🐈 Best Cat Food in Germany:
A Buyer's Guide for Expats
Choosing the best cat food in Germany is less about the brand and more about a few biological facts. Once you understand what cats actually need, and how to read a German label, the overwhelming pet aisle gets a lot simpler.
1. Start Here: Cats Are Obligate Carnivores
Unlike dogs, cats are obligate carnivores: they are built to live on animal protein and cannot thrive on a plant-heavy diet. Two things follow from this, and they drive every good buying decision:
- Taurine is essential. Cats cannot make enough of this amino acid themselves. A deficiency causes heart disease and blindness, so a complete cat food always adds it. Never feed a cat dog food.
- High animal protein, low carbohydrate. Cats have little use for carbs. A named meat high on the ingredient list matters more than any marketing term.
2. Wet vs Dry Food (and Why Moisture Matters)
Cats descend from desert animals and have a famously low thirst drive, so many do not drink enough water on their own. That makes moisture a real health issue, not a preference.
Wet food (Nassfutter)
High moisture supports hydration, urinary, and kidney health. Usually higher meat content and very palatable. The recommended staple for most cats.
Best as the main diet
Dry food (Trockenfutter)
Convenient, cheaper, easy to leave out. But very low moisture. Fine as a supplement or for grazing, less ideal as the only food.
Best in combination
A common, practical approach is wet food as the staple with a little dry for grazing, plus always-available fresh water (many cats prefer a water fountain).
3. How to Decode German Cat Food Labels
- Alleinfuttermittel = a complete food, safe to feed as the main diet. This is what you want.
- Ergänzungsfuttermittel = complementary food (topper or treat). Not balanced to feed alone, and may lack taurine.
- Fleischanteil = meat content. A high, named percentage ("60% Huhn") is a good sign.
- Taurin = taurine. Listed under additives in a proper complete food.
- Getreidefrei = grain-free. Only relevant for a diagnosed sensitivity; high protein matters more.
- Ohne Zucker = no added sugar (you do not want sugar in cat food).
Quick quality test
Look for Alleinfuttermittel, a named meat as the first ingredient with a high percentage, and added taurine. Skip foods that lead with grains, sugar, or vague "animal derivatives".
4. Where to Buy Cat Food in Germany
- Pet superstores: Fressnapf and Das Futterhaus carry budget to premium, with staff advice.
- Supermarkets & drugstores: REWE, EDEKA, DM, and Rossmann stock mainstream wet and dry food.
- Online: zooplus*, fressnapf.de, and Amazon have the widest premium wet-food range and the best bulk prices.
- Your vet clinic: prescription urinary, kidney, and weight diets for medical needs. Discuss these with a vet first.
*Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
5. How to Choose the Right Food for Your Cat
- Life stage: Kitten (Kitten/Junior), Adult, and Senior formulas match different needs.
- Indoor vs outdoor: indoor cats are less active and prone to weight gain, so portion control matters.
- Health flags: straining in the litter box, frequent vomiting, or sudden weight change deserve a vet visit, not a guess.
- Always confirm Alleinfuttermittel with taurine for the main meal.
Urinary problems are common in cats and can become emergencies fast, especially in males. If your cat strains to urinate or stops eating, treat it as urgent. For routine diet questions or a check-up, you can find a verified English-speaking vet near you, with practices in Berlin, Hamburg, and 30+ other cities. If you have just arrived, our guide to your first vet visit in Germany covers what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cat food in Germany?+
The best cat food is a complete food ('Alleinfuttermittel') with a high, named meat content, added taurine, and low carbohydrate, chosen to suit your cat's age and health. Cats are obligate carnivores, so animal protein matters far more than the brand name. Germany offers strong options from supermarket trays to premium wet food.
Wet or dry food for cats?+
Wet food is generally better as the staple for cats. Cats evolved from desert animals and have a low thirst drive, so they often do not drink enough water. Wet food ('Nassfutter') keeps them hydrated and supports urinary and kidney health. Dry food ('Trockenfutter') is convenient and fine in combination, but a dry-only diet raises the risk of urinary problems for some cats.
Why do cats need taurine?+
Taurine is an essential amino acid that cats cannot make in sufficient amounts. A deficiency can cause serious heart disease and vision loss. Complete cat foods ('Alleinfuttermittel') add taurine, which is one reason you should never feed a cat dog food or a food labelled only as 'Ergänzungsfuttermittel' (complementary) as its main meal.
Is grain-free ('getreidefrei') cat food better?+
What matters most for cats is high animal protein and low carbohydrate, not the word grain-free itself. Cats have little need for carbohydrates, so a high-meat recipe is usually the better signal of quality. Grain-free only matters specifically if your cat has a diagnosed grain sensitivity.
Where can I buy cat food in Germany?+
Pet stores (Fressnapf, Das Futterhaus), supermarkets and drugstores (REWE, EDEKA, DM, Rossmann), online retailers (zooplus, fressnapf.de, Amazon), and your vet clinic for prescription urinary or kidney diets. Online usually has the widest premium wet-food range.