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3 Best High Protein Cat Foods

Disclaimer: As an Amazon and Chewy affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not impact our reviews and comparisons.

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:

  1. Tiki Cat After Dark | Best Overall
  2. Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein | Best Dry
  3. 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
A guaranteed analysis on a cat food label
Use the guaranteed analysis and enter that into a calculator

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
A cat being fed meat
Animal foods are higher in essential amino acids and easier to digest

Choosing High Protein Cat Food

Here’s what to do:

  1. Check the guaranteed analysis for crude protein and moisture
  2. Use a dry matter calculator and make sure the food has at least 40% protein
  3. Check for the statement of nutritional adequacy
  4. 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:

Cat food nutritional analysis
Step 1: Check the nutrition analysis for crude protein and moisture
Dry matter basis calculator for cat food
Step 2: Use calculator, enter protein and moisture and check dry matter protein (aim for >40%)
Cat food statement of nutritional adequacy
Step 3: Check the statement of nutritional adequacy
Cat food ingredient list
Step 4: Check the ingredients for 3/5 meat based ingredients

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

Tiki Cat After Dark
Tiki Cat After Dark

Pros and Cons

  • 78% protein
  • 5/5 meat based ingredients
  • Suits all ages
  • Pricey
  • Mixed taste results

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:

Tiki Cat After Dark dry matter nutrition
Tiki Cat After Dark nutrition analysis
Tiki Cat After Dark review score
Tiki Cat After Dark review score

2. Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein

Best High Protein Dry Cat Food for Diabetic Cats

Pros and Cons

  • 67% protein
  • 5/5 meat based ingredients
  • Suited to all life stages
  • A little pricey
  • Only 2 flavors

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?

Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein dry matter nutrition analysis
Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein dry matter nutrition analysis
Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein review score
Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein review score

3. Fancy Feast

Best High Protein Wet Cat Food for Weight Gain

Fancy Feast kitten
Fancy Feast kitten

Pros and Cons

  • 55% protein
  • Calorie dense
  • Affordable
  • Low quality appearance
  • Strong smell

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:

Fancy Feast kitten dry matter nutrition analysis
Fancy Feast Kitten dry matter nutrition analysis
Fancy Feast kitten review score
Fancy Feast Kitten review score

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 foodTypeTextureLifestagePriceProtein*Kcal/kgScoreNote
Tiki Cat After DarkWetShredsAll$$$78%7518.5Best overall
Tiki Cat Aloha FriendsWetChunksAll$$69%6807.5Not as good as After Dark
Dr. Elsey’s Clean ProteinDryKibbleAll$$67%4,0308.5Best high protein dry cat food
Tiki Cat BabyWetShredsAll$$$63%11758.5Best high protein cat food for weight gain
Earthborn HolisticWetShredsAdult$$60%1,0008Tuna rich – occasional meal only
Instinct OriginalWetPateAll$$59%9448.5Affordable pick
Avo DermWetGravyAll$56%8297.5Affordable but high in tuna
Tiny TigerWetPateAll$55%9297.5Affordable option
Royal Canin KittenWetPateGrowth$$55%8947.5Best vet recommended pick
Fancy Feast KittenWetPateGrowth$55%1,0648Best budget pick
A comparison of the best high protein cat foods *dry matter basis

FAQ

What Cat Food Has the Most Protein in It?

Tiki Cat After Dark.

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:

  1. Tiki Cat After Dark | Best Overall
  2. Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein | Best Dry
  3. Fancy Feast Kitten | Best for Weight Gain

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