How do I choose the best grain-free wet cat food for my cat?

Wellness, Weruva and Royal Canin are all good choices. When it comes to a canned food, look for one with a named protein source of animal (not plant) origin. Choose a food that comes from the can looking like a hockey puck. Avoid foods with gravies or sauces. These are typically higher in carbs which can predispose a cat to obesity. Avoid meat meals, by-products as well as store or discount brands. These latter two contain low quality ingredients and more fillers.

Great question! I actually recommend a food with grains in it. Grains are good for cats, and they provide a lasting source of energy and fuel. Grain free is a marketing ploy and fad, and there is no proof at all that grains are bad for cats. Having a diet with grains in it will provide Kitty with more fuel for his high energy life. Brands I recommend including Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, or Iams. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

This last decade has brought an incredible amount of new products to the shelves and I know it must be daunting and very confusing to consumers. Unfortunately, most information about these foods comes from the pet store employee or an equally unqualified source on the internet. It's very wise of you to ask an expert. The truth about most of these foods is that their claims usually amount to nothing more than that of a fad diet (i.e. paleo or atkins) and are not supported by sufficient evidence (even though they will make it sound like it is). As scientifically trained practitioners, us vets prefer to offer evidenced based treatment and the same goes for feeding suggestions. Wet food will encourage water intake and may make the stools more soft, but does not cause diarrhea. Lightly cooked, grain-free, natural, etc. are really just marketing gimmicks meant to increase sales. They mean essentially nothing and normally do not have any good evidence to back their claims. The most important thing on that bag is a tiny bit of writing under the guaranteed analysis called the AAFCO statement. This statement tells you what actual research went into making the product. Below is a link to an article that will help explain this more and give some other info about feeding your cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-look-for-when-choosing-your-pet-s-food/ High protein is nice and all of the foods with an AAFCO statement have the minimum necessary amount of protein (around 30%) in the diet. More importantly, they will have ensured the necessary amino acids are in the correct quantity. I know the answer may still be somewhat vague, but if you stick to the basic principles of choosing the right food, then you should be successful in feeding a good and nutritious food to your cats. Below is a link to another helpful resource with good information about pet foods. https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/ucm047113.htm I hope that helps and all is well for your cats.

Brands I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. The first three brands are a little pricier, but they are very high quality. Iams is also high quality, but it's at a more reasonable price. If you are looking at a supermarket brand of wet cat food, I recommend Purina. I hope this helps!

Usually dry food is high in carbs, and wet (canned ) food for cats is low carb. Best commercial wet foods for cats in my opinion are Fancy Feast, and foods from companies such as Hill's Science diet, or Royal Canine. Friskies appears to be good also.

If you ask 100 vets, 100 dog owners, 100 pet store employees you are going to get 300 different answers. It is personal preference and experience with certain brands. There are regular diets, prescription diets, organic diets, grain free diets, weight loss diets, diets for working dogs, etc. What are actually trying to determine? What, for you, is considered "best"? A diet with organic ingredients, an inexpensive diet, a diet with no grains?? I would give a different list for someone who wants their dog to lose weight versus someone who uses their dog for working or shows or someone who wants to feed an organic diet. Any list you get from any of the experts on this forum is just going to be personal preference. So, if you want to post again with more specifics we can try to help you better.

Science diet and Purina have very good cat formulas for cats. I would find one that is appropriate for your cats age and health status. For example, they make a hairball formula if that is problem or an over weight formula if weight loss is needed there is no benefit of feeding dry over canned, so it is personal preference for that.