The best wet and dry cat foods, according to vets

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Once cats are a year old, it’s typically time to transition them from kitten food to adult food. Because there are dozens of options on the market, deciding what to feed your pet can be difficult. Should you feed your cat wet food , dry food or both? And how can you guarantee that the food you pick is packed with all the nutrients cats need?

I talked to veterinarians about these questions, including how much — and how often — cats should eat every day. I also rounded up a handful of cat foods recommended by the experts and NBC Selected pet parents, including myself.

Selected. Our top picks

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The best cat food of 2026

All of the cat food below is AAFCO-compliant, as well as complete and balanced for all life stages. Each option is formulated for cats who follow a standard diet, but if your cat has dietary restrictions or specific health concerns, consult your vet about what’s best for their needs.

The best dry cat food

Best overall

Purina One Natural Indoor Advantage Dry Cat Food

This NBC Selected Pet Award- winning formula from Purina is the one I regularly feed my cats, who are 1 and 3 years old. It’s a high protein option that’s combined with a fiber blend, which helps cats maintain a healthy weight and minimizes hairballs, and four antioxidant sources that support your pet’s immune system, according to the brand. The food is made without artificial flavors and preservatives.

Best chicken recipe

Hill's Science Diet Indoor Dry Cat Food

Dr. Anna Kaufman, a veterinarian at Bond Vet, recommends Hill’s Science Diet cat food , which is formulated for pets between 1 and 7 years old. The brand also sells an option for cats who are older than 7 . It’s made with easy-to-digest ingredients like lean protein and fiber, as well as an antioxidant and vitamin blend to support the immune system. The food does not have artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

Best for sensitive stomachs

Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Adult Sensitive Stomach Dry Cat Food

Blue Buffalo formulated this dry food for cats with sensitive stomachs. It does not contain corn, wheat, soy or poultry by-product meals, and there’s no artificial flavors or preservatives. The kibble is made with deboned chicken and brown rice, as well as a prebiotic to support digestion and antioxidants to support immune health.

Best salmon recipe

IAMS Proactive Health Adult Healthy Dry Cat Food with Salmon

If your cat doesn’t enjoy meat like turkey or chicken, they may prefer a fish-based food like this one from Iams , a brand that doesn’t include fillers, artificial flavors or article preservatives in its food. It’s made with a fiber blend that includes prebiotics and beet pulp, which supports cats’ digestion and ability to absorb nutrients, according to the brand. The kibble also has nutrients like calcium and potassium.

Editor’s pick

Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Premium Natural Dry Cat Food

NBC Selected senior editor Nikki Brown feeds her cat this Rachael Ray dry cat food , which is made with a mix of proteins, fruits and vegetables like chicken, lentils, cranberries, blueberries and salmon. The kibble also has antioxidants like vitamin E to support immune health, and fatty acids that support cats’ skin and coat. The food doesn’t have any fillers or artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

Best for picky eaters

Royal Canin Adult Feline Health Nutrition Instinctive Canned Wet Cat Food

Kaufman recommends Royal Canin wet food , which is made for cats who are between 1 and 7 years old. Its chewy slices come in gravy, giving it an enticing aroma that even picky pets are attracted to. The food also has a balanced blend of proteins, fats and carbohydrates that compliment its flavor. In addition to the slices in gray, you can purchase the food as a loaf in sauce, which has a softer, less chewy texture.

Best for hairball management

Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Dry Indoor Cat Food

The fiber blend in this cat food helps with digestion and facilitates moving kibble, as well as the hair your cat swallows each day, through the intestinal tract to reduce hairballs, according to the brand. It’s also made with digestible protein and minerals that support oral health. This food is formulated for cats who are 1 to 7 years old, and the brand sells an option for cats older than 7 , too.

The best wet cat food

Best grain-free

Made by Nacho Premium Minced Wet Canned Cat Food with Hydrating Bone Broth

My cats also love Made By Nacho’s cat food , which has a chunkier, softer texture compared to their favorite Fancy Feast option. This variety pack comes with three flavors: chicken & herring, salmon & sole and turkey & turkey liver. The high-protein food helps with digestion and it comes in a bone broth that amplifies its flavor. Made By Nacho’s wet cat food is free from corn, wheat and soy. It’s also made without artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.

Best for sensitive stomachs

Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Cat Food Wet Pate

Purina made this wet food with prebiotic fiber, which helps with digestive health, especially for cats with sensitive stomachs, according to the brand. The grain-free formula comes as a soft pâté. It’s made with 25 essential vitamins and minerals, in addition to antioxidants and amino acids like vitamin A, taurine and linoleic acid.

Another editor’s pick

Purina Fancy Feast Grilled Wet Cat Food in Gravy

My cats refuse to eat pâté-style wet food, and after much trial-and-error, I discovered that they love the tender, flakey texture of this option from Fancy Feast . They also seem to get bored of eating the same food multiple days in a row, so I like that this one comes various fish and meat flavors, making it easy for me to mix up what I serve them. The protein-rich food comes in a light, savory gravy that adds to its taste, and it’s made without artificial colors or preservatives.

Best overall

Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Weight Adult Wet Cat Food

Hill’s Science Diet wet cat food , a NBC Selected Pet Award winner, is made with lean protein, which can help cats maintain a healthy weight or lose weight if necessary, according to the brand. Depending on the flavor, you can see the whole ingredients in the food, like carrots, rice and spinach. It’s made without artificial colors and flavors.

Best subscription service

Smalls Food For Cats

Smalls is a subscription cat food company that sells high-protein wet entrées. They come frozen to preserve freshness and you thaw the food in your refrigerator prior to serving it. The pâté-style wet food is made with animal protein like beef, chicken, pork, turkey, cod and salmon. You take a quiz on Smalls’ website, which matches your cat with food based on their age, health conditions and flavor preferences. The quiz also asks about benefits you want to focus on, like less hairballs or digestive health. From there, you can customize each of your shipments, as well as cancel your subscription any time. Smalls sent me some of its cat food to try, which my cats enjoyed the flavor of, despite not being the biggest fans of pâté. Each entrée is pretty big, so I got a few meals out of each one, which I appreciated.

How I picked the best cat food

Here are the expert-approved factors I kept in mind when compiling this list: