It is not uncommon for cats to lose their teeth, especially as they age. It may be due to periodontal disease, tooth trauma, or even just the natural process of aging. However it happens, your cat losing their teeth can present a challenge for both them and you.
To eat and drink comfortably again, your cat will need the help of an expert vet who can suggest the best course of action. As part of that plan, you’ll have to take their dietary needs into consideration and make sure they have foods that are easy for them to consume. Let’s take a look at reviews of foods that your cat can eat if they don’t have any teeth.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Cat Food
Offers complete nutrition
Easy-to-consume texture
High-quality protein
Check Price
Best Value
Meow Mix Tender Centers Dry Cat Food
Contains essential nutrients
Soft inside
Supports immune system
Check Price
Premium Choice
I and Love and You Cat Food
Complete nutrition
No artificial ingredients
Smooth texture
Check Price
Best for Kittens
Wellness Complete Wet Cat Food
High protein
Appropriate for kittens
Nutrient dense
Check Price
Vet’s Choice
Royal Canin Feline Canned Cat Food
Easy to consume
Pleases picky eaters
Veterinary formulated
Check Price
The 14 Best Foods for Cats With No Teeth
Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Mature Cat Pate Cat Food is the best overall food for cats with no teeth because it provides complete nutrition in a texture that’s easy to consume without chewing. This recipe doesn’t require any teeth at all to chew, and it contains delicious flavors and quality chicken and turkey protein. This food can be fed exclusively to your cat, as it provides all the vitamins and nutrients that your cat needs to stay happy and healthy. It supports the maintenance of lean muscle mass, eye health, heart health, and immune system function.
Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, natural flavor, brown rice
Protein content: 8.5%
Fat content: 4.5%
Calories: 95 kcal/can
Check Price on Chewy
Some owners find the pâté texture too dry for their cats to “chew” adequately. This can easily be remedied by mixing extra broth or water in with the food.
Pros
Offers complete nutrition
Easy-to-consume texture
High-quality protein
Cons
Too dry for some cats without teeth
Meow Mix Tender Centers Dry Cat Food is the best food for cats with no teeth for the money. While it’s crunchy on the outside, the inside of the kibble is soft, so it’s easy to mash up. This recipe provides all the essential nutrients that your cat needs to stay active and healthy, along with added antioxidants to support immune system function.
Offers complete nutrition
Easy-to-consume texture
High-quality protein
- Offers complete nutrition
- Easy-to-consume texture
- High-quality protein
Too dry for some cats without teeth
- Too dry for some cats without teeth
Main ingredients: Whole ground corn, chicken byproduct meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal
Protein content: 31%
Fat content: 11%
Calories: 328 kcal/cup
Since it’s a dry food, Meow Mix Tender Centers is great for cats with multiple missing teeth, but it may be difficult to chew for cats without any teeth at all. You can soften the crunchy outside with chicken broth or water before feeding.
Pros
Contains essential nutrients and antioxidants
Soft inside for easy chewing
Supports immune system function
Inexpensive
Cons
Possibly difficult to chew for completely toothless cats
May need softening before serving
I and Love and You canned food is perfect for cats with no teeth. It has a smooth texture, with no chunks and no chewing required. It offers completely balanced nutrition for cats of all ages, so you can feed it throughout your cat’s lifespan and feel comfortable knowing that they will be getting all the necessary vitamins and nutrients. This recipe is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals and is free from fillers and artificial flavors.
Contains essential nutrients and antioxidants
Soft inside for easy chewing
Supports immune system function
Inexpensive
- Contains essential nutrients and antioxidants
- Soft inside for easy chewing
- Supports immune system function
- Inexpensive
Possibly difficult to chew for completely toothless cats
May need softening before serving
- Possibly difficult to chew for completely toothless cats
- May need softening before serving
Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, natural flavor
Protein content: 10%
Fat content: 7%
Calories: 96 kcal/can
The biggest downside is that this premium quality food comes with a premium price tag. The cans are also large and contain more than one meal’s worth of food. Since wet food needs to be carefully stored to avoid spoilage once a can is opened, this can lead to excess food waste.
Pros
Complete nutrition for all life stages
No artificial ingredients
Smooth texture for easy chewing
Cons
Large can sizes
Expensive
This high-quality, high-protein wet food from Wellness Complete offers everything that your little one needs to grow and develop in their first year of life. While kittens shouldn’t have dental issues that cause tooth loss, there are many reasons that they may need to be started on solid food before obtaining all their teeth. Add in the fact that they have tiny mouths, and you need small bits of food that are easy to chew. This food is nutrient dense to provide quality nutrition without requiring excess food intake.
Complete nutrition for all life stages
No artificial ingredients
Smooth texture for easy chewing
- Complete nutrition for all life stages
- No artificial ingredients
- Smooth texture for easy chewing
Large can sizes
Expensive
- Large can sizes
- Expensive
Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken liver, chicken broth, carrots, natural flavor
Protein content: 11%
Fat content: 6%
Calories: 97 kcal/can
This food is pâté style, so some kittens require it to be cut up into smaller chunks before they can eat it. Others are picky about whether they want to eat it or not.
Pros
High protein
Appropriate for kittens up to 1 year
Nutrient dense
Cons
May need to be cut up into smaller chunks
Some kittens don’t like the flavor
Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Adult Instinctive offers soft cat food for cats aged 1–7. There is also a senior recipe available for older cats. This recipe contains thin slices of pâté-style food smothered in gravy. This makes it easy to consume and tasty enough for even the pickiest of eaters. As a veterinary food, Royal Canin is specially formulated with your cat’s optimum wellness in mind. This recipe offers weight control for indoor cats and helps promote digestive health.
High protein
Appropriate for kittens up to 1 year
Nutrient dense
- High protein
- Appropriate for kittens up to 1 year
- Nutrient dense
May need to be cut up into smaller chunks
Some kittens don’t like the flavor
- May need to be cut up into smaller chunks
- Some kittens don’t like the flavor
Main ingredients: Water, pork byproducts, chicken byproducts, chicken liver, pork liver
Protein content: 10.5%
Fat content: 1.9%
Calories: 66 kcal/can
The only negative to Royal Canin cat food is the price tag. Since it’s special veterinary food, it costs more than most other brands. In many cases, however, the nutritional quality of the food outweighs the price tag.
Pros
Easy to consume without teeth
Pleases picky eaters
Veterinary formulated for optimum health
Promotes digestive health and weight control
Cons
Expensive
Cats with dental issues often become picky eaters because eating certain foods is difficult or causes pain. Weruva Cats in the Kitchen wet food is cooked with fresh ingredients for the best flavor and contains small bits of food in broth. Your kitty will find it easy to eat and extra tasty. This food is nutritionally complete on its own, but it’s also a great option to soften up kibble for cats with missing teeth. Since it’s a broth-based recipe, it has plenty of liquid to mix into dry food while still offering nutritional quality. Weruva offers three different can sizes for ultimate portion control, something not provided by most cat food brands.
Easy to consume without teeth
Pleases picky eaters
Veterinary formulated for optimum health
Promotes digestive health and weight control
- Easy to consume without teeth
- Pleases picky eaters
- Veterinary formulated for optimum health
- Promotes digestive health and weight control
Expensive
- Expensive
Main ingredients: Chicken broth, chicken, tuna, pumpkin, sunflower seed oil
Protein content: 10%
Fat content: 1.6%
Calories: 172 kcal/10 oz. can
The biggest complaint about Weruva Cats in the Kitchen’s wet food is that it’s messy and smelly. The inclusion of fresh tuna in the recipe means that there is a strong fishy odor to the food — this appeals to your cat but isn’t always pleasant for owners. Since it’s broth based, there’s a large amount of liquid in the can, so you’ll need to be careful when opening it to avoid spillage.
Pros
Fresh ingredients
Small food bits
Nutritionally complete
Multiple can sizes for easy portion control
Cons
Strong fishy smell
Primarily liquid, so it can be messy
Fancy Feast Classic Broths aren’t complete foods by themselves, but they are great topper options to aid cats with no teeth. Since these pouches contain mostly broth, they can be easily poured onto kibble to soften it. They add appetizing smells and flavors to entice your kitty to eat and offer extra protein through tiny chunks of fish. These pouches are convenient to use and ready to pour straight from the package. Fancy Feast pouches are more cost-effective options than strictly wet food.
Fresh ingredients
Small food bits
Nutritionally complete
Multiple can sizes for easy portion control
- Fresh ingredients
- Small food bits
- Nutritionally complete
- Multiple can sizes for easy portion control
Strong fishy smell
Primarily liquid, so it can be messy
- Strong fishy smell
- Primarily liquid, so it can be messy
Main ingredients: Fish broth, tuna, shrimp, fish extract, whitefish
Protein content: 7%
Fat content: 0.05%
Calories: 18 kcal/pouch
Some customer complaints include there being a small volume of food in the pouches. However, they aren’t designed to be complete meals. Feeding this food exclusively won’t give your cat the nutrition that they need, as it is only meant to be an add-on to their regular meal.
Pros
Convenient pouches
Softens regular kibble
Adds extra protein
Cost-effective alternative to feeding exclusively wet food
Cons
Small volume in pouches
Not to be fed as a complete meal
Blue Buffalo Healthy Aging is designed for senior cats. This recipe reduces hairballs for indoor cats and promotes healthy digestion. The kibble is smaller than regular adult kibble, which makes for easy chewing, and it’s high in protein to maintain high energy levels and prevent obesity.
Convenient pouches
Softens regular kibble
Adds extra protein
Cost-effective alternative to feeding exclusively wet food
- Convenient pouches
- Softens regular kibble
- Adds extra protein
- Cost-effective alternative to feeding exclusively wet food
Small volume in pouches
Not to be fed as a complete meal
- Small volume in pouches
- Not to be fed as a complete meal
Main ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal
Protein content: 28%
Fat content: 13%
Calories: 397 kcal/cup
The bite-sized kibble in this food means your cat can easily swallow it without choking, even if they can’t quite chew it. However, this doesn’t make it very appetizing, and many cats with dental issues require the food to be softened in order to eat it.
Pros
Specifically formulated for senior cats
Reduces hairballs
High protein
Bite-sized kibble pieces
Cons
Requires mixing for extra taste
Hill’s Science Diet Adult Oral Care Cat Food is a good choice for cats that are missing teeth, and it can help preserve the health of the remaining teeth. It’s specifically formulated to reduce plaque buildup and support the immune system while providing completely balanced nutrition. The texture of this kibble acts like a toothbrush to clean teeth while your cat chews. It also gives them fresh breath. For cats that don’t enjoy dental care or teeth cleaning, this is a good choice for promoting oral health.
Specifically formulated for senior cats
Reduces hairballs
High protein
Bite-sized kibble pieces
- Specifically formulated for senior cats
- Reduces hairballs
- High protein
- Bite-sized kibble pieces
Requires mixing for extra taste
- Requires mixing for extra taste
Main ingredients: Chicken, brown rice, corn gluten meal, chicken fat
Protein content: 29%
Fat content: 17.5%
Calories: 331 kcal/cup
The downside of Hill’s food is the cost. It’s significantly more expensive than other brands. Some cats also have tummy troubles when eating this kibble.
Pros
Cleans teeth while chewing
Promotes oral health and supports the immune system
Gives your fresh cat breath
Complete nutrition
Cons
Not for cats with no teeth at all
Expensive
May cause digestive upset
- Hill’s Science Diet Senior Vitality Canned Cat Food
Check Latest Price
Main ingredients: Chicken broth, tuna, chicken, turkey giblets, pork liver
Protein content: 6.5%
Fat content: 2%
Calories: 60 kcal/can
Hill’s Science Diet Senior Vitality Canned Cat Food is easy to digest for cats over age 7. It’s the perfect combination of flavor and nutrition and is designed to provide extra support for energy and brain function in older cats. For cats with dental problems, the stew texture is perfect and easy to eat. The mineral levels in this recipe are controlled to prevent kidney and bladder stones, and it contains added fatty acids for skin and coat health.
Cleans teeth while chewing
Promotes oral health and supports the immune system
Gives your fresh cat breath
Complete nutrition
- Cleans teeth while chewing
- Promotes oral health and supports the immune system
- Gives your fresh cat breath
- Complete nutrition
Not for cats with no teeth at all
Expensive
May cause digestive upset
- Not for cats with no teeth at all
- Expensive
- May cause digestive upset
Check Latest Price
This wet food contains fairly large chunks, so you may need to cut them up before feeding if your cat is unable to chew. It’s also fairly dry, and many cats find it more palatable when mixed with broth or water.
Pros
Offers complete nutrition
Protection against kidney and bladder stones
Supports brain function in older cats
Cons
Large chunks may need to be cut up
Dry and may require added moisture
Purina Pro Plan is one of the best dry foods for cats with no teeth. It contains added probiotics to boost digestive health and is perfectly balanced for nutrition. The kibble in this recipe is soft rather than crunchy, so cats can mash up the pieces, even if they can’t chew them. The same recipe is also available in wet food if you choose to mix the two. In addition to being great for cats with no teeth, it’s also one of the best foods for cats with sensitive stomachs.
Offers complete nutrition
Protection against kidney and bladder stones
Supports brain function in older cats
- Offers complete nutrition
- Protection against kidney and bladder stones
- Supports brain function in older cats
Large chunks may need to be cut up
Dry and may require added moisture
- Large chunks may need to be cut up
- Dry and may require added moisture
Main ingredients: Chicken, rice, corn gluten meal, poultry byproduct meal, wheat flour
Protein content: 36%
Fat content: 16%
Calories: 494 kcal/cup
Since Purina Pro Plan food is slightly higher in fat than most other brands, there is a risk of obesity with this food. This can be mitigated by providing smaller portions of food and carefully monitoring your cat’s intake.
Pros
Meat is the first ingredient
Prebiotics to promote gut health
Support your cat’s digestive system
Also available in wet food
Cons
High fat content may promote obesity
Nutro offers multiple flavors in this variety pack. This food has small, easy-to-chew chunks mixed with gravy. It’s high in protein but offers a complete nutritional profile and is free from any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Nutro Max is tasty enough to please even the pickiest eaters, and it’s perfectly portioned to make meal times easier.
Meat is the first ingredient
Prebiotics to promote gut health
Support your cat’s digestive system
Also available in wet food
- Meat is the first ingredient
- Prebiotics to promote gut health
- Support your cat’s digestive system
- Also available in wet food
High fat content may promote obesity
- High fat content may promote obesity
Main ingredients: Chicken/turkey, Chicken/turkey broth, turkey/chicken, chicken liver, pork plasma
Protein content: 8.5%
Fat content: 5%
Calories: 38 kcal/serving
If your cat is at risk of kidney or bladder stones, this food isn’t the best choice because it has a high protein and phosphate content. It has a strong smell, which is a turn-off for some owners. It’s also not the best for reducing your environmental footprint, as Nutro wet foods have an excessive amount of plastic packaging.
Pros
Multiple flavor options
Free of artificial additives
Perfectly portioned
Cons
Not appropriate for cats with kidney issues
Strong smelling
Excessive plastic packaging
Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Weight Control is designed for overweight cats, but it is also a good choice for cats without teeth. The kibble is high in fiber to keep your cat feeling full but has a soft texture that makes for easy chewing. It supports digestive health and the maintenance of lean muscle mass.
Multiple flavor options
Free of artificial additives
Perfectly portioned
- Multiple flavor options
- Free of artificial additives
- Perfectly portioned
Not appropriate for cats with kidney issues
Strong smelling
Excessive plastic packaging
- Not appropriate for cats with kidney issues
- Strong smelling
- Excessive plastic packaging
Main ingredients: Chicken meal, pea fiber, wheat gluten, corn, corn gluten meal
Protein content: 34%
Fat content: 8.3%
Calories: 255 kcal/cup
This kibble has a strong smell. While this makes it appealing to cats, many owners can’t tolerate the odor. It’s also quite expensive compared to most other options, but it’s a great choice if your cat is fighting weight control issues along with dental concerns.
Pros
Promotes a healthy body weight
Soft kibble for easy chewing
Supports digestive health
Cons
Strong smelling
Expensive
Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau is a shredded texture food that’s high in protein and suitable for cats with missing teeth or no teeth at all. Chicken is the main ingredient, and it’s combined with chicken broth instead of water for extra flavor and nutrition. With added amino acids and taurine, you will feel good about what you’re feeding your cat. This food is high in protein and calories compared to most other wet foods. This can be good or bad, depending on your cat. If your cat has lost weight due to their dental issues, this food may be what you need to get them healthy again. But if your cat has kidney issues or is overweight, this food isn’t a good choice.
Promotes a healthy body weight
Soft kibble for easy chewing
Supports digestive health
- Promotes a healthy body weight
- Soft kibble for easy chewing
- Supports digestive health
Strong smelling
Expensive
- Strong smelling
- Expensive
Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, sunflower seed oil, calcium lactate, dicalcium phosphate
Protein content: 16%
Fat content: 2.6%
Calories: 225 kcal/can
Pros
Shredded texture
Added taurine and amino acids
High protein
Meat is the first ingredient
Cons
High-calorie content
Not for cats with kidney issues
Shredded texture
Added taurine and amino acids
High protein
Meat is the first ingredient
- Shredded texture
- Added taurine and amino acids
- High protein
- Meat is the first ingredient
High-calorie content
Not for cats with kidney issues
- High-calorie content
- Not for cats with kidney issues
What to Look for When Shopping for Food for Cats with No Teeth
If you’re caring for a cat with no teeth, there are a few adjustments that you’ll need to make to keep them happy and healthy. After all, cats don’t grow new teeth once they’ve lost their original set! Keeping your furry friend happy and healthy is not impossible — just a bit more challenging than usual. Here are our top tips on how to feed cats that have no teeth.
Plan Ahead
Sometimes feeding a cat with dental issues is as simple as planning ahead. Choose foods that are easier to chew and digest, especially ones with a high protein percentage and quality ingredients. There are many options available on the market.
You’re not restricted to feeding an exclusively wet food diet to your cat just because they lack teeth. Dry food is still an option; you’ll just need to soften it with water or broth or mix it in wet food for easy chewing. Since wet food can be expensive in the long term, this is a good option to make cat food more affordable.
Offer Soft Food
There are a few options for softening your cat’s food:
Use wet food that’s nutritionally balanced.
Mix wet food and dry food.
Soften dry kibble with water or broth.
Purée your cat’s food to make it a softer texture.
Feed Small, Frequent Meals
Cats with dental issues tend to eat smaller amounts of food at a time because they have to work hard to chew. Spreading your cat’s meals out over the course of the day and feeding small amounts each time can help promote adequate calorie intake while avoiding mealtime frustration.
There are a few options for softening your cat’s food:
Use wet food that’s nutritionally balanced.
Mix wet food and dry food.
Soften dry kibble with water or broth.
Purée your cat’s food to make it a softer texture.
Use wet food that’s nutritionally balanced.
Mix wet food and dry food.
Soften dry kibble with water or broth.
Purée your cat’s food to make it a softer texture.
- Use wet food that’s nutritionally balanced.
- Mix wet food and dry food.
- Soften dry kibble with water or broth.
- Purée your cat’s food to make it a softer texture.
Other Tips for Feeding a Toothless Cat
Soft canned food is gentle on the gums and doesn’t require chewing.
Cats with no teeth can still eat kibble, but they will likely eat slower. Crush kibble into smaller pieces or soften it before feeding to avoid digestive issues.
Mixing dry food with wet food is a cost-effective way to feed your cat for the long term.
Cooked meat should be served in flaky pieces rather than chunks.
Blending or mashing wet food can help if your cat’s gums are sore.
Pureeing cat food is a safe and effective way to feed.
Make sure your cat always has access to fresh, clean drinking water. Cats with dental issues can become dehydrated if pain prevents them from eating and drinking.
- Soft canned food is gentle on the gums and doesn’t require chewing.
- Cats with no teeth can still eat kibble, but they will likely eat slower. Crush kibble into smaller pieces or soften it before feeding to avoid digestive issues.
- Mixing dry food with wet food is a cost-effective way to feed your cat for the long term.
- Cooked meat should be served in flaky pieces rather than chunks.
- Blending or mashing wet food can help if your cat’s gums are sore.
- Pureeing cat food is a safe and effective way to feed.
- Make sure your cat always has access to fresh, clean drinking water. Cats with dental issues can become dehydrated if pain prevents them from eating and drinking.
If you’re looking for food and water dishes for your favorite furry friend, we highly recommend the Hepper Nom Nom Bowl.
The whisker-friendly dishes and wide catch tray are some of our favorite features, and we just had to share it with you! The bowls are made from stainless steel and are completely dishwasher friendly, making life as a pet parent as easy as possible.
Click here to try it out!
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Conclusion
As cat owners, we always want the best for our cats. If your cat is missing their teeth, this means finding a food that provides optimal nutrition without causing pain or difficulty eating. In these reviews, we recommend Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Mature Cat Pate Cat Food as the best overall food for cats with no teeth. It provides complete nutrition in an easy-to-eat pâté form with no chewing required.
The best food for cats with no teeth for the money is Meow Mix Tender Centers Dry Cat Food. This kibble has a soft center to make it easy to chew, but since it’s dry food, it’s more cost-effective than wet food. Our premium recommendation is I and Love and You Pate Style Canned Cat Food. This quality food can be fed throughout your cat’s lifespan and provides quality ingredients that are additive free.
For kittens without teeth, we recommend Wellness Complete Health Kitten Recipe Canned Wet Cat Food. It’s perfect for tiny mouths and promotes growth and development in cats up to 1 year of age. Our vet’s choice is Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Adult Instinctive Thin Slices in Gravy Canned Cat Food. Thin slices of pâté smothered in gravy make this food extra tasty and easy to chew. This vet-approved recipe will leave you feeling good about what your cat is eating.
Featured Image Credit: Rutina, Shutterstock
