The 7 Best Cat Foods for Weight Loss, According To 299 Cats

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A collage of cat food for weight loss we recommend

The Spruce Pets / Amelia Manley

To help your cat cut back on calories without leaving them feeling deprived, switching to wet or dry food that is formulated for weight loss is a simple place to start. It’s easy for some cats to gain too much weight—especially indoor-only cats, and even an extra pound or two can increase a cat's risk for a number of health issues including arthritis, skin infections, and diabetes.

"While all foods will require an overall caloric deficit, cat weight loss foods can make this process easier for both cats and cat parents," veterinarian, Georgina Ushi-Phillips, DVM told The Spruce Pets.

To find the best cat food for weight loss, we polled 299 real cats (their humans filled out the forms) to hear firsthand which brands and types of cat food works for their household, while collecting data on each cat's size and age. You can learn more about our polling methodology below our recommendations, under the heading How We Found The Best Cat Food for Weight Loss.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight Dry Cat Food

Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Dry Cat Food

Amazon

What We Like
  • Wet and dry food formulas for weight loss

  • Developed by scientist and veterinarians

  • No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

  • Enriched with L-carnitine to support a healthy metabolism

What We Don't Like
  • No seafood recipe

Developed by scientist and veterinarians to help cats maintain their optimal health, Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight Adult Cat Food line is our top choice for most cats in the need to lose a few pounds. Among the 299 cat parents who participated in our survey, an overwhelming majority cited their veterinarians' recommendation as their main deciding factor for feeding their cat a food from Hill's Science Diet.

The Perfect Weight recipes are rich in protein from animal sourced meat (primarily chicken) to help cats maintain healthy muscle mass. The foods are enriched with omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, taurine, vitamins, and L-carnitine, a naturally occurring amino acid that helps the body turn fat into energy. Each serving is formulated to support the digestive system with fiber and ingredients that are easy for felines to digest.

For dry food, there are two Perfect Weight recipes to choose from. Both have the same chicken recipe flavor that cats enjoy, but one is optimized for Indoor cats which are often less active than cats who spend time each day outdoors. For wet food, the flavors within the Perfect Weight line are liver and chicken entree and roasted vegetable and chicken medley, both made with pork liver as a primary ingredient along with chicken and chicken broth for moisture.

Once your cat has reached their ideal weight, you can continue feeding Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight cat food to help them maintain a healthy size.

Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavors: Chicken recipe, liver and chicken entree, roasted vegetable and chicken medley | Package Sizes: 3, 7, 15-pounds; 2.9-ounces

Also Great

Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Weight Control Adult Dry Cat Food

Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Weight Control Adult Dry Cat Food

Amazon

What We Like
  • Two formulation, Weight Control or Weight & Hairball Control

  • Free of artificial flavors and preservatives

  • Made without soy, wheat, corn, and by-product meals

  • Chicken and rice flavor many cats enjoy

What We Don't Like
  • Only one flavor available

Blue Buffalo offers two dry cat food formulas optimized to help a feline lose weight Tastefuls Weight Control and Tastefuls Weight & Hairball Control are chicken as the first ingredient and primary source of protein to help keep your adult cat feeling full in between meals. If you cat enjoys the chicken and rice recipes of Blue Buffalo's Tastefuls Adult Indoor Cat Food, then they might not notice the swap for the weight loss food with the same familiar flavor.

Made with whole grains and vegetables, this crunchy kibble provides natural fiber. For hairball control, the specialized version has a blend of psyllium seed husks and cellulose to help your cat's internal system process ingested fur from grooming.

Each serving of this dry cat food is fortified with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to support a cat's immune system and overall health. If your cat has allergies or food sensitivities, you might find Blue Buffalo pet foods—made without corn, wheat, soy, by-product meals, artificial flavors, and artificial preservatives—to be suitable for their digestive system. There is no senior specific formula, but the food is suitable for all adult cats.

Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavor: Chicken & brown rice recipe | Package Sizes: 3, 5, 7, or 15-pounds

Best Wet

Royal Canin Weight Care Food

Royal Canin Weight Care Cat Food

Royal Canin 

What We Like
  • Three textures: thin slices in gravy, chunks in gravy, and loaf in sauce

  • Provides L-carnitine and fiber blend

  • Can be mixed with dry food

  • Rich in protein from pork and chicken

What We Don't Like
  • No seafood flavor option

Rich in hydration, protein, fiber, and L-carnitine, Royal Canin's Weight Care Cat Food is formulated to keep cats satiated in between meals so they are less likely to ask for more.

The wet canned food is made with three textures: thin slices in gravy, chunks in gravy, and loaf in sauce, to align with a variety of feeding preferences while helping cats reach a healthy weight. The pork flavored food comes in two can sizes (3 or 5.1 ounces) and can be mixed with Royal Canin's Weight Care kibble for cats.

This nutritionally balanced food for cats is made with pork by-product meal as the lead source of protein along with chicken, chicken liver, and pork liver. By-product meals tend to carry a poor reputation, but the pork-by product meal that Royal Canin uses in their pet food is high-in-protein and made with nutrient-rich parts of an animal, like organs and intestines, that are typically less expensive. Their use of animal sourced by-product meals helps reduce food waste.

Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavors: Pork | Package Sizes: 3, 5.1-ounces

Best Budget

Purina One +Plus Ideal Weight Dry Cat Food

Purina One +Plus Ideal Weight Dry Cat Food

Purina

What We Like
  • High in protein

  • Dry and wet food recipes

  • Fortified with L-carnitine for converting fat to energy

  • Free of fillers, artificial flavors, and preservatives

What We Don't Like
  • Ingredients include soy, corn, and by-product meals

Purina ONE +Plus Ideal Weight Cat Food is affordably priced and readily available at supermarkets, big box stores, and online retailers. There are three flavors for your cat to enjoy—turkey (dry kibble), white meat chicken recipe (wet food) and tender salmon recipe (wet food)—all formulated to help your cat reduce their daily caloric intake.

The aptly named Ideal Weight line of cat food contains L-carnitine to help your kitty convert fat into energy. Each serving also provides essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients including omega fatty acids and antioxidants. The food is manufactured within Purina's facilities in the United States where it undergoes rigours testing to ensure quality and the optimal nutritional balance.

The first ingredient in the dry food is real turkey, and the wet foods are rich in moisture, but the recipes also include by-product meals, soy, and corn.

Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavors: Turkey, white meat chicken recipe, tender salmon recipe, | Package Sizes: 3.5, 7, 16-pounds; 3-ounces

Best for Seniors

Fromm Healthy Weight Gold Cat Food

Fromm Healthy Weight Gold Cat Food

Fromm

What We Like
  • Provides L-carnitine, antioxidants, prebiotics, and probiotics

  • Recipes are free of artificial flavors, preservatives, and colors

  • Family owned and operated in Wisconsin

What We Don't Like
  • Not as widely available as other cat food brands

As cats get older it's common for their activity level to decline, which often leads to unintended weight gain. Fromm Healthy Weight Gold Cat Food is formulated with L-carnitine to help older cats maintain their optimal size by supporting lean muscles and overall health. This protein-rich cat food provides Fromm's signature blend of antioxidants, prebiotics, and probiotics to aid digestion along with salmon oil for a healthy coat.

The Weight Gold Cat Food recipe is available as a dry food and a wet food which can be mixed. The dry kibble makes use of chicken, chicken meal, and salmon meal as the primary sources of protein while the wet food contains chicken broth, chicken, chicken liver, and duck among its lead ingredients.

Fromm, a family owned business based in Wisconsin, has been making pet food for decades in their two owned and operated facilities. Their foods and treats are primarily sold within speciality shops and online retailers.

Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavors: Chicken | Package Sizes: 4, 10-pounds; 5.5-ounces

Best With Probiotics

Purina Pro Plan Weight Management Cat Food

Purina Pro Plan Weight Management Wet Cat Food

Purina Pro Plan

What We Like
  • Wet and dry food formulas for weight loss

  • High protein and live probiotics in each serving

  • Developed by scientist, nutritionists, behaviorists, and veterinarians

What We Don't Like
  • Ingredients include soy, corn, and by-product meals

The line of Weight Management food for cat from Purina Pro Plan is fortified with live probiotics to keep your cat's digestive system running smoothly while promoting overall health and weight loss. The dry food recipe, chicken and brown rice, contains 20-percent less calories than the regular Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials dry cat food, and the wet food recipe, turkey and rice, provides a 10-percent reduction in calories when compared to Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials canned cat food. If your cat is already consuming Purina Pro Plan cat food they will likely find the flavors familiar and enjoyable.

The Purina Pro Plan Weight Management dry food is made with real chicken as the first ingredient providing a hefty serving of protein along with nutrients cats need. The Purina Pro Plan Weight Management wet food sources protein from turkey and beef liver while also providing hydration. Cats tend to neglect drinking water so you may find it beneficial to serve your cat a mix of the dry and wet food, just be certain to follow the serving size suggestion to avoid over feeding your cat.

This cat food from Purina provides taurine, amino acids, omega fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. It's manufactured in the United States and made without artificial flavors or preservatives.

Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavors: Chicken and brown rice recipe, turkey and rice recipe | Package Sizes: 3.5, 7, 16-pounds; 3-ounces

Best for Hairball Control

Iams Proactive Health Weight Control Cat Food

Iams Proactive Health Weight & Hairball Control Cat Food

Iams

What We Like
  • Fiber blend to help cat process digested hair

  • Provides L-carnitine to support the metabolism

  • Enriched with calcium, potassium, omega fatty acids, and vitamin E

  • Made with human grade ingredients including salmon or chicken as the first ingredient

What We Don't Like
  • Bags are not resealable

Made with a proprietary blend of fiber that includes beet pulp, Iams Proactive Weight & Hairball Control cat food is ideal for indoor cats who need to lose a few pounds and are prone to hairballs. The occasional hairball is common, but some cats have more difficultly processing the fur they unintentionally consume while grooming. This crunchy kibble will support the digestive system and rev up your kitty's metabolism with L-carnitine.

The feline food is available in two flavors, salmon or chicken. Both are made with human-grade ingredients and each serving provides omega fatty acids, vitamin E, calcium, and potassium supporting immunity, strong muscles and bones, and skin and coat health.

The Proactive Weight & Hairball Control cat food is readily available and budget-friendly, but the bags are not resealable.


Life Stage: 
Adult, senior | Flavors: Salmon, chicken | Package Sizes: 3.5, 7, 16-pounds

Final Verdict

Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight Adult Cat Food is our top choice for cats that need to lose weight . The veterinarian-recommended food is available as a dry kibble or a canned wet food, and cats seem to enjoy the flavor. If you are in search of a more affordable cat food for weight loss, Purina One +Plus Ideal Weight Cat Food is readily available and fortified with L-carnitine, which is essential for helping cats convert fat to energy.

What to Look for in Cat Food for Weight Loss

“The first thing to realize is that cats can lose weight on any food. Weight loss is a result of cats expending more calories than they consume,” explains veterinarian Georgina Ushi-Phillips. When looking at calories, be sure to compare wet food to wet food, and dry food to dry food. That’s because the moisture content affects the weight and calories are calculated on a per weight basis.

Carefully read labels and look for important certifications when deciding which brand is right for your cat. “A good starting point is to look for higher fiber diets," adds Dr. Ushi-Phillips. "Increased fiber will help cats feel more full and because of the way fiber is digested, pet parents can typically give more food as well. That means everyone will be happier.”

It's always a good idea to consult with your veterinarian for the key attributes to look for to support your individual cat’s weight issues. Be prepared to try more than one to find just the right fit for your overweight feline.

Texture & Wet Versus Dry

In the wild, a cat would eat a range of textures and get much of their necessary water through eating fresh meat. Some of their preference may be instinctually biased toward wet and raw foods. But domesticated cats, like humans, also have their own opinions. Some may prefer a soft minced food or chunky bites. Watch your cat eat. Do they lick their food? Do they eat the gravy first? Their habits may give you clues to their texture preferences. Most veterinarians recommend a mixture of wet and dry food throughout the week.

A recent trend in pet foods, raw cat food is said to be an optimal choice because heat has not degraded proteins and other essential nutrients, although there is not yet much research to back these claims. And research has shown that raw pet foods carry an increased risk of salmonella and listeria bacterial infections, which can be dangerous for both cats and human caretakers.

Protein and Carb Content

It’s also important to look at the nutrition, moisture, and fat content of your cat’s food. Cats evolved as hunters so their natural diet would be primarily carnivorous. They would consume prey that contains high amounts of protein, moderate amounts of fat, and a nominal amount of carbohydrates. 

“Pet parents should also look for high protein,” says Dr. Ushi-Phillips. “Not only is protein almost always a good option for our carnivorous cats, but high protein can help cats preserve muscle mass as they lose weight.” 

Note that protein and fat content numbers will be higher in dry foods than in wet foods, because wet food percentages are reported on a wet basis and contain a high percentage of water while dry food percentages are reported on a dry basis. You should look for about 8-10 percent minimum for protein in wet foods or at least 25 percent in dry food. Fat content should be a minimum of 5 percent in wet food or 20 to 30 percent in dry food. Some cats will turn their nose up at foods with less protein or fat than is recommended.

“Lastly, pet parents will want to avoid too many carbohydrates within the first several ingredients,” says Dr. Ushi-Phillips. “Ingredients are listed in order with the greatest amount first. While higher fiber food will have some carbohydrate sources, they shouldn’t be the main ingredients.” Healthy carbs should come from ingredients like organic pumpkin, sweet potato, or brown rice.

Ingredients

As in human food ingredient labels, ingredients in cat food are listed in order from most to least based on weight and include the percentages of protein, fat, fiber, and moisture. Look for foods that list a high protein content of a specific meat first and if any grains are included, whole grains are best because of the nutrients they contain.

Cats also require more than a dozen other nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. The amounts of nutrients needed vary in each stage of life—from kitten to adolescent, during pregnancy and nursing, and as a senior cat. If your pet food is well-balanced and complete for your cat’s current stage of life, they won’t require any additional supplements.

To prevent spoiling and increase shelf life, manufacturers use natural preservatives in store brands. Non-synthetic preservatives include vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate or tocopherol acetate).

Organic and Natural

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates the use of the term “organic” in human and cat food. By law, the USDA must apply the same standard to cat food that they apply to human food. “Organic" refers to the way a crop or animal is grown or raised and handled. Organic crops must be grown on land free from pesticides for at least three years. The food itself must not contain toxic and persistent pesticides, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives, synthetic growth hormones, antibiotics, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), or have undergone irradiation.

Organic livestock whose meat is used in pet foods must be fed organic feed, not be given antibiotics or hormones, and have access to the outdoors. To become USDA Certified, all of these requirements must be documented and have been confirmed via USDA inspection. Unless you see “USDA Certified Organic” on the label, it’s difficult to be sure the food is truly organic.

When only a portion of the ingredients are from certified organic sources, you’ll also see a percentage on the label, such as “95% USDA Certified Organic.”

Similarly, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) defines and regulates the term "natural" for pet food and animal feed. "Natural" means a feed or ingredient is derived solely from plant, animal, or mined sources that have not been produced by a chemically synthetic process. However, some ingredients can be labeled “natural” without actually being good or healthy for your pet. Look out for ingredients known as “fillers” that are low-cost and have little nutritional value. They’re added to make your pet feel full with fewer high-quality ingredients by weight. Common ones are corn and wheat gluten and grain products, soy, animal by-products, and fruit or vegetable pulps.

Probiotics

Many brands are also adding pre-, post-, and probiotics that promote a healthy gut and intestinal flora. Domesticated cats that aren’t eating a natural diet of rodents and other critters aren’t exposed to bacteria they would encounter in the wild. So opt for pre-, post-, and probiotics when you have the option, especially if your cat has a sensitive tummy or has recently taken antibiotics or other medications.

How We Found the Best Cat Food for Weight Loss

To evaluate cat foods, our research panel put together a comprehensive questionnaire, asking for cat parents to describe the qualities that matter most to them when they choose a food for their feline at each life stage. We learned what brands were recommended by veterinarians, and which had the most trustworthy list of ingredients. We also looked for high-value brands that can fit in people's budgets, and brands with wide retailer availability.

We also gathered details about a cat's size, breed, age, and health history, which helped us make picks tailored to a wide range of cats, since the best cat food for an senior Persian that is slowing down won't be the best cat food for a two-year-old rescue who overindulged on the treats after finding their forever home.

In total, 299 respondents described how they and their cats felt about the cat foods they currently feed or previously fed at home, using a combination of numerical scores and detailed feedback.

FAQ
  • Is dry or wet cat food better for weight loss?

    “Because wet food contains significantly more moisture, it’s not only less calorically dense but can also leave cats feeling more full. That makes the weight loss process easier for both cats and people,” explains Dr. Ushi-Phillips. “However, it’s much easier to measure a precise amount of dry kibble to make sure you’re hitting the correct calorie targets which is a big benefit. A middle-ground option is to add a little water to dry kibble. That can give you the accuracy of dry food with the benefits of extra moisture. Both options can work, so it’s okay to let individual preferences decide this one.”

  • Are high-protein cat foods better for weight loss?

    “Because cats are true carnivores, in that they’d only eat meat in the wild, they usually do very well with high-protein diets regardless of the goal. When it comes to weight loss, higher protein can help preserve muscle mass as cats drop weight,” notes Dr. Ushi-Phillips. “Not only is muscle important for a healthy cat, but muscle is also more metabolically active and requires more calories to maintain. That means more muscle can increase a cat’s base calorie requirements and make it easier to achieve a weight-reducing caloric deficit.”

Why Trust The Spruce?

This story was updated by Anna Mejorada, a writer for The Spruce Pets, who shares her home with a happy pomeranian named Gidget. Before researching and writing about pet products for a living, Mejorada embarked on a self-mandated, ongoing quest to find the optimal items for her dog. She is now delightfully devoted to helping humans discover and select the most favorable products for their pets.

We also took a comprehensive survey on preferred brands and feeding habits. Each respondent provided data on their cat's age, size, and breed, in addition to a detailed history of the cat food brands and products they mutually enjoy.

A previous version was written by Lorraine Wilde who has had at least two cat companions in her home for the past 35 years, including some special needs kitties. Wilde also spoke with Dr. Georgina Ushi-Phillips, a practicing veterinarian and veterinary writer. Ushi-Phillips earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida, and her professional interests include nutrition, soft tissue surgery, and emergency care.

The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

  2. Wernimont SM, Radosevich J, Jackson MI, et al. The Effects of Nutrition on the Gastrointestinal Microbiome of Cats and Dogs: Impact on Health and Disease. Frontiers in Microbiology. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.01266