Most polymers used in commercial kinetic hydrate inhibitor (KHI) formulations show thermoresponsive behavior in aqueous solution. This means that they exhibit a cloud point (or lower critical solution temperature) which is often low and not far above the equilibrium temperature for gas hydrate formation. For example, poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) has a cloud point of about 30-40 degrees C and poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) has a cloud point of about 35-45 degrees C depending on the molecular weight and method of polymerization. This report is divided into two parts. First, we review previous KHI studies and show that low cloud point is a useful factor, but not the most critical factor, to be considered within a specific class of polymers in designing a high-performance KHI. This statement is supported in the second part of this report, which is an experimental KHI study. In this study, we present results of KHI tests for a natural gas/deionized water structure II gas hydrate-forming system using low cloud point polymers with a variety of different shapes, molecular weights, functional groups, and sizes of pendant hydrophobic groups. We conclude that the low cloud point, near the hydrate formation temperature, appears to be useful for high KHI efficacy of a polymer but only if certain criteria are met. These include low molecular weight, pendant hydrophobic groups of an optimal size close to the polymer backbone, and the correct hydrophilic functional groups. Possible theories as to why low cloud point for a KHI polymer can be beneficial are discussed, as well as some guidelines for the KHI polymer design.