Our pick for the best cat food for sensitive stomachs in Australia is Hill's Science Diet, thanks to its highly digestible Sensitive Stomach & Skin formula, a favourite with Australian vets and backed by clinical research. Below are five we rate, from everyday sensitive formulas right through to limited-ingredient options.
Scored by the Pet Reviews independent review board
Independent scoring · Updated June 2026 · Not veterinary advice
Not veterinary advice. If your cat has persistent digestive symptoms, please see your vet before changing their diet — symptoms can indicate conditions beyond simple dietary sensitivity.
Our #1 for sensitive stomachs
Hill's Science Diet
Best for sensitive stomachs · $$$$
A safe, vet-backed choice for sensitive stomachs and clinical needs, but you pay a premium for the science, not the ingredients.
Fewer ingredients means fewer things that could be the trigger. Look for a short, clear list: ideally one or two proteins, a carbohydrate and the essential nutrients, and not much else.
It's far easier to find a protein your cat is happy on when the recipe sticks to just one. Handy for cats that react to common proteins like chicken.
Foods labelled 'sensitive' or 'digestive care' choose proteins and carbs for how easily they're digested, which takes some of the load off a touchy gut.
Artificial colours, flavours and preservatives don't earn their place and can add to gut irritation. Look for 'no artificial additives' on the pack.
If sensitivities or allergies have been confirmed, a vet-formulated sensitive or hypoallergenic diet is a safer bet than a vague 'natural' claim on the front.
Frequent vomiting, loose stools or skin irritation can come from all sorts of things. A vet check before you switch food makes sure you're solving the right problem.
Chosen for limited-ingredient formulation, single-protein options, vet recommendation and how easily you'll find them in Australia.
Hill's Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin is one of the formulas Australian vets reach for most when digestion is the issue. The recipe leans on highly digestible ingredients, prebiotic fibre and omega-6 fatty acids for skin and coat. And if your vet points you to a therapeutic diet, Hill's z/d (prescription) is the gold standard for confirmed food allergies.
Royal Canin Sensitive Digestion uses a carefully chosen blend of highly digestible proteins and just-right fibre levels to cut down stool volume and odour — a dependable clinical choice. For cats with confirmed food protein allergies, Royal Canin Hypoallergenic (prescription) uses hydrolysed protein to keep the immune response in check.
ZIWI Peak's single-region recipes stick to one animal protein per variant, which makes it much easier to pin down a protein your cat gets on with. The short, natural ingredient list leaves out the usual irritants like grains, additives and artificial preservatives that can upset a sensitive stomach.
Applaws is built around a short, clean ingredient list with plenty of named meat, no artificial additives and no filler for the sake of it. The limited-ingredient wet range is well worth a try for cats that react to busier recipes; just make sure you pick a 'complete' product if it's going to be the whole diet.
Advance Sensitive is an Australian-made, vet-recommended formula for digestive and skin sensitivity at a sensible everyday price. It's widely stocked and far easier to get than a prescription diet, which makes it a practical first step before you look at therapeutic options.
Overall scores from our 100-point cat food index. Sensitive-stomach picks selected editorially for digestive suitability. Not a substitute for veterinary advice.
The usual telltale signs are frequent vomiting (more than the odd hairball), loose or soft stools, a lot of wind, a dull coat and skin irritation. A bit of occasional vomiting is normal for cats, but if it's happening often, or comes with weight loss or low energy, see your vet. Those symptoms can point to all sorts of things beyond a simple food sensitivity.
Common culprits are artificial colours, flavours and preservatives; grain fillers like corn and wheat gluten; unnamed meat by-products; and high-fat recipes. Some cats react to a particular protein, too — chicken is the one that comes up most. A limited-ingredient or single-protein food makes it far easier to work out what's setting your cat off.
If your vet suspects a genuine food allergy rather than general sensitivity, they may suggest a hydrolysed-protein or novel-protein elimination diet — a strict 6–12-week stretch feeding just one protein your cat has never had before. It only really works done under your vet's guidance, so it's not one to try solo.
Not necessarily. Grains are only really an issue for cats with a specific intolerance, and most sensitive stomachs are reacting to the protein rather than the grain. That said, grain-free recipes often come with simpler ingredient lists and fewer additives, which suits some cats nicely. The thing to judge is the overall ingredient quality, not grain-free as a shortcut.
No. Pet Reviews is an independent comparison resource, and this isn't veterinary advice. If your cat has digestive symptoms that won't settle, please see your vet before trying a new diet, because symptoms can signal underlying conditions that need proper diagnosis and treatment.