Last Updated: 03/06/2025
Best Cat Food: Our Vet Picks
Find the best cat food with our expert guide on top picks, nutrition, and essential tips!
Author: Dr Katelyn Bailey BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 73 minutes - extensive read
Last Updated: 03/06/2025
Find the best cat food with our expert guide on top picks, nutrition, and essential tips!
Author: Dr Katelyn Bailey BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 73 minutes - extensive read
While there are many important decisions to be made as a pet parent, what you feed your cat is one of the most crucial. It goes without saying that the food you provide for your kitty plays a vital role in their health and wellbeing, both in the short term and the long term. Diet can impact your pet's energy levels, longevity and overall health- for better or worse.
However, there are so many different types of cat food available these days that it can be difficult to know which ones are truly best for your feline friend. With so many potential options, how do you know where to start?
Our vets have written the following guide to help cut through the overwhelm and identify the best cat foods available for a range of different ages and health conditions. Make sure to check out the articles linked in each category for a deeper dive on each food variety!
Along with providing water, shelter and love, food is one of the most important ways you can support your cat's health on a daily basis. Just like for humans, what your cat eats has a major impact on their health. The science of nutrigenomics (that is, how nutrients affect DNA gene expression and thereby health) in pets is showing more and more that the old adage "you are what you eat" is the same for our feline friends just as it is for us.
Four factors to consider when choosing a food for your cat:
Our Pet Circle Vet Squad comprises 8 vets with over 75 years of collective, independent veterinary expertise. Our Vet team use their health and husbandry knowledge, along with their own personal and clinical experiences to evaluate each product and provide detailed, informative reviews, free of any commercial bias. We then collate this information into our 'best of' recommendations.
Formulated for indoor adult cats from 1-6 years of age, and containing highly digestible ingredients for smaller stools and reduced odour, Hill's Adult Indoor Cat food makes litter box clean up easy!
Indoor cats tend to be much less active than cats who spend some of their time outdoors, so the Hills Adult Indoor cat food contains a lower calorie density to prevent weight gain and keep your indoor cat looking fit and trim.
The larger kibble size of this food compared to other Hill's standard adult cat foods encourages cats to chew their food, which can help with dental health - the mechanical action of crunching through the kibble helps to scrape plaque from the teeth. However, the larger kibble size may not suit all cats.
This food is available in a range of sizes to suit the needs of different households and storage abilities - the bags also feature a zip lock feature to keep the kibble fresh.
If your cat spends most of their time outdoors, or would prefer a smaller kibble size, you'll find that Hill's has options for all lifestyles. Hill's Science Diet Adult Cat Dry Food is more suited to the nutritional needs of cats with regular access to the outdoors, and also has a smaller kibble size of 9mm x 4mm.
For more great options, check out our article on the Best Dry Cat Food.
What our customers say: "This food is the best! I have 3 very picky eaters. They all love everything Hills and this particular one is fantastic for the litter box - makes for easy clean up and less smell."
What our vets say: "One of my most recommended diets to support the slow-paced lifestyle of indoor only cats, where obesity is a common yet preventable issue. This formulation is made from high quality ingredients backed by science, including natural fibre to promote digestive health." - Dr. Susie
Advance delivers optimal nutrition for Australian pets using scientific knowledge and decades of manufacturing experience. This wet cat food is complete and balanced and made with the highest quality ingredients to support your cat's health and wellbeing, including antioxidants for immunity, and omega fatty acids and zinc for a healthy skin and coat.
Wet food makes for an excellent addition to your cat's diet, as it helps to improve hydration and maintain urinary health. With Advance, you can be sure your cat is getting a premium, Australian-made food with many added health benefits.
This food contains multiple proteins for some delicious taste variety and is available in a tasty 'loaf' texture. There are also a range of other Advance wet foods available for your adult cat.
For more high quality wet food options, take a look at our article on Best Wet Food for Cats.
What our customers say: "My two cats, both of which usually only eat gravy-based cat foods, absolutely loved this wet food! Their fussy palates were satiated by the chicken and salmon flavours, and they left none behind in their bowls!"
Royal Canin are the experts in age specific nutrition to meet the needs of your cat's particular life stage. For kittens, they have several dry formulations: Mother and Baby Cat (suitable from weaning to 4 months of age), kitten dry food (suitable from 4 to 12 months of age) and Maine Coon and Persian kitten varieties. All varieties are highly palatable, with a complex of antioxidants and prebiotics to support optimal immune and digestive function, as well as omega fatty acids to support brain development in growing kittens.
The Royal Canin Mother and Baby Cat food is ideal for weaning kittens as it is a softer than normal kibble, and also rehydratable (with warm water or kitten milk formula) to encourage acceptance by young kittens. It comes in a variety of resealable bag sizes so you can choose, and store, the most suitable size for you and your household!
For more great dry food options for your kitten, check out our article on Best Kitten Food.
What our customers say: "My kittens and even largest cats prefer this kibble to any others I've tried so far, and I've tried so many. They prefer the small size and textured shape of the kibble because it's easy to eat. It smells pleasant and doesn't cause overly malodorous droppings. I've tried many other kitten kibbles, which are all too big and hard despite supposedly being designed for kittens. By comparison, Royal Canin mother and babycat is the only kibble I've found so far that is small enough to be suitable for kittens. It's also excellent for cats in convalescence recovering from illness or injury when reintroducing dry solids because of the small and easy to eat kibble size. I really like this product and recommend it as a standard staple daily kibble to be available for any kittens/cats."
What our vets say: "I really like the Royal Canin range of kitten food. This premium kitten food contains highly digestible nutrients to help support healthy bone and muscle development. It includes an exclusive combination of nutrients to maintain optimal digestive health and stool quality, as well as antioxidants and prebiotics to support your kitten's natural immune defences." - Dr. Teagan
Hill's Science Diet has been a trustworthy premium brand for close to a century, using science backed clinical nutrition to nourish our pets. Hill's Kitten foods are complete with essential ingredients for optimal kitten health and vitality. The amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals are carefully balanced to ensure that everything is in the correct ratio.
This wet kitten food is made with tasty ocean fish which kittens will love. The soft chunks are easy on baby teeth and immersed in a delicious gravy for them to lap up. DHA from fish oil and antioxidants provide a strong support for eye and brain development. High quality proteins supply their bodies with the necessary building blocks for lean muscle.
Hill's Kitten Ocean Fish Pouches can be fed from 4 weeks old, around weaning, up until your kitten is 12 months old. They can then transition onto the Hill's Science Diet adult cat food.
For more excellent wet food options for your kitten, check out our article on Best Wet Kitten Food.
What our customers say: "My cats love this product and find it easy to eat because it comes in small chunks."
What our vets say: "Hill's Science Diet Kitten Pouches are not just extra tasty to help ease the transition to solid food, they are also specially designed to give your kitten the best possible start in life! Formulated to meet the unique needs of growing kittens, they are energy dense and highly digestible with balanced minerals and increased levels of high-quality protein. Plus, they contain high levels of the omega 3 fatty acid DHA for optimal brain and eye development and added antioxidants to support the immune system." - Dr. Michelle
Dominating the senior cat food market with their range of premium foods for our ageing feline friends, Hills Science Diet provides an option for several life-stages and conditions. Available in specific formulations including the standard adult senior 7 years plus dry food, 7+ Youthful Vitality, 7+ Hairball Control, 7+ Perfect Digestion and a 7+ indoor variety, Hills also make a specific line for cats of 11 years and older.
The Hills Senior cat foods contain a precise balance of nutrients, including controlled phosphorus levels and reduced sodium, to support kidney and other vital organ function required for senior cat health support. As animals age, less energy but more free radicals are produced from mitochondria in the body cells. The Hills Science Diet senior cat foods address these changes with high quality, highly digestible protein for energy, and increased levels of antioxidants in their foods to support a health immune system. They also contain L-carnitine to support lean muscle mass, glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support and omega 3 fatty acids for brain, heart and joint health.
What our customers say: "We have 3 old cats who enjoy this product. Even the next doors cat comes for them, and my neighbour says he won't eat dried food at all at home. My vet said don't bother with supermarket varieties of dried food as they are poor quality and at the time I had a diabetic cat, so she needed a specialised Hill's food for her. She has long gone but we kept to Hill's products because we want the best for our pets, sure it costs more, but at least I am not harming their health."
Royal Canin has long been a much-recommended option for senior cat nutrition, and has a range of carefully formulated options available. In their senior wet food range, you can choose from Indoor food for cats over 7 years, Instinctive wet food for cats over 7 (for fussier palates), gravy wet food for cats over 12 and jelly wet food for cats over 12. With many of our feline companions living longer than ever before, this is a great way to ensure they're getting the exact nutrition they need even well into their teen years.
All of the Royal Canin senior wet cat foods are formulated with an optimal nutrient profile for ageing cats, which includes controlled phosphorus levels for kidney health, and added fatty acids for coat and joint health. They are also enriched with antioxidants to help maintain health and vitality. The higher ratio of moisture in wet food is also ideal for helping to support kidney and urinary health.
All of these foods come in handy 85g pouches and can be fed alongside or even mixed in with dry kibble to provide some variety and increased palatability.
What our customers say: "My rescue cat Cookie ate every last morsel of this food. I gave her a small portion to start and spread it out through the day to avoid an upset tummy. No issues at all, no vomiting or bad stools. In fact her stools were less smelly and perfectly small. The lower phosphorus will be better for her kidneys and she's not using the tray as much now. The flavour appeals to her and I'm now not going to be wasting her food by throwing out as she eats all the contents. So happy. Royal Canin are the best in food quality and control. Grains in the food are not bad, and offer many nutrients."
Every Open Farm product is proudly produced with a focus on transparent sourcing and traceability, humane production animal welfare standards, ethically sourced ingredients, and sustainable fishing practices in line with Ocean Wise Standards. For an environmentally friendly, grain-free food, you can't go past this one.
Alongside their environmentally friendly values, Open Farm foods are made with the most premium proteins and superfoods, providing the highest quality ingredients for your kitty. Their recipes are free from grain, corn, wheat and soy. All of the dry cat food recipes contain fish protein, so they would not be suitable for cats with sensitivities to fish.
Both wet and dry options are available, with plenty of flavours to tempt your kitty with.
For more great grain free options, check out Best Grain Free Cat Food.
What our customers say: "I have 3 cats, all of whom are very fussy eaters, especially when it comes to dry food (if they don't like it, they just won't eat it). The dry food I usually buy was out of stock, so I thought I'd try this and I'm so glad I did. I have never seen my cats so excited and happy to eat dry food before! Each time I feed them this, they won't even leave a crumb behind - I've never seen them do that. This is by far their favourite dry food and I love that it's such a humane and sustainable option. This is now the go-to dry food for my cats!"
All Ziwi recipes are high in meat, organs and bones with beneficial inclusions like green-lipped mussel. With complete and balanced recipes, they are also grain free and all ingredients are sourced sustainably. Ziwi recipes are highly palatable, making them a great choice for fussy eaters.
A range of wet food flavours are available to suit every palate. Ziwi Peak dry foods have a firm jerky texture, so are an excellent choice as treats, for training or as a topper to provide variety to other foods. Ziwi Peak dry foods should be stored in their original packaging after opening, and away from direct sunlight and high temperatures.
Like freeze-dried foods, the air-drying process is not an equal substitute for cooking with heat in terms of bacterial and parasitic control, so extra caution must be taken in the handling of air-dried foods and hygiene control.
For more information, check out our article on Natural Pet Foods.
What our customers say: "The healthiest and most convenient cat food you can buy. Raw and dehydrated with real ingredients, my cat loves it!"
What our vets say: "I recommend Ziwi Peak for cats because it is a complete and balanced natural diet suitable for cats of all life-stages, sizes and breeds. It contains a variety of protein sources and is rich in omega fatty acids to support joint function and a healthy, shiny coat." - Dr. Maree
Containing a single novel meat protein, and completely grain free, the Ziwi Peak Venison is a highly digestible hypoallergenic diet for cats with dietary sensitivities. This raw-based recipe boasts a high proteing content sourced soley from New Zealand raised venison with no grains or potential allergens like chicken, beef or diary. It also contains New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel for added joint support.
Venison is a healthy protein low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals. Many cat owners appreciate the limited ingredient recipe of this food, and the fact that it is made entirely from natural ingredients. It is also suitable for cats of all ages, making it a good option for kittens under 12 months with dietary sensitivities.
Please note that this food will not be suitable as a hypoallergenic diet in all situations, and in some cases it may be more appropriate to explore a prescription/veterinary diet. These will need to be recommended by your pet's treating veterinarian.
For more information, take a look at our articles on Food Allergies in Cats and Prescription Diets for Pets.
What our customers say: "My cats LOVE this product and I love how natural it is. Also I look for local products - NZ or Aus made. Tick! Expensive, yes, but I mix a small amount with their other dry food (Ivory Coat) to stretch it out. High nutrient density = less needed to have healthy kitties." - Kylie
Formulated to lower urine pH and with reduced dietary magnesium, Pro Plan Urinary is a premium choice for cats to support urinary health and reduce the risk of urinary problems.
Pro Plan foods are backed by nearly 100 years of pet food research, and all apart from the wet cat foods are made in Australia. Real meat is the first ingredient in the recipes, satisfying the carnivorous needs of cats. All the adult dry cat food formulas are fortified with probiotics to support immune and digestive health.
Non-prescription urinary foods like Pro Plan Urinary are not designed to manage existing urinary issues, or for cats with a history of urinary issues - the prescription urinary foods are more suitable in these situations, but must only be used under the direct recommendation of your vet.
For further information and for more recommendations on urinary diets, see Best Urinary Cat Food and Prescription Diets for Pets.
What our customers say: "In 13 years our 4 cats have eaten these biscuits everyday & never looked back. One of our cats needs them & has never had any signs of cystitis return. They are all healthy & happy. It's good it's also meat based rather than grain. It's always a better price through PetCircle & their customer service is the best. Thanks."
What our vets say: "Pro Plan Adult Urinary Care Dry Cat Food is a great choice for adult cats because not only is it formulated to support urinary health by lowering urine pH and magnesium levels, it also supports kidney and joint health. I like to recommend it for cats with sensitive stomachs as it is formulated with live probiotics for digestive health. Along with all of that, it is made right here in Australia." - Dr. Jenny
Purina has been in the pet food industry for over 120 years and their premium range, Pro Plan, was launched almost 40 years ago. Pro Plan offers a Sensitive Skin and Stomach diet which has been scientifically designed to support cats that suffer from skin and digestive sensitivities. The dry diet uses fish (salmon and tuna) as an alternative protein source instead of chicken or beef. It has also eliminated soy and wheat, however it does contain corn protein, which may be unsuitable for cats with sensitivities to corn. It contains rice and oats as carbohydrates which are gentle on the digestive tract.
The Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach contains prebiotics to improve digestive health, along with reducing litter box odour! Along with prebiotics, the Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach also contains a probiotic strain as a source of general gut support. It is high in Omega 3 and 6 to support healthy skin and a shiny coat.
If your kitty's health issues are more severe, you may like to explore a prescription/veterinary diet. These will need to be recommended by your pet's treating veterinarian.
For more information, take a look at our articles on Best Cat Foods for Sensitive Stomachs and Prescription Diets for Pets.
What our customers say: "One of our cats has had an increasingly sensitive stomach and this food was our last ditch effort to try to meet that issue without moving onto higher cost vet foods (tricky with two cats, including a giant and very hungry one) and significant testing costs. Our two cats really liked the flavour and were happy and well after eating... We've used it for years with no issue, including a recent recipe change."
What our vets say: "Having a non-prescription diet option to recommend to cat-owners, which avoids the common food allergens, and is fortified with pre- and probiotics is excellent. The Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach is a premium quality complete and balanced diet that's a great option for cats with sensitive tummies who don't require a veterinary diet." - Dr. Brittany
Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight utilises groundbreaking nutrigenomics to help cats lose weight. By activating a cat's unique metabolism using specific nutrients in the food, their natural ability to burn fat is stimulated, while still maintaining their lean muscle mass. It also contains a specific fibre blend to keep your cat feeling full. It is suitable for adult cats of all breeds and weights.
With two kibble shapes in the one bag (heart-shaped and disc-shaped), Hill's Perfect Weight offers variety for those fussy eaters. It is a great choice for less active cats who are prone to weight gain, cats who are only slightly above their ideal weight, and also for cats who have lost weight on prescription foods and need to maintain their current weight.
For cats with significant amounts of body weight to lose, the prescription weight loss diets are more effective, however they do need to be used only on the recommendation of your vet. For more information, see our article on Prescription Diets for Pets.
For more tips on weight loss, have a read through Obesity in Pets.
What our customers say: "I came across this product purely by chance as I was after a good quality weight maintenance dried food that I could rely on to stop my cat gaining weight unnecessarily because she is very lazy. I haven't turned back since! Not only is this product manufactured by Hill's with the veterinarian's tick of approval, my cat loves it and would probably eat more than the recommended dose if I went ahead and let her - it's just awesome!"
Royal Canin Hairball Care is a premium hairball management diet that is proven to reduce hairballs in as little as 14 days. Containing a unique blend of psyllium and other dietary fibres, it doubles the amount of hair that naturally passes through the digestive tract.
This food is an excellent choice for cats that have existing issues with hairballs, as well as long-haired breeds that are at increased risk of developing hairballs. It is tailored to meet the nutritional needs of adult cats, and also helps to maintain urinary health and promote healthy digestion.
The dry food is available in 2kg and 4kg bag sizes, and a wet formulation is also available to provide some variety in the diet.
For more information about hairballs, see our article on Hairballs in Cats. If your kitty's hairballs persist, make sure to check in with your pet's veterinarian.
What our customers say: "This has worked wonders with my kitty! She is birman so her long hair was giving her hairballs twice a week or so, as soon as i put her on this food and the wet food pouches of the same product she hasn't had a hairball since. It's been about 3 months now without one. one happy fur mumma."
Royal Canin Dental Care offers complete and balanced premium nutrition and helps to reduce dental tartar formation to promote good oral health. Its dual action formula works in two ways: the unique kibble size and shape is designed to mechanically clean the teeth while your cat chews; and an anti-tartar agent binds to calcium in the saliva to help limit plaque mineralisation.
It is available in a range of bag sizes and is an excellent option for cats that like to crunch their kibble. Cats that prefer a smaller kibble size may not be suited to this food, and other dental homecare methods should be implemented instead.
This is a great preventative option for cats that have not had issues with dental disease previously, or who are showing only very mild signs of dental disease. For cats with a history of dental issues, or more severe dental disease, a prescription dental diet may be more suitable. These will need to be recommended by your pet's treating veterinarian.
For more information about prescription dental diets, as well as other ways to keep your cat's oral health in check take a look at our articles on Dental Care for Cats and Prescription Diets for Pets.
What our customers say: "My cats won't eat any other dry food, they crunch into the larger size kibble enthusiastically even licking up the crumbs. It is keeping trips to the vet for teeth cleaning at bay and no fishy cat breath."
What our vets say: "I recommend Ziwi Peak for cats because it is a complete and balanced natural diet suitable for cats of all life-stages, sizes and breeds. It contains a variety of protein sources and is rich in omega fatty acids to support joint function and a healthy, shiny coat." - Dr. Maree
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they require a diet high in animal protein. While dogs were domesticated 33,000 years ago and evolved to eat plant-based foods alongside their human pack members, cats were domesticated only 10,000 years ago, partly for the purpose of hunting pests. It makes sense therefore that the pressure on cats to adapt to mixed human food diet was less than that applied to dogs. As a result, cats generally lack the genetic adaptations to thrive on an omnivorous diet. Look for a cat food that lists a high quality protein source as the main ingredient, such as chicken, turkey, beef, or fish.
How can you tell if your cat food is high in meat? Some super-premium diets list the meat content percentage on the front of the packaging. But if a percentage isn't listed, you can take a look at the ingredients panel - or more specifically, the order of the ingredients - to get a general idea. In the pet food industry, all ingredients are required to be listed on the label in order of weight. This means that the ingredients listed first make up the largest proportion of the recipe.
Plant-based ingredients do however contribute fibre which feeds the beneficial microbes in the gut, as well as important vitamins and minerals needed for longevity. (Remember - in the wild, cats eat the gut contents of their prey which contain plant based ingesta.)
However, while cats can digest grains and plant-based proteins, they are still best suited to a diet high in meat and animal protein.
This means, when looking at ingredients, it's generally best to look for foods that list meat or animal proteins as the first ingredient, if not the first few ingredients.
An easy rule to use is that if the food contains two out of the first three ingredients as whole-meat sources, it's a winner. However, note that some cheap pet food brands tend to 'split' their carbohydrate ingredients to make them seem like a smaller portion. An example of this is by listing 'wheat' as a second ingredient, and then 'wheat bran' lower down the list. This avoids having to list 'wheat' as the first ingredient and therefore makes another ingredient, such as meat, seem more prominent.
In choosing a food, it's very important to ensure that the diet is complete and balanced for your cat's stage of life. Ensuring that it meets AAFCO or FEDIAF pet food control guidelines is also crucial to ensure that your cat receives all the nutrients they require in the correct ratios.
'Nutrients' are not the same as 'ingredients'. An ingredient is something like 'chicken' or 'wheat', whereas a nutrient is a measurable element such as 'protein' or 'Vitamin C'. Every individual ingredient contains all nutrients in varying amounts. It might help to think of nutrients as the 'building blocks' of ingredients. Nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, fibre, and water.
Why is this important to know? Well, it's all well and good to have a beautiful selection of nice-sounding ingredients, but if the nutrients (the 'building blocks') are all out of whack, your cat won't get everything they need.
International guidelines are set out for pet food manufacturers which detail minimum levels of nutrients required for each life stage. The most widely used guidelines are those set out by AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). However, it's important to note that these are guidelines only, and usually only detail 'minimum' requirements. If a food contains too much of a nutrient, it may still qualify as 'meeting standards', but may in fact provide your cat with too much of a nutrient (and in the case of some nutrients, this can potentially do damage).
Many of the higher-end premium pet food brands conduct laboratory analyses and studies to determine the optimum levels of nutrients in their food, as well as regular batch testing to ensure consistency. (So, it's not just the high quality food you pay a little more for - it's the extra attention to safety standards too!)
Another way to judge whether a pet food is of a high quality is by determining whether the recipe is consistent and specific, or 'open' and likely to change between batches.
What is an 'open' recipe? As a method of cost-cutting, many cheaper pet food brands opportunistically source ingredients based on availability at the time. Perhaps there are more chicken carcasses available from the human chain this month? Poultry it is! Next month there'll be a lot produced by the pork industry, so it'll be pork by products next month!
On the other hand, high quality pet foods always stick to the same recipe, using the same quantity of each ingredient every time. This makes for an honest recipe with no surprises, and is particularly important for dogs with food allergies.
Common examples of vague terms found in ingredient lists include 'meat and their by-products', 'cereals and their by-products', 'vegetables', and that ever confusing term 'and/or'. If you see these words in an ingredient list, you can almost guarantee their recipe is ambiguous and may change opportunistically batch by batch.
To compare, ingredients from a high quality pet food tend to name the specific meat, grain or vegetable. You will see words like 'lamb', 'barley', or 'sweet potato', rather than 'meat', 'cereal' or 'vegetable'.
What is chicken 'meal'?
Many people cringe at the term 'meal', as they assume it is similar to a 'byproduct'. However, the word 'meal' is not anything to baulk at - it basically means 'dehydrated meat', and it just implies that the meat protein could be derived from other parts of the animal. However, do keep in mind that 'beef meal' is more specific than 'meat meal', likewise 'chicken meal' compared to 'poultry meal'. (Remember what we said about specific names before?)
Ultimately, if your cat has no food allergies, 'open' recipes won't do them any harm. But the consistency of a recipe is an easy way to determine the integrity and quality of a pet food overall.
Most people prefer to avoid artificial 'nasties' in their own food, and it's no different for our furry friends. While many additives may be harmless, some can cause deleterious effects over time. And with so many natural alternatives, artificial additives are simply unecessary nowadays.
Some cheaper pet foods still add artificial colours to their food. We're sorry to say it, but this truly is unnecessary - rest assured, your cat doesn't mind what colour their food is. Artificial colours are only added to appease pet owners.
Likewise, some cheaper pet food companies also add sweeteners such as corn syrup, sucrose, or ammoniated glycyrrhizin to cheaply increase the calorie content, or to improve the taste (because even cardboard tastes good if you cover it in syrup!) This can lead to weight gain and nutrient imbalances.
What about preservatives? Artificial preservatives to steer clear of include ethoxyquin, BHA, or BHT. Instead, it's look for a recipe that uses natural preservatives, such as tocopherols (such as Vitamin E), vitamin C, and rosemary extract. However, note that because these preservatives are natural, of course they don't work for quite as long as artificial preservatives, so always check the expiry date!
While this shouldn't be used as a black-and-white rule when judging the quality of a pet food, it can be useful to check the place of manufacture. Buying locally can have major benefits both for you and your cat.
Why buy Australian Made cat food? Considering recent pet food recalls due to deficiencies or contaminated food, one can never be too careful. Many cat owners find it comforting to know they're buying food from trusted, 'first world' Australian facilities (with nationally controlled manufacturing factories, quality assurance, and OH+S standards).
There is also a financial benefit: buying locally avoids unecessary import costs. This all adds up to a better good quality pet food for a much fairer price. Plus, buying locally produced pet food ultimately helps support our economy!
In most cases, including both dry and wet food in the diet is advised, as both of these food types provide valuable health benefits. Dry food is beneficial for dental health, while wet food helps to increase hydration and support urinary health. While you should always check with your vet regarding the best food type for your pet- particularly if they have any health conditions- the ideal diet for most cats will be a combination of both wet and dry food.
Some cats may have special dietary requirements due to health conditions or sensitivities. If your cat has specific dietary needs, consult with your veterinarian for specific recommendations.
Considering these factors will help you to select the most suitable food for your cat. If you're still unsure, feel free to get in touch with the Pet Circle Vet Squad or check in with your pet's veterinarian.
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Veterinarian
Dr Katelyn Bailey graduated as a veterinarian from The University of Queensland in 2018 and has since worked in small animal general practice clinics in south-east Queensland. Her special interests include feline medicine and behaviour, preventative health care, internal medicine, research and senior pet care. Katelyn is a strong proponent of the human-animal bond and loves to hear about the quirks that make each pet so special.
