8 Best Cat Foods for Hairballs in 2022 – Reviews & Top Picks

Cats are wonderful pets that give you lots of love and entertainment. If you have a cat long enough, however, you’re likely to find a gross hairball in your bed, in your shoe, or on the floor. Though many people consider hairballs a necessary evil in cat ownership, it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, hairballs may be a symptom of health concerns, such as skin conditions or digestive issues.

If your cat experiences hairballs frequently, check out these reviews for the 8 best cat foods for hairballs to manage this unpleasant problem.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2022

The 8 Best Cat Food for Hairballs

1. Chicken Soup for the Soul Indoor Dry Cat Food – Best Overall

Chicken Soup for the Soul Indoor Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food is the best overall cat food for hairballs. Formulated for indoor cats, this dry food features powdered cellulose to move hair through the digestive tract and prevent hairballs. This formula has no by-products, wheat, corn, or soy, giving your cat high-quality nutrition.

Some of the other benefits of this cat food are a high concentration of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, as well as prebiotic fiber for healthy digestion. For immune support, the Chicken Soup for the Soul cat food contains superfoods like spinach and cranberries.

To conclude, we think this is the overall best cat food for hairballs available this year.

---

2. Wellness Natural Hairball Control Dry Cat Food – Best Value

Wellness Natural Hairball Control Chicken Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food is the best cat food for hairballs for the money. Specially formulated for hairball prevention, this dry cat food has a protein-rich recipe that helps hair to pass through the digestive system smoothly and comfortably. The formula also contains tons of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support skin and immune health.

Free from wheat, corn, soy, or fillers, Wellness Natural Hairball Control has plenty of natural, species-appropriate fiber sources to help hair digest easily and prevent hairballs in the future. If you want a balanced, high-quality food with hairball control on a budget, Wellness Natural Hairball Control Chicken Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food is a great choice.

---

3. Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Dehydrated Cat Food – Premium Choice

The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dehydrated Cat Food is a great choice for high-protein, human-grade food. Packed with 70% free-range chicken and no grains, wheat, soy, corn, or GMOs, this dehydrated food offers a lot of nutritional benefits. Because Honest Kitchen’s foods have minimally processed and whole food ingredients, your cat can get balanced nutrition without digestive issues.

While this cat food is a premium brand, it does take a bit more work than dry or canned food. The dehydrated food needs to be mixed with warm water for feeding, which can add some time to your feeding routine. Conversely, dehydrated food is compact and easy to store.

---

4. Wellness CORE Grain-Free Dry Kitten Food – Best for Kittens

Though kittens don’t get hairballs as frequently as adults, it can happen. Wellness CORE Grain-Free Kitten Formula Dry Cat Food is an excellent choice for hairball control in kittens. The food uses deboned turkey and whitefish as the primary ingredients, along with antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. Salmon oil with DHA omega-3 fatty acids aid in healthy development and skin and coat health.

For hairballs, this Wellness CORE formula includes a proprietary ingredient – ActiCoat. This probiotic coating supports healthy digestion to move hair through the digestive tract smoothly and easily. No fillers or by-products like wheat, soy, or gluten ensure your kitten gets a nutrient-packed food for health and vitality.

---

5. Solid Gold Tropical Blendz with Chicken & Coconut Oil Canned Cat Food

Solid Gold Tropical Blendz with Chicken & Coconut Oil Pate Grain-Free Canned Cat Food offers a delicious and healthy option for wet, canned food. Most cats enjoy pate, and this formula includes chicken, wholesome veggies, and coconut oil for well-rounded nutrition. Coconut oil not only contains healthy fats for a healthy skin and coat, but also helps to move stubborn hairs through the digestive tract before hairballs can form.

This canned food can be fed on its own or as a topper for dry food. Because of its well-rounded nutrition, Solid Gold Tropical Blendz is appropriate for all life stages, including kittens and senior cats. Unlike many canned foods, Solid Gold Tropical Blendz contains no soy, gluten, wheat, corn, carrageenan, meat by-products, or artificial preservatives.

---

6. Blue Buffalo Indoor Hairball & Weight Control Adult Dry Cat Food

If you need a food that offers a few different benefits, Blue Buffalo Indoor Hairball & Weight Control Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food is a great choice. Made with real chicken first, this food contains a variety of wholesome grains and nutrient-rich meat and vegetables for balanced nutrition. The high-quality protein, natural fiber, and low-calorie ingredients help maintain your cat’s healthy weight while preventing frequent hairballs.

The all-natural formula contains no meat by-products, wheat, soy, corn, preservatives, or artificial flavors, which can upset digestion and lead to skin conditions that exacerbate hairball formation. Keep in mind, however, that this food is formulated for weight control, so it may cause some digestive upset initially.

---

7. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Hairball Control Adult Dry Cat Food

Nutro Wellness Essentials Hairball Control Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food offers wholesome, balanced nutrition with special ingredients to control and prevent hairballs. Farm-raised chicken is the first ingredient and supports healthy muscles and bones. Natural fiber comes from fruits and vegetables, rather than wheat and corn, to minimize hairballs and pass hairs through the digestive tract easily.

In addition to protein and fiber, Nutro Wholesome Essentials contains superfoods with antioxidants and healthy omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and a soft, shiny coat. Finally, the ingredients are non-GMO and sourced from a network of trusted suppliers and farmers.

---

8. Halo Turkey & Duck Recipe Indoor Cat Canned Cat Food

Halo Indoor Cat Grain-Free Turkey & Duck Recipe Pate can be fed as a whole meal or a food topper to control hairballs and give your cat a treat. The hearty canned food features turkey and duck with non-GMO fruits and veggies for balanced nutrition. Several desirable nutrients are found in the high-quality protein, including L-carnitine and fatty acids for healthy muscles, weight, and skin.

No rendered meat, meat by-products, artificial ingredients, grains, or peas means your cat can metabolize nutrients more efficiently and reduces the likelihood of hairballs. If you’re feeding this to a kitten, it’ll get the nutrients it needs for healthy growth and development. Cats also enjoy the rich turkey and duck flavors.

• Never miss a cat food recall again! Sign up for our recall alerts here!

---

Buyer’s Guide

How to Choose the Best Cat Food for Hairballs

Many cat foods on the market offer hairball-control formulas or ingredients that assist in hairball control and prevention. When you’re shopping for food, here are some factors to consider.

Fiber Content

A high-fiber diet helps many cats with hairballs by assisting with digestion. Different foods offer different types of fiber, such as lignins, hemicelluloses, and cellulose to move hair through the digestive tract. Healthy sources of these fibers include chicory, fructooligosaccharides, psyllium, oats, barley, beet pulp, and fruits and vegetables.

Ideally, you want a dry diet that has a crude fiber percentage of 8-10%. Canned foods should have a fiber content of 2-4%. Crude fiber doesn’t indicate the insoluble fiber content, however, which is what moves digestion, so check ingredients for different types of fiber. Alternatively, you may add psyllium or small portions of canned pumpkin to your cat’s food to increase its fiber intake.

Fatty Acids

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are crucial for healthy skin and smooth, shiny coats. When your cat has good skin and a healthy coat, they require less grooming and are less likely to take in a lot of loose hair.

No Fillers or Byproducts

Fillers and byproducts are empty nutrition for your cat and can lead to skin or health problems, exacerbating existing hairball issues. When you’re shopping for foods, look for minimal or whole food ingredients with no soy, corn, wheat, or byproducts to ensure your cat is getting well-balanced nutrition.

Other Hairball-Prevention Options

Along with a healthy diet for hairball management, you can help your cat minimize hairballs in a number of ways:

If you’re still struggling with frequent hairballs after switching foods, adding supplements, and grooming your cat, it may be time for a vet visit. Your vet can perform an exam and rule out health conditions like mites, ringworm, infection, or underlying conditions.

Conclusion

Hairballs are not only unpleasant for your cat and you, but they can also indicate a health problem. Plenty of foods are available to help with hairball control and management. The best overall pick for cat food is Chicken Soup for the Soul Indoor Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food, which packs a lot of nutrition and support for a healthy coat and digestion. For the best value, choose Wellness Natural Hairball Control Chicken Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food, a specially formulated food for hairball management. The premium pick is Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dehydrated Cat Food, a high-quality dehydrated food with all-natural ingredients.

---

Featured Image Credit: Lilia Solonari, Shutterstock