Last updated Apr 2, 2026
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Could this Chewy brand be the low-cost, high-quality food you’ve been waiting for? Find out in our comprehensive American Journey cat food review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating American Journey on What Matters
We’ve analyzed American Journey 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 – 7/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 8/10
- Customer Experience – 9/10
- Recall History – 8/10
Overall Score: 7.5/10
We give American Journey cat food a 45 out of 60 rating or a B+ grade.
About American Journey
American Journey is a Chewy‑exclusive brand launched in 2017. It is marketed as a high‑quality, natural pet food line offered at a reasonable price point. While the brand checks many of the boxes associated with on‑trend “better” pet foods with grain‑free options, named meats, and clean packaging, good marketing doesn’t always translate to exceptional nutrition.
In this review, you’ll learn where American Journey is made, how the brand sources its ingredients, what its recall history looks like, and whether its recipes meet our standards for species-appropriate cat nutrition.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
American Journey cat food is manufactured in the United States by third‑party partners. While Chewy does not publicly disclose the specific co‑packer, production has been associated with facilities located in Kansas. The wet food line is produced in Thailand, a common location for fish‑based canned foods.
Ingredients are primarily sourced from the United States, with additional sourcing from trusted suppliers in countries including Mexico, China, Chile, Canada, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Has American Journey Cat Food Been Recalled?
No. American Journey cat food has never been recalled. The brand has a clean safety record, with no recalls affecting any of its cat food products.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does American Journey Offer?
American Journey offers a selection of grain‑free wet and dry cat foods. Their wet foods come in pâté and minced‑in‑gravy textures, with single‑protein and multi‑protein recipes. Protein options include chicken, turkey, salmon, and beef‑and‑chicken blends. While the lineup has evolved over the years, the brand continues to focus on meat‑first, grain‑free formulations at an accessible price point.
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| American Journey Grain Free Turkey & Chicken Recipe | Dry | $3.09 per lb | B- |
| American Journey Grain-Free Salmon Recipe | Dry | $2.83 per lb | B- |
| American Journey Paté Turkey & Salmon Recipe | Wet | $0.13 per oz | B+ |
#1 American Journey Turkey & Chicken Recipe Grain‑Free Dry Cat Food
Turkey appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
This grain‑free formula begins with deboned turkey, turkey meal, and chicken meal, providing a concentrated base of animal‑sourced protein. Tapioca starch appears next as the primary carbohydrate binder, followed by dried egg product, pea protein, and peas. Like most grain‑free kibbles, the recipe relies heavily on legumes and starches, which increase the carbohydrate content and inflate the crude protein percentage without offering the same amino acid profile as meat.
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Besides the poultry ingredients, the food includes menhaden fish meal and chicken fat, both of which contribute additional animal-derived nutrients. Deboned chicken appears mid‑list, adding another identifiable meat ingredient. The recipe also contains a small assortment of fruits and vegetables like spinach, apples, blueberries, carrots, cranberries, and pumpkin, but these ingredients offer minimal nutritional value for obligate carnivores.
The food includes the standard group of added vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, along with probiotics and multiple fermentation extracts intended to support digestive health.
Overall, this food has high protein content, moderate fat, and moderate carbohydrate content. While it features several named meat ingredients and avoids corn, wheat, and soy, it remains a fairly typical grain‑free kibble with a heavy reliance on legumes and plant‑based binders.
The food contains 395 calories per cup.
Ingredients
Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Tapioca Starch, Dried Egg Product, Pea Protein, Peas, Deboned Chicken, Natural Flavor, Menhaden Fish Meal, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Pea Fiber, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Inulin, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Salt, Spinach, Apples, Blueberries, Carrots, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Copper Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, L-Carnitine, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Rosemary Extract, Yeast Culture, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Multiple named meat ingredients
- High protein content for a dry food
- Includes menhaden fish meal and dried egg for amino acid diversity
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- Added probiotics and fermentation extracts
Cons
- Heavy reliance on legumes (peas, pea protein)
- Higher carbohydrate content than ideal for obligate carnivores
- Still a dry food with low moisture compared to wet diets
#2 American Journey Salmon Recipe Grain‑Free Dry Cat Food
Salmon appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
This grain‑free formula begins with deboned salmon, salmon meal, and menhaden fish meal, providing a concentrated base of animal‑sourced protein. Tapioca starch appears next as the primary carbohydrate binder, followed by dried egg product, pea protein, and peas. Like most grain‑free kibbles, the recipe relies heavily on legumes and starches, which increase the carbohydrate content and inflate the crude protein percentage without offering the same amino acid profile as meat.
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
The food contains canola oil, flaxseed, and chicken fat as additional fat sources, along with a small assortment of fruits and vegetables such as spinach, apples, blueberries, carrots, cranberries, and pumpkin, though these ingredients offer little nutritional value for obligate carnivores. It also includes probiotics and multiple fermentation extracts intended to support digestive health.
Overall, this food has high protein content, moderate fat, and moderate carbohydrate content. While it features several named animal proteins and avoids corn, wheat, and soy, it remains a fairly typical grain‑free kibble with a heavy reliance on legumes and plant‑based binders.
The food contains 410 calories per cup.
Ingredients
Deboned Salmon, Salmon Meal, Tapioca Starch, Menhaden Fish Meal, Dried Egg Product, Pea Protein, Peas, Natural Flavor, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Pea Fiber, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, DL‑Methionine, Salt, Spinach, Apples, Blueberries, Carrots, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, L‑Carnitine, Manganese Sulfate, D‑Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Proteinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Rosemary Extract, Yeast Culture, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Extract.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- High protein content for a dry food
- Includes omega‑rich fish ingredients and relatively high omega‑3 level
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- Added probiotics and fermentation extracts for digestive support
- Moderate fat level appropriate for many adult cats
Cons
- Carbohydrate content is higher than ideal for obligate carnivores
- “Dry format” means low moisture, less hydrating than wet or raw diets
- Fruits and veggies are more marketing than meaningful feline nutrition
#3 American Journey Pâté Turkey & Salmon Recipe
Turkey appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This grain‑free pâté centers around turkey, turkey broth, poultry liver, poultry heart, and salmon, providing a mix of muscle meat and organ meats with an additional fish component. The formula is relatively simple and meat-focused, with flaxseed meal and sunflower oil contributing plant-sourced fats and a trio of gums (guar, cassia, and xanthan) used as thickeners. Small amounts of cranberries and blueberries add a touch of antioxidant boost but don’t significantly impact feline nutrition.
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
The food includes added taurine, fish oil preserved with mixed tocopherols, and a full complement of vitamins and chelated minerals, supporting overall nutritional completeness. On a dry matter basis, it offers high protein, relatively high fat, low carbohydrates, and high moisture, making it more species‑appropriate than most dry foods.
Overall, this is a reasonably good mid‑tier wet food with a meat‑first ingredient list, low estimated carbohydrate content, and no grains or legumes.
Ingredients
Turkey, Turkey Broth, Poultry Liver, Poultry Heart, Salmon, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed Meal, Sunflower Oil, Guar Gum, Cassia Gum, Xanthan Gum, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Cranberries, Blueberries, Minerals (Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Choline Chloride, 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), Magnesium Sulfate, Inulin, Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols).
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Meat-focused formula with turkey, organ meats, and salmon high on the list
- High moisture content, more appropriate for feline hydration
- Includes taurine, fish oil, and chelated minerals
- No grains, legumes, or starchy fillers
Cons
- Uses multiple gums (guar, cassia, xanthan), which some cats don’t tolerate well
- Includes plant‑based fats instead of exclusively animal‑sourced fats
- Cranberries and blueberries are more marketing than meaningful nutrition
What Do Customers Think of American Journey Cat Food?
Based on forum comments and customer reviews, people like American Journey cat food—mostly because it is a fantastic value.
According to customer reviews, dry foods are more well-liked than their wet foods, which get lukewarm ratings. Even the popular Turkey & Salmon pate recipe gets middling reviews, with a whopping 20% of customers giving it just one star. Most unhappy reviewers say their cats didn’t like the way the food tasted or refused to eat it.
Positive Reviews
“In an effort to find a palatable replacement for the discontinued Purina Beyond, I bought this along with Blue Buffalo, Crave, and Reveal. My 5 cats participated in a taste test, and this was the clear winner. It seems at least in their minds to be closest to Purina Beyond if you are looking for an alternative. For a dry food the ingredients are reasonably good. My cats are mostly on a wet diet but they get a small amount of grain-free kibble as well, and sadly they don’t go for the high-end brands like Orijen and Instinct. Purina Beyond was the only dry they would eat, so I’m glad to have found this for them.” – by Lynne, reviewing American Journey Turkey & Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food on Feb 28, 2026
“My cats are pretty picky with their food, but this is their new favorite dry food! they ripped the bag open with their teeth almost immediately because they were so excited. the ingredients are quality and I feel good giving it to them. the price is fair especially for such a good quality dry food” – by tori, reviewing American Journey Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food on Mar 28, 2026
Negative Reviews
“One isn’t picky. The other is. But she was always throwing up. Had to change. I think she just has a sensitive stomach” – by Rhea, reviewing American Journey Turkey & Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food on Feb 24, 2026
“This was recommended in place of Purina Beyond as it was discontinued. I thought I would try it and my cats HATE it. It will sit in their bowl for days before they will eat the smallest amount.” – by Corinna, reviewing American Journey Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food on Mar 16, 2026
How Much Does American Journey Cat Food Cost?
American Journey is one of the more affordable cat food brands on the market. Their dry food recipes typically cost $0.30 to $0.40 per day to feed an average 10‑pound cat, making them budget‑friendly compared to many grain‑free competitors.
If you choose one of American Journey’s wet foods, the daily cost is higher due to the increased moisture content and larger feeding portions. Most cats will eat between a half and a full can per day, depending on their calorie needs, bringing the average cost to around $1.00 to $1.70 per day.
American Journey offers a relatively low‑cost option whether you choose dry or wet food, with wet food naturally landing at the higher end of the price range.
Overall, Is American Journey a Good Choice?
If you want to get a pretty good food at a pretty good price, consider American Journey. Its competitive edge is spelled out in dollars and cents. American Journey wet food is nutritionally similar to brands like Wellness Complete Health at a slightly lower price and its dry food is a few cents per ounce cheaper than similar grain-free kibble.
Where To Buy American Journey Cat Food?
You can only buy American Journey cat food on Chewy.com. This pet product retailer ships to home addresses in the contiguous United States only.
I thought about trying this but its too many thickeners. I want to move away from kibble since grains and legumes are bad for them. Would you recommend anything that doesn’t have so many thickeners that is high quality and not extremely expensive ? I have a lot of cats lol
What do you consider to be too many thickeners? You can find a good variety of wet foods that contain some guar gum at a relatively low price, but I’m not aware of any good wet foods that are entirely thickener-free and not expensive. You might find something you like in our article on the best cheap cat food.
My 6 large cats like the pate’ They look good and are active. I tried the minced for a couple days and they all got diarrhea had to add probiotics to help them get better. We will stick with the pate’
the Turkey formula sat here for a whole day before I donated it to the possums. None of my 5 indoor cats would touch it. The 3 outdoor cats nibbled at it but did not finish it. The formula sounds good but the cats have voted.
The currently turkey pate formula contains bones and should not be fed to pets. It almost killed my youngest cat….we’ve been taking him to the vet for months, trying to figure out what’s making him ill. When we found bone fragments in the can, we had it confirmed with our veterinarian and immediately switched brands. Our cat no longer cries out in pain and vomits several times weekly. No animal should have to suffer the pain he felt. I’ve got several cases that are available for examination and have had ZERO response from the company, other than an offer to ship the cans back to them. I will NOT be returning the cans so they can continue to hide the problem. I paid for them and have asked for no money from them….just to take a bad product off the market. Clearly, they have a quality control issue for this to be going on for so long and apparently they don’t care because I’ve asked for no money, just a recall and they don’t want to take the first step.I will make them available to any testing facility who can help with the recall. I’ve called the FDA, an attorney and a recall group to do this on my own.
Please don’t feed this to your pets until they’ve corrected the problem
April, thank you so much for sharing this and for being so diligent in reporting and making the community aware of what happened. Much appreciated.
April, thank you for the comment. My cat has been throwing up to and I had been feeding him the Turkey pate as well. I would also add that the AJ Landmark Wet Cat food also has bones in it not just the fragmented kind. The Landmark cat food is made in Thailand, I wonder how much of the AJ Wet cat food is made in Thailand? I know they claim it’s made in the USA, but I’m having my doubts. I’m going back to Farmina grain free cat food both wet and dry. I know it’s more expensive, but my cat loved it, and was not throwing it up.
Hi Mallory! Would you say that American Journey’s dry food is better than Blue Buffalo’s?
Hi Nat, yes! American Journey’s dry food is slightly nutritionally superior to Blue Buffalo’s, seemingly placing more of an emphasis on animal-derived, rather than plant-derived, protein. Hope this helps!
I noticed you didn’t review the Landmark Salmon small can. My 4 girls loved it but I don’t think it was Salmon. It looked and smelled like Tuna. To compare I opened a can of people tuna and it was almost identical. This food was not inexpensive and not Salmon. I now am concerned what else is not as it says it is. I am contacting Chewy. Where can I find a review of this?
Hi Roberta,
We recommend using this tool to generate a review on this or any other recipe:
https://petfoodsherpa.com/pet-food-analyser
The price of American Journey wet cat food has sky rocketed in Fall if 2023. A case of 3 oz cans of Chicken Pate jumped from $18 to $36. I ordered 3 cases t9 be delivered in my current autoship only because I had a 50% off promotion. I will NOT be buying it again. One reason I wanted it is because it is fairly low in Phosphorus compared to many wet foods. Will have to look elsewhere because I can’t afford that anymore.
Honestly, to get the same nutritional value as AMJO will be difficult at that price, even with their recent increase in price. More than likely, if they raised prices so have others. Especially, if birds are used or they use ingredients from afar as there is another bird flu outbreak and there have been some logistic issues with off seas shipping for a few months now. I have researched until my fingers bleed trying to find the healthiest food I could find within my limited price range and AMJO was the best. If you CAN find another food with this percentage of protein/fat/carbs, low in ash, has probiotics, and correct levels of phosphorous please let me know. I have 5 cats and have recently been let go from my job. Any recommendation would be great!
hello Mallory Gusta! I was wondering if there are any other cat foods (both wet and dry) that can compare to the protein/fat/carb ratio, with the probiotics, low levels of phosphorous, and ash? All 5 of my cats are rescued from a neighborhood feral colony and this brand has nursed them to health. They have done very well on it. Their fur is super soft and/or shiny, and they are all at a perfect weight. I also add The Honest Kitchen Daily Boosters Instant Goat’s Milk with Probiotics with 2 oz of water into their wet food to give an added boost of protein and liquids. All this being said, I got let go of my job and have dwindling funds. I really hate to buy less healthy food for them, but I am just so broke. Is there anything comparable at a lesser price point? ty!!
Hi there! I would consider Kirkland’s dry cat food if you have access to a Costco store near you. Their foods are very competitively priced with similar—or better—nutrition than that from American Journey. Wishing you all the best, and Merry Christmas!
American Journey is being sued in FL for lying about its grain free dog food that is actually full of wheat. If they lied about that ….
Hi Betsy, I looked into the lawsuit and only found a brief mention about the farmer who proposed it in 2021. It seems an “independent analysis” was conducted on the product, but no details are given about whether it was conducted at a professional lab or what. I couldn’t find any indication that the suit has gone forward but let us know if you hear anything!
Hi. Do you know if the chicken and turkey in the wet food is cooked? I have been feeding my cats the American Journey Minced Chicken & Salmon and Minced Chicken & Tuna for years because it ranks high on a lot of websites for healthy cat foods. They love it. But I have recently been reading that cats are getting sick with bird flu from uncooked chicken in some canned cat food. I posted a question for this product on the Chewy website asking if the chicken is cooked, but it has not been answered. Just wondering if you know, or if you recommend a different brand. Thank you.
Yes, the chicken and turkey in American Journey Minced wet cat foods are cooked during processing to ensure safety and compliance with pet food regulations. While the specific cooking methods aren’t detailed on the product pages, all ingredients undergo a robust supplier approval program and are processed to meet safety standards. Chewy If you’re concerned about potential risks like avian influenza, it’s best to contact the manufacturer directly for detailed information on their sourcing and safety protocols.
How do you calculate dry matter without the ash total? You say this is comparable to the Wellness chicken pate but the carb dry matter amounts for the two are wildly different. I know Wellness provides the breakdown on their site and you do include ash in theirs, so theirs is as accurate as you can get. Without the ash how can you be accurate about the carbs in the American Journey and offer a fair comparison? I love using your site, but I’m not sure I’m finding accurate info on it. Thanks
Hi Elyse,
We mean it’s comparable since American Journey at 45% and Wellness chicken pate is at around 50%