The 10 Best Dry Cat Foods in the UK (as of June 2026)

How we ranked these cat foods

Each food earns a score out of 10 from weighted criteria:

Nutrition (35%) — named meat as first ingredient, protein/fat balance, no vague "animal derivatives".
Ingredient quality (25%) — grain-free where appropriate, no artificial colours/flavours.
Palatability (20%) — how reliably cats actually eat it.
Value (20%) — cost per kilogram versus quality.

At a glance: top 10 compared

#	Cat food	Score	Best for	Type	Approx price	Amazon links
1	Lily's Kitchen Dry Cat Food	9.2	Best overall	Grain-free	~£14/kg	View Price
2	Orijen Cat & Kitten	9.0	High-protein diet	Grain-free	~£18/kg	View Price
3	Acana Cat	8.8	Premium value protein	Grain-free	~£13/kg	View Price
4	Royal Canin	8.7	Health-specific diets	With grains	~£12–25/kg	View Price
5	Hill's Science Plan	8.6	Vet-recommended	With grains	~£11–20/kg	View Price
6	Purina Pro Plan	8.4	Vet-recommended value	With grains	~£9–15/kg	View Price
7	Applaws Dry Cat Food	8.3	High meat content	Grain-free	~£10/kg	View Price
8	James Wellbeloved	8.1	Sensitive tummies	With grains	~£8/kg	View Price
9	Harringtons Dry Cat Food	7.9	Budget natural	With grains	~£4/kg	View Price
10	Iams for Vitality	7.7	Mainstream value	With grains	~£5/kg	View Price

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The full ranking

Best overall

Lily's Kitchen Dry Cat Food

9.2Premium grain-free quality at a sensible price.

A trusted UK name for years, Lily's Kitchen sits comfortably in the premium tier. All of its dry food is grain-free, meat is the primary ingredient across the range, and you won't find vague terms like "animal derivatives" on the label — all for around £14/kg.

Nutrition: 9.3Ingredients: 9.4Palatability: 8.8Value: 8.8

Pros

Grain-free across the range
Named meat as main ingredient
No vague "derivatives"

Cons

Pricier than supermarket brands
Some fussy cats need transitioning

Check price on Amazon≈ £14/kg

Highest protein

Orijen Cat & Kitten

9.0Biologically appropriate, meat-rich nutrition.

Orijen packs an exceptionally high proportion of fresh and raw animal ingredients into a grain-free recipe that mirrors a cat's natural diet. It's premium-priced, but few foods match the protein quality.

Nutrition: 9.5Ingredients: 9.4Palatability: 8.7Value: 8.0

Pros

Very high animal protein
Grain-free, quality ingredients
Great for active cats

Cons

Expensive per kg
Rich — introduce gradually

Check price on Amazon≈ £18/kg

Best value premium

Acana Cat

8.8Orijen-grade quality for a bit less.

From the same maker as Orijen, Acana offers a similarly meat-forward, grain-free recipe at a more accessible price — a superb middle ground between supermarket and ultra-premium foods.

Nutrition: 9.0Ingredients: 9.1Palatability: 8.6Value: 8.6

Pros

High meat content
Grain-free
Cheaper than Orijen

Cons

Still above mainstream prices
Limited flavour range

Check price on Amazon≈ £13/kg

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Best for health conditions

Royal Canin

8.7Vet-trusted, with targeted clinical diets.

Royal Canin is widely recommended by UK vets, especially for cats with specific needs such as urinary health or weight management. Ingredient quality doesn't match the top premium brands and recipes contain grains, but the targeted ranges are excellent.

Nutrition: 8.8Ingredients: 8.0Palatability: 9.0Value: 8.0

Pros

Vet-recommended
Excellent condition-specific ranges
Very palatable

Cons

Contains grains
Ingredient quality below premiums

Check price on Amazon≈ £12–25/kg

Hill's Science Plan

8.6Science-led, vet-recommended formulas.

A staple of UK vet recommendations, Hill's Science Plan offers carefully formulated life-stage and condition-specific diets backed by research. Like Royal Canin it uses grains, but consistency and results are reliable.

Nutrition: 8.8Ingredients: 8.0Palatability: 8.7Value: 8.0

Pros

Vet-recommended
Strong life-stage ranges
Research-backed

Cons

Contains grains
Premium price for the quality

Check price on Amazon≈ £11–20/kg

Best vet-recommended value

Purina Pro Plan

8.4Clinically-backed nutrition at a fair price.

Another frequent vet recommendation, Pro Plan offers well-formulated diets — including specialist ranges — at prices below Hill's and Royal Canin, making it a sensible everyday choice.

Nutrition: 8.6Ingredients: 7.9Palatability: 8.8Value: 8.5

Pros

Vet-recommended
Good value
Wide availability

Cons

Contains grains
Some recipes use derivatives

Check price on Amazon≈ £9–15/kg

Applaws Dry Cat Food

8.3Simple recipes, high meat content.

Applaws keeps things natural with grain-free recipes built around a high proportion of named meat or fish and minimal fillers — a strong mid-priced premium option.

Nutrition: 8.5Ingredients: 8.7Palatability: 8.2Value: 8.2

Pros

High meat content
Grain-free, natural recipes
Reasonable price

Cons

Some cats find it less palatable
Fewer specialist diets

Check price on Amazon≈ £10/kg

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Best for sensitive tummies

James Wellbeloved

8.1Gentle, single-protein recipes.

A go-to for cats with sensitivities, James Wellbeloved uses single named protein sources and avoids artificial additives, making it easy on delicate digestions at a mid-range price.

Nutrition: 8.2Ingredients: 8.2Palatability: 8.0Value: 8.2

Pros

Good for sensitivities
Single named proteins
No artificial additives

Cons

Contains grains/rice
Lower meat % than premiums

Check price on Amazon≈ £8/kg

Best budget natural

Harringtons Dry Cat Food

7.9Natural-leaning recipes on a budget.

Harringtons offers no-artificial-additive recipes at a notably low price. It contains grains and isn't as meat-rich as the premiums, but it's a solid step up from the cheapest supermarket options.

Nutrition: 7.8Ingredients: 7.7Palatability: 8.0Value: 9.0

Pros

Very affordable
No artificial additives
Widely available

Cons

Grain-based
Lower meat content

Check price on Amazon≈ £4/kg

Iams for Vitality

7.7Reliable mainstream value.

A long-established mainstream brand offering complete, affordable nutrition with named chicken as a main ingredient. It uses grains and isn't premium, but it's dependable everyday value.

Nutrition: 7.8Ingredients: 7.4Palatability: 8.2Value: 8.5

Pros

Affordable & available
Named chicken as main ingredient
Complete nutrition

Cons

Grain-heavy
Some derivatives

Check price on Amazon≈ £5/kg

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Frequently asked questions

What's the best dry cat food in the UK?

For overall quality and value, Lily's Kitchen leads with grain-free recipes and named meat as the main ingredient. For the highest protein, Orijen and Acana are excellent. For health-specific needs, Royal Canin and Hill's Science Plan are widely vet-recommended.

Is grain-free better for cats?

Cats are obligate carnivores and thrive on high animal protein, so meat-first, lower-grain recipes suit many. However, grains aren't harmful for most cats, and some vet-formulated diets include them deliberately. Ask your vet if your cat has specific needs.

Dry or wet food?

Many vets suggest a mix: dry food is convenient and good for dental health, while wet food boosts hydration. The right balance depends on your cat's age, health and preferences.

Are these prices accurate?

Prices are approximate UK figures per kilogram at the time of writing and vary by pack size and retailer. Click through to Amazon for the current price.

The bottom line

If you just want the best dry cat food without overthinking it, the Lily's Kitchen Dry Cat Food is our top recommendation — it earns the highest overall score for performance, value and features. Have a look at the current price and see what you think.

Check price on Amazon ≈ ~£14/kg

Our top picks at a glance

Lily's Kitchen Dry Cat Food

Acana Cat

Orijen Cat & Kitten

How we ranked these cat foods

At a glance: top 10 compared

The full ranking

Lily's Kitchen Dry Cat Food

Pros

Cons

Orijen Cat & Kitten

Pros

Cons

Acana Cat

Pros

Cons

Royal Canin

Pros

Cons

Hill's Science Plan

Pros

Cons

Purina Pro Plan

Pros

Cons

Applaws Dry Cat Food

Pros

Cons

James Wellbeloved

Pros

Cons

Harringtons Dry Cat Food

Pros

Cons

Iams for Vitality

Pros

Cons

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

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