The 10 Best Cat Foods In 2023

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comments-icon Medically reviewed by  JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
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Our Review Process

Our reviews are based on extensive research and, when possible, hands-on testing. Each time you make a purchase through one of our independently-chosen links, we’ll receive a percentage of the proceeds. Read more about how we’re supported here.

Whether wet, dry, raw, or freshly-cooked, the best cat food honors your cat’s needs as an obligate carnivore. It’s rich in animal-sourced protein, has the right amount of fatty acids, and doesn’t spike your cat’s blood sugar with excessive carbohydrates.

Between reviewing specific brands, researching feline nutrition, and extensive laboratory testing, we’ve learned which brands and products are worth buying and putting in your cat’s bowl.

Based on that experience, we’ve chosen the 10 products described below as the best cat food you can buy.

At a Glance: Best Cat Food To Buy In 2023

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In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article

Overall Best
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10.0
Picked by 2 people today!

Smalls Cat Food

  • Fresh food made with human-grade ingredients
  • Real, high-quality animal protein
  • High in protein and moisture, very low in carbs
Get 30% Off ENTER "ALLABOUTCATS" TO GET 30% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER
Budget Pick
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9.8
Picked by 2 people today!

Nulo Freestyle Turkey & Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat Food

  • Primarily animal-based recipe with low carb content
  • Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
  • Plenty of omega-3 fatty acids for skin and coat health
Premium Pick
9.8
Picked by 31 people today!

RAWZ 96% Turkey & Turkey Liver Pate Canned Cat Food

  • Made with a single source of animal protein
  • Negligible carbohydrate content
  • Rich in moisture and animal-sourced fat
Best Wet
9.7
Picked by 31 people today!

Ziwi Peak Lamb Recipe Canned Cat Food

  • Contains muscle meat, organs, and ground bone
  • Made with a single source of high-quality animal protein
  • Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
Best Dry
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9.6
Picked by 4 people today!

Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

  • Rich in nourishing animal protein
  • Extraordinarily low in carbohydrates
  • Doesn’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Best Raw
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9.5
Picked by 1 people today!

Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Absolutely Rabbit Dinner Morsels Cat Food

  • Rich in species-appropriate animal protein
  • Contains guaranteed levels of probiotics to support the immune system and digestive health
  • Added prebiotic fiber helps to prevent the constipation that some raw-fed cats experience
Best Ethically-Sourced
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9.4
Picked by 4 people today!

Open Farm Wild-Caught Salmon Dry Cat Food

  • Food is made from responsibly-harvested fish
  • Animal protein sources are the food’s primary ingredients
  • Contains herring oil and salmon oil as rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids
Get 20% Off ENTER "ALLABOUTCATS" TO GET 20% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER
Best For Urinary Health
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9.3
Picked by 1 people today!

Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken

  • Rich in nourishing animal protein
  • High moisture content helps to flush the urinary tract
  • Low ash shouldn’t contribute to crystal formation
Best for Picky Eaters
9.2
Picked by 31 people today!

Caru Classic Turkey Stew Grain-Free Wet Cat Food

  • Made with a single source of animal protein
  • Rich in hydrating moisture
  • Cats seem to like the flavor and texture
Best For Kittens
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9.1
Picked by 1 people today!

Wellness CORE Kitten Turkey & Chicken Liver Recipe Classic Pate Review

  • Ultra-soft pâté texture is easy for kittens to eat
  • Rich in protein and calories
  • Hydrating canned food

Why Should You Trust Us?

We’ve reviewed over 210 of the world’s most popular cat food brands and hundreds of different formulas. We’ve spent hours researching, contacting pet food companies, analyzing labels, and reading customer reviews. With the help of our cats, we also got hands-on experience with most of these foods.

Finally, we consulted 7 veterinarians to get their professional opinion on what makes a great cat food.

Our Veterinary Advisors

How We Tested

We personally purchased and tested the products on this list. The entire testing process was funded by Cats.com without direct input or influence from the companies involved.

When researching cat food, we analyze the information on the label including the guaranteed analysis, list of ingredients, and life stage designation. We also consult customer reviews for insight regarding reformulations or issues with product quality and check for product recalls.

During our in-depth testing, we make observations about the product’s appearance, texture, consistency, smell, and packaging. We also feed the food to our cats to get their opinion regarding palatability and general appeal.

In addition to performing our own qualitative analysis of the brands reviewed here, we submitted samples of several recipes for analysis at an ISO 17025 certified food testing and analysis lab.

Also Read: Why We Lab Test Cat Food And How To Interpret The Reports

Analytical testing in a food chemistry lab gives us the exact macronutrient and micronutrient content of each recipe. The tests also look at microbial content, yeast, mold, and heavy metals, helping you ensure that you’re only putting the best in your cat’s bowl.

To access the lab reports for each food reviewed here, click the “view lab report” link in the product review.

The Best Cat Food On The Market: Our Top 10 Picks

At the top of the list is Smalls Cat Food. It’s hard to beat this wet food’s combination of outstanding protein content, emphasis on animal-sourced ingredients, and exclusion of additives that might harm your cat over time.

Though it satisfies our requirements for the best wet cat food, this product isn’t perfect for everyone. Our product roundup includes options for cats and people of all kinds.

You’ll find raw foods, products well-suited to cats with sensitive stomachs, and options that will help your cat lose weight.

#1 Overall Best: Smalls Fresh Cat Food

Overview:

  • Brand Name: Smalls
  • Made In: United States
  • Guaranteed Protein: 15.5% Min
  • Age Range: All Life Stages
  • Calories Per Ounce: 40
  • Typical Cost Per Day: $2.00 to $3.50

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best dry cat food?

The best dry cat food is rich in animal-derived protein, low in carbohydrate content, and made from high-quality ingredients. Some of the best dry cat food brands include Ziwi Peak, Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein, and Tiki Cat Born Carnivore.

What is the best wet cat food?

The best wet cat food honors your cat’s needs as a carnivore. It’s a meat-rich product that delivers all the protein, fat, and micronutrients your cat needs without a lot of plants and starch. A few of our favorite brands include Smalls, Hound & Gatos, and Nulo.

What is the best healthiest cat food?

The healthiest cat food is nutritionally complete and balanced, emphasizing meat over plants and protein over starch. Look for expert-formulated recipes that were made with carnivores in mind.

Is dry or wet food best for cats?

Because it’s more hydrating and typically lower in carbohydrates, wet food is best for cats. A dry diet is convenient, but it could increase your cat’s chances of developing urinary tract disease or diabetes over time.

Note: The values in our nutrient charts are automatically calculated based on the guaranteed analysis and may not represent typical nutrient values. This may lead to discrepancies between the charts and the values mentioned in the body of the review.
small mallory photo

About Mallory Crusta

Mallory is the Head of Content at Cats.com and an NAVC-certified Pet Nutrition Coach. Having produced and managed multimedia content across several pet-related domains, Mallory is dedicated to ensuring that the information on Cats.com is accurate, clear, and engaging. When she’s not reviewing pet products or editing content, Mallory enjoys skiing, hiking, and trying out new recipes in the kitchen. She has two cats, Wessie and Forest.

127 thoughts on “The 10 Best Cat Foods In 2023

  1. Admin

    Wonderful review article. Very important and helpful article. I found a lot of information from this share.
    Thanks, for sharing such an informative article.
    Hopefully, waiting for your more article in the future.

    Reply
    1. Viviana Giraldo

      Hey! Thank you so much for the information and review.
      I have a question regarding my 2 cats food, I would love to try Smalls food but since we live in Sweden in a tiny town in middle of nowhere, the food we find at stores are mostly commercial brands. I would love to be able to offer quality food such as Smalls to my cats, but has been imposible to find at least a similar one. My question is, it’s possible to make by my own their food, i am afraid it will not cover all their needs. I could buy good quality protein but don’t know how to use it or what could I add more. I would appreciate so much some information about it. I trust on you guys and I am afraid of try some YouTube recipe. Thank you so so much. Appreciate to have found this page!

      Reply
  2. dog vitamins

    Hello. Interesting article.
    I have a cat who is very picky about food. He will not eat any food. And that’s a problem for me.
    I already tried to buy him 9 different feeds. My cat only eats new food at the beginning, and then does not want to eat it. My cat only eats wet food and no more.
    Thanks to your article, I now have a large selection of good cat food. I liked the food from these manufacturers Feline Natural and Authority Cat Food. I will try to buy them for my cat.

    Reply
    1. Tanya Little

      Try mixing some dry with wet. My cats prefer wet but it digests to fast and they want to eat more times a day so I mix it to get them to eat more dry food.

      Reply
    2. Barbara

      I have found food mysteriously disappears when I am away from home. So even if your cat(s) give you the withering “What is this? Are you trying to kill me?” look, don’t be surprised if their bowls are empty when you come home.

      Reply
  3. Arko ZHhtr

    I have a cat who is very picky about food. He will not eat any food. And that’s a problem for me.
    I already tried to buy him 9 different feeds. My cat only eats new food at the beginning, and then does not want to eat it. My cat only eats wet food and no more.
    Thanks to your article, I now have a large selection of good cat food. I liked the food from these manufacturers Feline Natural and Authority Cat Food. I will try to buy them for my cat. Best Pet Foods

    Reply
  4. Sieg Mills

    My senior cat has been diagnosed with kidney disease. My Vet recommended that I buy prescription food, but after spending about $200., he doesn’t like it at all. With all this info, I’m still confused as to what to try. I have 2 other cats and offer them a variety of dry and canned food, so Oliver also eats some of that, or he’s starve. It’s so frustrating that they charge ridiculous prices when it has no medicine in it!! I’ll go back and read about the kidney food again, do you have any new recommendations since it is now 2020?? Something non-prescription??

    Reply
  5. Reid Yanik

    On my way to pick up my new Russian Blue kitten. Thank you for the great information. Do cats do better staying with the same brands? Or, is variety OK?

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Jackie, while Kirkland’s dry food is not ideal, we included it here as a good budget dry food. Compared to other foods at the same price point, it seems to feature relatively high-quality ingredients and certain supplements not seen in the competition. Our recommendations may vary depending on who we’re talking to.

      Reply
      1. Lara

        We have an 11 year old male Siberian Forest cat who is an extremely picky eater. We finally found Tiki Cat and he loved Sardines in Sardine Broth but after a month on this he became blocked and couldn’t urinate. He was also having bloody diarrhea and the vet said that they had another kitty just come in also on Tiki Cat who was also blocked. My cat spent 11 days in and out of the vet having numerous tests ran at a cost of $2200 and a referral to a specialist who works with Texas A&M. He stopped eating and they suggested a feeding tube. They also think he has inflamed intestines/colon. The only thing that changed before he got sick was the switch to Tiki Cat. We also fed him their pouches, about one pouch of Chicken and Egg a day. While I have no idea of knowing for sure if there is any correlation between his illness and Tiki Cat, I wanted to put this out there. I’m now looking for another brand with low ash content that has high moisture (this is why we chose Tiki Cat). Can you recommend another brand that has those same attributes so we can try something else? Thank you for any help you can provide!

        Reply
        1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

          Hi Lara, thanks for commenting. That is a curious experience, and it does make me wonder if there is any connection. Are you looking for low ash content in hopes of preventing another urethral blockage, or are you concerned about protecting your cat’s kidneys? Any wet cat food, especially if it is made from high-quality proteins and, generally, doesn’t contain fish, is going to have appropriate ash levels for most cats. All of the foods on our list of the best cat food for urinary health should be acceptable options—the question is whether or not your picky eater will accept them.

          Reply
  6. Heather

    I am curious about Farmina cat food as well. Have you reviewed that? Local pet store carries these two brands and recommended them; but I have never heard of them.

    Reply
  7. Brit

    Thank you for all the good information! I think you have a small typo – under the entry for Ziwi Pets venison, you say “lamb” in the first sentence – “This protein-packed formula features 100% single-sourced New Zealand lamb.”

    Related to lamb, do you have any information about whether some protein sources are better for cats than others? I’ve ran across a lot of claims (of course fish and mercury, but I’ve also seen people claim that certain protein sources cause inflammatory problems) but I don’t know if they have any basis. I can’t imagine it’s good for my cat to only eat chicken, but if I’m avoiding seafood, and she doesn’t like Hound & Gatos (unfortunately), other protein sources can become expensive very quickly.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Brit, thank you for pointing out that mistake! I’ve corrected it. As for the question of some proteins being better than others, it is true that various protein sources will have different digestibility and biological availability levels, but this is a complex and poorly-understood area and more research is needed before we can say which proteins are best for cats. You might consider turkey and beef as affordable non-fish alternatives to chicken.

      Reply
  8. Marie michell

    Do you recommend FussievCat wet and dry foods. I have a very fussy eater that will only eat certain flavors of this brand. She also likes their dry food. My other cats eat most other foods and because of digestive issues I include a Royal Canin hair ball and digestive dry foods as well

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Marie, Fussie Cat wet food does look like a decent option for your cat, though there are some concerns about its use of carrageenan, a potentially-carcinogenic additive that may cause inflammation. As for their dry food, it looks like a typical grain-free dry food and probably wouldn’t be among our top recommendations. As for those other digestive foods, you can learn about our recommendations for cats with digestive issues click here.

      Reply
  9. MeowMoew101

    Hello! My kitten is very picky so we decided to try out the wellness core kitten food although he hates turkey and is not so fond of chicken. He was eating authority kitten food when we got him but began throwing it up so we switched him over to instinct+instinct kitten (wont eat kitten). He is picky again and will only eat salmon, rabbit, and lamb. He happily eats tiki cat but I’m scared the low fat will hurt him (7 months old). They also only have a fish variety and I heard its bad for kittens. All other kitten foods aren’t good quality(Too many carbs or fillers) or tasty enough. We’ve been giving him boiled chicken to make him eat. He also eats Purina one dry kitten from the shelter( Bad quality but instinct kitten gave him a runny stool, were slowly transitioning again). Once again please help and thank you in advance.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi there! I think that it’s still really a matter of trial-and-error. If you have the time and inclination, it sounds like you may be a good fit for a homemade diet. I’d also ask why your kitten started throwing up the Authority food—if he was able to eat it previously, why did he suddenly start vomiting? Are you sure that it’s connected to the food? There are a lot of unanswered questions here, and I’d advise consulting a veterinarian for more insights and specificity.

      Reply
      1. Aprilleigh

        I was looking at this brand for my cats and Chewy was out of the Chicken Paté (out of all of it, actually), so I checked the PetSmart website (they own the brand) and discovered they all now contain carrageenan and a bunch of other ingredients that weren’t in the version you reviewed.

        Reply
  10. Catie

    Is it okay to serve a wet and dry cat food that are different brands, even if they are both grain free? Say, Elseys dry and Tiki wet? Also, considering a dry food for main nutrition for weight control, but a wet food as a weekly supplement/treat.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Catie, absolutely. There’s no reason to avoid feeding from multiple brands. A mix of Dr. Elsey’s dry and Tiki Cat wet would be perfectly fine. Remember that, as a satisfying, high-moisture product that helps your cat to feel fuller on fewer calories, wet food is generally the best option for weight control.

      Reply
    2. J Graveline

      I do Dr. Elsey’s dry and Tiki wet, though my cat is extremely limited in which flavor of Tiki she’ll eat. She has pancreatis and seems to be doing okay now. I used to give Purina Cat Chow or One and Friskies canned food, but didn’t like the ingredients (though the cat gobbled them up). May try a higher up line of Purina wet food (though she hated the vet formula), as the “healthy” food is pretty pricey for me, or a mix of the two. My cat didn’t love Dr. Elsey’s dry at first, but when I mixed a little Cat Chow in she ate it all up. With cats, everything is smell and texture.

      Reply
  11. Aprilleigh

    The Authority wet cat food you reviewed is apparently no longer available in that formulation – the current chicken paté options now contain carrageenan, powdered cellulose, and a bunch of other ingredients not listed for the version you reviewed. Such a pity.

    Reply
  12. Lisa Roberts

    Hi Mallory,

    I love your content. What do you think about Cat Person wet food? I currently have an 8 month Ragdoll boy and he is very picky and the only thing he finally ate is Core Pate for kittens. I no longer feed him kibble just Core and Instrict Freeze Dried. Is Cat Person wet a good option and or is Smalls better? Please let me know your opinion. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Lisa, I’ve responded to parts of your question in another comment, but to cover everything here, I see no really good reason to switch from Core and Instinct to Cat Person food unless you’re just looking for variety. The latter is a perfectly good option, but so are the two foods that your kitten already loves. As for the Cat Person to Smalls comparison, it really depends on who you are. In terms of texture and taste appeal, I would lean towards Smalls, but if you want to have a flexible meal plan or order one food at a time, Cat Person is going to be the better option. They seem to be similar in terms of quality. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  13. Lisa Roberts

    Hi Mallory,

    Great content! I have an 8 month old Ragdoll boy and he is a very picky eater. The only thing he finally chose to eat is the Core Pate for kittens and Instinct freeze dried food. What are you thoughts on Cat Person wet food?

    Reply
  14. Debbie

    Hello!
    Is Blue Buffalo Wilderness a good dry cat food?
    Right now I’m using Iams and I know that’s probably not not a good choice.
    Also, what is your final decision about Authority wet cat food? I think you said they changed their formula since your last review.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Debbie, Blue Buffalo Wilderness cat food isn’t terrible, but it’s certainly not one of the best dry foods on the market. You’re talking about food with high carbohydrate content, plenty of ingredients that are arguably not necessary for an obligate carnivore, and which comes from a company with a less-than-perfect recall history. With a few exceptions, I don’t recommend Blue Buffalo foods, whether wet or dry and from any line. As for Authority, it’s hard to say. I had heard that Authority’s recipes have changed, but I’m still seeing their old formulations available on the web and at PetSmart. Overall, I would still recommend this brand.

      Reply
  15. Lori Roeper

    Hi Mallory,
    Hope this finds you well.
    My cat is 16 lbs of love but she has chronic rhinitis that she has had for about 6 years. We have literally tried everything to help her.
    Her diet is and has been for most of the time we have had her (6 years) has been Science Diet Z/D wet food and Royal Canin Hydrolyzed protein dry and Greenies treats. She has never eaten people food. We tried rabbit and duck both can, dry and treats – it didn’t make a difference in her breathing and she would not eat the treats or the dry. With that said her poop is firm and not stinky and twice a day but she does drink a lot of water.
    My vet wants to get her to lose weight and suggests only wet so less carbs.

    Do you think Smalls is good for her?

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Lori, yes! Smalls can be a good choice for most cats, and I think it’s a great, satisfying choice for cats who need to lose weight. Additionally, you get plenty of limited-ingredient options that should be highly digestible and not very inflammatory. Good luck!

      Reply
  16. Celeste

    Hello,

    Just FYI : Smalls issued a “Voluntary Recall” today.
    They stated the affected products include:
    -Ground Bird, Chicken Recipe
    -Smooth Bird, Chicken Recipe
    -Ground Other Bird, Turkey Recipe
    -Smooth Other Bird, Turkey Recipe

    “Customers reported that product looked spoiled and had an unusual odor.” I personally feel it’s reckless to continue promoting them as the #1 choice, as it’s apparent they lack quality control and their cancellation process is anything but convenient. I have my cat scheduled for a vet appointment, to determine whether or not he has gastroenteritis due to consuming what I BELIEVED to be the best quality option for his meals.

    I must ask, do YOU feed your cat(s) Smalls? As a new cat owner, it’s so discouraging to spends days upon days researching what would be in the best interest for my fur baby, and yet nothing can be trusted because the world is motivated by money. As you mentioned above, you do gain money from people subscribing to them. Why wouldn’t people be interested to subscribe, after you rank them absolute #1, with only one noted flaw “not pre-portioned”?

    If you absolutely must continue to promote them, please be transparent with their shortcomings so more people will not be blindsided like I was. Is the small amount of money you gain, worth misleading pet owners? Even on their actual review page you noted back in APRIL that it’s in need of a huge update, this is not new news. Please update your website and take responsibility for the influence you have on pet owners. Thank you.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi there. We just updated our review to mention this recall, and we will be completely revising the Smalls review this month. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
  17. F

    Hi Dear, My one year old cat is suffering from multifocal necrotic and chronic active colitis. The vet recommended gastrointestinal wet and dry food, do you have a Gastrointestinal recommended brand, please?
    Thank you
    Kind regards

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hello there! I would ask your veterinarian for a specific food recommendation—there are a few GI-focused foods from Hill’s and Royal Canin that may be appropriate for your cat’s conditions.

      Reply
  18. Marilee, Aubree and Goolyamo

    I have been using Life’s Abundance, grain/grain free for my Kitties. Do you have any input on it ? It is all stages and my Companions are aged between nearly five months and seventeen months. They also share a tin of Fancy Feast daily, as well as Stella & Chewys. Just interested in your feedback.

    Reply
  19. Lea

    Heya, I was here looking for a new fresh cat food after the nomnom recall and noticed it wasn’t mentioned here (because of how disappointing the recall itself was… )

    Anyways, to the details, they get their chicken pre-cooked from Tyson foods- then Tyson had a recall because of Listeria monocytogene contamination.

    Nomnom was very transparent about what happened, issued refunds quickly, and answered emails within a timely manner.

    But, the fact that they are getting Tyson pre-cooked chicken makes me wonder what I’m paying for. No way the cat-healthy additives are that expensive. I do not like Tyson foods business practices (chicken sourcing and employee treatment among other things), so it made me rethink my kitty food choices. Trying out smalls soon.

    Reply
  20. Destiny Simpson

    Hi, I’m looking for something somewhat affordable. We currently are doing taste of the wild and I read your reviews on it and it doesn’t seem that good now. So what would you recommend something within that budget. I usually get the bigger bag option. We have four cats so getting taste of the wild in the bigger bag seems to be affordable. Just wondering your thoughts. I love your website and reading all the articles and reviews by the way!

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Destiny, you might like Kirkland’s dry cat food—it’s very similar to Taste of the Wild in terms of price and seems to be made by the same manufacturer, but from what I can tell, it seems to have a slightly better ingredient list. You might also consider Authority or Simply Nourish, both store brands that offer comparatively good dry foods.

      Reply
    2. Brittney

      Was this listing done before the review written on Hound & Gato’s wet/dry food? If so, where would they fall on this list? I thought i was doing well with Instinct, Halo, Crave, Soulistic, Weruva, Merrick, and Caster & Pollock

      Reply
      1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

        Hi Brittney, Hound & Gatos used to be high on our best wet food list, but we could see in our records that not a lot of people were buying it for some reason! It’s not the most universally-palatable food, and a lot of cats don’t enjoy eating it. Nutritionally, though, it would be in the #2 or #3 position. So if your cat is willing to eat it, I would highly recommend food from this brand.

        Reply
        1. Brittney

          Thank you so much I have a new kitten (first in 17 years) and trying my best to start him off right any opinion on the above food brands?

          Reply
  21. Joy D Finley

    I switched from Science Diet many years ago because Kirkland seem to have the same ingredients. Within a year my young cats starting getting really bad tarter or plack(sp), along with gum disease. I finally quit feeding it after a couple of years and went to Purina One as I was no longer breeding. I have not had not had tooth and gum issues since. This was a couple of decades ago, but I don’t know it they have addressed the problem over the years or not. I don’t know if they even know it is a problem. I love Costco but will never buy their cat food again unless I see some reviews showing that no one is having a problem with tooth and gum disease..

    Reply
      1. ali

        Dear Mallory, I am From Iran and here we cant chose to select good cat food..

        Recently i get SCHESIR DRY FOOd Cat which is Italian. They say their food is grain and gluten free and with Animal Protein.

        Can you please review this brand.
        schesir.com

        Many thanks

        Ali

        Reply
  22. Maxcat

    Hi there! Thank you for such a thoughtful article. Not sure if you are still answering questions, but curious as to why Koha didn’t make it onto this list, as I know it has an A grading. If you were to pick between Ziwi and Koha, which would you go with in terms of quality? My cat is a bit overweight, so leaning towards Koha since Ziwi is relatively high in carb content, but I do like Ziwi’s sourcing and manufacturing practices. So tied!
    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi there! I’m so sorry about the late reply. In this case, I believe Koha comes out on top. While it doesn’t quite equal Ziwi in this department and loses a point or two for working with outside manufacturers, Koha isn’t exactly a slouch when it comes to ingredient sourcing—many of their ingredients are free-range, and many of them do come from New Zealand. The company is transparent about the countries from which their ingredients are sourced, which seems to demonstrate a commitment to integrity. When you consider that their foods are lower in carbohydrates and may be a bit less calorically dense, I think they’re a better candidate for your cat. As for why it didn’t make it onto this list, we simply hadn’t considered it for this round of updates. Now that we’ve considered Koha more seriously, we will re-evaluate it for inclusion in the next update of the piece. Thanks for commenting!

      Reply
  23. ali

    Hi Mllory
    This is Ali
    pleas can you check the SCHESIR BARAND. they products dry and food cat which is grain and gluten free. Their website:
    schesir.com

    Thanks

    Reply
  24. Frances Henry

    Can you comment on wet foods made or available in Canada? My Siamese is rather picky and not consistent.. I have been feeding Schesir which is likes sometimes but would like other suggestions for high quality wet cat food available in Canada.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Frances, we are planning to release an article on the best cat food in Canada by the end of this month. For now, Schesir seems like a good brand. Koha is another good option available in Canada, along with Canada Fresh and Essence.

      Reply
  25. Kk

    Wow, thanks for this in-depth review of cat foods and nutrition. I’ve been looking for the cat equivalent of dogfoodadvisor.com, and so far this is the best I’ve found.

    I’d love to see more on budget options since of course the best foods are also the priciest. 😉 I’ve inherited my mom’s 14-yr-old cat, who’s been eating Purina One Tender Morsels. I see byproduct in the ingredients, so not sure about that one.

    Reply
  26. Kurshila Lee Martini

    Hi Mallory ,
    Wow great informative information here.
    I have 6 cats ..and I do feed a couple outdoor strays as well.
    I did not want 6 cats but I took in a pregnant female and kept her and her now 4 year old ..3 kittens.
    I have one 20 year old cat who is healthy and eats anything.
    But my big boy ..Quentin ,he is 7 spent much of 2019 in and out of emergency vets with urinary blockages
    and the expensive cd and xd diets did nothing..unblocking him ,painful,expensive and temporary.
    In the end I opted for the PU operation as a last resort and the operation saved his life.
    He is doing great but I have not found a food that I am happy with.
    I currently feed them friskies and purina sensitive stomach dry food.
    I would dearly love to put them on raw food diet or freeze dried cat food program.
    My issue is I have 6 cats and some of the prices I see out there are really really pricey.
    I am looking for a good option that I can buy in bulk and does not require a chef to prepare.
    high protein low carb healthy option with a price point that is cost effective and reasonable .
    I am a vegetarian and while i have to feed my fluffy carnivore’s meat,I do not want any part in
    the rabbit meat trade please ,so please omit any rabbit suggestions please.
    Thank you so much

    However

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Kurshila, thanks for commenting. Preparing food at home is the cheapest way to give your cat raw (at the cheapest, it can be just a little bit more expensive than Friskies), but it will be time-consuming and require a fair amount of planning. You say that you want something that won’t require a chef to prepare, so I’m thinking that homemade food may not be the best option. As an alternative, you may want to try a freeze-dried raw food from Stella & Chewy’s. Their chicken recipe, for example, is relatively inexpensive compared to other freeze-dried and raw products while being easy to prepare. I’m afraid there aren’t really any other options much cheaper than that in this category.

      Reply
  27. Lee Kaplan

    Thank you this informative article. I’ve been looking for a species appropriate canned cat food that wasn’t super expensive, still had the ingredients he needs, but none that he doesn’t (looking at you, carrageenan). I’m going to try Authority today. Tiki Cat After Dark looked good on the label (and in the bowl), but at $6/day, that seems a bit high for something he can take or leave.
    (By comparison, if I ate one can/8 lbs of weight, I’d be at $56/day.)

    Reply
  28. Tracy

    Hi. I have been feeding my cats the Instinct Grain Free Minced Recipe with Real Rabbit Cups for years because I thought it was an excellent quality cat food. I order it from Chewy. I am now a bit concerned that it might not be as good as I thought it was because it did not make this list. Was it ruled out for some reason? If so, I would like to be aware of any problems. Thanks.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      It looks good! It seems a bit high in plant ingredients, but if it really is just around 5% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis, that’s quite good. I do rank Instinct by Nature’s Variety among the top wet food brands, but this recipe just didn’t fit any of the categories shown in this particular roundup.

      Reply
  29. Victor Santucci jr

    I am in desperate search for the very best brand for my. Kittens age range from 2 months to 9 months. What is your recommendation for the most nutritional food?

    Is pureluxe something to consider?

    Reply
      1. Jacque Whitney

        I had just ordered Feline Natural freeze dried and canned food for my cats. Both cats threw up 5-6 times just after eating it. I never got a recall alert. I did notify the company via email. Unfortunately there was no phone number I could find on the bag or their website to call. I also informed the FDA. Not sure what else to do. I won’t be buying this product ever again!!! I’m so frustrated with all this food business I’m about to just buy Cat Chow and be done with it.

        Reply
        1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

          Hi Jacque, thanks for letting us know what happened. Sounds like you handled the situation well. I found this phone number on their privacy policy page in case you’d still like to call Feline Natural: +64 3 342 6380. Good luck.

          Reply
  30. Russ

    Hi,
    I tried Smalls food for cats. I got the cheapest sample pack which you can’t modify. It contained mostly freeze dried food. Be warned when you sign up with Smalls it automatically signs you up for a monthly subscription and if you don’t pick your next items, Smalls will charge an exorbitant amount and there are no refunds.

    Reply
    1. Jeffrey Jubilee

      I forgot to cancel my subscription and got eight bags of freeze-dried food delivered to me. I did not receive any email before the subscription order. Usually, companies would send out an email a few days earlier for you to make the last min edit…. when I contacted customer support, I was pretty disappointed in how they handled my case and basically told me that it was my fault for not canceling it, and they had all my login histories, etc…. and they would not acknowledge their own mistake because they claimed it was perishable delivery and no refund, but I received freeze-dried food, nothing fresh about it. Because of that experience, I do not think I trust Smalls.

      Reply
      1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

        Yes, this seems like a typical experience—I find that their customer support team tends to miss the nuance of various situations and gives the same pat answers for different problems, and it’s often in a way that leaves a really bad taste in your mouth. Not the way to keep customers and get referrals. I’m sorry you went through this.

        Reply
  31. Jacque

    Thank you. They responded to my email. I’m just so frustrated trying to find a healthy yet safe food for my 2 felines. The pet food industry is So disappointing.

    Reply
  32. VR Hoye

    Very informative article. there is a lot to consider when deciding on the daily health of a pet. I am interested in feeding my cats healthier alternatives to my current food. I was looking at Dr. Elsey’s food and you have it listed for .80 per day. I realize the article was published several years ago. The current cost of a 6.5-pound bag is $82.00. Apparently, there are approximately 48-1/2 cup servings per bag. That is a current cost of $1.71 per day if you only have 1 cat, that is. I personally have 2, so that is $3.42 a day. A month’s supply would cost $102.00!! Holy cow! what are these manufacturers thinking of when they set their profit margins. I dearly love my cats but to me, that is ridiculous, and it’s not even the most expensive food on the list. I am very frustrated, as many pet owners are, with the pet food industry as a whole.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Yikes. I haven’t seen Dr. Elsey’s cat food priced that high—a 6.6-lb bag is listed at $46.99 on Chewy—but, you’re right, that price is quite high. Thanks for commenting!

      Reply
  33. Mary Jean Jones

    I check your site for the best cat food and I found that your listing is ever changing even from day to day. How do cat owners keep up and know which cat food is best?? We can’t keep changing our cats foods it causes digestive problems.
    I’ve used your site for food references but every time I buy one of your recommended foods I go back the next day or so and you removed it?

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Mary Jean, thank you for commenting—this is valuable feedback. While we do sometimes switch out products due to availability issues or new information on the products’ merits, we try to keep changes to the page infrequent, but I know that seeing any change to the lineup could be jarring. The only thing I can say is that whatever food is listed as the number one on this list is not necessarily the best product for your cat. Choosing the best food is an individual choice, and there’s no need to feed your cat whatever’s ranked number one. If you’ve found something that works well for you and your cat, I wouldn’t be quick to change it. Again, I appreciate the input, and we’ll keep this in mind when considering article updates in the future. – Mallory

      Reply
  34. Dave

    When comparing the cost and content, I have found that it is significantly less expensive to feed my cats store-brand canned tuna and chicken than any canned cat food of any type. Opinion?

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Not recommended. Canned tuna and chicken are not formulated to be nutritionally complete and balanced for cats, and feeding them as a sole source of nutrition may lead to deficiencies.

      Reply
  35. Doreen Cleveland

    I been reading and listening to YouTube videos on all about cats, I thought I read instinct was a good food for cats, now I am not seeing anything of the sort. I am retired and on a limited budget and want to give the best for my cats. Small’s is a bit expensive. I did feed the American Journey but my cats started to react to their food so I changed it up to wet instinct chicken, duck, rabbit, lamb and venison flavors and instinct dry chicken kibble. They absolutely hate fish foods.

    If there is a better food approximately the same cost please let me know. I have a 10 year old 9 year old and a 1 year old.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Hi Doreen, Instinct is a decent brand! I recommend their wet food as one of the best options out there, and their raw-infused kibble is one of the best dry options on the market. If it’s working for your cats, I would keep feeding it! Hope this helps.

      Reply
  36. Lauren

    Some of these foods contain vegetable oils and carrageenen. Trusting vets to ensure our pets health over a pet nutritionist is a red flag to me. I’ve never had one vet that cured my pets issues like a holistic nutritionist can. It’s all about following a protocol to make money with vets.

    Reply
  37. Henriett K.

    Hello there!
    I love your website. Lots of useful and life saver info to be found.
    May I ask if you would consider reviewing Cosma products by any chance?

    Thank you

    Reply
  38. Jacqueline Luke

    Hit there! I have been using Smalls for a while but wanted to write that they have food coming from two different kitchens – one with the round “chub” packaging and one from the “rectangular EZ peek packaging” and the first one a lot of people have noticed their cats will not touch or eat. Wondering which food from which kitchen you tested in this report because they are completely different quality, texture, and color which makes me think they are different ingredients. I also wanted to let you know that Smalls sent an email letting us know as of today their pulled products are “indefinitely” out of stock and I felt that was the best product they had.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Thank you for letting me know! I’ve tried both the chubs and the rectangular packaging, and my cats seemed okay with both. Regarding the pulled food being out of stock indefinitely, I’m glad you mentioned that! I had no idea. That’s really unfortunate, as my cats also really liked the pulled recipes.

      Reply
  39. Ellen Barr

    I have a young female tortie who has digestive issues. She should be eating raw food (I’m told) and that’s what she ate at the rescue but she’s also picky and won’t eat the raw any longer. She has dry Farmina ND that she can only sample or she’ll vomit. She likes their canned “digestion” food too but it’s too expensive to feed all the time. I’m hoping to find another solution. She doesn’t like freeze dried – so far.

    Can you suggest good quality foods for digestion issues? Thank you.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Adolfo, we noticed that several Ziwi Peak recipes were out of stock very frequently over the last year, so we removed it from numerous roundups. It’s still just as strong a contender for those older positions, but we wanted to replace it with something our readers could actually purchase when they wanted to.

      Reply
      1. Adolfo Giannasi

        Thank you, I appreciate your answer, I have the same problem in getting the food. May I know why you put at the beginning of the list to a maker who add vegetables to the food? Cats do eat/ be helped by vegetables.

        Reply
  40. Bianca

    How do you feel about weruva? My cat loves the brand but I wanna make sure it’s full of the right nutrients. Also I’d love to try smalls but I’ve seen so many reviews of people complaining about being charged over 200$ after the first 30$ trial. I don’t like the idea of being charged unexpectedly so much money.

    Reply
    1. small mallory photoMallory Crusta Post author

      Weruva is a good brand! You can read our review of it here. Smalls has definitely had the issues you’re describing, and I would agree that Weruva is probably a more consistent/reliable option.

      Reply

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