The 8 Best Canned Cat Foods, According to Hundreds of Cats (We Asked Them!)

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Cans of cat food we recommend on a green background

The Spruce Pets / Alexander Huang

Canned or wet cat food may be a little more inconvenient than a big bag of kibble, but has several advantages over dry food. Wet food are typically lower in carbohydrates, and so are less likely to lead to obesity. Canned wet food is also much higher in moisture content. This extra hydration can be especially helpful, because many cats don't drink enough water each day.

To help you select the best food for your cat, we polled 299 cat owners about which foods they choose for their cat and why. We collected a wide range of data to inform our cat food selections, including information about their cat's weight and age, in addition to detailed information about why they chose their cat's cat food. You can learn more about our polling methodology below our recommendations, under the heading How We Found The Best Canned Cat Foods.

Our favorite cat food for most is Hill's Science Diet Adult Entree Cat Food, which is formulated by scientists and veterinarians and comes in a variety of protein-rich flavors cats enjoy. All of our product selections adhere to the standards for a "complete and balanced" meal in line with the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the leading non-profit organization guiding state, federal, and international feed regulators to safeguard pet food.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Hill's Science Diet Adult Canned Cat Food

Hill's Science Diet Adult Entree Cat Food

Hills Science Diet

What We Like
  • No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

  • Provides taurine for vision and heart

  • Multiple formulations for every life stage and many specific health needs

What We Don't Like
  • Some flavors are more difficult to find than others

For most cats, Hill's Science Diet has a wet formula of cat food that will align with their needs and in a recipe with flavors they'll enjoy consuming. Hill's Science Diet canned cat food, also our top choice for premium dry cat food, ranked high among our 299 survey participants, with the majority citing their veterinarian's recommendation as the lead factor influencing their choice and many praising the brand for having a wet food formula to fit their cat's dietary needs, such as hairball control, weight management, and skin sensitivities.

The first ingredient is water so your cat will consume hydration along with their calories and nutrients. The second ingredient is real animal protein, like chicken, tuna, or pork, depending on which recipe and flavor, and there is an assortment to choose from including: Savory Chicken, Liver & Chicken, Ocean Fish, Savory Salmon, Savory Turkey, Tender Chicken, Tender Tuna, and Turkey & Liver.

Hill's Science Diet Adult Entree Cat Food recipes are all formulated by veterinarians and scientist to deliver optimal nutrition in each serving including vitamin C, vitamin E, antioxidants, fiber, protein, and calcium. The food is packaged in five ounce cans with a pull-tab lid and is manufactured in the United States. The wet food and the dry food can be mixed together, and a selection of the wet foods are packaged together in a convenient variety pack to keep things interesting for your cat at mealtime.

Life Stage: Adult, senior | Can Sizes: 2.9, 5.5 ounces

Best for Kittens

Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Wet Food

Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Wet Food

Amazon

What We Like
  • Contains no fillers

  • Made with real salmon and chicken

  • Provides lots of moisture

What We Don't Like
  • Only one flavor

Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Wet Food is formulated to provide the nutrients, vitamins, protein, and moisture a developing kitten needs to grow into a healthy cat. Each three ounce can of the Chicken & Salmon recipe is made with real chicken as the first ingredient followed by chicken liver, pork lung, chicken broth, and salmon. It's completely free of artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and grains which might irritate your young cat.

The kitten-safe food is prepared in Purina's facility in the United States where it goes through several rounds of quality control to ensure the formula analysis is accurate and nutritionally balanced. The only downside is that Purina One Healthy Kitten Wet Food is only available in one flavor.

Life Stage: Kitten | Can Size: 3 ounces

Best for Weight Loss

Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Wet Cat Food

Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Cat Food Roasted Vegetable & Chicken Medley

Amazon

What We Like
  • Lean protein to keep cat satiated

  • Moisture-rich formula

  • Made with real chicken and vegetables

What We Don't Like
  • Only one size can offered

For cats, being a pound or two overweight can lead to cardiovascular and physical health issues. To help your cat get back to their optimal weight Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Cat Food provides balanced nutrition, fiber, and lean protein in a liquid-rich formula, all of which will help them feel full in between meals.

Hill's Science Diet is formulated in the United States, and in their clinical trials, over 70-percent of adult cats lost weight within 10 weeks by eating Perfect Weight Cat Food. Plus, they offer a 100-percent satisfaction guarantee on all of their products. The canned cat food for weight loss and maintenance comes in flavors cats love and is made with real chicken and vegetables.

Life Stage: Adult | Can Sizes: 2.9, 5.5 ounces

Best for Weight Gain

Tiki Pets Tiki Cat Wet Food

Tiki Pets Tiki Cat Luau

Amazon

What We Like
  • Packed with protein from animal sources

  • Made with non-GMO ingredients

  • All eight flavors are free of grains and potatoes

What We Don't Like
  • Certain flavors are more readily available

Without any fillers, grains, or guar gum, Tiki Pets line of Tiki Cats Luau canned cat food is loaded with good-for-feline proteins that will help your cat keep weight on the right way.

If your veterinarian has recommend that your cat put on some weight, one of the easiest fixes is to increase the portion size of each meal. Tiki Cats Luau canned cat food is available in two sizes, 2.8- and 6 ounces, so opting for the bigger size for at least one daily meal will give your cat the opportunity to consume more healthy fats, like the type found in salmon.

The Luau collection consists of eight recipes made with chicken and a variety of fish species that cats enjoy, such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, seabass, and tilapia. The food is aromatic to entice your cat to eat and has larger chunks of real protein in every can. Plus, each formula of Tiki Cats Luau is made with non-GMO ingredients.

Life Stage: Adult | Can Sizes: 2.8 and 6 ounces

Best for Seniors

Purina Pro Plan Prime Plus Wet Food

Purina Pro Plan Prime Plus Wet Cat Food

Amazon

What We Like
  • Contains prebiotic fiber for digestion

  • High in protein

  • Formulated to prevent unintentional weight gain

What We Don't Like
  • Only available in three ounce sized cans

Purina's Pro Plan Prime Plus Wet Cat Food is designed to meet the needs of cats over the age of seven. While the best food for your senior cat depends on your own cat’s unique health needs, in general, it is best to maintain a diet filled with proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and water throughout all stages of your cat's life, Dr. Barrack says.

Pro Plan Prime Plus offers six grain-free flavors all made in the United States. Each formula provides ten-percent minimum protein to help maintain your older cat’s lean muscle mass, antioxidants beta carotene, and vitamin E to support their immune system, and prebiotic fiber for easier digestion. As a cat matures, you might notice changes in their activity level. If they are less active or gaining weight, you can cut back on portion size of their meals. Fortunately, Pro Plan Prime Plus Wet Cat Food is only available in three ounce cans, so you are less likely to have any food leftover. As always, consult with your veterinarian before making any drastic changes to your cat's diet.

Life Stage: Senior | Can Size: 3 ounces

Best Natural

Blue Tastefuls

Blue Tastefuls Wet Food For Cats

Chewy

What We Like
  • Two consistencies: flaked and pate

  • Enhanced with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients

  • Free of by-product meals, artificial flavors, and preservatives

What We Don't Like
  • Some flavors are difficult to find outside of a variety pack

Blue Tastefuls Wet Cat Food is made with natural ingredients in an array of flavors with real animal protein as the first ingredient. There are two consistencies to choose from, flaked and pate. The flaked canned food within the Tastefuls line is chunkier with real pieces of protein, and the pate canned food is smooth and creamy. But all are high in moisture and protein along with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients added to support a healthy cat. Blue Tastefuls Wet Cat Food is always made without by-product meals, artificial flavors, preservatives, corn, wheat, or soy.

Life Stage: Adult | Can Sizes: 3, 5.5 ounces

Best Grain-Free

Weruva Canned Cat Food

Weruva Cats In The Kitchen

Petsmart

What We Like
  • BPA-free cans

  • High moisture level

  • Free of grain, gluten, starch, and carrageenan

What We Don't Like
  • Some flavors are more difficult to find

Weruva Cats In the Kitchen line of canned cat food is free of grain, gluten, starch, and carrageenan. Within the line, there are a variety of recipes all made with natural ingredients, animal-sourced protein, and fish oil to keep your cat's skin and coat healthy. The moisture rich cat food comes in two can sizes, 3.2 or 6 ounces, all of which are BPA free.

Cats In The Kitchen flavors can be purchased individually or in variety packs to give your cat unexpected flavors with each meal. Plus, any leftover food can be covered and refrigerated for up to three days.

Life Stage: Adult | Can Sizes: 3.2 and 6 ounces

Best Variety

Purina Fancy Feast Classic Pate Collection

Purina Fancy Feast Classic Pate Collection Cat Food Variety Pack

Purina

What We Like
  • Poultry, beef, and seafood recipes

  • No artificial preservatives or colors

  • Adult and kitten options

  • Protein-rich with savory gravy

What We Don't Like
  • Only one can size (three ounces)

According to our survey participants, some cats love Fancy Feast canned food so much that they refuse to eat any other cat food.If your cat enjoys variety, Purina Fancy Fancy Classic Pate Collection Cat Food offers bundles with a mix of their protein-rich wet food recipes.

For adult cats, there are three Classic Pate variety pack options, Poultry & Beef, Chicken & Beef, or Seafood. Each option contains three different recipes made with real chicken, turkey, beef, or seafood as the first ingredient, and the grain-free foods are enhanced with vitamins and minerals to provide nutritionally complete and balanced meals in each serving.

The variety packs come in cases of 12, 24, and 30, with 3 ounce cans of each flavor divided up evenly, but many of our participating cat parents expressed a desire for a bigger can size. The smooth pate food is particularly easy for senior cats who might have trouble with kibble, and there are also variety packs for Fancy Feast's other textures—flaked, grilled, shredded—along with kitten-specific variety packs formulated with nutrients growing cats need. Plus, the food is free of artificial flavors and preservatives.

Life Stage: Kitten, adult | Sizes: 3 ounces

Final Verdict

Hill's Science Diet Adult Entree Cat Food offers up the protein needed to satiate your obligate carnivore along with taurine, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids, with a variety of recipes all formulated by veterinarians and scientists in the United States. If you have kitten, Purina One Healthy Kitten Pate canned cat food is a moisture-rich food that is optimized for growing felines and is made with real chicken and salmon as the lead sources of protein.

How We Found The Best Canned Cat Foods

To find the best canned cat foods our research team developed an in-depth questionnaire, using insights from a panel of veterinarians and other experts. Our poll was designed to collect a wide range of data, including each cat's life stage, weight, and health history.

Our final data set came from 299 respondents, who told us the cat foods they used with their cats. Using a combination of numerical scores and detailed feedback, we learned why they chose the cat foods they did and how well each brand worked for their cats. Detailed feedback led us to cat foods suitable for allergies, dietary sensitivities, overweight cats, elderly cats, and more.

We also researched which brands were recommended by veterinarians, and which had the most trustworthy list of ingredients. We looked in particular for high-value brands that fit in people's budgets and have wide retail availability.

What to Look for in Canned Cat Food

Life Stage

When buying canned cat food, consider how old your cat is. Different products are formulated especially for kittens, adult cats, or seniors. These various products will have different ingredients that cater to your cat’s specific nutritional needs at their current life stage.

Ingredients

Experts say you should look for a named source of protein, such as salmon or chicken, rather than a meat by-product. You’ll also want to see just how much filler, or carbohydrates, are in the formula, as cats are carnivores and would not eat large amount of carbohydrates in the wild. 

Nutritional Needs

Certain cats have specific nutritional needs, whether it’s ingredients that prevent hairballs or low-calorie foods to help them lose or maintain weight. Many canned cat foods are specially formulated to help achieve your pet’s health goals, but keep in mind that these types of formulas are often more expensive.

When selecting a canned cat food for your feline friend, look for a food with the words “Complete and Balanced” on the label, which means it adheres to guidelines set by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

Taurine

Taurine is an essential amino acid (molecules used by all living things to make proteins) for cats that must be consumed in their daily diet. Cats are not able to adequately synthesize enough taurine within their body from other amino acids, so they must eat and digest taurine. You can read more about why cats need Taurine in this story by The Spruce Pets.

Why Trust The Spruce Pets?

This roundup was updated by Anna Mejorada, a writer for The Spruce Pets, who shares her home with a lovely 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.

An older version of this article was written by Anne Fritz, a freelance lifestyle writer with over 20 years of experience.

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.
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  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

  3. Clinical Nutrition Team. “Grain-Free Diets – Big on marketing, Small on truth. Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University.