As cats age, they start to develop age-related needs that require extra attention. Their dietary and nutritional needs also begin to change as they get older, and having a cat that experiences digestion issues adds to the challenge of finding high-quality cat food for senior cats.
To help you with your search, we’ve found popular cat food for older cats that are also known to be gentle on the stomach and easy to digest. Our reviews will help you to get a better picture of what to look for and expect when shopping for cat food for older cats that vomit.
Before we start, it is important to note that these reviews are no substitute for vet advice, and many of these recipes contain chicken, which is a common food allergen. Our in-house veterinarian Amanda Charles says, “If your cat is vomiting, you must get them checked by your vet so the underlying causes can be investigated and treated. Always follow your veterinarian’s diet recommendations. There can be a wide range of reasons for vomiting including food allergies and renal disease which need specific diet changes.”
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
| Image | Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall
|
|
Hill’s Science Perfect Digestion |
|
Check Price |
Best Value
|
|
BLUE BUFFALO Tastefuls Hairball Control |
|
Check Price |
Premium Choice
|
|
Castor & Pollux Turkey, Brown Rice & Chicken |
|
Check Price |
|
Purina Pro Plan Focus |
|
Check Price | |
|
Nutro Wholesome Chicken & Brown Rice |
|
Check Price |
The 10 Best Cat Foods for Older Cats That Vomit
1. Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Digestion Dry Cat Food – Best Overall
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, cracked pearled barley, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, chicken fat |
| Protein content: | 33% dry matter |
| Fat content: | 17% |
| Calories: | 465 kcal/cup |
Our recommendation for the best overall cat food for older cats that vomit is Hill’s Science Diet Adult 7+ Perfect Digestion Chicken Dry Cat Food. This cat food is specifically formulated for senior cats that have sensitive stomachs and challenges with keeping food down. Once your cat transitions to this food, you can expect to see results like healthier stools within 7 days.
The recipe contains Hill’s Science Diet’s exclusive ActivBiome+ Technology blend, which consists of natural ingredients that support healthy digestion, like whole grain oats, pumpkin, and prebiotics. The recipe also only uses a single source of animal protein, which makes it safe for cats that are allergic to proteins other than chicken like beef or fish.
Just keep in mind that while the kibble is intentionally created in smaller sizes, it may still be difficult for some senior cats to chew, especially if they’ve had any teeth extracted.
2. Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Hairball Control Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food – Best Value
| Main ingredients: | Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal |
| Protein content: | 28% minimum |
| Fat content: | 13% |
| Calories: | 397 kcal/cup |
Specialty diets for older cats are relatively expensive, but you can still find savings by choosing recipes developed by certain brands. This Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Hairball Control Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Adult 7+ Dry Cat Food is a more budget-friendly option and the best cat food for older cats that vomit for the money.
The recipe uses chicken as the only source of animal protein, and it’s free of any ambiguous ingredients, like poultry by-product meal and artificial flavoring. It also includes a blend of psyllium seed husks and cellulose, which are ingredients known to help with hairball control and support healthy digestion.
Overall, this cat food is a reliable option for cats that frequently vomit hairballs. However, it does contain a wide range of ingredients, so cats with particularly sensitive stomachs may have trouble digesting it.
3. Castor & Pollux ORGANIX All Life Stages Canned Cat Food – Premium Choice
| Main ingredients: | Organic turkey, water sufficient for processing, organic brown rice, organic chicken, organic chicken liver |
| Protein content: | 36% |
| Fat content: | 27% |
| Calories: | 1,241 kcal/kg |
The Castor & Pollux ORGANIX Organic Turkey, Brown Rice & Chicken Recipe All Life Stages Canned Cat Food is a premium cat food that’s worth the price. It’s USDA-certified organic and has one of the cleanest ingredient lists, which ensures that you know exactly what your cat’s eating. The ingredient list contains free-range organic turkey and chicken, and all the ingredients are sourced from sustainable farms that don’t use chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or added growth hormones or antibiotics.
The formula helps with healthy digestion by including a tasty broth that helps cats stay hydrated. The smooth pate consistency is easy for older cats to ingest. This cat food is also suitable for all life stages, so you don’t have to worry about switching your cat to a new recipe as they transition into older adulthood.
While this cat food has a high-quality formula, it’s important to note that all the current senior cat food recipes developed by Castor & Pollux ORGANIX contain poultry. So, if your cat has a chicken allergy, you won’t be able to purchase organic cat food from Castor & Pollux.
4. Purina Pro Plan Focus Canned Cat Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, liver, water, meat by-products, beef |
| Protein content: | 45% |
| Fat content: | 27% |
| Calories: | 1,121 kcal/kg 95kcal/can |
The Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult 11+ Classic Chicken & Beef Entrée Canned Cat Food is specially formulated to meet the needs of senior cats. The food has a soft pate consistency that’s easy to swallow and digest. The highly digestible formula ensures optimal nutrition delivery that supports your cat’s daily bodily functioning. It also contains a blend of antioxidants to support the immune system and joint and mobility health.
Though this cat food has a relatively short ingredient list, it does contain a blend of a variety of meats, including meat by-products. Since it has a variety of ingredients, it may not be suitable for some cats that vomit due to food allergies or sensitivities.
5. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Senior Dry Cat Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, chicken meal, pea protein, whole brown rice, chicken fat |
| Protein content: | 36% |
| Fat content: | 17% |
| Calories: | 445 kcal ME/cup |
While Nutro Wholesome Essentials Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dry Cat Food doesn’t specifically have a healthy digestion formula, it contains all-natural ingredients and excludes GMOs and artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The clean ingredient list makes it highly palatable for cats, and you don’t have to worry about your cat eating any artificial ingredients that might make them sick.
The recipe also contains antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are specifically beneficial for healthy aging. It’s designed to support vision health, boost immune health, and nourish the skin and coat. This cat food also tends to be more inexpensive than other premium senior cat food brands and is a considerable option to explore if you’re looking for savings opportunities.
6. The Honest Kitchen Caté Grain-Free Chicken Pate Wet Cat Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, pumpkin, carrots |
| Protein content: | 45% |
| Fat content: | 5% |
| Calories: | 1,100 kcal/kg |
While this Honest Kitchen Grain Caté Grain-Free Chicken Pate Wet Cat Food is on the more expensive side, you’re guaranteed to feed your cat high-quality food. This cat food is suitable for all life stages and has the consistency of a smooth pate that’s easy for older cats to eat.
The recipe is free of any artificial preservatives and flavors. It has a very clean ingredient list, and each ingredient is intentionally and purposefully included. Free-range chicken is the first ingredient, and the recipe incorporates other foods that are easily digestible and support healthy digestion, like pumpkin and cranberries.
7. Tiki Cat Silver Wet Cat Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, chicken broth, duck, duck liver, pumpkin |
| Protein content: | 60% |
| Fat content: | 25% |
| Calories: | 1,081 kcal/kg |
This cat food by Tiki Cat has a clean ingredient list and uses a relatively limited number of ingredients. It’s highly digestible and suitable for most cats with sensitive stomachs. However, it does have a higher protein content, which may not be a good fit for older cats with chronic kidney disease.
The formula is designed to help maintain muscle mass and weight. It contains antioxidants to support the immune system and has omega fatty acids that support joint health and nourish the skin and coat. The consistency of the food includes small shreds, mousse, and broth, making it both palatable and easy for older cats to eat.
8. Dr. Gary’s Best Breed Holistic All Life Stages Dry Cat Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken meal, brown rice, sorghum, dried beet pulp, chicken fat |
| Protein content: | 30% |
| Fat content: | 12% |
| Calories: | 401 kcal/cup |
This cat food recipe is specifically designed to help provide gastrointestinal support and maintain hairballs. While it’s not formulated exclusively for senior cats, it’s suitable for all life stages so that you may not have to worry about transitioning your cat to new cat food as they age. The formula is also enriched with taurine to support vision health, and it contains a healthy blend of vitamins and minerals that support the general needs of healthy aging.
The recipe also contains a savory blend of chicken, herring, and whitefish, and the food is prepared with a slow-cooking process that helps retain nutritional integrity and flavor. So, it’s a viable option for picky cats. Just keep in mind that it has a strong fishy smell, which your cat will probably love, but it can be unpleasant for humans.
9. Halo Holistic Sensitive Stomach Support Adult Dry Cat Food
| Main ingredients: | Whitefish, brewers rice, pork, brewers dried yeast, pork fat |
| Protein content: | 32% |
| Fat content: | 16% |
| Calories: | 447 kcal/cup |
While this Halo cat food recipe isn’t specifically formulated for older cats, it has a high-quality ingredient list designed for adult cats with sensitive stomachs and contains a decent amount of protein. Whitefish is the first ingredient, and it doesn’t contain any poultry, so it’s a possible choice for cats with chicken allergies.
The ingredients are all responsibly sourced, and the formula includes a unique blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to support healthy digestion and boost the immune system. It also includes vitamins and minerals for skin and coat health. So, with all these benefits, it’s worth consulting your veterinarian to determine if the recipe is appropriate for your older cat, especially if your cat has reached 10 years old.
10. Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Canned Cat Food
| Main ingredients: | Water sufficient for processing, pork by-products, chicken liver, brewers rice flour, chicken |
| Protein content: | 8.5% |
| Fat content: | 2.5% |
| Calories: | 844 kcal/kg |
This Royal Canin cat food recipe isn’t specifically formulated for sensitive stomachs, but it’s meant to be easily digestible and palatable for older cats. The recipe has high levels of essential fatty acids, EPA, and DHA for joint support. It has reduced phosphorus levels for kidney health. The food also has a pate consistency and a higher moisture content so that it’s easy for older cats to eat and helps keep them hydrated.
It’s important to note that this cat food lists pork by-products as one of the main ingredients, and it’s relatively expensive. So, if you’re looking to save on costs, it’ll be helpful to try out other cat foods before testing out this one.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Food for Older Cats that Vomit
Shopping for new cat food for older cats that vomit can be particularly challenging because of the extra factors to consider. Here are some important things to keep in mind as you look for new cat food. It’s very important to follow your vet’s diet advice, particularly if your cat has underlying health concerns.
Older Cat Formula
Older cats have different nutritional needs than kittens and younger cats, so it’s inappropriate to feed them kitten food. In general, older cats benefit from eating food that contains balanced levels of protein to help maintain muscle mass and weight without negatively affecting kidney health. They also benefit from consuming certain nutrients that support vision, cognition, and mobility.
If you’re having trouble finding cat food that’s palatable and easily digestible for your older cat, you can try looking into food that’s marked as suitable for all life stages. Just make sure to consult your veterinarian to determine if the food meets your cat’s unique nutritional needs.
Food Consistency
Cat food for older cats comes in both dry and wet forms. Cats that don’t have dental issues can get by with eating dry cat food, and they may also prefer the crunchy texture. Wet cat food is more commonly eaten by older cats, especially if they’ve had tooth extractions. Wet food is also a great option for cats that have trouble staying hydrated as they have a higher moisture content.
Digestive Support Formula
Cat food with a sensitive stomach or digestive support formula contains easily digestible ingredients and ingredients that help with digestion. This includes natural ingredients, like pumpkin, and you’ll usually find prebiotics, probiotics, and fiber in the ingredient list.
If you’re having trouble finding suitable cat food with a sensitive stomach formula, you can try looking into a limited-ingredient diet. This can be especially helpful if your cat’s vomiting is tied to food allergies.
High-quality cat food is an important part of fostering a long and healthy life for your cat but the right cat food and water dish will promote good posture, offer whisker relief, and aid in good digestion. The Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl is our favorite bowl since it offers all of the above and is beautifully crafted to meet modern home stylings. The wide tray design catches any food and water spills and the entire setup is dishwasher safe. Learn more about the Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl here.
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Conclusion
Out of our reviews, Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Digestion is the best option because of its blend of nutritious and easily digestible ingredients. Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Hairball Control is a considerable option if you’re looking to save on costs. Castor & Pollux ORGANIX All Life Stages Canned Cat Food may be more expensive, but the clean organic ingredient list makes it worth the price.
Featured Image Credit: Zhuravlev Andrey, Shutterstock
