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10 Best Cat Foods for Picky Cats in Canada in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

Written by: Chelsie Frasier

Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Catster Editorial Team

cat eating

10 Best Cat Foods for Picky Cats in Canada in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

cat eating

Having a cat that’s a picky eater can be stressful. Your pet deserves the very best nutrition, but this can be challenging when your cat seems to turn their nose up at everything that you put in their bowl. These reviews are for the best cat foods for picky cats in Canada. Here, we help you find food that provides complete nutrition and has a flavor that’s irresistible to even the finickiest of felines.

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A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024

Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Taste of the Wild Canyon River Taste of the Wild Canyon River
  • All-natural ingredients
  • First two ingredients are meat
  • No artificial ingredients
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers
  • Affordable wet food option
  • Broth instead of water to add extra nutrition
  • Offers complete nutrition
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck Formula Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck Formula
  • Contains a novel protein
  • Appropriate for cats with allergies or food sensitivities
  • All natural ingredients
  • Best for Kittens
    Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Healthy Cuisine Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Healthy Cuisine
  • Promotes healthy kitten growth and development
  • Promotes urinary tract, vision, and heart health
  • No artificial ingredients
  • Purina Pro Plan Allergen Reducing Dry Cat Food Purina Pro Plan Allergen Reducing Dry Cat Food
  • Reduces hair and dander volume
  • Appealing flavor
  • Promotes immune and digestive health
  • The 10 Best Cat Foods for Picky Cats in Canada

    1. Taste of the Wild Canyon River — Best Overall

    Taste of the Wild Canyon River Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

    Main Ingredients: Trout, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes
    Protein Content: 32%
    Fat Content: 16%
    Calories: 424 kcal/cup

    The Canyon River recipe from Taste of the Wild is our choice for the best overall cat food for picky cats in Canada. The first two ingredients in this food are fish, which are filled with high-quality nutrition that’s extra tasty for picky cats. Taste of the Wild prides itself on providing natural food that appeals to a cat’s carnivorous nature and is reminiscent of a diet that they would eat in the wild. It doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients, so you can feel good about what you’re feeding your cat.

    The only downside to this food is that it’s a bit on the expensive side.

    Pros
    • All-natural ingredients
    • First two ingredients are meat
    • No artificial ingredients
    Cons
    • Expensive

    2. Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers — Best Value

    Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers

    Main Ingredients: Poultry broth, chicken, liver, wheat gluten
    Protein Content: 9%
    Fat Content: 2%
    Calories: 67 kcal/can

    Picky cats often prefer wet food to dry food, but it can be tough to buy exclusively canned food on a budget. That’s why we recommend Fancy Feast Gravy lovers as the best cat food for picky cats in Canada for the money. This scrumptious food contains quality ingredients smothered in thick gravy. Since it’s wet food, it promotes adequate hydration. Instead of water, though, Fancy Feast contains poultry broth to provide extra nutrition.

    This food can be fed on its own or used as a topper to make dry food more appetizing. The downside is that the gravy adds extra calories, so you’ll need to be careful that your kitty doesn’t gain more weight than necessary.

    Pros
    • Affordable wet food option
    • Broth instead of water to add extra nutrition
    • Offers complete nutrition
    • Gravy makes it extra tasty
    Cons
    • Gravy adds extra calories

    3. Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck Formula — Premium Choice

    Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Green Pea & Duck Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

    Main Ingredients: Green peas, duck, duck meal, pea protein
    Protein Content: 30%
    Fat Content: 12%
    Calories: 410 kcal/cup

    If your cat has a sensitive stomach or turns their nose up at traditional cat foods, we recommend Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck Formula. This recipe contains a novel protein, so it’s appropriate for cats with allergies and food sensitivities. It’s also a limited-ingredient food, so it contains no additives or artificial ingredients. These qualities do make it cost more, but it’s high in protein and nutrient dense, which should somewhat offset the price because your cat will eat less volume of kibble at each meal.

    Pros
    • Contains a novel protein
    • Appropriate for cats with allergies or food sensitivities
    • All natural ingredients
    • High protein
    Cons
    • More expensive than many other options

    4.  Hill’s Science Diet Healthy Cuisine — Best for Kittens

    Hill's Science Diet Kitten Healthy Canned

    Main Ingredients: Chicken broth, chicken, pork liver, carrots
    Protein Content: 6.50%
    Fat Content: 2%
    Calories: 71 kcal/can

    If you’ve got a picky kitten on your hands, we recommend Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Healthy Cuisine. This food is packed with vitamins and minerals to keep your little one growing and developing, and it’s extra tasty to keep them interested. This recipe is formulated to promote urinary tract health, vision, and heart function. It’s free of artificial preservatives and flavors and provides an optimal balance of flavor and nutrition.

    Since Hill’s Science Diet is a premium food, it costs significantly more than most other kitten food brands. Also, Hill’s kitten food doesn’t come in standard-sized cans. The portion sizes are smaller, so you may find yourself requiring more cans of food than you might think. Some customers also report that this food has a strong smell. If you are sensitive to odors, you may not appreciate this food. However, the strong smell is usually what makes it appealing to picky cats.

    Pros
    • Promotes healthy kitten growth and development
    • Promotes urinary tract, vision, and heart health
    • No artificial ingredients
    • Provides complete nutrition
    Cons
    • Expensive
    • Sold in smaller-than-average cans
    • Strong smelling

    5. Purina Pro Plan LiveClear Allergen Reducing Dry Cat Food

    Purina Pro Plan LiveClear Allergen Reducing Dry Cat Food

    Main Ingredients: Salmon, rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal
    Protein Content: 36%
    Fat Content: 16%
    Calories: 561 kcal/cup

    Purina ProPlan LiveClear is cat food for picky cats. This recipe is also formulated specifically to reduce cat allergens for people allergic to cats. This high-protein food is fortified with antioxidants and probiotics for optimal immune and digestive health. The fish flavor makes even the pickiest of cats want to devour this kibble.

    Even if you’re not allergic to cats, this recipe has the added benefit of reducing the amount of cat hair that you’ll find lying around the house. This is a benefit that any pet parent can get behind! The biggest complaint with this food is that it doesn’t come in a resealable bag, so it can go stale if you don’t store it in a different container.

    Pros
    • Reduces hair and dander volume
    • Appealing flavor
    • Promotes immune and digestive health
    Cons
    • Lacks a resealable bag

    6.  Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Adult Cat Food

    Blue Wilderness Adult

    Main Ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, pea protein, tapioca starch
    Protein Content: 40%
    Fat Content: 18%
    Calories: 443 kcal/cup

    Blue Buffalo Wilderness offers high-protein cat food to help maintain lean muscle mass. This recipe has added omega-3 and -6 fatty acids to support skin and coat health. Like all Blue Buffalo foods, it contains its patented LifeSource bits that are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for the health of your cat’s immune system.

    This recipe’s ingredients are based on a wild Lynx’s diet, so it’s full of tasty meat ingredients and healthy carbohydrates. There are no artificial ingredients or by-products, so you can feel good about what your cat is eating.

    As with any food, picky cats don’t universally agree on what they like and don’t like. Some customers swear by this food, saying that it’s the only food that their cat will eat consistently. Other cats still refuse to eat it.

    Pros
    • Supports immune health
    • Supports skin and coat health
    • Meat is the primary ingredient
    Cons
    • Not liked by all cats

    7. Fancy Feast Savory Chicken & Turkey Dry Cat Food

    Fancy Feast Gourmet Savory Chicken & Turkey Dry Cat Food

    Main Ingredients: Ground rice, poultry by-product meal, corn gluten meal, beef tallow
    Protein Content: 34%
    Fat Content: 17%
    Calories: 469 kcal/cup

    For a tasty kibble that’s 100% nutritionally complete, look no further than Fancy Feast Gourmet. While it’s known for its wet cat food, Fancy Feast puts all the same high-quality flavor into its dry cat food. This one is chicken and turkey flavored. The pieces of kibble are shaped differently than most others, so this is a good choice for cats that are picky about texture. The outside is basted with gravy, and the pieces are extra crunchy. The peel-and-seal bag means your kitty’s food will always stay fresh.

    The ingredients in this food aren’t as high quality as we’d like to see, however. It’s also concerning that the first ingredient is a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates aren’t inherently bad for cats, but they are mostly filler and don’t meet the needs of a carnivore. That said, there are no dangerous or harmful ingredients in this food. While it’s not the highest quality, sometimes the best thing that you can do for a picky cat is just get them to eat. This food still provides complete nutrition, and many picky cats like it.

    Pros
    • Flavorful
    • Basted kibble for added appeal
    • Resealable bag for freshness
    Cons
    • First ingredient is a carbohydrate
    • Lower quality ingredients than many other options

    8. Purina Friskies Extra Gravy

    Purina Friskies Extra Gravy

    Main Ingredients: Water, liver, meat by-products, beef
    Protein Content: 9%
    Fat Content: 2.50%
    Calories: 127 kcal/can

    Purina Friskies Extra Gravy is a complete and balanced food smothered in gravy to make it extra appealing to picky kitties. While gravy isn’t the most nutritional ingredient, the food does a good job of making up for it elsewhere, and it does offer extra hydration for cats that aren’t great drinkers. This food is relatively high protein for canned cat food, and it comes in easy-open cans to make mealtime a breeze.

    One concern with this cat food is the ability to switch it. Once your cat gets used to gravy on their food, they’ll have a hard time accepting anything else. Many cat owners don’t like the idea of feeding gravy at every meal, especially since it isn’t a good choice for overweight cats. Also, while gravy may get your cat to eat, some picky eaters will lick off the gravy and leave the meat behind. This takes away any nutritional value that the food has.

    Pros
    • Nutritionally complete
    • Gravy makes food appealing
    • Provides extra hydration
    Cons
    • Gravy provides extra calories
    • Some cats lick the gravy off the food

    9. Wellness Signature Selects Flaked Skipjack Tuna & Salmon

    Wellness CORE Signature

    Main Ingredients: Tuna, tuna broth, water, mackerel
    Protein Content: 10%
    Fat Content: 3.50%
    Calories: 70 kcal/can

    Wellness Signature Selects has flakes of real meat packed in broth for extra flavor. While this food has a strong fish odor, this makes it ideal for picky cats that choose their food based on smell. The ingredients in this food are high quality to provide optimal nutrition. There are no by-products, and for those who prefer it, this recipe is also grain free.

    Pros
    • Complete nutrition
    • Contains flakes of real meat
    • Broth for extra flavor
    • No by-products
    Cons
    • Strong fish smell

    10. Tiki Cat Grill

    Tiki Cat Grill Grain-Free, Low-Carbohydrate Wet Food

    Main Ingredients: Tuna, tuna broth, sunflower seed oil, calcium lactate
    Protein Content: 16%
    Fat Content: 2%
    Calories: 151 kcal/can

    Animal protein is the main ingredient in Tiki Cat Grill. This is important for appealing to your cat’s desire for meat. This wet food is appropriate for all ages and life stages, so if your cat loves it, you won’t have to switch later. Broth adds to the appeal by adding smell and flavor. As with most fish-based foods, though, this can be a turn-off for some owners.

    Tiki Cat is hit or miss for picky cats. Some cats love it and others hate it, so you may have to do a bit of trial and error on flavors.

    Pros
    • Broth for added smell and flavor
    • Meat is the first ingredient
    Cons
    • Strong smelling
    • Not liked by all cats

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    Buyer’s Guide: How to Find the Best Food for Picky Cats

    It can be tough to find food for a picky cat. When you feel like you’ve tried everything to get them to eat, it is especially daunting. There are a few reasons that cats are picky. Let’s look at what these are and a few solutions for feeding your picky kitty.

    Neophobia

    Neophobia refers to an irrational fear of new things. While the term was coined for human fear, it is just as common in cats. Sudden changes in food, environment, and other things can feel confusing and scary for cats. If your cat is refusing a new food, try introducing it gradually.

    Temperature or Texture

    Cats have different preferences when it comes to food. For example, if you use canned food right out of the refrigerator, they may refuse to eat it until it’s at room temperature. Other cats prefer crunchy kibble over wet food. Some like pâté-style wet food, but not stew textures. Cats may hold out on eating until they get what they want.

    Lack of Hunger

    Cats sleep an average of 12 to 16 hours per day, so many indoor cats don’t expend much energy. They only need a limited number of calories, and sometimes they just aren’t hungry. If your cat eats nothing at all, this is a cause for concern, but a few small meals a day is fine.

    Allergies & Sensitivities

    Sometimes, cats refuse food because it makes them feel sick. If a certain cat food makes your cat vomit or gives them diarrhea, there’s a good chance that it’s upsetting their tummy. Just like with people, once a food makes a cat sick, they probably won’t want to eat it again.

    How to Feed a Picky Cat

    Here are a few simple tips to help your picky cat eat:
    • Offer different flavors of food (wet or dry).
    • Add tuna water to their food.
    • Heat the food before serving.
    • Add low-sodium chicken broth.
    • Top dry kibble with a spoonful of wet food.
    • Use food toppers to add chunks of flavor and texture.

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    Conclusion

    Feeding a picky cat can be a process of trial and error, but not all cat foods are created equal. These reviews of cat foods for picky cats in Canada should give you a good place to start. To recap, the best overall cat food for picky cats in Canada is Taste of the Wild Canyon River. This meat-based food appeals to your cat’s palate and offers high-quality nutrition. Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers is the best cat food for picky cats in Canada for the money. This food gives you the option of feeding wet food without breaking the bank and still offers complete nutrition.

    If you think that your cat may have stomach discomfort, Natural Balance L.I.D. Green Pea and Duck Formula is our premium choice. This food contains a novel protein and limited ingredients to prevent reactions from allergies or food sensitivities. For picky kittens, we recommend Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Healthy Cuisine. It provides optimal nutrition for growth and development but maintains flavor to keep your little one happy. Purina Pro Plan LiveClear Allergen Reducing Dry Cat Food is well-liked by picky cats and has the added benefit of reducing cat hair and dander in your home.

    See also:


    Featured Image Credit: Elizabett, Shutterstock

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