17 Best High Protein Cat Food of 2022 – Review & Top Picks

All cats want is protein to thrive. They’re obligate carnivores, meaning they should eat meat to satisfy their dietary needs.

In truth, inside the wild, they would only be consuming meat.

But, some cats want more protein than others. Mainly active cats frequently gain from higher amounts of protein because it allows them to maintain their muscle mass.

Cats with diabetes frequently want a high-protein weight loss program for management, and other cats virtually do higher on an excessive-protein weight loss program.

This article will discuss some of the best high-protein cat food available. We will also analyze a needed buying guide and other frequently asked questions.

Our 17 Best high protein cat food Brands of 2022

1. Smalls Human-Grade Fresh Bird Cat Food

The amount of protein in this food is 49.6%, one of the highest amounts of protein in industrial cat meals.

Even higher is that the most effective, 4.7% of metabolizable strength is from carbohydrates in this recipe.

The Smalls cat food is a superb preference for other motives, too. The meal is human-grade, so you can even devour it (although you will want to cook it first)!

The human-grade high-quality ensures that your cat gets the most fast food. The meals are all-natural and free from preservatives, artificial flavors, and colorations.

Even if your cat is picky, that shouldn’t be a hassle with these meals. It is available in flavors – chicken, turkey, and pork.

It is additionally available in textures: smooth and floor. Those alternatives ensure that each cat has a plate for its palette.

Even though the recipes are best for cats wanting high protein diets, this food may have a remarkable downside.

It’s very high-priced, making it much less applicable for the ones on finances.

Even though the Smalls Human-Grade freeze-dried cat food is pricier than its kibble competition in this list, it is nevertheless the great standard pick.

It includes an incredibly high amount of protein and is free from ingredients your cat doesn’t want. This makes the price well worth it for those looking for the high-quality!

Pros:

• Excessive protein
• All-natural ingredients
• Three flavors
• Textures

Cons:

• Luxurious or high priced.

2. Cat Chow Naturals Original Dry Cat Food

Cat Chow Naturals Original Dry Cat food is an excellent high-protein cat meal for the money if you’re on a strict budget. It consists of chook because of the first ingredient that’s a protein source.

But, you are sacrificing ingredients first-rate for a lower rate. An awful lot of the protein comes from the blanketed bird and elements like corn gluten and soybean meals.

These are plant-based totally substances, although they’re incredibly high in protein derivatives. Because of this, tons of the protein content probable comes from them, now not the fowl.

This meal doesn’t encompass any synthetic flavors or preservatives, and it’s also high in omega-6 fatty acids that may improve your cat’s standard health.

This meal is completely balanced and presents the whole lot that your cat needs in most cases, and it simply has some decrease-exceptional ingredients.

Pros:

• Chicken is the first ingredient
• Cheaper
• No artificial flavors or preservatives
• High in omega-6 fatty acids

Cons:

• Low-exceptional components

3. Tiki Cat Grilled Sardine High Protein Canned Cat Food

Compared to some different cat ingredients available on the market, the Tiki Cat Grill Sardine Cutlets in Lobster Consomme Canned Cat meals is our top-rated choice for excessive-protein cat meals.

It includes 11% protein, which is pretty high for canned cat meals.

A good deal of the included protein appears to return from sardines, and that’s the first element of this cat meal.

Sardines are an animal protein supply, making them an incredible option for most pussycats. Like fish, they’re also excessive in omega fatty acids, which may improve your cat’s pores and skin and coat fitness.

Omega fatty acids may help enhance arthritis signs and symptoms and protect your cat’s joints. For added fatty acids, this formula additionally includes sunflower seed oil.

This formulation has added nutrients, amino acids, and taurine. These types of elements are vital to your cat’s typical fitness.

The real lobster broth is covered instead of simply water, adding more vitamins to the broth, including omega fatty acids and protein.

It also affords greater hydration, which may potentially benefit your feline.

Pros:

• High in omega fatty acids
• Taurine added
• Actual lobster broth covered
• Sardines because the first component
• 11% crude protein

Cons:

• A piece less convenient

4. Orijen Tundra Premium Grain high protein dry cat food

 The Orijen Tundra Grain-free Dry Cat food is a fantastic alternative for cats wanting an excessive-protein food plan.

It consists of a vast range of various animal components, ranging from trout to venison. This ensures that your cat is getting all of the nutrients they need.

This meal is made mainly from animal protein assets. About 90% of these meals are animal ingredients. Therefore, you can rest confident that the substances are top-notch.

This recipe is also made without any introduced soy, corn, wheat, or tapioca. There are greens included; however, those are a long way decreased inside the ingredient listing.

This kibble’s coating is freeze-dried raw to ensure that it’s flavorful. If your cat is picky, you can discover that they are given this food faster than you’d consider.

That said, this meal is extensively more costly than many others. You’re deciding to buy those exceptional animal components, in any case.

Pros:

• 90% animal substances
• No brought soy, corn, wheat, or tapioca
• Variety of animals blanketed
• Freeze-dried coating

Cons:

• Highly-priced.

5. Instinct Raw Boost With Real Chicken Dry Cat Food

This recipe is extensively recognized for including freeze-dried, raw bites blended with kibble. This is a less expensive way for many to feature raw meals to their cat’s food regimen, though there isn’t any evidence that uncooked meals give any tremendous blessings to cats.

The primary ingredient of this meal is chicken, followed by using fowl meal. The freeze-dried bits are marketed as chicken, so this is likely why chicken is so excessive on the element list.

Turkey and menhaden fish also are included in the aspect listing.

Probiotics are protected in this method at the side of high ranges of omega fatty acids. Antioxidants are brought for immune aid.

Grains, potatoes, corn, wheat, soy, and synthetic hues are not protected.

This formulation is pretty luxurious, however. While you’re procuring the freeze-dried elements, this food doesn’t incorporate more blessings to improve your cat’s typical health.

Pros:

• Chicken protected as the first component
• Freeze-dried food bits
• Excessive omega fatty acids
• No artificial shades or preservatives

Cons:

• Costly

• Small bits of dry food in each bag.

6. American Journey Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food

This recipe is standard as a long way as cat food manufacturers move. It isn’t that pricey and has ingredients, and as an example, boneless chicken is the primary component.

Chicken meal, turkey meal, and dried egg are also included. Some of these provide the nutrients that your cat wishes to thrive.

Together, they assist in boosting the protein content to forty%, which is pretty excessive.

This meal includes amino acids like taurine. Antioxidants also are protected for immune health, as are omega fatty acids for pores and skin and coat health.

This brand is made in the United States.

However, this food does encompass peas and pea protein, although they decrease at the listing more than in other recipes.

Therefore, while these elements add plant-based protein, this probably isn’t substantial.

Pros:

• Boneless chicken because the first ingredient
• 40% protein
• Eggs and different quality ingredients covered

Cons:

• Peas and pea protein covered
• Some availability troubles

7. I and Love and You Essentials Digestive Dry Cat Food

This recipe is quite much like many other cat foods, and it has chicken because of the first component, and there are chicken and menhaden fish meals.

These elements offer quite a chunk of protein and many amino acids that your feline needs to thrive.

As the call indicates, this recipe is specially designed for digestive fitness. It consists of elements like pumpkin, which may additionally advantage cats with everyday digestive issues.

 It’s also unfastened from wheat, corn, soy, and fillers. Probiotics and prebiotics are blanketed.

That said, no longer do all cats respect the taste of these meals. In many cases, pickier cats will now not devour it in any respect.

Moreover, peas also are blanketed in high quantities, and they appear as the fourth element within the listing. Pea starch and different pea derivatives are covered too.

Pros:

• For digestive fitness
• Many meat components
• No wheat, corn, soy, or other fillers

Cons:

• No longer that tasty
• Excessive amounts of peas included.

8. Applaws Adult Complete Whitefish Recipe Dry Cat Food

This product consists of whitefish because a whitefish meal accompanies the first aspect. These components are excellent and the first-rate choice for maximum felines.

Peas and lentils are covered next. While those aren’t meat ingredients, they are blanketed somewhat low at the listing.

Therefore, it isn’t possible that considerable quantities of protein come from those elements.

That said, this food is particularly costly. You’ll pay quadruple the money for this food compared to many different foods, even the most high-priced alternatives.

While it does include a few things, that doesn’t make it worth this charge. You may find higher for cheaper.

Pros:

• Whitefish as the first ingredient
• Free from grains and potatoes
• Human-grade

Cons:

• Peas and lentils covered
• High priced

9. Purina Beyond Simply Indoor Salmon Dry Cat Food

Purina is a budget brand, and its formulation tends to be an awful lot more inexpensive than maximum others.

The Purina past simply Indoor Salmon Dry Cat meals falls into this class, though it’s extra steeply-priced than the maximum of the alternative Purina formulation accessible.

This formula has salmon as the first component. Salmon is a factor that adds lots of protein and fats, which includes omega fatty acids.

But, pea starch and pea protein are covered on the aspect list.

The practice of splitting complete components into parts to cause them to appear further down on the element list is called “component splitting.” it’s a chunk deceptive.

The pea protein and pea starch might likely seem because of the first ingredient when prepared.

Peas are pretty high in protein. Consequently, a lot of the protein protected in these meals likely comes from peas, now not salmon.

Furthermore, the price of this brand is also relatively low, and it isn’t worth the better fee, in particular in comparison to other Purina lines.

Pros:

• Salmon as the first element
• 33% protein

Cons:

• Peas blanketed in high amounts
• Low cost

10. Purina ONE Sensitive Skin & Stomach Dry Cat Food

Even as Purina is a budget brand, a number of its strains are more luxurious than others. The Purina ONE touchy skin & belly Dry Cat food is among its more outstanding, highly-priced options, though it is cheaper than other manufacturers.

This unique component is excessive in protein at 34%. However, it consists of low-pleasant parts to obtain this high protein content.

Even as turkey is the primary aspect, chook and corn gluten meals are covered excessively on the component list.

Consequently, a lot of the protein protected in this recipe isn’t precisely. For the elevated charge, this ingredient list isn’t that thrilling.

The kibble size of these meals is also minimal. This will be fantastic for a few cats, but there are reviews of cats having problems eating the meals because of the small kibble length.

Pros:

• Turkey because the first element

Cons:

• Plant-based protein at some point of
• Small kibble size
• By-products covered

11. Diamond Naturals High Protein Dry Cat Food

If you’re seeking out the fine high protein cat food for the money, then the Diamond Naturals High Protein Dry Cat meals are our suggestion.

This nutrient-wealthy dry cat food is designed for lively cats and could help them build sturdy, lean muscular tissues.

In addition to a high percentage of protein, this food also includes antioxidants and fatty acids.

We like that Diamond Naturals doesn’t contain any synthetic preservatives, colorings, or flavors, and it’s also loose from corn, wheat, and fillers.

While the Diamond Naturals excessive Protein Dry Cat meal is an excellent cash price, it misses out on our pinnacle spot because the first factor is hen meal, rather than boneless chicken.

Pros:

• Includes 40% protein
• Made with real bird
• Better with probiotics
• Suitable for all stages

Cons:

• Actual chicken is not the first factor
• Some cats don’t like the taste

12. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Dry Cat Food

We also endorse Blue Buffalo barren region excessive Protein Dry Cat meals. The primary factor of this cat food is chicken.

The components are inspired by way of the weight loss plan of the Lynx and are designed to offer your home cat the superior blend of protein, complicated carbohydrates, and fat to hold them inside the first rate of health.

It also includes Blue Buffalo LifeSource Bits. These encompass a carefully blended mixture of nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants designed to support your cat’s immune machine and ordinary health.

This food is designed to help your cat increase and maintain its quality of health.

Pros:

• Available in three bag sizes
• Carries forty% protein
• Actual chicken as the first element
• Grain free

Cons:

• It’s miles high priced
• Too rich for a few cats

13. CRAVE High Protein Dry Cat Food

With chicken as the first ingredient, CRAVE excessive Protein Dry Cat food consists of 40% protein to offer indoor cats all of the nutrients they require, an excellent way to lead wholesome lives.

At the same time, as it does additionally comprise chook meal, it’s thankfully free from chicken through-brand. You furthermore may see soy protein, corn, or wheat on the elements listing.

Even higher, it’s free from synthetic preservatives, colorations, and flavors. The foundation behind this method is presenting your cat with a weight loss plan comparable to their ancestral food plan while using natural resources of sufficient carbohydrates to support their digestive and immune systems.

It’s also to be had in a kitten model in case you need to begin your cat on this from the beginning.

Pros:

• Soy and grain free
• Includes 40% protein

Cons:

• Consists of chook meal
• A few ingredients from outside the united states of America.

14. Natural Balance LID. High Protein Dry Cat Food

LID. It stands for the limited component food plan, making the natural stability LID. High Protein Dry Cat food is an excellent choice for cats with hypersensitive reactions or food sensitivities.

This dry cat meal makes it less difficult to manipulate this type of difficulty by using more accessible components with fewer components than many different manufacturers of high protein cat meals.

The natural balance of high-protein kitten food isn’t encouraged for kittens, so you’d be better off selecting a distinct brand if you’re trying to start your kitten or young cat onto an excessive protein weight loss plan.

Pros:

• Includes 37% protein
• Protection tested

Cons:

• Expensive
• Crumbly components
• Small kibble shape
• Not appropriate for kittens

15. Taste of the Wild High Protein Premium Dry Cat Food

If you’re searching for high-protein cat food with a slightly specific taste profile for your fussy cat, the Wild High Protein premium Dry Cat food taste might simply tick all their bins.

This formula used a blend of roasted venison and smoked salmon to provide a flavor your cat will love.

It’s well worth bearing in thought, even though, that the primary factor listed is chook meal, so that’s where the general public of the protein percentage will be coming from.

It does have any excessive protein content material, coming in at 42%, higher than the maximum of other brands we reviewed.

Pros:

• Appetizing taste
• Makes use of sustainable elements

Cons:

• Chicken meal as the first ingredient
• Contains fish meal
• Small kibble size

16. Solid Gold High Protein Holistic Dry Cat Food

The Solid Gold high Protein Holistic Cat food is a fantastic preference if you’re searching out a formulation that may be used for all existence ranging from kitten to senior.

It contains real chicken or fish because the first ingredient, the protein content of this dry cat meal, is an outstanding 42%.

The whole egg is added to provide a blend of amino acids, which can be essential for the health of your cat’s coat.

It also incorporates a blend of proprietary probiotics that help your cat obtain and hold the most excellent health via their complete digestive device.

The company has over forty years’ experience crafting holistic pet ingredients designed to deliver the first-class in your cat.

You may be confident that this dry cat food has been formulated with care and expertise.

Pros:

• Consists of 42% protein
• Grain-free

Cons:

• The egg content material may additionally motivate allergic reactions for some cats
• Pricey
• Small kibble size.

17. Smalls Human Grade Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food

Our desire for the general, excessive-protein cat food is Smalls Human Grade Freeze Dried raw: other chicken components.

The protein source of this eating regimen is human-grade turkey thighs, with actual vegetables and all of the essential vitamins and minerals included.

Imagine your cat sharing your Thanksgiving turkey, if you may—it’s the equal satisfactory meat! This food plan is also grain-loose and preservative-free.

The food is the handiest to be had online through a subscription plan and is, as you might assume, based totally on the satisfaction of the ingredients, better priced than others on our list.

They were based totally on the many rave reviews we observed. However, most cat owners don’t think paying a touch more significantly keeps their cats happy and healthy, and the cats also seem to love this recipe.

This food is extraordinarily digestible, making it a fantastic choice for cats with tummy problems.

All in all, we suppose that is the exceptional high-protein cat food of 2022.

Pros:

• Made with human-grade components
• Includes 49% crude protein from natural meat ingredients
• Grain-loose and preservative-unfastened
• No artificial flavors or shades

Cons:

• It’s greater costly than kibble
• Too rich for a few cats 

Buying guide

There are infinite reasons you will be interested in getting high-protein cat food, and these will affect your choice of which food is best for your feline.

In this segment, we move over all of the elements you can want to don’t forget while deciding on cat meals.

You must choose one that suits your cat’s desires and price range.

Source of Protein:

While looking for excessive-protein cat food, you will run into many formulations filled with low-nice, plant-based total proteins.

Even as those proteins aren’t always awful, cats frequently have difficulty soaking up plant-primarily based nutrients.

Lots of those don’t contain all of the amino acids that your cat wishes to thrive, which can cause deficiencies.

If you need your feline to consume a high-protein weight-reduction plan, you’ll get the maximum out of complete proteins.

These include meats, eggs, poultry, and similar ingredients. They are “whole” in that they encompass all the essential amino acids that cats want.

Therefore, you have to select food that includes meat and other animal-derived components ideally.

Soy is technically a complete protein, but it can be saturated in pesticides and need to be avoided if viable.

Cat food rates:

Cat foods can range drastically in rate. Some meals are costly, while others are pretty reasonably priced.

You need to select the excellent cat food that you can find that still suits your budget.

When you have a fairly strict budget, you’ll regularly want to cut a few corners to discover suitable food. Typically, we advocate keeping off novels and high-priced proteins, like bison and similar components.

Instead, you should aim for chook, pork, and other not unusual proteins. It doesn’t count what kind of animal meat your cat eats until they have allergies.

You can save pretty much money by deciding on a more not unusual protein supply.

A few manufacturers price more simply due to their brand name. Purina tends to fee much less however has first-rate formulation, for example.

Blue Buffalo is often pretty high-priced however doesn’t usually offer many benefits over less-expensive ingredients.

Added benefits:

If specific fitness issues strike your cat, you may want to prioritize meals that can help with these concerns.

For example, many obese cats have diabetes, which makes a high-protein eating regimen appropriate.

In addition, many obese cats additionally have joint problems. Omega fatty acids are extraordinarily useful in this example.

These are usually delivered to many high-protein cat ingredients.

Cat lifestyle:

Much like people, cats have exclusive needs depending on their lifestyle level. Kittens need different nutrition from adults, for instance, because they’re developing and growing.

Senior cats will frequently take advantage of a few extra added vitamins, like omega fatty acids. However, healthful seniors may not need any more nutrients!

It usually simply relies upon how old your cat is.

Consequently, you need to pick your cat’s meals in step with their existing degree. Kittens must be fed kitten meals for so long as they may be developing.

One-of-a-kind breeds grow at one of a kind fee so that some cats will want kitten meals longer than others.

Conclusion – What is our highest protein food for cats?

We distinctly advise Smalls Human-Grade clean bird for its healthful list of substances and various textures for lots of cats. Every choice is an excellent supply of protein and presents the proper nutrients cats require.

We recommend Cat Chow Naturals authentic Dry Cat meals if you’re on a strict budget. This meal is high in protein and includes chook as the first factor.

The Tiki Cat Bora Bora Grill Sardine Cutlets in Lobster Consomme Canned Cat food is a solid 0.33 choice.

This canned cat food is quite excessive in protein, which comes from animal-based total resources. Plus, its high moisture content is beneficial for plenty of cats.

This means your pick-out must rely upon what your cat desires. Some cats would require specific substances, like omega fatty acids.

We hope that our articles have helped you decide on the appropriate high-protein cat food for your cat.

Also Read

Best High Protein Low Carb Cat Food

High Calorie Cat Food For Weight Gain & Senior Cats

Best High Protein Wet Cat Food – Is Your Cat Need?

Best High Calorie Cat Food For Senior Cats