Best Cat Food for Sensitive Stomach

It’s not uncommon for cats to have digestive issues at some point during their lives. Whether it’s kittens getting used to solids, older cats struggling to digest protein, or outdoor cats eating things they probably shouldn’t, it doesn’t take much to upset a cat’s stomach.

But for some moggies, gastrointestinal irritation is more than an occasional experience. For these cats, the wrong food can cause months of discomfort, from diarrhea and vomiting to serious malnutrition and inflammation.

That’s why manufacturers put time and resources into developing recipes specifically for sensitive feline stomachs. These cat foods should be made of simple, calming ingredients, allowing owners to make the right choices for their cats.

Let’s take a look at the main causes of feline food sensitivity, how to ensure your cat receives the right nutrition, and the best cat foods for sensitive stomachs on the shelves in 2020.

Common signs of food sensitivities, intolerance, and allergies in cats include vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, lethargy, or a dull coat. If your cat frequently experiences any of these symptoms, or if symptoms are combined with abdominal pain, depression, significant weight loss or gain, hiding, or aggression, then seek veterinary consultation as soon as possible.

Best Wet Food for Sensitive Stomach: Hound & Gatos 98% Chicken & Liver Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
Runner up: Wellness CORE Grain-Free Indoor Chicken & Chicken Liver Recipe Canned Cat Food
Also consider: Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Pate Real Rabbit Recipe Canned Cat Food
Best Kitten Food for Sensitive Stomachs (dry): Taste of the Wild PREY Turkey Formula Limited Ingredient Recipe Dry Cat Food
Best kitten for for sensitive stomachs (wet): Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Turkey & Chicken Liver Pate Canned Kitten Food
Best for seniors: Hound & Gatos 98% Rabbit Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24
Best Raw Food: Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food

The best cat food for sensitive stomachs in 2021

Best Dry Food for Sensitive Stomach

Halo Holistic Seafood Medley Sensitive Stomach Dry Cat Food

If your cat struggles with a sensitive stomach then you’ll want to try them on a food that is easy to digest. Halo Holistic Seafood Medley contains no meat meals or artificial ingredients. It is formulated using easy to digest meats and grains.

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Key features:

High quality ingredients
Whole meat (no rendered meat)
Quality source of fiber

First 5 ingredients:

Whiteﬁsh’
Salmon
Dried Egg Product
Oatmeal
Dried Peas

Cats love seafood, and this product by Halo delivers sustainably sourced fish, not from any factory farms. This means your cat is essentially eating fish that you’d catch in the ocean, yum! The taste of this seafood medley has gotten rave reviews, we don’t know if people have been trying it? Or maybe they’re just speaking on behalf of their cats. Packed full of protein and healthy fats, you won’t regret getting this product if your cat has a sensitive stomach.

Nutritional info:

Crude protein (min): %32.0
Crude fat (min): %16.0
Crude fiber (max): %5.0
Moisture (max): %10.0

Runner up

Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Real Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food

Merrick has created this limited-ingredient recipe that goes beyond being simple ‘grain-free,’ adding carefully picked carbohydrates that should support cats with difficulties digesting regular foods.

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First 5 ingredients:

Deboned Chicken,
Chicken Meal,
Chickpeas,
Peas,
Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols).

Chickpeas are a tried-and-tested source of plant fiber, while Merrick ensures that the chicken meal, which they pair with the whole chicken, doesn’t contain any potato or other gluten sources.

What are owners saying?

With a rating of 4.2 by over 132 reviewers, many owners of picky cats found that this formula stood out as being far more palatable than most. It’s also been used by several customers as a way to continue feeding their cats chicken without encountering digestive issues. However, as can be the case with formulas targeted at cats with sensitive stomachs, a significant number of cats simply refused to eat Merrick’s grain-free food.

Nutritional info:

Protein: 34%
Fat: 14%

Best Wet Food for Sensitive Stomach

Hound & Gatos 98% Chicken & Liver Grain-Free Canned Cat Food

If your cat has sensitivities and you want to feed it a wet diet, then this is the best we’ve seen. This product by Hound & Gatos is healthy and will be so smoothly accepted by your cats digestive system.

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Key features:

Contains 98% animal protein
Completely free of plant protein or added carbohydrates
Made in the United States

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken
Chicken broth
Chicken liver
Calcium carbonate
Agar-agar

Hound & Gatos has a clean recall history, and they develop their recipes using ingredients that pay homage to the ancestral diet of cats. Focusing on high protein and simple (but effective) ingredients. If you look at the ingredient list of Hound & Gatos compared to other wet cat foods, you’ll notice it’s much shorter, and that’s a good thing! Less is more for cats with sensitive stomachs. The ingredient list contains 98% animal protein, and the remaining 2% is vitamins and minerals. There are no plant proteins, added carbs, or artificial preservatives in this recipe.

Whether your cat has a sensitive stomach or not, this recipe is a must try.

Nutritional info:

Crude protein (min): 10.0%
Crude fat (min): 9.0%
Crude fiber (max): 1.0%
Moisture (max): 78.0%

Runner up

Wellness CORE Grain-Free Indoor Chicken & Chicken Liver Recipe Canned Cat Food

Our next product is a protein rich product, which is packed full of omegas from flaxseed and salmon oil for your cat to maintain a healthy skin and coat. There are no grains in this recipe, and having chicken and chicken liver as the top ingredients make this product easy to endorse.

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Key features:

Smooth pate texture for palatability
First 5 ingredients meat based
Made in the United States
No grains or artificial preservatives, carrageenan, colors or flavors

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken
Chicken liver
Chicken broth
Turkey broth
Chicken meal

With a relatively low 74 kcal/can this is an ideal wet food to give to indoor cats with sensitive stomachs. Your cat will still be getting valuable nutrients with 11% protein, and 4% fats. This product is specially formulated to support urinary health as well, the product that keeps on giving!

Nutritional info:

Crude protein (min): 11.0%
Crude fat (min): 4.0%
Crude fiber (max): 2.0%
Moisture (max): 78.0%

Also Consider

Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Pate Real Rabbit Recipe Canned Cat Food

We like to give plenty of choices here at The Daily Cat, and so our first two are chicken based. This next product is using rabbit meat. With a simple and delicate recipe, the majority of stomachs will be able to handle this food. There is only one animal protein, and one vegetable (peas).

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Key features:

Farm-raised rabbit
One vegetable
Made without dairy, eggs, grains, potato, corn, wheat or soy
Made in the USA (some ingredients not US sourced)

First 5 ingredients:

Rabbit
Water
Pea Protein
Peas
Rabbit Liver

With farm-raised rabbit providing the majority of the protein in this recipe, you’ll be avoiding harsh protein sources. There are 85 kcal/can, so it is a great amount to feed most cats (indoor/outdoor).

Nutritional info:

Crude protein (min): 10.0%
Crude fat (min): 3.0%
Crude fiber (max): 1.5%
Moisture (max): 76.0%

Best Kitten Food for Sensitive Stomachs (dry)

Taste of the Wild PREY Turkey Formula Limited Ingredient Recipe Dry Cat Food

It can be difficult to find the right food for your kitten, and if it has a sensitive stomach this can complicate things. If you choose the wrong food it can cause discomfort, and perhaps unwanted cleanup for the owner. Taste of the Wild offers a limited ingredient food that is a good option for most kittens.

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Key features:

Real turkey top ingredient
Contains 80 million CFU/lb of proprietary probiotics
No grain, GMOs, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives

First 5 ingredients:

Turkey
Lentils
Sunflower Oil
Natural Flavor
Salmon Oil

The formula uses turkey and lentils which are gentle on the stomach. The recipe is also grain-free, and has no meal, by-product, or heavy proteins. THere are just 3 key ingredients in this recipe, and no unhealthy fillers. There are a nice array of fatty acids and probiotics in this Taste of the Wild recipe to aid digestion and avoid sensitivities.

Nutritional info:

Crude protein (min): 33.0%
Crude fat (min): 15.0%
Crude fiber (max): 3.0%
Moisture (max): 10.0%

Best kitten for sensitive stomachs (wet)

Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Turkey & Chicken Liver Pate Canned Kitten Food

With its first 6 ingredients being animal-based, Wellness Core Natural stands out as one of the most meat-rich recipes on this list.

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Key features:

First 6 ingredients meat based
High protein, high fat
Grain free
No carrageenan, artificial colors, flavors, or meat byproducts

First 5 ingredients:

Turkey
Chicken Liver
Turkey Broth
Chicken
Chicken Meal

Nutritional Profile

What the owners are saying?

“This food is a noticeable step up: my kittens devour their food, it smells delicious, and their coats are silky soft.”

“I think he really likes how soft and juicy it is. Unfortunately, it is not in my budget to continue feeding.”

Nutritional info:

Crude protein (min): 12.0%
Crude fat (min): 7.5%
Crude fiber (max): 1.0%
Moisture (max): 78.0%

Best for seniors

Hound & Gatos 98% Rabbit Grain-Free Canned Cat Food

Does your senior cat have a sensitive stomach? Then you must try this Paleolithic recipe that’s mostly pure meat with no added carbs, grains, corn, soy, plant fillers, artificial colors, or preservatives.

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First ingredients:

Brown Rice,
Corn Gluten Meal,
Pork Fat,
Ocean Fish,
Cracked Pearled Barley.

This can contains 98% of its protein from real rabbit meat – which has a gentle flavour and lean texture that entices picky cats. The fact that wild cats do hunt rabbits makes this can a healthy choice that fits the natural feline diet plan. This meal is fortified with vitamins and minerals for a robust immune system.

Nutritional info:

Crude protein (min): 11.0%
Crude fat (min): 7.0%
Crude fiber (max): 1.0%
Moisture (max): 78.0%

Best Raw Food

Instinct Grain Free Dry Cat Food, Original Raw Coated Natural High Protein Cat Food

Instinct is a quality brand that has a strong interest in feeding cats a raw diet. Raw diets are typically closer to what cats ate/eat in the wild.

Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food

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Key features:

Cage-free chicken first ingredient
High protein (41%)
No gain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, by-product, artificial colors or preservatives
Probiotics
Made in the USA

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken
Chicken Meal
Turkey Meal
Menhaden Fish Meal
Peas

Cats have been introduced to fillers and unnatural ingredients because of humans, so being able to give your cat raw food, closer to their ancestral diet can relieve some cats’ food sensitivities.

Made using real chicken, vegetables, probiotics, omegas, and antioxidants this recipe features 81% animal ingredients and quality oils. This is a quality raw food to feed cats with sensitive stomachs.

Nutritional info:

Crude protein (min): 41.0%
Crude fat (min): 21.0%
Crude fiber (max): 3.0%
Moisture (max): 9.0%

Why does your cat have a sensitive stomach?

Sensitivities and intolerances

Sometimes, a cat’s digestive issues can be as simple as an allergy or intolerance. Removing the offending food from their diet can quickly clear up symptoms. Common feline food intolerances include:

Raw fish
Chives and onions
Bones
Dairy
Carbohydrates

While it may be simple to remove a food from a cat’s diet, replacing lost nutrients isn’t always so easy. Thankfully, supplement powders are available, formulated with probiotics and digestive enzymes to ease digestion and prevent diarrhea.

Sudden dietary or lifestyle changes

Diagnosing a food sensitivity that’s not caused by an intolerance can be tricky, but newly appearing digestive issues in cats are often related to a change in their diet or lifestyle. Switching food brands or even flavor may cause diarrhea, while stressful events can trigger the onset of constipation.

Even minor amounts of stress can also change a cat’s relationship with food, causing them to avoid their bowl or seek out food in other places (such as trying to get into kitchen cupboards). Likewise, cats who are unhappy with their litter box for some reason may become constipated, which can lead to other stomach issues.

If a cat displays sudden and serious vomiting or food refusal, they may have a parasite or have eaten a toxic substance. Take them straight to the vet for diagnosis and treatment.

Chronic diseases

Stomach issues that begin gradually and continue to intensify may signal the presence of an underlying condition. This is especially true if there are no idetifiable changes to a cat’s diet or environment. In such cases, vets should test for GI disease and infections, such as inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, bacterial or fungal infections, or hormonal conditions like hyperthyroidism.

Nutritional breakdown

The best diet for cats with general stomach sensitivity aids digestion without skimping on essential nutrients and food groups. Ideally, food should contain no significant carbohydrates, low levels of fat, and protein from clearly identifiable sources (to aid owner diet planning).

Here’s what cats with sensitive stomachs should be looking to retain in their diet:

Protein

Of all cat food allergies, reactions to proteins are the most common. This can be difficult to manage, as protein should always be your cat’s primary source of nutrition, meaning that most brands try to pack as much as possible into their recipes.

It’s not uncommon for cat food to contain three or four different types of protein, from whole meat to broths to by-products and meat meals. This makes it hard, if not impossible to know whether a cat food is safe for your cat to eat.

Luckily, options developed for food-sensitive cats tend to use a small selection of clearly identifiable proteins, so you might find a label that simply reads ‘chicken, chicken broth, chicken by-products.’ For moggies with allergies or intolerances, this makes it super clear whether or not a particular brand is for them.

Some cats will also require their protein source to be even more stomach-friendly, which is achieved through a process called hydrolyzation. Hydrolyzed proteins are already partially broken down, and usually found via vet prescription than a trip to the grocery store.

Fats

Essential fatty acids are called essential for a reason! These medium and long-chain fats, otherwise known Omega-3 and Omega-6, are key for maintaining cognitive and metabolic function.

However, fats can often be a source of stomach irritation, especially when overconsumed. For this reason, many sensitive food formulas try to limit fat levels as much as possible.

Carbohydrates and fillers

As members of the feline species, cats and carbs don’t really mix. While domestic cats may be better at metabolizing carbohydrates than their wild cousins, those with sensitive digestive systems can be easily triggered an excess of grain, corn, or other carbs in their diet.

While it may be impossible to totally avoid carbohydrates in processed cat foods, sensitive-stomach recipes should only contain a single, minor carbohydrate source.

Fiber

While too much fiber can contribute to stomach upset, a moderate amount in your cat’s diet is key to stimulating the digestive system and combating both diarrhea and constipation.

Good sources of fiber for cats include psyllium seed husk, barberry root bark, and beet pulp.

Vitamins and supplements

Because they struggle to keep food down or display food avoidance behavior, cats with sensitive stomachs are at a higher risk of malnutrition.

For this reason, it may be necessary to supplement your cat’s diet, ensuring a full nutrient profile. Supplement powders are often made using easily digestible vitamins and minerals, including A, C, D, calcium, magnesium, and omega fatty acids.

As for cat foods themselves, many sensitive formulas with include prebiotic additives, designed to help proteins and fats pass more easily through the digestive system.