Once your cat reaches full adult growth after twelve months, it's likely you'll move on to a mixture of the best wet cat food and dry cat food for your cat's diet. However, the real question is, which wet cat food is the best? Cats can be known for their fussy food preferences, so finding a cat food that will satisfy their tastebuds while being nutritionally complete can be a challenge. That's why we're here to help.
To put it down to its bare bones, wet cat food is a mixture of water, meat or animal derivatives, vitamins and minerals that are put together to make a nutritious meal for your pet. There are a lot of benefits of wet cat food as it's packed with meat protein and has a high water content. Plus, you might not be at as much of a risk of overfeeding your kitty when you dish them up wet food compared to dry cat food, as it usually comes in smaller, pre-portioned packets.
Best wet cat food at a glance:
• Best overall: Iams Delights Wet Food Land and Sea Collection – Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best all-natural wet cat food: Scrumbles Natural Wet Cat Food Multipack – Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best wet cat food for fussy eaters: Meowing Heads Wet Cat Food Selection – Buy now on Amazon UK
Wet cat food comes in a variety of textures, such as meat in gravy, meat in jelly, paté, casseroles and many more options. If your cat is a newbie to wet food, they might be more inclined to eat ones that come in gravy. This is because it's not totally soft but has yummy meaty flavours for them to lick up. There are lots of different flavours to choose from, too. So, whether you're looking for food that's got just the right taste for a picky pet or you're in need of cat food for a sensitive stomach that's made without common allergens, there's a wet cat food for every moggy.
With all those choices out there, it's hard to know which option would be right for your cat. Lucky for you, we've tallied up the best wet cat food on the market right now. From IAMS to Purina or Royal Canin, you'll find our selection of the best tins, cans and pouches right here.
The best wet cat food UK
Best overall
AmazonIf you're looking for the best selection for your kitty, this Iams Delights Wet Food Land and Sea Collection in Gravy of twelve pouches is a perfect choice. Including unique flavours such as steamed salmon and cod or lamb and red pepper, your cat will be paw-sitively happy with the choice.
Pros
- A great selection for all cats
- 100 per cent complete and balanced
Cons
- Portion sizes per pouch could be bigger
| Type: | Pouches, meat or fish in gravy |
| Flavour: | Savoury chicken and turkey, lamb and red pepper, wild tuna and peas or steamed salmon and cod |
| Size: | 12 x 85g |
- Customer review: “Good quality food. I rely on Iams for my cats' biscuits. My cats eat it up quickly and don't leave any. It's a medium portion, so in this sense, it depends on the size and appetite of your cat.”
Best all-natural wet cat food
ScrumblesMade for good digestion and immune function, this Scrumbles Natural Wet Cat Food has a high meat content and is perfect for any cat, especially those with sensitive stomachs. Reviewers love this for its high quality natural ingredients, with no fillers or artificial flavours and that the brand has sustainability in mind.
Pros
- Over 70 per cent meat
- Grain-free
Cons
- Could contain more pouches per box
| Type: | Pouches |
| Flavour: | Salmon, Tuna and Chicken |
| Size: | 6 x 85g |
- Our review: “I love Scrumbles. Their packaging is totally eco-friendly, and their food is made out of high-quality ingredients focused on real meat which I appreciated for one of my cats who has a sensitive stomach. Both my cats Pepper and Ollie completely hoovered this wet food up! You’ll also want to try their fancy paté if you’re looking for a treat.”
Best wet cat food for fussy eaters
AmazonThis Meowing Heads Wet Cat Food Selection has been growing for its attractiveness to fussy cats. Made with natural ingredients and slow-cooked to purr-fection, this is high in gravy so cats can lick away. It also has added vitamins and minerals to make it extra nutritious. It's a grain-free recipe and free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives.
Pros
- Extra vitamins and minerals included
- Grain-free recipe
Cons
- Reviewers have commented on the strong odour of the food
| Type: | Pouches |
| Flavour: | Paw lickin’ Chicken, So-fish-ticated Salmon, Top-cat Turkey, Surf & Turf |
| Size: | 10 x 100g |
- Customer review: “I have been buying all possible kinds of food for my cat, most of the times she gets excited for two seconds and then she doesn't care about the food anymore. I was really surprised that she loves these pouches so much. She eats very happily, and she cleans her plate, something she has rarely done in her life. I am really happy, and she is happy too. I highly recommend this.”
Best wet cat food for a healthy coat
AmazonThis ROYAL CANIN Intense Beauty Cat Food is perfect for those cat owners looking to sleek up their cat's fur coat. With a blend of antioxidants and fatty acids, this food will keep your cat looking healthy and help them to maintain a healthy weight with only 3.7 per cent fat content.
Pros
- Helps maintain a healthy coat and urinary system
- Includes beneficial Omega 3 and fatty acids
Cons
- All pouches contain the same, so not much variety for your kitty
| Type: | Pouches, meat in jelly |
| Flavour: | Meat |
| Size: | 12 x 85g |
- Customer review: “Our Burmese really enjoys this food as she never leaves so much as a morsel. This makes it a good value for money because what's the point of buying a cheap cat food full of non-meat filler which the cat won't eat and isn't good for them. This is very high-quality meaty food. Strongly recommend.”
Best wet cat food to stock up on
Amazon
Formulated by vets and nutritionists, you're sure to get your money's worth with this Purina ONE Cat Food multipack. This Purina wet cat food contains antioxidants such as Vitamin E, which helps them to maintain strong natural defences, with a good selection of meats in gravy that your kitty is sure to love.
Customer review: “These aren't cheap but the quality is excellent. There's no horrible smell either. The cats are very satisfied & there's no waste as the food is high quality & not full of fillers. My cats are very healthy with bags of energy & sparkly eyes.”
Pros
- No added flavourings
- Many in a pack
Cons
- Some reviews have questioned the quality and the amount of meat content
| Type: | Pouches, meat in gravy |
| Flavour: | Lamb, chicken, fish and beef |
| Size: | 40 x 85g |
- Customer review: “These aren't cheap but the quality is excellent. There's no horrible smell either. The cats are very satisfied & there's no waste as the food is high quality & not full of fillers. My cats are very healthy with bags of energy & sparkly eyes.”
Best wet cat food tins
AmazonThis Applaws Natural Wet Cat Food is 100 per cent natural and comes in tins. Made out of fish for any cat who loves their tuna or mackerel, with over 75 per cent fish protein in the ingredients, you know you're getting high-quality cat food. Don't fancy fish? You can also get them in Chicken or Mixed flavours.
Pros
- Over 75 per cent meat content
- Natural source of omega-3
Cons
- Has a strong smell
| Type: | Tins, fish in broth |
| Flavour: | Tuna fillet, mackerel with sardine, ocean fish, or tuna with prawn |
| Size: | 12 x 70g |
- Customer review: “This stuff is the business. My cats are not fussy eaters, they would eat anything you popped in their dish and put in front of them. I am very fussy though and find the quality of this product is unbeatable. I have given this to my adult cats for a good few years and they are both healthy specimens. 100 per cent natural, no long list of horrid sounding ingredients and when you open the tin, no rotten pet food stench, just shredded chicken dinners. Cats say yummy and I say try it, you won't be disappointed.”
Best wet cat food paté
Lily's Kitchenwww.lilyskitchen.co.uk
If you've been shopping for your cat for a while, you may have noticed Lily's Kitchen popping up here and there. This Lily's Kitchen Paté Selection box takes the top spot for our best wet cat food paté, making it easy for your cat to gobble up. With natural ingredients, grain-free recipes and no added sugar, we highly recommend this as a smooth wet cat food choice.
Customer review: “I like a selection pack, as it gives variety at feeding time. The foils are much easier to store and use than the tins, especially as my cats like to lick them out while I am preparing their food, which you can not do with the tins. Plus can be recycled!”
Pros
- Smooth and easy to eat
- All-natural ingredients
Cons
- Some owners may feel like this is a luxurious choice for everyday meals
| Type: | Foils, paté |
| Flavour: | Chicken & Game, Chicken Paté, Turkey & Duck, Lamb |
| Size: | 8 x 85g |
- Customer review: “I like a selection pack, as it gives variety at feeding time. The foils are much easier to store and use than the tins, especially as my cats like to lick them out while I am preparing their food, which you can not do with the tins. Plus can be recycled!”
Best top-rated wet cat food
Pets At Homewww.petsathome.com
If your kitty hasn't already tried this cat food, the Felix As Good As It Looks Wet Cat Food is one of the highest top-rated wet cat food selections. In a jumbo pack of forty pouches, these pouches come in a variety of flavours and make up 100 per cent of your cat's daily antioxidants and no added flavourings or preservatives.
Pros
- 100 per cent of your cat’s nutrients daily
- The bulk box is cheap and efficient
Cons
- Not suitable for cats under one year
| Type: | Pouches, meat in jelly |
| Flavour: | Beef, salmon, chicken, tuna |
| Size: | 40 x 100g |
- Customer review: “I have 2 cats that have very different tastes which makes it difficult when shopping for their food. They both enjoyed the food clearing their bowls every time. All flavours seemed to go down well meaning no waste from unwanted flavours. Colin especially enjoyed the jelly. Will definitely be getting more when this box runs out."
FAQs
What is best - wet or dry cat food?
Many pet cats will have their preferences for food already - you'll notice if they leave more than half their bowl, they're probably not enjoying it. A big question that many kitty owners have is whether it's better to have wet or dry food.
Both wet and dry diets have their benefits, and really it's up to you as a cat owner. In our general recommendation, you should be looking at a mix between both wet and dry while regularly feeding your cat twice a day.
Wet food can be extremely beneficial for targeted diets, helps with water intake and contains a variety of ingredients. On the other hand, dry cat food can be efficient, cheaper and left out longer.
What are the benefits of wet cat food?
Today, we're looking specifically at how wet food is good for your feline friend. Here's a breakdown of the main reasons you should be incorporating wet food into your kitty's diet:
• Water intake: Getting your moggy to eat wet food helps their overall water consumption – you’ll find they’re thirstier if they’re just on a dry food diet.
• Various textures and ingredients: Felines will have their fave choices, but putting them on a wet food diet gives them a lot of variety. Wet food packs often come with different flavours and can vary in textures from soups and casseroles to flakes or even pâté.
• 100 per cent balanced and complete: You can get wet food that’s completely nutritious for kitties, so there’s no reason they can’t sustain on a wet food diet
• Targeted diseases: If your kitty is prone to diseases or has a sensitive stomach, you can get wet food that targets this and helps to keep a healthy diet.
How much wet cat food should I feed my cat?
It all depends on how large your cat is, their exercise and life stages, as well as how much food is in your food packs.
If you're unsure, most cat food brands will have a guide on their packs or websites to help you. It's also a good idea to consult your vet in case your cat needs a special diet.
For instance, Whiskas suggests that kittens should have one pouch a meal with kitten food pouches, two to four times a day. For adult kitties, it's 240 calories a day, which should be a mixture of dry and wet food, leaving out some in the day for moggies to graze on. Two meals (two pouches or one can) should be enough to sustain your adult cat.
Is wet cat food healthy for teeth?
Yes, your kitty can have totally healthy teeth whilst eating a diet of wet food. Some people believe that because wet food is softer, it's not as good at removing plaque and tartar from your moggy's teeth.
This isn't exactly true, as food actually plays a minor part in plaque and tartar accumulation. If you're worried, we would recommend investing in wet food that promotes healthy teeth or mixing it with dry biscuits, so there's more texture for your kitty.
Caitlin Casey is a Senior Writer for What's The Best, heat, Closer, and Grazia. She covers shopping, women’s lifestyle, popular culture as well as all things trending.
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