Best Dry Cat Foods

howard18 · Mar 6, 2010

I got my kitten last June from a local litter. I raised her on Purina kitten chow with the occasional Friskies can. As she got older I started feeding her Meow Mix. Well, over the holidays I visited my sister, who works at a Humane Society, and when she found out what I was feeding my cat she nearly punched me in the face.
I'm kidding of course, but she was upset.
She proceeded to school me on commercial cat foods. She took me to a local pet store and showed me the difference in ingredients between the cheap foods and the quality ones. She even gave me a just-opened twelve-pound bag of Wellness Core which, I just recently found out when I went to pick up a replacement, costs almost $40! She is a sweetheart.
I personally do not have $40 to spend on 12 lbs of cat food. I do want to feed my cat quality food, though, and not fill her up with corn. So what did I do? Research.
I discovered that many of the so-called "high-end" cat foods such as Science Diet, Nutro, Royal Canin and others contain corn or corn gluten as a top 3 ingredient. This is not high-end. For around the same price, a much better product can be had. I have compiled what is by no means a comprehensive list, but what I think is a good start, of the Best Dry Cat Foods. These foods all have a meat product as their first ingredient and do not contain corn. Anyone who can add to the list, please do so! I hope this thread is helpful to anyone looking for a quality food for their cat. For the record, I selected a six pound bag of Natural Balance Original, which I think is the best value around. I want to make sure she likes it before I invest in a large bag.

Best Dry Cat Foods (w/approximate prices) in no particular order:

Blue Buffalo Wilderness ($32-40 for 12 lbs)
Castor and Pollux ($30-36 for 15lbs)
Halo Spot's Stew ($28-35 for 12 lbs)
Natural Balance($24-30 for 15lbs)
Pinnacle ($32-40 for 15 lbs)
Solid Gold ($32 for 15 lbs)
Blue Spa Select ($28 for 15 lbs)
Wellness Complete($35 for 12 lbs)
Wellness Core($39 for 12 lbs)
Innova($30 for 15 lbs)
Evo ($40 for 15 lbs)
Orijen ($46 for 15lbs)

sharky · Mar 6, 2010

Originally Posted by howard18

I got my kitten last June from a local litter. I raised her on Purina kitten chow with the occasional Friskies can. As she got older I started feeding her Meow Mix. Well, over the holidays I visited my sister, who works at a Humane Society, and when she found out what I was feeding my cat she nearly punched me in the face.
I'm kidding of course, but she was upset.
She proceeded to school me on commercial cat foods. She took me to a local pet store and showed me the difference in ingredients between the cheap foods and the quality ones. She even gave me a just-opened twelve-pound bag of Wellness Core which, I just recently found out when I went to pick up a replacement, costs almost $40! She is a sweetheart.
I personally do not have $40 to spend on 12 lbs of cat food. I do want to feed my cat quality food, though, and not fill her up with corn. So what did I do? Research.
I discovered that many of the so-called "high-end" cat foods such as Science Diet, Nutro, Royal Canin and others contain corn or corn gluten as a top 3 ingredient. This is not high-end. For around the same price, a much better product can be had. I have compiled what is by no means a comprehensive list, but what I think is a good start, of the Best Dry Cat Foods. These foods all have a meat product as their first ingredient and do not contain corn. Anyone who can add to the list, please do so! I hope this thread is helpful to anyone looking for a quality food for their cat. For the record, I selected a six pound bag of Natural Balance Original, which I think is the best value around. I want to make sure she likes it before I invest in a large bag.

Best Dry Cat Foods (w/approximate prices) in no particular order:

Blue Buffalo Wilderness ($32-40 for 12 lbs)
Castor and Pollux ($30-36 for 15lbs)
Halo Spot's Stew ($28-35 for 12 lbs)
Natural Balance($24-30 for 15lbs)
Pinnacle ($32-40 for 15 lbs)
Solid Gold ($32 for 15 lbs)
Blue Spa Select ($28 for 15 lbs)
Wellness Complete($35 for 12 lbs)
Wellness Core($39 for 12 lbs)
Innova($30 for 15 lbs)
Evo ($40 for 15 lbs)
Orijen ($46 for 15lbs)

I will Give you my take which is often different as I base things not from the front package but what is truly IN it ... One Royal Canin and Nutro work well for many with Uti issues as they have the corn or corn gluten to help balance out the chicken meal...
Corn is NOT a bad thing in a DRY food ... NO you do not want it First or the main protein but it is less digestable ( corn gluten actually is fairly digestable ) .. Cats are NOT Allergic to corn nearly as much as soy, wheat( which includes barley and rye as they share the same gluten make up) and FISH.

IMHO the best economical premium is Costco's Kirkland at 16 $ for 25 lbs ( no corn , wheat or soy... grains are rice and oats my two that I prefer if using grain food)

Blue Buffalo Wilderness ($32-40 for 12 lbs)
This Blue is a good solid no grain choice ... Relies heavy on potato and peas thou

Castor and Pollux ($30-36 for 15lbs)
IMHO Not worth it ... very grainy and has lots of "extras"
Halo Spot's Stew ($28-35 for 12 lbs)
Mostly starch very little meat IMHO
Natural Balance($24-30 for 15lbs)
Original is OK ... Allergy formulas serve a purpose but as grain free are IMHO not great
Pinnacle ($32-40 for 15 lbs)
Solid , potato heavy
Solid Gold ($32 for 15 lbs)
WAY to grainy and one of the lowest fat "regular" cat foods available.. Cats are designed for Protein and Fat
Blue Spa Select ($28 for 15 lbs)
Imho to grainy and many will not eat the bits which means they are not getting proper nutrients
Wellness Complete($35 for 12 lbs)
the chicken formula

roduct Ingredients | Ingredient Index | Vitamins/Minerals
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_w...h_chicken.html
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal realize chicken after it is cooked( ingredients on label are by wt raw) is actually around chicken fat by wt the meal stays the same and thus is the real first ingredient , Rice, Ground Barley, Ground RiceThree grains in a row does not make me happy, Chicken Fat(preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor, Salmon MealFish is a common allergy , Chicken Liverorgans in a dry food worry me with vitamin levels , CranberriesIn this form little to no health benefits , Tomato Pomace, Olive Oil, Chicory Root Extract, Cranberry Extract Powder , Cranberry Fiber, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine, Hydrochloride, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Taurine, Rosemary Extract.

Overall a solid food but at nearly 3$ a lb there are far better at a lower price point... This is a 1meat to 1.5 grain ratio( for a cat food I like 2 meat to one grain or starch but 1 to 1 is the normal...
Wellness Core($39 for 12 lbs)
My dog loves this and does well ... cant say the cats did the same
Innova($30 for 15 lbs)
Too grainy for the $
Evo ($40 for 15 lbs)
Great food but like Core here was not a good thing
Orijen ($46 for 15lbs)
Love it and its sister Acana ... good solid foods and the company will readily answer questions..

ONE you do not have which IMHO is the Best value no grain is TASTE of the Wild 15 lbs runs 18-25$

You have to realize cat s will pick their food... The best food = One you can afford , cat likes and you are willing to feed

dusty's mom · Mar 6, 2010

Sharky, I'm happy to see you talking about Costco Kirkland Super Premium. I just bought some, and was impressed with the ingredients. Haven't opened it yet as mine as still finishing up the old stuff. But it seems to me that Kirkland is a good dry alternative to the expensive pet store brands. Somewhere online I read that it is the generic form of "Chicken Soup" brand.

sharky · Mar 6, 2010

Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom

Sharky, I'm happy to see you talking about Costco Kirkland Super Premium. I just bought some, and was impressed with the ingredients. Haven't opened it yet as mine as still finishing up the old stuff. But it seems to me that Kirkland is a good dry alternative to the expensive pet store brands. Somewhere online I read that it is the generic form of "Chicken Soup" brand.

No it is a special done formula of diamond who also makes chicken soup...My five like it and do quite well with it and wet food

addiebee · Mar 6, 2010

My boys are doing quite well on TOTW with occasional BG Chicken as a crunchy treat. Their coats are REALLY NICE!!! Prowler's glistens in the sunshine.

Oh - and EVO's Wild Cravings, occasional Whiskas Temptations, and freeze dried chicken or fish as treats, too.

Plus wet.

melissaw · Mar 6, 2010

We've been feeding our girls a few different higher ends foods, most recently California Natural as this seemed to be very agreeable with my older cat who has all the health issues
The foods we buy run $40/bag that lasts us about a month which was starting to wear on the pocketbook

So last week we switched to Kirkland as it was $15 for a bag bigger than the ones we usually buy!
My boyfriend was a manager at a pet store and through various courses over the years is very well versed in pet nutrition and he was surprised and impressed with the quality of the ingredients in the Kirkland food
and the kitties loves it!

littleraven7726 · Mar 6, 2010

We switched to California Naturals Chicken & Rice for dry food. We were having digestive problems with one of our cats, and my senior guy is notoriously picky on top of having some health issues managed. He's finally back to a normal weight, and if he won't eat it I don't feed it.

California Natural is not cheap, but I found a decently priced supplier in town. He liked TOTW, but it didn't agree with 2 of my cats.

carolina · Mar 7, 2010

Originally Posted by sharky

I will Give you my take which is often different as I base things not from the front package but what is truly IN it ... One Royal Canin and Nutro work well for many with Uti issues as they have the corn or corn gluten to help balance out the chicken meal...
Corn is NOT a bad thing in a DRY food ... NO you do not want it First or the main protein but it is less digestable ( corn gluten actually is fairly digestable ) .. Cats are NOT Allergic to corn nearly as much as soy, wheat( which includes barley and rye as they share the same gluten make up) and FISH.

IMHO the best economical premium is Costco's Kirkland at 16 $ for 25 lbs ( no corn , wheat or soy... grains are rice and oats my two that I prefer if using grain food)

Blue Buffalo Wilderness ($32-40 for 12 lbs)
This Blue is a good solid no grain choice ... Relies heavy on potato and peas thou

Castor and Pollux ($30-36 for 15lbs)
IMHO Not worth it ... very grainy and has lots of "extras"
Halo Spot's Stew ($28-35 for 12 lbs)
Mostly starch very little meat IMHO
Natural Balance($24-30 for 15lbs)
Original is OK ... Allergy formulas serve a purpose but as grain free are IMHO not great
Pinnacle ($32-40 for 15 lbs)
Solid , potato heavy
Solid Gold ($32 for 15 lbs)
WAY to grainy and one of the lowest fat "regular" cat foods available.. Cats are designed for Protein and Fat
Blue Spa Select ($28 for 15 lbs)
Imho to grainy and many will not eat the bits which means they are not getting proper nutrients
Wellness Complete($35 for 12 lbs)
the chicken formularoduct Ingredients | Ingredient Index | Vitamins/Minerals
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_w...h_chicken.html
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal realize chicken after it is cooked( ingredients on label are by wt raw) is actually around chicken fat by wt the meal stays the same and thus is the real first ingredient , Rice, Ground Barley, Ground RiceThree grains in a row does not make me happy, Chicken Fat(preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor, Salmon MealFish is a common allergy , Chicken Liverorgans in a dry food worry me with vitamin levels , CranberriesIn this form little to no health benefits , Tomato Pomace, Olive Oil, Chicory Root Extract, Cranberry Extract Powder , Cranberry Fiber, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine, Hydrochloride, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Taurine, Rosemary Extract.

Overall a solid food but at nearly 3$ a lb there are far better at a lower price point... This is a 1meat to 1.5 grain ratio( for a cat food I like 2 meat to one grain or starch but 1 to 1 is the normal...
Wellness Core($39 for 12 lbs)
My dog loves this and does well ... cant say the cats did the same
Innova($30 for 15 lbs)
Too grainy for the $
Evo ($40 for 15 lbs)
Great food but like Core here was not a good thing
Orijen ($46 for 15lbs)
Love it and its sister Acana ... good solid foods and the company will readily answer questions..

ONE you do not have which IMHO is the Best value no grain is TASTE of the Wild 15 lbs runs 18-25$

You have to realize cat s will pick their food... The best food = One you can afford , cat likes and you are willing to feed

Here my choice food is Orijen... IMO the best of the best. Acana is Awesome too, in particular Grasslands, which is Chicken Free, and my boy is allergic to chicken.
Since Bugsy needed to lose some weight, his vet wanted him on an even higher protein lower carb food, so we switched the kids to EVO Salmon and Herring; they are doing fantastic on it.

I do want eventually to go back to Orijen. I love the food, the company, the ingredient, everything about it.

3catsn1dog · Mar 7, 2010

Just to toss in my two cents. Personally I prefer TOTW it helped solve alot of digestive issues in my cats which made me and BF super happy!!!!
If your worried about what your cat will and wont like go to the foods websites and email their customer service most of them will be happy to send you a sample of their foods. I did this with TOTW to see if my babys would like it and they sent me 5 2lb bags of their food and I havent looked back since. I even recently started adding TOTW for my puppy too and its helped him alot! Im hoping that soon Ill have him completely switched over in a month (I have to buy the small bags once a month and just gradually mix it into his food)

howard18 · Mar 9, 2010

I also came across Felidae. It is grain free and has enzymes to aid digestion. Seems like a good product and right now it's on sale, buy one 8 lb bag for $22 and get a second bag free.

sharky · Mar 9, 2010

Originally Posted by howard18

I also came across Felidae. It is grain free and has enzymes to aid digestion. Seems like a good product and right now it's on sale, buy one 8 lb bag for $22 and get a second bag free.

Felidae grain free is decent and yes the buy one get one is a good deal

followedbydolls · Mar 9, 2010

Originally Posted by sharky

You have to realize cat s will pick their food... The best food = One you can afford , cat likes and you are willing to feed

I think this sums up the whole cat food issue. I use royal canin here, i realize OP you feel it's not premium/high end food but it works well for 2 out of my 3.

I think again it all goes back to the cat itself, many foods while good may not work for them for a multitude of reasons, i recently had to change my oldest males cat feed because it wasn't working for him, decent food overall but the wrong match for him.

Not all cats will take to grain free products, i have tried numerous ones they all failed so it's not an option here. Not to mention quite a few other well respected feeds are thumbed at too. Unfortunately, doesn't matter how good a food is if your cat won't eat it, it's worthless

Good luck on getting the right fit for you & your cat

animalhouse · Mar 9, 2010

I too, Always fed Comercial foods to the cats my whole life. Then when I got Julius my RB Kitten.. I fed him natural balance. And Topaz I now feed TOTW. And his Coat is AMAZING! He is sooo Soft and shiny! His P isnt has smelly either!

One of my dogs is also on TOTW..as she is on a "Food Allergy test " for 10 weeks. And she loves it..and is doing really well!

My other 2 dogs are on Chicken Soup. They are doing well on it too!

3catsn1dog · Mar 12, 2010

I Love TOTW. It has only been about 2 wks since I added it to my doxies diet and it was a last resort to try and get him to gain a little weight. He was just on the skinny side not grossly skinny but too skinny for my likings. We tried just about every junk food imaginable to get him to gain weight and nothing worked now with the TOTW added in he has gained about a lb and it makes me super happy. Once he gains about 2 more or so he will be going on to a scheduled feeding to keep his weight maintained. I just love love love TOTW!!!!

howard18 · Mar 21, 2010

chicken soup? not grain free but by-product free and $27 for 18 lbs. good deal

sharky · Mar 21, 2010

Originally Posted by howard18

chicken soup? not grain free but by-product free and $27 for 18 lbs. good deal

that is a higher price for it than I normally see.... 20-24 $ for the 16-18 is normal... very decent food for the price

Best Dry Cat Foods

howard18

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sharky

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dusty's mom

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sharky

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addiebee

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melissaw

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littleraven7726

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carolina

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3catsn1dog

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howard18

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sharky

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followedbydolls

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animalhouse

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