What is the Best Wet Cat Food?

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1. Ingredients and Quality
- Winners: Best Cat Food Based on Ingredients

2. Science, Research and Targeted Benefits of your chosen food
- Winners: Best Cat Food Based on Targeted Benefits

3. Palatability
- Winners: Most palatable wet food

4. Country of Manufacture
- Winners: Top Australian Made Cat Food

5. Complete Comparison table

6. Our vet team's top recommendations

7. Further reading

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1. Ingredients and Quality

When comparing different varieties of wet cat food, many people start with the ingredients list. It's important to note that the ingredients listing alone doesn't provide sufficient information to determine the overall quality of a cat food, as other factors such as nutrient balance, scientific research, and quality assurance are also important. However, that said, the ingredients panel can certainly give you some hints as to the quality.

Lower quality wet foods may use gelling agents such as guar gum or seaweed extracts to give their foods a more appealing texture. While gelling agents are generally considered to be safe, they don't offer any nutritional benefits to your pet so many pet owners prefer to avoid them. Conversely, higher quality wet foods may contain added ingredients designed to support your cat's overall health and wellbeing such as green lipped mussel for joint function or fish oil for skin and coat health.

The Winners: Top Wet Cat Food based on Ingredients

Want to know more? Read more about ingredients in cat food and ingredients vs nutrients in pet foods.

2. Science, Research, and Targeted Benefits

Ever noticed how cat food seems to be hyper-specialised these days? Not only are lifestages catered for (ie, kitten, adult, senior), but many health conditions are targeted, too (ie, hairball / skin care / dental health).

Pet food brands toward the 'premium' end of the spectrum tend to produce food tailored for specific lifestages or medical issues. By manipulating nutrients and adding beneficial ingredients, these precisely balanced recipes are designed to meet the unique nutritional requirements of your cat's lifestage or special health needs like urinary health, sensitive digestion, hairballs, or sensitive skin. For instance, if you have an older cat, a senior or mature formula will offer increased digestibility and added benefits such as joint health support. If your cat is a little on the heavy side or prone to weight gain, you may be better served by choosing a weight control recipe which is lower in fat and higher in fibre to promote feelings of satiety.

To contrast, a cheaper or poor quality pet food brand may produce 'one size fits all' formulas with no specific wellness purpose. While this may not do your cat any harm, we recommend seeking a premium food with targeted benefits to ensure your cat's nutritional needs are catered to as closely as possible.

What about veterinary diets? Many cat owners find themselves a little confused about the difference between 'veterinary' or 'prescription' diets and 'regular' lines. This is especially confusing when some 'non-veterinary' formulas seem to address the same condition as a 'prescription' formula. For instance, Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary S/O is a therapeutic diet which requires a recommendation from a vet, yet Royal Canin Urinary Sachets are available at a retail level and do not require a prescription. Usually, the difference lies in the treatment of a health condition as opposed to the prevention. Veterinary diets are finely tuned to treat an existing condition, whereas retail diets are only intended as a means of preventing a condition before it occurs.

Read more about the why lifestage nutrition matters in our article The Importance of Age-Appropriate Nutrition

3. Palatability

When searching for a wet food, palatability is undoubtedly one of the most important features to consider. Cats can be notoriously fussy, and nobody wants to waste time or money on food that won't get eaten. Palatability is also very useful if your cat is ill or suffering from dental pain as it can tempt them to eat.

Why are some cats so fussy? The truth is, rather than being 'fussy', some cats may simply be bored with a lack of variety. Eating the same food every day is an unnatural concept for cats, who are naturally inclined to hunt a different prey each day. This means that if your cat seems a little fussy, it may help to rotate between different flavours (particularly between different meat proteins) to see if it sparks their interest.

So, what is the most palatable wet cat food? Based on customer reviews, we've listed our top 4 varieties most often reviewed for being readily accepted and highly palatable. However, it's important to note that all cats have different flavour preferences, and what works for one cat might not work for every cat.

4. Country of Manufacture

Most cat owners consider the place of manufacture as an important factor, and actively look for an Australian-made cat food over one made overseas. Buying locally can have major benefits both for you and your kitty.

Why buy Australian Made cat food? Considering recent pet food recalls due to deficiencies or contaminated food, one can never be too careful. When seeking an Australian-made food, it is comforting to know you're buying food from trusted, 'first world' Australian facilities (with natioanlly controlled manufacturing factories, quality assurance, and OH+S standards). There is also a financial benefit: buying locally avoids unecessary import costs. This all adds up to a better good quality pet food for a much fairer price. Plus, buying locally produced pet food ultimately helps support our economy!

Below we've listed which pet food is Made in Australia, and which is not.