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I went out and bought over 15 dry cat foods in Australia.
Then I checked out the taste and nutrition quality of these products.
Ziwi Peak is the highest quality option of the lot, with no added carbs, peas or soy. It’s complete for cats of any age.
If price isn’t a barrier, it’s the stand-out choice for cats.
My 3 best dry cat foods in Australia:
Then I tested them with cats and looked at the ingredients to find out what’s best.
As carnivores, higher protein and lower carb dry cat food is best.
In the rest of this article I’ll run through my top picks and a buying guide on choosing high protein cat food.
Then I’ll go through frequently asked questions on this topic.
As a dietitian, I have a background in researching nutrition for humans, but am also a cat nutrition enthusiast.
I’ve picked and hand-tested these treats to find what’s best. And I’ve analysed the nutrition.
Whilst I am not a veterinarian, I have taken every effort to ensure I’ve picked out the best cat treats.
Please note that this article is not intended as a replacement for medical advice.
>> Learn More on our About Page
3 Best Dry Cat Foods in Australia
I’ve chosen these 3 dry cat foods based on an unbiased scoring system which grades cat food on five criteria:
- Value for Money:
- Ingredient Quality
- Nutrition
- Flavor
- Customer Rating
To learn more about how I calculate and grade food, check out our review guidelines.
Best Dry Cat Food in Australia
Ziwi Peak is jam packed with grass-fed New Zealand meat. That makes it easy to digest and perfect for fussy cats.
It’s a complete meal for all life stages. Senior, adult or kitten…no worries, feed it to any.
The price is the main drawback of this one. But if health is your priority, there’s none better.
>> Our review of Ziwi Peak
| Key Features | Information |
|---|---|
| Lifestage | All life stages |
| Texture | Hard air-dried pieces |
| Protein* | 41% |
| Carbs | <5% |
| Kcal/kg | 5,600 |
| Cost/100 grams (market ave) | $7.51 ($1.19) |
Grain-free for easy digestion
Suitable for all ages
High protein for satiety
Pricey
Hard texture
Best Supermarket Dry Cat Food in Australia
Found in many supermarkets in Australia, Fussy Cat stands out above the rest as an affordable quality choice.
It’s lower in carbs than other popular choices like Whiskas and Friskies, making it easier to digest. As the name suggests, fussy cats will enjoy it.
The supermarket bags are a tad smaller than other options, so might not offer the best value. Only for adult cats too.
>> Our review of Fussy Cat
| Key Features | Information |
|---|---|
| Lifestage | Adult cats (1-7 years) |
| Texture | Kibble |
| Protein* | 40% |
| Carbs | 26% |
| Kcal/kg | 3,700 |
| Cost/100 grams (market ave) | $0.83 ($1.19) |
Meat rich for picky cats
Grain and soy free
Affordable
Only suitable for adults
Could be lower carb
Best Indoor Dry Cat Food in Australia
Wellness Core Indoor cat food comes in at 3,561 kcal/kg which is the lowest I’ve found on the market. That’ll help indoor cats keep the weight off.
The first three ingredients are meat based which is good for picky eaters and to boost energy.
Carb content is a bit high at 29% though and it’s another pricier cat food.
| Key Features | Information |
|---|---|
| Lifestage | Adult cats (1-7 years) |
| Texture | Kibble |
| Protein* | 43% |
| Carbs | 29% |
| Kcal/kg | 3,561 |
| Cost/100 grams (market ave) | $2.00 ($1.19) |
Low calorie for weight control
Grain and soy free
High protein for picky cats
Pricey
Could be lower carb
How to Choose Dry Cat Food in Australia?
Not sure what to look for?
Cats are carnivores so the best cat food should be high in protein from animal based sources. Think chicken, beef, fish, and turkey.
That’s what cats use for energy, muscle strength and what they enjoy eating most.
But let’s delve deeper into what to look for:
Learn to Read a Cat Food Label
Start by looking at the back label.
The front label is often misleading. Many terms like ‘natural’ and ‘meaty’ don’t mean much.
You know the saying “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”. The back label reveals the truth.
Start by checking the nutrition analysis.
As I’ve mentioned, cats need a high protein diet as carnivores. Protein gives cats the energy they need for the day and keeps muscles strong.
For adult cats (1-7 years) you’ll want a cat food with greater than 26% protein dry matter basis.
Kittens and seniors need more. Growing kittens need 30% protein and older cats (12+ years) benefit from intakes over 40%.
As a general rule of thumb for any cat aim for 40% protein. This means your cat is getting enough regardless of age.
The nutrition analysis shows what you need, but you’ll need to use a calculator to work out the dry matter basis.
Other names for nutrition analysis:
- Guaranteed analysis
- Typical analysis
- Nutrition
Quick notes:
- Cats are carnivores.
- Aim for at least 40% protein (dry basis) in the bag for top health.
- Use a calculator to find the dry basis protein content in cat food.
Check the Ingredients
Quality matters.
A wild cats diet includes prey like mice, insects, and birds.
Not only does meat taste great for cats, but it gives cats high quality protein. Meat is high in essential amino acids (a sign of quality).
On the other hand, grain based protein is lower quality.
Grain protein is:
- Lower protein quality
- Harder to digest
- Less tasty
Some cat food brand load up on weaker protein sources, and then boost taste with meat flavors instead.
You want to avoid that, since it’s not going to offer your cat what they need (only what they think they need).
By law, ingredients are listed by weight from top to bottom. However, how they’re divvied up can vary.
As a general rule of thumb, check the first 5 ingredients. Ideally, all 5 are meat, but that’s rarely the case.
Anything less than 3 is red flag, especially if meat isn’t the first ingredient.
For more info, check out my guide below.
Quick notes:
- Meat is a high quality protein, rich in essential amino acids.
- Grain-based protein is lower quality and less tasty.
- For best results, ideally more than 3 of the first 5 ingredients should be meat based.
Look for a Statement of Nutrition Adequacy
You want complete cat food. Complete cat food includes all the nutrients cats need, defined by AAFCO.
AAFCO are a non-profit organization that research and publish nutrient guidelines for cats and dogs.
The label will say if the cat food is for either:
- Maintenance
- Growth
- All life stages
- Supplemental feeding
Maintenance is suitable for adult cats (1-7 years). For kittens you’ll want either growth or all life stages.
There’s no recommendations for seniors, but I suggest choosing cat food suited to ‘all life stages’. This gives senior cats the added nutrients they need to support ageing.
Quick notes:
- Look for the statement of nutritional adequacy.
- Find lifestage appropriate cat food.
- Maintenance is for adults (1-7 years), growth (<1 years), and all life stages (all).
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Dry cat food offer convenience, but at the cost of quality.
Most dry cat foods load up on cheap grains, which cats don’t need. This can hamper digestion and lead to food rejection.
As a general rule, aim for 40% protein (dry basis). Look for the statement of nutritional adequacy and choose lifestage appropriate cat food.
>> Our best rated dry cat food is Ziwi Peak. It’s the highest quality cat food packed with grass-fed meat and organs for the pickiest of cat.
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