Top 10 Wet Cat Food Brands for Finicky Felines

Key Points

• Offering your cat a variety of food and flavors may prevent them from developing an exclusive preference.

• Offering your cat flavors like duck or rabbit may stimulate their palate.

• Texture may be more of an issue than flavor, so choose between pate, chunks, or shreds.

Has your cat's mealtime become complicated? They lick at their food or refuse to eat it at all. These top 10 wet cat food brands for finicky felines offer a variety of choices that are sure to stimulate your cat's appetite.

Make sure you make their dinner area as appealing as it is nutritious. Get a cat bowl that prevents whisker fatigue. Don't put their food near their litter box or move it away from their water bowl. Provide separate dishes for each cat or put the bowls up higher so they feel safe to eat.

If you try everything and your cat still doesn't want to eat their food, switch it up. Try different brands and different flavors until you find one they love. This article helps with that. Read each brand's positive and negative aspects and pick one for your finicky feline.

Why Is Your Cat So Picky?

You may have heard cats like routine and prefer the same daily diet. Generally, this may be true. If you have more than one cat, you know each one has a distinct personality and preferences.

The Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine's Cornell Feline Health Center addresses the issue of feeding a finicky cat, saying that while many cats "are content to eat a single food, some cats may develop finicky eating habits and become very selective about what foods they’ll accept. Feeding your cat two or three different cat foods provides flavor variety and may prevent your cat from developing an exclusive preference for a single food."

One of the problems with feeding the same thing all the time is what to do if the store runs out, the company discontinues it or changes the recipe, or there's a delay in shipping. In these cases, you must find a replacement in a hurry.

Comb through the options in this article and find one or more brands that might work for your cat. Try a few cans and see how they respond. If you're still stuck, try a recipe for healthy homemade cat food.

Royal Canin Adult Instinctive

Royal Canin Adult Instinctive offers a variety of wet cat food options to meet the specific nutritional needs of finicky felines. The 3-oz. cans are perfect serving sizes for feeding an adult cat three times per day.

Be aware that the first ingredients in Adult Instinctive are water, pork by-products, and chicken by-products. Although your cat may enjoy these thin slices swimming in gravy, it may not be the best source of protein. The Hair and Skin formula is slightly better, with chicken as its second ingredient.

Nevertheless, customers say they like it, and some vets recommend it. It's expensive, and you can find better quality food for a lower price. Sometimes, it's less about cost and more about what your cat accepts.

Hill's Science Diet Healthy Cuisine

Hill's Science Diet Healthy Cuisine provides high-quality canned cat food with precise nutrition to appeal to even the pickiest eaters. This vet-recommended brand is available in many vet offices.

The Adult Healthy Cuisine has chicken and chicken broth as the top two ingredients, so the protein source is better than Royal Canin. It also contains carrots, rice, and spinach, which may not appeal to some cats.

Some customers say this one works for their cats with sensitive stomachs. Others complain it's overpriced — especially for 2.8-oz. cans. If you want to try this brand, buy one or two cans to see how your cat reacts before purchasing a case that might go uneaten.

Blue Buffalo Tastefuls

Blue Buffalo Tastefuls offers natural and grain-free canned cat food options with real meat and wholesome ingredients to entice finicky felines. It's a high-quality food containing no corn, wheat, soy, or by-products. Their Naturals line contains brown rice as the carb, but the Wilderness line is grain-free.

Although this brand has high-quality ingredients, it also has a steep price tag. Other brands, like Diamond Naturals, contain no fillers or by-products for a lower price.

Customers say their cats like Blue Buffalo, and it's the only food some eat. Because it has fewer fillers, indoor cats use the litter box less often. While that saves a bit of hassle, the high cost of the food may not make up for the savings on litter.

Wellness Gravies Healthy Indulgence

Wellness Gravies Healthy Indulgence cat food offers a variety of wet food options featuring premium ingredients and flavors that satisfy even the most discerning palates. Wellness Gravies are grain-free and come in 3-oz. pouches.

Wellness contains no artificial coloring, flavors, carrageenan, or preservatives. The high liquid content promotes hydration. Some cats may enjoy licking the gravy more than eating the food.

For some cats, being picky about food is more of an allergy issue. Wellness is a good choice for cats sensitive to grains. Mix it with your cat's dry food to make it more appealing or tasty.

Merrick Backcountry Grain Free

Merrick's Backcountry Grain Free wet cat food varieties use high-quality proteins and wholesome ingredients to please finicky felines and promote overall health. Meat is the first ingredient in their cat food, so it's a good protein source. This is another grain-free option if you have trouble finding one your cat likes.

Merrick's variety pack includes duck, chicken, and turkey options. Most cats like poultry, but be sure they aren't allergic to this protein. If they are, there are plenty of seafood options. They also have a rabbit flavor option, which you don't find in many other brands.

Many customers say their cats love this low-calorie food and can't wait to eat it. The added salmon oil supports healthy skin and fur.

Instinct Original

Instinct Original cat food is the "raw brand" because it provides grain-free and minimally processed options made with real meat to suit the preferences of fussy eaters. It contains 95 percent real meat and organs and 5 percent vegetables, fruits, and other ingredients.

Instinct offers flavors not found in other brands, including lamb and venison. It's grain-free, so the minimal ingredients may work for cats with sensitive stomachs. The company's website also features frozen and freeze-dried meals.

The 3-oz. cans are small but packed with so much protein that your cat doesn't need to eat any more than what's there. With such a wide variety of flavors, you're sure to find one your cat enjoys.

Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials

Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials offers various wet cat food formulas featuring real meat, carefully selected ingredients, and precise nutrition for even the pickiest cats. It also contains omega-6 fatty acids to give your cat a shiny, healthy coat.

Purina Pro Plan isn't grain-free, so be sure your cat is sensitive or allergic to grains. Each serving contains 10 percent protein, which is higher than many other cheap canned foods.

Customer reviews are largely positive, and cat owners like the flavor combinations. If your cat usually eats one type of protein, it's best to stick with that. Switching up proteins may cause an upset stomach or vomiting. If you need to switch food, do it gradually.

Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild provides grain-free and species-appropriate canned cat food varieties that reflect a natural diet, which typically appeals to finicky eaters. Choose either Rocky Mountain or Canyon River.

Diamond Pet Food is the parent company of Taste of the Wild. It's a family-owned company with a variety of brands made in the USA. Taste of the Wild is their grain-free line and is very popular in many areas. It's sold online, in local pet stores, and in Ace Hardware's pet aisles.

Both varieties feature seafood as the main ingredient. One is salmon and venison; the other is trout and salmon. Many cat owners switch up these flavors with no problems, but every cat is different.

Weruva

Weruva offers a selection of delectable, high-moisture wet cat food options made with real meat and fish to satisfy the cravings of finicky felines. It has no grains, gluten, carrageenan, and preservatives.

They offer a variety pack, which may be a good option for a cat that's picky. It includes flavors like chicken au jus, chicken and pumpkin, lamb au jus, and wild salmon au jus. Cats usually love gravy, so these may appeal to them. Customers say it's a bit expensive, but their cats love it. Some cats prefer certain flavors over others. If feasible, buy one can of each before going for a full case.

A Pets Plus pet supply store representative talks about the top three wet cat foods of 2023 in a YouTube video posted on May 16, 2023. This short list includes Weruva, which the rep likes because of its human-grade food and real meaty chunks.

Finding the Finest Food for Your Finicky Feline

Yes, your cat may be picky, but there are tons of options out there. From common ingredients like chicken or tuna to more exotic flavors like duck, venison, or rabbit, there's sure to be a flavor that appeals to your cat.

Remember, it's not all about the flavor. Some cats are choosy about texture. Try shreds, chunks, and pate to see which one your cat returns to more often. Some cats like their wet and dry food mixed, but some hate the mixture.

Finding the right recipe takes time, money, and diligence. After some trial and error, you end up with a winner. Show your feline you love them by giving them healthy food they love to eat.

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