As the name suggests, we would be rounding up a set of the best- limited ingredient cat food for you.
You know, too much of anything is bad. No matter how “good” the thing is, if done/experienced in excess, it will be bad for you in one form or another.
The same is the case with what you put inside your cat’s food, or what the manufacturer puts, to be exact.
The idea of limited ingredients is to put only the stuff that is necessary for the food. In preparing cat food, or any pet food for that matter, there are quite a few things that need not be added.
These unnecessary, questionable ingredients only increase the form and bulk of the product and are of no general or special use.
This means that we will find something which is free of synthetic ingredients, glutens and so much more.
By nature, cats have a sensitive stomach.
If your feline friend is having digestion woes and having stomach problems, it is your duty to find out the reason behind it.
You will find, the root of the problem is the diet. Many a time, the food that your cat takes has one or two culprits that cause such havoc in your cat’s stomach and on your fancy carpet.
And you guessed it right! The problem can be solved if you feed your cat only what is necessary: limited ingredient cat food for the allergies.
Take a look at the list:
Best Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food Comparison
Top 6 best-limited ingredient dry cat food review
Here is a list of the best-limited ingredient cat food review with an analysis of their ingredients, nutrition, positives, and negatives:
1. Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Natural Dry Cat Food, in the flavor “Chicken With Lentils and Salmon”
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Check Price and Reviews
The simple formula is bound to attract anyone. With its charming packaging and product details, you will be entitled to buy this food to meet the dietary needs of indoor cats with their unique blend of superfoods.
The recipe is in line with the inspirations of Rachael’s Kitchen in which she prepares for humans. Carrying her love for animals, this has been made to fit the needs of indoor cats.
Let us take a look at the first five, most important ingredients on the list:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Ground Peas, and Lentils.
We have mixed feelings towards it actually. The use of chicken as the number one ingredient fascinates us and cats alike. The same goes for the chicken meal.
Corn gluten meal is something you wouldn’t think of when you are thinking of the best-limited ingredient cat food.
Again, the use of ground peas with lentils makes the food more plant-laden than we would like to be.
Lentils do enhance the fiber content of the food, and that is something we want for better digestion in the felines. Honestly, we don’t mind as long as your cat doesn't mind.
As we go further down the list of ingredients (and you should too, no matter which company you buy your cat food from), we discovered that it also has the following:
-Salmon along with the chicken for an increased and better source of protein.
-Pumpkin and dandelion greens for better digestion
-cranberries and blueberries for antioxidants and immunity
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons overall:
Pros
- Provides similar nutrition at a much lower price compared to high-end cat food brands.
- Cats love the taste of the food.
- Helps weight management in thinning indoor cats.
- Contains a good amount of superfoods.
- Kibbles are small enough for mature cats that have weak teeth.
Cons
- Makes some cat litter smell.
- Contains corn.
- Some cats reportedly gained weight on it, which is bad for obese cats.
2. Purina Beyond Grain Free, Natural, Adult Dry Cat Food in the flavor “Ocean Whitefish and Egg”
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Check Price and Reviews
Purina says that all natural-ingredient food are not the same. And that, theirs is different because they like to put a primary protein source as the number one ingredient of their food.
They have further said that although most of the cat food manufacturers claim that, they stand up to this claim.
Their claim is based on the fact that their expert panel of nutritionists creates food from only natural sources and only what is essential.
They put recognizable ingredients in the list so that you know what is getting here. And they have used real whitefish from the ocean as their prime source of protein and to round up the overall formula and blend of ingredients, there are eggs.
They tried to create a protein-rich, grain-free environment inside the pack such that your furry friend has enough to maintain a healthy and hearty life.
Now, to our usual ingredient analysis.
After taking a look at the first five ingredients in the list, we got the following:
Ocean Whitefish, Chicken Meal, Pea Protein, Pea Starch, and Cassava Root Flour.
As they claim, they did put forward whitefish as the number one ingredient. We have a premium protein in abundance in the pack.
Even chicken meal adds to the protein level of the food. Besides, there is a plant-based protein in the food, in the name of pea protein.
What did upset us, is the presence of pea starch and cassava root flour. These unnecessary additions are meant to be nothing but bulk-producers and enhancers.
There one sole use is in the shaping of the kibble. We don’t see what other use they come in other than that, which is proving useful to the cats.
Lastly, the very formula of the product, whitefish, and dried egg product could be a matter of concern for cats allergic to seafood.
Thankfully, not all cats are sensitive to these two.
Pros
- Grain-free cat food.
- Can be part of a daily diet of cats of all stages.
- Free of corn, wheat, and soy.
- Crunchy, well-shaped kibbles to up the dining experience of the cats.
- Stops vomiting and stinkiness in some cats.
Cons
- Not for toothless cats and kibble size may be too big for kittens.
- Cats allergic to seafood have had breathing discomfort after taking this.
3. Taste of the Wild Grain-Free, High-Protein, Real Meat Recipe Rocky Mountain Premium Dry Cat Food
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Check Price and Reviews
Seeing the pack, you will feel a chill running down your spine. It features a cat-like tiger high on the peaks of a mountain.
The rocky mountain, we suppose. The cat-like tiger is seen to eye upon an innocent deer right below the mountain, as its prey.
The pack kickstarts the idea that we should have for cats. Instead of seeing them as furballs, we must see them as carnivorous beings who must be fed like their predecessors.
The food promises to give the felines a taste of the wilderness by feeding them food containing wild venison and salmon for the right amino acids and leaner, stronger muscles.
Besides animal protein, it also contains fruits and vegetables that provide the vitamins and minerals cats need as a part of their daily diet to function properly.
The fatty acid content that the manufacturer also tried to maintain, on the other hand, works to give the shiniest of coats that make you rub your hands over your pet for the softest feel.
The protein content of the pack is 42% and the pack is meant for cats of different ages.
Taste of the Wild sources its ingredients from different parts of the world.
They try to give you the best of many worlds to make sure your cat is fed right, but it is made in the US.
About the good and the bad:
Pros
- Picky eaters don't mind the taste of the food.
- Great protein level.
- Amazing for cat parents on a budget.
- Gives the cat energy to run and play.
- Fluffier coat.
- Best limited ingredient cat food that maintains quality for the price.
- Reduced shedding and skin disease in some cats.
- Reduced vomiting tendency in some cats.
Cons
- A few cats couldn’t digest it and threw up.
4. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food in the flavor “Green Pea & Duck”
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Check Price and Reviews
The Green Pe and Duck recipe from natural balance is one of the best grain-free cat food. The formula is built such that it can provide wholesome and complete nutrition to adult cats.
The Limited Ingredient Diets or L.I.D. from Natural Balance is a range they have built to optimize the number of ingredients put in their cat food, and feature premium quality in terms of protein and low inclusion of carbs.
They like to call it “ultra-premium”.
Let's hop into the details of the grain-free cat food review.
While analyzing the ingredients, we checked the first five on the list. We took a quick glance at it because the first five make up the plentifulness of what is inside the pack.
The first five were:
Green Peas, Duck, Duck Meal, Pea Protein, and Canola Oil.
The first ingredient would do so much better if it were animal-based and not plant-based, but to reduce the misfortune, they include high-quality duck meat as the second and duck meal as the third ingredient.
Also, some would say that after putting green peas as your first, you would not need pea proteins as another necessary inclusion, but the natural balance did that too.
We think it may have been done to create a low-carb grain-free cat food, and the omission of grains is being filled up by adding plant-laden ingredients. It is actually? You will soon know.
Besides these, if you go further down the line, you can find a potential allergen that may harm cats allergic to seafood, and the ingredient is salmon oil.
As of the analysis of nutrition, the product has more carbs than protein, but it is doing great with fibers and fat.
Let's take a summarized version of the overall good and bad:
Pros
- Grain-free formula.
- Features high-quality duck as a premium protein source.
- Built for adult cats to grow and get nutrition.
- Free of artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors.
- Helps with gastrointestinal problems.
- The kibbles are moderately sized.
- Cures skin allergies in some cats.
- Improved skin and coat health.
- Helps some cats to gain weight.
Cons
- Some customers are disappointed with the ingredients.
- A few cats got diarrhea after being fed this food.
5. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein, Grain-Free, Natural, Adult Dry Cat Food in the flavor “Duck”
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Check Price and Reviews
Blue Buffalo tries to address the wilder sides of the cats more than just feeding them and giving them the necessary nutrition.
They want to give cats the necessary nutrition, but the nutrition that they would get if they were out in the wild.
To feed the “wilderness” of the cats, the pack features real duck that cats often crave and are essential to building lean muscles.
Also, you know how problematic the addition and use of carbs are in cat foods.
Many cat food contains carbs in a manner that is either too many or too less and even if they are managed to be balanced, they are sourced from not too good sources. This one from Blue Wilderness comes from the very best source of healthy carbs, that is, sweet potatoes and peas.
It helps keep them active and running.
Also, the pack contains fatty acids that bring out the shine and gloss of the skin and coat of the cats.
Another thing that is exclusive to Blue Buffalo, is their LifeSource Bits which contains antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.
The blend was created under the supervision of holistic vets and nutritionists who work for animals. This is specially crafted for the immune system and a healthy oxidative balance in cats.
There's another thing that you might like about it, that is their inclusion of all-natural ingredients and hence leaves out from the equation the likes of chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives.
Whatever the recipe you are getting from Blue Wilderness, is inspired by the lynx.
For the first five ingredients in this list, we have
Deboned Duck, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Tapioca Starch, and Peas.
Quite a lot of animal-based ingredients, you see. They make it the right choice for one of the best-limited ingredients diet, grain-free cat food reviews.
The nutrition analysis reveals the same.
The protein content in the food is 40%. The fat content also is below 20% which is considered the bar. It is 18% to be exact.
Yes, it should be a good buy. Take a look at the pros and cons:
Pros
- Keeps cats active and playing.
- Unique LifeSource Bits.
- Optimal protein and fat content.
- Helps cats with teeth problems.
- Even picky eaters love the flavor.
- All-natural ingredients.
Cons
- Cats like other flavors of the brand better.
- Contains less moisture.
6. Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free, Natural Indoor Mature Dry Cat Food, Turkey & Potato
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Check Price and Reviews
This is another recipe from Blue Buffalo that features real, deboned turkey as their star ingredient, this one from Blue Buffalo.
This is their single animal-protein source in the list; and to back it up, there is a fortified blend of pumpkins, potatoes, and peas.
The ingredients have been specially selected to keep off the gluten and help cats with a sensitive stomach with their digestive abilities.
To add to that, and for that very reason, it is made free from chicken, beef, corn, wheat, soy, dairy, and eggs.
If you have read our other Blue Buffalo review that we mentioned minutes back, you will know that Blue likes to add a unique touch to their cat foods with the inclusion of LifeSource Bits, which is actually an antioxidant blend, and also minerals and vitamins.
Besides, there is a necessary Taurine in the food, which we know is excellent for the eyes and heart health.
This food has been specially prepared for senior cats, keeping their need for nutrition, life stage requirements, immunity, and digestive capabilities in mind.
To provide the mature indoor cats with the right amount of calories that can tackle their inclination towards obesity for the lack of movement, while also providing them with an optimal calorie level is the purpose.
The first five ingredients that they mentioned in the list include,
Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Tapioca Starch, Peas, and Pea Protein.
We are delighted with the turkey and turkey meal, but the next ingredients don't quite have our satisfaction.
The inclusion of starch, again, for nothing more than adding bulk is needless.
Again, we can tolerate peas, since they are a good addition with the likes of pumpkin and potato to enhance the taste.
Pea protein, again, was unimportant.
We don't hate it.
Further, down the list, we have fish oil, which may prove to be a matter of concern for some cat parents.
To look at the pros and cons:
Pros
- A great option for mature cats.
- Provides optimal calories to indoor cats.
- Reduces hairball formation in cats.
- Since it leaves out most ingredients that cats are allergic to, most cats love the formula.
- Reducing vomiting tendency and cabs in cats.
Cons
- The protein content could be raised.
- Contains more carbs than similar other cat food.
7. Nature's Variety Limited Ingredient Diet Dry Cat Food
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Check Price and Reviews
The formula was built in order to remove the issues relating to sensitivity in cats. What they did, is include a quality protein source and omit grains of all sorts.
We need not rave about the importance of quality protein and grain-free cat food now, do we?
These two prime reasons make the pack one of our top best-limited ingredient cat foods.
The pack is said to contain only the “most essential” ingredients that cans can digest without any sort of difficulties, which is why they knocked out the grain, gluten, potato, dairy, eggs, chicken, beef, and fish, and the stuff related to any one of them from the list.
Since we are talking about ingredients, the pack also happens to contain green tea extract!
We are just as surprised as you because this is probably the first and only food we have come across doing this.
They say the green tea extract is brushed on the kibbles for aroma and a better taste.
Let us see what we liked and disliked about it:
Pros
- Contains omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids for a super soft coat and healthy skin.
- Has only one prime-but-enough animal protein source to feed the cats with the best.
- Has a great taste.
- Is easy on the digestive system of the cats.
- Can interest picky cats in eating their kibbles.
- Helps in weight management for some cats.
- Arguably the best-limited ingredient dry cat food that stands up to its name.
- Perfect for cats who are allergic to most ingredients.
- Ensures healthy poop in cats.
- Great for UTIs and IBS.
- Excellent value for money.
Cons
- The new formula changed from all stages of life to adult cats only.
Top 5 best-limited ingredient wet cat food review
Here is a list of the best-limited ingredient wet cat food review with an analysis of their ingredients, nutrition, positives, and negatives:
Best Limited Ingredient Wet Cat Food Comparison:
1. Purina Fancy Feast Gravy Wet Cat Food Variety Pack, Seafood Grilled Collection
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Check Price and Reviews
This is actually a 24-pack collection, but let’s talk about the product only, shall we?
You should not be reading this review if your cat is allergic to seafood. If it is not, carry on:
The food features a delectable combination of fish and seafood and is specially designed for adult cats.
It has a very tender texture and a gravy that is savory-like. This sounds like a gourmet cat food, doesn’t it? The name of the product itself says “fancy”.
Anyway, with this special feast pack, you can give your cat a variety of foods by buying just one. So you can tell it is a great value for money.
Now, let us focus on the ingredients. Since it is a variety pack, there are different kinds of ingredients in the pack. But you know the rule of thumb.
In case you forgot, it starts by checking what the first five ingredients of any food are.
Since it is cat food and cats are carnivorous animals, to give them maximum nutrition and energy, cat food should contain protein as the number one ingredient.
The other ingredients can be supportive of the mantra of nutrition, and hence can be anything from peas to carrots.
What shouldn’t be the case, however, is that it should be free from ingredients you won’t eat yourself in most cases, and ingredients that you can not recognize or pronounce.
If it has starches, fillers, and so-and-so, you know what the right one to buy is. And trust us, you will find plenty of options other than this.
What are the good and bad of the pack? Here are they:
Pros
- Very convenient to purchase and store.
- Cats love the taste.
- Makes the coat shiny and soft.
- Contains chunky pieces to chew out and enjoy.
- Great value for the price.
Cons
- May need to be mixed with a little water if kittens can’t chew the chunks.
- Not for cats allergic to seafood or else will throw up.
2. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Cat Food in the flavor “Tuna and Pumpkin in Broth”
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Check Price and Reviews
Another one is the best-limited ingredient cat food from Natural Balance. This grain-free wet cat food is made of high-quality ingredients, featuring tuna as the prime protein source.
To recall, you must know that in order to judge what is the right cat food, be it wet or dry, you need to do a quick check with the ingredients listed on it.
The first ingredient should always be a prime protein source. Given that it is the cats you are buying for.
As you go down the list, there should be any starches, needless fillers, and ingredients you can't pronounce.
In the end, you will look for potential allergens that can cause sensitivity in your cat's stomach.
The first five ingredients of the tuna and pumpkin recipe were:
Tuna, Tuna Broth, Pumpkin, Canola Oil, and Guar Gum.
It is surprising how many positive results the food has instead of guar gum. Well, guar gum in the top five is such a waste because it just holds the stuff together.
Anyway, we have our quality protein and backup ingredients.
The nutritional analysis of the product also revealed that it contains more protein than similar other wet cat food, but lesser carbs.
Pros
- An optimal amount of protein.
- Lesser fat than most wet cat food.
- Great for cats that are allergic to most foods.
- Has tuna chunks in the food.
- The pumpkin helps to cure cats that have an upset stomach.
- Great taste and makes cats lick the bowl clean.
Cons
- A little pricey.
3. Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Diet, Adult, Indoor, Grain-Free “Duck & Potato” Wet Cat Food
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Check Price and Reviews
Did you know that most cat foods feature chicken, but a lot of cats have trouble digesting it?
This brought the idea of duck meat to be included as the prime protein source in cat foods. Here we will discuss one from Blue Basics, which features duck and potato.
You know cats need a great number of amino acids and animal protein on a daily nutritional basis.
Blue Basics attempts to provide the cats with these in a holistic manner.
Instead of opting for the general sources of carbs and gluten that are unhealthy and often lead to obesity, Blue Basics looks for healthy complex carbs from sources like brown rice, oats, and barley.
On the vegetable section, they have whole carrots, sweet potatoes, parsley, and cranberries.
These are essential to provide the nutrients that keep cats healthy and ease their digestion process.
Observing the most important ingredients on the list, which decides whether or not you should buy the product, we have the following data:
Duck, Duck Broth, Potatoes, Pea Flour, and Carrots.
Duck listed as the first means there is a sufficient amount of quality protein here. After that, duck broth and we are okay with it too. Potatoes, fine. Carrots, finer.
Why would they include something like pea flour?
Probably to hold the stuff together.
Another sad thing is that, as we went further below the list, we found guar gum and carrageenan.
Both of which are needless in the list, given that we are talking about the best-limited ingredient cat foods.
Lastly, as a potential allergen, we have fish oil.
Let us now proceed to the likes and dislikes regarding the product:
Pros
- Includes plenty of omega-3 and omega-6.
- Is free of corn, wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, beef, and chicken that cause sensitivities in a cat’s stomach.
- Easily digestible.
- Free of artificial color, flavor, and preservatives.
- Removed diarrhea, skin-infection in some cats.
- Helped thinner cats to gain weight.
Cons
- Contains guar gum.
- Contains less protein.
- Has more carbs than similar wet cat food.
4. Purina ONE Natural Adult Canned Wet Cat Food
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Check Price and Reviews
About the classic turkey recipe, Purina claims that your cat will rush to the bowl when you pour it out.
Is that so?
Let’s find out.
The top ingredient of the product is a real turkey. The formula is so finely ground that cats having weak teeth or older cats or even young kittens will have no problem consuming it.
The food is grain-free, is high in protein, and contains all the vitamins and minerals that cats need. It does not just feature real poultry, it tastes and smells like one too.
Wish we could ask the cats if it does!
The canned food is for cats prone to weak immunity and in need of something easily digestible that does its job.
Of the ingredients listed, we found these as the top five:
Turkey, Liver, Meat by-products, Water, Poultry by-products.
What surprised us the most was water. This is probably the first one we’ve seen that charts water within the top five, given that it is wet food, after all.
Also, that means that one less ingredient here is unnecessary.
Again, seeing turkey and liver, probably a turkey liver as quality protein and nutrients sources also made us feel good.
However, we wished there was one by-product in the top five instead of one.
Pros
- Great for adult and pregnant cats.
- Loads of gravy.
- Works great to resolve furball issues.
- Great for diabetic and overweight cats.
- Contains high protein and moisture.
- Excellent quality and taste.
Cons
- The quantity is too small for large cats.
5. Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet Canned Wet Cat Food in the flavor “Chicken”
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Check Price and Reviews
Cut out carbs, gluten, potatoes, and corn, and grains. The Merrick chicken wet cat food has a list of possible allergens in its food.
What does it contain, then?
The ingredient analysis revealed the following data:
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Natural Flavor, and Dried Egg Product.
These are the first five ingredients of the list, and hence the vital few.
You know that, as the first ingredient is the one present in the largest amount, it should contain one animal-based protein.
Here, we have deboned chicken. We are happy with the one listed as the first.
After that, the chicken broth adds to the taste of the food and helps make the food gravy-like, as cats would prefer.
Next is the chicken liver, which is another delicious source of necessary nutrients. After that down to number 4, we are still satisfied with what they have put together, and that is natural flavor.
At least, there is no random starch or by-product filling up the list.
The last ingredient, however, has us thinking because although not for every cat out there; but dried egg product is allergic to some cats.
We are equally content that most ingredients here are worthy additions to be on the top and aren’t bogus.
Let us jump into the pros and cons:
Pros
- Perfect for finicky eaters.
- Digests easily.
- It is free of by-products and fillers.
- One of the best grain-free cat foods out there.
- Excellent source of water for cats who drink lesser than their lowest thirst drive.
- Helps cats that have a kidney problem.
- Easily digestible.
- High protein content.
Cons
- The new formula is causing vomiting and diarrhea in some cats.
Conclusion
With a change in the diet, the illness in the cat’s stomach and its intolerance of food can be reduced.
You might need to try out a few options before deciding which one may fit the bill perfectly for your cat. It has many long-term effects.
You will be working for the overall growth of the cat, and if that includes making a few mistakes to find out the right one, it is natural.
Whatever you do, do consult a vet before bringing a major change in the cat’s diet. If something doesn’t suit him, give him time to recover before making him try another new food.
Don’t make your cat indifferent towards having food by experimenting with it often.
Everything takes time, and you’ll hopefully figure out the best-limited ingredient cat food for your cat.
Once you have decided on the best-limited ingredient cat food, don’t forget to check out our Best sensitive stomach cat food
Have a nice day!
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