Last updated May 18, 2024
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Veterinary review of this article includes only the medical information in this article. The veterinarian reviewing this article does not personally endorse, recommend, or vouch for the efficacy or claims of any product mentioned in this article.
Whoever said “making gains” was just for jocks? Our cats need many of the same nutrients as people to build muscle and stay fit.. Finding the right food for your cat to maintain a healthy weight can be a difficult task.
There are many brands out there, and it can be hard to tell which cat food would be best for your beloved cat. This is why we went out and did a ton of research in order to find the absolute best high-protein, high-fiber and low-carb cat food for an optimized and healthy cat diet plan.
At a Glance: Best High Protein Low Carb Canned Cat Food To Buy
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Smalls Ground Bird Fresh Cat Food
- Species-appropriate, single-protein recipe
- Contains over 48% dry matter protein
- Very low in carbohydrates
Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken in Chicken Consomme Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- Grain-free, gravy-free and gently cooked food for a healthy and nutritious diet.
- No heavy starches make for an easily digested meal for your cat.
- Low carbohydrate content helps in maintaining your cat’s weight and blood sugar.
Wellness CORE Signature Selects Flaked Skipjack Tuna & Wild Salmon Entree in Broth Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- All the ingredients are naturally blended with no meat by-products, fillers, or artificial additives.
- Gives your cat a balanced nutritional diet.
- Shredded food with delicate cuts of real meat and seafood.
Open Farm Harvest Chicken Rustic Blend Wet Food
- Made from 100% human-grade ingredients
- Humanely raised chicken as the primary ingredient
- No fillers, by-products, or vaguely named ingredients
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Turkey Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- This food is highly recommended for cats that have sensitive digestive systems or related food allergies.
- Complete nutrition helps with immune function.
- Natural flavors used for great taste.
#1 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
Featuring chicken as a single source of animal protein, this Smalls fresh cat food formula is a species-appropriate choice for cats of all life stages. Chicken muscle meat and chicken liver make up most of the recipe’s 48% dry matter protein content. If your cat prefers another flavor, Smalls also offers turkey, beef, and fish formulas in an assortment of textures.
In addition to being much higher in protein than the average commercial cat food, Smalls fresh food is very low in carbohydrates. Green beans, kale, and dandelion greens are the only significant plant ingredients in this recipe and they are digestible for most cats. Whether you’re feeding a diabetic cat or simply looking to upgrade to a more carnivore-appropriate diet, Smalls is a good option to consider.
Because Smalls is a fresh cat food delivery service, it’s only available by subscription. When you sign up, you’ll receive a 10-pack sampler followed by monthly deliveries. If you want to cancel, pause, or adjust your order you can do so through the customer portal, by email, or via text message.
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:
- Species-appropriate, single-protein recipe
- Contains over 48% dry matter protein
- Very low in carbohydrates
- Rich in hydrating moisture for your cat
What We Didn’t Like:
- Only available as a subscription plan
- No phone support (text and email only)
#2 Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken in Chicken Consomme Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- Made In: Thailand
- Guaranteed Protein: 16% Min
- Age Range: Adult
- Calories Per Ounce: 24
- Typical Cost Per Day: $5.29 per day
This product is highly recommended as part of a general wellness nutrition program for cats. It may also be good if your cat is diabetic or suffers from another chronic health condition, though you should always discuss diet changes with your cat’s veterinarian if you are treating health issues.
Ingredients include: tuna, mackerel or crab broth (depending on flavor) , Sunflower seed oil, Vitamin E, B12, B3, D3 and A supplements and Folic Acid. Adult cats should be fed 1 can of Tiki Cat per 10 pounds of body weight every day.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Sunflower Seed Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin (Vitamin B3), Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium Iodate, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin K3 Supplement.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Grain-free, gravy-free and gently cooked food guarantees healthy and nutritious diets.
- No heavy starches make for an easily digested meal for your cat.
- Low carbohydrate content helps in maintaining your cat’s weight and blood sugar. Added broths contribute to flavor.
#3 Wellness CORE Signature Selects Flaked Skipjack Tuna & Wild Salmon Entree in Broth Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 10% Min
- Age Range: Adult
- Calories Per Ounce: 25
- Typical Cost Per Day: $4.95 per day
Even though this brand of food contains all natural ingredients, somehow they managed to give the food’s sauce an amazing taste that your cat will love.
Best served at room temperature and specially made for adult cats, this food is moist enough to help your kitty stay hydrated, in case it doesn’t drink enough. Approximately 1 and 1/2 to 2 cans per 6 – 8 lbs of body weight per day.
Ingredients
Tuna, Tuna Broth, Water Sufficient for Processing, Mackerel, Salmon, Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Taurine, Magnesium Sulfate, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite], Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K).
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- All the ingredients are naturally blended with no meat by-products, filler, or artificial additives.
- Gives your cat a balanced nutritional diet.
- Shredded food with delicate cuts of real meat and seafood.
- Nice selection of flavors that your cat will surely enjoy.
#4 Open Farm Harvest Chicken Rustic Blend Wet Food
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 7% min.
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 30
- Typical Cost Per Day: $3.60 per day
Quality ingredients make all the difference in your cat’s diet and Open Farm uses only 100% human-grade, ethically sourced ingredients. This chicken recipe wet food, for example, features humanely raised chicken as the main ingredient with chicken bone broth added for moisture.
This chicken recipe wet food is made with a fairly limited list of main ingredients including fresh chicken, chicken bone broth, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, and red lentils. Pumpkin provides fiber to help regulate your cat’s digestion while carrots and spinach provide natural sources for essential nutrients.
Legumes like red lentils or garbanzo beans are not our favorite ingredients in cat food, though they aren’t necessarily unhealthy. They contain some plant-based protein, which we’d prefer to see replaced with animal-based sources, and they contribute to the total carbohydrate content of the recipe, which is around 16.7%.
Overall, this is a protein-rich recipe with moderate fat and carbohydrate content that provides the moisture your cat needs for hydration.
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 from 100% human-grade ingredients
- Humanely raised chicken as the primary ingredient
- No fillers, by-products, or vaguely named ingredients
- Contains the moisture your cat needs
What We Didn’t Like:
- Significant number of plant-based ingredients
- Primary source of added fat is plant-based
#5 Blue Buffalo Wilderness Turkey Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 10% min.
- Age Range: Adult
- Calories Per Ounce: 39
- Typical Cost Per Day: $1.88 per day
This is a high-protein and low-carbohydrate product that will be perfect for your cat. This food contains many vitamins and minerals that can keep your cat’s body in good health, with a shinycoat and healthy, vital skin.
The product consists of: tender, delectable chunks of chicken and flaky trout meat, easily digestible protein, and essential amino acids and Vitamin D3.
Feed your cat about 2 of the 3 oz. cans per 6 to 8 lbs of body weight per day, and about 1 can for less than 6 to 8 lbs of body weight per day, depending on your cat’s feeding habits and dietary needs.
Ingredients
Turkey, Turkey Broth, Turkey Liver, Potatoes, Dried Egg Product, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Potassium Chloride, Cassia Gum, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Salt, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9).
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- This food is highly recommended for cats that have sensitive digestive systems or related food allergies.
- Complete nutrition helps with immune function.
- Natural flavors contribute to great taste.
- Flaxseed adds fiber to aid digestion.
- The low carbohydrate-to-protein ratio is as close to your cat’s natural feeding requirements as possible.
- Given the higher concentration of chicken and trout, there is a lot of taste and flavor for your kitty to savor.
#6 Best Feline Friend Cat Food, Tuna & Chicken 4Eva Recipe
- Made In: Thailand
- Guaranteed Protein: 12% min.
- Age Range: Adult
- Calories Per Ounce: 17
- Typical Cost Per Day: $4.12 per day
This amazing product is all-natural with complete and well balanced nutritional content. With lots of moist and flavorful jelly broth, this will be easy on your cat’s digestive system. This wet cat food is not too chunky, making it easy to chew, for those felines who like softer textures.
Another nice thing about this brand is that all wild caught fish used in the product are guaranteed to have been caught using dolphin and turtle safe fishing. Another great advantage for this great-tasting cat food.
Ingredients
Tuna, Fish Broth, Chicken (Boneless, Skinless Breast), Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calcium Lactate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Vitamin E, Zinc Sulfate, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Manganese Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source Of Vitamin K), Potassium Iodide, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Grain and gluten free.
- Super safe manufacturing processes ensure a great, quality product.
- Quality protein guarantees great nutrition for your cat. Meat used is lean and boneless / skinless, which makes for a highly nutritious
- A good choice for picky cats.
#7 Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
- Made In: Thailand
- Guaranteed Protein: 10% min.
- Age Range: Adult
- Calories Per Ounce: 19
- Typical Cost Per Day: $4.41 per day
With this product, your cat will enjoy high-quality protein, as well as a low fat and carbohydrate content. This all-natural cat food is a great choice for those picky cats, who won’t eat just anything. Gluten-free, grain-free and MSG-free food will provide your feline with a healthy meal.
Some of the product’s ingredients: great tasting wild caught small fish meat. Packed with vitamin E, B1, A, D3, B2, B3, B12 and B6 supplements. Adult cats should be fed 1 oz. of food for each 1 pound of body weight every day.
Ingredients
Chicken (Boneless, Skinless Breast), Chicken Broth, Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calcium Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Will help picky cats have a well balanced diet that they will enjoy.
- Helps with proper feline hydration.
- Balanced cat diet that is rich in high-quality protein and low in fat and carbs.
- Easy to digest.
If you are a cat enthusiast and really love your pet, you should start thinking of buying high-protein, low-carb canned cat food. Your cat’s health will benefit from good dietary choices.
Wondering how you can keep your cat healthy and happy with the best food you can afford? You are not alone. Most folks are just like you. Depending on your cat’s activity level, breed, age, and other health factors, making the right choice for the benefit of your cat can be easy.
Should I Consider Other Foods Besides Wet Food?
High-protein & low-carb canned cat foods are often recommended because their low carbohydrate content means better weight control for your cat, especially for those lazier felines.
In addition, canned cat food products are usually supplemented with vitamins and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Another important reason why you should feed your cat wet canned foods is that the high moisture content can help in the prevention of urinary tract problems.
If your cat ever has such problems, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best cat foods for cats with urinary tract problems here.
These canned foods are generally lower in carbohydrates than dry food, minimizing extreme alterations in your cat’s blood glucose levels. This can be crucial when your cat is diabetic and in need of a low-carbohydrate diet. So whatever your cat’s taste preferences are, you can follow our advice here and rest assured that you will find something that will be just right for your cat.
Why Trust Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
When selecting wet and canned cat foods for testing, we prioritized recipes made primarily with animal ingredients and chose a variety of flavors and textures. Our selections were informed by in-depth research into the nutritional value of wet food for cats as well as our team’s experience having tested hundreds of products with our own cats.
We ordered these products at full price and tested them at home with multiple cats. While our cats provided their opinions on taste and general appeal, we performed an in-depth analysis of the product information and made my own observations. I also researched the brands, seeking information about their recall history, manufacturing practices, and general reputation within the cat-lover community. Here’s the full methodology behind our cat food ratings.
We also consulted our team of veterinary experts to determine what features to look for in a healthy high protein wet cat food.
Finally, we consulted seven veterinarians to get their professional opinion on what makes great cat food.
Our Veterinary Advisors
My cat is now diabetic, but we caught it early. He has been on insulin for 2-3 weeks. He is doing great and feeling good! I believe I can get him in remission with the right diet of high protein, low carb wet food. I just don’t know how to find it, since the nutrition percentages are not described on the cans.
Please give me some direction!
Hi I am in the same boat as you. I switched to tiki cats wet canned food the chicken and ahi tuna flavor. Does anyone here know how much carbs is in it? What can flavor has the lowest carb?
Hi,
Here is the Caloric Content for Tiki Cat Hookena Luau Ahi Tuna & Chicken in Chicken Consomme:
1,042 kcal/kg, 83 kcal/2.8 oz can, 177 kcal/6 oz can
For more info, you can look up on the product information listed on Chewy.com (Guaranteed Analysis section)
Purrs,
Catinfo.org list the protein, fat and carbs on a large selection of canned cat food. Lots of great nutritional info.
Hi RP,
You can click on the See Guaranteed Analysis tab to see the protein, fat and carbs on recipe.
Hope this helps!
Purrs,
Pedro
This page has been very helpful with my decision to change from dry food (metabolic, Science Diet) to help my overweight cat, to a high protein low carb wet food!!! Thank you guys for doing the research!!!
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that you found it helpful!
My cat is overweight. Dr. prescribed SC Metabolic. Along with it being very expensive. He has been eating it throughout this pandemic since last year and has not loss any weight. Of the brands above, which one would help with weight loss?
Hi Stacey, thanks for commenting! I wouldn’t recommend relying on a weight loss-oriented food to help your cat lose weight. Instead, focus on controlling your cat’s portions and monitoring his caloric intake. Food can also help, so I would recommend any of the options on our list of the best cat food for weight loss.
Thank you
Stick with pate. Stay away from gravy and broths. Many of these foods have 6-12% carb content – that is high. Fancy Feast pate canned wet food has 1-4 % carbs. Much better.
Very true. My vet said the same thing
Could you recommend a wet and crunchy kitty food that is healthy, for finicky kitties without Breaking the bank? I’ve tried a lot of the foods that you suggested and they won’t touch them. I’ve been feeding them Purina pro plan and even from that they only like two flavors, which they’re always out of. I want to feed them something healthier but I just don’t know what to do. Please help!
Oh and they do not like pate nor do they like any of the foods that look like they have real chicken and just broth they will not eat them.
Hi Ashlea, thanks for the comment. Have you tried the foods on our list of the best budget cat food? We recently updated it with a few new recommendations your cat might like. Remember, you can experiment with other varieties from the same product line, and these may have tastes and textures that your cat prefers.
This is a great site. My vet always recommended under 10% carbs for my chunky, IBD 14 yr old
It’s great I can look that up on here
Thank you !!!
I just don’t see trout listed in the Blue Wilderness Turkey recipe though you mentioned trout several times. Thanks !
I dont feed fish so I always look at labels. The Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Cat Food mentions it has small fish but I also don’t see fish listed in the ingredients. Thanks!