Last updated Jun 30, 2026
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Marketed as a super-premium cat food brand, Evolve cat food products are sold primarily in grocery stores and discount stores. The pricing is attractive to many cat owners, as is the variety of flavors the products have to offer. But is Evolve worth feeding to your cat? Find out in this detailed review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Evolve on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Evolve and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 6/10
- Ingredient Quality – 6/10
- Product Variety – 5/10
- Price – 9/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 4/10
Overall Score: 6.2/10
We give Evolve cat food a 37 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.
About Evolve Cat Food
Evolve is a pet food brand owned by American pet food manufacturer Sunshine Mills. Other brands in the Sunshine Mills family include Triumph, Veterinary Select, and Nurture Farms. In addition to its own brands, Sunshine Mills also produces food for private label brands like Abound, Nature’s Promise, and Natural Life.
Sunshine Mills is based in Red Bay, Alabama. It’s a family-owned business that was started by Omer Bullen and Fred Bostick, Jr. in 1947. The company grew rapidly with the release of its first dry pet food products (kibble) in the 1960s and went international in the 1980s.
It’s unclear when the Evolve brand was launched. Evolve pet foods are marketed as super-premium products but sold at affordable prices. Most recipes feature animal protein as the first ingredient and don’t contain artificial additives.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
All Evolve cat food products are manufactured in the United States. Because Sunshine Mills produces pet food for a wide range of private label brands, it’s likely that Evolve products are made in more than one facility.
Sunshine Mills doesn’t offer any specific details about the production of Evolve products or the sourcing of ingredients. The only information readily available about ingredients comes from the packaging itself which states that the food is made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients. The dry food packaging states that it’s made in the USA with ingredients from the USA and Canada.
Has Evolve Cat Food Been Recalled?
Yes, Evolve cat food products have been recalled several times. In 2007, Evolve was one of the brands involved in the historic worldwide pet food recall due to melamine contamination.
More recently, certain Evolve dry cat foods and dog foods were recalled in July 2021. This voluntary recall was issued due to potentially elevated levels of aflatoxin in the food. Some Evolve dry dog foods were also recalled in 2018 due to low levels of vitamin D.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Evolve Offer?
Evolve offers a wide variety of wet and dry foods for both dogs and cats. The cat food line contains about a dozen different recipes of dry cat food, pates, and chunky wet foods.
Here’s a complete list of Evolve products currently in production:
- Evolve Grain-Free Ocean Whitefish & Egg Dry Cat Food
- Evolve Grain-Free Deboned Chicken & Chickpea Dry Cat Food
- Evolve Grain-Free Chicken, Pea, & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Kitten Food
- Evolve Classic Deboned Salmon, Rice, & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Cat Food
- Evolve Classic Deboned Chicken & Brown Rice Formula Dry Cat Food
- Evolve Classic Crafted Meals Chicken Recipe Pate
- Evolve Classic Crafted Meals Liver Recipe Pate
- Evolve Classic Crafted Meals Salmon Recipe Pate
- Evolve Classic Crafted Meals Seafood Medley Recipe Pate
- Evolve Salmon & Sweet Potato Stew in Gravy Grain-Free Wet Cat Food
- Evolve Chicken & Beef Recipe in Gravy Grain-Free Wet Cat Food
- Evolve Turkey Stew with Vegetables in Gravy Grain-Free Wet Cat Food
Evolve dry cat foods are divided into classic and grain-free recipes. They’re sold in volumes of 2.75, 3, or 11 pounds, depending on the recipe. All the recipes appear to feature animal-sourced protein as the first ingredient. Evolve’s dry foods are about as carbohydrate-heavy as you’d expect from budget-friendly kibble but they don’t contain corn, wheat, soy, or artificial additives.
Evolve’s wet cat foods are split between pates sold in 3.5-ounce metal trays and chunky stews in gravy, which are sold in 3-ounce pouches. Again, the ingredients lists all start with animal protein as the first ingredient. The pouches are only sold in single-recipe cases but the pates are available in two different variety packs of two flavors each.
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
To test Evolve cat food, I ordered one dry food recipe and two wet foods. For the wet food, I bought a case of the Salmon & Sweet Potato Stew as well as the Chicken & Liver Recipe variety pack of Classic Crafted Meals.
Oddly, the ingredients list for the two variety pack recipes didn’t match what was listed on the box they came in. In fact, both recipes showed the same list of ingredients which doesn’t match any product currently sold on Chewy or Amazon.
Packaging discrepancies aside, my cat Munchkin really enjoyed Evolve products. She normally prefers pate over chunky foods, often choosing to just lick up the gravy for the latter, but she happily ate everything.
Evolve Cat Food—Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Primary Protein | Calories Per Ounce | Price | Our Grade |
| Evolve Grain-Free Deboned Chicken & Chickpea Dry Cat Food | Dry | Chicken | 100 | $0.19 per ounce | C+ |
| Evolve Classic Crafted Meals Liver Recipe Pate Wet Cat Food | Wet | Chicken | 28 | $0.42 | C |
| Evolve Salmon & Sweet Potato Stew in Gravy Wet Cat Food | Wet | Salmon | 27 | $0.50 | B- |
#1 Evolve Grain-Free Deboned Chicken & Chickpea Dry Cat Food
Featuring chicken and chicken meal as the top two ingredients, this protein-rich dry cat food from Evolve provides complete and balanced nutrition for cats in all life stages. It’s a grain-free formula, made with peas and chickpeas as the primary carbohydrates. Though we prefer whole grains to peas and legumes in terms of nutrition, many cats are able to tolerate these ingredients without issue.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Measured as dry matter, this dry cat food formula contains almost 41% protein and about 17% fat. Like most dry foods, it’s high in carbohydrates and doesn’t provide the hydrating moisture your cat would get from wet food. The food is, however, free from the artificial additives and highly processed grains often found in products at a similar price point.
Overall, this recipe appears to rely mostly on animal-sourced proteins and fats. It’s moderately calorie-dense at about 100 calories per ounce and economically priced. Plus, it comes in very small, round kibbles that should be easy for both kittens and adult cats to eat.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Chickpeas, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Chicken Flavor, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Fish Oil, Dried Carrots, Dried Blueberries, Dried Cranberries, Dried Apples, Minerals (Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Manganese Proteinate), Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source Of Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin).
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Chicken Fat, Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Chickpeas
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Top three ingredients are animal-sourced proteins
- Primary source of added fat is animal-based
- Contains over 40% protein measured as dry matter
- Enhanced with prebiotics and probiotics
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains peas and legumes as main ingredients
- No dry food provides the hydrating moisture your cat needs
#2 Evolve Classic Crafted Meals Liver Recipe Pate Wet Cat Food
Featuring mixed poultry ingredients at the top of the list, this wet cat food also contains chicken liver. It’s a smooth, high-moisture pate but also seems to have a significant amount of liquid in the tray. This food might be a good fit for cats who have trouble chewing.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Notably, the product I received from Chewy had different ingredients and guaranteed analysis values than what’s listed on both Chewy and Amazon. I bought the variety pack of Chicken and Liver recipes, both of which had an identical list of ingredients printed on the trays. The box the individual trays came in, however, showed separate ingredients lists matching the ones online.
It’s worth keeping this in mind. If you’re purchasing Evolve products based on the ingredients, consider that the product you receive might be different depending on where you buy it. The following information comes from Chewy’s listing:
Ingredients
Poultry, Water Sufficient For Processing, Chicken Liver, Calcium Carbonate, Powdered Cellulose, Locust Bean Gum, Carrageenan, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Guar Gum, Canola Oil, Salt, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Carbonate, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Manganese Sulfate, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Biotin.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken Liver
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Canola Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Contains over 54% protein measured as dry matter
- Good source of hydrating moisture for cats
- Pate texture is easy for cats to eat
- Available in a variety pack
What We Didn’t Like:
- First ingredient is a vague mix of poultry
- Information on product packaging was inconsistent
#3 Evolve Salmon & Sweet Potato Stew in Gravy Wet Cat Food
Featuring meaty chunks in a flavorful gravy, this wet cat food comes in 3-ounce pouches. The first five ingredients are all animal-sourced, coming from a mixture of salmon, chicken, and egg. The only source of added fat is sunflower oil which appears near the end of the list.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Measured as dry matter, this recipe contains 50% protein and about 17% fat. Though sweet potato appears in the top 10 ingredients, potato starch is the first listed carbohydrate. These two ingredients likely contribute most of the food’s carbohydrate content (which is estimated over 20% dry matter) while guar gum is used to thicken the salmon broth to a gravy-like consistency.
As some customers have commented, the meaty chunks in this food are very large and somewhat awkwardly shaped. Instead of bite-sized chunks or narrow shreds, they’re big and rectangular. Cats with dental issues may find this food difficult to eat in comparison to a pate-style recipe like the previous formula.
Again, the ingredients listed on the packaging for the products I received differ from what’s listed on Chewy and Amazon. The following information comes from Chewy’s listing:
Ingredients
Salmon Broth, Salmon, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Product, Potato Starch, Sweet Potatoes, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Ground Flaxseed, Blueberries, Cranberries, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Vitamins (Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Sodium Carbonate, Sunflower Oil, Taurine, Inulin, Dl-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate.
Ingredients We Liked: Salmon, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Product
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Potato Starch, Guar Gum
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Top five ingredients are all animal-sourced
- Contains 50% protein measured as dry matter
- Rich in hydrating moisture for cats
- Free from artificial colors and flavors
What We Didn’t Like:
- Large chunks may be difficult for some cats to eat
- Contains over 20% dry matter carbohydrate
What Do Customers Think of Evolve Cat Food?
Evolve’s customer reviews are generally more positive than negative but the products don’t receive consistently great palatability scores. A noticeable number of customers say their cats didn’t like Evolve food, particularly their dry recipes.
There also aren’t a significant number of customer reviews online for this brand. With about a dozen different recipes available on Chewy, none had more than 210 ratings at the time of writing this review and most had fewer than 50. Evolve’s wet foods have higher average ratings than the dry foods, with most wet foods receiving 4 out of 5 stars and the dry foods ranging from 3.3 to 3.9 stars, on average.
Positive Reviews
Satisfied customers frequently comment on the quality of ingredients and price of Evolve cat food products. Some say their cats won’t eat anything else. Unfortunately, the majority of positive reviews for this brand seem to be over a year old.
“Lady loves all of the flavors of Evolve, but the liver is her very favorite. She really seems to like the texture, and I like the quality and price.” -Kristen reviewing Evolve Classic Crafted Meals on Chewy, November 23, 2025
“He only eats Evolve dry and a small amount of store brand canned food. He’s a chonky guy!” -Sara reviewing Evolve Classic Deboned Chicken dry cat food on Chewy, April 6, 2026
Negative Reviews
Dissatisfied customers often say that their cats simply wouldn’t eat the food. In several cases, customers report mixing Evolve dry food with another brand only for their cat to eat around it in the bowl. Evolve wet foods seem a little more popular but some cats lick up the liquid or gravy without eating the pieces.
“This product is not a favorite of my cats. I mixed it in with food they were already eating and quite often they would leave this kibble in the bowl and eat around it.” -Smudgie reviewing Evolve Deboned Chicken & Brown Rice dry cat food on Chewy, March 2, 2026
“The chunks of food are really big, which is probably why my cat doesn’t want to eat this. She eats this flavor of dry kibble all the time. I’m going to try smashing the chunks so that they are smaller.” -Janice reviewing Evolve Salmon & Sweet Potato Stew on Chewy, February 9, 2026
How Much Does Evolve Cat Food Cost?
While Evolve products carry a “super premium food for cats” claim on the packaging, the food is fairly moderate in terms of pricing. However, the cost depends on the recipe. Evolve dry foods range from $3.10 to $5.50 per pound ($0.19 to $0.34 per ounce), though the pricier formulas are only available in small bags. Evolve wet cat foods average around $0.40 to $0.50 per ounce.
To calculate estimated daily feeding cost for Evolve products, we use the average caloric needs of a healthy 10-pound cat. For Evolve dry cat food, we estimate a daily cost of $0.38 to $0.68. The daily feeding cost for Evolve wet foods might range from $3.00 to $4.00.
Where is Evolve Cat Food Sold?
You can access Evolve’s full range of cat food products on the brand’s website. However, some products are only available in certain sizes. For example, you can buy 11-pound bags of some dry food recipes directly from the brand but not the smaller 3-pound bags.
Evolve products are also sold on Chewy and Amazon, where you have a greater selection of product sizes. To find products in-store, you can use the brand’s store locator. This brand seems to be sold primarily by discount retailers and grocery stores.
Overall, Is Evolve Cat Food a Good Choice?
Evolve is an economically priced cat food brand that offers a decent range of products. In addition to individual recipes, you can buy some of the wet foods in variety packs. The wet food comes in popular flavors and multiple textures. This brand could be a good fit if you’re primarily feeding your cat dry food but want to mix in some wet food without significantly increasing your monthly cat food cost.
If your cat has food allergies or sensitivities, however, Evolve may not be a good choice for several reasons. Not only is the food likely processed on shared equipment, but I experienced some inconsistencies with ingredients lists on retailer websites versus the packaging of the products I received.
It’s also worth noting that a significant number of Evolve’s customer reviews from the past two years are negative. While the brand does have positive reviews, many are either several years old or were written by people who received free products. If you have other options available to you, it may be worth investing in a brand that offers greater consistency and transparency.
Similar Brands
Looking for other cat food brands similar to Evolve? Check out some of our other brand reviews.
Well I purchased this wet food on 10/8 and my cats like it so far but one is throwing up and I’m sure the root cause is from the immediate switching of foods. This food smells like something humans can eat. For me that’s a plus. So I am going to keep this in their diet for a bit to see how it goes. If my baby keeps throwing up then I’m throwing it out! That simple.
Hi Vanessa, good luck with this new food. I hope your cat feels better soon.
I bought Evolve dry cat food because it was a BOGO and they like variety. Put a scoop in each bowl. Male cat took a few bites and walked away, refused to eat more, he eats anything. Female sniffed and walked away.
I ran out of the usual dry and left them with bowls of Evolve overnight. Untouched and had to feed wet food this morning.
Returning it today.
I bought the pink bag of dry food for cats. Salmon, rice, and seeet potato. I asked my grocer if it was recalled because both my cats refuse to touch it. Something is def wrong with it, and this is the second bag I’ve purchased. The first one, only one of my cats would eat. By the second bag she refused and would go to my other cats bowl so I realized something was wrong and am returning to the store.
Yikes! It’s certainly possible that there’s something off with the food, though I wasn’t able to find any information suggesting a recent recall. Pet food brands do sometimes reformulate their products without informing customers, so it could be that the product smells different than it once did. It sounds like you’ve only recently begun feeding your cats Evolve, however, so I’m not sure that would be the case.
Have you checked the “best by” dates on the food? If the food is still fresh and your cats don’t seem interested it may just be a matter of preference. Cats can be picky and if a food doesn’t appeal to their sense of smell they may not bother trying it at all. You could dry adding a little bone broth or a wet food topper. Otherwise, it may be best to simply try another recipe to see if your cat likes that better. Good luck!
most cats dont like sweet potato, naturally, not sure why some brands insist on using it.
This is absolutely the best cat food eveerrrr… My 2 cats love it and it’s main 3 ingredients aren’t corn or wheat or some unnatural fillers felines would never eat in nature… And the price.. THE PRICE CANT BE BEAT… IM A LIFETIME CUSTOMER.. 5 STARS⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Glad you and your cat like it, Dean! Thanks for sharing your experience 😊