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Protein is essential for muscle strength and energy production in cats.
Cats need twice the protein of humans. Meat based foods like chicken, fish, and beef are top sources of protein for cats.
A good rule of thumb is 50% protein (dry basis). This is more than enough for cats of any age, and is what experts showed works best for fussy felines.
Good for health, good for fussiness…just good.
In this guide I’ve delved into the popular cat food range to tease out the best high protein foods. What gets the most bang for buck…and what plain sucks?
If you want what’s best, my top pick is below…
My Top Pick: Tiki Cat After Dark
This is the highest protein wet cat food on the market at a whopping 78% dry basis. Wowza!
Made with real succulent shreds of meaty goodness, even the fussiest of eater won’t resist (I kind of wanted to eat it too).
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.
If you want to find what is absolutely the best for your cat, then read on…
Why trust this article?
As a dietitian, I am experienced in health and nutrition research. I’ve got the tools and know-how to tease apart the science. The foods I’ve recommended are heavily scrutinised down to the ingredient list and where possible, tested.
Important questions. Have the other articles on this topic bothered to break down the macronutrient ratio for you? Have they attempted to calculate protein quality or factor the ingredient sources?
>> Learn More on our About Page
5 Best High Protein Cat Foods
The following choices are from my own product database, where I’ve entered nutrition, ingredient and pricing data.
The database also includes results from personal testing with my own cats and kittens. Where possible, I prefer recommending products I’ve personally tested to know what the quality is like.
However, if I notice something that is favourable I’ll suggest that in place (but will let you know that I haven’t tested it).
Best High Protein Wet Cat Food
Tiki Cat After Dark
At around 78% protein, Tiki Cat After Dark is the highest protein wet cat food on the market. My cats and kittens approved of the human-grade shreds which look and smell delightful.
It’s all meat too, so it’s got the quality your fussy cats enjoy. This is easy on digestion and doesn’t have that rank smell cats hate.
My only gripe is the price, which works out as one of the more expensive choices on the market. It’s worth it in my opinion.
Pros
Cons
Tiki Cat After Dark Ingredients
Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, chicken gizzard, chicken heart, tricalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, choline chloride, magnesium sulfate, salt, taurine, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin E supplement, tuna oil, niacin (vitamin B3), zinc oxide, vitamin A supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, copper amino acid chelate, manganous oxide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), folic acid, potassium iodide, vitamin D3 supplement
| Key Feature | Note |
|---|---|
| Type | Wet (shreds) |
| Lifestage | All |
| Energy (kcal/kg) | 751 |
| Made in | Thailand |
| Cost per ounce* (market ave) | $0.62 ($0.48) |
Best High Protein Dry Cat Food
Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein
It’s no easy feat finding high protein dry cat food, but Dr. Elsey’s bucks that trend. At over 65% protein, it’s one of the best on the market and has a taste customers love.
The cat food uses gelatin, a high protein ingredient, instead of grains for texture. That means more protein and less carbs – all great things for easy digestion and top health.
We’ve seen some customers report negative quality changes. Since we haven’t tried it, it’s hard to say if they are right.
Pros
Cons
Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein Ingredients
Chicken, Pork Protein Isolate, Gelatin, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Salmon Oil, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate, Fructooligosaccharide, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Carbonate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide), Potassium Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Taurine, Salt, Rosemary Extract
| Key Feature | Note |
|---|---|
| Type | Dry (kibble) |
| Lifestage | All |
| Energy (kcal/kg) | 4,030 |
| Made in | USA |
| Cost per ounce* (market ave) | $0.40 ($0.48) |
Best High Protein Cat Food for Kittens
Fancy Feast Kitten
At 56% protein and 1,064 kcal/kg, Fancy Feast is packed with nutrition for growing kittens. This food is easier on the budget, so will help with multiple mouths to feed.
This is a complete meal for growth based on AAFCO’s nutrition guidelines, so there’s no issues there. With a bunch of flavors, you can mix it up to keep boredom at bay.
The issues? Doesn’t look great…or smell great either. Yeah it’s not the prettiest cat food going around and some kittens won’t like it.
Pros
Cons
Fancy Feast Kitten Ingredients
Ocean Whitefish, Liver, Meat By-Products, Chicken, Fish Broth, Milk, Egg Product, Artificial and Natural Flavors, Tricalcium Phosphate, Added Color, Guar Gum, Minerals [Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide], Salt, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Vitamin A Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Vitamin D-3 Supplement], Taurine
| Key Feature | Note |
|---|---|
| Type | Wet (pate) |
| Lifestage | Growth |
| Energy (kcal/kg) | 1,064 |
| Made in | USA |
| Cost per ounce* (market ave) | $0.46 ($0.48) |
Best High Protein Cat Food for Indoor Cats
Weruva Paw Lickin Chicken
With a paltry 678 kcal per kg (57 kcal per tin) you can’t go past Weruva for indoor cats. This will help them keep a healthy weight, with a beefy amount of protein for muscle strength.
Like Tiki Cat After Dark, this one has a human grade shredded appearance that many fussy cats appreciate. Unlike Tiki Cat, there’s a few more flavors in the Weruva range, although the quality varies.
Still, it suffers from having a higher-than-desirable price tag. Try before you commit to big packs.
Pros
Cons
Weruva Ingredients
Chicken (Boneless, Skinless Breast), Chicken Broth, Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calcium Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement
| Key Feature | Note |
|---|---|
| Type | Wet (shreds) |
| Lifestage | Adult (1-7 yrs) |
| Energy (kcal/kg) | 673 |
| Made in | Thailand |
| Cost per ounce* (market ave) | $0.58 ($0.48) |
Best High Protein Cat Food for Weight Gain
Go! Solutions Carnivore
At 51% protein, Go! Solutions Carnivore is a great choice in a sea of average options in the kibble world. It’s more than enough protein to power up any finnicky feline.
It’s calorically dense to help with weight gain, coming in at robust 4,298 kcal/kg. It’s meat rich and you won’t have to contend with any gassy grains.
I haven’t tested it, so that’s as much as I can comment about but customer reviews are glowing. Worth a good look.
Pros
Cons
Go! Solutions Ingredients
Chicken Meal, De-Boned Chicken, De-Boned Turkey, Duck Meal, Turkey Meal, Salmon Meal, De-Boned Trout, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Fish Flavor, Peas, Potatoes, Whole Dried Egg, Potato Flour, Tapioca, De-Boned Salmon, De-Boned Duck, Salmon Oil, Pumpkin, Apples, Carrots, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Lentils, Broccoli, Cottage Cheese, Alfalfa, Sweet Potatoes, Blackberries, Squash, Papayas, Pomegranate, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (A Source Of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Sulphate, Calcium Iodate, Ferrous Sulphate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Rosemary
| Key Feature | Note |
|---|---|
| Type | Dry (kibble) |
| Lifestage | All |
| Energy (kcal/kg) | 4,298 |
| Made in | USA |
| Cost per ounce* (market ave) | $0.27 ($0.48) |
Buying Guide
Do Cats Need High Protein Cat Food?
Yes, cats must eat a high protein diet.
Unlike humans, cats are obligate carnivores. They evolved to rely solely on prey to meet their nutrition needs.
Protein is high in animal muscles and organs. So when cats eat prey, they tend to get a lot of protein (the average wild cat gets about 30-68% of their calories from protein).
Without enough protein cats lose muscle. It also decreases energy availability making it harder to get around.
Why Is a High-Protein Diet Good for Cats?
Protein is great for many reasons.
Here’s a few:
- It’s tastier
- It helps build muscle
- It keeps cats energised
- It helps reduce shedding
- It keeps joints strong
Cats have large brains for their size. They use a lot of protein to provide energy to their brain.
High protein diets are especially crucial for growth. Kittens need more to help develop fully.
How Much Protein Does a Cat Need?
Here’s how much protein cats need:
- Growth (<1 yrs): 30% protein
- Maintenance (1-7 yrs): 26% protein
- Senior cats (>7 yrs): 40% protein
Use a dry matter calculator to find out the protein content in your cat food.
Find the nutrition analysis (usually called guaranteed analysis) on the cat food, and enter that into the calculator. Make sure it meets the targets.
An easier way is to check the statement of nutritional adequacy. Check it meets the needs for growth, maintenance, or all life stages.
That means the cat food meets the targets for protein, because AAFCO’s nutrition guidelines account for this nutrient.
What is the Ideal Protein Content for Cats?
At the bare minimum you’ll need at least 26% for adults.
Ideally, 50% will get best results for all cats regardless of age. This lines up with the ‘wild cat’ dietary intake and what research found cats prefer.
Basically, it’s best for fussy cats, older cats, growing kittens and cats in general.
How do I Know if a Cat Food is High-Protein?
Use a dry matter calculator.
Find the nutrition analysis on the cat food, and enter that into the calculator. Make sure it meets the targets.
Consider the quality of ingredients too.
Meat is higher quality than plant or grain protein. Raw meats are higher quality than meat meals (usually found in dry cat food).
The digestibility of meat is higher than plant protein. Plants contain ingredients including phytate which interferes with protein digestion.
Here’s a short visual guide to help find out if a cat food is high protein:
Based on the above visual guide, this cat food is 33% protein. That meets the needs for growth and adult maintenance.
And the ingredients? Chicken meal and turkey meal are the first two ingredients.
Whilst they’re good sources of protein, they’re not the best as they’re meat meals. So consider that when comparing options.
But that’s how you find protein in cat food. Not terribly hard?
Wet vs dry cat food: What is better for protein?
Wet is generally best.
Whilst the guaranteed analysis makes it seem like dry cat food has more protein that’s not the case. Wet cat food generally has as much when comparing on a dry basis (see guide above).
What’s more is the quality of wet food is a little better, dry food uses meat meals more often which is a lower quality protein source. Wet food also offers moisture to help hydrate the kidneys.
Does Grain-Free Matter for Protein?
It might make a difference.
Grain-free doesn’t affect protein content, although it might affect quality. Grain based protein (e.g. wheat gluten) is low quality compared to meat.
If it’s used a lot in the cat food, the ‘high protein’ content will be questionable.
FAQ
What Cat Food is Highest in Protein?
This wet cat food is 78% protein on a dry basis, which is the highest protein we’ve seen. This product uses animal-based foods sources and no plant protein.
If you want to find out more, see our Tiki Cat After Dark cat food review.
Is High-Protein Food Better for Cats?
Yes, high protein diets are better for cats.
Cats prefer high protein food (~50% dry matter). Researchers recommend high protein intakes for senior cats, especially after 12 years.
The reason?
Sarcopenia. This is an age related loss of muscle.
Senior cats also lose their sense of taste and smell. Finally, their ability to digest protein decreases with age.
However, a high protein intake isn’t ideal for cats with kidney disease, where high protein intakes may cause damage.
Related:
Is 40% Protein Too Much for Cats?
No.
A wild cat eats about 50% protein, as do cats when given a choice.
There’s no harm from protein intakes over 40% in cats, unless they have kidney disease.
Is Chicken or Tuna Better for Cats?
Chicken.
Tuna is high in mercury, which is toxic to cats in high amounts. Unfortunately, a 1/4 tin of tuna is too much for a cat.
Learn More:
Why Is Wet Cat Food So Low in Protein?
It’s not.
A common misconception based on cat food labels, looking at guaranteed analysis.
Dry cat food is low in water and the amount of protein comparatively is high by weight. The opposite is true for wet cat food, which is high in water.
You need to check the dry matter analysis to compare dry and wet cat food adjusting for water content.
Learn More:
Can Cats Live on Just Protein?
No.
Cats need many nutrients from food including essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
An only meat diet results in calcium deficiency. This leads to nasty health problems relating to movement.
Conclusion
Protein is vital for strength and energy production in cats.
40% protein is enough for cats of all ages, with 50% being what cats prefer. As carnivores, cats consume a high protein diet in place of carbohydrate.
Check the nutrition analysis on cat food and enter the crude protein in a calculator. This will help you find the dry basis protein, which is what you want to use to compare products.
My Top Pick: Tiki Cat After Dark
This is the highest protein wet cat food on the market at a whopping 78% dry basis. Wowza!
Made with real succulent shreds of meaty goodness, even the fussiest of eater won’t resist (I kind of wanted to eat it too).
