This review aims to give you an informative guide to the best high fiber cat food that are currently available in the market in 2021

A high-fiber food has become popular for indoor cats. This is mainly because of the fact that indoor cats are prone to develop certain issues such as hairballs, being overweight, digestive problems, etc… due to their cozy lifestyle compared to wild cats. [1]

As a passionate pet person who likes to read about his favorite pet nutrition, I can tell you This is where the importance of High fiber food becomes clear as it can really help to manage and control these issues in many ways.

Either by facilitating the digestive process and making the food pass more smoothly in the lower digestive tract or regulating glucose level and blood sugar, or its contribution to maintaining a healthy weight in cats.

The ideal high fiber cat food that we found is (Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food). Different types of Fiber is included in this product from multiple natural sources with low calories per cup with 300 kcal/cup.

Also it has a slightly higher Crude fiber with 10.0% Max on a dry matter basis which is desirable in many cases in which a high fiber food is recommended.

In this guide, we will also present you with the most updated, authentic list of the best high fiber cat food available in the market as well as a complete buying guide with a very in-depth analysis of the role of fiber in Cat food. 

So without further due, let’s get started

Our List of Best High Fiber Cat Food

• Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food
• Diamond Care Weight Management Formula Adult Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
•  Meow Mix Indoor Health Dry Cat Food
• Iams proactive health indoor weight
• Blue Buffalo Wilderness Weight Control Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

Best High Fiber Cat Food Reviewed:

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Brown Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Fat, Powdered Cellulose
• Key Feature: High Crude Fiber Content with different types of fiber 
• Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 36.0% min, Crude Fat 8.5% min, Crude Fiber 10.0% max, Moisture 8.0% max.
• Best For: Overall
• Life Stage: Adult

Analysis Of The First Ingredients:

Hills feature two rich sources of dietary fiber up there in the 5 first ingredients ( Brown rice and powdered cellulose).

Brown rice is a good source of insoluble fiber which can be very helpful in managing constipation as it generally speed up digestion process and works as a laxative in your cat lower digestive tract.

powdered cellulose, on the other hand, is a very rich source of insoluble fiber as it contains more than 99% of insoluble dietary fiber.

However this product is not confined to the aforementioned fiber sources, There are also other excellent sources of fiber in this product such as dried beet pulp and flax-seed, both of which contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.

These two types of fiber can provide your cat with multiple health benefits like supporting your cat to lose some weight,or promoting digestive health.

Also, this product features chicken as the primary protein source, with all its benefits to your cat cells, tissue , muscle and general health.

The main source of energy in this product comes from chicken fat as it contains much more calories than proteins and carbs. 

As for Soluble fiber , it can actually offer your cat a wide array of health benefits such as managing diarrhea by slowing the digestion process and help your cat gut to absorb nutrients from their food and also aiding in controlling the rhythm of your intestinal contraction.

Besides its contribution to digestive health, soluble fiber can also control glucose levels in your cat’s blood which can give your cat extra protection from developing diabetes especially if you have an overweight cat.

This is our top pick for the best high fiber cat food because of the unique blends of fibers included in this product and also the high amount of crude fiber with 10.0% Max on a dry matter basis with relatively low calories per cup with 300 kcal/cup.

Diamond Care Weight Management Formula Adult Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Chickpeas, Lentils
• Key Feature: products with complete, balanced nutritional requirements for an overweight cat.
• Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 36.0% min, Crude Fat 8.5% min, Crude Fiber 10.0% max, Moisture 8.0% max.
• Best For: overweight cat.
• Life Stage: Adult

Analysis Of The First Ingredients:

This product features a quality protein source with chicken and Turkey as it is the main nutritional requirement in each cat diet.

Protein is a necessary element even if your cat is chubby and needs fewer calories to lose some pounds. Remember that there are essential nutritional elements that are only found in animal-based protein.

These essential elements are vital to your cat’s health like some essential amino acids (taurine and arginine for example). And subsequently, Your cat will have major health problems if it is not fed animal-based protein on a regular basis.

Chicken fat gives your cat the required energy to be active and energized. When it comes to the ideal food for an overweight cat, the calorie intake should be carefully gauged as too low calories may inhibit your cat activity which is not desirable for an overweight cat, on the other hand, too many calories can be fattening.

This product is filled with fibers with approximately 10% Max crude fiber. Fiber can make your overweight cat feel full with low calories intake.

Fiber also has a good impact on digestive system health especially with certain types of fiber such as prebiotic as it can nurture beneficial bacteria in your cat stomach which is very valuable in promoting healthy digestion.

Any cat diet that have carefully balanced blend of soluble and insoluble fiber can support your cat digestive system without triggering any common adverse reaction to fiber which is what this product offers.

The fiber content in this product comes from natural sources like cellulose, peas, and lentils.

This product is formulated specifically for weight management so it is an ideal choice for an overweight cat.

Meow Mix Indoor Health Dry Cat Food

• First 5 ingredients: Ground Yellow Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Beef Tallow
• Key Feature: products with complete, balanced nutritional requirements for an overweight cat.
• Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 31.0% min, Crude Fat 11.0% min, Crude Fiber 9.0% max, Moisture 12.0% max.
• Best For:  Budget.
• Life Stage: Adult

Analysis Of The First Ingredients:

While carbs are not a must for a cat diet, It can provide your cats enough calories to be energized and that is what ground yellow corn could offer.

Besides carbs, corn can provide your cats with a decent amount of fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.

Corn gluten meal is a corn byproduct that is a less quality ingredient than whole cornmeal, But Still gives a decent amount of carbs and fiber.

Chicken by-product meal is the primary source of protein in this product which is not ideal for cat food, But for a really cheap product, It is actually a reasonable choice.

So you should consider it as an option if you are on a budget and you need a diet that is packed with fiber which can help your overweight cat to control and manage his/her weight.

The fiber in this product is derived from multiple ingredients in this product to support digestive general health and manage other metabolic-related issues.

Being overweight often happens as a result of metabolic disorders which may eventually lead to obesity.

Certain types of Fiber such as soluble fiber can help with that by regulating the glucose levels and slowing the absorption of nutrients So the sugars from starch can be adequately absorbed. Fiber also can give your cat the feeling of fullness without too many calories.

This product is a good food option for your cat if you want a cheap high fiber food that is specifically formulated for weight management.

Iams proactive health indoor weight

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Grits, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Whole Grain Corn
• Key Feature: packed with all types of fiber to facilitate the digestive process.
• Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 38.0 % Min, Crude Fat 11.0 % Min, Crude Fiber 8.3 % Max, crude Moisture 10.0 % Max.
• Life Stage: Adult
• Best For: Cat with digestive disturbances

Analysis Of The First Ingredients:

This product is high in fiber ( soluble, insoluble, prebiotic) and low in calories.

Actually, there is an interesting relationship between consuming high-fiber food and body weight management and insulin balance in the blood because fiber can help to manage these disorders in your cat body besides its laxative-like effects in the digestive tract.

Given the fact that it is dry cat food, it actually has a high moisture content which is a desirable element in food for cats with chronic constipation.

This product also features highly digestible ingredients with balanced nutritional values.

However, this brand is known to use fillers extensively in its products. Fillers are a low-quality ingredient that is not ideal for your cat to consistently consume and may lead to malnutrition if consumed regularly for a long time.

This food is high in fiber and low in calories which is a good choice for an overweight cat or cat with digestive disturbances or metabolic abnormalities.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Indoor Hairball & Weight Control Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

• First 5 ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Tapioca Starch, Pea Protein, Peas
• Key Feature: moderate amount of fiber which is perfect for some cats.
• Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 36.0 % Min, Crude Fat 12.0 % Min, Crude Fiber 7.2 % Max, crude Moisture 9.0 % Max.
• Life Stage: Adult
• Best For: Cats who need moderate amounts of fiber in their diet (slightly higher than the average amount of fiber in cat food).

Analysis Of The First Ingredients:

Chicken is the main source of animal protein to enhance your cat muscles and support heart function.

Chicken meal is also a secondary source of protein to give an extra amount of animal protein although not a high-quality protein like the first ingredients.

The fifth ingredient of this product is a rich natural source of soluble fiber with all its well-established stated benefits in cat food.

Tapioca starch is a source of carbs that works as a source of energy in this product because it can provide a decent amount of calories.

Pea protein is a third source of different protein (plant protein) which contributes to the sum of the Crude protein content of this diet.

Although plant protein lacks some essential amino acids that your cat needs to thrive, it is a good source of protein if it is combined with one or two main sources of animal-based protein as is the case of this diet.

This product also has essential vitamins and minerals, either from the natural ingredients or as a supplement which is a very important element in cat food.

This product has a relatively lower crude fiber than other products of this list, but still has a higher than the average crude fiber when compared to other cat diets.

So if you have a cat that is suffering from overweight or hairballs or any other problems which fiber can contribute to resolving, and at the same time your cat is not well-adjusted to consume a too high-fiber food, this product can stand as a middle solution.

Best High Fiber Cat food Buying Guide

Why Is Fiber Added To Cat Food?

As we said earlier, cats are not metabolically equipped to handle fiber digestion. Wild cats consume natural animal fiber from their prey which is found in the bones, cartilage, tissues, and fur of their prey.

For a domestic cat, cat food companies choose to add plant fiber (as an alternative) in their commercial food because of its various benefits to the digestion process.

Fiber is usually added to Cat food for multiple purposes, however, the main purpose for adding fiber in the cat food is to aid in the digestion process either in the absorption phase as it can slow down the absorption of nutrients which allows the sugar to be absorbed appropriately (especially true in case of soluble fiber) or in the metabolism phase as it reduces glucose level and cholesterol in the blood.

Even at the excretion phase, Fiber has a positive effect as it can help immensely in the formation of stool.

Fiber can also help in the motility of the food passing through the digestive tract allowing the food to pass through (especially true in case of insoluble fiber) .

This is because different types of fiber has a special features that allows it to play this role. for instance, insoluble fiber can not be broken down and absorbed by your cat’s stomach which is very helpful in resolving constipation by Adding bulk to your cat stool and accelerating food motility in the intestine.

Soluble fiber works in different mechanism to manage diarrhoea by absorbing the excessive fluid and slowing down the absorption of nutrients.

Also these two types of fiber if it is added to your cat diet in balanced proportion allows the stool to be consistently and firmly formed, and that can help with one of the major phases of digestion which is the excretion phase.

Moreover , these types of fiber can help with (fermentation process) which is [in simple terms] the chemical breakdown of fiber by the beneficial bacteria in your cat stomach.

This is of great importance because it increases the number of healthy flora which then produce short-chain fatty-acids with all its benefits in regulating fat metabolism.

What Are The Conditions That a High Fiber Cat Food Can Help With?

There are specific health conditions in which a high fiber cat food can contribute to manage and resolve.

When you look at these conditions, you can see that Almost all of them seem to be digestive-system-related issues. Some of these common conditions are:

Hairballs.

This is a common problem for indoor cats, as they practice excessive grooming and licking which then result in the digestion of a lot of furs which then becomes a hairball that could cause serious digestive disturbances or even block the digestive tract.

High-fiber food can help to manage these issues by lubricating the digestive tract allowing hairballs to move smoothly through the lower digestive tract.

Also, the diets that are specifically formulated for managing hairball could help in another way which is by promoting healthy hair for your cat and preventing shedding.

Constipation and Diarrhea

These conditions could be perfectly managed with a portion of high-fiber cat food.

As we said earlier, the main benefit of adding fiber in cat food is to aid in the balanced formation of poop to become consistent and firm, not too soft and watery nor too hard and stiff.

Certain types of fiber ( soluble and insoluble ) work in different mechanisms to achieve this result (a nicely formed stool).

Soluble fiber can add some kind of gel through the digestive tract which helps the food to pass steadily and smoothly, while insoluble fiber can increase the bulk size of the stools to be more firm and consistent.

Obesity

Unfortunately, this problem seems to be more and more common in recent years with domestic cats. The main reason for that in cats is ( their diet routine and how active indoor cats are?). 

When we compare domestic cats with wild ones, we can see that there are noticeable differences regarding their diets and physical activity.

Wild cats can spend days without having proper food and they can roam for many hours searching for their prey. This can only result in average to less than average weight.

On the other hand, domestic cats have the advantage of having their food almost any time they want, and they don’t need to work hard to have their meals. This particular lifestyle which isn’t natural to them can lead them to be overweight and obese.

High-fiber food can help with that in different ways. One of which is that a high fiber cat food can give the cat the feeling of fullness without too many calories that may complicate their weight issues.

Also, fiber can help with overweight cats as it can regulate metabolism of fat and aid in balancing the sugar levels in your cat’s blood.

The different types of fiber in cat foods

We all know that Fiber is one of the main nutritional requirements for all cats.

However, there are different types of fiber that can be categorized according to two criteria: one based on the source of fiber, second, based on the natural properties of the fiber.

Fiber can be obtained from animal or plant sources. They all have similar properties when we compare them with each other.

What really differs between the animal and plant fibers is the natural source of fiber in both of them. Fiber from animal sources is composed of protein while plant-based fiber is composed of cellulose.

The second criteria for categorizing fiber is based on the natural properties of the fiber. Mainly There are 2 types of fiber-based on natural properties

Soluble fiber. 

This type of fiber as its name suggests can dissolve in water, and it is rapidly fermentable by beneficial microorganisms in your cat’s gut.

Some examples of rich sources of soluble fiber in cat food are peas, barley, oats, beans, and psyllium.

This type of fiber can facilitate the digestion process because it’s capacity to be efficiently absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and nurturing the healthy bacteria in your cat’s lower digestive tract which can make the transition of food more consistently and steadily, thus helping cat with diarrhea.

Insoluble fiber.

Unlike soluble fiber, this type of fiber cannot be dissolved in water and it has a slow fermentability rate.

Some examples of insoluble fiber rich sources in cat food are beans, nuts, wheat bran, and vegetables, such as potatoes, green beans.

insoluble fiber can manage constipation in two ways, by retaining the water inside stool which increases its bulk size and make it more moisturised. And because it is slowly fermentable, this source of fiber can pass faster because beneficial flora cannot ferment insoluble fiber easily which then results in making insoluble fiber less staying in your cat stomach and intestines. This particular dynamic reaction would accelerate the food transition through your cat’s lower digestive tract.

Disadvantages of Consuming Too Much Fiber

High-fiber cat diets are not without disadvantages and problems. Cats, in general, can’t cope with the digestion of carbohydrates especially if it is in high quantity.

Protein is vital to your cat’s general health, and if it is poorly absorbed due to the interference with fiber absorption, many medical and health issues can arise due to this situation. :

They don’t have the right metabolism to handle too many carbs, and if they consume a high fiber cat food on regular basis, they may develop chronic digestive issues, and it may cause them metabolic disorders as fiber can interfere with the absorption of a much more important nutrient such as protein.

Things You Should Look at When You Buying a High Fiber Cat Food

When you consider buying your cat a high fiber cat food, there are a few things you should also look for in your cat food. 

High Protein

You should look for a food that combines a high fiber content with high protein content.

This is important because as we illustrated earlier, there is interference between the absorption of fiber and protein.

So if you feed your cat high fiber food with relatively low protein content on a regular basis, your cat’s nutritional needs from protein may be compromised due to the interference with fiber absorption which then can result in multiple health issues.

Allergen

Your cat digestive problems that you try to manage with high fiber cat food could be a result of sensitive issues.

So if your cat has an allergy to some ingredients, the first thing you should do is to locate the source of the allergy, then eliminate this ingredient from your cat food.

Then you should look for an alternative ingredient that has similar nutritional value. For example, if your cat has a chicken allergy, you should switch your cat food with alternative protein like duck or turkey, or rabbit.

A Perfect Blend of Different Types of Fiber

Your cats need two types of fiber either it is soluble or insoluble, so you should really look for diets that have an adequate amount of both types.

Unfortunately, food companies don’t show the fiber types or how much their content is in their product.

However, you can achieve that by looking at popular insoluble and soluble fibers that are usually added to cat food.

Look above to see what are the most popular fiber ingredients in cat food for both types.

Some Ingredients That Are Rich in Both Soluble and Insoluble Fiber 

Some specific ingredients can compose both two types of fiber.

This gives these specific ingredients the advantage of both types without the shortage of each. For example, soluble fiber is rapidly fermentable, which is not ideal in some health issues like constipation. On the other hand, insoluble fiber which is slowly fermentable is not ideal for a cat with diarrhea .

So the fact that there are ingredients that combine the two fiber types in moderate quantities can manage both diarrhea and constipation.

Some examples of these moderately fermentable ingredients are beet pulp, peas, oat brans, pumpkin.

The Verdict

Choosing a high-fiber cat food really depends on your individual cat needs and health issues.

However, in this article, we shared with you with what we believe is the best high-fiber cat foods that are available in the market.

Our pick for best high fiber cat food (Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food) has much more fiber content and features that entitles it to be the one that makes it to the top of this list.

However, this food is not perfect nor ideal for all individual cats that need a high fiber cat diet to manage some health issues.

So feel free to check the other products as it has similar nutritional values and a good prospect to meet your individual cats’ nutritional needs.