Skip to main content

PawTracks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Affordable, healthy cat food: Our top 4 picks

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

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.

Editors' Recommendations

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…
How to cat-proof your balcony before the unthinkable happens
Tips to keep your kitty safe while on the balcony
Cat sitting on a sunny balcony railing

It's tempting to spend some time outside with your cat whenever the weather is nice, and taking your cat outside can give him a nice break from indoor-only life. If you love to spend time on your balcony, it's natural to consider letting your cat join you, but balconies can be dangerous for cats. In addition to the potential for a fall, balconies have several other risks that you might not be aware of. Understanding how to cat-proof a balcony can help you to make the space safer, so you and your cat can spend a little time outside together.

Will a cat jump off a balcony?
Balconies can be very dangerous for cats because of the possibility of "high-rise syndrome." Always Compassionate Veterinary Care explains that high-rise syndrome refers to the occurrence of cats falling out of high-rise buildings and needing veterinary treatment. The term originates when the Animal Medical Center in New York City treated more than 100 cats who fell out of high-rise windows. That occurred during just five months in the 1980s and highlights the fact that cats can and do fall out of high structures.

Read more
How to tell if your cat is a Maine Coon mix (and why you should care)
Should you consider a Maine Coon mix? Here's what you need to know
Closeup of a Maine Coon's face

There are plenty of big and fluffy cats out there, but one of the best-known breeds fitting this description is the Maine Coon. These cats are not only impressive in size, but they also tend to have fantastic personalities that make them beloved family pets. While purebred Maine Coons are a little more uncommon in rescues and shelters, it's possible to adopt a Maine Coon mix that still has some of the breed's distinctive characteristics.

While telling exactly which breeds your cat is can be a little tricky, it's worth doing some investigative work to better understand your feline's background and what that might mean for the care he needs during his life.
Where do Maine Coon cats come from?
You may have heard that the Maine Coon Cate originated from a fantastical cross between a feline and a raccoon. Of course, this didn't really happen, but it could be where they get the name. (Another option, from a ship's captain who brought the first of these kitties ashore.)

Read more
There’s a totally normal reason cats throw up after eating grass – here’s why
Learn about this cat behavior and if there's cause for concern
Calico cat lying on its back in a grassy yard

If your cat throws up after eating grass, there's probably no reason to be concerned. Eating grass is a natural behavior for most cats, and throwing up after eating that grass also is pretty common. There are physical reasons for why your cat throws up grass, and aside from dealing with the inconvenience of having to clean up cat vomit in the house, this behavior usually isn't a problem.

But excessive vomiting and unusual grass consumption can be a cause for concern. If your cat likes to munch grass, then it's best to familiarize yourself with what's normal and what might be a reason to worry.

Read more