Just like humans, our feline friends nearing old age are susceptible to various health conditions such as kidney disease. As such, finding the best low protein cat food to feed them is highly important in ensuring that they get the right amount of nourishment that their body needs, and also help them address these health conditions.
To help you help your cats, here’s a complete guide on the top low protein cat food brands that your cats will surely love, as well as answers to the most common questions when it comes to buying cat foods formulated for kidney health.
Hi-Tor Veterinary Select Neo Diet for Cats for Kidney Health
My top pick when it comes to low protein wet cat food is the Hi-Tor veterinary select neo feline formula, which is a wet canned food for cats that is uniquely formulated to promote good kidney health and overall dietary management of your cats’ health conditions.
It’s a special diet that’s highly recommended by veterinarians to prevent and manage renal disease, as well as ensure adequate caloric intake and nutrient consumption, with a low protein, low sodium, and low phosphorus formulation.
This canned food is a pate that has great texture and mixes well with water, so you can easily modify how you serve it to your cats depending on their hydration needs. All in all, it’s a healthy and great tasting food, and it comes at an affordable price, too, so you really can’t go wrong with this one.
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PROS
- Low protein, high fat pate
- Excellent ingredient quality
- Amazon’s Choice product
- Comes in a pack of 12
- Great value for money
CONS
- Not the best tasting formulation
- Not a prescription diet
- Poor product handling and customer service
Blue Buffalo Kidney + Mobility Support for Cats
The second best especially when it comes to low protein dry cat food is the Blue Buffalo Veterinary Diet, which boasts of its all-natural ingredients and enhanced vitamins and minerals. One great thing about Blue Buffalo’s exclusive lifesource bits is that it is cold-formed, meaning, its exposure to heat while processing was reduced so it can last longer.
This product targets caring for the kidney with its restricted mineral levels. And, it uses high-quality chicken with controlled levels for protein. So, it does not only care for the kidney but also for the mobility support with the help of ingredients such as DHA, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
Some pet parents also avoid products with grains, and if you’re one of them, you’ll be happy to know that this is absolutely grain-free. All in all, here’s a perfect product for getting your cats to diet without neglecting their kidney health and mobility.
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PROS
- Excellent flavor and scent
- Corn, soy, and wheat free
- Suitable for all breeds & sizes
- Great for all life stages
- Great value for money
CONS
- Only available in one flavor (chicken)
- May cause sickness if not introduced properly
- Poor product handling and customer service
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Hill’s Prescription Diet Renal Health Adult Cat Food
Ranking fourth is the Hill’s Prescription Diet kidney care cat food that promises to improve and lengthen your cats’ quality of life with its special dry cat meal recipe. It allows for a therapeutic cat nutrition and slows the progression of health conditions like chronic kidney disease.
This is a clinically tested formulation that is well recommended by nutritionists and veterinarians to support your cats’ kidney function and help sustain muscle mass, so not only does it taste good, it promotes a good appetite and strong overall health as well.
It’s a great and highly suitable diet for adult house cats. It’s also made with real chicken meat to give your cats a healthy albeit controlled supply of high-quality proteins. The only thing you might have an issue with this one is that it contains a variety of grains, dairy, and poultry products, so make sure to check the ingredients list for possible allergens before buying.
PROS
- Suitable for all breeds & sizes
- Excellent flavor and scent
- Excellent ingredient quality
- Available in 5 sizes
- 100% money-back guarantee
CONS
- May cause sickness if not introduced properly
- Requires veterinary prescription
- More expensive than other options
Purina Pro Plan NF Kidney Function Adult Dry Cat Food
Taking the fifth spot is Purina Pro Plan’s advanced care feline formula for adult cats who need help with maintaining their kidney function. It’s a dry cat food recipe made with great tastes, controlled amounts of high-quality protein and restricted phosphorus to support your cats’ kidneys.
Plus, it also contains omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamin B complex, potassium, and high-quality calories to provide your cats all the energy, nutrition, and nourishment that they need from every meal.
This dry food formulation is made with a combination of superior and tasty ingredients such as tuna, fish, whole grains, eggs, animal fat, and more. As long as your cat doesn’t have any allergies to these ingredients, this is a definite must-try.
PROS
- Excellent flavor and scent
- Great for all cat breeds
- Smaller packaging means fresher food
- Energy-dense with controlled sodium
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed
CONS
- Only suitable for adult cats
- May cause diarrhea if not introduced properly
- More expensive than other options
Best Low Protein Cat Food Buyer’s Guide
You want to feed your cats the best and healthiest meals, and that’s great. But when you add in serious health conditions like kidney disease to the mix, things are not as easy as they seem. There are lots of important things to consider that can severely affect your cats’ health.
The most important thing here is that the meal has low levels of protein and a couple of other nutrients that play a huge part in regulating your cats’ renal health. Here’s why this is important, along with some other things you need to consider:
Protein vs Kidney Disease
For healthy cats, consuming high levels of protein and other nutrients is vital for their health and nourishment, especially so they can build and sustain muscle mass. But, when it comes to cats with kidney conditions, the opposite is true.
That’s not saying that protein causes kidney disease, of course. It’s just that when the kidney is already in poor condition, the more difficult it gets for the kidney to process the protein in the food, so it certainly doesn’t help in improving the state of the kidney.
As such, veterinarians and nutritionists often recommend cat meals with targeted levels of protein, as well as phosphorus and sodium, so your cats can digest and process the food better, and help in restoring their kidney health.
Another solution that has been popular these days is to feed the cat high-quality protein sources rather than significantly lowering the protein content of their meals. Which method is best for your cats depends on their specific circumstances and the recommendation of their vet.
Signs that your cat has kidney disease
Middle-aged and senior cats are prone to having chronic renal disease and various other health conditions. These can easily be prevented, but if not, they can also quickly worsen and lead to often fatal conditions, which is why carefully observing your cats for signs of sickness is always essential.
Common symptoms of kidney disease include an increase in water consumption and still appearing thirsty, a consequent increase in urination, a significantly decreased appetite and lower energy levels, and sometimes even vomiting.
If you suspect that something is wrong with your cat, the best possible course of action is always to take him to the vet so that a proper diagnosis can be made, and that the right medicine and diet can be prescribed.
The good news is that, even though chronic renal disease is mostly untreatable, it can definitely be managed and slowed down with proper diet and medication, and this is where low protein recipes come in.
What are the benefits of low protein cat food?
The main purpose of cat food formulations that are low in protein is really to support proper kidney function, which is done by helping it break down protein and eliminate waste, as well as help in producing urine to get rid of these waste products.
That said, another important benefit that low protein formulations offer is maintaining good liver health by assisting in efficiently removing the byproducts of food digestion, preventing abnormal blood clotting, and absorbing nutrients.
A low protein diet is what makes it possible to reduce the amount of waste that the kidney and liver have to go through. It also helps in reducing the amount of ammonia in the cat’s bloodstream so that no other severe health conditions arise.
Important tips when buying low protein cat food
If you’re planning to lower your cats’ protein intake, the first and most important thing you need to do is to consult with a veterinarian, since low protein meals are not for everyone, and cats need the right amount of protein to support their muscle mass.
Now, one of the most common issues your cats will likely be dealing with if they have kidney conditions is a loss of appetite, and as such, you need to be able to find meals that are enticing and flavorful enough that your cats will want to eat them.
Of course, you also need to make sure that the food has adequate nutritional content to promote a good overall health, as well as the right amount of moisture to assist in hydration and food digestion.
What is the ideal nutritional content of low protein cat foods?
As I’ve just mentioned, any cat food should have the right amount of nutrients to promote health and nourishment, and this is especially true if the food has low protein contents, as well as reduced levels of phosphorus and sodium.
One important thing is that the food should have an adequate moisture content to help your cats stay hydrated and enjoy a healthy urinary tract function. So, it’s a good practice to mix dry and wet food, and even add in a bit of water.
The recipe should also have added antioxidant complexes, as well as vitamins and minerals to promote a strong immune system and overall health. And, it should ideally contain omega 3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil to further support kidney function.
What is the best food for cats with kidney disease?
If a cat has kidney disease, the best diet is one that has controlled levels of protein so that the kidney is not overwhelmed when it comes to breaking down and processing waste. But more important than the low protein content is where this protein is coming from.
While there are many excellent sources of protein, the best and highest quality ones are animal protein from white meat such as chicken, especially the chicken breast. This makes it easier for the kidney to process protein waste and produce less of this waste, unlike lower quality protein sources or even protein from plants.
At the end of the day, however, what you feed your cats should still be approved by their veterinarian, and it should be a balanced diet that supplies them everything they need for their daily function and overall health.
Conclusion
Feeding your cats a healthy diet is important in ensuring that they stay healthy and enjoy a high quality of life for a long time, especially if they are experiencing certain health conditions that can be fatal if not managed properly.
The good thing is, there are plenty of suitable cat meals that you can find for your beloved feline friends, and as long as you know the right things to look for, you’re sure to find the best diet that will keep your cats full and healthy.
Last update on 2024-10-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API