Our quick take: For most healthy adult cats, a high-protein food built on named meats is a good choice. Our top dry picks are Crave with Protein from Chicken and ORIJEN Original Cat (both 40% minimum protein); for wet food, Dr. Elsey's cleanprotein and Tiki Cat After Dark are strong high-protein options. When comparing labels, remember that wet foods look low in protein only because they are mostly water. Pick a food with an AAFCO “complete and balanced” statement, and ask your vet first if your cat has kidney or liver disease.
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means animal proteins must make up most of their diet for them to thrive and survive. Cat food brands know this, which is also why there are tons of choices out there.
While it’s good to have a lot of options, we can’t deny that it can also make the task of choosing the best high protein cat food more difficult.
Hopefully, with the help of this guide, you can narrow down your options and have a better idea of what to look for in a high protein dry cat food or wet food for your feline companion.
Overall, the best high protein food for cats is this cat food from Crave. It's available in several varieties and features chicken as its first ingredient.
Other beneficial ingredients include a variety of legumes, potatoes, flax seeds, and several vitamins & minerals that can support a cat’s healthy immune system.
This recipe is inspired by a cat’s ancestral hunting diet, with high-quality protein to support healthy muscle mass, energy, and immune health.
What’s more, it is also devoid of chicken by-product meal, soy, corn, or wheat. And it is cooked and processed in multiple facilities in the U.S. using only the finest ingredients globally.
Note: at 27% minimum protein, with corn and rice among the first ingredients, this is the lowest-protein food on our list. It is better seen as a popular indoor formula than as a true high-protein pick.
This recipe is created using fiber to aid in digestion and improve weight control, which are both important, especially for indoor cats.
As we know, cats that live exclusively indoors are more prone to having obesity sooner or later because of their sedentary lifestyle.
Additionally, indoor cats are also pampered with a comfortable temperature, which disrupts the seasonal growth of fur and increases shedding.
This recipe is crafted to provide all of these benefits while also ensuring that your cat is provided with complete and balanced nutrition, that is both tasty and pleasing to his senses.
Moreover, it is a bit of good advice to purchase this item through a reputable pet store, as counterfeit versions of this product are also out in the market.
When buying products from online shops you should always check with the manufacturer if these are the items they sell.
This kibble is one of the best protein-rich food for your feline companion's digestive health and immunity.
This recipe is made from high-quality protein, with real chicken meat as the first ingredient. And it is fortified with guaranteed live probiotics to support your cat’s digestive and immune health.
Also, it features natural prebiotic fiber sourced from chicory root, that nourishes certain intestinal bacteria for digestive health. What’s more, this formula is packed with 36% protein to help meet your cat’s nutritional needs.
And it is enriched with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and omega-6 fatty acids to support your cat’s healthy skin and coat, as well as his overall health and wellness.
4. Blue Buffalo Weight Control Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal
Does your cat need to lose some weight? Don’t worry, you don’t have to deprive him of his favorite goodies. Let him purr with delight with Blue Buffalo Weight Control Natural adult dry cat food. This tasty and nutritious recipe is packed with 30% protein, featuring deboned chicken as its first ingredient.
This palatable formula is crafted with a healthy blend of calories and protein to help your cat achieve and maintain his ideal body weight while pleasing his taste and satiety.
It also contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to help promote a healthy coat and skin. And it is packed with important vitamins and minerals to support your cat’s overall health every day.
What’s more, with each bite, your feline buddy benefits from BLUE’s exclusive LifeSource Bits – a special blend of carefully selected antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals chosen by veterinarians and animal nutritionists to support your cat’s life stage requirements, immune health, and overall health and wellness.
Your cat’s sensitivities are also taken care of with this premium natural adult dry cat food for weight loss. To ensure that your cat won’t feel full by eating fillers, this formula is free from corn, wheat, or soy; and it is free from artificial flavors or preservatives.
5. Merrick Backcountry Morsels in Gravy Real Duck Recipe
Satisfy your cat’s natural craving for protein-rich food with these grain-free morsels in gravy. This is a wet food in 3-oz pouches, so the 9% protein on the label equals a much higher share once the water is taken out.
This all-natural recipe starts with real deboned duck as its first ingredient along with duck broth, turkey broth, turkey liver, deboned turkey, dried egg whites, and a lot more tasty and high-quality ingredients.
The formula is also enriched with taurine, calcium, salmon oil, vitamins and minerals to support your cat’s heart, skin, coat and bone health.
With this diet, your cat won’t only get the nutritional benefits of a higher protein diet that he would have discovered in the wild, but he would also get to enjoy a tasty meal that is free from corn, wheat and gluten. This is an added benefit that makes perfect sense for cats with food allergies or sensitivities, particularly with grains.
This wet food comes from Merrick Pet Care of Hereford, Texas, which has been owned by Nestlé Purina since 2015.
Hill’s Science Diet is a popular veterinarian-recommended cat food brand, and this particular recipe is specially formulated to provide indoor cats with the energy that they need to thrive each day.
It’s crafted with wholesome ingredients starting with real chicken meat and enriched with important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support your cat’s immune system.
This recipe is also packed with high-quality natural ingredients, and healthy natural fiber that is easy to digest and helps promote good digestion, and reduces the occurrence of hairballs.
What’s more, it is also loaded with nutrients that are beneficial for your feline’s heart health, and its high-protein content helps promote lean muscles while satisfying your cat’s proclivity for the meaty goodness of premium animal proteins.
Each bite of this great-tasting triangle kibble is loaded with the nutrients that your cat needs from a complete and balanced diet.
This formula is also crafted in the USA, and each ingredient meets the strict requirements for nutrient content and purity. And of course, this high-protein adult dry cat food is free from artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
Same scrumptious and nutritious kibble, but with a new name – Orijen Cat & Kitten is now Orijen Original recipe. This recipe contains the right amount of nutritional nutrients to support your developing kitten.
As an obligate carnivore, your cat will thrive on this nutrient-dense diet that is packed with protein and healthy fats from a variety of premium animal ingredients.
This formula features chicken as its first ingredient, which is also its main source of protein. However, it’s not the only protein source – this is also followed by the rest of the first five fresh or raw ingredients: turkey, whole herring, turkey giblets, and salmon. This recipe also contains several protein-based ingredients which contribute to its overall crude protein of 40%.
This tasty recipe is packed with 20% fat, which is primarily from chicken fat, a healthy and nutritious ingredient for adult cats and kittens.
As for its dietary fiber and energy source, this formula relies on whole navy beans, green peas, red lentils, as well as other beans and legumes.
What’s more, this grain-free kibble is also packed with fibers from fruits and vegetables, as well as prebiotics from dried chicory root to promote healthy digestion.
The natural-occurring Taurine found in animal proteins such as fish, poultry, and eggs helps promote heart health. And the formula’s omega-3 fatty acids from wild-caught pollock oil help support healthy skin and a shiny coat.
Additionally, each bite of this tasty kibble is loaded with important nutrients such as DHA, EPA, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and a lot more. And for added flavor, this recipe uses freeze-dried liver to coat the kibbles.
Overall, kittens and adult cats alike would purr with delight at the sight and smell of this delicious gluten-free, high-protein meal.
Nourish your cat with a diet that gives him everything that he needs with this dry food. And you can breathe well knowing that your feline companion can thrive from the core throughout his long, healthy, and happy feline life.
This grain-free and gluten-free premium dry cat food features deboned chicken as its first ingredient, and it is loaded with all the proteins that your cat needs for him to maintain ideal body weight, have lean muscles, and have active mobility.
This formula is enriched with omega fatty acids, antioxidants, natural fiber, L-carnitine, and probiotics to ensure that your cat’s gastrointestinal health, skin and coat, and immune system stay strong and healthy throughout his lifetime.
Additionally, this recipe is packed with added glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate to support your cat’s joint and mobility. And it is fortified with vitamins and minerals to promote overall health and wellness.
What’s more, the formula doesn’t contain corn, wheat, or soy, as well as meat by-products, fillers, and artificial preservatives or flavors.
So, you can be sure that each bite is filled with only the essential nutrients that your cat needs – no more, no less.
This kibble is carefully crafted in the USA using only the freshest, highest-quality ingredients to meet your cat’s natural nutritional needs.
Designed with a physiologically tuned formula, this recipe features real salmon as the #1 ingredient—delivering a complete, high-quality source of protein that supports strong muscles, a healthy heart, and overall vitality.
It’s completely grain-free and potato-free, making it an ideal choice for cats with food sensitivities or allergies, while still offering a rich, satisfying taste that even the pickiest eaters can’t resist.
Packed with nourishing ingredients like salmon meal, peas, pea flour, chickpeas, chicken fat, catfish meal, whitefish meal, and flax seeds, this premium blend provides balanced nutrition in every bite.
It’s also an excellent source of vitamin B12 and essential Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which promote healthy skin, a glossy coat, and immune support.
It offers more than just a meal—it’s a delicious, wholesome way to keep your feline companion happy, healthy and thriving.
This list wouldn’t be complete without adding a wet food option to add variation to your cat’s high-protein diet. And when it comes to grain-free canned foods, our top pick would be this one.
Made using turkey as its first ingredient, this pate satisfies a cat’s ancestral hunting diet with its high-protein content. And with animal-based protein as its primary ingredient, your cat can eat less and still feel full longer.
What’s more, this grain-free and gluten-free recipe is loaded with essential vitamins, and minerals, like taurine, and magnesium. It’s certainly a tasty wet food that cats with or without sensitivities and weight issues will love and look forward to every mealtime.
The brand also describes this formula as low in oxalate. Diet is only one factor in bladder stones, so if your cat has had urinary crystals or stones, follow your vet's diet advice. This food has a lower glycemic formula that delivers only 4% energy from carbohydrates.
Overall, this wet food provides complete and balanced nutrition for adult cats and kittens. And the formula optimizes your feline’s body mass and appetite to help sustain a healthy and active lifestyle, which is vital, especially for cats that live exclusively indoors.
Obese cats are often fed with lower protein and high-fiber food that theoretically makes them feel fuller without having to introduce a lot of calories into their system.
However, the problem with this approach is that your overweight cat will lose weight by achieving a calorie deficit, but he will also lose his lean muscle mass.
And considering a cat’s playful nature, he needs lean muscles to keep himself physically fit and strong. Good thing that we have high-protein wet food such as this tasty meal that can provide your cat with a biologically-appropriate food to keep him happy and thriving each day.
This gourmet, grain-free recipe is also free from corn, wheat, soy, and growth hormones. It’s also rich in moisture, which is beneficial for all cats, especially for those who are not keen on drinking water.
It also comes in a tasty flavor that cats love, so, you don’t have to worry about your picky cat snubbing this savory shredded meal at mealtime.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and other sources recommend feeding adult cats a diet with at least 26 percent protein on a dry-matter basis (with the water taken out). Kittens, as well as pregnant and nursing queens, need at least 30 percent.
These figures are the minimum amount and not the optimum figures that you can give to your cat, and they can also change depending on your cat’s condition.
As mentioned earlier, elderly cats, as well as cats with health issues may need a different percentage of protein to meet their nutritional requirements while also keeping their overall health and safety in mind.
Nonetheless, most cats would benefit from a high protein diet with low carbohydrates. The source of your cat’s protein is also essential considering that they can usually digest animal proteins more efficiently than plant-based proteins. This means, that their body can absorb the protein more when it is meat-based, and pass it less as food waste.
This also goes to show that giving your cat high quality protein can provide them with a more usable nutrient that won’t simply go to waste. And it could also lead to lesser time in the litter box both for you and your cat because your feline buddy is digesting the food more efficiently.
Moreover, when shopping for the best high protein cat food in the market, you should choose those that contain the essential nutrients that your cat needs.
As mentioned earlier, taurine is one of the essential amino acids that cats need to get from their food because their body can’t produce it by themselves. Taurine is vital for a cat’s heart, eyesight and reproduction; a lack of it can cause heart disease (dilated cardiomyopathy) and blindness.
You should also look for other important vitamins, minerals, as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Fiber is also helpful for healthy digestion, as well as in promoting a healthy weight.
Apart from the essential nutrients, you should also consider your cat’s life stage when shopping for premium dry or wet cat food. And while it may be a small factor, you should also consider the flavor of the food, especially if you have a picky cat.
Life Stages
Match your cat’s characteristics and life stage to the type of cat food that you give your feline companion. Kittens have particular requirements for food while growing and developing, so food should be supplied in this manner.
Through your adult cat’s active years, you should provide him with food that could give him the nutrients that he needs to sustain his energy and promote his overall health and well-being.
Senior cats can differ in the way food is consumed compared with kittens and adult cats. So, choose the diet formula that is specific to your cat's golden years.
Essential nutrients
Your cat must receive certain nutrients that are necessary for his health and survival, including fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
As mentioned earlier, taurine is an essential amino acid that your cat should take from his meals. Provide your cat with dry food that can meet your feline’s minimum daily requirements for different important nutrients.
Moreover, it should be noted that cats do not need carbohydrates. And there’s no data as to what’s the optimum amount of carbohydrates for them should be.
Flavor
This is a matter of a cat’s personal preference or inclination to certain flavors, but let’s face it, a food’s palatability is vital, especially for finicky cats. And finding the best high protein dry cat foods can be really difficult, especially if your cat is transitioning from wet foods.
Although limited ingredient foods are helpful with your cat’s digestion, some cats don’t just love them probably because they contain novel proteins or flavors that they are not used to, or that are not appealing to their taste. Hence, the key is still to test different ingredients and protein sources that your cat will love.
Why Is a High Protein Diet Good for Cats?
As mentioned earlier, by nature, being obligate carnivores, wild cats feed exclusively on meat. And this innate characteristic is already imbued in every cat's DNA.
So, while our indoor cats are already domesticated, they are still innately attracted to animal protein. And it's not just because of the meat's umami flavor, but more so because it's what their body is longing for; and it's what their body needs the most.
Cats use protein not only to build and repair their bodies but also as a major source of energy, much more than dogs or people do. This essential nutrient is important for their growth and development, and their immune system. Protein also plays a vital role in cellular repair and reproduction.
The amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, help in growing healthy skin, hair, nails, and practically in building our cat’s body as a whole.
The remaining amino acids — the ones that their bodies cannot make — are called ‘essential' amino acids. Cats need to get these essential amino acids, such as taurine or arginine, from their diet. Deficiency in these essential nutrients in your cat’s diet can lead to serious ailments.
How Much Protein Do Cats Need?
Your cat’s daily diet should contain at least 2.3 grams of protein per pound of body weight. This number both appears in studies as to how much protein a cat needs to maintain lean muscle mass, and how much protein a cat would consume if given the choice. And knowing the feline behavior, they would eat just the right amount that their body needs – seldom more, and rarely less.
Protein is essential to feline life. Healthy adult cats generally handle high-protein diets well.
For your feline companions, a high protein diet is just a normal diet. And again, they need it so they can sustain their optimum level of functioning, and maintain a healthy and happy life.
In most cases, pet parents don’t have to worry about feeding their cats too much protein. If you give your cat more than enough protein than his body needs, he will most probably just excrete the excess through his urine. And as mentioned earlier, he may also use the excess protein as calories, or store them as fats.
A high-protein diet is not right for every cat. Cats with chronic kidney disease, which is common in senior cats, usually do better on a vet-prescribed kidney diet with restricted phosphorus and moderate amounts of high-quality protein. Some liver diseases and certain types of bladder stones also call for a specific diet.
If your cat has an underlying medical condition, it’s always best to consult your veterinarian regarding the best food that could meet his dietary requirements without compromising your cat’s health and safety in the long run.
What Happens If a Cat Doesn’t Get Enough Protein?
If cats don't have enough protein in their diet, sooner or later, they will start to break down protein from their muscles.
Almost all proteins — including animal proteins as well as plants — have different amino acids. Some are easier for cats to break down, while some are more or less usable for their body. Scientists refer to how proteins break up based on their biological availability to be used by the body as “bioavailability.”
Egg is often used as the reference protein because it is so easily used by the body. In general, cats digest and use animal proteins better than most plant proteins.
All of these foods can be rich in protein, but it doesn't mean that they can be the best protein source for your cat. You always need to consider other factors – such as your cat's sensitivities, as well as any underlying medical condition.
How Much Dry Cat Food Should You Feed Your Cat?
It depends on the food's calories and on your cat. As a rough guide, a 10-pound indoor adult cat needs about 200 calories a day. Many high-protein dry foods have around 500 calories per cup (Purina Pro Plan Chicken & Rice lists 494, ORIJEN Original Cat about 515), so that can be well under half a cup a day, split into two or more meals and reduced if you also feed wet food or treats. Weigh your cat every few weeks and ask your vet to help you adjust the amount.
Start with the feeding guide on the package (it lists the calories per cup), and contact the manufacturer if anything is unclear.
Many owners feed a mix of dry and wet food: dry food is convenient, while wet food adds moisture, which helps cats that don’t drink much.
And as always, don’t forget to leave a bowl or fountain of fresh water that your cat can easily access anytime.
www.felineliving.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
