Grain-Free Cat Food

When you want to serve your cat a nutritious diet, you choose a grain-free diet. Grain-free cat food is becoming popular among pet owners over the last few years. Now the question is, why do you need to choose grain-free cat food? There are plenty of good reasons, such as it is difficult for cats to digest grains. Moreover, it can cause allergies.

Grains contain carbohydrates, and that can result in weight gain and create digestive problems. Here you’ll find the best grain-free food for cats because we have made this selection keeping the dietary needs, health concerns, and nutritional make-up in mind.

What Is Grain-Free Cat Food?

Before going into the details of the best products, it’s essential to clear the concept of grain-free food. Food that doesn’t contain grains is called grain-free food. Grains that are found in cat food are wheat, barley, oats, corns, and rice.

If the cats are diagnosed with allergies, you shouldn’t serve them with foods containing grains. Most cats suffer from allergies due to eating beef or fish. Some signs of food allergy are itchiness, excessive hair loss, inflamed skin, and hot spots.

Best Grain-Free Cat Food

Pet owners prefer foods that are gentle on the digestive system of their cats. They may notice that by eating conventional foods, cats vomit regularly and suffers from diarrhea. The best solution to these problems is grain-free food.

• Blue Buffalo Dry Cat Food

It contains ingredients recommended by veterinarians. Moreover, it contains vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals to fulfill an adult cat’s health and dietary needs. It also includes omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids that can keep the coat and skin of your cat healthy. All other dry cat foods contain some carbohydrates, but Blue Buffalo Wilderness includes peas and sweet potatoes that are easier for cats to digest.

Pros

1. Made of natural ingredients
2. Suitable for cats of all ages
3. Available in different flavors
4. Provides required nutrition for your cat

Cons

1. If it’s not balanced with wet food, it can increase the risk of bladder stones.

• Purina Pro Plan Grain-Free Food

Purina is producing high-quality wet cat foods. It contains all the ingredients that meet the nutritional levels. Moreover, this food is effective for cats of all ages. It is made of natural ingredients.

Pros

1. Grain-free and gluten-free dry food
2. Made of ingredients that are specially formulated for kittens
3. Protein-rich and doesn’t contain any preservatives
4. Provide all the nutrients, and you don’t have to buy products for supplementary nutrients

Cons

1. It contains rich-phosphorous content, so not recommended for cats with urinary tract and kidney issues.

• Wellness Complete Health Natural Food

It is another excellent grain-free food that contains natural fiber blends. It improves the digestive system of the cats. Moreover, your cat would love this food because of its tasty flavor. It comes in a variety of flavors.

Pros

1. It doesn’t contain soy, wheat, or corn
2. Made of natural ingredients
3. Budget-friendly
4. Cats love the combinations of flavors

Cons 

1. It doesn’t offer too much quantity in a standard pack.

• Taste of the Wild Dry Cat Food

It is amongst the best cat foods because of its high-quality ingredients. Taste of the Wild is the most reliable and popular brand. It contains all the ingredients to fulfill the nutritional needs of the cats. Moreover, it contains low-calories.

Pros

1. Boost the immune system
2. Easily digestible
3. It contains lots of natural fibers

Cons

1. It is an expensive product.

• Purina Beyond Cat Food

If you want to feed your furry friend with gluten and grain-free diet, then try this one. It is made up of white meat, chicken, and natural ingredients. It’s basically designed for indoor cats. However, outdoor cats can eat it as well. Moreover, it is a vitamin-rich diet.

Pros

1. It contains high-quality proteins
2. It has natural chicken flavors
3. Supplemented with whole grains and veggies to fulfill the nutritional needs of your cats
4. It is good for cats with digestive issues because it contains low iodine content.

Cons

1. It contains whole grains that most pet owners don’t want.

Benefits of Grain-Free Cat Food

You might be wondering why everyone prefers grain-free cat food. Some of the benefits of grain-free food for cats are given below:

• Reduce Allergies

If your cat suffers from different allergies, then switching to grain-free food will significantly reduce allergies. It will make your cat healthier and more energetic. Moreover, it allows cats to maintain a healthy body weight.

• Improves the Lifespan

When cats eat easily digestible food, they eat more and get all the essential nutrients. When a cat vomits more, it results in vitamin deficiency. Serving grain-free food will significantly improve the lifespan of your cat.

• Avoid Health Issues

Feeding your cat with grain-free food will significantly reduce health problems. Some common issues that can be avoided using grain-free food are diarrhea, vomiting, skin allergy, and weight gain. In this way, you can save money that you might have to spend on buying the cat’s medicine.

Important Things to Consider When Buying the Grain-Free Cat Food

You need to consider the following features when buying grain-free cat food.

• Moisture Content

Moisture present in foods keeps your cat healthy and hydrated. As a pet owner, you need to ensure that food contains enough moisture. Most dry foods lack moisture content, but it doesn’t mean that dry cat foods are not effective. You can provide your cat with the required moisture by mixing dry and wet meals.

• Proteins

It’s an essential requirement for the growth of both humans and pets. Healthy protein diets keep your cat healthy. A healthy diet must contain at least 40% of proteins. Ensure that the diet contains all the ingredients that can provide protein content.

• Read the Label

As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to read the label. In this way, you can purchase the best food for your cat. If you’re not sure about the ingredients and have any questions, you can contact the manufacturer.

• Price

Sometimes pet owners prefer to buy expensive cat foods, but it doesn’t mean that they are perfect for your cat. Your main goal is to purchase grain-free food. Some cheap products are also available. So, instead of focusing on the price, you need to pay attention to the label.

• Health Issues

It’s probably the most critical factor that you need to consider before buying cat food. Common cat health problems are sensitive digestive systems, allergies, diabetes, and diarrhea. You need to choose cat foods that are easy to digest.

Food requirements for senior cats are different than kittens. Similarly, the nutritional needs for indoor cats will be different from the of outdoor cats. So, read the food label and purchase cat food keeping these health issues in mind.

• Artificial Preservatives

You must value your cat’s dietary needs and ensure that you buy food that lacks wheat, soy, and corn substances. All these quantities only increase the food quantity and do not provide any nutritional benefits. Read the label and ensure that food isn’t bulked with grain and wheat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These FAQs will clear your lots of queries related to grain-free food.

Why is grain-free food effective for cats?

Not all grain-free foods are effective for cats. Generally, grain-free foods contain fewer carbohydrates and more protein content; therefore, it fulfills your cats’ nutritional needs.

Does grain-free food result in constipation?

It can’t cause constipation as long as you keep your cat hydrated. Grain-free food still contains some fats and fiber that continue to pass stool. If your cat goes for more than 48 hours without defecating, then you need to visit a vet. The main cause will be the diet change, but a vet can tell you the other possible causes.

Can grain-free cat food help lose weight?

Changing the diet to grain-free will not help your cat lose weight, but switching to a high protein and low carb diet can help lose weight. Ensure that you’re not compromising the nutritional needs. Healthy foods can also create weight issues. So, ensure that you’re serving a balanced diet to your cat.

Conclusion

Cat lovers have to consider lots of things, and cat food is the most important thing. You have to consider the health issues when choosing the best food for your cats. Right grain-free cat food can provide many health benefits. Meanwhile, ensure that you’re not compromising on the nutritional needs of the cats. Moreover, we have discussed the advantages of grain-free food for cats to tell you its importance.