The Best Low Carb Cat Foods To Buy
- May 27, 2023
- By Dr. Deborah Fletcher
Cats are staunch carnivores who do not need carbohydrates in their diet. Carbohydrates might cause weight gain and upset your cat's sensitive gastrointestinal tract.
Switching to a low-carb diet can help promote improved health and reduce the frequency of constipation and diarrhea, but with so many competing products, finding the correct one for your cat can be challenging.
BestForPets (bestforpets.org) has chosen many brands of the best low carb cat foods to compare so you can notice the differences.
We'll tell you about the advantages and downsides we found with each one, as well as how our cats appreciated it, to help you make an informed decision.
Reviews
Best Overall: Feline Natural Chicken & Venison Canned Cat Food
The best overall low-carb food for your cat is Feline Natural Chicken & Venison Feast Grain-Free Canned Cat Food. It contains only lean animal protein like chicken and venison and gives your cat with 9 percent protein per serving.
The chicken is organic, while the venison is imported from New Zealand. It provides a nutritious supper for cats of all ages and even contains beneficial omega fats.
We enjoyed Feline Natural Chicken & Venison and kept some on hand. The only issue is that two of our pickier cats refuse to eat it.
Pros
- There are few ingredients.
- Chicken raised without confinement
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- A well-balanced meal
Cons
- Some cats dislike it.
Grain-Free Turkey Pate Cat Food Trays – Best Value
Grain-Free Turkey Pate Cat Food Crave Trays is our recommendation for the best low-carb cat food for the money.
It has no artificial colors or preservatives and delivers a complete diet with extra critical vitamins and minerals such as taurine and omega fats.
We liked the ingredients in Crave Turkey Pate for the price, but it can be difficult to get your cats used to it, especially if they’re coming from a high-corn dry food.
Pros
- There are no artificial colors or preservatives.
- Offers a well-balanced dinner
- Vitamins and minerals have been added.
Cons
- Some cats dislike it.
Wysong Epigen 90 Premium Choice Starch-Free Cat Food
Wysong Epigen 90 Starch-Free Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog & Cat Food is our top pick for low-carb cat food and one of just a few dry foods on this list.
It’s incredibly high in protein and will offer your cat with 63 percent each serving thanks to its proprietary extrusion technology.
It’s also strong in probiotics, which support the cat’s healthy bacteria in the gut, omega fats, which help with coat and heart health, and antioxidants, which help the immune system.
The kibble in Wysong Epigen is huge and odd-shaped, which may not suit some older cats or kittens.
We were also disappointed that the first component is chicken meal rather than fresh meat such as chicken, turkey, or fish.
Pros
- High protein content
- Probiotics
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Antioxidants are present.
Cons
- Big kibble
- First component in chicken meal
Kitten-Friendly Tiki Cat Puka Chicken Wet Cat Food
The best low carb cat food for kittens is Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken in Chicken Consomme Grain-Free Canned Cat Food.
Its first ingredient is chicken, which provides 16 percent protein to your growing cat. It’s also high in omega fats and contains extra vitamins and minerals to give a balanced diet for your pet.
The most significant disadvantage we discovered when testing Tiki Cat Puka Puka was that many of the cans had chicken chunks that were somewhat too large for our kitten.
Like many other brands, some of our kittens refused to eat until we gave them their regular meal.
Pros
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Vitamin and mineral content is high.
- High protein content
Cons
- Large slices of chicken
- Some cats dislike it.
Canned Purina Pro Plan Vet Diets Cat Food
Purina Pro Plan DM Dietetic Management Formula for Veterinary Diets Canned Cat Food contains a diabetic mix that is particularly high in protein while keeping low in carbs.
We had no trouble getting our cats to consume this food, which provides a balanced meal rich in antioxidants to help enhance their immune system.
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets have the disadvantage of being pricey and only available with a prescription. We also didn’t like that the first ingredient is meat byproduct rather than identifiable meat such as chicken or turkey.
Pros
- Diabetic cats require a special formula.
- Antioxidants are abundant.
Cons
- Prescription is required.
- First ingredient: meat byproduct
Canned Merrick Purrfect Bistro Chicken Pate Cat Food
Merrick Purrfect Bistro Grain-Free Chicken Pate Canned Cat Food is a high-quality cat food with chicken as the first ingredient to provide a balanced diet high in protein to your cat of any age.
Additional vitamins and minerals help your cat stay healthy and fight sickness, while omega fats keep his coat lustrous and his skin healthy.
Merrick Purrfect Bistro had good ingredients, and our cats enjoyed it, however it had a horrible odor, and it gave several of our cats bad gas with the same stench. We had to switch to a different brand of litter box since it smelled so bad.
Pros
- Dietary balance
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Vitamins and minerals have been added.
Cons
- It stinks.
- Can result in gas
Finding The Best Low Carb Cat Foods: A Buyer's Guide
Cat Food: Wet vs. Dry
When selecting low-carb cat food, you must first decide whether you will feed your cat wet or dry food. We nearly always recommend providing dry kibble to your cat since the crunching helps clean the cat’s teeth.
Dry kibble is less expensive, easier to store, and less likely to cause diarrhea in your cat. Kibble, on the other hand, is naturally high in carbohydrates.
It’s effectively a cookie made with elements your cat requires and then sprayed with nutrients, whereas wet food is frequently real bits of meat baked directly in the can.
If you observe your cat gaining weight and want to switch brands to low-carb food before it gets out of hand, opt for dry kibble. If your cat has a medical problem that requires him to limit carbohydrates immediately, opt for wet food.
Kibble (Dry)
A grain-free brand is the best approach to find a low-carb dry cat food. Grain-free goods frequently exclude the worst carbs, such as maize and soy, which breakdown quickly and increase sugar to the blood.
Grain-free feeds are high in animal protein and typically include additional nutritious components that can aid the cat’s immune system and keep it healthy.
Food That Is Wet
If you need to avoid carbohydrates, wet food is the greatest alternative because it removes the cookie and replaces it with actual meat pieces in a gravy that your cats would adore.
The actual meat chunks include more protein and are more similar to the cat’s normal diet. Look for grain-free brands and read the ingredients list to get low-carb cat chow.
Choose a brand with beef as the first ingredient and no corn, soy, or other grains that could cause blood sugar spikes.
Can I prepare plain chicken and feed it to my cat?
Cooking simple chicken is a terrific low-carb treat, but it does not give your cat with the balanced meal they need to keep healthy.
Conclusion
When it comes to low-carb cat food, we strongly recommend our top option as the finest overall.
Most of our cats enjoyed Feline Natural Chicken & Venison Feast Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, which has only a few high-quality ingredients to offer your pet with a balanced diet rich in omega fats.
Another wise decision is our recommendation for the best value. Grain-Free Turkey Pate Cat Food Crave Trays give a high protein, low carb food for your cat without breaking the wallet.
BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hopes you enjoyed reading these reviews and identified a few products you want to try.
If our guide on the best low-carb cat foods has helped you provide a better diet for your pet, please share it on Facebook and Twitter.
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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