Best Cat Food

The highest-scoring cat food products, ranked by protein quality, AAFCO compliance, and clean ingredient lists.

Cats are obligate carnivores — they're metabolically built for high-protein, low-carb diets and a constant supply of specific amino acids (taurine, arginine), preformed vitamin A, and arachidonic acid that they can't synthesize from plant sources. They also have weak thirst drives and benefit substantially from moisture-rich foods. This guide ranks 700+ US-distributed cat foods by named-protein quality and AAFCO compliance, weighted toward the high-protein wet formulas cats actually thrive on. The top results are named-meat-first formulas with low carb loads and verified AAFCO statements. The cat catalog grew substantially from PetSmart aggregator coverage; if a brand you'd expect isn't here, it likely doesn't sell on Amazon US.

Top picks

1. Mousse & Shreds Chicken, Salmon & Chicken Liver Recipe by Tiki Cat — Score: 100
2. Nutro Cat - Pate, Tukey, Grain Free, 2.64 OZ by Nutro — Score: 100
3. Nutro Perfect Portions Adult Wet Cat Food - Pate, Variety Pack, 24 Count by Nutro — Score: 100
4. Open Farm Skin & Coat All Life Stages Wet Cat Food - Grain Free, Pate, 2.8 oz by Open Farm — Score: 100
5. Simply Nourish® Original Cat Wet Food - 3 Oz, Natural, Pate, With-Grain by Simply Nourish — Score: 100
6. Tiki Cat After Dark Adult Wet Cat Food Variety Pack - High Protein, Soft Pate, 12 CT 36 Oz by Tiki Cat — Score: 100
7. Tiki Cat After Dark Pate+ Adult Cat Wet Food - 5.5 oz by Tiki Cat — Score: 100
8. Tiki Cat After Dark Pate+ Wet Cat Food - High Protein, 2.8 oz by Tiki Cat — Score: 100
9. Chicken & Salmon Freeze Dried Raw Morsels for Cats by Open Farm — Score: 98
10. Surf & Turf Freeze Dried Raw Morsels for Cats by Open Farm — Score: 98
11. Wellness Complete Health Salmon & Chicken by Wellness — Score: 98
12. Wellness® CORE® Adult Cat Food Digestive Health, Grain Free, Chicken by Wellness — Score: 98
13. Wellness® CORE® Adult Cat Food Digestive Health, Grain Free, Salmon by Wellness — Score: 98
14. Wellness Complete Health Beef & Lamb by Wellness — Score: 98
15. Stella's Solutions Skin & Coat Support by Stella & Chewy's — Score: 98
16. Wellness CORE Original Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal & Chicken Meal Grain Free by Wellness Core — Score: 97
17. Raw Coated Cat Kibble: Wild-Caught Salmon Recipe by Stella & Chewy's — Score: 97
18. Homestead Turkey & Chicken Grain-Free Cat Kibble by Open Farm — Score: 97
19. Instinct® Raw Boost Cat Food - Natural, Grain Free, Freeze Dried Raw, Chicken by Instinct — Score: 95
20. Raw diet for cats duck recipe by Northwest Naturals — Score: 94
21. Weruva Wx Phos Focused Freeze Dried Chicken & Tilapia Dry Cat Food by Weruva — Score: 93
22. Nulo Gently Cooked Meals Cat Wet Food - 3.5 oz by Nulo — Score: 86
23. Weruva Cat Freeze Dried Paw Lickin' Chicken Dry Cat Food by Weruva — Score: 86
24. Weruva Cat Freeze Dried Mideast Feast Tuna, Salmon & Tilapia Dry Cat Food by Weruva — Score: 80
25. Tiki Cat Duck by Tiki Cat — Score: 100

High named-protein content

Cats need 26%+ protein on a dry-matter basis (AAFCO minimum); the best diets push 40%+. Look for chicken, turkey, salmon, or rabbit as the first ingredient — not "meat by-products," "animal digest," or plant-protein concentrates.

Taurine in the supplement list

Cats can't synthesize enough taurine on their own; deficiency causes blindness and heart disease. AAFCO-compliant cat foods always supplement it, but verify the supplement is listed.

Low-to-moderate carbohydrate content

Cats lack the metabolic machinery to handle high carb loads. Wet/canned formulas typically run 10–20% carbs (dry matter); dry kibble 30–45%. Lower is generally better, especially for diabetic cats or those at risk of obesity.

Adequate moisture

Cats evolved to get most of their water from prey. They have a weak thirst drive and chronic underhydration is common, contributing to kidney disease — the #1 health issue in older cats. Wet food (75%+ moisture) is generally healthier than exclusive dry feeding.

Frequently asked questions

Should cats eat wet food, dry food, or both?

Most veterinary nutritionists lean toward wet food for cats because of hydration and lower carbohydrate content. A mix is fine — many cats do well on wet meals plus dry kibble for free-feeding. Exclusive dry feeding is the least ideal but still better than poor-quality wet food.

Why is taurine so important for cats?

Taurine is an amino acid cats can't produce in sufficient amounts. Deficiency causes feline central retinal degeneration (irreversible blindness) and dilated cardiomyopathy. All AAFCO-compliant cat foods are taurine-supplemented; this is one of the strongest arguments for sticking with cat-specific food rather than "all life stages" foods marketed for both species.

Can cats eat dog food?

Not as a regular diet. Dog food doesn't contain enough taurine, arachidonic acid, or vitamin A for cats. A cat that occasionally steals dog food won't be harmed; a cat fed dog food long-term will develop deficiencies.

What's the best food for an indoor cat?

Lower-calorie formulas are appropriate for less-active indoor cats to prevent weight gain. The protein quality and overall ingredient list matters more than the "indoor" label, though — many "indoor" formulas just reduce fat moderately.

Why is my cat picky? Is the food bad?

Cats are notoriously selective and food preferences form early. Pickiness isn't a quality signal in either direction. Transition foods slowly (over 7–10 days) by mixing increasing portions of the new food. Warming wet food slightly often boosts palatability.

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