The Best Cat Foods For Feral Cats To Buy

Reviews

Purina ONE High Protein Dry Cat Food – Overall Winner
 

Purina ONE True Instinct High Protein Dry Cat Food was chosen as the best overall best cat food for feral cats. It checks off several of the boxes that we look for in products that are suitable for wild felines.

It is nutritionally packed, with more than enough protein, fat, and taurine. It is available in three weights: 3.2 lbs., 6.3 lbs., and 14.4 lbs. Given its shortened shelf life, this is a positive thing.

The calorie intake promotes the active lifestyle of feral cats. The food is also reasonably priced, making feeding the neighborhood strays less difficult.

Pros

• Taurine content is high.
• High protein concentration
• Reasonably priced
• Calories per serving are higher.

Cons

• Limited shelf life

 

Best Value Friskies Pate Poultry Canned Cat Food
 

Friskies Classic Pate Poultry Platter Canned Cat Food is the most affordable cat food for wild cats. To compensate for the lower calorie content, the meal is reasonably priced.

It is also near the bottom of the Taurine spectrum. We believe that this product would be best used to augment a wild-caught diet. Its moisture percentage is in line with what is advised for these animals.

Because poultry is the first ingredient, even the pickiest of cats will enjoy it. While it’s tasty enough, we can easily picture giving a hungry cat more than one can per day.

We believe that this product can also be used as a topping for dry food to increase its value.

Pros

• Really tasty
• Outstanding value

Cons

• Low calorie intake
• Taurine deficiency

 

Premium Wellness CORE Turkey & Duck Wet Cat Food
 

Wellness CORE Turkey & Duck Pate Canned Cat Food piqued our curiosity with its unusual protein composition. Because it may be on the prey menu at least periodically, the latter may make it more appealing to picky eaters.

The protein concentration is adequate, particularly for a wet food. The first four ingredients come from a variety of sources to ensure appropriate nourishment.

To avoid waste, it is available in 3.5-ounce cans. Given the higher expense, this is critical. This dish is not inexpensive. If you have a soft spot for the neighborhood’s feral cats, you can feel confident that you are caring for them.

Pros

• Protein-rich diet
• Taurine sufficiency
• Protein sources that are diverse

Cons

• Expensive

 

Wet Cat Food Sheba Perfect Chicken, Turkey, and Beef
 

Sheba Portion Control Tender beef, savory chicken, and roasted turkey Pate Cat Food Trays are available in three varieties in a multipack.

The portion sizes are the most appealing feature. To reduce waste, you can feed the cats as much or as little as they desire.

That gives it even greater value for money. All three are high in protein, fat, and moisture. We just wish the Taurine content was a little greater.

Protein content is adequate, with multiple sources in each taste. Fish oil is also included in the formula to help feral cats’ skin. This is significant because these animals are more likely to suffer from external parasites.

Pros

• Reduced waste
• Three distinct flavors
• There are several protein sources for each kind.

Cons

• Reduced Taurine content

 

Wet Kitten Food Royal Canin Feline Nutrition
 

Feline Health Nutrition by Royal Canin Kitten Food covers the nutritional requirements of young wild cats, providing them with an excellent start in life.

It is presented in a highly appealing style to ensure that the children consume it. While the calorie count may appear low, it is more than plenty for kittens.

It also satisfies, if not surpasses, their nutritional requirements if you follow the recommended diet plan, which includes more than one can per day with age.

As a result, this product is pricey. However, you must balance that information with kittens’ higher nutritional requirements. They require more nutrition and more meals to keep their blood sugar levels stable. This is especially true for stray animals.

Pros

• Excellent nourishment during this time of life
• Several protein sources
• Maximum amount of solids

Cons

• Spendy

Buyer's Guide: Choosing The Best Feral Cat Foods

Choosing a food for a feral cat is similar to selecting one for your pet. The distinction is that a wild feline will most likely have higher caloric needs due to its increased activity.

Hunting consumes energy. Cats are not always successful. Depending on the prey species and area, domesticated animals are only lucky approximately 32% of the time. Feral cat dishes can complement the nutrition that Nature does not provide.

You’ll benefit from having your own pest control agent on-site to deal with any rodents. Of course, you must consider the expenditures of feeding the neighborhood cats as well as the value of what you’re serving them.

Consider the following before selecting a food:

• Type
• Texture of Food
• Nutritive value
• Source of Protein

Type

There used to be just two options for cat food: wet or dry. Consumer-driven markets have altered the playing field. There are now different kinds available, like as moist kibble, frozen diets, and raw foods.

Aside from that, the American Veterinary Medical Association advises pet owners not to feed raw foods to their animals due to the risk of foodborne illness to both them and you.

Not surprisingly, more than 96 percent of cat owners feed their pets dry food since it is more convenient than canned.

They’re also usually cheaper than the latter. Other factors frequently outweigh the type of diet you provide for feral cats. Typically, convenience and affordability are the motivating factors.

Texture of Food

The texture of cat foods has improved, as has the type. There will be kibble at various stages of drying. The variety in canned items is much greater, with options ranging from shreds to pate to pieces in gravy.

Part of it is due to the market’s humanization. Pet owners associate love with giving people-like foods for what they regard to be family members.

If you feed feral cats in your neighborhood, chances are you also provide water for them. Felines are obligate carnivores, as opposed to canines.

Their primary source of food and drink is meat. Giving wild cats wet food instead of dry can help them retain hydration.

Nutritive value

Despite statistics to the contrary, hunting success is a hit-or-miss situation for feral cats, as we’ve covered. If these animals begin to rely on your food handouts, it is likely that it will become their principal source of nutrition.

As a result, it makes sense to feed the cats a nutritious, well-balanced food. It also entails providing the felines with a commercial meal that matches their bodies’ Taurine requirements.

This substance is an amino acid, which is a protein building block. It is non-essential because humans can manufacture it. Cats, on the other hand, are unable to.

They would usually meet the requirements by eating animal protein. If feeding the feral cats changes that aspect, the food you provide must provide it.

Taurine has a suggested range of 0.08-0.1. The percentage will be shown on the pet food label to assist you decide if it fits the nutrient requirements. If the amount of Taurine in the wild cats’ diet is insufficient, you can safely supplement it.

Source of Protein

Many people equate cats with fish, believing that it is a natural fit. While certain felines may hunt for these prey species, it is generally necessary to expose them to them before they will consume them.

The hungry animal, on the other hand, is less fussy about what it eats. We mention this because it may influence how the feral cats react to the new diet.

The important element is ensuring the food has enough protein, fat, and calories to meet the animal’s demands. Adult cats require at least 40 g of protein per day (26 percent by volume), preferably closer to 50 g.

A healthy diet will contain 22.5-82.5 g of fat, or 9% by volume. In terms of calories, wild cats should obtain at least 200 calories per day.

This statistic represents the requirements of indoor cats, who are likely to be less energetic than their wild counterparts. Nutritionally dense foods are the most beneficial to both you and the animals.

Feral Cat Feeding Suggestions

The best piece of advise we can provide you about feeding feral cats is that it takes time. They will be completely reliant on you for food.

We recommend that you carefully consider whether or not to begin it. Another consideration is the caution required while feeding an outside animal.

Leaving food and water out for those you want to help may attract some unpleasant guests, such as rodents and other pests.

If you provide wet food to wild cats, make sure to pick up any uneaten food after 30 minutes. We also advise against keeping food out for free feeding.

Instead, try to train the cats to come to the feeding station at a specified time. You’ll avoid having other wildlife come to your yard for a free meal this way.

Conclusion

Purina ONE True Instinct High Protein Dry Cat Food took the top rank after our reviews of the best cat foods for Feral cats because of its great nutritional profile. It will provide everything wild cats require for good health.

BestForPets (bestforpets.org) was particularly impressed by its high Taurine content. Friskies Classic Pate Poultry Platter Canned Cat Food also piqued our interest due to its low pricing and high nutritional value.