The Best Cat Food Brands for Felines With Sensitive Stomachs

by Michelle Mayers Dec 03, 2020 Jun 27, 2021

For millions around the world, cats bring joy and fun into every day. Whether yours is stubborn and independent or sweet and cuddly, it’s your pleasure and responsibility to keep them happy and healthy. Unfortunately, many cats struggle with sensitive stomachs that can cause them to vomit when they eat. Not only is this unpleasant for you to clean up, but it’s also uncomfortable for your kitty. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered. We can tell you the perfect sensitive stomach cat food to get your furry friend feeling better in no time. 

Top Sensitive Stomach Cat Foods

Now that you know the top three choices, we’ll dive into why these are the best, plus a few bonus options that you can keep in mind if these don’t work for your cat. Keep in mind that every cat is different, and it’s probably best to chat with your vet before you make the final decision to ensure your kitty is getting the best care possible. 

Royal Canin Sensitive Loaf

Royal Canin knows what it’s about with this loaf in gravy cat food. It has a precise and nutritious blend of proteins, vitamins, and minerals that are easy to digest and great for keeping your cat healthy. It’s also specially canned to make it harder to eat too quickly. If your cat tends to gobble up their food and throw it up because of digestive problems, this is the perfect option for them. With 4.5 stars on Amazon, this option wins top marks for cats with sensitive stomachs, even those caused by disease. 

Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Dry

Blue Buffalo is a brand that prides itself on always putting meat first. With this cat food, chicken is the number one ingredient, followed up by nutritious prebiotics to aid your cat’s digestion. Plus, it comes packed with Blue Buffalo’s “Lifesource bits,” a blend of the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that will give any cat a strong and healthy system. On Amazon, it’s got a rating of 4.7 stars for flavor, value, and thickness. Most cats seem to love it!

Purina ONE Sensitive Skin and Stomach

Purina ONE is one of the most well-known brands out there, and for good reason. This sensitive stomach cat food is packed with protein from real meat--the number one ingredient--and easily digestible nutrients and antioxidants. Plus, it includes omega-6 fatty acids designed to make your cat’s skin and hair healthy and nourished.  This bag gets a 4.8-star rating on Amazon from thousands of customers satisfied with the benefits it provides for their cats, whether it helps their stomach or their skin. Plus, it is wheat and gluten-free, though it does still include grain. If your kitty needs extra care for their whole body, this option is top-notch.

Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach and Skin

Hill’s Sensitive formula is similar to Purina ONE, but offered in a chicken and rice flavor. It provides strong prebiotic fibers to support a cat’s gut with healthy and effective bacteria growth. It also includes vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acids to nourish your cat’s skin and fur. As a bonus, it promises all-natural ingredients to support health and wholeness. Customers love the food and give it 4.7 stars on Amazon for helping their cats eat well and vomit less. 

Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin and Stomach

Purina Pro Plan offers a fabulous option for wet cat food as well. This pack comes with two flavors, Arctic char or duck, both made with real meat. Just like Purina’s dry option, this canned food comes packed with essential vitamins and minerals to boost your cat’s nutrition, nourish their skin, and leave their coats smooth and lustrous. This one gets 4.6 stars on Amazon and has consistently satisfied customers by helping soothe stomach upsets for all kinds of cats. In addition, this brand is a bit cheaper than some others out there if you’re on a tighter budget. And there’s no grain, so if your kitty wants a protein-based diet, this is the food to try.

How Sensitive Stomach Cat Foods Help Cats

Having a sensitive stomach isn’t uncommon in cats, and there’s usually a good reason for it. Most cats who suffer from this are probably reacting to the ingredients in cheaper cat foods that just aren’t good for them. Low-quality and highly processed ingredients are pretty common in brands that are cheaper and less well-known, and some cats just can’t handle them. It’s really safer all around if you choose a better-known brand that promises quality ingredients.

Another common issue comes from too much grain in cats’ diets. Wild cats are naturally pretty “carb-free,” feasting primarily on protein from their daily catches. Some household cats just don’t have the stomachs for grain, and, if so, you’ll want to keep them on wet cat food. 

What Not To Feed Your Sensitive Cat

In general, avoid feeding your cat too many table scraps. While this isn’t always bad, a cat with a sensitive digestive system might struggle with food that isn’t made for it to handle. You can also try an elimination diet. Believe it or not, some cats are lactose-intolerant, and we’ve already discussed the issues they may have with some kinds of grains. There’s also always a possibility that a cat is reacting to some kind of chemical or additive in a food they’re eating. Try eliminating and slowly reintroducing ingredients to see what they do and don’t react to. 

Other Ways to Help Sensitive Stomachs

Besides talking to your vet and buying this specialized cat food, you have a few other options for helping your cat.

Give Them Plenty of Water

Just as with humans, hydration is important to a cat’s system. Leave a bowl of water out if you can, or if your cat just won’t drink it, try purchasing a fountain that will keep the water moving and make it more appealing. Enough water helps a cat’s digestion work well.

Don’t Give Them Lots of Junk Food

Feeding cats treats is lots of fun, but this can be a reason for stomach pain. Eliminate or reduce treats and see if that helps your kitty.

Reduce Their Stress

To encourage eating, try to keep their food and drink someplace where they feel safe. You can try putting it near their toys, so they can enjoy some relaxing playtime before and after they eat. If they’re happiest with you, keep it in a place not too far from where you’ll be throughout the day. 

Follow these steps and your cat is sure to be feeling better in no time! 

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