Here’s a list of the best cat foods without fish.
| Cat Food | Lifestage | Type | Texture | Taste | Price | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feline Natural Chicken & Lamb | All | Wet | Pate | ✓✓✓ | $$$ | ✓✓✓ |
| Ziwi Peak Venison | All | Wet | Pate | ✓✓✓ | $$$ | ✓✓✓ |
| Ziwi Peak Air-Dried Lamb | All | Dry | Kibble | ✓✓✓ | $$$ | ✓✓✓ |
| Wellness Core Tiny Tasters Duck | Adult | Wet | Pate | ✓✓✓ | $$$ | ✓✓✓ |
| Wellness Complete Health Chicken | Adult | Wet | Pate | ✓✓✓ | $$ | ✓✓ |
| Wellness Core Bowl Boosters Chicken | Supplement | Wet | Shreds | ✓✓✓ | $$$ | ✓✓ |
| Weruva Paw Lickin Chicken | Adult | Wet | Broth | ✓✓ | $$ | ✓✓ |
| Weruva Truluxe Steak | Adult | Wet | Gravy | ✓✓✓ | $$ | ✓✓ |
| Wellness CORE Signature Selects Chicken & Turkey | Adult | Wet | Shreds | ✓✓✓ | $$ | ✓✓ |
| Meat Mates | All | Dry | Treat | ✓✓ | $$$ | ✓✓✓ |
| Wellness CORE Indoor Chicken | Adult | Dry | Kibble | ✓✓✓ | $ | ✓ |
| Hill’s Healthy Cuisine Chicken | Adult | Wet | Chunks | ✓✓✓ | $$$ | ✓ |
| Wellness Gravies Chicken & Turkey | Adult | Wet | Gravy | ✓✓✓ | $$ | ✓✓ |
| Purina Hairball Formula | Adult | Dry | Kibble | ✓✓✓ | $ | ✓ |
| Wellness Morsels Chicken & Turkey | Adult | Wet | Chunks | ✓✓✓ | $$$ | ✓✓ |
| Applaws Chicken Broth | Supplement | Wet | Shreds | ✓✓✓ | $$$ | ✓✓ |
| Feline Natural Freeze-Dried Lamb | Supplement | Dry | Treat | ✓✓ | $$$ | ✓✓ |
| Greenies Dental Treats | Adult | Dry | Treat | ✓✓✓ | $$$ | ✓ |
About This List
I filtered popular cat foods for the following fish ingredients. All are the best rated from my testing.
- Fish
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Mackerel
- Trout
- Herring
- Sardine
- Anchovy
- Cod
- Flounder
- Halibut
- Bass
- Catfish
- Tuna oil
- Omega 3
- Seafood
- Fish meal
- Aquaculture
More below in this guide to the choosing cat food without fish.
I have a background in nutrition and research and test most of the products recommended.
This article isn’t a replacement for medical advice.
See more about us here.
How to Choose the Best Cat Foods Without Fish
Here’s how to look for great fish free cat food.
Check the Ingredients List
All cat foods have ingredients list by law, on the side or back.
The front name won’t always disclose fish so you’ll want to check the ingredients carefully.
Fish ingredients include:
- Fish
- Fish meal
- Tilapia
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Hoki
- Mackerel
- Fish oil
If your cat has an allergy to fish, then it’s best to avoid all forms of fish including oils.
Avoid Meat By-Products
Usually meat by-products don’t include fish, but it’s not 100% clear.
Meat by-products can include fish, especially in contexts where “meat” is used in a broad sense to refer to animal flesh used as food.
In the pet food industry, for example, “meat by-products” can encompass various parts of slaughtered animals not typically consumed by humans, including parts from fish.
Watch for Fish Oils
Avoid fish oil.
Fish or salmon oil can also cause allergies. Usually lower on the ingredient list so be careful.
Tuna oil is another ingredient added in. Great for taste, but won’t do for a fish-free diet.
Choose Complete Cat Food
Cats need complete diets.
That’s cat food with all the nutrients cats need. Look for the statement of nutritional adequacy from AAFCO.
For kittens (<1 yrs), choose cat food for growth or all life stages. Adults (1-7 yrs) can have food for maintenance or all life stages.
Learn More:
Choose Meat Rich Cat Food
Cats are carnivores.
Many cheap cat foods load up on grains, which cats don’t need. Harder to digest and spike blood sugar.
Wild cats get their nutrition from prey.
General tip:
Aim for at least three of the first five ingredients being meat. Usually a sign of a good quality food (especially if meat first).
FAQ
Can Cats Live Without Fish?
Yes.
Fish is high in essential amino acids and fats, but there’s plenty of other foods like chicken & beef with these nutrients.
You can get omega 3 fatty acids from mussels.
What Do Cats Eat Instead of Fish?
Small prey.
Cats are carnivores that hunt small prey. This includes birds, rodents, and insects.
All these foods are high protein, and contain all the essential nutrients cats need.
Is It Ok for Cats to Eat Canned Tuna?
Sometimes.
Tuna is high in mercury, which is a problem for cats as well.
It’s better for your cats health to avoid or reduce tuna in their diet, using it as an occasional food only.
Learn More:
Should Cats Eat Fish or Chicken?
Either.
Both foods are high in protein, including the essential amino acid taurine, which is beneficial for cats.
On balance, chicken is better. A fish only diet can cause pansteatitis from vitamin E deficiency from excess polyunsaturated fats (PUFA).
Why Do Cats Like Fish So Much?
Foods rich in fish give umami flavor which is attractive to cats.
Fish is a high quality protein source, which cats prefer. Cats have a strong sense of smell (14x stronger than humans).
No doubt anyone brought in fish into the house will know about it (including your cat). Salmon oil improves the taste of cat food.
Can a Cat Be Allergic to Fish?
Yes.
Fish is a common protein, that cats tend to have a higher risk of being allergic to.
Other common protein sources include beef and chicken.
Signs of fish allergy include:
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Scabs
- Rubbing face constantly
Does Fish Cause Urinary Problems in Cats?
Not directly, no.
Urinary problems are caused by a variety of imbalances in the diet that include:
- High oxalate intake
- Low moisture intake (e.g. dry food only)
- Low phosphorus diet
- High vitamin C intake
Always consider the total diet. Feeding only fish without other animal foods (including bones and organs) will result in deficiencies.
Learn more:
Do Cats Prefer Fish or Meat?
Fish.
In experimental settings, cats seem to prefer fish over rodents. Cats have a general preference for high protein foods.
Cat’s have little to no choice in how they are fed. So whilst your cat might love fish, it could just be that they haven’t tried a lot of other foods.
Can Cats Eat Shrimp?
Yes.
Shrimp is an excellent high protein food that will help your cat meet their nutrition needs.
Do Cats Eat Fish in Nature?
Not known.
Cats typically never ate fish in their natural diet. However, they may have been used to hunt fish by Ancient Egyptians.
Conclusion
Some cats are allergic to fish. Other cat owners might want to cut out tuna due to mercury.
Finding cat food without fish is challenging as it’s used a lot in the industry. Fish oil is usually added to boost omega 3 content.
In this article I’ve gone through a few fish-free wet cat foods to look at. Wellness are one pet food brand that makes a lot of a fish-free cat food products.
