Grain free pet food was getting increasingly more popular throughout the past couple of decades, especially among pet parents that wish to make sure their animals have the very best, healthiest diet potential and especially grain free cat food.
Cats do not need carbohydrates such as people in grains, and also a few cats have allergies or even problem digesting carbs in any way. So find the most useful grain free cat foods in our current post.
For cats that do not have a problem consuming carbs, excess carbohydrates may nevertheless cause digestive troubles and extra weight gain.
Cats do, but require a diet that consists of 35-45 percent protein and approximately 15-20 percent fat, a lot of owners are choosing grain-free foods rather than heritage cat foods together with the anticipation that grain-free foods are going to have more of that which cats want and less of that which they do not.
We analyzed tons of grain-free cat foods to Recognize the Best of their best. We believed supplements make-up, dietary needs, health issues, and Amazon testimonials to find one of the most effective grain-free cat foods in the marketplace.
Many cat owners Are Searching for cat foods which will be Gentle in their pet’s digestive tract. They might observe their cat vomits frequently or enters diarrhea whenever they consume regular cat foods, or they might observe an allergic reaction in their cat after swallowing traditional foods.
So, they Search for something which does not include ingredients That may be bothering their feline, and oftentimes, which means grain cat foods.
Intro to Grain Free Cat Foods
Grains Are Typical cat allergens, like wheat, rice and Corn meal. Taking those from this equation may signify the kitty is ready to easily digest food.
Nearly All cats do not have to be more on a gluten diet, However, any cat with a grain allergies, as identified by a vet, can certainly benefit.
The Expense of grain free from cat foods could be greater than conventional foods, which means you are going to wish to make certain your cat may profit from this sort of food prior to shelling out the cash for this.
There are a lot of grain complimentary options available, However, as A growing number of cat owners start to understand that the reply to their mothers’ digestive troubles is to get rid of certain components.
With that said, we went outside and did a great deal of research that will assist you to find the very best grain free cat foods for on the marketplace today.
Best Grain Free Cat Foods To Buy
Top Pick
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Dry Food
This food is packed with everything your cat needs to maintain their overall health.
Price not available
Our top pick and the clear winner is Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Dry Cat Food. It’s packed with protein, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, plus omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, to ensure your cat’s complete health, and it contains no poultry by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives.
In This Article
- The 5 Top-Rated Grain-Free Cat Foods
- Our Top Pick: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Dry Cat Food
- Our Runner Up Pick: Purina Friskies Lil’ Soups
- Best Budget Pick: Purina Beyond Grain Free Dry Cat Food
- Best Dry Grain-Free Cat Food: Wild Frontier Grain Free Dry Cat Food
- Best Wet Grain-Free Cat Food: Purina Beyond Wild Wet Cat Food
- Who Should Buy Grain-Free Cat Food
- Important Features to Consider
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Other Grain-Free Cat Foods We Reviewed
- Dry Grain-Free Cat Foods
- Wet Grain-Free Cat Foods
- Products You May Be Interested In:
The 5 Top-Rated Grain-Free Cat Foods
| Editor’s Picks | Brand | Rating |
| Best Overall | Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Dry Food | 4.6 |
| Runner Up | Purina Friskies Lil’ Soups | 4.6 |
| Best Budget Buy | Purina Beyond Grain Free Dry Cat Food | 4.5 |
| Best Dry Grain-Free Cat Food | Wild Frontier Grain Free Dry Cat Food | 4.6 |
| Best Wet Grain-Free Cat Food | Purina Beyond Wild Wet Cat Food | 4.6 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change
Our Top Pick : Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Dry Cat Food
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Dry Cat Food is formulated with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for your adult cat’s particular health needs based on the recommendations of holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists.
It also contains both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, which help keep your cat’s skin and coat healthy.
This particular variety is salmon flavored and actually includes salmon as the first ingredient, providing your cat with protein and those healthy omega fatty acids we just talked about.
This food is also available in chicken flavor, which includes deboned chicken as the first ingredient. Chicken and fish meal and egg compliment the primary ingredients in both flavors by adding even more protein and fatty acids.
All cat foods and especially dry cat foods contain some carbohydrates to create the actual physical structure of the food, but Blue Buffalo Wilderness’s carbs come from sweet potatoes and peas, which are much easier for cats to digest.
All in all, Blue Buffalo Wilderness is comprised of 40% protein, a minimum of 18% fat, a minimum of 4% fiber, and no more than 9% moisture.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Dry Cat Food Key Features:
- Contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
- Blue Buffalo LifeSource Bits
- No by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial flavors or preservatives
- 11-pound bag
- Also available in a 5-pound bag
- Also available in versions for other life stages and special dietary needs
Our Runner Up Pick: Purina Friskies Lil’ Soups
Runner Up
Purina Friskies Lil’ Soups
This grain-free cat food compliment provides an extra boost of nutrition to your cat’s diet.
Price not available
Purina Friskies Lil’ Soups are a cat food complement, which means that they’re designed to be given to your cat as a supplement to other cat food and are not intended to be your cat’s only source of nutrition.
Lil’ Soups are high in protein (7 to 9% depending on the flavor) but very low in carbohydrates (just 1%), so they’re a great way to tip the proportions in your cat’s diet more towards protein. They’re also very high in moisture (92%), which makes them great for keeping your cat hydrated.
Since many cats don’t drink enough water, Lil’ Soups are a great way to sneak moisture into their diet. Lil’ Soups are not a significant source of fat, but most cat foods contain a healthy level of fat anyway.
Lil’ Soups are available in four flavors: Chicken and Butternut Squash in a Velvety Broth, Shrimp in a Velvety Chicken Broth, Sockeye Salmon in a Velvety Chicken Broth, and Tuna in a Velvety Chicken Broth.
Purina Friskies Lil’ Soups Key Features:
- Savory broth adds flavor and moisture
- Cup-style packaging for convenient serving
- Enhances the nutrition of other cat foods
- Several flavor options
- Contains eight 1.2 ounce cups
Best Budget Pick : Purina Beyond Grain Free Dry Cat Food
Best for Budget
Purina Beyond Grain Free Dry Cat Food
This food is packed with everything your cat needs to maintain their overall health.
$41.99
Purina Beyond Grain Free Dry Cat Food is a great choice for those of us who want to balance giving our cats the best food we can with being kind to our wallets as well.
It’s available in five different recipes: Ocean Whitefish and Egg, Arctic Char and Lentil, Tuna and Lentil, White Meat Chicken and Egg, and Indoor Salmon, Egg, and Sweet Potato.
Each contains the real meat from the recipe title as the first ingredient, and all contain at least 33% protein and no more than 6.5% carbohydrates.
They also contain no more than 12% moisture and a variety of vitamins and minerals that are essential for your cat’s health, like taurine, linoleic acid, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin E.
Purine Beyond is formulated by in-house expert cat nutritionists and is produced exclusively within Purina owned facilities to ensure that the food meets Purina’s safety and quality standards along every step of the way.
Purina Beyond Grain Free Dry Cat Food Key Features:
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- 11-pound bag
- Also available in 3, 5, and 16-pound bags
- Five different recipe options
Best Dry Grain-Free Cat Food: Wild Frontier Grain Free Dry Cat Food
Best Dry Grain-Free Cat Food
Wild Frontier Grain Free Dry Cat Food
This food is packed with everything your cat needs to maintain their overall health.
Price not available
If you’re looking for dry grain-free cat food, Wild Frontier Grain Free Dry Cat Food is an excellent choice.
Wild Frontier cat food is inspired by felines’ natural diet in the wild, so real meat is the number one ingredient. Thanks to that meat, Wild Frontier contains 40% protein and only about 4% carbohydrates.
The carbs it does include are natural fiber to promote healthy digestion and prevent hairballs. 10% moisture content and about 18% fat content round out your cat’s major dietary needs.
Wild Frontier Grain Free Dry Cat Food is free of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, but is packed with nutrients like vitamin E, taurine, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and antioxidants.
These nutrients aid in your cat’s overall health by encouraging a healthy metabolism, boosting your cat’s immune system, and aiding in skin and coat health.
Wild Frontier Grain Free Dry Cat Food Key Features:
- Contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
- 11-pound bag
- Also available in 2 and 5-pound bags
- Available in adult, indoor, kitten, and senior formulas
Best Wet Grain-Free Cat Food : Purina Beyond Wild Wet Cat Food
Best Wet Grain-Free Cat Food
Purina Beyond Wild Wet Cat Food
This food is packed with everything your cat needs to maintain their overall health.
$17.28
Purina Beyond Wild Wet Cat Food is the wet food version of our best budget grain-free cat food, so you can rest assured that it’s both high-quality and affordable.
It’s available in two recipes: Turkey, Liver, and Quail Recipe and Salmon, Liver, and Arctic Char Recipe.
Turkey, quail, salmon, and arctic char are included in large quantities (turkey and salmon are the first ingredients for each recipe respectively) because they’re lean, but also high protein.
Liver provides both recipes with an extra boost of protein, plus many other essential nutrients for your cat.
In addition to at least 10% protein, at least 5% fat, and no more than 1% carbs, Purina Beyond Wild Wet Cat Food also provides your cat with calcium, potassium, zinc, taurine, folic acid, and vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-12, D-3, E, and K.
What it doesn’t include are corn, wheat, soy, poultry by-product meal, and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Purina Beyond Wild Wet Cat Food Key Features:
- High protein, nutrient dense liver
- Contains twelve 3-ounce cans
- No more than 78% moisture
- Recognizable ingredients
Who Should Buy Grain-Free Cat Food
Some cats are allergic to certain grains or otherwise have issues digesting them. Food allergies in cats are rare and grain allergies are even rarer, but they are also serious, so if your vet determines that your cat does have a grain allergy it’s essential to eliminate grains from their diet.
Symptoms of food allergies in cats, including grain allergies, include weight loss, chronic diarrhea, asthma, vomiting, and dry, itchy skin.
If your cat doesn’t have a special dietary restriction, it probably doesn’t need a strictly grain-free diet. What’s more important is to make sure that it has a diet that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
In general, grain-free cat foods tend to be lower in carbohydrates than those containing grain. However, there are certainly high-carb grain-free foods and low-carb grain-free foods, so you want to make sure you read the nutritional label and don’t just assume that “grain-free” means healthy.
Top Pick
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Dry Food
This food is packed with everything your cat needs to maintain their overall health.
Price not available
Important Features to Consider
Grain-free cat food should have a few important features. Here’s what to consider when selecting grain-free food for your cat:
- Macronutrient levels. “Macronutrients” refer to protein, carbs, and fat. A cat’s diet should be high in protein, with protein making up at least 35-45% of their caloric intake, with as few carbs as possible.
- About 15-20% of your cat’s caloric intake should come from fat. However, the guaranteed analysis on the cat food package – a cat food version of the nutrition facts on your food’s label – won’t strictly align with these numbers, since foods also contain moisture, ash, and other things that are essential for your cat’s health but don’t contribute calories.
- Instead, shoot for foods with a protein content that’s 2-2.5 times higher than the fat content and with minimal carbs. (Hint: carbs are called “fiber” in the guaranteed analysis).
- Moisture content. On top of the water that cats drink, they also rely on the moisture in their food to keep them healthy and well hydrated, so pet owners need to make sure that their cat’s food contains enough of the wet stuff.
- Dry food alone typically doesn’t contain enough moisture, but that doesn’t mean that your only option is to buy expensive wet food. To give your cat the hydration they need, you can alternate between meals of wet food and meals of dry food, or mix the two together for each meal.
- You can also introduce a moist cat food complement to your cat’s diet to provide them with extra moisture, protein, and nutrients.
- Special health concerns. Your cat’s health can impact the kind of food that you should feed her. For example, cats with allergies, sensitive digestive systems, or feline diabetes may need foods specially formulated for these types of dietary restrictions, but food can also affect your cat’s health beyond what they are and aren’t able to digest.
- Senior cats and kittens have different nutritional needs from adult cats and from one another, as do indoor and outdoor cats. Other health problems, like hairballs, urinary issues, or dry skin, can also be managed, at least in part, but special cat food formulas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s grain-free cat foods?
Grain-free cat foods is what it seems like: cat food which doesn’t include grains. There are tons of different forms of grains, however, the most often seen, particularly in pet foods, include rice, wheat, corn, barley, oats, wheat, and rye.
Can grain-free food aid my cat eliminate weight?
Simply shifting your cat to some aged grain-free cat foods will not always help them lose weight, however shifting into some low carb, high-protein diet needs to, and such kinds of diets are less difficult to locate among grain-free kitty foods. Just make sure you look at the nutritional info regarding the food label.
You also ought to keep in mind that in surplus, healthy foods may result in weight issues, so ensure that you’re giving your kitty the recommended dose size in the suggested frequency.
What’s grain-free great for cats?
Not many grain-free foods are great for cats. But, grain-free diets are generally lower in carbs and high in protein than diets that include carbohydrates. That is closer to what kind of cat could consume from the wild and also their organic nutrient demands.
Can grain-free cat foods cause constipation?
So long as your pet remains well-hydrated, grain-free cat foods should not bring about constipation. Grain-free foods contain some fiber, in addition to fats which will assist your kitty continue to pass feces.
But if your cat travels over 24 to 48 hours with no defecating, consult with a vet. It might be the shift in lifestyle, but you will also have to make certain to rule out other possible triggers.
Other Grain Free Cat Foods We Reviewed
Top Pick
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Adult Dry Food
This food is packed with everything your cat needs to maintain their overall health.
Price not available
We looked at 20 other grain-free cat foods. Even though they didn’t make our 5 best grain-free cat foods list, they’re the best of the rest and each is still a great option for your cat. The information you’ll need to compare each one is included with the listing.
Dry Grain-Free Cat Foods
Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food
This cat food provides complete nutrition with gentle, easy-to-digest ingredients for cats with dietary sensitivities.
Key Features:
- No poultry by-product meal, chicken, or beef
- No eggs, soy, or dairy
- No artificial flavors or preservatives
Cost: $35
Blue Buffalo Freedom
Blue Buffalo’s Freedom line is grain-free, gluten-free, and artificial preservative-free.
Key Features:
- Blue Buffalo LifeSource Bits
- Supports digestive and immune health
- Helps maintain a healthy weight
Cost: $34
CRAVE Grain Free High Protein Dry Cat Food
CRAVE is inspired by cats’ natural ancestral diet and made with plenty of high-quality animal protein.
Key Features:
- No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
- Chicken is the first ingredient
- Balanced nutrients for healthy digestion, immunity, and muscle development
Cost: $31
Hill’s Ideal Balance Grain Free Cat Food
This grain-free dry cat food provides complete nutrition for your cat’s overall health.
Key Features:
- Supports bladder and digestive health
- Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
- Promotes healthy weight
Cost: $35
Muse by Purina Grain Free Dry Cat Food
Purina boasts that this cat food provides complete nutrition, yet also has a taste that even picky cats will love.
Key Features:
- No poultry by-product meal
- No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Recognizable ingredients like chicken, egg, pumpkin, peas, and spinach
Cost: $28
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food
This cat food is made of only a few simple, easy-to-digest ingredients for cats with dietary restrictions.
Key Features:
- Supports digestion, muscle development, and skin and coat health
- Complete nutrition for adult cats
- No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
Cost: $30
Nature’s Variety Instinct Original Grain Free Recipe
This cat food is freeze-dried to maintain taste and nutrition without any artificial preservatives.
Key Features:
- No artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors
- Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
- Made from natural ingredients and nutrient fortified
Cost: $70
Nutro Grain Free Adult Dry Cat Food
Nutro Grain Free Adult Dry Cat Food is made from non-GMO ingredients.
Key Features:
- Supports healthy immunity, digestion, and skin and coat
- No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Real poultry (duck or chicken, depending on the flavor) is the first ingredient
Cost: $35
Purina Cat Chow Naturals Grain-Free
Purina Cat Chow Naturals provides complete nutrition and natural ingredients.
Key Features:
- No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
- Omega 6 fatty acid
- Made with real chicken
Cost: $19
Rachael Ray Nutrish PEAK Cat Food
Rachael Ray Nutrish PEAK provides complete nutrition for your cat from one of everyone’s favorite chefs for people.
Key Features:
- Contains U.S. farm-raised chicken, plus salmon and trout
- No fillers, poultry by-product meal, or artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
- Fortified with added vitamins and minerals
Cost: $34
Wet Grain-Free Cat Foods
AvoDerm Natural
AvoDerm is made of real, natural ingredients like meat, sunflower oil, and avocado to provide your cat with complete nutrition.
Key Features:
- Suitable for all life stages
- No by-product meals
- No artificial additives
Cost: $24
IAMS Perfect Portions
This wet cat food is perfectly divided to help you give your cat the right serving size for their weight.
Key Features:
- No artificial preservatives
- Provides complete nutrition
- Supports a healthy immune system
Cost: $24
Purina Beyond Adult Wet Food
Purina Beyond Adult Wet Food is made with real meat and vegetables, but with no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
Key Features:
- No soy or poultry by-product meal
- Mineral and nutrient fortified
- Conforms to USDA, FDA, and AAFCO standards
Cost: $12
Purina Fancy Feast Appetizers Wet Cat Food Complement
This wet food complement provides an extra boost of protein, nutrients, and moisture to your cat’s diet.
Key Features:
- No by-products or fillers
- Variety of flavor options
- Made with high-quality meat protein and other recognizable ingredients
Cost: $11
Purina Fancy Feast Classic Pate Collections
This food comes in a variety pack with three different formulas to give your cat’s diet some variety as well as complete nutrition.
Key Features:
- Contains real chicken
- Vitamins and minerals to support your cat’s holistic health
- Suitable across life stages
Cost: $15
Purina Fancy Feast Gourmet Naturals
This wet cat food is full of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, but contains no fillers or artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Key Features:
- Made with real meat
- No poultry by-products
- Texture and scent are intended to be particularly appetizing to cats
Cost: $10
Purina Fancy Feast Purely Natural Entrees
Fancy Feast Purely Natural Entrees are made from natural ingredients and fortified with vitamins and minerals for extra nutrition.
Key Features:
- No by-products or fillers
- Provides complete, balanced nutrition for adult cats
- Made with real meat
Cost: $15
Purina Pro Plan Adult Wet Cat Food
This canned wet food provides taurine plus 25 essential vitamins and minerals in each serving to support and maintain your cat’s overall health.
Key Features:
- Made from real meat and vegetables
- Promotes a healthy immune system
- Supports skin and coat health.
Cost: $23
Sheba Perfect Portions
This variety pack includes three different recipes, each of which will appeal to your cat and provide the complete, balanced diet that they need.
Key Features:
- No artificial preservatives or flavors
- Easy to proportion so you have no messy leftovers
- Suitable for both adult cats and kittens
Cost: $13
Tiki Cat Aloha Friends Wet Cat Food
These cans are hand-packed with cat food that provides your cat with a complete and balanced diet to support a healthy weight and their overall health.
Key Features:
- Made with real meat
- Pumpkin provides easily digestible fiber
- Tuna provides protein and healthy oils.
Cost: $13