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7 Best Semi-Moist Cat Foods in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

cat eating semi moist cat food Semi-moist cat food offers ideal nutrition for your cat without breaking the bank. Given that it’s a relatively new type of pet food, however, many people don’t know how to buy it or what to look for.

To help you get something suitable for your favorite feline, we researched all the options available. In this article, we provide reviews for the best semi-moist cat foods on the market and offer a convenient buyer’s guide. Let’s get started!

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Weruva BFF OMG! (Oh My Gravy!) Pouches Weruva BFF OMG! (Oh My Gravy!) Pouches
  • Affordable
  • Tasty flavors for cats
  • Great nutritional content
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Instinct Raw Boost Mixers  Instinct Raw Boost Mixers
  • Affordable
  • Natural ingredients
  • No overwhelming smell
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Instinct Healthy Cravings Grain-Free Instinct Healthy Cravings Grain-Free
  • Tasty for cats
  • High-quality ingredients
  • Perfect nutritional balance for cats
  • Best for Kittens
    Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Tender  Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Tender
  • Perfect nutrition for kittens
  • Made specifically for kittens
  • Aids in immune system development
  • Wellness Morsels Healthy Indulgence Wellness Morsels Healthy Indulgence
  • Tasty
  • Perfect ratio of food to gravy
  • Targets five aspects of cat’s health
  • The 7 Best Semi-Moist Cat Foods

    1. Weruva BFF OMG! (Oh My Gravy!) Pouches — Best Overall

    Weruva BFF OMG! (Oh My Gravy!) Pouches

    Life stage: Adult
    Flavor: Variety
    Packaging Type: Pouch
    Special Diet: Gluten-free; grain-free; pea-free; no corn, wheat, or soy; non-GMO

    The best overall semi-moist cat food is the Weruva BFF OMG! (Oh My Gravy!) Pouches. These are our favorites because they are grain-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and free of corn, wheat, and soy. In other words, the ingredients in these pouches are ideal for all cats and can help your cat live the life it wants. Moreover, the Weruva pouches come packed with protein and meet all nutritional guidelines set out by the AAFCO. They also come in various delicious flavors that all cats love. You don’t have to worry about your cat not liking the food. In fact, you’ll probably worry about running out of food!

    Weruva’s pouches are surprisingly affordable. Obviously, they are more expensive than dry cat food, but they’re hardly expensive. Most people should be able to afford these delicious and healthy pouches.

    Pros
    • Great nutritional content
    • Tasty flavors for cats
    • Affordable
    Cons
    • May be difficult to find at stores

    2. Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Rabbit Recipe — Best Value

    Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Rabbit Recipe

    Life stage: Adult
    Flavor: Rabbit
    Packaging Type: Pouch
    Special Diet: Grain-free; pea-free; no corn, wheat, or soy

    The best semi-moist cat food for the money is Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Rabbit Recipe. This cat food is super affordable, yet it’s packed full of healthy nutrition for your cat. It’s made from all-natural and minimally processed materials, so the pouch supports your cat’s digestion, coat, skin, and overall health.

    The food form of the Instinct Raw Boost Mixers is a bit different from any of the other options on this list. It looks more like kibble, with minimal gravy and excess moisture. This kibble form is what makes the food so affordable, but it isn’t as wet as most of the other semi-moist options. Although some people want a more gravy-based semi-moist food, you may be more pleased with the kibble design since it isn’t as messy and doesn’t leave as pungent of an odor in your home.

    Pros
    • Affordable
    • Natural ingredients
    • No overwhelming smell
    Cons
    • Not as moist as other varieties

    3. Instinct Healthy Cravings Grain-Free Cuts & Gravy — Premium Choice

    Instinct Healthy Cravings Grain-Free Cuts & Gravy

    Life stage: Adult
    Flavor: Rabbit
    Packaging Type: Pouch
    Special Diet: Grain-free; no corn, wheat, or soy

    If you are interested in the absolute best semi-moist food for your cat, you may be interested in Instinct Healthy Cravings Grain-Free Cuts & Gravy. This cat food uses farm-raised rabbit with savory gravy to create a tasty, healthy, and moist meal for your cat to love. You can either feed this to your cat as their main diet or sprinkle it over top of their main food. Either way, Instinct Healthy Cravings ensures that your cat gets all the nutrition they need without sacrificing quality or flavor.

    The main drawback of Instinct Healthy Cravings is the price, which is why we list it as our premium choice. You can always save some money by simply sprinkling it over your cat’s everyday food.

    Pros
    • High-quality ingredients
    • Perfect nutritional balance for cats
    • Tasty for cats
    Cons
    • Expensive

    4. Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Food — Best for Kittens

    Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Tender Chicken Recipe Cat Food

    Life stage: Kitten
    Flavor: Chicken
    Packaging Type: Pouch
    Special Diet: N/A

    If you have a kitten, their diet requirements are different from those of an adult cat. Still, semi-moist cat foods are a great choice, since they can be so nutritious and pack enough moisture. Just make sure to get a semi-moist cat food made specifically for kittens. Our favorite semi-moist food for kittens is the Hill’s Science Diet Kitten Food. This food is made from chunks of chicken with gravy sauce for delicious texture and taste. It also comes with additional vitamins, minerals, and amino acids specific for kitten immune system development.

    The one thing we don’t like about this kitten food is its price. Although kitten food is frequently more expensive than cat food, this one is outrageously expensive. At least you will know that your kitten is getting the best food and nutrition that they need for a happy and healthy life!

    Pros
    • Made specifically for kittens
    • Perfect nutrition for kittens
    • Aids in immune system development
    Cons
    • Highly expensive

    5. Wellness Morsels Healthy Indulgence

    Wellness Morsels Healthy Indulgence

    Life stage: Adult
    Flavor: Chicken
    Packaging Type: Pouch
    Special Diet: Grain-free; pee-free; no corn, wheat, or soy

    Wellness Morsels Healthy Indulgence includes savory sauce and bites of chicken and chicken liver for healthy and nutritious protein. The food is also packed full of cranberries, blueberries, and veggies for additional antioxidants and nutrition. All of these vitamins and minerals are designed to enhance five parts of your cat’s well-being: their energy, skin and coat, digestion and immunity, teeth, and eyes. The cranberries are especially great for urinary health.

    Given how healthy Wellness Morsels Healthy Indulgence is for your cat, it probably will not come as a shock that it is expensive. It isn’t as expensive as our premium pick, but it is close. There are also some complaints about the container being slightly difficult to open.

    Pros
    • Targets five aspects of cat’s health
    • Perfect ratio of food to gravy
    • Tasty
    Cons
    • Expensive
    • Can be difficult to open

    6. Natural Balance Platefuls

    Natural Balance Platefuls

    Life stage: Adult
    Flavor: Chicken and pumpkin
    Packaging Type: Pouch
    Special Diet: Grain-free; no corn, wheat, or soy

    Even though the packaging might not look as fancy as some others, Natural Balance Platefuls offers delicious nutrition for your cat. Chicken and chicken broth are the main ingredients so your cat gets a high-protein meal, but it is also mixed with vegetables high in fiber, antioxidants, and minerals.

    Even though it has vegetables for minerals and extra vitamins, Natural Balance Platefuls still only has a minimal amount of carbohydrates, ensuring that your cat gets just the right amount of nutrition. Plus, the recipe is made free from grains, soy, wheat, corn, artificial flavors and colors, and bleach.

    Pros
    • High-quality ingredients
    • Numerous vitamins and minerals
    • Affordable
    Cons
    • Difficult to find at stores

    7. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Tasty Toppers Wild Cuts

    Blue Buffalo Wilderness Tasty Toppers Wild Cuts

    Life stage: Adult
    Flavor: Duck
    Packaging Type: Pouch
    Special Diet: High protein; grain-free; pea-free; no corn, wheat, or soy

    Blue Buffalo Wilderness Tasty Toppers Wild Cuts is a great choice because you should be able to find it at many locations near you, yet it still delivers delicious and nutritious food for your cat. There are many flavors to choose from, but many people prefer the high-protein duck option. The duck is a great protein for your cat, but the recipe is also packed full of fruits and veggies for enhanced vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. More so, it is free from any grain, wheat, corn, by-product meals, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives.

    When you go to the store, the Blue Buffalo Wilderness Tasty Toppers may be one of the more expensive options in the aisle, but it is more affordable than many options you can buy online. Not to mention, the convenience of being able to buy it at the store is a major plus.

    Pros
    • Easy to find at the store
    • Numerous vitamins and minerals
    • Tasty
    Cons
    • A bit expensive

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    Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Semi-Moist Cat Foods

    If you’ve never bought semi-moist cat food before, it may be confusing to know which option you should get. You can use this buyer’s guide to narrow down the top choices or select your semi-moist cat food.

    tabby cat eating cat food out of bowl inside
    Image Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock

    What Is Semi-Moist Cat Food?

    When you’re first introduced to semi-moist cat food, it may be confusing what this cat food is. Everyone is familiar with kibble cat food and wet cat food. Semi-moist cat food falls somewhere in the middle. Semi-moist cat food often comes in two types. The first looks like chunks of meat mixed with gravy. This type of semi-moist cat food looks like wet cat food, but it isn’t quite as moist. The second is hydrated kibble. To the eye, it looks just like normal dry cat food, but the kibble bits are much moister and squishier.

    Factors to Consider When Buying Semi-Moist Cat Food

    If it is your first time buying semi-moist cat food, here are factors you should consider:
    • Ingredients: Always get food that is made from healthy ingredients suitable for cats. Look for foods that are free of grains, wheat, corn, preservatives, and other unhealthy ingredients.
    • Moisture: The whole point of getting semi-moist cat food over dry cat food is to get a healthy amount of moisture. Look for semi-moist cat foods with 30% to 60% moisture.
    • Food Type: There are two types of semi-moist cat foods. You will want the gravy option if you want the highest moisture content, but hydrated kibble may be a great choice if you can’t tolerate the smell of the gravy options.
    • Price: Even though which cat food you select should not be determined entirely by price, you should factor it in. You can easily find affordable semi-moist cat foods that still offer great nutrition. Go with a semi-moist cat food that meets your financial needs and expectations.

    By considering these four factors together, you should be able to find the best semi-moist cat food for both you and your cat.

    Regardless of the type of food your feline companion prefers, finding a bowl that is sure to keep the mess contained can be tough. Our Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl features a wide tray designed to ensure that all food stays exactly where it should—inside the bowl and off the floor. The whisker-friendly bowls fit securely into the PP plastic base and are low and wide to prevent whisker fatigue. Its contemporary style will fit seamlessly into any home and it is completely dishwasher safe. 

    Hepper 360 Cat Feeder, Stainless Steel, Anti-Chew...
    • NO MESS - The 360° tray on this cat food and water bowl set has a raised design to catch and...
    • WHISKER FRIENDLY - Shallow and wide metal containers with flat bottoms ensure your kitty can enjoy...

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    Conclusion

    Our two favorite semi-moist cat foods are the Weruva BFF OMG! (Oh My Gravy!) Pouches and the Instinct Raw Boost Mixers. Both foods are affordable yet offer nutritious and tasty meals for your cat. Don’t be afraid to consider the other products on this list and read reviews of other semi-moist cat foods before your purchase.


    Featured Image Credit: osobystist, Shutterstock

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