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The best cat food for indoor cats is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of felines who live exclusively inside. These foods can also help address potential health concerns. For example, weight management may be a priority for adult cats who aren’t very active, and indoor cat foods often contain fewer calories and lower fat than other adult recipes. Plus, dry and wet indoor food typically contains more fiber to promote regular bowel movements, fewer hairballs, and overall digestive health.
To help you find the best food for your indoor cat, we consulted veterinarians and an animal nutritionist. Our top picks include Purina One Indoor and Hairball, a wet food for adult cats that contains special fiber for healthy digestion, and Royal Canin Indoor Adult dry food, which contains fish oil to support skin and coat health. Scroll down for more great recommendations, including food for senior cats and kittens.
Read more about how Business Insider Reviews researches and tests pet products here.
Highlights for the best cat food for indoor cats
Best overall wet: Purina One Indoor + Hairball Ocean Whitefish and Rice – See at Chewy
Best overall dry: Royal Canin Indoor Adult – See at Chewy
Best budget wet: Iams Perfect Portions Indoor Cuts in Gravy Chicken – See at Chewy
Best budget dry: Natural Balance Original Ultra Indoor Chicken and Salmon Meal – See at Chewy
Best for kittens: Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Chicken Recipe Dry Food – See at Chewy
Best for seniors: Iams ProActive Health Healthy Senior Dry Food – See at Chewy
Best wet
The best wet cat foods for indoor cats include formulas from Purina, Natural Balance, and Royal Canin.
Purina; Chewy/Business Insider
According to several experts, wet cat food can be key in weight management. This is because it tends to have fewer calories and more moisture than dry food, which helps cats stay hydrated and feel full while eating less, says Dr. Jamie Richardson, head of veterinary medicine at Small Door Vet. Some of the best wet cat foods, like our pick from Royal Canin, also contain L-carnitine, an amino acid that can help cats lose weight by making it easier to burn fat.
Added fiber can also help your cat feel full longer and boost digestion. The best cat foods for indoor cats may contain several different fiber sources, which play a role in your cat’s health. Insoluble fiber sources like purified cellulose and wheat bran add bulk to stool, speeding up digestion. Soluble fibers like inulin attract water, forming a gel that helps slow digestion. Ingredients like psyllium and oats contain both types of fiber. Beet pulp is also an excellent source of fermentable fiber for cats, says Ellen Dierenfeld, a comparative animal nutritionist and founder of Zootrition. It has soluble and insoluble fiber to help your cat feel full between meals and keep their digestion regular.
To compare the nutritional values of wet and dry cat foods, you need to convert wet food values to a dry matter basis. This means you remove all the moisture from the wet food and then calculate the nutritional values based on the remaining solids. We’ve contacted the manufacturers of the foods in this guide to get their nutritional profiles on a dry matter basis. If you’d like to calculate the values of other wet foods, you can use these directions from the Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University, call the food manufacturer, or ask your vet for help.
Meat protein sources: Chicken byproducts, pork byproducts, chicken liver, pork liver, salmon, pork plasma, pork digest
Other standout ingredients: Powdered cellulose, fish oil, L-carnitine
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 52.47% protein, 20.24% fat, 3.28% fiber
Calorie count: 65 kcal/3-ounce can
Natural Balance Original Ultra Platefulls Morsels in Gravy Turkey, Salmon, and Chicken Recipe
Meat protein sources: Turkey broth, turkey, salmon, chicken, chicken liver, dried egg whites
Other standout ingredients: Salmon oil, dried plain beet pulp
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 42.3% protein, 26.1% fat, 1.8% fiber
Calorie count: 80 kcal/3-ounce pouch
Purina One Indoor + Hairball Ocean Whitefish and Rice Recipe Pate
Meat protein sources: Ocean whitefish, chicken, liver, pork lungs
Other standout ingredients: Brown rice, powdered cellulose
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 45.6% protein, 22.2% fat, 9.7% fiber
Calorie count: 77 kcal/3-ounce can
Best dry
Royal Canin, Merrick, and Farmina make the best dry indoor cat food.
Chewy; Amazon/Business Insider
Kibble is typically more calorie-dense than wet food, but the best dry cat foods have some key benefits. Dry food is often more affordable and has a long shelf life. It can also support dental health by scraping your cat’s teeth clean.
Yet, while dry food can sit out safely, you may not want to provide your indoor cats with an all-day buffet. “It’s exceptionally hard to regulate a cat’s weight and proper amount of food by free choice feeding,” says Dr. Deb Zoran, a board-certified small animal internist, nutritionist, and professor of small animal clinical sciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. Instead, Richardson says timed feedings and puzzle toys are enriching ways to feed indoor cats.
In addition to beneficial fibers like oat groats, our recommendations below include fish oil, an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Richardson says omega-3 fatty acids can help improve a cat’s skin and coat health, reduce shedding, and potentially reduce the amount of hair ingested during grooming — all of which can help prevent hairballs. You can also refer to our guide to the best cat foods for hairballs to shop for more recipes.
Meat protein sources: Chicken meal, egg product
Other standout ingredients: Brown rice, dried plain beet pulp, fish oil, psyllium seed husk, L-carnitine
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 27% protein, 11% fat, 5.7% fiber
Calorie count: 325 kcal/cup
Farmina Natural and Delicious Adult Chicken and Pomegranate
Meat and fish protein sources: Boneless chicken, dehydrated chicken, chicken fat, dried whole eggs, herring
Other standout ingredients: Sweet potatoes, herring oil, psyllium seed husk
Feeding trials: Yes
Nutrition breakdown: 44% protein, 20% fat, 1.8% fiber
Calorie count: 412 kcal/cup
Merrick Purrfect Bistro Complete Care Weight Control Real Chicken and Sweet Potato Recipe
Meat protein sources: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, chicken fat, dried egg product
Other standout ingredients: Inulin (from chicory root), salmon oil
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 36% protein, 15% fat, 8% fiber
Calorie count: 348 kcal/cup
Best budget wet
We recommend Natural Balance and Iams budget wet foods for indoor cats.
Natural Balance; Iams/Business Insider
When shopping for the best cat food for indoor cats, it’s possible to find quality wet cat food on a budget. The best way to make sure a cat food contains nourishing ingredients is to read the ingredient list carefully and contact the manufacturer with questions. For example, cats eat very few carbohydrates in their natural diet, which may help explain why these nutrients are sometimes called “fillers.” This term refers to low-quality ingredients that are added to food to bulk it up and make it cheaper to produce. However, carbohydrates like whole grains are a good source of fiber that can help cats pass hairballs and stool.
While wet food typically has fewer carbohydrates than dry food, our experts say to focus on the quality of the carbohydrates. Whole carbohydrates are better for cats than processed ones, says Dr. Korinn Saker, associate professor of clinical nutrition at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. She recommends choosing whole corn and wheat over meals and flour because it takes more energy for cats to break down whole carbohydrates, which can help with weight management.
Our low-carb pick from Iams (1.78% carbohydrates) includes beet pulp for beneficial fiber while Natural Balance (13.3% carbohydrates) contains whole grain brown rice to help keep your cat feeling full and their bowel movements regular.
Meat protein sources: Chicken, chicken liver, meat byproducts, dried egg product
Other standout ingredients: Dried plain beet pulp, fish oil
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 50% protein, 26.61% fat, 0.92% fiber
Calorie count: 35 kcal/2.6-ounce tray
Meat protein sources: Chicken, chicken liver, dried egg product
Other standout ingredients: Brown rice, salmon oil
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 45.4% protein, 29.8% fat, 1.66% fiber
Calorie count: 200 kcal/5.5-ounce can
Best budget dry
Our top picks for budget dry food include formulas from Purina, Natural Balance, and Iams.
Chewy; Iams/Business Insider
Budget-friendly nutritious cat foods often contain meat byproducts or meals rather than whole meats. “Meat byproducts are not evil ingredients,” says Dierenfeld. Just the opposite, in fact: Byproducts and meals are concentrated sources of protein that are healthy for cats. Because they’re repurposed from human food manufacturing, they’re sustainable ingredients that keep pet food costs down.
Most importantly, our experts say a quality cat food lists animal protein as its first ingredient. This is because cats are obligate carnivores who need to eat meat to get taurine and other essential vitamins and nutrients. Whether that protein comes from a byproduct, meal, or whole meat product generally doesn’t matter — it’s all nutritious for your cat. Our picks contain whole animal proteins, meals, and byproducts, like salmon, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Our pick from Iams also includes ground whole-grain sorghum, a fiber-rich complex carbohydrate.
Just keep in mind that dry cat food is low in moisture, 10% to 12%, while wet food typically contains 75% to 78% moisture. Zoran says dry food alone won’t meet your cat’s hydration needs, so it’s important to ensure they get enough fluids from other sources. You can try adding water or broth to your cat’s dry food or setting up a water fountain.
Meat protein sources: Salmon, chicken byproduct meal, chicken meal, dried egg product
Other standout ingredients: Dried plain beet pulp, powdered cellulose, ground whole grain sorghum, L-carnitine, omega-3 fatty acids
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 30% protein, 11% fat, 8.3% fiber
Calorie count: 329 kcal/cup
Meat protein sources: Turkey, chicken byproduct meal
Other standout ingredients: Powdered cellulose
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 37% protein, 9% fat, 5.2% fiber
Calorie count: 372 kcal/cup
Meat protein sources: Chicken meal, chicken, chicken liver, salmon meal
Other standout ingredients: Brown rice, oat groats, menhaden fish oil
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 34% protein, 16.8% fat, 3% fiber
Calorie count: 425 kcal/cup
Best for kittens
Hill’s, Royal Canin, and Purina make some of the best kitten food.
Purina; Hill’s; Royal Canin/Business Insider
Kittens usually don’t have the same health concerns as adult indoor cats. For instance, kittens under a year old are so active and use so much energy for growth that gaining excess weight isn’t a concern. Weaned kittens also need more calories than adult cats to support this rapid growth. And because kittens are still learning how to be cats, they typically don’t spend as much time grooming as adults and tend to have fewer hairballs.
The best kitten foods have an AAFCO statement for growth or all life stages on their labels. These foods have more protein and other nutrients than adult formulas. They also contain essential vitamins and minerals needed for development. For example, Zoran says the omega fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for cognitive growth and development. The most common form of DHA in kitten food is fish oil.
Rather than searching high and low for an “indoor” kitten formula, our experts recommend purchasing kitten food that supports healthy growth. Our picks contain fish oil, animal-based proteins, and quality carbohydrates.
Meat protein sources: Ocean white fish, fish, liver, meat byproducts, chicken, tuna
Other standout ingredients: Wheat gluten, soy protein concentrate
Feeding trials: Yes
Nutrition breakdown: 62.5% protein, 21.3% fat, 1% fiber
Calorie count: 113 kcal/3-ounce can
Meat protein sources: Pork byproducts, chicken byproducts, chicken liver, pork liver, chicken
Other standout ingredients: Wheat gluten, brewer’s rice flour, fish oil
Feeding trials: Yes
Nutrition breakdown: 59.4% protein, 21.3% fat, 5.2% fiber
Calorie count: 76 kcal/3-ounce can
Meat protein sources: Chicken, chicken fat, egg product
Other standout ingredients: Brown rice, wheat gluten, oats, wheat, barley, cranberries
Feeding trials: Yes
Nutrition breakdown: 33% protein, 19% fat, 3.5% fiber
Calorie count: 568 kcal/cup
Best for seniors
Our favorite senior indoor cat foods are made by Royal Canin, Hill’s, and Iams.
Chewy; Iams/Business Insider
Safe from the dangers of the outdoors, indoor cats can live long, happy lives with the help of an appropriate diet and mental and physical exercise. It’s not unusual for veterinarians to have feline patients in their teens or even their 20s, which has experts reconsidering the age a cat becomes a “senior.” You may begin to notice physical changes due to age once your cat reaches age 7, but you can take a few steps to help extend their lifespan — including asking your vet about the benefits of a senior diet.
Richardson says low physical activity levels in indoor cats, particularly seniors, can lead to constipation or digestive issues. Indoor senior cat food may include more fiber to promote regular bowel movements and digestive health. Some of the best senior cat foods also contain healthy extras like omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin to help ease joint pain and keep older cats active. Our pick from Hill’s also contains antioxidants from cranberries, which may help lower an aging cat’s risk of cognitive dysfunction syndrome, or feline dementia.
Just keep in mind that choosing the best food for your senior cat can depend on several factors, including underlying health conditions. For instance, high-protein diets can harm senior cats with chronic kidney disease, so it’s important to talk to your veterinarian before transitioning diets.
Meat protein sources: Pork byproducts, chicken byproducts, pork liver, chicken, pork digest, pork plasma
Other standout ingredients: Powdered cellulose, fish oil, glucosamine, L-carnitine, chondroitin
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 57.12% protein, 15.36% fat, 4.38% fiber
Calorie count: 65 kcal/3-ounce can
Meat protein sources: Chicken
Other standout ingredients: Whole grain wheat, powdered cellulose, dried beet pulp, fish oil, L-carnitine, cranberries
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 34.7% protein, 20.9% fat, 8.5% fiber
Calorie count: 398 kcal/cup
Meat protein sources: Chicken, chicken byproduct meal (a source of glucosamine and chondroitin), dried egg product
Other standout ingredients: Dried plain beet pulp, fish oil
Feeding trials: No
Nutrition breakdown: 34% protein, 17% fat, 3% fiber
Calorie count: 399 kcal/cup
What to look for in indoor cat food
When shopping for the best cat food for indoor cats, you’ll want to consider the following criteria:
AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement for growth, adult maintenance, or all life stages: You can confirm a cat food is nutritionally complete and balanced — meaning it contains all the nutrients required and in the correct ratios — if you find an AAFCO statement on the label. The AAFCO is a nonprofit organization that recommends nutritional guidelines for pet food. An AAFCO statement indicates that a food meets cats’ needs based on their life stage. Food with an AAFCO statement for growth or all life stages is complete and balanced for kittens, while food with a statement for maintenance or all life stages is complete and balanced for adult cats. The AAFCO hasn’t established specific recommendations for senior cat diets. Foods for senior cats must meet the minimum nutritional recommendations for adult or all life stages foods.
Guaranteed analysis and nutrient profiles: The guaranteed analysis on a pet food label shows the percentages of important nutrients, including protein, fat, fiber, and other essential vitamins and minerals. Food for kittens must meet the AAFCO’s recommended minimum of 30% protein and 9% fat, and food for adult cats, including seniors, must have a minimum of 26% protein and 9% fat.
Cats are obligate carnivores. This means they require animal-based protein in their diet whether they live indoors or outdoors. Our experts say it’s important to check the guaranteed analysis of protein, fat, and fiber percentages to make sure the recipe meets your cat’s needs. Healthy cats can thrive on high-protein diets, but cats with certain health conditions, like kidney disease, may require low-protein diets. Indoor cats, in particular, may benefit from foods with low to moderate fat and high fiber.
Ingredient list: The ingredients on a pet food label appear in order of weight. The best cat food for indoor cats will list animal proteins in the form of whole meat, meat meal, or animal byproducts first on the ingredient list. To add fiber to your cat’s diet and lower their risk of gaining excess weight, opt for recipes with whole complex carbohydrates like whole corn, whole brown rice, and sweet potatoes. Whole complex carbohydrates help keep your cat feeling full for longer since they’re more slowly digested than processed and simple carbohydrates. They also contain more fiber, which can help with digestion and passing hairballs.
The best way to make sure a cat food contains quality ingredients like whole carbohydrates is to read the ingredient list carefully and contact the manufacturer with questions. Your vet can also recommend specific cat foods that contain whole carbohydrates and meet your cat’s individual needs.
Expert formulations: When it comes to commercial cat foods, nutritional quality is always our first concern. That’s why our recommendations for the best cat food for indoor cats line up with WSAVA guidelines and our experts’ guidance. Simply put, we only recommend food from brands that employ a full-time board-certified veterinary nutritionist or a PhD-level animal nutritionist. These standards help ensure your cat’s food meets nutritional recommendations and includes the right ingredients.
Manufacturing standards: Some pet food companies own their manufacturing plants, while others manufacture their food at shared facilities or contract with co-packing companies to package, label, and ship their pet food. Manufacturers who own their plants have more control over the ingredients and food your cat consumes. Whether they own their facilities or not, pet food brands should be transparent about how they implement quality control measures. This means providing information about the types of tests they conduct, the frequency of testing, and the results of those tests.
Calorie content: The calorie content of cat food is listed in kilocalories (kcal). Indoor adult and senior cats may have lower calorie needs than outdoor cats since they’re generally less active. However, the calorie needs of indoor adult cats can vary depending on their age, weight, and overall health. For instance, kittens grow rapidly during their first year, so they should eat multiple high-calorie meals per day. Your vet can recommend the ideal number of daily calories for your adult or senior cat. They’ll consider your cat’s lifestyle, ideal weight, and overall health and use the body condition scoring (BCS) system to assess your cat’s body fat on a scale of 1 to 9. You can ask your vet to teach you how to use this visual tool to check your cat’s BCS at home between wellness visits. And before adjusting your cat’s daily portion sizes, you should always consult your veterinarian.
How we selected the best cat food for indoor cats
To make our recommendations, we evaluated foods according to the standards from the AAFCO and the WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines. We also spoke with three veterinary nutritionists and one small animal veterinarian to narrow down our picks for the best indoor cat food.
Dr. Deb Zoran is a board-certified small animal internist, nutritionist, and professor of small animal clinical sciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University.
Dr. Korinn Saker is a board-certified veterinarian, a distinguished member of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, and a professor of clinical nutrition at the College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University.
Ellen Dierenfeld is a comparative animal nutritionist with an MS and PhD in Animal Nutrition from Cornell University. She is the founder of Zootrition, a software designed to record and evaluate the diets of animals. She has over 30 years of experience in zoo, wildlife, and companion animal nutrition.
Dr. Jamie Richardson is a general practice veterinarian and head of veterinary medicine at Small Door Vet. After completing her undergraduate studies, Richardson moved to the UK to pursue a veterinary degree from London’s Royal Veterinary College. Following veterinary volunteer and practice positions across South Africa, Hong Kong, and Bermuda, Richardson joined the Small Door Vet team.
Indoor cat food FAQs
What’s the healthiest cat food for indoor cats?
The healthiest cat food for indoor cats depends on a cat’s age, lifestyle, and overall health. Richardson says there are some general features to consider when shopping for the best cat food for indoor cats. These include moderate to low calories and fat to help your cat maintain a healthy weight and increased fiber to promote regular bowel movements and pass hairballs. Other beneficial ingredients include healthy extras like omega-3 fatty acids for skin and fur health and glucosamine and chondroitin for inflammation and joint health.
Does indoor cat food make a difference?
Indoor cat food can make a big difference in your cat’s health. Because indoor cats are often less active than outdoor cats, Richardson says they’re more likely to gain weight and have digestive problems and urinary conditions. Since they spend so much time grooming, they may also get more hairballs than outdoor cats. The best cat food for indoor cats will likely contain fewer calories and less fat to help prevent weight gain and may include added fiber to help with digestion and hairball control. Many senior indoor cat food formulas also contain healthy extras such as fish oil, glucosamine, and chondroitin to reduce joint pain.
What is the best dry cat food for indoor cats?
The best dry cat food for indoor cats will have an animal-based protein as the first ingredient. Dierenfeld says animal proteins can be in the form of whole-meat protein such as deboned chicken, meat meals, or meat byproducts. However, the amount of protein, fat, fiber, and calories your cat needs depends on their individual needs. Your veterinarian can offer more guidance with choosing the best cat food for your indoor cat.
