Best Wet Cat Foods For 2023: Top 5 Feline Feasts Most ‘Recommeownded’ By Experts

Does it really matter whether you feed your cat wet or dry food? While its smell may be off-putting (to us), wet food is a great option for most cats because it’s the closest thing to fresh meat. It is high in protein, provides additional hydration, and can assist with weight management. Cats with urinary tract- and digestive issues also benefit from wet food. OK, so we’ve sold you on wet food, but which kind should you choose? Keep reading: Study Finds researched the best wet cat foods to make your cat smile.

Feeding your cat will, on average, set you back about $109 a month. And you may just have to eat those costs. Cats may be fearsome hunters, but they shouldn’t have to provide for themselves. Even the best feline hunter is still a pet. They can’t obtain sufficient nutrition without human help. In addition, outdoor cats risk getting injured (cars!) or catching serious diseases outside, and they can do lots of damage to local wildlife.

While playing with your cat and feeding him or her meaty foods will reduce their prey drive, it’s much safer for everyone to keep cats inside at all times. Meaty foods are still a good idea though, despite plant-based diets for pets becoming more popular.

Unlike dogs, who are omnivores, cats are pure carnivores and need lots of meat protein. “Some cat foods contain protein from plant sources such as soy, and it is possible that despite forming a ‘complete diet’ these foods leave some cats deficient in one or more micronutrients,” says Martina Cecchetti at the University of Exeter in England.

So take a look at our best wet cat foods list below for your cat’s ideal nutrition. StudyFinds compared the top picks on 10 pet experts websites to find the consensus on the five best wet food options. (As always, we recommend you check with your vet before you make a choice) Did we leave something out? Let us know in the comments!

The List: The Five Best Wet Cat Foods For A “Purrfect” Meal, Recommended By Most Experts

1. Smalls Cat Food

Smalls Cat Food is a frequent top pick by experts because it’s human grade! While not the most budget-friendly, “Smalls wet cat food looks, smells, and tastes just like the type of chicken you might eat for dinner,” writes We’re All About Pets.

Veterinarians.org rates Smalls 10/10 for ingredient quality. After all, this food contains “ingredients that won’t upset any sensitive felines. Their recipes are rich in protein to fit the dietary needs of these carnivores […]. All ingredients are all-natural, cooked, and free from preservatives,” raves Excited Cats.

The customer feedback is impressive, too. According to Hepper, owners “reported improvements in their cats after consuming this food. A whopping 90{95b18eb6fc4f42efd0d92738dfc3fb79fde21da267a711ecdf0381147c27bb86} reported overall health improvements, 78{95b18eb6fc4f42efd0d92738dfc3fb79fde21da267a711ecdf0381147c27bb86} reported shinier and softer fur, 64{95b18eb6fc4f42efd0d92738dfc3fb79fde21da267a711ecdf0381147c27bb86} reported a less stinky litter box, and the same number reported an overall more energetic cat.”

2. Hill’s Science Diet

According to Great Pet Care, “Science Diet is a trusted brand that is recommended by veterinarians and plenty of cat parents.” The website specifically mentions Wet Cat Food For Senior Cats (“recommended by veterinarians”) and Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin (“a good, over-the-counter option for cats that have sensitive stomach and/or skin”).

Science Diet “makes a wide range of dry and wet foods for felines, and they have a good affordable option for Adult 7+ Cats made with savory chicken,” writes Obey My Cat. The wet food for senior cats is “packed with high quality protein, which will maintain lean muscles in senior cats. All ingredients are natural, and there are antioxidants plus vitamins C+E.”

Hill's Science Diet Wet Cat Food — Hill’s Science Diet Wet Cat Food

Science Diet’s Urinary & Hairball Control Wet Cat Food received two specific mentions: Veterinarians.org rates it highly in pet suitability, product variety, and ingredient quality. And Mental Floss writes that “if your cat has a sensitive system” this Science Diet product “could support their overall wellness.” It further “contains natural fiber to reduce hairballs, ensuring your cat stays comfortable and calm.”

3. TIE: Tiki Cat and Blue Buffalo

It’s really hard to tell which of these grain-free, high-quality brands is better, and finally, they tied. Blue Buffalo is best known for dog food, but makes cat food as well. Its Tastefuls Wet Cat Food “is highly recommended for adult cats” as well as made “solely from 100{95b18eb6fc4f42efd0d92738dfc3fb79fde21da267a711ecdf0381147c27bb86} natural Tuna, Chicken, Fish & Shrimp Entrées and […] perfectly safe for cats (Veterinarians.org).”

Excited Cats recommends Blue Buffalo’s Healthy Gourmet Pate and its Wilderness Wild Delights. The pate “includes no soy or wheat, making it a good option for cats with food sensitivities [..] It is affordable, and it does contain all the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that your adult cat requires to thrive.” The Wilderness Wild Delights is […] also free from any grain, gluten, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives.”

Blue Buffalo Healthy Gourmet Natural Adult Pate Wet Cat Food

Tiki Cat also produces grain-free cat food, with top ingredients that got 10/10 from Veterinarians.org. This wet food is “made solely from 100{95b18eb6fc4f42efd0d92738dfc3fb79fde21da267a711ecdf0381147c27bb86} natural high protein source of food. And does not contain any harmful ingredients.” According to We Love Cats and Kittens, “even cats with diabetes can safely enjoy Tiki Cat shreds.”

Tiki Cat’s “recipes are made from non-GMO ingredients, are grain and potato free, and are made with 80 percent protein […] The protein sources are always the first ingredient listed on the label, and these recipes are formulated with additional vitamins and important ingredients like taurine to provide cats with optimal nutrition (Great Pet Care).”

TIKI PETS Cat Aloha Friends Grain Free Canned Wet Food with Flaked Tuna for Cats and Kittens

4. Purina Pro Plan

Purina’s Pro Plan line got lots of shoutouts on the consulted experts lists as a budget-friendly quality food. The Chicken and Turkey Favorites, for instance, “are packed with healthy skin and coat ingredients such as vitamin A, linoleic acid, and omega-6 fatty acids (Great Pet Care).”

The Classic Adult True Nature Natural Turkey & Chicken is The Pets’ “Best Overall” wet cat food: It “meets the natural needs of your cat,” is “grain-free” and “there are no unnecessary ingredients in the feed, such as corn, soy, wheat, or added artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.”

Purina Pro Plan High Protein Cat Food Gravy

According to Cat Life Daily, Pro Plan’s FOCUS Urinary Tract Health Formula is the best wet cat food for adults (though not best overall). “This food can also keep your cat hydrated and urinating on a healthy schedule to prevent the formation of crystals in the bladder. With essential nutrients added to each formula, your cat’s digestive and immune systems will also have the support they need to keep doing their jobs (Cat Life Daily).”

5. Purina Fancy Feast

We found multiple mentions of this product line. Though not perfect (Purina can contain added colors and artificial flavors), “Fancy Feast Classics are a long-time favorite. They’re tasty, affordable, and their ingredient lists are more species-appropriate than those on some super-premium brands (We Love Cats and Kittens).”

Fancy Feast “is made using premium ingredients that help build your cat’s health overall. It also contains high levels of moisture that help keep your cat hydrated, especially if they don’t drink enough water. It also contains essential nutrients that boost your cat’s immunity (Veterinarians.org).”

Purina Fancy Feast Gravy Wet Cat Food Variety Pack

The Chicken Feast Senior 7+ Pate is The Pets’ pick for senior wet food because “it contains a lot of protein, which is necessary for older cats to stay mobile and active. Each piece contains the antioxidants needed to support your pet’s immune system.”