Best Cat Food

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 How to Help Your Cat Lose Weight. We also recommend learning how to tell if your cat is overweight.

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