Last Updated: 11/11/2025
Best Grain Free Cat Food: A Vet's Guide
Is grain-free food better for your cat? A vet reviews the best grain-free cat food brands in Australia. Learn what 'grain-free' really means, whether it helps with allergies, and how to choose the right diet for your cat's health.
Author: Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 9 minutes - short read
Choosing the right food for your cat can feel like a maze. With countless options on the shelf and so much conflicting advice online, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. One of the biggest trends you've probably seen is "grain-free" cat food. It's everywhere! But what does 'grain-free' actually mean? Is it just a fad, or is it genuinely better for your feline friend?
We'll dig into the facts, bust a few common myths, and compare the best grain-free options available in Australia to help you make the best choice for your cat.
Four factors to consider about when choosing grain-free cat food
If you've decided to explore a grain-free diet, it's important to recognise that not all formulas are created equal. Here are four key factors to look for when reading the label.
- What's replacing the grains? 'Grain-free' does not mean 'carbohydrate-free'. Grains are often simply replaced with other carbohydrate sources like potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, lentils, or tapioca. Look for ingredients that offer good nutritional value (like sweet potato) rather than those that are mostly starch and of lower nutritional value.
- Quality and quantity of protein: Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they must get certain nutrients from meat, particularly amino acids, certain fatty acids and vitamin A. The most important part of their diet is high-quality, animal-based protein. Check the ingredient list: a named meat or fish (like 'chicken', 'kangaroo', or 'salmon') should always be the first ingredient.
- Is it 'complete and balanced'? This is the most critical factor. Any food intended as your cat's main meal must be "complete and balanced." Look for an AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) statement on the packaging. This confirms the food is formulated to meet all the essential nutritional requirements for your cat's life stage (e.g., 'kitten' or 'adult maintenance').
- Your cat's individual needs: Every cat is an individual. A high-protein, high-energy formula perfect for a growing kitten will likely be unsuitable for a less-active, indoor senior cat who needs fewer calories. Always consider your cat's age, activity level, body condition, and any known health sensitivities when choosing a new food.
How We Review Our Products
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.
Top Recommended Grain-Free Cat Foods in Australia [Vet Reviewed]
Best grain-free wet food
Weruva
Pros
- Very high in moisture, which helps support urinary and kidney health
- The shredded meat and fish in broth are often a favourite for fussy cats
- Typically free from grains, gluten, carrageenan, and artificial additives
- Made with real ingredients like shredded chicken breast and fish loins
- The simple, limited-ingredient recipes can be a good option for cats with digestive issues
Cons
- Higher-cost food
- Not made in Australia
Weruva is a cat food brand widely recognised for its "human-style" approach to ingredients. The core feature of their wet food is the use of recognisable, high-quality proteins, such as shredded chicken breast and whole pieces of fish, in a high-moisture broth or gravy.
This "what you see is what you get" philosophy makes it highly palatable, even for very fussy eaters. The primary benefit of the food's soupy texture is hydration; it's an excellent way to increase a cat's water intake, which in turn helps support a healthy urinary tract.
What our customers say: "My cat absolutely loves the Weruva range. She's reactive to Tuna so it was amazing to find a food option that is completely Tuna free. Can't recommend the truluxe cans enough!"
Best air-dried grain-free food
Ziwi Peak
Pros
- Very high in meat, organs, and bone for carnivores
- Uses free-range, grass-fed meats and sustainable seafood
- Grain-free and free from soy, corn, potato, and artificial binders
- Gentle air-drying technique helps protect nutrient integrity
- Includes New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussel for joint support
- Suitable for all-life stages
Cons
- Higher cost food due to its quality ingredients and processing
- Not made in Australia
Ziwi Peak is a premium pet food brand from New Zealand, built on a philosophy of mirroring the natural, whole-prey diet that cats (as obligate carnivores) would eat in the wild.
Rather than traditional high-heat cooking, Ziwi Peak is famous for its gentle, twin-stage air-drying method. This technique preserves the nutrients and flavour of the raw ingredients while providing the shelf-stable convenience of a dry food.
The core feature of Ziwi Peak's grain-free food is its exceptionally high meat content - often 92% for wet food and 96% for the air-dried variety. These recipes are free from artificial preservatives, colours and grains. Instead, they incorporate beneficial "superfoods" sourced from New Zealand. The most notable inclusions are Green-Lipped Mussel, a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin to support joint health, and cold-washed green tripe, which offers high palatability and digestive benefits. This combination results in a highly digestible, calorie-dense food, meaning feeding portions are often smaller than traditional kibble.
What our customers say: "My Ragdoll has this every night as he loves a midnight snack. I soak them in water for 15 minutes beforehand to boost his water intake. I feel happy that he is eating a high quality kibble without all the fillers and nasties."
Best freeze-dried grain-free cat food
Feline Natural
Pros
- The freeze-drying process is minimal, helping to protect the enzymes, vitamins, and minerals in the raw ingredients
- Very high in animal protein and low in carbohydrates, mimicking a cat's natural diet
- Made with grass-fed, free-range meats and sustainable, local ingredients like Green-Lipped Mussel
- Contains no grain, gluten, soy, potato, or artificial binders and preservatives.
- Offers the benefits of a raw diet in a shelf-stable form
- Suitable for all-life stages
Cons
- High-cost food due to the quality of ingredients and the freeze-drying process
- Requires some preparation if you wish to rehydrate the food before feeding
- Not made in Australia
Feline Natural is a New Zealand-made, biologically appropriate cat food. Its primary feature is the freeze-drying process, which gently removes moisture from the raw ingredients while preserving the nutrients and flavour. This results in a shelf-stable, convenient food that offers the nutritional benefits of a raw diet.
The recipes made from the highest quality ingredients, featuring 98-99% meat, organs, bone, and New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussels. It is a complete and balanced meal that can be fed as is, but it is designed to be rehydrated with water, which also significantly boosts your cat's daily water intake.
Feline Natural high-meat diets have been formulated to meet AAFCO nutritional standards and are suitable as a complete and balanced meal or a nutrient packed topper for all cat sizes and life stages, including kittens and seniors.
What our customers say: "My cat loves this brand and after suffering from vomiting and constipation with other brands I finally found a product that won't harm my elderly cat. I thoroughly recommend Feline Natural."
Best for kittens
Product Name
Pros
- Contains only humanely and sustainably sourced ingredients, with a focus on animal welfare in the production process
- Every ingredient is traceable using the lot code on the packaging
- No grain, corn, wheat or soy in any recipe
- Suitable for all life stages from kittens to seniors
- Packaging can be recycled through the Open Farm Pet Food Bag Recycling Program
- Smaller kibble size suits kittens
Cons
- Not made in Australia
- On the more expensive side for dry cat foods
- Fish is used in all the Open Farm dry cat food options, so they would not be suitable for cats with sensitivities to fish
- Only available in 3.6kg bags
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.
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!"
Best for sensitive stomachs
Ivory Coat Raw Health
Pros
- Uses a specific functional fibre blend (cellulose) to help reduce hairball formation
- Includes prebiotics (NinjinFibre® and chicory root) to nourish beneficial gut bacteria
- Optimised protein and fat levels to suit the lower energy needs of indoor cats
- Contains yucca extract, which is known to help minimise litter box odours
- Produced in Australia and includes high-quality, human-grade meats
- Complementary wet-food is also available
Cons
- Designed for adult cats (1+ years) and is not suitable for kittens
This Australian-made dry food is formulated specifically for adult indoor cats, with a primary focus on digestive health and hairball reduction.
Its key feature is a unique kibble that combines cooked meat with pieces of freeze-dried raw lamb, designed to enhance palatability and nutrition. It contains a "YuCell Fibre Blend" (including cellulose and beet pulp) to help hairballs pass through the digestive system and promote a feeling of fullness. It also includes "NinjinFibre®," an Australian-grown prebiotic, to support healthy gut bacteria and immune function. The protein and fat levels are optimised for the lower activity levels of indoor cats to help maintain a healthy weight.
What our customers say: "I wasn’t sure how this would go with my 3 /16 year old kitties - I feed them ziwi air dried for breakfast, which they graze on as I think being high protein it is more filling - this Ivory Coat Raw Health Adult Indoor they all love, the air dried pieces are a huge hit! The chicken kibble goes quickly as well! I bought a 4kg bag as it was better value - so glad I did, they are loving it!! Great new food from Ivory Coat, Australian made as well! They always have wet food for dinner, Ivory Coat mature or Ziwi Peak or chicken breast microwaved with lots of water for extra hydration!"
Best affordable grain-free food
Black Hawk Original Dry Cat Food Adult Chicken And Kangaroo
Pros
- Uses real, lean Australian chicken and kangaroo for strong muscle development
- The combination of chicken and kangaroo is highly palatable for cats with particular preferences
- Includes green-lipped mussel, a natural source of chondroitin and omega-3s
- Contains natural yucca extract to help minimise litter box smells.
- Uses sweet potato and legumes as a carbohydrate source instead of grain
- Made in Australia
- More affordable than many other grain-free options
- Available in bulk size 8kg bag
Cons
- Suitable only for adult cats over 1 year of age, not suitable for kittens
- Relies heavily on legumes like peas, chickpeas, and faba beans
This is an Australian-made, grain-free dry food for adult cats, featuring a high-protein blend of real Australian chicken and kangaroo. The formula is designed to be highly palatable, making it a popular choice for fussy eaters.
It is grain-free, using sweet potato as a natural source of fibre for healthy digestion. Key functional ingredients are included to support whole-body health: green-lipped mussel and fish oil provide omega-3s to support joint, skin, and coat health, while yucca extract is added to help naturally reduce the odour of stools in the litter box.
What our customers say: "Both of my cats have been eating Black Hawk since they turned 1 years old and they've adjusted so well with this. They took to it immediently and been eating it for 6 months now. Great choice."
FAQs
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Tue 11 Nov 2025
Edited by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr. Gillian loves being able to provide depth and detail to pet parents questions, and give up to date, evidence based advice. She loves the variety of pets and inquiries she receives - she especially loves the 'curly' questions that require some research! Seeing the gorgeous photos that pet parents send through of their babies is a highlight of the day! Gillian enjoys to further her veterinary knowledge, and has completed further training in ultrasonography, behaviour and backyard poultry!
