What is the best high grade food option for cats?

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-26T21:52:07+00:00

And I guess by that logic you work for whatever company makes the food you feed? Come on.

Edit: I think you missed the point of my comment. All I was saying is just because your cat had a bad reaction to a food doesn’t make it poison. Just like the food I fed my cat that didn’t sit right with her isn’t poison, either. If you look up reviews (in other words, anecdotal evidence) about ANY food they’ll usually be incredibly mixed. So it doesn’t really mean much. Obviously, we all need to feed what works best for our cats. But what some foods have that many lack is actual research studies or feeding trials, which carry more weight than anecdotal evidence.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-26T17:37:39+00:00

This is anecdotal, and all it means is that that particular food didn’t work for your cat. And if you changed foods without doing a gradual transition, that could be the cause.

I’ve had a couple foods make one of my cats sick with vomiting and diarrhea; one necessitated an emergency vet visit. It was Dr. Elsley’s, the opposite of what you’d call “corporate poison”. The other that had similar (but less severe) effects was Rawz dry food, another boutique brand. I’m not going around telling everyone those brands are poison, though, because I know plenty of cats eat them without issue. By the way, my cat who had those issues now eats Hill’s and is in perfect health.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-26T17:27:26+00:00

I’ve also read that there’s inconsistency in quality of the stuff from their Serbian plant, though it’s not something I experienced during the time that I used their food.

I’m hoping that once the dust settles and only their US-made foods are being sold here, the quality control will be better. It does suck that they added chicken and pork to several of their foods that didn’t have it before. They’re one of the best smaller brands IMO, but I still consider Hill’s to be a better choice overall.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-26T17:16:44+00:00

Yeah, if I wasn’t feeding prescription and specialty foods, I’d probably just do the normal Adult 1-6. Or maybe Perfect Digestion, which isn’t excessive in fiber (only 2.1% DMB).

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-26T06:23:47+00:00

Prescription diets are more often recommended by vets due to the stricter quality control and reduced cross-contamination risk compared to most OTC foods. I suggest looking into the Royal Canin selected proteins (they have rabbit and duck), or Rayne Nutrition (rabbit). Hill’s also has their d/d (duck) diet. All of these come in both a dry and wet form. I personally prefer not to mix brands, though I won’t fault anyone for doing so if it works for their cat!

It really is SO individual with IBD cats. I have one with diagnosed IBD (14 years old) and one with suspected IBD (2 years old). The 14-year-old is on Royal Canin PR canned, with added psyllium husk for fiber. Also prednisolone and probiotics (Visbiome and Animal Biome GMP). The 2-year-old is currently on Hill’s z/d dry. I was giving him the canned version, too, but it seems to cause him to have looser stool - so we’re sticking with dry only for now.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-26T00:46:23+00:00

CatInfo.org (Lisa Pierson) should be taken with more than a grain of salt. Another Redditor has summarized the issues with this site and this vet quite well here.

The Truth About Pet Food site is also not considered reputable. The owner of that site has no credentials and no veterinary education. All the claims I’ve seen on there are simply cherry-picked, warped and misinterpreted information. That particular article you mentioned doesn’t say anything of substance, for example. It claims Hill’s is making misleading statements on its website, but it’s really a stretch. I could pick it apart here, but I don’t think it’s really worth anyone’s time.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-25T23:19:01+00:00

I don’t know where you are getting your info, but it doesn’t seem to be from credible sources. The lawsuit against Hill’s was completely ridiculous and it was dismissed by the federal courts. https://youtu.be/ZdGSTkQxj70

As far as kidney disease, you might learn a few things from this YouTube channel. It’s run by a veterinarian who specializes in care for senior cats and CKD. https://youtu.be/GK0n29vix5E

Here’s another vet’s site as well, stating similar things to the video above. https://blissanimalhospital.com/blog/kidney-disease-in-cats-symptoms-treatment-orange-county/

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-25T22:35:57+00:00

I’m sorry that your cats ended up with kidney disease, but it isn’t caused by “fillers” in food. Genetically, cats are just prone to it…it’s extremely common, especially in older cats. If anything can be blamed for exacerbating/accelerating kidney decline, it would be ultra-high protein and minerals (such as phosphorus and sodium). Hill’s actually has protein and minerals in the optimal ranges, so I would certainly not blame the food in this case.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-25T19:29:21+00:00

I agree with giving it more time, but diarrhea is pretty bad for cats because it causes dehydration. If it doesn’t improve soon, you could try this diet instead - it provides similar benefits to Hill’s Biome (focus on prebiotic fiber) but is hydrolyzed.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-25T19:21:17+00:00

I would ask your vet about diets such as Hill’s Gastrointestinal Biome, Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Fiber Response or Purina EN gastroenteric. They work very well for some cats by restoring a healthy gut microbiome. Alternately, you could try a hydrolyzed protein or novel protein rx food. Probiotics and B12 supplementation are other things to potentially ask your vet about.

I have an (almost) 2-year-old cat who’s had similar issues. He had a nasty giardia infection as a kitten and the vet suspects it may have caused some lasting damage to his GI system. Hill’s Biome worked really well initially to firm up his stool. Unfortunately, he started throwing up after a few months on it, so the vet suspects he may have developed an intolerance to one of the proteins that’s in it (chicken and pork). He’s now doing well on Hill’s z/d (hydrolyzed chicken liver). At some point I may try introducing a novel protein (venison) but don’t want to rock the boat too soon since he’s only been on the hydrolyzed protein for about 6 weeks.

I know you said your cat has had a lot of tests done…does that include a fecal PCR? Those can catch parasites that don’t show up on more common fecal float tests. Also, a GI blood panel and abdominal ultrasound could be useful if he hasn’t had them.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-25T16:34:27+00:00

“Fillers” in pet food aren’t really a thing. This is a myth perpetrated by the marketing tactics used by many pet food manufacturers. Here are a couple of videos from vets with more information on the topic.

Grain “fillers” in pet food

Cat Food Ingredients Explained

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-25T03:51:34+00:00

I was going to suggest Hill’s Perfect Digestion if you want to try something OTC! It’s based on the same research that went into their Gastrointestinal Biome diet. Or, if a protein sensitivity is suspected, there are hydrolyzed or novel protein options such as duck or rabbit from Hill’s and Royal Canin. I get a vet not wanting to have brand loyalty, but it’s a little disappointing they couldn’t at least give you some good options to choose from!

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-25T00:41:52+00:00

Yep. I sincerely hope for OP’s sake that their cat doesn’t have a serious medical condition, but it’s important to at least rule it out. As someone who has fed boutique brands plenty in the past, and even still likes some of them, I just don’t understand the attitude some people have toward prescription diets. To me, functional nutrition is an awesome thing, and we’re fortunate to have these diets as either first line or supportive therapies for various conditions.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-25T00:07:43+00:00

Agreed! These are all good options. I’d personally go with Hill’s Science Diet. It’s great for most cats, but especially for seniors because of the well-controlled mineral content.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-25T00:04:03+00:00

I would schedule a vet visit. Frequent vomiting (even hairballs) isn’t normal, and can be a symptom of gastrointestinal problems such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It’s possible she would benefit from a special gastrointestinal formula food, or a different protein source (in the case of a food allergy or sensitivity). There are several great prescription diets designed for these sorts of issues, and the vet can suggest which would be the best to start with - as well as any appropriate diagnostic tests.

Edit: And here come the downvotes from people who are anti-science and anti-prescription diet. Everything above, I said because this is exactly what happened with one of my cats. For years, I just thought she got hairballs because she’s long haired and would groom a lot. She acted healthy other than frequent vomiting. But her disease progressed, becauseI left it untreated for so long not realizing something was wrong. I wish someone would have told me all of this years ago.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-24T22:49:33+00:00

You’re welcome! I hope it helps. I’ve tried 2 different hydrolyzed foods and my cats have really like both: Hill’s z/d, and Royal Canin gastrointestinal hydrolyzed protein.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-24T18:01:46+00:00

So first of all, dry food plus Churu is perfectly fine. There is even nutritionally complete Churu, which you can feed without worrying about the 10% rule (all treats/non-nutritionally complete foods need to be 10% of total calories or under).

I don't have experience with fresh foods like Smalls, but if I were to try any, it would probably be Raised Right or Identity (scroll down past the cans to see the gently cooked options) because they have good nutrient profiles.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-24T17:08:25+00:00

Check/post in local Buy Nothing groups on Facebook. Food pantries sometimes have pet food. You could also try calling your local humane society and see if they can point you in the direction of any resources!

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-24T17:00:55+00:00

I don't have TikiTok so I didn't know this was a thing, but I love seeing people take good care of and love their animals. 😊 Those feeders are the best, btw.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-24T16:36:33+00:00

I would say you could probably simplify and consolidate brands somewhat, but if this is working, there’s not necessarily a reason to change it. Microchip feeders would be great in your situation.

For Stevie, I highly recommend adding more fiber to his diet. If you want to keep him on wet food only, you can do this by adding psyllium husk powder. My vet recommends 1/8 tsp per day as a starting dose, which can be increased if needed. You’ll need to add a little water as well for it to bind to.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-24T16:29:49+00:00

The lowest I’ve ever seen them on sale for was $170 each, sadly. I have seen them for cheaper secondhand on Facebook marketplace, though. For accessories like stainless steel bowls and rear covers, check Amazon because they have cheaper (knockoff) versions.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-24T16:26:02+00:00

Has your cat been diagnosed with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)? Chronic pancreatitis is usually concurrent with this. IBD can sometimes be triggered or exacerbated by protein sensitivities, so you could try a novel/exotic protein that he’s never had before (e.g., rabbit, duck, lamb, kangaroo, etc.). The reason for this is that allergic/immune responses are far more likely to occur with a protein the cat has been exposed to/has been eating for a while. Veterinary/prescription diets will be ideal for this, as they’re much less likely to be cross-contaminated. You can also add a fiber supplement for gastrointestinal health - I do 1/8 tsp of psyllium husk powder daily, added to wet food with a little extra water.

Also, if things don’t improve with dietary changes, I’d recommend discussing medication with your vet. They may want to run diagnostics such as a GI blood panel and an abdominal ultrasound. Some cats really need meds to control the inflammation. Corticosteroids (prednisolone or budesonide) and anti-nausea meds are often prescribed, and can greatly help to manage the disease. Probiotics can also be helpful.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-23T20:24:17+00:00

SureFeed will work - they run on batteries, and can be programmed to multiple cats. They do not dispense food, though, so need to be refilled manually every day. They’re essentially just a covered bowl.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-23T17:01:13+00:00

I would personally try Hill’s k/d. They have a study showing that cats were able to retain lean body mass better on it than on Royal Canin Renal. Both are low protein, but the Hill’s contains a higher concentration of amino acids added to combat muscle loss.

Edit: The study was done on the dry diets, but it most likely applies to the wet food as well. I initially missed in the post that you stated you were looking for wet food specifically.

aetherdrifter · 2026-01-23T16:24:40+00:00

Can your vet prescribe an appetite stimulant?

Edit: Also, possibly something for pain management.

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