What Is The Best Hypoallergenic Cat Food For My Cat?

Hypoallergenic cat food has few or minimal artificial ingredients.

Hypoallergenic cat food is formulated for cats that have allergies or are intolerant to certain ingredients.

What Ingredients In Cat Food Can Cause Adverse Reactions?

Not all cats will have an adverse reaction to the following foods however, some of the more common foods that can cause irritation include:

How Do I Know If My Cat Has An Intolerance?

The following symptoms may indicate an allergy or intolerance to certain food.

1. Excessive scratching, indicating itchy skin. If scratching occurs at the base of the tail it may indicate that fleas are present. Excessive scratching can lead to hair loss.
2. Vomiting
3. Diarrhea
4. Wheezing and sneezing​
5. Itchy runny eyes

If you suspect your cat has an allergy or intolerance, it is wise to take your cat to the vet for further examination and testing.

Hypoallergenic Cat Food Choices Pouches and Cans

How Do I Know If My Cat Has An Intolerance?
1. Natural Balance Platefulls Cat Food	Grain Free
2. Weruva Wet Cat Food, Pouches	Grain Free
3. Instinct Canned Cat Food​	Grain Free
4. Royal Canin-Digest Sensitive Thin Slices in Gravy	Some Wheat
5. Halo Holistic Natural Wet cat Food	Grain Free
What Else Do I Need To Know About Hypoallergenic Food For Cats?	Grain Free

1.Natural Balance Platefulls Grain Free Cat Food

Each pack contains 24, 3 oz pouches of grain free cat food made with no artificial colors, preservatives or artificial flavors.

There are fourteen different varieties including chicken, duck, turkey and beef plus seafood.

Which variety will suit your cat will probably depend on what your cat already likes to eat.

There are no grains (wheat, rice corn) as stated and no soy products. The liquid is a rich gravy which would be suitable for dissolving medication. If doing this, crush the tablet so that it dissolves.

Food in pouches does tend to have more moisture than food in cans as a general rule of thumb.

On the front of the packaging you might notice that some pouches say Indoor and some say Outdoor. The difference between the two is that the Indoor has slightly less fat. An indoor cat is probably but not necessarily less active than an outdoor cat and so needs fewer calories.

One thing to note is that the 24 pouches are all the same flavor, so if you like to mix it up for your kitty it will be necessary to buy several 24 packs.

It is handy knowing that cat food is taken care of for a few months. We intersperse our cats commercial food with fresh meat.

This cat food does satisfy the requirements of moisture and protein which are really a cat’s main eating requirements.

Even if we do give our kitties some dry food we need to remember that they are obligate carnivores which means that they must eat meat to survive.

They can eat other things but they do need to eat meat to meet their nutritional needs.

Ingredients – Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Peas, Dried Egg Whites, Sweet Potatoes, Potato Starch, Pumpkin, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Salmon Oil, Ground Flaxseed, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide), Sodium Carbonate, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Taurine, Choline Chloride, Spinach, Parsley, Dried Kelp, Cranberry Meal, DL-Methionine, Yucca Schidigera Extract.

2. Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Grain-Free Wet Cat Food Pouches

This food is gluten free, grain free and carrageenan free. In food, carrageenan is used as a binder or thickening agent.

The company proudly states “produced in BRC certified facilities, using the same ingredients found in people food”.

Interesting fact: This is a family company and the name Weruva comes from the families three cats, Webster, Rudi and Vanessa.

The food is free from MSG and GMO. The pouch is BPA free.

The pouches have a shelf life of approximately two years however as they are cooked with no preservatives they must be consumed within a couple of days of opening. The pack contains 12 pouches, two of each of the six flavours listed below.

This company and product specifically caters to the needs of hypoallergenic cats and for those who are looking for an all natural complete and balanced diet.

Ingredients: Pouch One (Tuna & Chicken – Charm Me): Tuna Broth, Tuna, Chicken, Ground Tapioca, Sunflower Oil, Guar Gum, Calcium Sulfate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Biotin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K), Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide, Taurine Link to ingredients for different pouch flavors

​3. Instinct Grain-Free Canned Cat Food

​The protein needs of a cat are met with this food as protein is the main ingredient.  

It is also free from gluten and grain which your cat does not need. 

Made without – grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, by-product meal, artificial colors or preservatives.

For hypoallergenic cats, balancing their protein requirements with items they might naturally find in the wild, such as a variety of proteins and vegetables, is a good solution.

There are ​many different varieties and flavors.

Note: There is some debate about using vegetables in a cat’s diet. The amount used is small, at 5%.

The reasoning is that cats in the wild do not eat vegetables. The main dietary source was always protein, along with some grasses.

Ingredients: Rabbit, Pork, Pork Liver, Pork Broth, Ground Flaxseed, Montmorillonite Clay, Peas, Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Proteinate, Potassium Iodide), Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Artichokes, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Tomato, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale, Parsley.

4. Royal Canin-Digest Sensitive

​​Royal Canin is a brand that all cat owners would be familiar with as it has ​consistently produce​d quality products for many years which address not only digestive ​issues, but many of the common health issues ​in cats.  

The everyday diet of your cat can make a huge difference in your cat’s overall health.

This food is for cats over 1 year old with digestive issues. The food focuses on digestible proteins. This is to help the cat can absorb nutrients more efficiently while at the same time ​minimizing stool ​odor, which is often ​a result of digestive problems.

The food chunks are soft. This food is for adult cats.

The many positive reviews from cat owners of fussy or cats with digestive problems are overwhelmingly positive.  It is this attention to detail that makes Royal Canin such a popular and evergreen choice.

Note: This product does contain some wheat.

5. Halo Holistic Natural Wet Cat Food

This cat food is made with real whole meat, meaning there there is no meat meal, such as chicken meal or fish meal. It has the words – wet food in the product title indicating the benefit of added hydration.

Vegetables are from farmland that prohibits the use of genetically modified seeds. There are no artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives and the cans are BPA free.

This food does contain carrageenan so if that is on your banned list this will not be for you. Carrageenan is not necessarily a bad thing, it is up to read the research to make a decision regarding this.

This is a link to Wikipedia and carrageenan. If you scroll right down to Regulatory Status you will find the most recent information, from 2018, from regulatory bodies in the USA and UK.

Made in USA. The company is in Florida and they have a good reputation for prompt and detailed response.

Like all products for pets, there is quite range of responses from extremely positive to negative although the positive responses do outweigh the negative.

It is difficult sometimes to assess how well our pets like a product as it can take some time for them to get used to a new diet.

The best advice it so look at the ingredients and buy based on that knowledge and then factor in how your cat reacts to the change in diet.

The cans can be bought individually at some retailers, so if your cat is fussy, buy a few cans to try and introduce slowly, mixed with the usual cat food.

Ingredients: Chicken, chicken liver, chicken broth, beef, carrots, natural flavor, spinach, sweet potatoes, dehydrated alfalfa meal, salt, guar gum, carrageenan, potassium chloride, cranberries, minerals (iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, manganese amino acid chelate, potassium iodide), choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, vitamin A supplement, biotin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid), taurine, magnesium sulfate.

Our Choice?

Natural Balance Platefulls

​​​Natural Balance Platefulls is a product that you​ can give to your cat ​with confidence, knowing that it is

What Else Do I Need To Know About Hypoallergenic Food For Cats?

Hypoallergenic food for cats is available in pouches, cans, or as dry food.
 
Pouches tend to have more gravy than cans. Pouches with the gravy are also a good choice for senior cats with dental problems. The liquid aspect is important for cats, as they do not always drink much water and can be fussy about water sources.

In the wild, a part of the cat’s moisture needs would be met by eating prey, so having extra gravy in a pouch is a good thing.

Some people say that they would rather just add some water to the food to provide the extra moisture.  That is an option.

Cats with allergies can benefit from a hydrolyzed protein diet. As the protein is hydrolyzed it is easier for cats to digest. There is more information here about the meaning of hydrolyzed protein and some food choices.

Also consider that the gravy in the product is also part of the specially formulated product, so the gravy will have a nutritional benefit.

More Hypoallergenic Cat Food