best limited ingredient cat food dry

9 Best Limited Ingredient Cat Foods (2024) Reviews & Top Picks

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Choosing the right cat food can be pretty daunting, especially if your loved one has allergies or sensitivities to particular ingredients.

Fortunately, there are special formulas available for your feline friend known as limited-ingredient cat foods. They have small ingredient lists that can help you pinpoint particular allergies through the process of elimination.

With limited ingredients and seemingly endless options, it can be challenging to determine precisely which limited-ingredient cat food is best for you. Thats why weve compiled this handy list with detailed reviews to help.

A Glance of Our Favorites of 2024

The 9 Best Limited Ingredient Cat Foods

1. Smalls Cat Food Fresh Smooth Bird (Cat Food Subscription Service) Best Overall

We couldnt find a better cat food than Smalls Fresh Smooth Bird. It only has a handful of components, all of which are natural, nourishing, and delicious.All Smalls recipes are 100% human-grade and fit for our dinner tables (though we dont recommend human consumption).

This protein-packed recipe contains up to 42% chicken thigh and other animal protein sources. The first ingredients include chicken, chicken liver, green beans, and peas.Its also packed with vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids like phosphorus, calcium, and taurine. You can easily break down this formula to check for potentially irritating additives. However, your cat will not have much problem scarfing down this meal.

You will notice a difference in your cats overall attitude, energy, and physical appearance. To top it off, Smalls is a delivery service. You can create a subscription box on a timed schedule.

Smalls might be a bit pricey, but we think the convenience and health perks are worth it. So, if your kitty has a sensitivity of some kind, fresh food is undoubtedly the best way to go.

Pros

• Only healthy ingredients
• Fresh recipes
• Delivered right to your door
• Subscription-based

2. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Cat Food Best Value

Theres one harsh reality about limited-ingredient cat foods: theyre expensive. It can be more costly to source a single, high-quality protein than to use several less-than-optimal meats. And those extra expenses get passed directly to the consumer.

This can be a roadblock for cat owners whose feline friends need special diets. Thats why weve found the best limited-ingredient cat food for the money in Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Cat Food. The formula only contains duck, vegetables, seeds, and salmon oil.

Salmon oil can be good or bad, depending on your cats dietary needs. Salmon oil is an excellent source of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, which are essential for a healthy coat and skin. But if your kittys allergic to salmon, you need to avoid Natural Balance.

However, if youre looking for a cheaper alternative to other more expensive LID cat foods, Natural Balance Limited Ingredients can provide a healthy meal for your cat.

Pros

• Grain-free
• Single protein
• Added Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids
• Vitamin-fortified
• Budget-friendly

Cons

• Added salmon oil might not be great for your kitty

3. Petcurean Go! Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food

If youre looking for another excellent choice for your kittens limited-ingredient diet, check out Petcurean GO! SENSITIVITIES LID. In this grain-free formula, cage-free duck is the primary protein, but it also has chicken eggs. However, there is added chicken fat to help preserve the food with mixed tocopherols. Petcurean has a very high protein content percentage (31%) for a limited-ingredient diet.

It also contains carbohydrates and dietary fiber, such as ground peas, chickpeas, and lentils. There arent any grain or filler byproducts such as corn, wheat, or soy. However, dried egg is in the formula, which is a common cat allergen. Petcurean is vitamin-boosted to ensure your cat gets a full days nutrition, but its more expensive than other brands on this list.

Pros

• High protein percentage
• Made with high-quality ingredients
• Single source of duck meat protein
• Chicken eggs
• Vitamin boosted

Cons

• Contains egg
• Contains chicken fat
• Very expensive

4. Instinct Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Canned Cat Food

Most cats love canned cat food. It has a much higher moisture content and is usually jam-packed with flavor.Most canned wet foods have a combination of proteins, vegetables, and other potential allergens.But that isnt true with Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Canned Cat Food.

Instincts limited ingredient diet (LID) only contains one protein and one vegetable, just turkey and peas. There is no chicken, beef, fish, dairy, or eggs, which are other common proteins found in cat food. Its also grain-free, which means its without any corn, potatoes, or soy.

However, this doesnt mean your cat wont get their required nutrition. Instinct is packed with additional allergen-free vitamins and mineral supplements to ensure your cat stays strong and healthy.

Another thing we like about the Instinct wet food is its texture. Not every cat loves a smooth pate, so the texture is a nice change of pace. However, its very easily mashed if your cat prefers it that way. Instinct is the best-limited ingredient of wet cat food out there this year.

Pros

• One protein and one vegetable
• Grain-free
• No eggs or dairy
• No filler ingredients
• Added nutritional supplements
• Textured, but easy to mash

Cons

• Contains more liquid than your cat may be used to

5. Natural Balance Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Wet Cat Food

The second Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets selection on our list is their canned cat food. This canned wet cat food contains a single animal protein source, just like the rest of our list, except this time its chicken.

Its loaded with it. The formula contains chicken meat, broth, liver, and processed meal. All of which is great unless your furball is allergic to chicken. It also contains salmon oil to add omega fatty acids.

However, a common issue with Natural Balance is that its too dry for a pate. And weve also come across quite a few complaints that its too soupy. It seems that there is just too much inconsistency in this blend. Picky cats can nitpick everything, especially textures, so its hard to rank this wet food any higher.

Pros

• Single animal protein source
• Contains plenty of chicken
• Omega fatty acids for healthy skin and nails

6. Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Adult Dry Cat Food

When it comes to pet food, Blue Buffalo has become a name that we know and trust. So, it only makes sense that theyd end up on our list of best limited-ingredient cat foods. However, were used to seeing Blue Buffalo perform just a little bit better.

In this LID, theres only one animal source as a protein source (turkey), and it provides a decent-sized protein content of 30%. However, its everything else in the formula thats the problem. For an LID, it has a large ingredient list that includes some strange entries, including barley grass, three variations of peas, and potatoes.

All of the extra ingredients are safe and nutritious, except for the potatoes, which can irritate cats with IBS.

Pros

• Single source of animal protein
• High protein content
• Vitamin boosted with Blue Buffalos LifeSource Bits

Cons

• Very long ingredient list

7. Merrick Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Canned Cat Food

This is Merricks canned version of their LID formula. Its produced with a single animal protein source without grains, gluten, dairy, or eggs. Merrick added a bunch of additional vitamins and minerals to boost the existing nutrition content.

So what makes this different from their wet food? The texture of this wet food can be unappealing to some cats. The pate is very thick, and you may need to add hot water to make it more palatable for your cats.

Pros

• Single-source animal protein
• No common allergens

8. FirstMate Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

When FirstMate decided to make a limited-ingredient diet, they took limited ingredients to heart. The food consists of three ingredients: chicken, potatoes, and blueberries. Its grain-free, gluten-free, and allergen-free.

There are some supplemental vitamins, but FirstMate relies more on the nutritional value of the blueberries to carry the diet. Its also relatively expensive. We dont feel First Mate appeals to picky cats compared to the brands mentioned above.

Pros

• Very short ingredient list

Cons

• Could do much better when it comes to vitamins, minerals, and other nutrition
• Expensive

9. I and Love and You Limited Ingredient Diet Dry Cat Food

At first glance, I and Love and You seems like a pretty decent selection. It has a pretty good-looking ingredient list, with salmon providing the source of single animal protein and sweet potatoes as the source of complex carbohydrates.

However, it just misses the mark. As a fish-based cat food, your cat will either love it or hate it. The smell of the food can cause many cats, especially picky eaters, to refuse to eat. If your cat isnt already eating a fish-based diet, swapping over to this formula may be a waste of money.

You can buy a small bag of I and Love and You, but the cost per pound analysis shows it is relatively expensive.

Pros

• Single-source protein with sweet potatoes

Cons

• Smelly food
• Not good for picky eaters
• Not cheap on a long-term basis

Buyers Guide: Choosing the Best Limited Ingredient Cat Food

Knowing the best types of food available is only part of the battle when shopping for limited-ingredient cat food. You need to know why your cat needs a LID in the first place.

Benefits of a Limited Ingredient Diet

Benefits:

• LIDs can help reduce digestive issues and upset stomachs and improve overall gut health.
• Youll see your feline friend have an increase in their energy levels.
• Switching to an LID can minimize allergies and skin problems such as itching and flaking.
• You can ensure that your kitty receives natural nutrition over other ingredients.
• Limited-ingredient diets usually have much easier-to-read ingredient lists, so you know exactly what your feline is eating.

What Makes Up a Limited Ingredient Diet?

Just because cat food has fewer ingredients doesnt necessarily mean its a good LID.

Here are some of the circumstances that make up a quality LID:

No Artificial Ingredients or Flavors

While there arent any conclusive studies that your kitten will become allergic to artificial ingredients, youre not likely to find them in LIDs. Filler or artificial ingredients generally dont have the nutrition that all-natural ones do.

Single Source of Protein

This is a very important component of a LID. You want your cats limited ingredient diet only to have a single protein that you can use to prevent food sensitivities in your little one.

Novel Source of Protein

Novel proteins are proteins that your pet has never eaten before. If your cats never had the meat before, theres a good chance theyre not allergic to it. Thats why good LIDs utilize meat that is not commonly found in most commercial cat food.

Single Source of Carbohydrates

Many of the best limited-ingredient diets also have one source of carbohydrates along with a single protein. By limiting the sources of carbs, youre minimizing the chance that your kittens going to have an allergic reaction.

No Grains

Making a grain-free diet serves two significant purposes when it comes to LIDs.It keeps the ingredient list limited by removing filler material with little to no nutritional value.

Many grains can be directly linked to food-borne allergies in pets.These grains include wheat, corn, soy, alfalfa, and others.

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How to Tell If Your Cat Needs a Limited Ingredient Diet

Not every cat needs to be on a limited-ingredient diet. Most felines will do fine with a standard diet. However, some cats have distinct food allergies, which can be dangerous if left untreated.

Signs of food-borne allergies include:

• Itchy face, ears, and eyes
• Overgroomingoften to the point of causing abrasion or hair loss
• Skin and ear infections
• Itchy rectum or scooting
• Difficulty when defecating
• Frequent bowel movements

If at any point you feel your cat is having an allergic reaction to their food, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right limited-ingredient diet for your cat can be a real bother. Hopefully, our guide and reviews have been able to shine a light on this difficult decision.Overall, we like the Smalls Fresh Cat Food Smooth Bird. It follows the fundamental rules of a great LID in that it has a singular novel protein.

Our favorite limited-ingredient diet for the money has to be the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food. Its still a single proteinwith the addition of salmon oiland provides all the nutrition your cat will need to make it through the day. Not to mention, its affordable for a limited-ingredient diet.

Featured Image Credit: Krakenimages.com, Shutterstock