7 Best Soft Dry Cat Foods in the UK – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks
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Finding soft, dry cat food is a real challenge. Dry food usually consists of between 10%–12% moisture and has been dehydrated. Dehydration removes the moisture and creates a dry food that is brittle by nature. If the food is too soft, it breaks down in the packet, while too much moisture means that the food won’t have the long shelf life that dry food is known for.
We have found a handful of soft, dry foods that are good quality, and have included some alternatives, including a food topper that can be used to soften food before it is fed and a soft cat food treat that can be used to supplement a dry food diet.
Below, you will find reviews of 7 of the best soft dry cat foods in the UK, as well as a guide on choosing the right food for your cats.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favourites in 2024
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall
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Go Cat Crunchy and Tender Salmon and Tuna |
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Check Price |
Best Value
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Whiskas 1+ Complete Dry Cat Food |
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Check Price |
Premium Choice
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Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken & Salmon |
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Check Price |
| Best for Kittens |
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Cat Chow Kitten Chow Nurturing Formula |
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Check Price |
| Vet’s Choice |
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Hill’s Cat Food Oral Care |
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Check Price |
The 7 Best Soft Dry Cat Foods in the UK
1. Go Cat Crunchy and Tender Salmon and Tuna – Best Overall
| Main ingredients: | Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Vegetable Protein Extracts |
| Protein content: | 30% |
| Fat content: | 11% |
| Calories: | 347.2 kcals per 100g |
Go Cat Crunchy and Tender Salmon and Tuna is a dry food that has two types of kibble: one is crunchy kibble, which is what most people think of as dry cat food, and the other is a softer kibble that is rich in protein, includes chicken and other animal ingredients, and is fortified with vitamin D to strengthen and maintain bone and muscle. The food contains extra vitamin A and taurine, which are essential components in dry cat food, and the combination of kibble textures makes the food appealing to your cat.
Go Cat is an inexpensive food brand and this food is very reasonably priced. The ingredients are somewhat vague, and the primary ingredient is “cereals.” It would be better if the main ingredient was meat and if the meat ingredients were named. However, the food is inexpensive, has a reasonable protein ratio of 30%, and is fortified with vitamins and minerals to make it a complete food, making it the best available soft dry cat food in the UK.
- Affordable
- Combination of crunchy and soft biscuits
- Contains added taurine and vitamin A
- Vaguely named meat and animal ingredients
- Primary ingredient is “cereals” rather than a meat ingredient
2. Whiskas 1+ Complete Dry Cat Food for Adult Cats – Best Value
| Main ingredients: | Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Derivatives of Vegetable Origin |
| Protein content: | 30% |
| Fat content: | 12.4% |
| Calories: | 378 kcal per 100g |
Whiskas 1+ Complete Dry Cat Food for Adult Cats has similar-looking ingredients to the Go-Cat above but can be bought for slightly less, making it our choice as the best soft, dry cat food for the money. The food is a dry kibble, which means that it is crunchy on the outside, but the biscuits have pockets that contain a soft protein-rich filling. Not only does this mean that the interior is soft and appealing, but it makes the exterior crunchy shell easier to crack. That crunchy exterior is also good for dental health because the abrasive rubbing against your cat’s teeth will help remove plaque and promote good dental hygiene.
As with the Go-Cat, the ingredients are not labelled as clearly as we would like with the main ingredients listed as cereals, meat and animal derivatives, and derivatives of vegetable origin. It would be better to list the meats and vegetables used.
- Soft pockets make the hard shell easier to crack
- Contains omega-6 and zinc to promote healthy skin
- Affordable
- Vaguely labelled ingredients
- Would prefer to see meat as the main ingredient
3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken & Salmon Grain Free Cat Treats – Premium Choice
| Main ingredients: | Deboned Chicken, Deboned Salmon, Potatoes |
| Protein content: | 20% |
| Fat content: | 23% |
| Calories: | 376 kcals per 100g |
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken & Salmon Grain Free Cat Treats are not a daily food source and should be fed as an occasional treat only, but they do contain high-quality ingredients and are soft. These treats have a reasonable amount of protein because the main ingredients are deboned chicken, deboned salmon, and potatoes, and they are lower in calories than a lot of other similar products with 376 kcals per 100 grams or 1.5 calories per treat. The treats are grain-free, but because these are not a primary food source or a main source of nutrition, they shouldn’t affect your cat’s diet.
However, as well as being a treat and not a food, the Blue Buffalo Cat Treats are quite expensive, and they have a strong smell that might deter some buyers.
- Only 1.5 calories per treat
- Soft treats that are easy to chew
- Primary ingredients are chicken and salmon
- Expensive
- Pungent smell
4. Cat Chow Kitten Chow Nurturing Formula – Best for Kittens
| Main ingredients: | Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Rice |
| Protein content: | 40% |
| Fat content: | 13.5% |
| Calories: | 370.5 kcal per 100g |
Most dry cat food has a moisture content of 10%, with some as low as 8%. Generally, the lower the moisture content, the more brittle and harder the biscuit. Really brittle food can be especially challenging for senior cats, kittens, and those with bad teeth or sore gums, which is one of the possible reasons to look for soft, dry cat food.
Cat Chow Kitten Chow Nurturing Formula has 12% moisture, which means that the biscuits are naturally softer than others. It is formulated for kittens, which means that it has higher protein and fat content and is only meant for cats under 12 months of age. Although the ingredients are a little vague, they are better labelled than some other foods, and the main ingredient is meat-based: chicken by-product meal. However, while meal is considered a good type of meat ingredient, by-products are basically the waste that is left after the meat has been processed. They can include any meat components and the quality can vary considerably.
- Formulated for kittens’ nutritional requirements
- Primary ingredient is meat-based
- 12% moisture means a slightly softer kibble
- Not suitable for adult cats
- Expensive
5. Hill’s Cat Food Oral Care Chicken Dry Mix – Vet’s Choice
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, Chicken and Turkey Meal, Ground Rice |
| Protein content: | 30.8% |
| Fat content: | 18.7% |
| Calories: | 376.2 kcal per 100g |
Hill’s Science Cat Food Oral Care Chicken Dry Mix is formulated to help promote good dental and oral care. As well as containing ingredients that are proven to help strengthen and maintain teeth, it also has a fibrous texture that helps remove plaque and tartar. Owners have also reported that the food is softer than most, although the pieces of kibble are large, and some cats may struggle to eat it.
The primary ingredients are chicken, chicken and turkey meal, and ground rice. The ingredients are well labelled, free from by-products, and contain good quality ingredients. The protein content of 30.8% is typical for an adult cat food, although the fat content does look higher than with other dry foods and Hill’s does not label the level of moisture content in the food.
As well as being formulated for oral hygiene, Hill’s also contains omega-6 and vitamin E for healthy fur, although the food is on the expensive side.
- Primary ingredients are chicken and turkey meal
- Soft pieces are easy to chew
- Ingredients are clear and well labelled
- Kibble pieces are large
- Quite expensive
6. Go-Cat Crunchy & Tender Kitten Dry Cat Food
| Main ingredients: | Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Vegetable Protein Extracts |
| Protein content: | 34% |
| Fat content: | 12% |
| Calories: | 354 kcal per 100g |
Go-Cat Crunchy & Tender Kitten Dry Cat Food is an inexpensive dry cat food that combines crunchy kibble with softer biscuits. It is formulated for kittens and is also suitable for pregnant and nursing mothers. Its main ingredients are cereals, meat and animal derivatives, and vegetable protein extracts. Because cats are obligate carnivores, they should be getting the majority of the protein in their diets from animal sources, and it would be better to see cereals further down the list with a high-quality meat ingredient at the top of the list.
The food contains 34% protein and just over 350 calories per 100 grams, which could be higher for kittens.
- Affordable
- Combines crunchy biscuits with softer kibble
- Contains vitamin E for immune system support
- Main ingredient is cereal
- Unnamed meat ingredients
7. YummyRade Gravy Topper
| Main ingredients: | Filtered Water, Chicken Flavour, Glucose |
| Protein content: | 0.4% |
| Fat content: | 0.5% |
| Calories: | 12.2 kcal per cup |
Owners typically prefer dry food because it is less messy, has a longer shelf life, and costs less than wet food. However, some cats prefer wet food, and it can be difficult to persuade them that a dry kibbe is the better choice. It is possible to dampen the food with a little warm water, but this can turn the food into mush, doing little to improve its palatability and making the food as messy as wet food.
Another alternative is a gravy topper like YummyRade Gravy Topper. This is a chicken-flavored gravy that can be poured over the food. Mix the foods up to ensure your cat doesn’t just lick the wet gravy from the top and so that the gravy disperses well across all the biscuits and has the opportunity to soften them. The gravy is primarily water, which means that it doesn’t have much nutritional content, although it does contain prebiotics that help encourage good digestion.
- Can make dry food softer and more appealing
- Contains prebiotics for good gut health
- Little nutritional value
- Can cause a mess
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Soft Dry Cat Food in the UK
Owning a cat means ensuring that they are healthy and happy. One of the key ways to meet these needs is through the food that we feed them, and getting the right food does not necessarily just mean choosing the most popular or the one that costs the most money. Every cat is different with its own unique nutritional and dietary requirements, as well as its own tastes and preferences.
What might be ideal for one cat may not be the best choice for another. It is also important that the food meets the owner’s requirements with some foods being too expensive, some causing too much mess, and others having too short a shelf life to be viable. Below are some of the key factors to consider when choosing cat food, especially when looking for soft dry food.
Dry vs. Wet Food
There are two primary types of cat food: dry and wet food. Wet food consists of around 75% moisture and has chunks, flakes, or pieces of meat, vegetables, and other ingredients, typically surrounded by jelly or gravy, although some wet foods come in a pate consistency and texture. Dry food has been dehydrated. Removing the moisture means that the food can be kept for longer and kibbles are usually less expensive, cause less mess, and can still meet a cat’s dietary requirements.
However, some cats don’t enjoy dry biscuits and may be put off by the fact that dry food is brittle and hard. Finding a soft, dry food is very difficult because it is moisture that makes food soft, and it is moisture that is removed to create a dry kibble.
Alternatives to wet and dry food do exist.
- You can feed a combination of wet and dry food. Some owners mix the two in the same bowl at mealtimes, while others leave a bowl of dry food down during the day and feed one or two wet meals at set mealtimes. If you do this, you will need to ensure that you aren’t over or underfeeding and a basic rule to follow is to feed half the recommended amount of dry and wet foods.
- Raw food means gathering the ingredients and preparing meals yourself before feeding them to your feline companion. However, this process requires a lot of research and measures to ensure that you meet appropriate nutritional values and provide a healthy meal for your cat. It is also somewhat messy and requires a lot more work than opening a can, pouch, or bag.
- Toppers are another option. As the name suggests, these are designed to be added to the top of meals. They are usually added to dry food and these broths or gravies are moist and palatable, so they make the food more appealing for your cat while also softening the biscuits.
- It is also possible to soften cat biscuits by adding a small amount of warm water. However, some dry foods state that owners shouldn’t do this, and, even if it is acceptable, it can leave a mush of wet biscuits that stick to the bowl and are still unappealing.
Protein Ratio
When buying any cat food, it is important that the food provides enough protein for your cat. Protein is an essential, and arguably the most important element of cat food. Among the roles it plays is to ensure the maintenance of muscles and bones, but it fulfills a wide range of other roles too. Generally, dry cat food should contain between 30%–40% protein.
Calculating the protein ratio in wet food is more challenging because you will need to find the protein by dry matter ratio, which is not usually displayed on the packaging. To determine this, multiply the as-fed protein ratio by 100 and divide the resulting figure by the dry matter ratio. For example, if a food has 70% moisture and 12% as-fed protein, the calculation would be, as follows:
25%*100%100%-70%=120030=40%
Calories
Calories are important to adult cat maintenance and kitten growth, but too many calories per serving means that your cat will be prone to putting on too much weight. Unless recommended by your vet, you should try and avoid foods with more than 400 kcals per 100 grams, with most dry foods serving around 370 kcals per 100 grams.
Primary Ingredients
The primary ingredients are those listed first on the ingredient list. They make up the bulk of the food and are where the food is likely to get its primary protein. Cats are obligate carnivores, so we like to see meat as one of the main ingredients and ideally at the very top of the list. Some foods, which are typically cheaper foods, have cereal as the main ingredient.
Life Stages
Different foods are formulated for cats at different stages of their life. Kitten foods contain more protein and calories because these aid in development and growth. Senior cat food contains fewer calories because old cats usually exercise less and so burn off fewer calories, but senior cats can benefit from higher protein ratios because they use more protein throughout the day.
Kitten food is usually meant for cats up to 12 months of age, although is also suitable for pregnant and nursing mums, while senior food is usually labeled as being suitable for cats over 7 years of age.
Final Thoughts
The best soft dry cat foods are ideal for cats with bad teeth or that don’t enjoy eating brittle, dry kibble without some moisture.
While compiling the reviews above, we found Go Cat Crunchy and Tender the best overall because it combines dry kibble with softer biscuits and is relatively inexpensive. Whiskas Complete Dry Cat Food has similar ingredients but can be available for a little less than the Go Cat. Kitten Chow is pricey but has higher quality ingredients and is designed for young cats, while Kitten Chow is a slightly less expensive soft dry kitten food. Hill’s Cat Food Oral Care has 12% moisture, making the biscuits softer than a lot of others, and it has a fibrous texture that helps maintain good dental hygiene.
Featured Image Credit: Seattle Cat Photo, Shutterstock
