The Best Dry Cat Food for Your Feline

Picking out the best food for your cat can feel overwhelming. With so many brands and formulas on the market, it can be hard to narrow down the best choice, especially for dry cat food. If you’re looking for a new dry food for your feline friend, here are some of the best options out there.

Buying Dry Cat Food

Here’s what to know before you buy:

• Ingredients: Always read the ingredients list when picking out cat food to make sure meat (not meat by-product) is the first ingredient. It’s best to avoid certain “junk foods” that start at the beginning of the list, including fillers like corn, cornmeal, wheat, or any other named proteins. Cats are obligate carnivores, and meat should be the primary source in their diets.
• Grains: It’s common for cat foods to be filled with grains because it’s an inexpensive ingredient, but it will not keep your cat satisfied or healthy. Grain-free foods are best.
• Needs: Sometimes, your cat has particular health needs to satisfy (like diabetes, dental needs, weight loss), and there are different foods to help with these scenarios.
• Cat’s Age: Consider your cat’s age, as there are foods geared towards kittens, adults, and senior cats.

Top Pick: Purina ONE Sensitive Systems Adult Dry Cat Food

This high-protein dry cat food includes real turkey as the first ingredient, with other high-quality ingredients inside, too. The formula is made for sensitive skin and stomachs and provides antioxidants, omega fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to deliver the protein and vitamins your adult cat needs. This food is veterinarian recommended.

Best for Hairballs: Iams Proactive Health Adult Indoor Weight & Hairball Control Dry Cat Food

The Iams dry cat food helps maintain a healthy metabolism and basic hairball care for cats who have hairballs. This dry food also promotes healthy digestion, weight control, urinary tract health, healthy skin, and a glossy coat. This formula features key ingredients like omega-6 and L-carnitine, and the first ingredient is chicken.

Best with Few Ingredients: Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Adult Dry Cat Food

This limited-ingredient cat food starts with real turkey, a single animal protein source. This grain-free cat food contains potatoes and pumpkin to support gentle digestion without gluten, so it’s good for cats with sensitive stomachs. The formula is made with Blue Buffalo’s LIfeSource Bits, a precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals selected by holistic veterinarians/animal nutritionists for supporting immune health. The food is made with natural ingredients and never contains by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives.

Best for Kittens: Instinct Grain-Free Kitten Food

This grain-free, cage-free chicken-flavored cat food is especially for kittens because it provides complete and balanced nutrition. It’s made with real meat and whole-food ingredients. It contains 81% natural animal ingredients and nutritious oils and 19% vegetables, fruits, and other wholesome ingredients. This cat food is made in the U.S.

Also Great: Purina Beyond Grain-Free Natural Dry Cat Food

This grain-free, natural dry cat food is a high-protein food with real ocean whitefish as the first ingredient. This limited-ingredient cat food with natural probiotics is excellent for digestive health. It contains no corn, wheat, soy, poultry by-product meals, nor artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The brand takes purposeful initiatives to protect the places where its ingredients grow.