Updated: October 13, 2020 by Kristen Chapple
Our feline pals have become increasingly indoor creatures over the last few centuries. And thanks to the extent we all go to make our cats feel like members of the family, some cats rarely go outside anymore. However, a considerable percentage of our cats still live a part of their lives out. These cats love roaming and hunting outside.
Outdoor cats are more active than indoor cats; therefore, their meals should meet a specific energy requirement. The best food for outdoor cats should be full and satisfying without making them overweight.
However, just because your cat loves roaming outside doesn’t automatically means that it is active. Some cats just love dozing off, whether they are indoor or outdoor.
That being said, it is crucial to find out if your feline pal just loves sleeping outside or is active. After all, changing his diet, merely because your cat roams outside to sleep is never a good idea.
So, if you want to know the best cat food for outdoor cats, please read on.
The Best Cat Food for Outdoor Cats Are:
| Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Royal Canin Feline Cat Food |  Top Pick |
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| 2. Purina One Tender Blend Adult Cat Food |  |
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| 3. Hill's Science Diet Food |  |
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| 4. Purina Beyond Grain-Free |  |
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| 5. Blue Buffalo Blue Wilderness Cat Food |  |
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1. Royal Canin Feline Cat Food — Best Food for Feral Cats
The Royal Canin food has an active and fit formula designed for cats that love playing outside. This cat food has all the ingredients your cat will need to continue thriving outside.
It has a unique protein-to-fat ratio that can help your feline pal play outside while maintaining its body weight. The food is also rich in powerful antioxidants that can boost your cat’s immune system. Therefore, you don’t have to lose sleep over free radicals wreaking havoc in their system.
The Royal Canin food was created for adult cats aged between 1 and 10 years. With a combination of about 52 ingredients, this cat food was designed to improve your cat’s health.
The only disadvantage is that it has corn. Corn can be an allergen for some cats. This cat food is a perfect option for cats that are not allergic to corn.
Specs
- Proteins: 12% (minimum)
- Fats: 2% (minimum)
- Fiber: 1.5% (maximum)
- Moisture: 82% (maximum)
Pros
- Contains perfect protein-to-fats-ratio to help the cat play around while maintaining its ideal weight
- Powerful antioxidants to boost your cat’s immune system
- Balanced diet formulated for an adult cat between the ages of 1 and 10 years old.
Cons
- This cat food contains preservatives, additives, and gluten, which are not ideal for felines with sensitive stomachs.
Overall rating – 4.7 out of 5
Conclusion
The Royal Canin Feline cat food has a perfect formula that will keep your cat healthy while maintaining its ideal weight. The powerful antioxidant in this cat food helps improve your cat’s immunity, which is a bonus.
2. Purina One Tender Blend Adult Cat Food
Purina is a top brand known for producing nutritious pet foods, and this cat food is no exception. Purina is known for maintaining a 0% filler formula, which means that they only add beneficial ingredients.
Purina doesn’t add any ingredient without a purpose or just to make their product denser. For high-quality lean protein, Purina added real chicken as their main ingredient. The lean protein helps support your cat’s muscle while providing energy.
This vet-recommended formula combines tender morsel with crunchy bites that are 100% nutritious. Each bowl is filled with minerals, vitamins, taurine, and omegas for a healthy coat and skin.
The food comes in fun-shaped kibbles with a crunchy texture that is ideal for adult cats. In fact, several cat owners have confirmed that even older cats with loose teeth or missing teeth enjoy this food. However, it is not loved by all cats.
Specs
- Fiber: 2.0% maximum
- Protein: 34.0% minimum
- Moisture: 12.0% maximum
- Fat: 13.0% minimum
- Phosphorus: 0.9% minimum
- Calcium 1.0% minimum
Pros
- No fillers, so every ingredient has a purpose
- Has lean protein that supports an active cat’s muscles
- 100% balanced nutrition
- Fun-shaped kibbles that help scrub tartar from your cat’s teeth with every bite
- For a healthy coat and skin, Purina One added some omega fatty acids
Cons
- Not loved by all cats
Overall rating – 4.7 out of 5
Conclusion
Besides being nutritious, this food from Purina comes with fun-shaped kibbles that are ideal for all cats. The kibbles are neither too hard for cats with loose teeth nor too soft for cats with healthy teeth.
3. Hill’s Science Diet Food
This cat food is ideal for any cat that is on a strict diet. This grain-free cat food comes with salmon and prebiotic fiber. The prebiotic fiber helps with the gut bacteria that improves your cat’s digestive system and promotes a healthy stool. The salmon provides omega fatty acids that encourage a shiny coat and skin.
This U.S. made cat food comes packed with several natural ingredients such as broccoli, apples, cranberries, and chicken. This recipe is 100% grains free, making it ideal for sensitive cats.
Plus, it can be served on its own or with your cat’s favorite wet food. Even though it doesn’t have grains, this product comes with potato starch. Potato starch is one of the leading causes of bloating.
Specs
- Protein: 29% minimum
- Moisture: 10% maximum
- Fiber: 3% maximum
- Fat: 16% minimum
Pros
- It is 100% grain-free
- Enriched with prebiotic for a better digestive system and healthy stool
- Salmon is an authoritative source of omega fatty acids, vitamin E and protein. These natural minerals promote shiny and soft fur, strong vision, and a healthy immune system.
Cons
- One of its main ingredients (potato starch) can cause bloating
Overall rating – 4.2 out of 5
Conclusion
The fact that this cat food is balanced and grain-free makes it an ideal meal for any cat on a strict diet.
4. Purina Beyond Grain-Free
The beyond grain-free cat food from Purina provides you with a gluten-free formula that offers your cat everything it needs. This product has recognizable and natural ingredients that can improve the cat’s health. For a high protein that your cat will love, it features chicken meat as one of its main ingredients.
Purina added some taurine to this product to help support your cat’s eyesight and heart muscle function. This product doesn’t feature any preservative or artificial colors; therefore, everyone can trust it. However, it has starch, which can cause bloating.
Specs
- Fiber: 4% maximum
- Fat: 14% minimum
- Protein: 35% minimum
- Moisture: 12% maximum
- Phosphorus: 0.9% minimum
- Calcium: 1% minimum
Pros
- Grains-and gluten-free cat food
- A well-balanced meal enriched with vitamins E, D-3, B-12, A, and folic acid, among others.
- This product is made from chicken, which is an excellent source of proteins
- Doesn’t feature soy, wheat or corn; therefore it doesn’t have any empty calorie
Cons
- Contains starch that may cause bloating
Overall rating – 4.7 out of 5
Conclusion
Since it lacks corn, soy, or wheat, your cat will go to bed immediately after eating thanks to this nutritious meal.
5. Blue Buffalo Blue Wilderness Cat Food
Made from salmon, this grain-free cat food is ideal for muscle development and growth. This is a perfect chicken-free, grain-free, and by-product free cat food for all domestic cats.
It comes packed with LifeSource bits (a blend of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants) that promote your cat’s immunity. This food supports nutrient absorption and healthy digestions.
The main drawback is its main ingredient. Most cats are not friendly with the salmon. Therefore, if your cat has never eaten salmon before, you will have an issue with introducing it to the new taste and flavor.
Specs
- Magnesium: 0.14% maximum
- Moisture: 9.0% Maximum
- Fat: 18.0% Minimum
- Protein: 40.0% Minimum
Pros
- It is a grain-free cat food
- Protein-rich thanks to its main ingredient, salmon
- Packed with amino acids, omegas, and antioxidants to support your cat’s overall well-being and immune system
Cons
- Not all cats are salmon friendly.
Overall rating – 4.7 out of 5
Conclusion
Blue Buffalo Blue wilderness cat food has zero chicken by-product, grain, wheat, corn, or soy. Therefore, it is ideal for cats with allergies or food sensitivities.
Buyers Guide: Factors To Consider When Buying The Best Cat Food For Outdoor Cats
Unlike indoor cats, outdoor pets are energetic creatures that require protein-rich meals. And with the many protein-rich cat foods in the market, choosing the right one for your feline pal can be challenging.
Other than the protein content in the food, there are numerous other factors to consider. Some of these factors include the presence of harmful content, your budget, and moisture content.
The reputation of the brand also matters when buying the right food for your outdoor cat. In fact, some brands have a reputation for using only natural ingredients in their products.
Here are some key features to consider when purchasing the best cat food for feral cats:
Protein Content
The best dry cat foods for outdoor cats must have high natural protein levels. Natural protein is ideal for providing the required energy. Therefore, when looking for food for your cat, you should always look at the food’s protein content.
Most cat foods for outdoor cats get their protein from chicken or salmon. And some cats are not used to eating salmon, so they will not enjoy the meal.
Age Limit
All brands indicate the right age group for their outdoor cat food. And that is because the ingredients used in specific food are perfectly formulated for that age group. Don’t purchase food meant for adult cats between 1 and 10 years old and give to your puppy or older cat.
Harmful Ingredients
One of the most harmful things that you must avoid when looking for cat food is ”meal”. Meal stands for meat by-products, and that is processed meat from goats, cattle, pigs, or chicken. This by-product can cause allergies in some breeds.
Other harmful ingredients to avoid include color, flavoring, and artificial preservatives. These preservatives are usually added to compensate for the lack of certain ingredients. Artificial preservatives can also cause allergies.
Brand
As we have just mentioned, the top brands love using natural ingredients. These brands rarely put fillers, grains, or any other harmful ingredient in their products. And to protect their reputation, they always make sure their cat food is safe for all cats.
Final Thoughts
Outdoor cats are energetic creatures that love hunting and playing outside. So feeding them the same food as the normal indoor cats is not a great idea. You should give them a high protein diet meant for outdoor cats. With the many cat food for outdoor cats in the market, choosing the right one can be challenging.
The best dry cat food for outdoor cats has a unique formula that incorporates several factors. The best diet for outdoor cats is made from natural ingredients. It should have high protein and moisture levels. So we have prepared this review of the best foods for feral cats in the market for you.
From our research, we have concluded that Royal Canin Feline cat food is the best cat food for outdoor cats. Besides having high protein content, this product has powerful antioxidants that boost your cat’s immunity.
