20 cans compared

Hill's Science Diet vs Instinct

The typical Instinct can gets 3.5% of its calories from carbohydrate, against 21.1% for Hill's Science Diet. Hill's Science Diet has 2 of 11 recipes under the 10% low-carb line; Instinct has 5 of 9. Below, every number is worked out the same way from each can’s label.

Hill's Science Diet

Instinct

Hill's Science Diet vs Instinct at a glance

Typical values are the middle recipe of each brand. Shares are of calories, so textures compare fairly. Marked cells show the better value where the gap is meaningful.

	Hill's Science Diet	Instinct
Cans we compare	11	9
Typical carbs, % of calories	21.1%	3.5%
Carb range	3.9–35%	0–25.9%
Recipes under 10% carbs	2 of 11	5 of 9
Typical protein, % of calories	43%	40%
Typical fat, % of calories	37%	60%
Calories per ounce	30	38
Calories per can	72–212	67–122
Recipes with published phosphorus	0 of 11	0 of 9
Typical phosphorus, mg per 100 kcal	—	—
Confirmed for kittens	3 of 11	9 of 9
Chicken-free recipes	0 of 11	6 of 9
Fish-free recipes	2 of 11	2 of 9
Textures	Pâté, Chunks in gravy	Pâté, Flaked

Lowest-carb can from each brand

The recipe with the smallest share of calories from carbohydrate on each side, leaving out toppers meant for supplemental feeding.

Put these two side by side

Hill's Science Diet5.5 oz

Kitten with Salmon

Pâté · 212 kcal per can

Carbs: 3.9%
Protein: 43%
Phosphorus: not listed

Protein 43%Fat 53%Carbs 4%

Low carb

Instinct3 oz

Limited Ingredient Paté Real Turkey Entrée

Pâté · 113 kcal per can

Carbs: 0%
Protein: 40%
Phosphorus: not listed

Protein 40%Fat 60%Carbs 0%

Low carbNo chickenNo fish

Same texture, head to head

For each texture both brands make, the lowest-carb recipe from each.

Texture	Hill's Science Diet	Instinct
Pâté	Kitten with Salmon3.9% carbs · 43% protein · 212 kcal	Limited Ingredient Paté Real Turkey Entrée0% carbs · 40% protein · 113 kcal

Which to choose, by what your cat needs

For a diabetic or overweight cat

Instinct is the lower-carb line overall. Its lowest-carb recipe is Limited Ingredient Paté Real Turkey Entrée at 0% of calories; Hill's Science Diet’s is Kitten with Salmon at 3.9%. Both brands have recipes under the 10% line (5 of 9 against 2 of 11), so the right recipe matters more than the brand.

For kidney concerns

Hill's Science Diet doesn’t publish phosphorus on the pages we checked. Instinct doesn’t publish phosphorus on the pages we checked. Without published values neither brand can be checked for phosphorus from the label alone; ask the maker for a typical analysis.

For kittens

Hill's Science Diet has 3 of 11 recipes whose label we could confirm covers growth or all life stages; Instinct has 9 of 9. A missing statement doesn’t mean a can is unsuitable, only that we couldn’t verify it.

For allergies and picky eaters

Chicken-free: Hill's Science Diet 0 of 11, Instinct 6 of 9. Fish-free: Hill's Science Diet 2 of 11, Instinct 2 of 9. Textures: Hill's Science Diet makes pâté, chunks in gravy; Instinct makes pâté, flaked.

Questions about Hill's Science Diet vs Instinct

Is Hill's Science Diet or Instinct lower in carbs?

The typical Instinct can gets 3.5% of its calories from carbohydrate, against 21.1% for Hill's Science Diet. Hill's Science Diet has 2 of 11 recipes under the 10% low-carb line; Instinct has 5 of 9.

Which has more protein, Hill's Science Diet or Instinct?

Instinct. Its typical can gets 40% of calories from protein, against 43% for Hill's Science Diet. Hill's Science Diet has 0 of 11 recipes over 50% protein calories; Instinct has 0 of 9.

Which is more filling per ounce?

Hill's Science Diet. Its cans average 30 calories per ounce against 38 for Instinct, so a cat needs fewer ounces of it to get the same calories.

Do Hill's Science Diet and Instinct publish phosphorus?

Hill's Science Diet doesn’t publish phosphorus on the pages we checked. Instinct doesn’t publish phosphorus on the pages we checked.

Which is better for a diabetic cat, Hill's Science Diet or Instinct?

Carbs are what matter most, and Instinct has the lower-carb line with 5 of 9 recipes under 10%. The best single choice is a specific recipe, not a brand: Kitten with Salmon (3.9%) from Hill's Science Diet or Limited Ingredient Paté Real Turkey Entrée (0%) from Instinct. Change a diabetic cat’s food only with your vet.