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Affordable, healthy cat food: Our top 4 picks

Paige Cerulli
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Your cat is your family member, and naturally, you want to feed him the best food to keep him both happy and healthy. Your vet may have recommended some top foods, or your friends might be feeding their cats a quality food that you want to try. But some of those premium cat foods can be too expensive for your budget. The good news is that plenty of healthy cat foods out there are affordably priced. We’ve highlighted four of the best-quality affordable wet cat food and dry cat food options to help you get started.

Crave Grain Free Adult High Protein Natural Dry Cat Food

Crave’s Grain Free High Protein Natural Dry Cat Food delivers the protein your cat needs to support his muscle development and immune system, but without the fillers commonly used in other foods. It’s free of chicken byproduct meal, corn, wheat, and soy, which can trigger allergies and stomach sensitivities in many cats. This kibble delivers a complete and balanced diet and includes energy from quality carbohydrates. Flavor varieties include salmon and ocean fish, chicken, chicken and salmon, turkey, and chicken and duck. Real meat is the first ingredient in each 40%-protein formula, and other ingredients include pea protein, tapioca, and potato protein. This food is suitable for cats ages 1 and up.

Why we like it:

  • Free of fillers that can trigger allergies and stomach sensitivities
  • Real meat is the first ingredient
  • Comes in a variety of flavors

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Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Premium Natural Dry Cat Food

Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Premium Natural Dry Cat Food combines quality and affordability, offering some of the best healthy cat food prices you’ll find. This food features real farm-raised chicken from the United States as its first ingredient and is formulated with your indoor cat’s dietary needs in mind. Prebiotics from pumpkin help support your cat’s digestive health. Berries are rich in antioxidants and support your cat’s immune system. Added vitamins and minerals promote overall health for your feline friend. This food is also available in turkey, chickpeas and salmon, or a chicken, chickpeas, and salmon variety.

Why we like it:

  • Real farm-raised chicken is the first ingredient
  • Includes prebiotics from pumpkin to boost digestive health
  • Includes berries to support your cat’s immune system

Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain Free Natural Adult Pate Wet Cat Food

One of the best inexpensive wet cat food options available, Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain Free Natural Adult Pate Wet Cat Food  has real chicken as its first ingredient. It’s made with natural ingredients like sweet potatoes, carrots, cranberries, blueberries, and fish oil. While it’s full of nutrition, this food is free of chicken byproduct meals, corn, wheat, and soy. It also contains no artificial flavors or preservatives, so you’ll know exactly what you’re feeding your feline friend. The pâté’s smooth texture makes it easy for your cat to eat.

Why we like it:

  • Real chicken is the first ingredient
  • Free of chicken byproduct meals, corn, wheat, and soy
  • Contains no artificial flavors or preservatives

Tiki Cat Grill Grain-Free, Low-Carbohydrate Wet Food with Whole Seafood in Broth

A must for the seafood-loving cat, Tiki Cat Grill Grain-Free, Low-Carbohydrate Wet Food with Whole Seafood in Broth is packed full of variety. Real seafood is the first ingredient in each can, delivering plenty of protein in every serving. The food provides balanced nutrition suitable for both kittens and adult cats, and its high moisture content supports your cat’s hydration. Flavors include tuna and crab, tuna crab surimi, mackerel and sardines, sardine cutlets in lobster, and ahi tuna. This variety pack keeps your kitty’s meals interesting and his appetite piqued, and by rotating the flavors you feed your cat each day, you can help keep him interested in mealtime. The cans are available in 2.8-ounce and 6-ounce sizes, so you can choose the purr-fect size for your cat.

Why we like it:

  • Real seafood is the first ingredient
  • High moisture content aids in your cat’s hydration
  • Comes in a variety of flavors

These quality cat foods are designed with your cat’s nutrition needs in mind. Instead of being full of fillers, which can upset sensitive stomachs, these foods are packed with natural nutrition and carefully sourced ingredients. When choosing a food, it’s important to consider whether your cat has any sensitivities to certain proteins or ingredients that you should avoid. Once you’ve picked the food you’d like to try, gradually introduce it to your cat by adding just a little to his old food each day. You can slowly increase the amount of the new food while decreasing the amount of the old food until you fully transition your cat over. This deliberate process can help avoid digestive upset that a sudden food change can cause.

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Paige Cerulli
Paige Cerulli
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Paige's work has appeared in American Veterinarian, Business Insider, Healthline, and more. When she's not writing, Paige…
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