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15 Best Hypoallergenic Foods For Cats

Cats, like humans, can develop allergies. Mild allergies and intolerances are quite frequent.

Poor coat condition, itchy skin, and stomach discomfort are all symptoms of intolerances that are sometimes misinterpreted as other health conditions.

Fortunately, severe allergies that will make your cat extremely unwell are uncommon. Assume you believe your cat is in poor health.

In that scenario, you should first seek counsel from your veterinarian to rule out any more serious reasons of ill health before considering the potential of a food allergy or intolerance.

It may take some time and care to diagnose the problem and select the best meal for your sensitive kitty.

BestForPets (bestforpets.org) has produced a list of the top %product_count% best hypoallergenic foods for cats to assist you!

Each product is supported by favorable feedback from cat owners who have effectively reduced their cats' sensitivity to common allergens in their diet.

Reviews

Best Value Purina ONE Sensitive Skin & Stomach Cat Food
 

  • Calories: 430/cup
  • Fat: 13%
  • Protein: 34%
  • Turkey, chicken by-products, and meal are the main ingredients (corn, soy, oats)

This product is intended for cats with sensitive skin and tummies. Because of its excellent value, we chose it as our best cat food for allergies.

It is not only inexpensive, but it has also shown to be an excellent alternative for a balanced and supportive diet for sensitive cats.

Every element in this cuisine has a function. This adds additional antioxidants and vitamins meant to fortify the immune system and promote resistance to minor allergies.

Because it contains no additional fillers, additives, colors, or chemical preservatives, this food is ideal for cats who are allergic to these unnatural components.

The major protein element in this cuisine is turkey, however it also contains chicken by-products for added protein. This indicates that this meal is not suited for cats who are allergic to chicken.

It also contains soy, maize, and wheat, which are major allergies. While this medication has received positive feedback for helping cats with moderate allergies, it is unlikely to be helpful for cats with more severe allergies or sensitivities to these common chemicals.

Pros

  • High protein content
  • There are no fillers, artificial additives, or preservatives in this product.
  • Veterinarian advised
  • Antioxidants have been added to help the immune system.

Cons

  • Contains chicken by-products
  • Soy, corn, and grains are present.

 

Vet Protein PR Dry Cat Food by Royal Canin
 

  • Calories: 334/cup
  • Fat: 11%
  • Protein: 30%
  • Rabbit, pea products, and hydrolyzed soy are the main ingredients.

Royal Canin Selected Protein is one of our top selections for best cat food for cats with skin allergies since it has received a lot of positive feedback.

It does require a doctor prescription and is more expensive, but it is backed by many satisfied cat owners who discovered their “holy grail” solution in this chow.

Vitamins and minerals help cats’ skin create a barrier, reducing irritation from allergic responses. As an added advantage, although being promoted as adult cat food, its nutrients are sufficient to nourish a growing kitten.

With only one unique protein source (rabbit) and no chicken items, the probability of protein-related allergies emerging is quite low.

It does include soy, which may cause concern for some, however the soy components have been hydrolyzed to improve digestion and limit the possibility of becoming an allergy.

Pros

  • A single source of protein
  • A novel protein may help to lessen allergies.
  • Suitable for both kittens and older cats
  • Soy protein hydrolyzed
  • Chicken-free
  • Developed to promote skin health

Cons

  • A veterinarian’s prescription is required.
  • Expensive

 

Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Grain-Free Turkey & Potato – Cat Food
 

  • Calories: 109/cup
  • Fat: 7%
  • Protein: 9%
  • Main Ingredients: Turkey (meat, broth, and liver), fish oil, pea flour

While there is a large choice of diets available for adult cats with allergies, it appears to be more difficult to locate hypoallergenic items that will support the growth and development of healthy kittens.

This product is a real “restricted ingredient diet” that is free of the most prevalent allergies in cats. Instead of filler allergens, this cuisine is loaded with natural fruits and vegetables including cranberries, blueberries, and pumpkin.

These natural sources of vitamins and minerals will help sensitive kittens maintain good overall health. While this kitten food has received many positive ratings, some customers have stated that their pickier cats will not eat it.

Furthermore, owners complain that it has made their kitten’s waste extremely stinky! To prevent wasting this product on a finicky kitty, get a sample amount before making a full purchase.

Pros

  • There is no poultry, dairy, eggs, grain, gluten, grains, soy, or beef, and no artificial flavors.
  • Real fruit and veggies are used.
  • A single source of animal protein

Cons

  • Picky eaters should avoid this dish.
  • Produces stinky poop

 

Natural Vet HF Hydrolyzed Cat Food by Blue Buffalo
 

  • Calories: 430/cup
  • Fat: 14%
  • Protein: 30%
  • Hydrolyzed salmon and pea products are the main ingredients.

This vet-recommended diet is another another fantastic allergy cat food. It has only one animal protein source, making it a restricted ingredient food that reduces your cat’s exposure to allergies.

Salmon protein is hydrolyzed to make it more digestible and less prone to trigger an allergic response. This food also contains no grains, wheat, maize, dairy, or soy, which are all known allergies in cats.

This cat food has received many positive reviews for being an ideal alternative for many sensitive cats due to its avoidance of several of the major allergies among cats.

The disadvantage is that it must be purchased with a veterinarian’s prescription. Keep this product in mind when considering a diet for your sensitive cat with your vet, and explore how it may fit your cat’s needs.

In addition to requiring a prescription, this medicine is also on the more expensive end of the price spectrum when compared to other similar goods.

Pros

  • A single source of protein
  • Protein hydrolyzed
  • Free of grains, wheat, maize, dairy, and soy.
  • Natural fatty acids for a healthy skin and coat
  • A diet low in magnesium, salt, and phosphorus lowers the incidence of kidney stones.
  • Aids the immune system of cats

Cons

  • Expensive
  • A veterinary prescription is required.

 

Dry Cat Food Purina Pro Plan Vet HA Hydrolyzed Formula
 

  • Calories: 350/cup
  • Fat: 9%
  • Protein: 30%
  • Hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed chicken liver, rice starch are the main ingredients.

This is another medicine that requires a veterinarian’s prescription, but it is an excellent option for many cats. It is particularly formulated to aid digestion and intestinal harmony in sensitive cats.

It is also appropriate for other gut-related disorders such as inflammatory bowel and pancreatitis.

The digestive system’s risk of an allergic response is very minimal when using a single protein source that has been hydrolyzed for effective digestion.

It is veterinary-approved and recommended, and many reviews think it is one of the finest allergy cat feeds. The principal carbohydrate source is also meant to be gentle on sensitive stomachs, in addition to the readily digested protein source.

In comparison to other prevalent carbohydrate components in cat meals, rice starch is low in allergens. It’s also pea-free, which is uncommon in many cat foods, including hypoallergenic recipes.

This makes it an excellent alternative for cats that are sensitive to peas.

Pros

  • A single source of hydrolyzed protein
  • A single allergen-free carbohydrate source
  • Cats of various ages can use it.
  • Food intolerances, food allergies, and irritated bowels are all candidates.
  • Pea-free

Cons

  • A veterinarian’s prescription is required.
  • Expensive

 

Go! SENSITIVITIES Duck Dry Cat Food with Limited Ingredients
 

  • Calories: 464/cup
  • Fat: 15%
  • Protein: 31%
  • Duck, egg, lentils, and chickpeas are the main ingredients.

The new protein duck is the major element in this cat food. This protein is unlikely to induce allergic responses, because it is the only source of animal protein in this diet.

This dish is also grain-free, with lentils and chickpeas for vitamin boosts instead of grains.

Some customers have complained that this product contains chicken fat, which appears to contradict the single protein marketing.

While this may appear to be a time to avoid if your cat has chicken sensitivities, chicken fat is not a protein allergen.

Because chicken fat lacks the chicken proteins that are frequent allergens, it will not cause an allergic reaction. Instead, it is a fantastic source of essential fats for your cat.

Pros

  • There are no chicken proteins in this product.
  • A single source of protein
  • Grain-free
  • Flaxseed for a gleaming coat

Cons

  • It contains egg.

 

Natural Balance Green Pea & Duck Dry Cat Food L.I.D.
 

  • Calories: 410/cup
  • Fat: 12%
  • Protein: 30%
  • Ingredients: duck, peas

This cat chow includes just the ingredients listed on the label. The taste is named for the two primary components in this dish, green pea and duck.

This product is an excellent hypoallergenic option because it contains no common allergens such as wheat, soy, corn, or chicken.

This product also has a limited number of carbohydrate sources. While minimal amounts of carbs are part of a healthy cat diet, combining numerous different carbohydrate sources might result in a difficult-to-digest food for sensitive cats.

On the other hand, after modifying its recipe to add salmon oil, this product has received some unfavorable feedback.

Because duck-flavored cat meals are frequently chosen for cats with seafood intolerances, this product is no longer suited for cats with fish allergies.

Pros

  • A single source of protein
  • Grain-free
  • Carbohydrate sources are few.

Cons

  • Because it contains salmon oil, it is not good for cats that are allergic to fish.

 

Adult Dry Cat Food Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Chicken
 

  • Calories: 422/cup
  • Fat: 16%
  • Protein: 32%
  • Ingredients: chicken, rice, and oats

While this product includes both chicken and egg proteins, making it inappropriate for these allergies, it has received rave reviews for being beneficial for a wide range of general intolerances and sensitivities.

It has no maize, wheat, soy, or chemical additives, which are typical sources of food allergies in cats. It also contains natural prebiotics, which aid in good digestion.

By enhancing absorption efficiency, this can assist to decrease the consequences of minor intolerances.

Plentiful omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids also support excellent skin and coat health, which helps to mitigate the symptoms of moderate allergies.

Pros

  • It is free of maize, wheat, and soy.
  • Prebiotics for digestive health

Cons

  • This product contains chicken.
  • It contains egg.

 

Instinct Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Real Salmon
 

  • Calories: 517/cup
  • Fat: 17%
  • Protein: 5%
  • Ingredients include salmon and peas.

This is a one-protein, one-vegetable-source meal with a restricted ingredient list. This minimizes the danger of allergic responses in sensitive animals.

Of course, because salmon is the major component, it is not ideal for cats that are allergic to seafood. This product is strong in protein and fat, with no added grain, soy, or wheat fillers.

Although the high protein content is beneficial to cats, the high fat content means that a regular serving of this product contains more calories than many other common cat foods.

If your cat’s weight is a constant concern, you will need to regularly monitor eating and activity with this product.

Pros

  • High protein content
  • A single source of animal protein
  • Grain-free
  • Free of dairy, eggs, corn, and gluten.

Cons

  • High in fat and calories

 

Canned Blue Buffalo Freedom Fish Grain-Free Cat Food
 

  • 156 calories/5.5 oz can
  • Fat: 5%
  • Protein: 5%
  • Ingredients include fish, poultry, and carrots.

As you can see, many of the best-rated and reviewed hypoallergenic cat meals are dry. However, there are several options for wet food for cats with allergies.

This product contains no grains and is free of common allergies such as wheat, maize, dairy, and soy.

While cod and whitefish are its primary protein sources, it also contains chickens, making it inappropriate for anyone who are allergic to chicken protein.

In addition to being more suitable for senior cats who struggle to chew hard food, the soft consistency is also intended to aid in the passage of hairballs and good urinary health.

These multi-benefits will suit elderly cats who are increasingly prone to these illnesses.

Pros

  • Grain-free
  • There will be no soy, wheat, or corn.
  • Soft texture for senior cats
  • Hairball prevention using natural fibers
  • Cranberries can help with urinary health.

Cons

  • This product contains chicken.

 

Instinct Pate Rabbit Canned Cat Food with Limited Ingredients
 

  • 156 calories/5.5 oz can
  • Fat: 3%
  • Protein: 10%
  • Ingredients: rabbit and pea products

If your cat is allergic to animal proteins like chicken, steak, or shellfish. Alternatively, if they are sensitive to cereals, wheat, soy, maize, dairy, or eggs, this product may be suitable for them.

This restricted ingredient in wet food is actually restricted in frequent allergies. The unique protein is rabbit, which helps to prevent protein allergies while providing high-protein and low-fat advantages.

It does include peas and pea products. Pea can be a terrific protein, binding, and additional vitamin source, but it is also an allergy.

While less prevalent than other allergies, it might be the source of your cat’s sensitivity.

Pros

  • The new protein in this case is rabbit.
  • It is low in fat.
  • The majority of common allergies are not present.

Cons

  • Pea products are present.

Buyer's Guide: Choosing the Best Allergy-Friendly Cat Foods

What Causes Cat Allergies?

Fleas, the environment, and diet are the three most common causes of allergies in cats. Allergies occur when your cat’s immune system overreacts to a material they come into touch with, either by ingestion or through airborne exposure.

Cat food allergies are extremely rare, affecting only 0.1% of cats. Food allergies, on the other hand, make people more susceptible to skin infections than those who do not have allergies.

Cat allergies are most commonly caused by popular cat food components such as chicken, beef, and shellfish. Intolerances vary from real allergies in that they are caused by digestive issues rather than an immunological reaction.

Intolerances are frequently caused by popular cat food components such as grains, egg, dairy, wheat, maize, and soy. Many cats are also sensitive to artificial additives including flavors, colors, and preservatives.

Allergies and intolerances are commonly used interchangeably, despite their essential differences. They frequently exhibit the same symptoms, go through the same diagnosis process, and follow the same food treatment plan.

So, how can cats get food allergies? No animal, not even humans or cats, is born with allergies. As an immune response, allergies develop over time.

As a result, your cat will only develop an intolerance to foods to which it has been exposed over time. This is not to mean that if you give your cat the same food every day, it will acquire an allergy.

As a pet owner, you have little influence over the development of allergies. It is mostly random, but it can be impacted by inherited features. They can appear at any age and deteriorate with time.

Whether you give your cat dry or wet food, you need a dish that will keep the mess contained—the Hepper Nom Nom Bowl will accomplish precisely that.

This item was created with your cat’s comfort in mind. The whisker-friendly bowls are low and wide to prevent whisker fatigue, and the wide catch tray keeps all food where it belongs—inside the bowl.

We’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest in order to benefit from this cool cat company’s outstanding designs!

Cat Allergen Identification

As you might expect, there are several causes of food allergies and intolerances in cats. If your cat is exhibiting signs of a food response, the challenge is determining which component is causing the problem.

Given that most commercial cat meals contain a slew of common allergies, identifying the problematic component can be difficult.

There are allergy tests that use skin scrapings and saliva samples, but they are frequently unreliable, with some tests confirming allergies in pieces of fake fur! Your veterinarian will almost always prescribe an elimination diet.

An elimination diet will often begin with your cat eating a totally new and limited ingredient diet. A novel protein is one that they have never consumed before, thus there is no risk of an adverse reaction.

Once they’ve adjusted to their new diet, you may gradually introduce additional components one at a time until the culprit causing an allergic response is identified.

It is critical to only introduce a new component after a few days, as an allergic reaction can develop immediately after intake or up to a few days later.

If you’re looking into minor food intolerances at home, you may experiment with different diets until you discover one that doesn’t trigger a reaction.

Grain-free products are frequently heavily marketed to cats with allergies. While grains can undoubtedly be allergens, animal proteins are the most common cause of food allergies.

Because chicken, beef, and fish are the most prevalent causes of cat food allergies, eliminating animal proteins and introducing novel proteins is a good place to start.

Be aware that there is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic solution because individual cats will have different sensitivities, and no one product will eliminate all possible allergens.

It takes time and care to find the proper diet for your cat and discover the issue allergy!

How to Choose Hypoallergenic Cat Food

Novel proteins

Novel proteins are just proteins that your cat’s body is unfamiliar with. As a result, if your cat has only ever eaten chicken cat chow, any other animal protein will be regarded unique.

Chicken, beef, and seafood are the most prevalent animal proteins included in pet food. Novel protein sources include rabbit, duck, and venison.

Novel proteins are excellent hypoallergenic ingredients because they provide the nutritional content that cats require as carnivores.

Nonetheless, they pose no risk of producing allergic responses in your cat because your cat’s immune system will not detect them as a threat.

Hydrolyzed components

Hydrolyzed components are proteins that have had their chemical bonds broken down, making them more digestible and less likely to be identified as allergens by your cat’s immune system.

Some cats with specific protein sensitivities may be able to consume these issue proteins if they have been hydrolyzed.

Limited ingredients

A LID (limited-ingredient diet) is frequently used to treat allergies in cats. Many cat meals have numerous proteins, carbs, and vitamin sources, making it difficult to detect allergies.

The use of fewer components can aid in the identification of intolerance origins and improve digestion.

Natural additions

All pet meals contain some form of ingredient. These are applied to enhance flavor and preserve food. Some of these are of artificial origin and may cause allergies.

Look for natural preservatives such as vitamin C and E, as well as rosemary products.

Conclusion

When it comes to a diet for your allergic cat, finding the best hypoallergenic foods for cats might be difficult.

Adult Dry Cat Food Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Chicken is our top option due to its use of restricted quality ingredients and lack of allergies.

Purina ONE Sensitive Skin & Stomach Dry Cat Food is the best value, is cheap, and is recommended by many veterinarians. This product has many outstanding reviews and is an excellent place to start.

BestForPets‘ (bestforpets.org) best advice for your road ahead is to simply buy tiny quantities of any different meals until you discover the one that is right for you.

This way, you won’t waste food or money if it isn’t right for your cat. Best wishes on your quest to find the best diet for your sensitive cat!

Author Image

Dr. Deborah Fletcher

Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher

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