The best dry food is an excellent option for cats, and it’s relatively inexpensive, handy, and easy to store. Some cats have trouble chewing hard, dry foods. Kittens with developing teeth, seniors that have lost a few teeth or have gum issues, or even just cats with dental problems, in general, can benefit significantly from soft dry cat food which is more delicious than usual.
Cats are obligate carnivores, so they need a high percentage of animal-based protein in their diet. Soft dry foods have the usual balanced nutrient content, a slightly higher moisture content, and preferably, a soft, chewy center.
Some dry foods are purposefully formulated to be softer and more tender. Other foods made to digest or prepared for seniors are great options if you look for a more delicate food for your feline.
It is tough to sift through all the available dry food options for your cat, and we’re here to help! This article puts together our 15 soft dry cat foods for kittens, cats, and senior cats, complete with in-depth reviews, to help you choose the best option for your feline friend. Let’s dive in!
Top 5 Soft Dry Food For kittens
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food Review – Best Soft Overall
The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten Dry Food is grain-free, contains chicken as the first ingredient, and is our best choice of dry kitten food overall. The high-protein kibbles are best for growing kittens, and it has 40% crude protein, which is perfect for growing and developing muscles.
The food also contains taurine to aid in healthy brain and heart function. It contains essential omega fatty acids to help overall health and promote a healthy coat and skin. It also includes “Lifesource Bites,” a potent blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that will help support and establish a healthy immune system in your kitten. Lastly, the food is free of meat by-products and artificial flavors.
It’s hard to fault this food, although some customers have reported that it also caused nausea and vomiting in their kittens.
Pros:
- It contains chicken as the first ingredient
- Contains taurine
- Includes essential omega fatty acids
- Added LifeSource bits
- Free from meat by-products and artificial flavors
Cons:
- Some finicky kittens don’t like to eat
- Kibbles are very small
- May cause nausea and vomiting
Kitten Chow Nurture Muscle & Brain Dry Cat Food — Best Value
If you are searching for the best kitten food that is soft at an affordable price, your search ends here. You can give your kitty Kitten Chow Nurture Muscle & Brain Dry Cat Food. The food contains real, farm-raised chicken and provides food with a protein content of 40% overall, aiding in the growth of your kitten’s developing muscles.
The included DHA fatty acids and taurine will help support your kitten’s vision and brain development. The food also contains essential antioxidants that will aid in immune function. The best part is that the food is free from artificial colors and flavors. This food has chicken by-products and corn listed in the top three ingredients and several other grains in the recipe.
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Contains farm-raised chicken
- Included DHA fatty acids and taurine
- Added antioxidants
- Free from artificial colors and flavors
Cons:
- Contains chicken by-products
- Corn in the top three ingredients
Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Chicken Dry Cat Food — Premium Choice
If you are looking for premium soft dry food for your growing kitten, the Hills Science Diet Kitten recipe is a perfect choice. The formula is formulated with natural, high-quality ingredients that are highly digestible and deliciously palatable. The food is made with real chicken (the first ingredients listed) for a healthy protein source to help your kitten’s muscle development.
It also contains natural DHA from included fish oil to support healthy eye and brain development and a powerful antioxidant and vitamin blend that will help develop and maintain your kitten’s immune system. This food USA is made in and free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. The food is expensive, and the kibble is quite large, making it difficult for some kittens to eat.
Pros:
- Made with real chicken
- Contains natural DHA
- Prepared with high-quality ingredients
- Added antioxidants and vitamin blend
- Free from added components
- Made in the USA
- Support in eye and brain development
Cons:
- Expensive
- Large Kibbles
Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Formula Dry Cat Food
This dry kitten food from Purina One includes real chicken, which is the first ingredient to help your kitten develop strong muscles in its development. The DHA – a nutrient found in breast milk – will aid brain and vision development. The recipe consists of healthy vegetables like carrots and peas to enhance this development further.
With four different antioxidant sources, including vitamins A and E, your kitten’s immune system will get the support it needs to function correctly. The recipe also includes vitamins and minerals such as calcium to aid overall health and wellness.
The food is manufactured in the United States and does not contain artificial flavors or preservatives. Unfortunately, this food includes some less-than-ideal ingredients, including corn, wheat, and by-products, none ideal for a kitten’s development.
Pros:
- content contains chicken as the first ingredient
- Included DHA
- Packed with healthy vegetables
- Added natural antioxidants
- Free from artificial flavors or preservatives
Cons:
- Contains corn
- Include wheat
- Have meat by-products
American Journey Kitten Chicken Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
The American Journey Dry Kitten Food is specially formulated for growing kittens and contains real chicken to give your kitten the animal-based protein they need for optimal muscle development. The food comprises DHA and ARAs to aid brain and eye development and essential omega fatty acids for a healthy coat and skin.
It’s also packed with nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, including spinach, pumpkin, apples, and blueberries, containing powerful antioxidants that aid in immune support. You can rest assured that the food is free of artificial colors, preservatives, and flavorings.
However, this food is comparatively expensive, almost twice the price of other typical dry kitten food. In addition, several customers reported that their kittens would not eat it because it had a pungent odor.
Pros:
- Real chicken is the first listed ingredient
- It contains DHA and ARA
- Packed with nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables
- Includes natural antioxidants
- Free from artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors
Cons:
- Expensive
- Strong-smelling
Top 5 Soft Dry Food For Cats
Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend with Real Chicken
The best soft dry cat food available is Purina One Tender Select Blend with Real Chicken Dry Cat Food by Purina One. This vet-recommended formula is made with high-quality ingredients and 12% max moisture content.
Every cup is loaded with deliciously crunchy bites and meaty, tender morsels rich in omega-6 fatty acids and protein. Real chicken is its first ingredient that supports healthy muscles and energy. The ingredients used in the recipe provide essential vitamins, minerals, and taurine for overall health, skin, and coat.
In addition, there are no artificial additives in the formula, but white rice is used as a filler. Plus, it’s available in various sizes (3.5-lb, 7-lb, 16-lb, and 22-lb bags), giving you the option to see if your cat will like it or to secure stock. Will choose the bigger pack.
Pros:
- It contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Made with natural ingredients, including carrots and peas
- Most cats like this flavor
- Available in several packages
- More affordable
- Promotes immune health, skin, and radiant coat
- kibble help whiten the cat’s teeth and reduce plaque buildup
Cons:
- It’s not ideal for free-feeding cats.
Meow Mix Tender Centers Salmon & White Meat Chicken
Meow Mix Tender Center Salmon and White Meat Chicken Dry Cat Food is another great option if you’re looking for the best choice for your feline friend. Even finicky cats savor the delicious flavor of this pet food, thanks to its white meat, chicken, and salmon flavor.
It also contains wheat and ground corn as fillers and essential vitamins and minerals for optimum health. With 12% max moisture, this dry cat food is crunchy on the outside but soft and supple inside – a feature your adult or senior cats will surely appreciate.
Meow Mix Tender Centers give your felines 100% complete and balanced nutrition with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. This nutritious meal will keep her licking her chops and keeping them in top shape and landing.
Pros:
- It contains two textures and two flavors, all in one bag.
- The price is low.
- Best suitable for adult cats
- 100% complete and balanced meal
- Made in the USA.
- Other flavors are available.
Cons:
- With grains
- Size options are limited to 3-lb and 13.5-lb bags only.
Iams ProActive Health High Protein Chicken & Salmon Recipe
If you’re a pet owner looking for the best option for your cat, a brand to consider is Iams ProActive Health High Protein Chicken and Salmon Recipe Dry Cat Food. Real chicken is the first ingredient in this high-protein cat kibble to support strong muscles and provide healthy energy for play.
The high concentration of high-quality protein helps maintain muscle mass and nourishes heart health. Veterinarians and cat parents rely on this high-protein cat food that uses chicken and salmon as the primary protein sources for your cat’s strong and lean muscles.
It does not contain soy, dyes, or artificial flavors, so you can be sure that your kitten will get the nutritious cat food he needs.
Pros:
- Features a fiber blend with prebiotics
- Beet pulp to maximize nutrient absorption.
- It contains real chicken as the main ingredient.
- High-protein formula with essential minerals and fatty acids.
- The procedure has no added components
- Ideal for adult cats.
- Budget-friendly.
Cons:
- Not considered grain-free because the formula contains Brewers dried yeast
Fancy Feast Gourmet Savory Chicken & Turkey
Fancy Feast Gourmet Savory Chicken and Turkey Dry Cat Food is another well-loved food by many cat parents for their cats. This cat food provides mouthwatering flavor and crunchy texture while providing essential vitamins and minerals to support cats’ digestive systems and overall health.
It provides a 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced meal for cats with essential nutrients in every bite. These kibbles are morsels made with real turkey and chicken for a mouthwatering, meaty flavor your cat will love.
Pros:
- High in protein and amino acids to strengthen your feline’s muscles.
- Features crunchy kitty kibbles that many cats, and picky eaters, enjoy.
- 100% nutritionally balanced
- High-quality recipe
- It helps your cat support its overall health
Cons:
- Not ideal for cats with allergies as the formula is not grain-free.
- More expensive than other adult dry cat food from other brands.
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Variety Pack
Although technically classified as wet food in the pet food market, we have also included Veruva Cats in the Kitchen Variety Pack Grain-Free Cat Food Pouches as one of the best soft cat foods.
The Soft Cat Food Variety Pack features gourmet dishes made from high-quality ingredients and high protein content that your feline friend will surely love. Kitchn’s soft foods provide cats with various protein sources, including tuna loins, white breast chicken, duck, salmon, mackerel, and lean beef cuts.
The dishes are delicious and flavorful and packed with sunflower oil, vitamins, and minerals for a healthy digestive system and optimum health.
Pros:
- Features textures chunk in gravy
- The pouch type packaging is easy to serve
- Great for allergic cats
- Grain-free recipe
- High-moisture content
Cons:
- Low crude protein content than other brands
Top – 5 Soft Dry Food for Senior Cats
Stella & Chewy’s Duck Duck Goose Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food
Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Morsels are the best overall soft dry food for senior cats recommendation is Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Morsels. As a freeze-dried raw food, the texture is more delicate than hard kibble, and you can add water to make it even softer.
Cats of all types can enjoy soft dry food, from healthy ones that just love the texture to those with dental or chewing problems. And that’s undoubtedly true with Stella and Chewy. So many reviewers love it because it improves fur and digestion and puts a spring back in the step of eating their old or sick cat.
Each batch of freeze-dried, raw morsels is made from 98 percent organic meat, organs, and bone. At the same time, Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Morsels provide complete nutrition for cats at all stages of life and raw, concentrated food that helps with vitality, teeth, skin, and a healthy immune system.
It is a minimally processed cat food made in small batches, and they also add probiotics to the mix to help with digestion. This brand is one of the best freeze-dried cat foods, as it is a nutrient-dense, low-grain food with no fillers that can help cats stay fit and lean.
Pros:
- Softer than dry kibbles
- Firm and chewy texture
- Meat, organs, ground bones for species-specific eating
- No grains and added preservatives
- Limited ingredient
- High protein
Cons:
- Expensive
- Raw could be a significant change for cats used in mainstream mixes.
Iams ProActive Health Healthy Senior Dry Cat Food
IAMS Proactive Health Healthy Senior Dry Cat Food with Chicken Cat Kibble, perfect for cat parents with an elderly cat. This soft cat food offers a smooth and easy-to-chew texture and savory taste specially formulated for senior cats with weak or no teeth.
It includes chicken, dried eggs, chicken by-products as a primary source of protein, and whole grains and beet pulp to improve digestion. This food also contains many vitamins and minerals, chicken oil, and fish oil.
Essential nutrients like calcium and phosphorus nourish solid bones and joints, while vitamin E and antioxidants help your senior kitty boost his immune system.
Pros:
- The formula is recommended for cats older than 11 yrs.
- It offers crunchy kibble pieces that taste great and help against plaque buildup.
- Many cats love the flavor of this food.
- It contains essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
- L-carnitine to help cats maintain a healthy weight
Cons:
- Low in protein compared to other popular brands.
- It May cause diarrhea and weight loss for some cats.
Hill’s Science Diet Adult 11+ Indoor Chicken Recipe
The Hills Science Diet Adult 11+ Indoor Chicken Recipe soft dry cat food is specially formulated for senior indoor cats. The formula is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients for strong immunity and complete, balanced nutrition.
It also contains natural fiber, reducing hairballs and promoting good digestive health. If you’re still looking for soft dry foods that your cat will love, this one from Hills Science is an excellent start because it’s available in two sizes (3.5-lb bag and 7-lb bag).
You have the option of buying a smaller bag first and seeing if your senior cat will like its texture, smell, and taste.
Pros:
- Ideal for senior cats
- Contains antioxidant blend
- Includes meat as the first ingredient
- High protein
- Highly digestible and flavorful
- Complete and balanced nutrition
- Made with high-quality, natural ingredients
- Best for seniors who have digestive issues
Cons:
- Some cats do not like the triangular-shaped kibbles
Nutro Wholesome Essentials Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dry Cat Food
Nutro Wholesome Essentials Chicken & Brown Rice contains wholesome goodness for your senior cat. It is prepared with real chicken as its first ingredient in the recipe that offers plenty of protein for healthy muscles and a delicious flavor to satisfy your sidekick, senior.
It also contains essential nutrients like taurine to support your aging kitty’s heart and omega-6 fatty acids to promote healthy skin and a soft, shiny coat. Best for seniors, free from corn, wheat, soy protein, chicken by-product meal, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives!
The food contains non-GMO ingredients sourced from Nutro’s trusted suppliers and farmers.
Pros:
- Contains wholesome goodness
- Real chicken is the first ingredient
- Plenty of protein for healthy muscles
- Delicious flavor
- No additives
- Non-GMO
- Promotes heart, skin, coat
Cons:
- Few cats don’t like to eat
Ziwi Peak Air-Dried Chicken Recipe Cat Food
ZIWI Peak Air-Dried is one of the highest quality and dry cat foods today, with a soft, chewy texture – like jerky. This ultra-high protein formula is a grain-free, low-carb option; this ultra-high protein formula offers a blend of boutique ingredients designed to help a cat reach peak health.
In addition to New Zealand green meatloaf, ZIWI Peak is filled with air-dried, free-range meats, organs, and cold-washed green tripe. A touch of organic kelp brings in some essential minerals and antioxidants.
All ingredients are ethically and sustainably sourced in New Zealand. Organ meats provide species-specific nutrients that senior cats love and crave.
ZIWI uses free-range, grass-fed meats and wild-caught seafood. You can also deliver this soft cat kibble without antibiotics or growth hormones.
Pros:
- Chewy jerky texture
- 96% species-specific protein
- Grain-free and low-carb recipe
- Variety of flavors
- No antibiotics or hormones
Cons:
- Little expensive
Conclusion – Is Soft Dry Food Good for Cats?
Knowing the different types of cat food is a big step in determining the right food for your cat. If you have a kitten, an adult cat, or a senior cat with no teeth or problems with chewing and biting, kibble is not the best choice as your cat will most likely have difficulty eating.
An easy solution is to give your four-legged companion soft, dry cat food instead. If you are looking for the best in the market, many options are available from different brands. Still, there are many brands to consider.
Every cat is different. A particular food may be the best option for a cat, yet it may not be the best for your cats. Before buying one, you should consider a few factors that will benefit your cats and yourself as a cat parent.
We hope this article will be helpful and comprehensive for you.
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