Last updated Oct 24, 2023
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If your cat recently switched from an outdoorsy lifestyle to one indoors, then you are likely wondering about the best cat foods for indoor cats.
Thankfully, many cat food brands offer an enticing variety of cat food formulas designed for your cat’s unique activity levels, age, breed, and health conditions. In this guide, we will explore some of the best food options that we have found on the market for cats who live most of their lives indoors.
At a Glance: The Best Cat Foods for Indoor Cats
Smalls Ground Bird Fresh Cat Food
- Rich in protein from chicken and liver
- Good source of hydrating moisture
- Adjustable meal plans good for indoor cats
Nulo Freestyle Canned Food
- Animal proteins are at the top of the ingredient list
- High in protein and moisture, very low in carbs
- Reasonably priced
Open Farm Harvest Chicken Rustic Blend Wet Cat Food
- Made with 100% human-grade ingredients
- Packed with high-quality animal protein
- Rich in moisture to support hydration
FirstMate Chicken Meal with Blueberries Formula
- Chicken meal is the top ingredient
- Highly digestible for most cats
- No history of product recalls in the company's history
Tiki Cat Koolina Luau Chicken with Egg in Chicken Consomme
- Simple, highly-digestible recipe
- Limited ingredient list
- Contains egg
Wellness CORE Kitten Turkey & Chicken Liver Recipe Canned Food
- One of the most protein-packed kitten foods on the market
- Ultra-soft pâté texture is easy for kittens to eat
- Calorie-dense recipe to fuel growth and development
Weruva Truluxe Steak Frites Dinner with Beef & Pumpkin in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- Low in phosphorus, which may help to prevent and ease the symptoms of kidney disease
- Rich in highly-digestible animal protein
- Low carbohydrate content may reduce your cat’s chances of developing diabetes
Cat foods for indoor cats are of a special variety of food that promises to nutritionally target your cat’s specific needs. But do cats who live inside really need different food than those who live outdoors?
What Are the Dietary Needs of Indoor Cats?
Think about humans who spend most of their time outdoors versus those who are usually inside. Individuals who spend a lot of time outdoors typically get more exercise than the average desk jockey. Like human outdoor enthusiasts, outdoor cats tend to spend more time exercising by climbing trees, hunting, and exploring.
Decreased activity means decreased calorie needs. Your indoor cat may be inactive or tirelessly energetic, but in general, cats who live indoors don’t get as much exercise as those who live outside. This, in combination with an inappropriate diet, puts them at risk of becoming overweight or obese.
Because indoor cats have more free time to spend grooming themselves, they tend to suffer more from hairballs compared to cats who live outside.
Hairball issues are directly linked to poor digestive health – something that can be improved through a biologically-appropriate diet. Some of the best foods for indoor cats incorporate additional fiber to help hairballs pass through smoothly.
Why Trust Cats.com
We buy cat food products at full retail price, and the entire testing process was funded by Cats.com without direct input or influence from the companies involved.
In addition to performing our own qualitative analysis of the brands reviewed here, we submitted samples for analysis at an ISO 17025-certified food testing and analysis lab. Analytical testing in a food chemistry lab gives us the exact macronutrient and micronutrient content of each recipe. The tests also look at microbial content, yeast, mold, and heavy metals, helping you ensure that you’re only putting the best in your cat’s bowl.
Also Read: Why We Lab Test Cat Food and How to Interpret the Reports
Top 7 Best Cat Foods For Indoor Cats
Now that we’ve established a criteria of what makes the list of the best cat foods for indoor cats, here’s a quick list of some of the best foods for your indoor cat.
#1 Overall Best: Smalls Ground Bird Fresh Cat Food
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 13% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 40
- Typical Cost Per Day: $4.00 per day
With their customizable meal plans, Smalls fresh cat food delivery service is a great option for indoor cats. When you start a subscription, you provide details about your cat’s age, weight, and activity level. Smalls uses the information to estimate your cat’s calorie needs and provides detailed feeding recommendations. It’s still important to monitor your cat’s weight, but you can adjust your plan at any time if needed.
Smalls Ground Bird is a chicken-based formula featuring chicken muscle meat and chicken liver. A handful of fresh veggies contribute essential nutrients which complement the synthetic supplements to ensure nutritional balance.
In addition to being high in protein and low in carbohydrates, this formula is rich in moisture which helps support your cat’s hydration, digestion, and total health. Overall, this minced chicken recipe is a high-quality source of balanced nutrition, making it not just one of the best cat foods for indoor cats, but for cats in all life stages.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Liver, Green Beans, Water Sufficient for Processing, Dried Yeast, Tricalcium Phosphate, Kale, Magnesium Proteinate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Dandelion Greens, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Cod Liver Oil, Salt, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Biotin.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Cod Liver Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Rich in protein from chicken and liver
- Good source of hydrating moisture
- Adjustable meal plans good for indoor cats
- Minced texture is easy for cats to chew
What We Didn’t Like:
- Only available as a subscription plan
- No phone support (text and email only)
#2 Budget Pick: Nulo Freestyle Canned Food
This Nulo Freestyle canned food is made primarily from animal protein sources, including turkey, chicken, turkey liver, and tuna. In addition to the flavors of these ingredients, the recipe contains an additive called “natural flavor” to increase its palatability. Natural flavor is made from hydrolyzed animal tissues and is a concentrated source of the meaty taste cats love.
The food contains both guar gum and agar-agar, both plant-derived gums that thicken and stabilize the paté. It contains small amounts of pumpkin, cranberries, and dried kelp, all of which Nulo describes as superfoods.
Menhaden fish oil is added as a species-appropriate source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help to support healthy skin and coat.
Overall, this is a meat-based food with high protein, high fat, and low carbohydrate content. With its high concentration of animal protein, healthy fat, and moisture, this Nulo Freestyle recipe is a species-appropriate choice that won’t break the bank. It costs as low as less than $0.30 per ounce when you buy the 12.5-ounce cans – buying smaller quantities increases the price.
In fact, on a per-calorie basis, this food is even cheaper than some of the most popular recipes from Fancy Feast, making it a surprisingly accessible high-quality option.
This food has 193 calories in each 5.5 ounce can or approximately 35 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Turkey, Chicken, Turkey Liver, Turkey Broth, Tuna, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Agar Agar, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Salt, Iron Proteinate, Sodium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Animal proteins are at the top of the ingredient list
- High in protein and moisture, very low in carbs
- Reasonably priced
What We Didn’t Like:
- Cranberries and pumpkin are on the ingredient list
- On the dryer side
#3 Premium Pick: Open Farm Harvest Chicken Rustic Blend Wet Cat Food
While an inactive indoor cat may need fewer calories than an outdoor cat, protein is still important and this Open Farm wet food formula has it in spades. With humanely-raised chicken as the first ingredient, this recipe is a rich source of high-quality animal protein.
As a wet food, this formula is rich in moisture which is important for your cat’s hydration. What we love about this recipe is that it doesn’t contain water or regular broth as the primary source of that moisture – it’s made with bone broth. Bone broth is rich in collagen and supports healthy digestion for cats.
Though this recipe is rich in animal protein and healthy moisture, it does contain a few unnecessary plant ingredients, and the main source of added fat is plant-based. That being said, there are no artificial additives and every ingredient is human-grade.
Something else we appreciate about this product is the packaging. Each carton contains 5.5 ounces of wet food which, according to Open Farm, is enough to feed a 5-8 pound cat for one day. What makes the packaging so great is that you can fold the top over to keep the food fresh in the fridge.
Ingredients
Humanely Raised Chicken, Chicken Bone Broth, Pumpkin, Carrots, Spinach, Red Lentils, Agar Agar, Non-GMO Cranberries, Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), Chicory Root, Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Salt, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Dried Kelp, Potassium Chloride, Dandelion Greens, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Turmeric.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made with 100% human-grade ingredients
- Packed with high-quality animal protein
- Rich in moisture to support hydration
- No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains some unnecessary plant ingredients
- Somewhat pricey
#4 Best Dry: FirstMate Chicken Meal With Blueberries Formula
FirstMate offers a modest selection of limited-ingredient dry foods and a wide range of canned cat foods for indoor cats and outdoor cats. Many of their recipes are made with a single source of animal protein, making them an appropriate choice for cats with allergies or sensitivities to specific proteins.
All FirstMate foods are manufactured in a company-owned facility in British Columbia using ingredients sourced from North America (with the exception of lamb sourced from Australia). All meat ingredients are humanely raised and fish ingredients are sustainably sourced.
Each of FirstMate’s limited-ingredient diets starts with a high-quality source of animal protein, generally a meat meal. Meat meals are simply whole proteins from which the moisture has been removed. The process yields a lighter, more concentrated source of protein that doesn’t change as much during the extrusion process.
All of FirstMate’s cat foods are free from artificial additives, vaguely-named ingredients, and animal by-products. The brand has never had a recall.
While it’s generally a better idea to give your indoor cat wet cat food, some cats prefer dry cat food and drink enough water without needing extra hydration from wet food. That makes this choice the winner for the dry foods for indoor cats category.
Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Potato, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Whole Blueberries, Dl-Methionine, Minerals: (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins: (Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Potassium Chloride, Calcium Propionate (a Preservative), Taurine, Yeast Extract (a Source of Prebiotics), Kale, Glucosamine Hydrochloride.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Chicken meal is the top ingredient
- Highly digestible for most cats
- No history of product recalls in the company’s history
What We Didn’t Like:
- Potato in the ingredient list
- Dry cat food is not for every indoor cat
- Fairly high dry matter carb content around 30%
#5 Best For Hairballs: Tiki Cat Koolina Luau Chicken With Egg in Chicken Consomme
This bare-bones recipe from Tiki Cat has several qualities that may help your hairball-prone feline.
If your cat’s hairballs are caused by digestive issues, you might appreciate the simplicity and digestibility of this recipe. Unlike other foods that emphasize low-value plant protein, the recipe is all about the meat. Chicken takes center stage and dwarfs all other inclusions, offering a species-appropriate source of protein and nutrients.
Of course, chicken-based food always comes with a caveat. It’s probably not a good choice for cats with suspected food allergies and is out of the question for cats with a confirmed chicken allergy. Because chicken is so common in cat food, it’s one of the top food allergens for cats.
Because it contains dried egg, it’s a source of choline and lecithin that help to prevent hairballs, making it one of the obvious reasons it makes our list of best cat foods for indoor cats.
On the negative side, it’s made with sunflower seed oil instead of animal-sourced fats. Chicken fat, fish oil, and other animal-sourced fats are optimally digestible for cats.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Sunflower Seed Oil, Dried Egg, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Biotin, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Vitamin K3 Supplement.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Simple, highly-digestible recipe
- Limited ingredient list
- Contains egg
- Hydrating
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains plant-sourced fat
- Expensive
#6 Best For Kittens: Wellness CORE Kitten Turkey & Chicken Liver Recipe Canned Food
Our top pick for kittens is the high-protein wet cat food from Wellness CORE. It’s a meat-based formula packed with animal-based ingredients, including turkey, chicken liver, chicken meat, and chicken meal.
While some people write off chicken meal as inferior to so-called “real chicken” and put it in the same category as poultry by-products, those criticisms don’t hold up to examination. Chicken meal appears to be just as nutritious and digestible as any other chicken product. In fact, it packs a harder protein and calorie punch—which is exactly what your growing kitten needs.
The inclusions of herring and menhaden fish oil make the food a good source of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that contributes to brain and eye development in kittens.
Though it’s grain-free with no potatoes or soy, this pâté contains small amounts of certain plant ingredients, including ground flaxseed, dried kelp, chicory root extract, and alfalfa meal.
While these ingredients aren’t essential in a carnivorous diet, they have a few benefits for kittens. Chicory root extract, for example, is a prebiotic. Along with probiotics, this type of fiber could help support digestive and immune system health.
Each 3 oz. can contain 108 calories, which is about average across all kitten formulas.
Ingredients
Turkey, Chicken Liver, Turkey Broth, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Herring, Natural Flavor, Cranberries, Menhaden Fish Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Ground Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Cassia Gum, Xanthan Gum, Dried Kelp, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Alfalfa Meal, Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- One of the most protein-packed kitten foods on the market
- Ultra-soft pâté texture is easy for kittens to eat
- Calorie-dense recipe to fuel growth and development
- Rich in moisture for optimal hydration
- Supplemented with fish oil as a source of DHA
What We Didn’t Like:
- A little more expensive than many kitten foods
- Contains some plant ingredients
#7 Best For Seniors: Weruva Truluxe Steak Frites Dinner With Beef & Pumpkin in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
This food from Weruva’s TruLuxe line has several qualities that make it a good option for senior cats.
With beef as its primary ingredient, this food has plenty of nourishing animal-sourced protein to keep your senior strong and lean. With plenty of protein and a primarily animal-sourced ingredient list, this food adheres to a carnivorous dietary model.
Meanwhile, it manages to keep phosphorus at 1.0 mg per 1,000 calories—a rare treat among high-protein foods. With its relatively low phosphorus content, this food is a good option for people who want to keep their cats’ kidneys in the best condition possible.
Ingredients
Beef Broth, Beef, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Potato Starch, Carrot, Sunflower Seed Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Salt, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3 Supplement), Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Low in phosphorus, which may help to prevent and ease the symptoms of kidney disease
- Rich in highly-digestible animal protein
- Low carbohydrate content may reduce your cat’s chances of developing diabetes
- Free of potentially-inflammatory artificial ingredients
What We Didn’t Like:
- Doesn’t contain any fish oil or other concentrated sources of omega-3 fatty acids
- One of the most expensive canned foods on the market
Choosing a Great Food for Your Indoor Cat
Your indoor cat may not catch mice, but it is a dedicated carnivore nevertheless.
According to much evidence, cats’ dietary needs haven’t changed much since they first wandered into human settlements and started killing and eating rodents around 9,500 years ago.
Their propensity for eliminating grain-eating mice earned cats their place in human society back then – so why are so many people now feeding them mouse food?
The ideal diet for your cat is a balanced raw diet made from raw muscle meat, organs, and bones. If you don’t want to feed your cat this type of diet, there are plenty of good alternatives out there, and fortunately, identifying them is simple.
Look for ingredient lists that start with meat. Any food that uses corn or rice as the first ingredient is better off in the trash than your cat’s food bowl.
Also Read: The 7 Best Raw Cat Food
Avoid By-Products and Fillers
The inclusion of byproducts puts you at risk of feeding your cat low-value meat from low-quality animal parts, unidentified animals that could trigger allergic reactions, and low-quality cuts of meat that aren’t easily digestible or highly nutritious.
Always look for high-quality meat ingredients like “turkey,” “lamb,” “beef,” and “chicken liver.” Avoid labels including vague ingredients like “poultry,” “meat byproducts,” and “rendered meals.”
Ingredients like corn, soy, and wheat are fillers that don’t offer any nutritional value for your cat. They’re cheap binders and should always be avoided.
Look for Food That Won’t Contribute to Weight Gain
This is the number one thing that cat food manufacturers are targeting when they make cat foods for indoor cats: accommodating the reduced calorie needs of a less active cat.
What they so often get wrong is cutting higher calorie protein and replacing it with lower calorie-containing fillers, so as to appear to contain a lower total amount of calories.
Good cat foods for indoor cats keep them satisfied for extended periods of time. While they often have lower calorie counts, carb-rich foods won’t keep your cat full and can lead to blood sugar spikes and fat accumulation.
Instead of picking the first low-calorie food for indoor cats, the best approach is to seek out a high-quality protein (even if it seems to be higher in calorie content compared to other fillers), nutritionally-dense food, and serve it in controlled portions.
Is Dry or Wet Food Better?
Whether your cat lives indoors, outdoors, or somewhere in between, the answer is generally the same: choose wet food.
Cats have naturally low thirst drives and don’t typically drink enough water to compensate for the lack of moisture in dry food. Those who consume dry diets often become chronically dehydrated, leading to urinary tract disease and renal failure.
Only wet or raw food, with its approximate 70% water content, can deliver the moisture that your cat needs to stay healthy.
High-moisture foods are also more satiating and help your indoor cat to stay slim and feel less hungry.
With that being said, cats are highly individualistic. Some cats have no problem drinking enough water, and some prefer dry cat food. In these situations, keep a close eye on your cat’s water intake to make sure they are staying hydrated. You can also incorporate some wet food into their diet on occasion, assuming your cat is open to it.
Also Read: How Long Can A Cat Go Without Drinking Water?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is indoor cat food really better for indoor cats?
Indoor cat food is designed for less active indoor cats and contains fewer calories. This means that your cat is less likely to become overweight or obese, which leads to a number of health problems.
Is dry food or wet food better for indoor cats?
Wet food is generally better for indoor cats. The moisture in the wet food helps keep cats hydrated, which in turn lowers the likelihood of them developing urinary tract disease and renal failure. Some cats may prefer dry food or do not need that extra hydration because they do drink enough, although cats, in general, have a low thirst drive. It can be challenging to track their water intake, and wet food helps to eliminate that guesswork.
Is it OK to give cats wet food everyday?
Yes! Wet cat food with quality ingredients is an excellent thing to feed your cat each day. It also has the benefit of keeping your cat hydrated and feeling satisfied after eating.
if you are going to feed your cat both dry and wet food how many time a week should you mix the two. someone said that goats milk or some kinda oil helps reduce hairballs is any of this true. i have not had a cat in 45yrs. now i am retired so i have the time needed to care for animals again
My cat only likes tuna treats , will not eat any kind of,raw food at all
Watched video on Marty’s catfood. Have emailed them twice, asking what the fiber-like thread of plastic looking material is in some of the pieces of their catfood. There was NO explanation. Only got offer to replace the food. I have pictures. It’s very disturbing. Anyone else see this?
Kelly, that is disturbing indeed. I’m going to email you, as this is something we’d like to be aware of and potentially share in our review of this brand. – Mallory