The Best Wet Food for Cats
High quality wet food is a very important aspect of your cats’ diet. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they must eat meat in order to thrive — or even survive. Cats break down nutrients in meat differently than dogs, for example, and their nutrition needs can be quite unique. Obligate carnivores need especially high quality foods in their lives, both for wet and dry foods, in order to promote their health and longevity. By choosing well-developed wet foods for your furbaby, you can help ensure that they are getting the nutrients they need at dinner time! Here, I’m sharing the five best wet foods that my cats have enjoyed their whole lives:
Table of Contents:
Why Wet Food Matters
Nutritional Benefits of Wet Food for Cats
As I mentioned above, hydration is super important to kitties, especially when it comes to temperature regulation and joint health. As they have evolved, cats as a species have evolved to absorb hydration from their prey — or, meat. House cats, a far cry from their Mesopotamian ancestors (don’t tell Louis I said that), get a sizable portion of their necessary water from wet foods, which have a higher water content than kibbles. Be sure to supplement this hydration with plenty of water sources, as well, though!
For reference, cats tend to avoid standing water as a part of their evolutionary guidance system; standing water in the wild may contain harmful parasites or bacteria. Experts recommend — and I can corroborate — that cats like running water. All three of our cats have started to drink a healthier amount of water since we got this (affordable and easy to clean) cat water fountain.
Besides hydration, though, wet food has all kinds of good vitamins and minerals for kitties, like taurine. Furthermore, cat digestive systems are more adapted to wet food, which is closer to what cats would hunt in the wild, than kibble, which has only been around for a century or so.
Palatability and Variety in Texture and Flavors
Beyond the nutritional benefits themselves, high quality wet food options tend to offer a wider array of flavors and styles that may be more appealing to even the pickiest of cats.
Some cats prefer kibble and dry food, to be sure. However, most cats prefer to have a mix of both wet food and dry food in their diets.
Furthermore, wet food can be easier for cats to eat, especially if they have dental issues. You can also control the quantity of wet food more easily than kibble, particularly in multi-cat households, by serving out only an appropriate serving at a time, rather than relying on free-feeding dry food.
Shop High Quality Wet Food for Cats
Criteria for Selecting the Best Wet Food for Your Cat
For me, a few key details stand out when determining what wet foods to feed my cats. I care about the nutritional value, ingredients list, brand reputation, affordability and availability, and, lastly, any miscellaneous details or special needs my cats may have. Bearing these factors in mind, here are the five high quality wet food options that my cats rotate through and enjoy.
My Wet Food Feeding Process
I’m going to break down how I feed my cats their wet food, because there are a few steps to it.
The Weruva Kitchen Cuties Variety Pack is the backbone of their wet food diet, and I wind up ordering a pack of this wet food in every one of our monthly Chewy orders. I mix these larger cans with either a smaller can or pouch in a tupperwear and add in the couple of health supplements that my cats get regularly — Solid Gold SeaMeal powder, a probiotic, a dental powder, and glucosamine as needed.
Then, once the wet food and supplements are mixed together (sometimes with a tablespoon or two of extra water), I dose out the wet food from that tupperwear for about three meals (for three cats).
Top Row (L to R): Made by Nacho Minced Variety Pack | Weruva Slide-and-Serve Pouch Variety Pack
Bottom Row (L to R): Weruva Kitchen Cuties Variety Pack | Tiny Tiger Pate Variety Pack | Weruva Classic Pate Variety Pack
Top 5 Wet Foods for Cats
Weruva Kitchen Cuties Variety Pack
Weruva features heavily in this wet food guide. They are my go-to company for my cats’ wet food. I love that Weruva is so very focused on providing kitties with enough hydration to keep their kidneys working properly. Beyond this, I like Weruva because you can easily recognize the ingredients. They also have a ton of varieties in flavors, textures, and packaging, so there’s really something for everyone, even the pickiest kitties. In short, my cats have tried a variety of Weruva products over the years, and they’ve enjoyed everything they’ve tasted.
The Weruva Kitchen Cuties Variety Pack is handy high quality wet food option for multi-cat households, since it comes in convenient 10 oz cans. It is pricier, typically costing around $40 to $45 a case, but that is because it is a much larger volume than any of the other wet foods featured here. It has four flavors in the multi-pack, with a mix of salmon, lamb, and chicken recipes to help keep your cats from getting bored.
Shop the Weruva Kitchen Cuties Variety Pack.
Made by Nacho Minced Variety Pack
My cats have tried both the minced food and pate style wet food from Made by Nacho, and they seem to like both equally. So, I like to get them the minced style to mix things up a bit. These recipes are full of salmon, herring, and chicken, minced and served with the brand’s favorite hydrating bone broth. They are tasty for your cats, full of ingredients you can recognize, and super affordable. For a 12 pack of 3 oz cans, this variety pack typically costs between $17 and $20. If your cat prefers pate, the variety pack for this style Made by Nacho food is a bit pricier, but does with three flavors, instead of two.
Shop the Made by Nacho Minced Variety Pack.
Learn more about Made by Nacho in my full review here!
Weruva Slide-and-Serve Pouch Variety Pack
The Weruva Slide N’ Serve wet food pouches are so handy to keep around. Each pouch can easily serve two to three cats, so it is a great addition to the Weruva Kitchen Cuties Variety Pack I mentioned above. The Showcase Chowdown Variety Pack comes with two pouches of eight different recipes, all for about $28. The flavors are diverse, featuring a mix of seafood, poultry, and beef, to keep all cats happy!
Shop the Weruva Slide-and-Serve Pouch Variety Pack.
Weruva Classic Pate Variety Pack
Like the Weruva Slide-and-Serve Pouch Variety Pack, this pate variety pack is a handy addition to the Weruva Kitchen Cuties Variety Pack. This classic pate collection offers six flavors, all in an easy-to-eat pate style. Some of the recipes, like the chicken and pumpkin dinner, have visible vegetables in them, which are also diced small enough to be easy to eat for cats and kittens. This 18-can pack typically costs around $30 to $33.
Shop the Weruva Classic Pate Variety Pack.
Tiny Tiger Pate Variety Pack
Last but not least: the beef and poultry pate variety pack from Tiny Tiger. This grain-free variety pack from Tiny Tiger is a great deal at just under $20 for a case of 24 3 oz cans. My cats love the flavors, and it is easy to mix in with their other wet foods and supplements for a robust meal. Though these are pate cans, there is a definite broth to them, which makes me even more confident in their hydration levels.
Shop the Tiny Tiger Pate Variety Pack.
How to Transition to a New High Quality Wet Food
For its who have been on a single wet food for some time, it is important to gradually introduce a new food, so as to avoid digestive issues. Mix the new food with your cat’s current variety and slowly add more of the new food if it seems like the new food is sitting well with your cat.
Keep an eye out for any adverse reactions to the food — or any signs that your cat does not like the new food. If this happens, you should consider a different flavor or style and consult your vet for advice.
If all signs are good with the food transition, stick to a regular feeding schedule that works for you and your cat. Keeping portion sizes consistent will help with the transition, as well as prevent against over-eating or food waste.
Shop High Quality Wet Food for Cats
Now that you have a new wet food to spoil your furbaby with, check out my round up of adorable handmade and customizable pet bowls in which to serve them their feast!
See the full pet bowl round up here!
Whether you’re adopting your first cat or adding to your clowder,
my Cat Care Guide covers everything you need to know about giving your cat their best life!
Check out my full Cat Care Guide here!
*This post was originally published as part of my Cat Mom Life series in May 2019. It was most recently updated on February 25, 2026.
My old orange tom cat had some kidney issues. By switching from kibble to Weruva, we’ve been able to get a lot more water in his diet, and he’s almost acting like a kitten again!
Amazing! So glad you’re having great results with Weruva. Love the dedication to hydration! It’s so helpful for cats of all ages.