Tinned wet cat food
Cans are the classic wet food format, and for a reason — they tend to hold more food per pack than a pouch, work out cheaper by weight, and are straightforward to portion out for one cat or split between several. This aisle covers tinned wet food for adult cats across jelly, gravy and pate-style textures.
Why tins still hold their own
A tin generally gives you more food for your money than the equivalent weight in pouches, which adds up if you're feeding more than one cat or a cat with a larger appetite. It's also easy to portion a single large tin across two meals or two cats, which a smaller single-serve pouch doesn't really allow for.
The trade-off is what to do with what's left once opened, since a tin doesn't reseal as neatly as a pouch does on its own — decanting the rest into a sealed container in the fridge solves this without much extra effort.
Jelly, gravy or pâté
Jelly and gravy textures suit cats who prefer to lap up sauce as well as eat the meat pieces, while pâté-style tins are smoother and can suit an older cat or one with fewer teeth who finds chunks harder work. There's no single right answer — most cats show a clear preference once you've tried a few.
If your cat is a fussy eater, it's often worth trying a couple of different textures from the same range before assuming they dislike wet food altogether.
Storing an opened tin
Once opened, transfer any unused food into a sealed container and refrigerate it rather than leaving it in the tin, and use it within the timeframe given on the label, generally a day or two. Let refrigerated food come back closer to room temperature before serving, since cats often prefer it that way.
Wash your cat's bowl between meals rather than topping up on top of what's left, particularly in warm weather when wet food spoils faster once it's out.
In this section
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Hi Life Cat Chicken Breast in Sauce Can — 12 x 70g Tins
Sold as a case: 12 x 70g tins. A 70G can of complete wet cat food, 60% chicken breast in sauce, 83 kcal per 100g
£13.79
Applaws Natural Wet Cat Food Tuna Fillet with Prawn in Broth
Tuna fillet and prawn in broth, with two can sizes to choose from
From£16.69
Whiskas 1 Duo Surf and Turf Adult Wet Cat Food Pouches in Jelly
Whiskas Duo Surf and Turf complete adult cat food in jelly pouches
From£5.35
Whiskas 1 Poultry Feasts Adult Wet Cat Food Pouches in Jelly
Whiskas Poultry Feasts complete adult cat food in jelly pouches
From£5.35
Whiskas 1 Fish Favourites Adult Wet Cat Food Pouches in Jelly
Whiskas complete adult wet cat food with Salmon, Whitefish, Tuna and Cod
From£5.35
Whiskas 7 Poultry Feasts Senior Wet Cat Food Pouches in Jelly
Whiskas complete senior wet cat food with Chicken, Turkey, Poultry and Duck
From£5.35
Applaws Natural Wet Kitten Food, Tuna Fillet in Jelly — 24 x 70g Tins
Sold as a case: 24 x 70g tins. Tuna fillet wet food for kittens in jelly, fed as a complementary food up to 12 months
£33.39
Sheba Fresh & Fine Wet Cat Food Pouches Fish in Gravy 15 Pack
Fish-flavour wet pouches for adult and senior cats in gravy, sold as a 15-pack
£6.59
Applaws Natural Wet Cat Food, Senior Tuna Fillet with Salmon in Jelly — 24 x 70g Tins
Sold as a case: 24 x 70g tins. Tuna and salmon wet food for mature and senior cats aged 7 and over, in cans
£33.39
Applaws Natural Wet Cat Food, Senior Chicken Breast in Jelly — 24 x 70g Tins
Sold as a case: 24 x 70g tins. A chicken and liver recipe in jelly, formulated by Applaws for senior cats
£33.39
James Wellbeloved Grain Free Senior Wet Cat Food Turkey in Gravy Pouch 12 Pack
Grain-free turkey pouches in gravy for senior cats, though the printed analysis looks inconsistent
£14.55
Sheba Fine Flakes Adult Wet Cat Food with Salmon Jelly — 22 x 85g Trays
Sold as a case: 22 x 85g trays. Complete SHEBA Fine Flakes salmon in jelly wet cat food for adult cats in an 85G tray
£19.59
Common questions
- Is tinned cat food better value than pouches?
- Generally yes, by weight — tins usually contain more food per pack than a pouch and cost less per gram as a result, particularly useful in a multi-cat household or for a cat with a bigger appetite.
- How long can an opened tin of cat food stay in the fridge?
- Check the label, but most opened wet cat food is safe refrigerated in a sealed container for around one to two days. Discard anything left longer than the pack recommends rather than relying on how it looks or smells.
- Should I choose jelly, gravy or pâté for my cat?
- It comes down to your cat's preference rather than one being better than another. Jelly and gravy suit cats who like to lap sauce as well as eat the meat, while pâté-style suits cats who prefer a smoother texture, including some older cats with fewer teeth.
- Why won't my cat eat cold food straight from the fridge?
- Many cats prefer food closer to room temperature, since a cold tin releases less smell and cats rely heavily on scent to want to eat. Let refrigerated leftovers stand for a few minutes before serving, or briefly warm the bowl in your hands.
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.