British Shorthairs are gentle-tempered, beautiful cats. They are medium-sized cats and have a muscular, lean frame that is like a swimmer’s build. These energetic and playful cats need a nutritious diet for healthy functioning.
Finding the right cat food for your British Shorthair can be tricky. To make things easier, we’ve compiled our favorite options in this buying guide. Let’s dive in!
The Best Cat Foods For British Shorthair Cat
Friskies Shreds Variety Pack Canned Cat Food
Top 5 Ingredients: Beef, Liver, Chicken, Turkey, Ocean Fish
Friskies canned cat food is a great choice for your British Shorthair. The grain-free recipe contains no fillers, preservatives, or artificial flavors. It has high-quality real meat like turkey, beef, tuna, chicken, and salmon.
You can satisfy your shorthair’s cravings with this savory recipe. It contains antioxidants and healthy omegas to support your shorthair’s health. The fortified formula also has vitamins, minerals, and essential taurine for balanced nutrition. The Friskies canned food promotes healthy digestion and supports urinary tract health. It’s one of the best cat foods you can choose for your British Shorthair cat.
Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Wet Canned Cat Food
Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Chicken Meal
Wellness Core cat food is AAFCO-certified for complete and balanced nutrition. The recipe contains high-quality ingredients to meet your shorthair’s basic nutritional needs. You can nourish your British Shorthair with a grain-free and protein-rich diet. With turkey and chicken as the main ingredients, this nutrient-dense recipe contains everything your shorthair needs for optimal health.
This recipe also contains a blend of antioxidants, vitamins, balanced minerals, and omega fatty acids. Every bite has wholesome nutrition for your shorthair. If you want to support your shorthair’s strong muscles and immunity, consider Wellness Core Turkey & Chicken Liver Pate Canned Cat Food.
Hill’s Science Diet Indoor Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food
Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Powdered Cellulose, Chicken Fat
Provide your British Shorthair cat with great tasting nutrition for a healthy life. This cat food by Hill’s Science Diet is an excellent choice for adult cats. It has natural, high-quality ingredients such as savory chicken. The best part about this recipe is the natural fiber content, which supports healthy digestion and nutrient absorption.
Formulated for cats between one and six years, the complete and balanced nutrition meets your shorthair’s needs. It contains a precise blend of vitamins and essential antioxidants for great overall health. The recipe is free of artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Green Pea & Duck Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Top 5 Ingredients: Green Peas, Duck, Duck Meal, Pea Protein, Canola Oil
For a sensitive British Shorthair, this recipe works like magic. If you’re looking for a limited-ingredient recipe for sensitive digestion, the Natural Balance cat food fits the bill. Complete and balanced nutrition is based on carefully sourced ingredients. It has minerals, vitamins, and essential taurine to help maintain your shorthair’s healthy heart, immune system, and vision health. The grain-free dry cat food has lean, premium-quality duck as the primary ingredient.
It also contains limited carbs to give your shorthair energy for daily activities. This Natural Balance diet has no artificial ingredients because your shorthair deserves the best.
Instinct Original Grain-Free with Real Chicken Freeze-Dried Raw Dry Cat Food
Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas
This is a chicken-flavored food with all-natural ingredients by Instinct Original. The grain-free recipe is a great choice for your British Shorthair cat for its high protein content. Also, it is free of artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. The tasty recipe with freeze-dried raw coated kibble features cage-free chicken as the primary ingredient to support the strong, lean muscles of your British Shorthair.
This nutritious recipe has everything that will unlock your shorthair’s ability to thrive. It features 81% real animal ingredients and healthy oils. It also contains vegetables, fruits, and other wholesome ingredients. Give your unique cat the best of nutrition with this complete recipe.
Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken (Boneless, Skinless Breast), Chicken Broth, Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calcium Lactate
This grain-free canned cat food by Weruva is a rich source of protein for your British Shorthair cat. If your shorthair prefers gravy, this one’s going your pal’s favorite. The healthy recipe has balanced ingredients to offer minerals, vitamins, and taurine. You can serve this as a complete meal or as a delicious kibble topper.
Specially formulated to satisfy a cat’s cravings, the recipe contains real animal protein in savory gravy. Your British Shorthair can’t resist its delectable flavors. Plus, it is rich in amino acids and omegas to support your shorthair’s vision, skin, and heart health.
Purina Pro Plan Adult Complete Essentials Dry Cat Food with Probiotics
Top 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Poultry By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols
Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials is a protein-rich cat for optimal health. The primary ingredient is real salmon or chicken, combined with brewer’s rice and a healthy blend of live probiotics and prebiotics.
The ingredient list features eggs, animal fat, amino acids, and a range of vitamins and minerals. This dry cat food also contains omega-6 fatty acids for a healthy coat and skin.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Top 5 Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Pea Protein, Tapioca Starch, Menhaden Fish Meal
This chicken recipe mimics British Shorthairs’ natural diet and provides all the right nutrients to support their lean muscles. It has real chicken meat to encourage muscle nourishment and high energy levels for daily adventures.
This diet is also beneficial for the skin and coat health of British Shorthair cats. It contains a precise blend of micronutrients, including omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. The recipe excludes grains, corn, and artificial ingredients. This recipe has sweet potatoes and a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support your shorthair’s health.
Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food
Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzard, Pumpkin Seed, Taurine
Give your British Shorthair all the benefits of a raw diet with Stella & Chewy’s dinner morsels. This freeze-dried cat food contains 98% real poultry meal, organs, and bones. It offers the benefits of a natural diet with the convenience of dry kibbles.
Apart from protein, the recipe is also rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids necessary to fulfill your shorthair’s dietary needs. You can serve these freeze-dried dinner morsels with and without water. This serves as an additional source of hydration for British Shorthairs that are lazy drinkers.
Vital Essentials Rabbit Mini Patties Grain Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food
Top 5 Ingredients: Rabbit, Rabbit Liver, Rabbit Heart,Goat’s Milk, Herring Oil
Vital Essentials Rabbit Patties Freeze-Dried Cat Food is a diet that provides raw nutrition with the added benefit of limited ingredients. The raw food is ideal for cats with sensitive stomachs as it has very limited ingredients, most of which include rabbit meat and organs.
The freeze-dried patties preserve the nutrients and texture of raw food. You can rehydrate these patties for a meaty and delicious meal. Since the recipe is free from grains, fillers, and artificial flavors, it’s a great choice for British Shorthair cats with allergies.
Read Also:6 Best Brushes for British Shorthair Cats
Buyer’s Guide: What Should You Feed?
British Shorthair Cats are obligate carnivores, but they are not picky eaters. They’ll be happy if you offer a wet or dry cat food diet. Consider meat-rich, low-carbohydrate, and grain-free cat foods for your British Shorthair.
Macronutrient Balance For British Shorthair Cats
Protein Source
British Shorthairs are popular for their sleek, muscular body. To maintain lean muscle mass, these cats need a protein-rich diet. It’s one of the most important ingredients for optimal health. Look for a specific protein source, such as chicken, turkey, rabbit, and salmon. Grass-fed lamb and beef are also great picks for this cat breed. You can choose any protein source as long as your British Shorthair isn’t allergic or sensitive to them.
We recommend picking a recipe with 35% protein content. Always prefer real meat and organs over animal by-products.
Specific Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates aren’t a major part of a British Shorthair’s natural diet, but most cat food manufacturers use some quantities as ‘fillers’ to boost their recipes’ calories. Most cats require minimal carbs in their diet because they are prone to becoming obese. However, the British Shorthair is a super-energetic cat, and its body uses carbs as a source of energy.
Ideally, you should look for formulas that contain easily digestible carbohydrates with high fiber content, such as brown rice and oats. Vegetables like peas and sweet potatoes are also great options as they’re easier to digest and absorb. As long as your British Shorthair doesn’t suffer from any allergies or sensitivities, you can choose either of them.
Fat Source
British Shorthairs need essential fats to maintain optimal health. Look for a named fat source, such as “lamb fat.” You’ll also notice sunflower oil, or other edible oils listed, usually in premium cat foods.
Essential fats help keep your shorthair’s skin and coat healthy. Tissues that perform functions such as mechanical work (muscle), storage (fat), metabolism (liver), and excretion (kidney) have cell membranes supported by essential fatty acids. Deficiencies in the omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids can cause nervous system abnormalities, ranging from vision problems to impaired learning ability.
Vitamins and Minerals
Balanced and nutritious meals have a healthy blend of vitamins and minerals. The best cat foods are fortified with Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and other minerals. Look for other vitamins like vitamin A, B vitamins, folic acid, and vitamin B12. These vitamins are essential to keeping your shorthair healthy.
The best cat food also contains minerals like iron, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, and zinc. These minerals help your shorthair maintain healthy joints, bones, and teeth.
Taurine
British Shorthair cats need a dietary taurine source for good health. Taurine deficiency may contribute to retinal degeneration and heart disease in cats.
No Fillers, Flavors, Artificial Colors, or Preservatives
If you want the best for your British Shorthair, avoid cat food with fillers and other artificial ingredients. Make sure these synthetic additives, flavors, and preservatives are minimum to keep health problems at bay. You do not have to omit the grains if your shorthair doesn’t have digestive problems.
Special Dietary Requirements
Here’s everything you need to focus on:
Meat Quality
High-quality meat is important for British Shorthair cats. When in the wild, these cats get their major calories from small prey animals. So, foods rich in protein that contain real meat as the primary ingredient are good options.
Fiber Content
Fiber is essential for easy digestion. British Shorthairs need fiber in their diet to stay active and healthy. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are all suitable for a British Shorthair’s diet. We recommend avoiding processed grains if your shorthair has sensitive digestion.
Micronutrients
Many manufacturers use micronutrients in their cat foods. Micronutrients such as probiotics and prebiotics are crucial for British Shorthairs with sensitive stomachs and digestive disorders. These micronutrients strengthen the digestive system and make it easier for your shorthair to process and absorb nutrients. These micronutrients’ role is to promote gut flora’s growth, which is a good bacteria present in your shorthair’s digestive tract.
Antioxidants are also a crucial part of a British Shorthair’s diet. They rid your shorthair’s body from harmful toxins, enhance their immunity, and are essential for health.
Water Consumption
Water is essential for cats. Kittens need between 3-6 ounces of water, and adult cats need d 7-9 ounces of water. Some cats like British Shorthairs have a low thirst drive and don’t drink enough water. This can cause kidney or urinary tract diseases. To prevent this from happening, you can increase your British Shorthairs’ water intake by:
- Feeding wet cat food as it contains 70% water
- Feeding premium cat food mixed with some additional water
- Buying a cat water fountain
- Having multiple water bowls placed throughout the house
No Table Scraps
Table scraps are a fast track for obesity for British Shorthairs. They add calories without adequate nutrition. Remember to never feed your shorthair chocolate, caffeinated drinks like coffee or cola, raisins, grapes, or onions. All these foods are poisonous to cats. Foods that include these ingredients can also be deadly.
Avoid Milk
Most wild and domestic cats are lactose intolerant. Feeding your shorthair milk may give her gas, indigestion, and an upset stomach. If you want to give your shorthair treats, some catnip or homemade treats are a better option.
The right cat food can keep your shorthair healthy and active for many years to come. By choosing high-quality food, keeping her hydrated, and avoiding poisonous ingredients, you’ll provide the best nutrition for your shorthair.
British Shorthair Cat Food Allergies and Health Problems
British Shorthairs are prone to allergies and health problems, some of which can be avoided with a healthy diet and lots of exercises.
Allergies
British Shorthairs are susceptible to specific allergies that you should be aware of. This will help you prevent sicknesses that can harm your shorthair. Food allergies are common among British Shorthair cats. Some allergy symptoms include scratching, itching, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you notice any symptoms, visit your local vet immediately. British Shorthair cats should not eat:
- Soy
- Corn
- Dairy products
- Gluten
Prevention is the best treatment. Some low-quality cat foods contain these ingredients, so you should always read the product label.
Hyperthyroidism
A thyroid problem is common in older British Shorthair cats. It affects metabolism and triggers weight loss. You can easily manage hyperthyroidism once diagnosed. A complete and balanced diet can support fast recovery.
Kidney Failure
British Shorthair cats are twice as likely to experience kidney failure, which can be life-threatening. Supplementing your shorthair’s diet with micronutrients and increasing water intake can prevent renal failure.
Obesity
British Shorthairs are prone to obesity. The good news is that over-eating is easy to control. All you need to do is monitor your shorthair’s portions.
Tumors
This cat breed is at risk of tumors. Some tumors are benign, and others can be fatal if left untreated.
Diabetes
British Shorthair cats can suffer from diabetes. Supplement your shorthair’s diet with healthy and nutritious food to prevent the early onset of this disease. Once diagnosed, you can control this disease through medication.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the cats eat?
Cats are meat eaters, plain and simple. They have to have protein from meat for a strong heart, good vision, and a healthy reproductive system. Cooked beef, chicken, turkey, and small amounts of lean deli meats are a great way to give them that. Raw or spoiled meat could make your shorthair sick.
Is cheese bad for cats?
Cheese isn’t a natural part of British Shorthair’s diet. They are obligate carnivores, which means they thrive on nutrients from meat. Cheese is also high in protein, but it can upset your shorthair’s delicate digestive system. That’s because cats are lactose intolerant.
What fruits are toxic to cats?
Cherries are toxic to cats, and grapes and raisins can cause renal damage. Citrus fruits like limes, lemons, grapefruits, and oranges can cause an upset stomach.
Are British Shorthairs indoor cats?
British Shorthairs have a friendly, sociable nature, which makes them excellent indoor cats.
