3 Best High Protein Cat Foods
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Use a dry matter basis calculator.
Aim for cat food with over 40% protein on a dry matter basis. This is best for your cats health.
Our 3 best high protein cat foods:
- Tiki Cat After Dark | Best Overall
- Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein | Best Dry
- Fancy Feast Kitten | Best for Weight Gain
Here’s what to do according to research.
Cats need more protein than humans, with AAFCO recommending 26% protein for adult cats. However, senior cats need 40% protein to help with muscle loss.
Many dry cat foods barely scrape by for protein. This won’t do for cats needing high protein for weight loss.
In this article I’ll solve this problem with a buying guide to show you how to find high protein cat food to help your cat stay strong.
Then I’ll offer my top recommendations based on testing.
Finally, I’ll answer frequently asked questions on the topic of high protein cat food.
I am not a veterinarian and I recommend seeking the advice of a vet for any further questions. This article is not intended as a replacement for medical advice.
Buying Guide
Here’s how much protein cats need:
- Growth (<1 yrs): 30% protein
- Maintenance (1-7 yrs): 26% protein
- Senior cats (>7 yrs): 40% protein
How to find 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.
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.
Quick notes:
- Check guaranteed analysis
- Use calculator to check protein
- Check statement of nutritional adequacy
What is the Easiest Protein for Cats to Digest?
Animal protein.
This 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.
General rule of thumb:
Aim for three of the first five ingredients from animal sources. Avoid cat food where to main ingredient is a plant or grain protein.
Quick notes:
- Animal protein best
- Plant and grain high in anti-nutrients
- Also lack essential amino acids
Choosing High Protein Cat Food
Here’s what to do:
- Check the guaranteed analysis for crude protein and moisture
- Use a dry matter calculator and make sure the food has at least 40% protein
- Check for the statement of nutritional adequacy
- Check that at least three of the first five ingredients are meat based (avoid cat food where the first ingredient is a plant or grain protein)
Example below:
In this example, the dry matter protein is only 33%. This is ok for adult cats, but barely enough for growth and not enough for senior cats.
Three of the first five ingredients are meat based, which is good. However they are from meat meals, a lower quality food source.
Finally, it says it’s meets AAFCO’s nutritional levels for a ‘complete diet’. That doesn’t give me much info on what lifestage it’s meant for.
All in all:
Not a great choice for high protein diets. I’d pass on this one.
Final tip:
Kitten foods are higher in protein than adult cat foods. Unironically, it’s often a good choice to offer senior cats kitten foods for a protein boost.
3 Best High Protein Cat Food
1. Tiki Cat After Dark
Best High Protein Wet Cat Food Overall
Pros and Cons
Summary
Tiki Cat After Dark is the highest protein cat food on the market.
Using only animal based ingredients, it’s got the quality cats need. Suits all ages and no fillers.
It is pricey though and picky cats might disagree. All flavors have chicken too.
Best for:
- Healthy weight
- Chicken lovers
- Easy digestion
Where to find Tiki Cat After Dark?
Learn more:
2. Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein
Best High Protein Dry Cat Food for Diabetic Cats
Pros and Cons
Summary
This is the best high protein dry cat food. Period.
Chock full of meat based ingredients and grain-free, Dr. Elsey’s suits any cat needing weight loss support. It’s zero carb for diabetic cat health.
Although it lacks flavors, it’s really one of the only good options for dry cat foods. Unfortunately, since I haven’t tested it, I can verify the product quality ‘first hand’.
Best for:
- Convenience
- Senior cats
- Easy digestion
Where to find Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein?
3. Fancy Feast
Best High Protein Wet Cat Food for Weight Gain
Pros and Cons
Summary
Fancy Feast Kitten, despite the name, is a great choice for weight gain.
It’s affordable, meaning you won’t run out quickly with heavy feeding needs. At a hefty 1,064 kcal/kg, it gives cats the energy boost needed for weight.
Picky cats love it too.
It doesn’t look too great though, and it’s got that cat food smell that isn’t that appealing.
Best for:
- Budget buy
- Picky cats
- Weight gain
Where to find Ziwi Peak?
Learn more:
How I Chose These Cat Foods?
Using a database.
I sorted cat foods based on total protein, and filtered out anything under 40%.
For quality, I made sure at least 3 of the first ingredients were meat based. I checked if the cat food met the needs as a sole feeding source.
Finally, I compared options based on nutrition, ingredients, and taste – with a score out of 10.
Full list of the best high protein cat foods:
| High protein cat food | Type | Texture | Lifestage | Price | Protein* | Kcal/kg | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiki Cat After Dark | Wet | Shreds | All | $$$ | 78% | 751 | 8.5 | Best overall |
| Tiki Cat Aloha Friends | Wet | Chunks | All | $$ | 69% | 680 | 7.5 | Not as good as After Dark |
| Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein | Dry | Kibble | All | $$ | 67% | 4,030 | 8.5 | Best high protein dry cat food |
| Tiki Cat Baby | Wet | Shreds | All | $$$ | 63% | 1175 | 8.5 | Best high protein cat food for weight gain |
| Earthborn Holistic | Wet | Shreds | Adult | $$ | 60% | 1,000 | 8 | Tuna rich – occasional meal only |
| Instinct Original | Wet | Pate | All | $$ | 59% | 944 | 8.5 | Affordable pick |
| Avo Derm | Wet | Gravy | All | $ | 56% | 829 | 7.5 | Affordable but high in tuna |
| Tiny Tiger | Wet | Pate | All | $ | 55% | 929 | 7.5 | Affordable option |
| Royal Canin Kitten | Wet | Pate | Growth | $$ | 55% | 894 | 7.5 | Best vet recommended pick |
| Fancy Feast Kitten | Wet | Pate | Growth | $ | 55% | 1,064 | 8 | Best budget pick |
FAQ
What Cat Food Has the Most Protein in It?
It’s 78% protein. This product uses animal-based foods sources and no plant protein.
Learn more:
Is High-Protein Food Good for Cats?
Yes.
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.
Learn More:
Is 40% Protein Too High for Cat?
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
Use a dry matter basis calculator.
Aim for cat food with over 40% protein on a dry matter basis. This is best for your cats health.
Check the guaranteed analysis on a cat food, use a calculator and see if it adds up. Look for 3/5 ingredients as meat based.
Wet cat food is your best choice, and check the cat food suited to ‘all life stages’.
Our best 3 high protein cat foods:
- Tiki Cat After Dark | Best Overall
- Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein | Best Dry
- Fancy Feast Kitten | Best for Weight Gain
