As a cat owner, you want your kitty to have the best food possible. You need food that is suited to your cat’s needs, and you want to make sure that they’ll be happy eating it. After all, if Tom’s turning his nose up at his food, then no matter how good it is for him, it’s not doing any good sitting in his dish, is it?
That is why we’ve created this list of reviews for the best Bengal cat food around. We have all tested the food using our own Bengals. Read further to find out our top 6 picks for Bengals.
Our pick for the best food for Bengals is the Smalls Fresh Cow recipe, available in smooth and ground textures. Smalls is a U.S.-based small business originally started by two friends cooking cat food in their kitchen. Their simple, tasty recipes rely on meat and vegetable ingredients, sustainably sourced from the United States and Canada. All Smalls recipes contain peas: a legume under investigation for potentially causing heart issues.
However, Smalls contains no ingredients from China, including the vitamin and mineral blend. The food is gently cooked, packaged without preservatives, and shipped directly to your home every 2–8 weeks as needed. Unfortunately, Smalls does not ship internationally or to Alaska and Hawaii. Smalls Fresh Cow is a fantastic option for Bengal owners who like the idea of home-cooked food for their cats but want to ensure they’re feeding a nutritionally-balanced diet. Customers report that their cats love the taste of Smalls’ food, and they notice the kitties seem to have improved energy levels, less smelly litter boxes, and shinier coats when eating Smalls.
Pros
Sustainably sourced ingredients
No ingredients from China
Shipped directly to your home
Made of fresh meats and vegetables
Cons
Contains peas
Does not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally
2. Tiki Cat Succulent Chicken Canned Cat Food – Best Value
We all love our Bengals, and we want to give them something tasty to eat. But when you’re on a budget, you’re looking for the best cat food for Bengals for the money. We have done our research, and we suggest Tiki Cat Succulent Chicken Canned Cat Food. This nutritious cat food is ready to help your cat get the nutrition it needs without emptying your bank account.
Tiki cat food is made with shredded chicken as its first ingredient, which is cooked in chicken broth. This food is full of moisture and helps your cat stay hydrated, supporting urinary and digestive health. It’s full of essential omegas, taurine, minerals, and vitamins and provides the diet your pet needs without any carbs, flours, starches, gluten, or grains.
Royal Canin Bengal Adult Dry Cat Food is another great choice. It is specially made for Bengals and is formulated with the best ratio of fat and high-level protein for building and maintaining your Bengal’s lean muscle.
We also love the fact that this Bengal cat food contains omega fatty acids, essential amino acids, and vitamins to keep your cat’s gorgeous striped coat smooth and silky. Finally, the formula also includes prebiotics and highly-digestible protein to support the digestive system.
Pros
Specifically made for Bengals
Includes vitamins and other ingredients for a healthy, beautiful coat
Y-shape is great for jaw
Good for digestive tract
Texture encourages cat to chew for good oral hygiene
We all love our Bengals, and we have heard a lot about feeding them raw diets and how good they are for your cat. The big disadvantage of the raw diet is that it takes a lot of time and effort. That is the reason why we love Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Dry Cat Food. This food was created to closely mirror the many benefits of feeding your cat a raw diet.
What we love about this cat food is the high levels of protein that don’t come from an animal meal. They come from only real meat. This means that when you’re giving this to your Bengal, you’re giving them the good stuff. Your cat will be able to absorb all of the nutrition and enjoy the benefits of natural omegas, natural live probiotics, and antioxidants.
Of course, when you want to give your cat the best, you’re going to pay for it. This is excellent cat food, but it’s a bit pricey, and it’s not made specifically for Bengals. That’s why we weren’t able to put it at the top for the best food for Bengal cats.
Pros
95% of the protein comes from actual chicken
Contains no animal meal
Easy to digest and absorb
Supports healthy digestion, skin and coat, and immune system
The thing that we loved about the Earthborn Holistic Primitive Feline Grain-Free Natural Dry Cat & Kitten Food is that it’s high in protein and that it’s grain-free. We all know how much energy our Bengals expend with their jumping and climbing, so having the protein there to help build their muscles is a huge plus.
We love that its top ingredients are chicken and turkey meal. The crunchy texture helps with our cats’ oral hygiene, and the pieces are full of things like apples, blueberries, cranberries, and spinach. Our cat also adored the flavor, and we love it because it doesn’t contain anything artificial.
For those of us who were looking for food that’s perfect for kitties with sensitive stomachs, Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Dry Cat Food was the answer. We love the fact that it only has a limited number of ingredients, so it’s easy to read the label and know whether or not it’s right for our cats.
This grain-free food contains a single animal protein and a single vegetable, so it gives our cats the simple nutrition that they need without upsetting their stomachs. When you are looking for something simple with easy-to-read ingredients, Instinct is ideal.
As cat owners, we know how finicky our cats can be. It can be sometimes hard to find a flavor that they are going to love. That’s why we were happy to find Feline Natural Grain-Free Canned Cat Food. This chicken and lamb formula is full of omega 3s, chondroitin, and glucosamine. It’s also free of gluten, rice, soy, and wheat, which makes it perfect for owners with cats with sensitive stomachs.
It doesn’t use any additives, artificial ingredients, or preservatives. The only thing added is fresh, natural water from New Zealand. It’s made to be ideal for all breeds, and it can be fed to your cat at any stage, from kittenhood to senior, as well as during lactation and pregnancy.
Pros
Grain-free
Free of additives, artificial ingredients, and preservatives
Perfect for all stages of life
Good for cats with sensitive stomachs
Cons
Not made specifically for Bengals
May not help with oral hygiene due to being wet food
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Cat Food for Bengal Cats
With several options for cat food for your Bengal, how do you choose the one that is right for your cat? We’ll examine what to look for in food for your Bengal and what to avoid.
Regardless of whether you feed your cat dry or wet food, you need a bowl that is sure to keep the mess contained—you can do just that with the Hepper Nom Nom Bowl.
This is designed with your cat’s comfort in mind. The whisker-friendly bowls are low and wide to prevent whisker fatigue, and the wide catch tray ensures that all food stays exactly where it should—inside the bowl.
At Excited Cats, 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!
What to Look for in Food for Your Bengal
Even though Bengals are special breeds, they’re just like other cats regarding their diet. They prefer food that is high in protein with few or no fillers. Of course, you can give your Bengal a treat once in a while. You shouldn’t be afraid to give them other types of treats or delicious cat food on special occasions.
But when you are shopping for their staple food, look for the following items.
Named Meat – Bengals need a high-protein diet and should be fed a brand that has meat listed first.
No Fillers – You should avoid recipes that are loaded with fillers. That being said, some of the fillers are fine if they’re of high quality. If you have a Bengal without digestive issues, choose one that has grains rather than one that has a lot of additives which might cause your cat health problems down the road.
No Artificial Flavors, Colors or Preservatives – Just like the above advice, if you want to choose the best food, don’t choose food that contains artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
Fortified Using Minerals and Vitamins – To give your Bengal a nutritionally complete and balanced meal, look for one that contains minerals and vitamins.
Fiber – Bengals need fiber to help with their digestion. Veggies, fruits, and whole grains are all good to have in the cat food you give your Bengal. However, if you have a cat with digestive problems, processed grains should be avoided.
It doesn’t matter if you have a Bengal or another breed of cat because all cats need plenty of protein, some healthy fats, and limited carbs. You don’t want to completely avoid carbs since things like fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, and minerals that can help your cat stay healthy.
Things You Should Never Feed Your Bengal
As a cat owner, you know the look your cat gives you when you are eating something that they deem tasty. They meow, purr, and demand that you give them a piece of it. It's okay to do once in a while, but there are some foods that you should never give your cat.
Below are five of the most common things you should never feed a Bengal and why:
Chocolate – Chocolate contains theobromine. This alkaloid can lead to problems with your cat’s digestion, heart issues, tremors in their muscles, seizures, and possibly death. Never give your cat chocolate.
Alcohol – Most cat and dog owners know this is a big no-no, but it bears repeating. Alcohol can cause brain and liver damage in your cat.
Raw fish, eggs or meat – These all may contain salmonella or E-coli and can interfere with your cat’s ability to absorb biotin.
Garlic and onions – Any form of garlic or onion can cause blood problems and anemia in your cat.
Avocado – Avocados contain persin. This can lead to digestive issues, respiratory issues, heart problems, vomiting, and possibly death.
These are just five of the things that you want to avoid giving to your cat. If you want your cat to be happy, healthy, and live a long life, it’s best to stick with one of the cat foods we have listed here. They have everything in them that your cat needs to be healthy.
3 Tips for Your Cat’s Bowl
Image Credit: Alexander_Evgenyevich, Shutterstock
Finally, now that we have looked at the food that you should buy your cat, what should you serve your cat her food in? Below are some tips when choosing your cat’s dish.
1. Don’t Use Plastic
Oil and bacteria will build up in the scratches in the bowl and may cause acne. This will look like black dots on their chin. Choose a bowl made of stainless steel or ceramic.
2. Consider the Bowl’s Depth
A cat will prefer bowls and dishes that are wide and fairly shallow. When your cat sticks its face into the bowl too far, it might be uncomfortable. This may be because they don’t like the feel of it around their whiskers, or they can’t see their environment.
3. Make Sure the Bowls are Clean
Your cat’s dishes should be washed daily using water and soap. Dry food is often oily, and bacteria can build up and smell. If your cat is fed wet food, the bowls should be washed after every feeding.
We hope that we have helped you with finding the right food for your Bengal with our reviews. In our opinion, the best Bengal cat food overall is Smalls Fresh Cow Recipe. If you are looking for the best value cat food for Bengals, then Tiki Cat Succulent Chicken Canned Cat Food is a great choice.
As cat owners, we know how hard it can be to investigate the numerous products available for your cat. That’s why we have tried to make it a little bit easier for you. Have a wonderful and long life with your cat, and treasure the time you share.
Christian is the Editor-in-Chief of Excited Cats and one of its original and primary contributors. A lifelong cat lover, now based in South East Asia, Christian and his wife are the proud parents of an 11-year-old son and four rescue cats: Trixie, Chloe, Sparky, and Chopper.
