10 Best Wet Cat Food Brands [Review]

Making sure your kitty gets the right nutrition is a top priority for all cat parents. To make picking the best wet cat food easier, our team has done the research for you.

Spoiler alert! Our top pick for best wet cat food is the Tiki Cat King Kamehameha Grill Variety Pack. We’ll also talk about your cat’s nutritional needs, so make sure you don’t skip our buyer’s guide.

Our top 10 best wet foods for cats:

1. Tiki Cat King Kamehameha Grill Variety Pack
2. Blue Buffalo Healthy Gourmet Variety Pack
3. Nulo Freestyle Minced Salmon & Turkey
4. Tiny Tiger Chunks in EXTRA Gravy Tuna Recipe
5. Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Urinary Tract Health Formula
6. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary SO
7. American Journey Minced Poultry in Gravy
8. Instinct Original Grain-Free Pate
9. BFF OMG Rainbow Road Variety Pack
10. Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Poultry & Beef Feast

Let’s dive into each different variety and see how they each stack up! 

Best wet cat food made with seafood

1. Tiki Cat King Kamehameha Grill – Our top pic!

If your kitty is a seafood lover, they’ll adore this variety pack from Tiki Cat. The King Kamehameha Luau (what a mouthful!) variety pack provides you with 12 cans, each 2.8-ounces. 

Tiki Cat King Kamehameha Luau contains only high-quality protein. Each can has one main tasty ingredient, like ahi tuna, mackerel, crab, sardine, or a combination of them all. All the chunky seafood is deboned and shredded. It’s packed in a special seafood-based consommé.

Besides the high-quality protein, Tiki Cat has a balance of all the right nutrients. Each can include taurine for heart health. Vitamins and minerals round out this food for a complete balanced diet.

Tiki Cat makes sure there are no harmful ingredients in their food. Their food is free from carrageenan, MSG, GMO ingredients, wheat, soy, or corn. There are no artificial flavorings or colors, and it’s completely gluten-free. This makes ing Kamehameha Luau a good choice for cats with allergies and a very healthy wet cat food.

The cans are easy to open and feature a label of all the specific ingredients. The bundle is also available as an eight-pack with larger 6-ounce cans.

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2. Blue Buffalo Healthy Gourmet

The Healthy Gourmet variety pack from Blue Buffalo is another great option for seafood-loving cats. It comes in a bundle of 12 cans containing approx. 3 ounces each.

Blue Buffalo uses only high-quality real meats and other fine natural ingredients. The recipes are inspired by wholesome homestyle cooking. This gives your cat a well-balanced nutritious diet.

In this variety pack, you’ll get 3 main recipes. Each recipe is made with tender, bite-sized flaked pieces of tuna, shrimp, and fish, as well as chicken. Each can has a healthy amount of fruit and veggies, plus minerals and vitamins to support your kitty.

The recipes are specifically formulated for adult cats.  All have approximately 82% moisture, making this food a great pick for cats who neglect the water bowl.

All recipes are free of by-products meals, wheat, soy, corn, and artificial flavorings and preservatives. And leftovers are easy to refrigerate.

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3. Nulo Freestyle Minced Salmon & Turkey

If your cat can’t decide between fish or poultry, then this salmon and turkey canned cat food recipe from Nulo might be worth trying. With a savory gravy, your kitty gets a meal rich in moisture and nutrients.

Thanks to the combo of animal meats, this wet cat food is naturally high in protein and completely grain free. This is especially helpful for cats needing a low carb diet or those who have high energy requirements, like kittens!

Nulo makes sure there are no added meat by-products, corn, wheat, soy, or carrageenan. It doesn’t contain any artificial additives, making it safe and healthy.

Check out our in-depth review of the Nulo cat food lineup.

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4. Tiny Tiger Chunks EXTRA Gravy Tuna Recipe

Tuna and gravy? Can a cat ask for anything more? Tiny Tiger has produced a chunky tuna recipe and saturated it with extra gravy.

The recipe consists of real tuna chunks, delivering a high amount of protein in every can. To provide a well-balanced meal for your feline, the savory gravy includes added vitamins, minerals, and taurine.

What’s more, the gravy contains real broth, providing both nutrition and moisture in the diet. The high-quality protein adds a healthy dose of amino acids required to maintain lean and active muscles.

This food is free of grains, corn, soy, wheat, or carrageenan. It’s suitable for adult kitties who love their occasional tuna feast. 

Pros

• Chunky tuna and extra gravy
• Real protein and broth
• Well balanced doses of vitamins, minerals, and taurine
• Free of grains and carrageenan

Cons

• May not be suitable for senior cats with missing teeth

Best wet cat food with poultry or beef

5. Purina Pro Plan Focus Urinary Tract Health Formula

If your cat requires a diet to support their urinary tract health, the Purina Pro Plan is worth a look. This is a chicken recipe, designed to reduce urinary pH levels while providing low dietary magnesium. 

The entrée contains gravy-covered chicken pieces, made from real poultry, providing an excellent taste. It’s also enhanced with 25 essential vitamins, including vitamin B-12, K, and D, as well as taurine and minerals, providing a balanced diet. It’s an adult-specific diet, which supports a healthy immune system. 

What’s great about Purina is that it produces its food in Purina-owned facilities within the US. It ensures high-quality ingredients and nutrition.

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6. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary SO

Veterinary Diet Urinary SO from Royal Canin is formulated for urinary tract health. It works by helping dilute excess minerals. Too many of these minerals create struvite stones and calcium oxalate crystals ⁽⁹⁾ in the bladder.  These crystals are the leading cause of UTI infections and blockages in felines. The Veterinary Diet Urinary SO diet does this by increasing the amount of urine produced by your cat.

The recipe consists of a combination of chicken and pork by-products and liver. It uses pork plasma as a natural binder. And it’s packed with added vitamins, minerals, and taurine.

Reduced levels of magnesium help restore healthy urinary tract function. This food is also a good choice for cat food for sensitive stomachs.

The Veterinary Diet Urinary SO pack comes with 24 cans. Each can is generous 5.8 ounces. Royal Canin recommends slowly transitioning to this food.  Start with 25 % mixed with their usual food, and then increase it gradually over time.

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7. American Journey Minced Poultry in Gravy

If your cat loves chicken, try the variety pack from American Journey. It’s a bundle of 24 cans, all containing approximately 3 ounces.

This pack offers a mixture of minced poultry, made of real protein from chicken and turkey. The meat comes in a savory gravy that’s grain-free but packed in balanced nutrients.

The high-quality protein helps to support your kitty’s lean muscle mass. The added taurine strengthens their eyes and heart. Added to the recipes are also natural omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, which promote healthy skin and fur.

Cranberries and blueberries provide wholesome antioxidants. There are no added preservatives or flavors, only natural ingredients.

American Journey makes all its food in the United States.  All the ingredients used come from credible sources worldwide, ensuring quality. All its recipes come in BPA-free cans to avoid contamination of harmful substances.

Pros

• Recipes include only real poultry protein from turkey and chicken
• Added nutrients such as omega-3 and 6, vitamins, and taurine
• Added superfoods like blueberries and cranberries
• Made in the US
• BPA-free cans

Cons

• Some can’t don’t like the minced texture
• If your cat needs a special diet, ask your vet before switching to this food

 

8. Instinct Original Grain Free Pate

If your kitty has a hankering for paté, then this option from Instinct Original is worth a try. You can choose between a bundle of 12 or 24 cans. All have a balanced meal with plenty of real chicken protein.

This is the best raw cat food on today’s list. It’s made with raw chicken paté, minced together with natural sources of omega fatty acids. It works to promote healthy skin and fur.

To ensure your cat gets some veggies, the recipe also includes real fruit and vegetables. But, this only makes up about 5%. An important note because cats don’t need a lot of carbs. The rest, 95% is raw, cage-free chicken, turkey, and chicken liver. This food is grain free, by-product meal, artificial preservatives, and food color.

Instinct Original makes its cat food in US facilities with premium imported ingredients. The recipe perfect for any healthy adult cats.

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9. BFF OMG Rainbow Road

For non-picky eaters, we recommend trying the variety pack from BFF. This is a comprehensive bundle offering almost all the delicacies a cat could dream of.

This bundle comes with 12 cans with a variety of recipes. Chicken and turkey, beef and salmon, chicken and salmon, duck and tuna, chicken and lamb, and chicken and pumpkin. All are made of real meat and poultry, providing a generous serving of protein.

The meat comes in a rich gravy base made with real broth. BFF then adds essential vitamins, minerals, and taurine for overall health. You can serve this healthy wet cat food alone or as a topping for kibble.

BFF produces its products in Canada. All the animal protein used in the food comes from credible international distributors. None of its ingredients come from China. BFF uses only BPA-free cans.

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10. Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Poultry & Beef Feast

Fancy Feast poultry and beef variety pack is worth a mention. It’s a combo of most cats’ favorite flavors, like turkey, beef, and chicken.

The real animal proteins come in small, bite-sized pieces and sit in a thick gravy, enriched with essential vitamins and minerals.

This is the best wet cat food for older cats. This is because the pieces are slow-cooked, making them tender and easy to eat. Even if your cat has dental problems. The variety of flavors lets your cat try something new each day. This keeps them from getting bored or developing a picky eating habit.

The Fancy Feast bundle comes with 24 cans containing 3 ounces of food each. The recipes are all produced in the US using high-quality ingredients.

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Your cat’s nutritional needs

Unlike dogs who are omnivores, cats are obligate carnivores. This means cats need nutrients only found in animal products. Felines are natural-born hunters. The prey they eat is high in moisture and protein. But moderate in fat and has minimal carbohydrates.

These nutritional requirements are the same for today’s domesticated cats. Besides the above, your cat needs a range of vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, and minerals. Consult your vet before giving your kitty supplements—more is not always better (1).

To complicate things, your cat’s nutritional needs change throughout their life:

Feeding a kitten

Kittens need a special diet to support growth and healthy development. They have much higher energy requirements than adult cats and can eat up to 3x what an adult cat eats in a day. As a result, kittens need a diet that can replenish their stores. Check out our separate review of the best kitten foods.

Look for food with more protein, calories, and fat, as well as higher levels of minerals and vitamins.

Choose kitten food that is specifically formulated for cats ages 3-12 months. Also, wet cat food is best for your kitten. It’s easier for them to chew and digest, which means they’ll get more nutrition from it (2).

Young to middle-aged cats

Young to middle-aged cats need a diet with moderate amounts of nutrients. This includes protein, fat, calories, minerals, and vitamins. If your cat is healthy, a diet formulated for adult cats should be enough. For cats with health conditions, ask your vet for guidance. 

Senior cats

Senior cats are generally less active than younger cats. But, their need for energy sources in their diet might be higher than middle-aged and young cats. depending on their exact age and health. For example, they might need more dietary protein to preserve their muscle mass.

Or, if your senior cat has a chronic illness, they could need extra calories to help maintain a healthy weight (3). Choosing the best wet cat food for older cats can help them thrive for longer.

Advantages of wet cat food

Many veterinarians recommend serving wet cat food over dry (kibble). Wet food has a much higher water content than dry food. This mimics a cat’s natural diet, helping them stay well-hydrated.

The best canned cat food often has natural ingredients, such as meat, poultry, and fish. They’re quite a treat for cats, and many prefer them over kibble. Don’t we all like a bit of sauce poured over something dry?

If your kitty suffers from a health condition, like kidney disease, wet food is the best option. Again, because it contains more moisture (4). Even if your cat is healthy your vet may recommend supplementing with canned food.

That said, there are some disadvantages. For one, canned cat food is pricier than dry food. Price is often a determining factor for pet families on budgets. It’s also less convenient—you have to open, serve, and refrigerate leftovers after opening.

How to choose the best wet cat food

When entering the pet store aisles of cat foods—whether virtual or live— you’ll find endless options. To help make it easier for you, consider these points when choosing the best wet food for cats.

Consider the brand

Do a quick online search on the cat food brand ahead of time. Has it ever had any recalls? If so, what were the recalls for? Reputable companies choose to recall their own product if their food gets contaminated. If a brand has experienced a minor recall(s), there’s no need to dismiss them.

If a brand has had a major recall, like the melamine recall or salmonella contamination (5, 6), look elsewhere. Buy only from trusted brands known for their quality control, reliability, and safety. Doing some upfront research could save you a lot of trouble.

Ingredients to look for

The best cat food brands use sustainable manufacturing processes. This includes getting their ingredients from ethical and humane sources. You can also expect premium ingredients. Here are a few groups to look for:

• Real animal protein: No “fake” proteins. Look for labels that state it contains real animal protein. This includes beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, venison, lamb, mussels, duck, as well as organ meats, like liver.

• Fruits and veggies: Cats need very few carbs in their diet. If there are any carbs they should come from fruits and vegetables. Look out for carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, and berries. But, make sure the amount is low—your kitty doesn’t need a lot (7).

• Fats: Good fats for cats come from animal sources. These include omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA, EPA, and ALA.

• Marine plants and herbs: Some wet food contains ingredients like thyme, dill, rosemary, basil, kelp, and sage.

Specific nutritional needs

Besides age, it’s important to consider if your cat has specific nutritional needs. This could be to prevent hairballs, or a low-calorie diet to help them lose weight. Or maybe they’re prone to urinary tract issues and need specialized food to stay healthy.

The best canned cat food comes in a wide range aimed at different diets. This is great because it can cater to the specific needs of each individual cat. The one drawback is that specialized diets tend to be pricier.

Ingredients to avoid

Some budget food brands use ingredients that could be bad for your cat. In the worst-case scenario, they could be deadly. Be sure to read labels and avoid these ingredients:

• Artificial coloring and flavoring: Blue 2, Yellow 5, Red 40, and caramel coloring.
• Fillers: carrageenan, locust bean gum, and guar gum should be avoided in cat food.
• Synthetic preservatives: BHT, BHA, and ethoxyquin.
• Meat meal: This is a mysterious meat by-product produced by the rendering process.
• By-products: by-products include liver, kidney, spleen, and lungs derived from various animals. But, if the label doesn’t disclose what animal it comes from, it’s best to avoid it.
• Vague meats: Check the label to see what kind of specific meat it contains.
• Sugar: Sugar is bad for cats. Period. They don’t need it and it can lead to all sorts of health problems, including bad teeth (8).

Final takeaway

Making sure your cat eats a well-balanced diet is important. Wet cat food has a lot of advantages over dry since it provides nutrition and hydration. 

Our pick for the best wet cat food is the Tiki Cat King Kamehameha Grill Variety Pack because it’s the healthiest wet cat food on our list. Using real seafood like mackerel and tuna, it’s also one of the best grain-free cat foods around. The high protein recipes are full of vitamins and minerals and support your cat’s health. 

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