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High Fiber Cat Food Reviewed
Why High Fiber Cat Food?
Looking for high fiber cat food? Because cats are obligate carnivores, you wouldn’t think that they would need extra fiber in their diet, and the majority of the time they don’t- feline bodies are not meant to digest fiber, and they will ferment it first so that they can digest it. However, occasionally you may come across a health concern where your cat may need a little extra fiber in their diet.
The most common problem fiber helps with is constipation and diarrhea. The right amount of fiber controls the balance of water in the stool, thus making your cat have what we would call a normal bowel movement. Fiber is also good for weight loss and weight control. This is because the slowly fermenting fiber takes longer to digest, giving the cat the feeling that it doesn’t need to eat anymore than it has to. This is why you see so many diets that are high in fiber and low in calories. This also indirectly helps prevent diabetes, because one of the most common causes of diabetes in cats is obesity. Also, diets high in fiber lessen blood glucose spikes.
It is also possible to give your cat too much fiber, which can cause a whole host of problems as well particularly if it is non-fermentable fibers. A cat food rich in non-fermentable fibers can cause your cat to have hard, dry stool and constipation, and severe gas. It can also hold water and prevent its absorption, which can increases the amount of feces and frequency of pooping. The problem is finding the right balance of fiber for your cat’s needs, which is sometimes easier said than done.
We’ll go into more detail about the importance of fiber after our rankings of the 5 best high fiber dry foods, and the best high fiber wet foods.
The Top 5 High Fiber Dry Cat Foods
| Rank | High Fiber Dry Cat Food | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Hill's Science Diet | 15.5 lbs | $ |
| 4 | Iams Proactive Health | 14.8 lbs | $$ |
| 3 | Purina One Cat | 16 lbs | $ |
| 2 | Purina Pro Plan | 16 lbs | $ |
| 1 | Royal Canin | 8.8 lbs | $$$ |
5. Hill’s Science Diet Mature Adult Hairball Control Dry Cat Food
- 100% money-back guarantee
- Made in the USA
- Really works – results can be seen after days
- Kibbles are a bit big
4. Iams Proactive Health Multi-Cat Complete
- Suits different cat size and ages; ideal for multicat households
- Reduces hairballs and promotes overall health
- Natural ingredients
- Cats love the taste
3. Purina One Cat Indoor Advantage Cat Food
- Good ingredients at a reasonable price
- Cats love it; hedgehogs too (!)
- Cats will throw up fewer hairballs
- Promotes glossy coats
2. Purina Pro Plan Dry Adult Cat Food, Sensitive Skin and Stomach Formula
- Made with real lamb
- Balanced nutrition for adult cats
- Made in the USA
- Even helps with dandruff
1. Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Fiber Response
- Improves intestinal health
- Contains healthy probiotics
- Perfect for cats with sensitive stomachs
- Get your cat back in his groove
Our Top 5 High Fiber Wet Food Picks
| Rank | High Fiber Wet Cat Food | Quantity | Price per Oz |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Royal Canin Calorie Control | 24x 6oz | $$$$ |
| 4 | Hill's Science Diet | 24x 5.5oz | $$ |
| 3 | Purina Vet Diets | 24x 5.5oz | $$ |
| 2 | Blue Buffalo Spa | 24x 3oz | $$$ |
| 1 | Nature's Recipe Chicken and Turkey | 24x 2.75oz | $$$$$ |
5. Royal Canin Calorie Control High Fiber
- Great, but expensive
4. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Hairball Control Savory Chicken Entree Minced Cat Food
- Maintains healthy organs
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Chicken or fish flavor
- Scientific formulation
3. Purina Veterinary Diets Feline (OM) Overweight Management Canned Cat Food
- Scientifically formulated
- Created with vets
- Suitable for managing dietary problems like diabetes
- Reduces tartar and plaque
2. Blue Buffalo Spa Select Tasty Chicken Entree
- Inspired by the diet of the mighty lynx
- Designed for mature cats
- 100% grain free
- Not for picky cats
1. Nature’s Recipe Grain Free Chicken & Turkey Adult Cat Food Trays
- All-natural formula
- Carrots instead of grains
- Great source of omega oils and amino acids
- Great balance between quality and price
Pumpkin
The easiest way to add fiber to your cat’s diet? Canned pumpkin. Yes, plain old canned pumpkin. Add a teaspoon or so to their wet food, mix it in and you are good to go. But what if your cat does not like the flavor of pumpkin? Some cats are very picky eaters and will turn their noses up at anything from the way it tastes, smells, or even the texture! If your kitty is one of those, then keep reading- we will discuss how to find the right high fiber cat food for you below.
Good Fiber
When looking at cat food, you want what is known as “good” fiber- this is the slowly fermenting fibers that cats are able to digest such as that found in soybean, oats, and rye. Non-fermentable fibers are fibers that ferment quickly such as fibers found in flax seeds, whole grains, and corn. It is best to get a good mix of both in the diet, but many lower quality cat foods have a higher percentage of non-fermentable fibers, which is not good for your cat’s intestinal tract. When you read the labels of cat food, first look at the ingredients for the types of fiber that is in the product. The higher up an ingredient is on the list, the more of the ingredient is in the food. If corn, grains, etc., are high on the list then pick a different food.
Next, you should look at the percentage of crude fiber. Most cat foods are around 3%, so you want the food to have at least that, but since we are talking about high fiber you will want that number to be higher. Dry cat food is always going to be high on the fiber list, since most forms of fiber are dry ingredients.
Having said that, I must warn against feeding a purely dry food diet as it is one of the worst things you can do for your cat. Male cats that are on a purely dry food diet are more likely to develop urinary crystals by the time they are 5-6 years old, which can block the urethra and cause life threatening urinary blockages if gone untreated. Female cats are just as likely to have crystals develop, but less likely to have the crystals block the urethra. Instead, the crystals could develop into bladder stones which could be just as harmful. Wet food is about 70% water, so if you feed your cat a purely wet food diet, then your cat will be very unlikely to develop urinary crystals or stones.
Dry cat food is also extremely calorifically dense, which means that you won’t need to feed very much to make sure that your cat gets the right amount of calories for the day. This is good for your wallet but leaves your cat hungry! This is one of the many reasons why you should consider feeding your cat a mostly wet food diet. Dry food may be super convenient, but it is certainly not a healthy route to take your cat down.
We hope you enjoyed this article about high fiber cat food, we have many other cat food related articles on our site where you can read reviews and learn about different cat food brands. Thanks for reading!