Wet Cat Food 2024: Must-Have Picks & Shocking Fails

Cat nutrition remains somewhat of a mystery, especially to new cat parents and seasoned cat owners sometimes seem to be puzzled when it comes to choosing the right nutrition for their beloved cat. There are hundreds of options in the market now and with varying nutritional needs every cat is spoiled for choices.

For us cat parents, it becomes a little overwhelming to choose from a wide variety of food so we have decided to weigh in on this debate and provide you with the best choices when it comes to feeding wet food to the cat. We spoke with veterinarians and animal nutritionists to get to the bottom of this problem and we have considered every age group of cats and even the cats with health conditions or special needs. We have provided both commercial and homemade wet food benefits so your cat can get complete nutrition and stay healthy.

What Ingredients to Avoid in Cat Food

Before diving into the worst wet cat foods, it’s crucial to understand what bad ingredients lurk in cat food. These include but are not limited to high grain content, artificial preservatives, and fillers like corn and soy. These ingredients can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other health issues in cats. Always choose foods with real meat as the first ingredient and free from artificial additives. For overall health and especially for cats with disease, avoid foods containing:

High Phosphorus Ingredients:Such as bone meal or meat by-products, which can exacerbate kidney issues.
Artificial Additives:Colors, flavors, and preservatives can be unnecessary and harmful.
Excessive Grains and Fillers:These can lead to obesity and do not provide the necessary nutrients for a carnivorous diet.
Onions, Garlic, and Chives:These can cause anemia and are toxic to cats.
Excessive Dairy Products:Many cats are lactose intolerant, and these can cause digestive issues.

We focus on avoiding certain ingredients in cat food because we’ve learned more about how important good food is for our pets. Cats are healthiest when they eat foods that are similar to what they would find in the wild, like meat, without extra stuff like fillers or additives. It’s best to choose cat foods with high-quality ingredients to keep them healthy and happy for a long time. And if you’re ever unsure about what to feed your cat, it’s a good idea to talk to a vet for advice on ensuring they’re getting all the nutrients they need.

The 10 Worst Wet Cat Foods

Navigating the world of cat food can be massive, especially when trying to identify products that might not be the best choice for your furry friend’s health. As a cat owner, it’s important to know which foods to avoid. Below, we’ll discuss 10 of the worst wet cat foods and explain why you should keep them out of your feline’s diet.

Generic Meat By-product Meals:These are often made from low-quality meat sources and can include parts of animals that offer little to no nutritional value.
Cheap Grain-Filled Brands:Foods heavy on grains like corn and wheat fillers can lead to obesity and other health issues in cats who are naturally meat-eating and require a meat-based diet.
Artificially Colored Foods:Brands that use artificial colouring add no nutritional value and can be harmful, causing allergies and other health problems.
High Chemical Preservative Content Foods:These can include BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin, which are potentially carcinogenic and can cause various health issues over time.
High Carbohydrate Content Foods:Cats have a limited ability to process carbohydrates, and high-carb foods can lead to obesity and diabetes.
Brands with Recurrent Recalls:Regular recalls can indicate a lack of quality control and potential safety issues with the food.
Non-Specific Protein Source Foods:Foods that list “meat” as a generic source can be unpredictable in quality and nutrition.
Excessively Cheap Brands:While budget is a concern for many, excessively cheap foods often cut corners with quality and nutrition.
Foods with Artificial Flavors:These can encourage overeating and do not provide any nutritional benefit.
Low-Protein Diets:As obligate carnivores, cats require a high level of protein, and diets low in this essential nutrient can lead to health issues.

Why Are They So Bad?

The ingredients and cat foods listed as ones to avoid are considered harmful for various reasons, mainly due to their nutritional inadequacy, potential toxicity, and the risk they pose to cats’ overall health and well-being. Here’s a deeper look into why these specific foods and ingredients are so bad:

By-products and Meat Meals

Nutritional Inadequacy:Often sourced from low-quality parts of animals unsuitable for human consumption, these can lack the essential nutrients cats need.
Unpredictable Sources:The specific source of meat or by-products is not always clear, making it difficult to assess the quality and safety of the protein.

Cheap Fillers (Corn, Wheat Gluten)

Obesity and Diabetes:Cats are obligate carnivores whose digestive systems are not designed to process large amounts of carbohydrates efficiently. High-carb diets can lead to weight gain and diabetes.
Allergies:Some cats develop allergies or sensitivities to grain-based fillers, leading to skin and digestive issues.

Artificial Preservatives (BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin)

Cancer Risk:These chemicals have been linked to cancer in some studies, raising concerns about their long-term safety in cat food.
Health Issues:Continuous exposure to these preservatives can accumulate in the cat’s body over time, potentially leading to various health problems.

Artificial Colors and Flavours: Artificial colours and flavours can trigger allergic reactions and other health issues in sensitive cats.

Unhealthy Additives (Sugar, Corn Syrup): Just like in humans, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup can lead to obesity, diabetes, and dental issues in cats.

Toxic Foods (Garlic, Onions, Grapes, Raisins): These foods can cause immediate health problems such as anemia (from garlic and onions) and kidney failure (from grapes and raisins), even in small amounts.

Excessive Sodium and Chemical Flavor Enhancers: High salt content can lead to dehydration, hypertension, and promoted kidney disease. Flavour enhancers like MSG can cause allergic reactions and offer no nutritional benefit.

Bad Cat Food Brands to Avoid

While the list of brands to avoid can be vast, it’s essential to recognize a few key players known for their poor quality. These brands often appear on lists for containing the worst ingredients and having formulations that could lead to long-term health issues:

Brands that frequently use artificial flavour and colours.
Those with a high grain and filler content offer minimal nutritional value.
Products that have been identified in the past for safety issues.

The Best Wet Cat Food

The best wet cat foods share common characteristics that align with a cat’s natural dietary needs. These foods are:

High in Animal Proteins:Look for foods where real meat, fish, or poultry is listed as the first ingredient, indicating high-quality animal protein essential for your cat’s health.
Low in Carbohydrates:Cats have little nutritional need for carbs. The best-wet foods keep these to a minimum.
Moisture-rich:Wet cat foods naturally help maintain hydration, which benefits all cats, particularly those with kidney issues.
Free of Artificial Additives:They don’t contain artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives, which can be harmful over time.
Balanced Nutrients:They include the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and taurine, an essential amino acid for cats.

Examples of high-quality wet cat food brands often include those

that focus on natural ingredients and nutritional adequacy, such as Weruva, Feline Natural, and Nom Nom.

Why these wet cat food are best

Wet cat food is the best choice for cats for several reasons. First, it’s made to match what cats naturally eat in the wild, providing the right balance of nutrients they need to stay healthy. Here’s why wet cat food stands out:

High in Animal Proteins: Cats need lots of protein from animal sources to stay healthy. Wet cat foods that list real meat, fish, or poultry as the main ingredient are packed with essential amino acids like taurine, which cats can’t make on their own. These proteins help keep their muscles strong, support their immune system, and help their bodies work properly.
Low in Carbohydrates: Cats aren’t great at digesting carbs, so wet cat foods have fewer carbohydrates than other food types. It’s important to limit the amount of carbohydrates in a cat’s diet to avoid health issues such as obesity and diabetes. Instead, focus on food that is high in animal fats and protein.
Moisture-rich: Cats don’t drink a lot of water on their own, so wet cat food is great because it has a high water content. This helps keep them hydrated, which is important for their kidneys and urinary health.
Free of Artificial Additives: Wet cat foods avoid artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives, which can harm cats over time. Instead, they use natural ingredients and methods to keep the food fresh and tasty.
Balanced Nutrients: Cats need a mix of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids like taurine to stay healthy. Wet cat food is formulated to provide essential nutrients in every meal.

Final thoughts

While navigating the landscape of pet nutrition, there is no doubt that wet cat food is not a mere preference for your cat’s well-being but a crucial decision that impacts the health and happiness of our feline companions. We have tried to provide you with a comprehensive road map to make informed choices for your beloved cat.

It is essential to understand that not all wet foods are created equal. You must look out for products with superior quality, balanced nutrition and exceptional palatability. Leading brands such as Royal Canin, and Hill’s Science Diet have set the bar high and their quality control standards are desirable. Those top brands also ensure that their research and development keep their brands worthy of the top aisle. In the end, you must embrace the best, avoid the worst and watch your cat thrive like never before.