Best Cat Food For Firm Stool

Most cat owners would agree that scooping out the litter box isn’t our favorite task in the world.

However, cleaning a litter box on a normal day is like [insert one of your personal favorite activities here] compared to scooping it when your cat has the dreaded loose, runny stool. Not only are they incredibly messy, but they can smell gag-inducingly bad.

But hey, we’re not totally self-centered. We’re not just upset because we’re grossed out and our house stinks to high heck. We also want our kitties to be healthy and happy … and it it lasts very long, we’ll start to worry if something serious is going on.

All cats get upset tummies occasionally, but it can be problematic when it becomes a bit too frequent.

Luckily, there are lots of cat foods that are specially designed to improve digestive health and firm up those stools.

After reading this post, you’ll know which food is best for your cat. As an exciting bonus, you’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about cat diarrhea, including what causes it, how to treat it, and when to take your cat to the vet.

[Yes, it’s true … this post was not nearly as fun for me to write as … oh, say, this one. But someone’s gotta do it.]

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Table of Contents

Find the Best Food for Your Cat

✅ Best Cat Foods for Sensitive Stomach & Diarrhea

These are three of the top picks. Keep scrolling to read more details about these and other cat foods on our list.

Dr. Elsey’s Cleanprotein Grain Free Dry Cat Food Royal Canin Adult Cat Sensitive Digestion Dry Adult Cat Food Purina ONE Natural Dry Cat Food, Sensitive Skin & Stomach Formula

✅ Is Wet or Dry Food Better for Cats with Diarrhea?

People sometimes are quick to assume that wet, canned cat food may the culprit for loose stools, the reasoning being that it has all that extra moisture.

But according to Pets.TheNest.com, as long as you’re buying quality food, neither wet or dry food is “better” than the other, and neither is more likely to cause diarrhea than the other.

They say that although some believe the moistness in wet cat food can cause diarrhea in cats, there are those who believe it can also be caused by the corn fillers in dry cat food.

And Adventurous Cat says that loose stools don’t come from wet vs. dry food — but interestingly, they can be caused by overeating.

A cat’s digestive tract is relatively short, so when a cat consumes more than its body can handle at once, the excess food gets passed through without being digested.

When this happens, the fiber in your cat’s digestive system — which is what gives stools structure and firmness – gets diluted.

So if you’re cat is experiencing regular diarrhea but nothing in their diet has changed, reducing their food intake is one of the first things you should try. It could be one of those times when there’s a quick, easy fix!

Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal Fiber Response Dry Cat Food

ROYAL CANIN Gastro Intestinal Fiber Response Dry Cat Food

This product from Royal Canin is perfect for cats with digestive sensitivities. The recipe contains enough Fiber to prevent diarrhea and helps your cat’s gut produce firm, healthy stools.

The high-quality Protein and soluble ingredients create an ideal balance to ensure that your cat receives all the essential nutrients while maintaining a healthy gut.

First Five Ingredients: Chicken meal, brewer’s rice, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, wheat

Special Diet Features:
• Specially formulated for GI health and gastrointestinal sensitivities
• High in insoluble and soluble fibers
• Contains prebiotics and high proteins to support and maintain a healthy digestive system
• Contains exclusive S/O index the urinary tract system

Amazon reviewer T. Tandy says Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal Fiber Response Food “absolutely works”:

… I was at my wits end. My cat has had chronic IBS related diarrhea for 2 yrs with no known cause–I’ve tried everything the vet suggested (probiotics, Rx food, grain free food, chicken free food, de-stressing her environment, antibiotics, etc) to no avail–until now!!! This worked in 2 days!!

I know it’s expensive, but it’s exponentially cheaper than inconclusive vet visits. And she loves the taste–which is unbelievable because she is very finicky…

Royal Canin Adult Cat Sensitive Digestion Dry Cat Food

Royal Canin Adult Cat Sensitive Digestion Dry Adult Cat Food

This recipe from Royal Canin is specially formulated to support healthy digestion as it is gentle on sensitive stomachs. The unique ring-shaped kibble allows cats to eat slower, promoting a healthier digestive system.

As a result, your cat will have much firmer stools instead of loose, smelly ones.

First Five Ingredients: Chicken meal, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, wheat

Special Diet Features:
• Optimal digestion
• High palatability
• Contains prebiotics
• Unique kibble shapes
• 100% Complete & balanced nutrition

Amazon reviewer Lana observed several differences in her cat after switching to this food:

… [A]fter the third week, I noticed a definite benefit. Her coat is shinier, she’s frisky and likes to play again, and… here’s the best part – she finally stopped having loose stools! As long as I control portions throughout the day for the two cats so she doesn’t gorge and make herself sick, it’s all good … And the other cat loves it too!

Purina ONE Natural Dry Cat Food, Sensitive Skin & Stomach Formula

This cat food from Purina ONE is the most affordable for firm stools on the list. Turkey is the first ingredient, making it high in protein. Also, it’s specially crafted for cats with food allergies and sensitivities or other digestive issues. This formula is veterinarian recommended to help promote firm stools and is made in a US facility using only the finest, high-quality ingredients.

First Five Ingredients: Turkey, brewer’s rice, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, turkey by-product meal

Special Diet Features:
• Easily digestible formula – specially formulated for sensitive stomachs
• Well balanced nutrition
• Veterinarian recommended
• High in Protein
• Contains prebiotic Fiber for immune support & gut health
• No fillers
• No artificial flavors or preservatives

Amazon reviewer Lisa Simons says Purina One helped her kitties’ troubles with not just loose stools, but also vomiting and missing fur:

I have 3 cats. One cat was vomiting frequently and his belly and hind legs was missing fur. The other cat had a chronic rash with fur missing in areas around her neck. The third cat would vomit approximately 4 times a month. And all of them had really gross smelling stool.

Since I have switched to Purina ONE Sensitive Systems Adult Dry Cat Food the 1st cat mentioned vomits like once a month. The other two cat NEVER vomit. And none of them are missing fur. My cats look and act healthy now. I’ve also noticed a major change in their activity levels. They don’t lay around like they use to. This food has been a life send …

Click here to see before & after photos of her cat’s fur.

Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Chick, Chick, Chicken Dinner Morsels Cat Food

Want to have the nutrition of a raw diet with the convenience of freeze-dried food?

That’s what you’ll get with Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Chick, Chick, Chicken Dinner Morsels. Every batch. contains 98 percent cage-free chicken, organs and bone, plus taurine and probiotics for dietary health.

All ingredients are responsibly sourced with no added hormones, antibiotics, grains or fillers.

This food is quite pricey, so you might want to try want some cat owners do and just sprinkle a few morsels on the top of their regular wet food as an extra treat. Some even use a Ninja to grind it up before adding it on top of their meal — especially if you’re trying to entice your kitty to eat a food they’re not terrible crazy about.

First Five Ingredients: Chicken (ground with bone), Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzard, Pumpkin Seed, Potassium Chloride

Dr. Elsey’s Cleanprotein Grain Free Dry Cat Food

This high protein dry cat food (with a minimum of 59% crude protein) has an animal base for over 90% of its protein. It is 100% grain free, gluten free, and non-GMO, with no fillers (like corn or oats) or preservatives.

Several reviewers pointed that, while this food was expensive, it was well worth it:

Some people may think this food is expensive, but I am actually saving money from buying a special food that wasn’t even working and smelled awful — and was being thrown up a few times a month.

I love that the food pellets are very small, the ingredients list is very short and there really is no BS in the food. Even though it’s a dry food it has very low carbs, a lot of protein, and a bit more moisture than almost all other dry foods. Plus I feed my cat even less now because these little pellets are so nutrient dense. She just eats a few pellets and moves on, instead of eating the empty garbage I was unfortunately feeding her before …

Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Chicken Dry Cat Food

Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Chicken Dry Cat Food, Chicken

This fantastic dry cat food recipe from Blue Buffalo is the perfect food to help kittens form firm stools. It has the perfect balance between Protein and Fiber and supports a cat’s digestive system from their kitten stage.

First Five Ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, pea protein, tapioca starch, peas

Special Diet Features:
• No poultry/chicken by-product meal
• No corn
• No soy
• No wheat
• No artificial flavors or preservatives
• High-quality Protein

Instinct Original Grain Free Real Chicken Canned Cat Food

Instinct Original Grain Free Real Chicken Recipe Natural Wet Canned Cat Food

The all-natural ingredients in this recipe support a healthy digestive system and are gentle on cats with sensitive digestive systems. Cat owners have reported that after trying this food, their cats started forming firm, healthy stools, and it also did wonders for their skin and coat.

If you’re wondering why this food contains things like carrots and flaxseed, which a wild cat would never naturally eat, it’s because of the 5% recipe represents what would be found in the prey’s stomach in the wild, giving cats some of the essential nutrition they need and keeping our recipe as close to a cat’s natural diet as possible.

First Five Ingredients: Chicken, turkey, chicken liver, chicken broth, ground flaxseed

Special Diet Features:
• Digestive support
• High-quality ingredients
• High in Protein
• Made with 95% chicken, chicken liver, & turkey
• No grain
• No wheat
• No carrageenan
• No corn
• No soy
• No potato
• No by-product meals
• No artificial colors or preservatives
• No Xanthan Gum
• No Guar Gum

What Causes Loose Stools & Diarrhea In Cats?

If your cat is experiencing loose stools or diarrhea which has lasted for more than two days, the following culprits could be causing it;

• Colitis
• Intestinal Parasites (e.g., tapeworms)
• Food intolerance or allergies
• Change in their diet
• Hyperthyroidism
• Cancer
• Pancreatic disease

✅ How To Treat Loose Stools & Diarrhea

• Encourage electrolyte and water intake.
• Adjust the Fiber in your cat’s diet.
• Give your cat prebiotic supplements.
• Change your cat’s diet.
• Give your cat anti-diarrhea medication.

Before administering any medication to your cat, always run it by the vet first to get an expert opinion. The medicine might be harmful to your cat, or they could have an allergic reaction to it.

✅ When to Take Your Cat to the Vet for Loose Stools

• the diarrhea is explosive, watery, and very frequent
• there is blood present in the cat’s stool, or if it is tarry and dark
• your cat seems to be in pain and is vomiting profusely
• your cat seems depressed and lethargic
• your cat is very old or very young
• your cat has other health complications and is vulnerable to the damaging effects of dehydration

As usual, prevention is always better than cure, when possible. Although it isn’t always possible to prevent anything terrible from happening to our pets, there are things we can do to lessen their chances of developing gastrointestinal complications. It starts with their diet! Be on the lookout for the good and bad ingredients on the packaging label mentioned below;

Ingredients To Avoid:

• Unnamed meat ingredients – animal by-products and animal digest
• Salt – can lead to kidney disease, hypertension, and heart disease
• Ethoxyquin BHA & BHT – carcinogenic chemical preservatives
• Menadione Sodium Bisulfate or Menadione – vitamin K’s synthetic version that is toxic to pets
• Cellulose – can cause irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Artificial flavors, color, and preservatives – can cause allergic reactions
• Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (SAPP) – can damage a cat’s kidney function

Healthy Ingredients:

• Xanthan Gum
• Cassia Gum
• Guar Gum
• Blueberries & cranberries – excellent sources of vitamin C & K, antioxidants, Manganese, and dietary Fiber

References:
PetMD
Pets WebMD