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This article is based on extensive research into products, brands and customer feedback.

*Pet foods sold or manufactured in the UK may differ to other countries due to regulations and other factors. Always check ingredients and use your own discernment.

Indoor cat food is one of the newer additions to specialist diets, but what does this actually mean? More importantly, is it worth paying potentially more money?

This isn't one of those "best cat food" articles - let's face it, pet food manufacturers are less than transparent about their recipes. We often have no idea what we're purchasing, even when the ingredient list reads like a novel. Cat food labels can be difficult to understand, leading parents to grab whatever is advertised as the most suitable option for their cat.

Food is any living creature's most basic need, so if you're going to invest in something then this should be it. The question is, what are you investing in: quality nutrition or marketing tactic?

As an advocate of fresh food for cats, and if it's within your budget, I wholeheartedly recommend it over commercial foods on the basis that it's shown to alleviate most of the issues mentioned in this article and prevent long-term conditions that go unseen. By closely replicating what cats would eat in the wild - also known as a prey-model diet that consists of meat, organs and bone - fresh food companies are worth the investment for happier, healthier cats.

Learn more in this informative post: Fresh Raw and Cooked Cat Food: Tailor-Made Nutrition Sent to Your Door!

What Is Indoor Cat Food?

As a parent of two indoor cats, I've spent a lot of time researching all of the ways to enrich their lives and keep them active. Which isn't to say that just because cats live indoors means they're going to be inactive, although this is often the case.

Even energetic cats that have access to outdoor space will move significantly less than if they were able to run free, climb, hunt and explore the wilderness. A sedentary lifestyle leaves more time for sleeping (lack of exercise); eating (obesity/weight gain) and lengthy grooming sessions (hairball formation and vomiting). A sluggish digestive system and sub-par diet can also contribute to those loose, stinky poops that gas the house out!

Diets that have been adapted to the requirements of indoor living target three main areas:

• Weight management.

• Hairball control.

• Easy digestion.

To further understand how this differs to standard wet or dry food, let's take a look at five brands available in the UK. It's important to note that specialist formulas may have adjusted vitamin and mineral contents, but ingredients will be the focus here.

5 Rated Indoor Cat Foods:

1. Royal Canin Indoor 27 Dry Cat Food

2. Purina ONE Indoor Formula Dry Cat Food (Turkey)

3. IAMS Advanced Nutrition Indoor Dry Cat Food (Chicken)

4. Kattovit Vital Care Indoor Wet Cat Food (Chicken)

5. Royal Canin Indoor Sterilised in Gravy

1. Royal Canin Indoor 27 Dry Cat Food

Royal Canin is probably most well known for its specialist diets that address specific health issues for cats of all ages and breeds. Amongst their extensive range you'll find wet and dry food that's tailored to support urinary, renal, diabetic, digestive and gastrointestinal health.

For this reason, it's highly recommended by vets and considered a premium brand, as reflected in the pricing. However, opinions are mixed on the quality of ingredients.

Royal Canin uses a lot of grains and unspecified animal by-products, and the exact nutritional percentages appear to be top secret. Cat food should have minimal grains, if any at all, as they're packed with carbohydrates - exactly what we don't need when tackling or preventing obesity.

Benefits

Royal Canin Indoor 27 has been specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs of indoor cats aged 1-7 years with the following benefits:

• Reduces stool volume and odour with highly digestible L.I.P proteins.

• Helps to maintain an ideal weight with moderate fat content.

• Minimises furball build-up with natural fibres to regulate digestion.

• Aids urinary tract health with adapted mineral content for an ideal pH value in the urine.

• Improves dental hygiene by reducing the build-up of tartar.

• Supports natural immunity with an antioxidant complex and vitamin E.

Other varieties of Royal Canin Indoor include 7+, Long Hair and Appetite Control.

Ingredients

Poultry protein (dried), rice, wheat, maize, vegetable protein isolate*, animal fat, animal protein (hydrolysed), wheat flour, lignocellulose, dried beet pulp, yeast and its derivatives, soya oil, minerals, fructo-oligosaccharides, fish oil, psyllium (seeds and husks: 0.5%).

*DMB = Percentages with moisture removed.

The first red flag here is that the ingredients list tells us very little, so we'll have to work with what we've got.

While dried poultry protein is the primary ingredient, the exact percentage is a mystery; and it's followed by a string of grains and vegetables that contribute to the exceedingly high carbohydrate count. I'd expect to see a much lower number for indoor cats, but this could be to make up for the reduced fat as an energy source. Dried beet pulp is often used to boost fibre intake.

"Animal fat" and "animal protein" leaves us guessing in regards to the sources, but it's still preferable to plant-based ingredients. Unfortunately, Royal Canin Indoor 27 has the lowest amount of protein and fibre across all products mentioned. It also contains artificial additives and preservatives.

What Customers Say

The general customer experience is positive in regards to cats enjoying the taste of food, which could be down to flavour enhancers that are used to make it more palatable. Junk food is as addictive to cats as it is to humans!

Some mention that it reduces litter odour and cats have shinier coats. Opinions on digestibility are mixed, with some owners claiming that it caused vomiting and diarrhoea. I definitely wouldn't recommend this for cats that are overweight due to the carbohydrate content.

Royal Canin Indoor 27 is on the pricier side and not always available in supermarkets.

2. Purina ONE Indoor Formula Dry Cat Food (Turkey)

Purina is one of the largest companies in the cat food industry and owns some of the most well-known brands in the UK: Felix, Go-Cat, Gourmet and others. Purina is considered to be mid-to-premium quality, depending on the brand and type of food, as some are made with better ingredients than others.

PRO PLAN Veterinary Diets is Purina's line of prescription diets for specific health needs including dental health, urinary care, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues and allergies. Purina's Indoor Formula falls under the Purina ONE brand.

From Purina website:

"Combining years of pet care innovation from our leading nutritional experts, the PURINA ONE cat food range is prepared with tasty, high-quality ingredients and provides advanced nutrition that helps support your cat's health today and tomorrow.”

Benefits

Purina ONE Indoor Formula is especially formulated to provide the right balance of nutrients for indoor cats. Turkey is the number one ingredient, a high-quality meat protein source that's light and easy to digest; while Bifensis Dual Defence formula supports a cat's natural defences to keep them healthy from the inside out. A mix of natural fibres makes sure any swallowed hair is easily transported through the digestive system.

According to Purina research, their Indoor Formula has been scientifically proven to:

• Reduce hairball formation by eliminating twice as much hair from the stomach in 14 days.

• Contributes to firm stools with 24% less odour in 14 days.

Other benefits:

• Maintains lean and healthy muscles due to adapted protein-to-fat ratio.

• Contains chicory to improve gut microbiome balance and reduce litter box pongs.

• Supports healthy skin and a glossy coat with omega fatty acids and zinc.

• Promotes a healthy urinary tract with balanced minerals.

• Free from artificial additives.

Ingredients

Turkey (17%) (including bone, meat, skin), wheat (16%), dried poultry protein, corn, soya meal, wheat gluten, corn protein meal, animal fats, dried beet pulp, dried vegetable fiber, dried chicory root (2%), minerals, digest (with added heat treated Lactobacillus Delbrueckii and Fermentum powder 0.025%), Yeasts.

It's always good to see animal protein at the top of an ingredient list, even better with labelled sources of meat and by-products. Turkey makes up 17% of the total protein content, with an unspecified amount of dried poultry protein. It's disappointing to see soya meal, wheat gluten and corn protein meal as cheap protein substitutes, but at least they're not the first ingredients.

This indoor formula used to contain whole grains which are more nutritious than refined grains but can be less digestible. As there's no mention of whole grains on the label, I assume this is no longer the case. While there are more vegetable sources than I'd ordinarily like to see, since the food is tailored to indoor cats, they can help to increase fibre intake.

The carbohydrate content is much less than Royal Canin and it has more protein - of which not all is good, but the animal sources appear to be better quality. For a more premium brand, there should be a lot less fillers.

What Customers Say

Feedback is mostly positive, with customers mentioning that their cats returned to or maintained a healthy weight. Cats seem to enjoy the taste and appreciate the small kibble pieces. It's said to be easy on the stomach and reduces hairballs.

Unfortunately, like a lot of specialist diets, customers complain that Purina ONE Indoor Formula is becoming harder to find in stores and is expensive for what it is.

3. IAMS Advanced Nutrition Indoor Dry Cat Food (Chicken)

IAMS prides itself on providing tailored nutrition for cats' individual needs by crafting recipes for specific life stages and activity levels. IAMS is a more budget-friendly option and opinions are mixed on the quality of ingredients.

Their range includes IAMS Naturally, which focuses on highly digestible ingredients; IAMS Delights, a variety of rich food that combines high-protein levels and a great taste; and Advanced Nutrition for addressing a cat's specific requirements.

Benefits

IAMS Advanced Nutrition Indoor Cat Food (1+ years) is tailored for indoor cats to help with litter odour, hairballs and weight control. Food is wheat-free and made with 88% animal protein *of the total protein value, including fresh chicken; and selected plant and animal ingredients. It's enriched with omega fatty acids, prebiotics to support digestion and antioxidants for a healthy immune system.

Other benefits:

• Helps to maintain a lean and healthy body condition.

• Supports digestion and prevents hairballs with insoluble fibre that binds to the hair to help it pass through the system.

• Reduces stool odour with yucca.

• No fillers, artificial colours, flavours or GMOs.

Ingredients

Dried chicken and turkey (39%, of which 23% chicken, a natural source of taurine), maize, fresh chicken (10%), millet, dried sugar beet pulp (4.3%), cellulose powder (4.3%), pork fat, chicken sauce, fructo-oligosaccharides (0.68%), fish oil, potassium chloride, yucca (0.025%).

Interestingly, the protein content of 36.5% is higher than both Purina and Royal Canin. As described, 88% of that value is animal-based - not 88% of the total food - and includes fresh chicken as opposed to just dried.

By comparison, Purina has 17% turkey while Royal Canin contains an unknown percentage of dried poultry protein. IAMS also has more fibre and less fat, with a carbohydrate content of 32.84%.

Overall, it would seem as though this product ticks more boxes than its dry food competitors - all at a lower cost. There's no saying whether the meat in IAMS is better or worse quality than others mentioned, and it doesn't seem to target urinary health. However, this wheat-free recipe has minimal grains (despite the "no fillers" claim) and no artificial colours or preservatives.

What Customers Say

Feedback is generally very positive, with many customers using IAMS Advanced Nutrition Indoor as a more affordable alternative to premium brands. Even fussy cats love the taste, and noticeable health benefits include shinier coats and full tummies with less regular feeding. Opinions are mixed on stomach sensitivity to this food.

4. Kattovit Vital Care Indoor Wet Cat Food (Chicken)

Kattovit is a less well-known brand in the UK, and one you're unlikely to find in local stores. The family-run business is based in Germany and has over 40 years experience in the production of high-quality animal feed without unnecessary additives. Every recipe has to pass through the critical palates of their own cats to ensure that products combine nutrition with a great taste.

Kattovit doesn't provide a huge range of cat food but offers both wet and dry options. Specialist diets are available for a variety of health issues, and their new Vital Care range provides nutrient-rich food for every day care. Varieties include Hair & Skin, Digestive, Sterilised, Anti-Hairball and Indoor.

Benefits

Kattovit Vital Care Indoor with Chicken has been specially created for indoor cats and is characterised by a low-fat content (4%) which helps cats to maintain optimal weight. It has a balanced recipe with all of the vital nutrients and highly digestible ingredients that support your cat's normal metabolism.

Other benefits:

• Balanced formula with vitamins and minerals.

• Source of taurine for normal vision and cardiac function.

• Tender pieces of tasty chicken served in a delicious sauce

• Pre-portioned meals.

Ingredients

*Analytical constituents of wet food will differ from dry food as they're smaller portions and contain a higher moisture content. For a fairer comparison, please refer to "dry matter basis" charts where percentages are calculated and shown with the moisture removed.

Meat and animal by-products (incl. 24% chicken), vegetable by-products, oils and fats, minerals.

The main issue with Kattovit is those unspecified by-products, as we have no idea which parts of animals are going into the recipe - apart from 24% chicken in this particular food. We can also see an increase in the total protein value (44% DMB) in comparison to kibble.

Naturally, wet food has less fibre than dry food due to less fillers (grains and vegetables) which isn't a bad thing. Plus, the higher moisture content is essential for preventing constipation, aiding urinary health and other issues that indoor cats face. It still contains more fibre than a standard wet food pouch.

You'll also notice that it has significantly less carbohydrates than dry food, which is a major benefit. This means the fat content is higher, but for a product that's advertised as being low-fat, it's surprisingly higher than competitors. The source of fat is unknown.

What Customers Say

As this product is part of Kattovit's new Vital Care range, there isn't a lot of feedback to go off; however, their specialist foods are generally well-received by customers, particularly regarding value for money. I have tried their urinary food with Drax, and while he wasn't keen on the taste, it was tolerated by his sensitive stomach.

Availability is extremely limited which can lead to high import costs. The best place to purchase Kattovit in the UK is zooplus where it comes in a little cheaper than similar brands. This may be due to a dip in quality, since the meat is a little more rubbery than what I'm used to. Nevertheless, with such a small selection of indoor cat foods across the UK, it's a good cost-cutting option.

5. Royal Canin Indoor Sterilised in Gravy

The wet version of Royal Canin's indoor cat food is available as chunks in gravy or jelly. It's described as a complete wet food for sterilised indoor cats over the age of one year.

Benefits

Royal Canin Indoor Sterilised in Gravy has been specially developed to help cats maintain a healthy weight and support a sluggish digestive system. It also supports urinary health.

• Tender meaty chunks in a delicious gravy to improve fluid intake.

• Supports the urinary tract with a tailored mineral content.

• Contains L-carnitine to boost fat metabolism.

  
  

Ingredients

Meat and animal by-products, grains, vegetable by-products, minerals, oils and fats, yeasts.

Unfortunately, Royal Canin is no more transparent about the ingredients used in this product than the dry food variety. Sources of meat, by-products and vegetables are unavailable, and it contains grains as the second ingredient. The only real comparison we have to other brands are the analytical constituents.

As you can see from the chart, this wet food has the highest amount of protein and the lowest amount of carbohydrates. It also contains less fat than Kattovit, but does this mean it's the better option?

Personally, I struggle to forgive Royal Canin for their lack of transparency regarding meat sourcing. While it's preferable to their dry food, I can't recommend a product when I have no idea what that product is made from. It makes me appreciate Kattovit's 24% chicken a whole lot more!

Transparency can add a lot of value to brands, and we shouldn't have to go searching for answers to simple questions.

What Customers Say

Cats seem to enjoy the taste of Royal Canin Indoor Sterilised in Gravy, and it's reported to be well tolerated by fussy eaters and sensitive stomachs. The price comes up again as an issue for some, and it's not as easy to find in stores as the dry food version.

Summary

In regards to the original question: are indoor cat foods worth paying more for? Evidence suggests not!

Of course, these are just a few examples. I understand there's a lot more variety depending on region but, hopefully, this article gives some idea of what to look for if you've been scratching your head and are determined to feed your cat an indoor recipe.

The only product I'm moderately satisfied with from this list is IAMS Advanced Nutrition Indoor which, ironically, is the budget-friendly option. Price doesn't always reflect quality.

Even so, dry foods are not the best option for indoor cats - or any cat, for that matter - which you can read more about here: Cats and Carbohydrates: Is Dry Cat Food Bad for Cats?

Below are some tips for selecting an appropriate diet and caring for indoor cats.

• Unless your vet has prescribed a urinary diet or your cat is prone to stones, infections and such, the high moisture in wet food should help to maintain urinary tract health. Grains have also been associated with feline lower urinary tract disease, which are more prevalent in kibble.

• Ingredients and ingredient quality are more important for keeping cats healthy than the claims made on food packaging. Low fat doesn't necessarily mean low carbohydrates, and high protein doesn't always refer to meat.

• There's no excuse for not exercising your cat with a variety of toys and enrichment. Activity is just as important as diet for weight and/or hairball control, and playing with your cat will cost you nothing but time.

• Regular grooming is essential for reducing hairballs, along with a diet high in fibre.

• Cat poos shouldn't stink out your house like a sewer, and there's nothing special about expensive food that claims to reduce stool odour. If your vet has ruled out illness or disease, this is simply the result of a poor diet.

Visit

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, rather than paying extortionate prices for processed junk, you may be better using that investment on a fresh food company. Alternatively, you could make your own homemade recipes (formulated by a veterinary nutritionist) which can be raw or cooked.

If your budget doesn't stretch that far or you're not comfortable with the homemade option, you can start by introducing fresh food into your cat's diet a few times a week and supplement the rest with a high-quality wet food. That way, you're saving costs while ensuring they get a healthy dose of meaty goodness.

*If you're unsure of what to feed your cat or want to make sure that switching diets is safe then I recommend seeking veterinary advice. Some diets may not be suitable for cats with certain health conditions, particularly in the case of raw food.

Information is accurate from June 2025 and may be subject to change. Feel free to get in touch if you think this article needs updating.

Do you have an indoor kitty? Have you considered food that's tailored for indoor cats or do you think it's nothing more than a marketing tactic? Share your thoughts in the comments.