Supposing you've just recently become the new owner of a Persian cat, or have been the owner of one for some time now, you've made an excellent decision, as Persian cats are on top of the list of the most popular cat breeds out there today. If that's the case, then one of the most common questions that come to mind and you may be asking yourself is "what's the absolute best cat food for Persian Cats that I can get my little one?".
Besides the fact that any pet owner should always strive to offer their little buddies the absolute highest quality pet food possible, to maintain both their health and well being, it's extra important to do so with Persian Cats, one of the reasons why being their rare beauty.
Even though there may not be many cat food formulas out there exclusively manufactured for and meant to be consumed by Persian cats only, there are certain cat food formulas that meet their needs much better than other formulas.
Our List Of The Top 5 Persian Cat Food Options – (Updated List For 2023)
Top Pick: Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Persian Dry Cat Food
Pick #2: Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Persian Kitten Dry Cat Food
Pick #3: Natural Balance Original Ultra Whole Body Health Reduced Calorie Wet Cat Food
Pick #4: Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Recipe Natural Wet Canned Cat Food
Pick #5: WHISKAS Adult Dry Cat Food
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*Note: The links in the table above, as well as several links in the remainder of the article below, will take you to over to Amazon.com or Chewy.com where you can find out more information about the products, such as current prices and customer reviews.
Best Cat Food For Persian Cats - A Closer Look Into Our Top 5 Options
Pick #1 - Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Persian Dry Cat Food
Specifically Manufactured For Persian Cats: As you're obviously able to tell from its name, this cat food formula from Royal Canin has been specifically manufactured to be fed exclusively to Persian cats and meet their nutrition needs.
Dietary Fiber: One of the strong points this formulas has to offer your Persian cat is the high amounts of dietary fiber it contains, which is a great addition to any Persian cat's diet that helps prevent the formation of hairballs, a condition that this specific cat breed is notorious for.
Not only is dietary fiber in cat food very beneficial for preventing the formation of hairballs in cats, it's also very beneficial in easing the overall digestion process in cats and making for a much smoother workflow.
Small Sized Kibble: This formula is made of small sized kibble that's specifically designed to meet the special needs that many Persian cats may have when it comes to eating, due to the facial deformations that result from bad breeding practices (more on this later).
Specifically Manufactured For Persian Kittens: While our #1 pick above is specifically manufactured to meet the nutritional requirements of adult Persian cats, this pick is just as good and just as nutritious (so it's technically also a #1 pick), except that it's specifically manufactured to meet the nutritional requirements of young and growing Persian kittens and not adult Persian cats.
Adequate Size: And, exactly like our #1 pick above, the size of kibble in this formula is perfectly small enough so that young and growing kittens that still have small mouths and limited consumption abilities are able to eat without any notable difficulties.
Wet/Canned Option: For those of you reading this who may be looking for a wet/canned option to feed your Persian cat, and considering the fact that our top 2 recommendations above are both dry cat food and not wet/canned options, then this is an excellent option that you should look into.
Low In Calories: As you'll be reading in a later section in this article, some Persian cats need to be fed a low calorie cat food formula in order to avoid getting overweight because of how little exercise they manage to get on a daily basis.
If that's the case with your Persian cat, then this is an excellent low calorie, wet cat food formula that you should consider feeding them to keep their weight under control.
Allergies Begone: For those of you with Persian cats that are known to suffer from food allergies, this is an excellent wet cat food formula for you to consider.
You're able to choose one of three formulas depending on what you know your cat likes most, with each of these formulas containing only one animal protein source in order to minimize food allergies as much as possible.
You can choose a formula that contains the single animal protein source being Duck, Rabbit or Turkey, all three animal meat sources that cats are known to be least allergic to.
Omega 3 & 6: What is one very essential element that Persian cats absolutely must get from their diets in order to maintain that beautiful, glowing, smooth and silky coat of theirs? That would be essential fatty acids.
Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are very essential when it comes to maintaining a cat's coat condition, and it's even more essential that Persian cats get enough of these essential fatty acids in their cat food because of their exceptionally beautiful coats.
At the end of the day, one of the things that make Persian cats so beautiful and unique is their special coats, so you definitely don't want to jeopardize that and risk having it lose its "oomph" with time.
Glucosamine: One thing we love about this formula from Whiskas is the significant amounts of glucosamine it contains, something that's essential for Persian cats (especially when they start approaching their older years) because of the fact that they're significantly prone to developing hip dysplasia in their lifetime.
So, beside supplementing with standalone glucosamine for cats on its own, this formula is an excellent option for you to consider if your Persian cat has hip dysplasia or other joint problems whatsoever.
What Should I Keep In Mind About My Persian Cat's Diet?
The following section is dedicated to some of the most important issues you should keep in mind at all times when searching for cat food for your Persian Cats, as making careful note of this list will ensure that you're getting them the most beneficial cat food for their specific needs, and not the needs of any other cat breed that may be completely different.
Hairballs: Because Persian Cats have a fairly long hairs to them, they'll face the same problem every long haired cat faces in life - hairballs.
So, besides sticking to other day to day best practices to help your Persian Cat avoid the formation of hairballs, one of the most basic things you can be doing is feeding them hairball control cat food.
Failing to feed this cat a high quality and nutritious diet that's centered around high quality cat food will only lead to the intensification of their shedding, and thus increased chances of hairball formation.
Facial Abnormalities: One special issue you need to take into very close consideration when searching for cat food to feed your Persian cat is the facial abnormalities that these cats are often born with, something that causes them many different problems when it comes to what kind of cat food they can eat and how difficult it is for them to properly eat it.
These facial abnormalities found in Persian cats are due to the fact that ever since a long time ago, standard practice while breeding for them has been to breed Persian cats that have pushed in noses together.
Not only does this bad breeding practice lead to these facial abnormalities, it also leads to a whole host of other health problems in Persian cats as well, such as skin problems, breathing difficulties due to the nose not being sufficient in length and the nasal passages not being wide enough to facilitate enough air passing through, and many more problems that are one too many to list altogether here.
Eating Difficulty: Also, and because of the facial abnormalities discussed in the point right above this one, it's very important that the cat food you get for your little Persian prince/princess be as easy to eat as possible.
That means proper texture that's not too rough, proper size that's not too big for them to be comfortable with (smaller is better in this case), etc ..
Low Calorie: This may be one of the most important criteria that you have to keep in mind when looking for cat food for your Persian cat, or it may be insignificant for you and you may disregard it.
How exactly? It all depends on your Persian cat's case, so allow us to explain.
Following up on the point we talked about above about facial abnormalities in cats and a pushed-in nose that causes breathing difficulties because of a short nose and narrow nostrils, this difficulty in breathing often leads to Persian cats not being physically active much because they get tired very quickly.
Now, if this is the case with your Persian cat and you've tried everything possible to get it to push through regular exercise sessions on a daily basis but aren't able to, then you should really consider feeding them cat food that's low in calories in order to avoid having them get overweight real fast.
However, if this isn't the case with your Persian cat and you find that they can regularly exercise without it being much trouble to them, then you can go ahead and disregard this specific point.
Kidney Disease: Not just every cat food formula out there is just about okay for Persian cats, any formula this cat is fed on a regular basis must be easy on their kidneys.
Persian cats are known to have a significantly higher risk than other cats to suffer from a condition called Polycystic kidney disease, a health condition that could prove to be fatal if ignored and left unattended.
And, as with just about any health condition that cats may develop down the line, treatment and prevention all starts with the diet.
When the issue of kidney disease is brought up, the first thing most people would think of doing is getting a low protein cat food formula for their Persian cat to eat from now on.
However, this isn't the smartest of decisions, at least not unless you consult with your veterinarian and they specifically instruct you to feed your Persian cat low protein cat food.
Wet VS Dry Cat Food: So, what else can you do to avoid kidney problems with a cat that's prone to developing kidney disease?
A much smarter decision than decreasing dietary protein you feed it would be to make their diet based around wet cat food instead of dry cat food, as adequate water consumption becomes extra important for cats that are susceptible to developing kidney disease and kidney failure with time.
Cardiovascular Disease: You should also be very careful with your Persian cat's diet when it comes to excessive fat levels consumed and preventing them from becoming overweight, as this breed is more prone than other cat breeds to suffer from cardiovascular disease and heart problems.
Hip Dysplasia: Persian cats are also known to be at a significantly higher risk of developing hip dysplasia in their lifetimes.
Because of this risk, it would be best if you can find a cat food formula that has significant amounts of glucosamine in it, as glucosamine is known to do a wonderful job in helping treat hip dysplasia in both dogs and cats alike.
Coat Enhancers: Because of the fact that Persian cats have some of the most beautiful, elegant and unique coats that stand out among all other cat breeds out there, any cat food you choose for them must have nutritious properties to them that enhance the quality of their coat and skin.
The last thing you want happening is your Persian cat's coat quality decline and it losing this special aspect that not many cats are able to match.
Food Allergies: Due to the fact that Persian cats are more prone than other cat breeds to experience different food allergies, you should pay extra attention to and carefully study the ingredients list found on any formula you plan on feeding them.
First of all, make sure that the usual culprits that are known to cause these food allergies such as wheat, corn and soy are not found on these ingredient lists, or at the very least are found in negligible amounts.
Naming all the possible ingredients that may cause YOUR Persian cat food allergies in this section is practically impossible, because what may cause food allergies in one cat won't necessarily cause food allergies in another cat - it's highly relative at times.
Some Persian cats may even be allergic to specific meats in their cat food while others aren't.
So, you should carefully monitor how your Persian cat reacts to any cat food formula you give it to eat, so that if you notice any negative reactions or side effects you can immediately notify your veterinarian about them and they can let you know whether this is a food allergy they have or something else that needs to be addressed as well.
Some of the most common protein sources found in cat food that are known to cause food allergies in Persian cats are chicken, beef, eggs, dairy and fish, although keep in mind that this list is certainly not an exhaustive one and there may be other protein sources which your Persian cat may be allergic to.
