The diets of indoor and outside cats are subtly however importantly totally different. Many outside cats complement their human-sourced meals with small rodents and birds. But you must feed your indoor cat a particular, nutritionally full weight-reduction plan, oftentimes combining dry meals and moist meals.
Want to be sure you get the best kind of meals to your indoor grownup cat, young cat, or senior cat? Here’s what you’ll discover in high-quality pet meals:
- Enough nutritional vitamins and minerals to satisfy the dietary wants of your cat
- High-quality protein as the primary ingredient. Cats are obligate carnivores, so that they want amino acids like taurine and animal protein.
- Kitten meals ought to have additional nutritional vitamins to facilitate muscle progress and mind improvement
- Food for older cats must also have additional nutritional vitamins. This will be certain that your indoor kitty lives an extended life — all the time a very good factor for pet house owners!
- A restricted ingredient listing with no synthetic flavors. The finest dry cat meals and moist cat meals manufacturers have natural elements to facilitate cat well being and make your cat’s weight-reduction plan well-rounded.
- Nutritional content material that meets requirements set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
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Read on to be taught extra about the perfect cat meals for indoor cats you should buy all through 2023.
1. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein, Natural Adult Indoor Hairball & Weight Control Dry Cat Food
Best for: Weight management
Key specs: Five-pound bag, rooster taste
Blue Buffalo’s cat meals is a strong alternative for indoor cats, who typically have much less exercise in comparison with outside cats. You can depend on this for weight management, significantly in case your veterinarian recommends that your cat lose just a few kilos to remain wholesome.
Pros
You would possibly like this cat meals for indoor cats for quite a lot of necessary causes:
- Excellent choice for weight problems prevention due to its excessive protein components, which comes supplemented by antioxidants, nutritional vitamins, and minerals
- Ingredients chosen by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists
- Doens’t include rooster meal or by-products, corn, wheat, or soy
- Good for hairball elimination
- Helps cats build lean muscle mass due to its rooster content material
Cons
However, this additionally may not be the best indoor cat meals for you on account of one notable flaw — this meals doesn’t provide the perfect worth, as you solely get 5 kilos of meals for about $30.
2. Royal Canin Indoor Adult Dry Cat Food
Best for: Overall diet
Key specs: Seven-pound bag, a number of flavors
Maybe your cat wants dietary help from its indoor meals. This indoor grownup dry cat meals has loads of nutritional vitamins and minerals to help with dental well being, weight administration, and digestive well being.
Pros
Check out these huge advantages of this indoor cat meals:
- Highly digestible protein content material to extend digestive system well being, plus assist with hairball upkeep
- Excellent decide for weight reduction, because it permits cat house owners to manage energy consumed
- Formulated for indoor cats aged one yr to seven years
- Specialized kibble and important minerals to decelerate tartar formation (a significant concern as a result of dental work with cats tends to be costly as a result of necessity of sedation)
Cons
Don’t overlook to think about the downsides earlier than placing your money on the road:
- A bit expensive, although nonetheless worthwhile given the wide selection of medicinal and well being advantages you may count on
- Variety flavors is usually a little complicated to your cat if they’re used to at least one dry meals taste
3. Hill’s Science Diet Dry Cat Food, Adult 7+ for Senior Cats, Indoor
Best for: Senior cats
Key specs: 15.5-pound bag, rooster taste
Senior cats have particular dietary necessities in comparison with grownup cats or kittens. This weight-reduction plan dry cat meals is nice for indoor senior cats who need assistance sustaining their weight and who require additional digestive help. The pure fibers included on this cat meals components get the job finished.
Pros
There’s loads to understand about this indoor cat meals choice:
- The finest cat meals for indoor senior cats due to its dietary composition
- Made with 100% pure elements within the United States, so that you don’t want to fret about dangerous compounds
- Recommended by many veterinarians
- Features pure fibers to assist your senior cat digest meals healthily and cut back litter messes
- Provides very important vitamins to make sure that your senior cat has sufficient power to keep up excessive exercise ranges.
Cons
That mentioned, it’s not the perfect cat meals for cats of all ages:
- Not meant for cats beneath the age of seven, limiting use circumstances
- Only available in a single taste, so in case your cat doesn’t like rooster, you’ll must look elsewhere
4. IAMS PROACTIVE HEALTH Adult Indoor Weight Control & Hairball Care Dry Cat Food with Chicken & Turkey Cat Kibble
Best for: Hairball prevention
Key specs: 22-pound bag, rooster taste
No one likes to choose up hairballs. This is the perfect cat meals for indoor cats who’ve bother with frequent hairballs — and their house owners. It provides glorious dietary content material and good fiber blends that may make your cat more healthy and happier.
Pros
Should you select this indoor cat meals, you would possibly see the next advantages:
- Chicken is the primary and first ingredient on this nutrient-rich choice
- Features elements like l-carnitine, which might cut back fats and build a wholesome metabolism
- Tailored and proprietary fiber mix, which incorporates beet pulp, helps your cat keep away from or cross hairballs shortly
- Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids guarantee wholesome fur upkeep and formation
- Tons of worth for money, as you get 22 kilos of meals for lower than $40
Cons
On the opposite hand, you may additionally see the next downsides if you happen to select this cat meals:
- Pellet dimension is likely to be just a little small to your cat, relying on what they’re used to
- Only available in a single taste
5. Purina ONE Natural, Low Fat, Weight Control, Indoor Dry Cat Food, +Plus Indoor Advantage
Best for: Immune system help
Key specs: 16-pound bag, turkey taste
The healthiest cats are these with sturdy immune techniques. The Purina ONE Natural cat meals is a superb indoor cat meals answer if you wish to ensure that your cat stays wholesome for a very long time. On high of that, it’s a reasonably sensible choice for weight-reduction plan cats, because it comes with rather less fats content material in comparison with alternate options.
Pros
There are loads of huge advantages related to this indoor cat meals choice:
- The finest cat meals for indoor cats who require immune system help due to antioxidants, nutritional vitamins, and minerals. The 4 totally different antioxidants assist your cat resist feline ailments.
- Real turkey is the primary ingredient, giving your cat the vitamins they should build up lean muscle and preserve a wholesome coronary heart
- 10% much less fats in comparison with competing manufacturers, so it is likely to be a sensible choice in case your cat is just a little obese
- Helps to attenuate hairballs
- Appropriate for cats in all life phases, not simply young or senior cats
- Reasonably good worth for money
Cons
In addition, there’s just one draw back you want to remember before you purchase:
- Contains a lot protein that in case your cat dietary supplements their meals with different protein sources, it would find yourself being just a little an excessive amount of
6. “I and love and you” Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food, Indoor Health Chicken and Turkey Recipe
Best for: Digestive help
Key specs: 3.4-pound bag, rooster and turkey taste
Some cats have delicate stomachs, so it is likely to be a smart option to get them indoor cat meals centered on digestive help. On high of that, it’s fairly tasty for many kitties.
Pros
Check out the numerous benefits of selecting this indoor cat meals over alternate options:
- Promotes digestive help due to the inclusion of prebiotics and probiotics, each of which assist your cat digest simply
- Features many different wholesome non-GMO elements and protein
- No wheat, rice, soy, oats, or corn, so it’s an ideal alternative for cat mother and father who need to feed their kitties solely meat and protein
- Poultry is the primary ingredient
- Chicken and turkey used on this dry indoor cat meals comes from farms within the United States
Cons
But before you purchase, ensure that to think about these disadvantages so you already know you’re getting the best meals choice:
- A bit expensive, as you solely get 3.4 kilos of meals to your buy
- Requires a fragile transition out of your cat’s present meals if you wish to keep away from abdomen upsets
7. Reveal Natural Wet Cat Food
Best for: Cat hydration
Key specs: 12 pack of two.47-ounce cans, rooster taste
Many cats don’t drink as a lot water as they need to, preferring to get their every day hydration from their meals. If that describes your cat, this pure moist cat meals may very well be simply what they want. On high of that, it’s tasty, nutritious, and doesn’t include any fillers or synthetic preservatives you could fear about.
Pros
This is likely to be the best indoor cat meals to your feline buddy if the beneath advantages communicate to you:
- Available in three flavors relying in your preferences
- No synthetic preservatives, colours, or flavors
- Can be used as a complement to indoor dry cat meals
- Cans are comparatively simple to open and could be recycled
Cons
This cat meals choice might have just a few downsides, although:
- Must be consumed along side dry meals, so that you want a number of purchases to your cat meals
- Have to buy every taste by itself if you wish to present your cat with selection
8. CRAVE Grain Free Indoor Adult High Protein Natural Dry Cat Food
Best for: Muscle improvement
Key specs: 10-pound bag, rooster and salmon taste
As pure hunters, cats ought to have good muscle improvement. You can help muscle improvement by offering them with a protein-packed indoor cat meals answer, like this feature. Even higher, it doesn’t include any unnatural preservatives, colorings, or different doubtlessly dangerous chemical compounds.
Pros
Many pet mother and father and felines love this indoor cat meals for quite a lot of key causes:
- An superb cat meals for indoor cats that must develop muscle, significantly in adolescence (after one yr of age)
- Features actual rooster and salmon as the highest elements to supply a protein-rich weight-reduction plan
- Essential vitamins to assist with digestion and help the immune system
- No soy, corn, or wheat, so it’s nice for cats with delicate stomachs
- Provides an entire and balanced weight-reduction plan, so moist meals is just not required
Cons
However, you may additionally discover that it’s not the best alternative for you as a result of following downsides:
- Value for money is middling, as you get 10 kilos of meals for just a little beneath $40
- Low moisture content material, so that you’ll want to ensure your cat will get their water from one other supply
9. NUTRO WHOLESOME ESSENTIALS Natural Dry Cat Food
Best for: Fur well being
Key specs: Five-pound bag, rooster taste
Want to maintain your cat’s fur easy and delicate? This pure dry cat meals is tasty, filling, and nutritious, whereas additionally containing the precise nutritional vitamins and minerals your feline must develop wholesome hair for years. It’s a wonderful alternative for weight management, too, so contemplate it in case your cat is just a little chunky.
Pros
You would possibly discover that this pure dry cat meals is best for you due to the beneath advantages:
- The finest cat meals for indoor cats whose fur wants just a little help, because it comes with non-GMO elements, nutritional vitamins, and minerals
- Omega-6 fatty acids help wholesome pores and skin and coat formation, serving to your cat’s fur really feel delicate
- Promotes wholesome weight and has pure fibers to facilitate good digestion
- Can be bought particularly for cats with delicate digestion, relying in your wants
Cons
Even so, there are some negatives to think about earlier than spending money on this indoor cat meals choice:
- A bit dearer — you get a five-pound bag for over $20
- Contains brown rice, which you will not need if you could management your cat’s carbohydrate consumption
10. Solid Gold Indoor Dry Cat Food – Let’s Stay in Cat Food Dry Kibble for Indoor Cats
Best for: Sensitive stomachs
Key specs: Three-pound bag, salmon taste
Many indoor cats have extra delicate stomachs in comparison with their outside counterparts on account of their restricted diets. You may help your kitty overcome this draw back with Solid Gold Indoor Dry Cat Food, which comes filled with loads of nutritional vitamins and minerals for immune system help and digestive help. On high of that, your cat can eat it at any stage of life.
Pros
This is a favourite indoor cat meals for good purpose (or, somewhat, a number of causes):
- Prebiotics and reside probiotics help intestine flora and digestion
- Immune system help due to fatty acids, antioxidants, and different nutritional vitamins and minerals
- Superfoods like pumpkin, almonds, and broccoli assist to advertise hairball management
- Ideal for cats in all life phases
- Flavor varieties are fashionable, however you must select between rooster or salmon, not each
Cons
However, there are additionally some negatives you would possibly encounter if you happen to select this cat meals over totally different indoor cat meals manufacturers:
- Pricier than common, with a three-pound bag costing almost $20
- Contains compounds that aren’t meat or protein-based, which you will or might not need to your cat
11. Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Premium Natural Dry Cat Food
Best for: Fresh taste
Key specs: 14-pound bag, rooster and salmon taste
Is your cat a choosy eater? They would possibly simply want an indoor cat meals with particular flavors. That’s the place this feature is available in. It has full dietary content material to your kitty and a few of the most scrumptious flavors available on the market, akin to lentil, salmon, and rooster blends. Choose this in case your cat will solely accept the perfect of the perfect.
Pros
You would possibly discover that that is the perfect indoor cat meals to your feline, thanks to those main advantages:
- Good worth for money, given the dimensions of the bag and the value of the acquisition
- Has recent, extremely enticing flavors for cats, so it may very well be a sensible choice for choosy eaters who need one thing that tastes actually good
- Available in a number of bag sizes relying on how a lot you want
- Real poultry or fish is the first protein supply
- No extra wheat, soy, filler merchandise, or protein by-products
- Dry kibble is simple to chew and swallow, so it may very well be a sensible choice in case your cat has damaged tooth or different dental issues
Cons
That mentioned, keep in mind this one con so that you aren’t stunned if you happen to aren’t in a position to get precisely the flavour your kitty prefers:
- Limited availability for sure flavors, so that you’ll must plan forward and be sure you buy sufficient meals to your cat whereas it’s nonetheless plentiful
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, these cat meals choices for indoor cats may very well be simply what you could help your cat’s total well being. For occasion, the Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Premium Natural Dry Cat Food is meals for choosy eaters, whereas the Reveal Natural Wet Cat Food is a superb alternative if you wish to ensure that your cat will get sufficient moisture all through the day.
Be positive to talk to your veterinarian about what your cat wants and the way you need to alter their weight-reduction plan if you happen to plan on making the change. Cats are fairly delicate, in spite of everything!
Sources:
Bridget Reed is the Vice President of Owned Media & Content at GR0, an omnichannel digital advertising and marketing company that has been serving a wealth of industries since 2020. Bridget’s experience is rooted in results-driven content material manufacturing, with a ardour for producing high-quality, informational articles that serve useful insights to customers. Through the years, Bridget has labored with trade thought-leaders spanning the business, well being, wellness, parenting, and tech industries, and brings this breadth of expertise straight into the content material she produces. McClatchy’s newsrooms weren’t concerned within the creation of this content material. We might earn a fee if you happen to make a purchase order by means of one in all our hyperlinks.
