Highest protein cat food
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they need a genuinely meat-heavy diet to thrive, and protein percentage on the label is the first place to look if that matters to you. It is not the only number worth checking — moisture content changes how the figures compare between wet and dry food — but it is a reasonable starting point for narrowing down the range.
Reading the protein percentage properly
The percentage shown on a cat food label is measured "as fed", meaning it includes however much water is in the food. Because dry food contains very little moisture and wet food can be 70-80% water, a dry food quoting 40% protein and a wet food quoting 10% are not directly comparable at face value — the wet food may carry more protein once the water is accounted for.
To compare fairly, look at the figure on a dry matter basis where it is given, or accept that dry and wet foods need to be judged separately rather than against each other's headline number. Fat percentage and kcal per 100g are worth reading alongside protein rather than protein in isolation, since a high-protein food that is also very high in fat may not suit every cat.
Why the protein source matters as much as the number
A high percentage built mainly from meat and fish meets a cat's needs more directly than the same percentage padded out with plant-based protein, which cats digest and use less efficiently. Checking where the protein in a recipe actually comes from — named meats near the top of the ingredients list — tells you more than the headline percentage alone.
Raw and some freeze-dried diets tend to carry higher protein figures than standard dry kibble, simply because they are built almost entirely around meat with little of the starch that dry food needs to hold its shape. That is a description of the format, not a claim that one type of food suits every cat better than another.
Choosing from the range below
The grid below includes dry and wet cat foods with higher protein content, alongside cat treats worth checking if you are watching your cat's overall protein and calorie intake rather than just the main meals.
If your cat has a health condition affecting kidneys, liver or another organ, protein level is something to discuss with your vet rather than choose on label alone, since some conditions call for a different balance than a healthy adult cat needs.
Our picks, and why
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Chicken-Wrapped Milk Stick Dog Treats
Chewy dog treats of soft milk sticks wrapped in real chicken for tasty, protein-rich rewarding.
From£12.99
Dried Catnip & Cat Grass Leaf Treats
A tub of dried catnip and cat grass leaves to sprinkle over toys, scratchers and bedding.
From£8.99
Whiskas 1+ Salmon Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete salmon dry food for adult cats in a practical 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Whiskas 1+ Lamb Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete lamb dry food for adult cats in a practical 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Whiskas 1 Tuna Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete tuna dry food for adult cats, offered in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas Kitten Chicken Dry Cat Food
Complete chicken dry food for kittens, available in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas 1 Chicken Adult Dry Cat Food
A complete dry food for cats 1+, with chicken present only in the brown kibbles
From£3.19
Whiskas 7+ Senior Cat Complete Dry with Chicken
Complete chicken dry food for senior cats aged 7+ in a 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Catit Nibbly Jerky Chicken & Fish Treats
Soft chicken and fish jerky treats for cats, two named meats high on the list, grain free
£1.89
Catit Creamy Tuna Treats 4 Pk
Lickable 26% tuna purée tubes for cats, 4 x 10g, up to 3 a day in place of main meal
£1.89
Dreamies Meaty Sticks Adult Cat Treats with Scrumptious Salmon
Soft meaty stick treats for adult cats with salmon, individually wrapped, not for kittens
£1.59
Dreamies Creamy Adult Cat & Kitten Treats with Scrumptious Salmon
Creamy lickable salmon treats for cats and kittens, in a 40g pack with taurine
£1.59
Common questions
- Do all cats need a high-protein diet?
- Cats generally need more protein than dogs because they are obligate carnivores, but "high protein" is not automatically right for every individual cat. Kittens, seniors, and cats with certain health conditions can have different needs, so a food's suitability depends on your specific cat rather than the label alone.
- Is wet or dry food higher in protein for cats?
- It depends how you measure it. Dry food often shows a higher percentage on the label because it contains far less water, but comparing the two fairly means accounting for that moisture difference rather than reading the headline figures side by side.
- Can too much protein be bad for a cat?
- For a healthy adult cat, a high-protein diet suited to their species is generally not a problem. Cats with certain kidney or liver conditions may need a different balance, which is why any existing health condition is worth discussing with your vet before choosing a food on protein content alone.
- Is raw cat food always higher in protein than kibble?
- Often, yes, because raw diets are built mainly around meat rather than needing starch to bind the food into kibble. That does not automatically make raw the right choice for every cat — practical factors like storage, handling and your cat's own preferences matter too.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.