastes fresh.
This recipe is filled to the brim with flavors, textures, and scents that cats will appreciate. It is also grain-free and gentle on the stomach. Omega-3 fatty acids are abundant in it and help maintain healthy skin and fur.
RELATED: The 6 Best Cat Supplements of 2022
Best Organic: Castor & Pollux Organix Grain Free Organic Cat Food
What We Like
- Made with free-range chicken
- USDA Certified organic
What We Don’t Like
- Some cats refuse to eat it
If you’re looking for something organic, pick up a bag of Castor & Pollux Organix. This grain-free dry cat food is made in a certified organic kitchen. The main ingredient is free-range chicken, which is combined for enhanced nutrition with a superfood blend of cranberries, coconut oil, and flaxseed. No additional antibiotics, growth hormones, or artificial preservatives are present.
Best Grain-Free: Wellness CORE Grain Free Natural Dry Food for Adult Cats
What We Like
- Various flavors
- Helps maintain a healthy coat
What We Don’t Like
- Uses chicken and turkey meal
Even though certain cats may be allergic to particular grains, there isn’t much evidence to support the claim that diets based on commercial cat food are inherently healthier than diets free of grains. Some pet owners, however, choose grain-free food.
Wellness Core is a natural dry cat food that is devoid of grains and fillers. The recipes use actual fish or chicken as the main ingredient in addition to animal proteins, lipids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. The purpose of this cat food is to provide it energy, boost immunity, improve digestion, and promote a healthy coat.
Best Vet-Recommended: Hill’s Science Diet Adult Indoor Dry Cat Food
What We Like
- Made with high-quality meat
- Keeps cat full
- Digestion-friendly
What We Don’t Like
- More carbs than other formulas
The Hill’s Science Diet is another popular suggestion from Dr. Singleton. Due to its distinctive blend of ingredients that promote energy and are easily digestible to support an indoor lifestyle, it is also the most popular dry cat chow that vets recommend. Its high-quality meat, whole grains, fish oil, animal fat, vegetable fibers, and amino acids will sate your cat’s hunger and keep them full between meals.
Best with Probiotics: Purina Pro Plan Adult Complete Essentials Dry Cat Food with Probiotics
What We Like
- Rich in protein
- Digestion-friendly
- Helps maintain a healthy coat
What We Don’t Like
- Not grain-free
Final Verdict
The finest premium dry cat food overall is Crave Grain Free High Protein Indoor Cat Food (view at Amazon). It provides a high protein mix of premium beef, carbs, vitamins, and minerals. It also comes in a variety of fish and poultry meals that cats can eat. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Indoor Dry Cat Food is a great alternative (see at Amazon). The dish was created by a veterinarian and is packed with protein-rich meat, beneficial grains, fish oil, and fiber-rich vegetables.
Characteristics of a Premium Dry Cat Food Time
Your cat’s life stage should be taken into consideration when choosing the dry food you provide it. Given that kittens have unique dietary requirements as they develop and mature, it makes sense to feed them correctly. Throughout their active adult years, feed your cat a balanced diet that can offer plenty of nutrients and energy to keep them happy and healthy. Because their food requirements will change from either of these first two lifetime spans, choose a formula designed for your cat’s senior years.
Flavor
Some cats are pickier than others, despite the fact that this is a matter of desire. Finding a dry cat food that your cat will eat and love can be challenging, particularly if you’re transitioning from wet cat food. Although diets with fewer components are healthier for digestion, some cats might not enjoy them as much. You may need to try out several protein sources and other ingredients to find a dry cat food that your cat will consume.
Essential nutrients
Your cat requires a variety of nutrients to grow and thrive, including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. For instance, taurine, an essential amino acid, needs to be consumed by your cat in order to be absorbed. Dry cat food ought to provide enough essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals each day.
It’s crucial to remember that your cat doesn’t need carbohydrates in her diet, despite the fact that research on the appropriate carbohydrate ratio for cats is lacking.
FAQ
How much dry cat food should be given to a cat?
If you’re unsure of how much dry food to feed your particular cat, you can refer to the packaging for instructions or get in touch with your veterinarian. To get an approximation, you should consider factors like your cat’s age and weight. A quarter of a cup of dry food can be given twice day to the majority of adult cats, defined as those who are one year old and older. Cats with particular needs or older cats might need to be fed more frequently. You ought to speak with your veterinarian about this scenario.
It’s best to give your cat a balanced diet that includes both dry food and mostly wet food. Although dry food has a higher carb content than wet food, cats sometimes don’t need carbs in their diet. In this case, you can divide the recommended feeding portions for each type of food in half.
What ingredients should you look for in premium dry cat food?
It’s critical to pick a high-quality dry food that offers the nutrients required to meet your cat’s needs. Taurine is one essential amino acid you should always look for in a dry meal because it helps with immunity, muscle function, and digestion. You should also check for fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. While fiber helps with digestion and weight control, high-quality protein sources like turkey, fish, and chicken keep your cat active and happy. Omega-3 fatty acid-rich dry food is also preferred since it promotes healthy skin and fur.
Can cat food in cans go bad?
The same as with any other pet food, dry cat food has a shelf life. Always check the “best by” date to ensure that the food you purchased is still edible. To ensure that your dry food lasts the longest possible period, keep it in its original packaging. These containers are designed to preserve food freshness for a long time.
Make sure to tightly seal the bag after usage to keep out air as well. Air exposure can cause food to deteriorate. Store your food someplace cool and dry rather than leaving it out in the sun, where it can warm up and become more humid.
