The easiest way to maintain your cat in good health is to feed it high-quality food. Holistic cat food has been praised as the most nutritious, and the most healthy cat food. More and more pet owners are switching to holistic cat food, vets start to recommend it as well. Well, are you wondering what all the fuss is about?
I agree, your cat’s health depends largely on its diet. Choosing the right, balanced diet is one of the hardest things a cat owner has to do. Some brands have bad products but they have good marketing. Most retail cat food brands are of average quality, they attract customers with their price.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all cats require the same type of food. Some cats may have health problems that require a specific diet. To save you the research, I’ve compiled a list of the 5 best holistic cat food. I will also explain what holistic cat food is since the term is quite vague.
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Best Holistic Cat Food Comparison Table
| Product | Features | Check Out The Price |
|---|---|---|
  | - Pasture-Raised Lamb Recipe - Grain-Free Formula - Real-Meat First Ingredient - No Artificial Ingredients | Open Farm Dry Cat Food |
  | - Limited Ingredient Diet - Grain-Free Diet - Green Pea & Duck Formula - High-Quality Protein | Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet Cat Food |
  | - Grain-Free Recipe - Salmon Formula - Real Meat - Whole Food Ingredients | Instinct Grain-Free Dry Cat Food |
  | - Seafood Recipe - Clinically Tested Nutrition - Low Sodium - Real Meat | Hill's Prescription Diet Kidney Care Cat Food |
  | - Mackerel & Lamb Recipe - Grain-Free - Limited Ingredient Diet - High Protein | ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Cat Food |
Best Overall
Open Farm Dry Cat Food
Highlighted Features
- Pasture-Raised Lamb Recipe
- Grain-Free Formula
- Real-Meat First Ingredient
- No Artificial Ingredients
- High Prebiotic Fiber
Holistic cat food usually means that there are no artificial ingredients, the formula contains natural meat as the first ingredient. Open Farm Pasture-Raised Lamb Cat Food is exactly that. Absolutely the best cat food you can find for your cat. It has everything to meet your cat’s nutritional needs while maintaining good health.
Real lamb meat is used as the first ingredient, it provides the right amount of proteins your cat needs. Ethically sourced meat as well raised on a farm, antibiotics and no growth hormones are used. Non-GMO ingredients are used as a carbohydrates source, pumpkin, carrot, and turmeric. The recipe has no grain, corn, wheat, or soy.
Supports overall good health. Meets all the nutritional needs for a healthy cat. Suitable for all breeds and sizes. No artificial ingredients are used, nothing toxic, and nothing that can cause allergies. The food supports healthy digestion as well, rich in prebiotic fiber.
Open Farm offers customers to research the food they are feeding their cats. There is a lot number on the bag which customers can use to trace the source of the ingredients used in the recipe.
This holistic cat food is well-deserving of its place on this list. Although “holistic” is used by many brands that do not actually make holistic cat food, we can’t say the same for Open Farm. It’s expensive but quite worth it. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it.
Pros
- Real lamb meat, ethically sourced.
- High in prebiotic fiber, supports digestion.
- GMO-Free, only pumpkin, carrot, and turmeric.
Cons
- Really expensive.
Best Budget
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet Cat Food
Highlighted Features
- Limited Ingredient Diet
- Grain-Free Diet
- Green Pea & Duck Formula
- High-Quality Protein
- Healthy Coat
Now, something more affordable, Natural Balance L.I.D. This recipe minimizes the ingredients used but it still meets the cat’s nutritional needs.
More so, it’s a healthy diet that cats love. This brand is known for making high-quality pet food, both for cats and dogs. Something that deserves to be called “holistic”.
Featuring green pea and duck formula. Real meat is the first ingredient. Rich and healthy source of animal protein for strong muscles. Not to mention, cats find duck meat delicious.
A healthy source of carbohydrates as well, no grain, wheat, corn, or soy is used. Green peas are used to meet the cat’s energy needs.
Rich in omega fatty acids, the food contains salmon oil. This supports and maintains healthy skin and coat. It forms a barrier around the skin, protects the cat from environmental irritants and allergens.
Natural Balance offers more than one recipe for this limited ingredient diet. There is a green pea and salmon formula, green pea and chicken formula, green pea and venison formula. All of these formulas have real meat as the first ingredient.
There you go, that was Natural Balance with the budget option. Holistic cat food gets quite expensive, especially the high-quality brands. Fortunately, this brand offers something most cat owners can afford. I stand by Natural Balance, they offer really good pet food recipes.
Pros
- Animal protein comes from a single source.
- Grain-free recipe, healthy source of carbohydrates.
- Supports healthy skin and a shiny coat.
Cons
- Nothing for maintaining healthy digestion.
Best Runner-Up
Instinct Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Highlighted Features
- Grain-Free Recipe
- Salmon Formula
- Real Meat
- Whole Food Ingredients
- Raw Ingredients
Here is Instinct’s grain-free salmon cat food recipe. A competitor to the best overall on this list. An innovative formula uses real meat and whole-food ingredients.
The processing of the ingredients is minimized as much as possible, also the ingredients are never cooked. Another top-grade high-quality holistic cat food product.
Wild-caught salmon is the first ingredient, natural and rich source of animal protein. The formula consists of 77% real animal ingredients and oils, 23% vegetables, fruits.
There is no wheat, corn, grain, or soy. No artificial ingredients are added as well. The nutritional requirements are met using natural and whole-food ingredients.
A raw frozen recipe that preserves more nutrients than heavily processed food. Responsibly sourced ingredients for cat food. Freeze-dried coated pebbles that maintain overall good health.
The formula is rich in omega fatty acids and prebiotic fibers. Maintains healthy skin, shiny coat, and supports healthy digestion. Not only this food contains a rich natural animal protein but it also protects your cat’s health.
Definitely, something you want to consider as a cat owner. Insticts’s products are impressive and reliable. You can find the same holistic cat food with different recipes, There is a duck, rabbit, and chicken formula. Not as expensive as the best overall but not cheap either.
Pros
- No wheat, corn, or soy, no artificial ingredients.
- A natural and reliable source of animal protein.
- Supports healthy coat and digestion.
- Freeze-dried raw pebbles.
Cons
- A bit expensive.
Best Holistic Cat Food For Kidney Disease
Hill’s Prescription Diet Kidney Care Cat Food
Highlighted Features
- Seafood Recipe
- Clinically Tested Nutrition
- Low Sodium
- Real Meat
- Natural Ingredients
This is something different but as was stated above, some cats require a specific diet because of health issues. Hill’s Prescription Diet Kidney Care is food for cats that have urinary crystals, kidney problems, or urinary infections.
High-quality holistic cat food requires the vet’s approval before checkout.
Seafood recipe, real animal protein comes from ocean fish. This formula is designed and clinically tested by nutritionists and veterinarians. Specifically formulated to improve kidney function while meeting all the nutritional requirements for a cat at the same time.
Natural ingredients, plenty of essential amino acids, and prebiotic fibers. The phosphorus in the ingredients is controlled. As well as the sodium. This cat food is low in sodium, it’s not dangerous for the kidney or the urinary tract.
Hill’s Prescription Diet offers a chicken recipe as well. Available in an 8.5-pound bag and a 4-pound bag. Since this is a kind of medicinal food, the feeding instructions have to be followed to the letter.
There you go, a holistic cat food option for cats that are having kidney issues such as Chronic Kidney Disease. It will help with most urinary problems. A prescription or approval from your local veterinarian is needed to get this type of cat food.
Pros
- Supports healthy kidneys.
- Real meat, natural ingredients.
- Clinically tested, formulated by vets and nutritionists.
Cons
- Only for cats with CDC or urinary tract problems.
Best Holistic Cat Food For Sensitive Stomach
ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Cat Food
Highlighted Features
- Mackerel & Lamb Recipe
- Grain-Free
- Limited Ingredient Diet
- High Protein
- Air Dried Ingredients
Last but not least, ZIWI Air-Dried Mackerel and Lamb recipe. High-quality holistic cat food that comes recommended for all breed sizes and all life stages. This cat food is especially good for cats with sensitive stomachs and cats with food allergies. Overall, one of the best holistic cat food brands out there.
Made with ethically sourced, cage-free real lamb meat. Raised on a farm in New Zealand. Rich and natural source of protein, 96% wild-caught mackerel, and lamb meat, organs, and bones. High-quality protein that won’t upset a cat’s stomach, mackerel is easy to digest.
Healthy ingredients contain no common allergens. Grain-free formula, no fillers are used as a source of carbohydrates. That means there are no wheat, corn, potatoes, soy, or peas. Superfood boost, cold-washed Green Tripe, Green Mussels, and organic kelp. Truly, holistic ingredients for the healthiest cat food.
Rich in prebiotic fibers that maintain a healthy digestive system. Specifically designed to improve cat’s digestion, avoid allergens, avoid obesity. Improves the health of the skin and the coat as well. Healthy joints as well, nutrient-dense cat food.
That’s the end of the list. We ended it on a good note, ZIWI air-dried cat food is impressive. I highly recommend it to all cat owners, especially for cats that have a hard time with digesting food, controlling weight, and allergies.
Pros
- Natural source of protein, wild-caught mackerel, and free-range lamb.
- Limited ingredient diet for better digestion and weight improvement.
- A healthy source of carbohydrates.
Cons
- A bit expensive.
Best Holistic Cat Food – Buying Guide
There are no regulations for what you can “holistic cat food”. So, some brands try to advertise their products as holistic, when in fact, they are not. To avoid products like this, and to find the right cat food for your cat, follow this buying guide.
Real Animal Protein
The first thing to keep an eye on is whether the formula uses real meat. There are a lot of cat food products out there that use highly processed meat meals, not real meat. During the processing, a big percent of the protein in the meat is lost. Highly processed food is not nutrient-dense.
That’s why you should look for something that uses real meat in its recipe. Not only that but make sure that real meat is the first and main ingredient. This way, you are making sure that your cat is ingesting cat food rich in natural animal protein.
Grain-Free
Cats need proteins for their muscles and they need carbohydrates to supply their energy needs. There are plenty of sources of carbohydrates, not all are healthy though. Some cat food products have wheat, corn, soy, or potatoes as a source of carbohydrates. The bad thing about it is that these ingredients carry common allergens and they lead to obesity.
A good cat food product has a healthy source of carbohydrates. This was a requirement for all the products on the list. Look for something that has pumpkin, flaxseed, kelp, etc… These ingredients provide carbohydrates but they also are rich in prebiotic fibers which improve digestion.
Natural Ingredients
One of the worst things you can find in cat food is artificial ingredients. There is no way of knowing what these artificial ingredients are and how they affect the cat. That’s why it’s important to stick to cat food recipes that contain only natural ingredients.
Cat food brands will often add fillers as a source of carbohydrates or something to meet the nutritional requirements. If you spot something like this in the ingredients listed, avoid that product.
Healthy Digestion & Healthy Coat
Although this is not a requirement for the cat’s nutritional needs, it’s smart to buy a product that supports healthy digestion and a healthy coat. Omega fatty acids make for healthy skin and a shiny coat. Prebiotic fibers improve the digestion system.
Look for cat products that contain these ingredients. Something with salmon oil, pumpkin, kale, etc… These ingredients help maintain overall good health. They don’t upset the cat’s stomach.
Price
Of course, you have to keep an eye on the price. You have to find something that’s affordable for you. Holistic cat food can get quite expensive but there are some products with a reasonable price.
My advice is, don’t go out of your budget to provide the best for your cat. Look for something that suits your cat. Maybe switch to homemade meals if you can’t afford a holistic cat food product.
Related Questions And Other FAQs
What Is Holistic Cat Food
There are no regulations for what can be called holistic cat food. More often than not, the term is thrown out there to attract customers. Holistic cat food usually means that the recipe is grain-free, real meat as the first ingredient, no fillers for carbohydrates, and no artificial ingredients, only natural ingredients.
What Foods Should Cats Avoid
There are plenty of foods that can be toxic to cats or cause some health issues. Cats should avoid alcohol, yeast, coffee, citrus fruits, carbohydrates that carry common allergens, garlic, foods high in sodium, grapes, etc…
