Last updated Apr 20, 2023
Medically reviewed by
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
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
Smalls Cat Food
- Fresh food made with human-grade ingredients
- Real, high-quality animal protein
- High in protein and moisture, very low in carbs
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
- Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ
- Dr. Chris Vanderhoof, DVM, MPH
- Dr. Sarah Reidenbach, DVM
- Dr. Chyrle Bonk, DVM
- Dr. Jamie Whittenburg, DVM
- Dr. Albert Ahn, DVM
- Dr. Elizabeth Youens, DVM
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
Smalls is a fresh cat food delivery service that uses human-grade ingredients, including premium proteins like chicken, turkey, and fish. Choose from minced-style recipes or classic pâté to provide your cat with protein-rich, low-carb cat food that’s formulated for cats in all life stages.
Though Smalls doesn’t portion out your cat’s meals for you, they do provide detailed feeding recommendations according to your cat’s calorie requirements. Each package of food contains about 16 ounces of food, with markings on the package at 50-calorie increments.
Smalls cat food is delivered frozen, so you’ll need to thaw the package overnight in the fridge first before feeding. Your subscription will be based on your cat’s calorie needs, and you can adjust it as needed by contacting the customer care team.
In addition to their fresh food, Smalls offers a selection of freeze-dried cat foods, treats, and meal toppers. They also recently started selling millet and silica cat litter.
Top Recipe: Smalls Fresh Ground Bird
Featuring chicken and chicken liver as the top two ingredients, this fresh food is packed with premium animal protein. Green beans, peas, and kale are the only carbohydrate ingredients and they are naturally grain-free and rich in nutrients.
In addition to being high in protein and low in carbohydrates, this formula is rich in moisture, which helps with hydration and promotes lean body mass. Overall, this minced chicken recipe is a high-quality source of balanced nutrition for cats in all life stages.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Liver, Green Beans, Peas, Water (Sufficient for Processing), Chicken Hearts, Kale, Tricalcium Phosphate, Canola Oil, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Taurine, Magnesium Sulfate, Niacinamide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Manganese Sulfate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Chicken Hearts
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Canola Oil
Common Allergens: Chicken
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Fresh food made with human-grade ingredients
- High-quality animal protein
- High in protein very low in carbs
- Moisture-rich
What We Didn’t Like:
- Not individually portioned for your cat
- Limited protein options (chicken, turkey, beef)
#2 Budget Pick: Nulo Freestyle Turkey & Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
Overview:
- Brand Name: Nulo
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 11% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 35
- Typical Cost Per Day: About $2.00
Wet food contains a significant amount of hydrating moisture for cats, especially in comparison to the average dry food. In addition to supporting your cat’s hydration, wet food may also be easier for some cats to digest.
This Nulo Freestyle formula is a meat-based recipe featuring fresh turkey, chicken, and chicken liver with supplemental protein from fresh tuna. Menhaden fish oil is a species-appropriate source of omega-3 fatty acids to help support your cat’s skin and coat.
While this recipe does contain a few added plant ingredients, the overall carbohydrate content is still fairly low – especially in comparison to the average dry food. It doesn’t contain grains or difficult-to-digest beans and legumes, but it does contain added fiber from cranberries and pumpkin.
The fiber content of this recipe is within the appropriate range for cats but it’s worth noting that certain starchy thickeners like guar gum have been linked to soft stools in some cats. For the most part, based on customer reviews, however, cats seem to enjoy this recipe and tend to tolerate it well.
Ingredients
Turkey, Chicken, Turkey Liver, Turkey Broth, Tuna, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Agar Agar, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Salt, Iron Proteinate, Sodium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Chicken, Turkey Liver, Tuna, Menhaden Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Guar Gum
Common Allergens: Chicken
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- 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
- Doesn’t contain grains, fillers, or artificial additives
What We Didn’t Like:
- Somewhat expensive
- Guar gum may cause soft stools in some cats
#3 Premium Pick: RAWZ 96% Turkey & Turkey Liver Pate Canned Cat Food
Overview:
- Brand Name: RAWZ
- Made In: Thailand
- Guaranteed Protein: 9% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 37
- Typical Cost Per Day: About $3.25
Made with 96% turkey and turkey liver, this single-protein wet cat food provides a species-appropriate source of nutrition for your cat. Not only is it a good choice for cats with food allergies or sensitivities, but the high moisture content and short ingredient list makes it easily digestible as well.
This wet cat food formula features fresh turkey and turkey liver as the two main ingredients. The food also contains fenugreek seeds and dandelion greens, but given the low carbohydrate content of the food overall, they don’t appear to contribute significantly in terms of the product’s composition.
Another factor that sets this recipe apart from other wet food brands is that it isn’t thickened with carrageenan or gums like guar gum and xanthan gum. Carrageenan has been linked to intestinal inflammation in cats and gum thickeners have been known to cause loose stools.
Some cat owners may also appreciate that RAWZ donates 100% of their profits to benefit individuals who have experienced spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries. A portion of the proceeds goes toward providing these individuals with service dogs.
Ingredients
Turkey, Turkey Liver, Turkey Broth, Fenugreek Seeds, Dandelion Greens, Taurine, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Salt, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid.
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Turkey Liver
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Common Allergens: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made with a single source of animal protein
- Negligible carbohydrate content
- Rich in moisture and animal-sourced fat
- Contains 96% turkey and turkey liver
What We Didn’t Like:
- Fairly expensive, over $3.00 per day
- Some reviewers say the consistency is a little dry
#4 Best Wet: Ziwi Peak Lamb Recipe Canned Cat Food
Overview:
- Brand Name: Ziwi Peak
- Made In: New Zealand
- Guaranteed Protein: 9.5%
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 38
- Typical Cost Per Day: About $5.00
A high protein wet food is generally the healthiest, most species-appropriate choice for cats outside of raw food. This particular recipe from Ziwi Peak is made with New Zealand lamb as a single source of animal protein, inclusive of muscle meat, organs, and ground bone.
This recipe contains just one added carbohydrate (chickpeas) which can be difficult for cats to digest. They don’t seem to contribute significantly to the composition of the formula, however, because the carb content is still under 10% measured as dry matter.
All Ziwi Peak cat food formulas contain New Zealand Green Mussels. These provide a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin which support your cat’s hip and joint health.
Overall, this recipe is an excellent source of animal-based protein that is rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration. It’s also a single protein recipe which makes it a good choice for cats with food allergies.
Ingredients
Lamb, Water Sufficient for Processing, Lamb Lung, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Liver, Chickpeas, Lamb Tripe, Lamb Heart, New Zealand Green Mussel, Lamb Bone, DL-Methionine, Dried Kelp, Minerals (Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex), Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid).
Ingredients We Liked: Lamb, Lamb Lung, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Liver, Lamb Tripe, Lamb Heart, New Zealand Green Mussel, Lamb Bone
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Chickpeas
Common Allergens: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- 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
- Free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
What We Didn’t Like:
- Chickpeas can be difficult for cats to digest
- Very expensive
#5 Best Dry: Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Overview:
- Brand Name: Dr. Elsey’s
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 59% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 115
- Typical Cost Per Day: About $0.70
This food is a refreshing switch from the high-carbohydrate content and gobs of plant protein found in typical dry foods. Instead, it’s made primarily from chicken, egg, pork protein isolate, and other sources of species-appropriate nutrition. While other foods rely on high-carbohydrate binders like corn, wheat, soy, and potatoes, this food uses gelatin as its primary binding agent.
Overall, the food provides carnivore-appropriate nutrition with plenty of protein, species-appropriate fat, and not a lot of carbohydrates.
The food’s meaty makeup makes it more calorie-dense and efficient than most dry foods. You’ll feed your cat less and see reduced waste in the litter box.
On Chewy, 93% of customers say they’d recommend the food to a friend. It receives primarily positive customer reviews, with most customers saying their cats love the way it tastes. The biggest complaint about this food is its price—it’s considerably more expensive than your typical dry cat food.
Ingredients:
Chicken, Dried Egg Product, Pork Protein Isolate, Gelatin, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Salmon Oil, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate, Fructooligosaccharide, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Carbonate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide), Potassium Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Taurine, Salt, Rosemary Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Dried Egg Product, Pork Protein Isolate, Chicken Fat, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Common Allergens: Chicken
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Rich in nourishing animal protein
- Features chicken fat and salmon oil as sources of the fatty acids that cats need
- Extraordinarily low in carbohydrates, compared to other dry foods
- Doesn’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
What We Didn’t Like:
- Like all dry foods, this product fails to provide the moisture that cats need
- Expensive compared to other dry foods
#6 Best Raw: Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Absolutely Rabbit Dinner Morsels Cat Food
Overview:
- Brand Name: Stella & Chewy’s
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 44% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 132
- Typical Cost Per Day: $5.50 to $6.00
Stella and Chewy’s is one of the leading companies in raw cat food. While their foods are also available in raw frozen varieties, many cat owners prefer the convenience of freeze-dried food.
This freeze-dried recipe is primarily made from rabbit meat, organs, and ground bones. Rabbit is a feline favorite and often a good option for cats suffering from food sensitivities and allergies, especially considering it is the sole source of animal protein in this recipe.
Though primarily animal-based, this freeze-dried food relies on plant-sourced fat from olive oil. The pumpkin seed provides some fat as well but is likely a more significant contributor of dietary fiber. This recipe also contains prebiotics and probiotics to keep your cat’s digestive system healthy and their immune system strong.
At about 46% measured as dry matter, this is a fairly high-protein recipe. It also contains over 30% crude fat measured as dry matter, but the carbohydrate content is higher than we’d like from a raw food. It’s also quite an expensive cat food but some cat owners may find the convenience of freeze-dried worth the cost hike over a comparable fresh or frozen raw diet.
Ingredients:
Rabbit With Ground Bone, Rabbit Liver, Olive Oil, Pumpkin Seed, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Dried Ediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Taurine, Tocopherols (Preservative), Dandelion, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Sodium Selenite, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
Ingredients We Liked: Rabbit with Ground Bone, Rabbit Liver
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Olive Oil
Common Allergens: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- 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
- Low carbohydrate content
- Doesn’t contain any potentially harmful additives
What We Didn’t Like:
- Freeze-dried food takes a few minutes to rehydrate
- Some cats don’t like the rabbit taste
#7 Best Ethically-Sourced: Open Farm Wild-Caught Salmon Dry Cat Food
Overview:
- Brand Name: Open Farm
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 37% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 110
- Typical Cost Per Day: About $1.00
While our number one dry food recommendation scores well in terms of nutritional value and our feline reviewers enjoyed it, no food will appeal to every cat.
If you have a picky kibble consumer, Open Farm’s Wild-Caught Salmon dry cat food might be a good choice for you. This food receives excellent customer reviews, with most reporting that their cats loved its taste.
And unlike many other kibble products that rate well in feline taste tests, this food from Open Farm is made from responsibly-sourced, seemingly high-quality ingredients. Open Farm’s sourcing policy emphasizes humanely-raised poultry, meat, and fish. Fish-based recipes, like the one featured here, are made from sustainably-harvested wild-caught fish.
With salmon, ocean whitefish meal, and herring meal as the first three ingredients, this food appears to rely primarily on animal-sourced protein. It does, however, contain legumes and other plant ingredients which contribute to a dry matter carbohydrate content over 30%.
Like any dry food, this recipe is also low in moisture but, if you like the idea of supporting initiatives to make cat food more environmentally friendly, this recipe from Open Farm could be a good choice.
Ingredients:
Wild Pacific Salmon, Ocean Whitefish Meal, Ocean Herring Meal, Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), Red Lentils, Coconut Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Herring Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Pumpkin, Natural Flavour, Green Lentils, Salmon Oil, Non-GMO Cranberries, Chicory Root, Apples, Dandelion Greens, Choline Chloride, Salt, Turmeric, Dried Yucca Schidigera Extract, Potassium Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin, D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Taurine, Rosemary Extract
Ingredients We Liked: Wild Pacific Salmon, Ocean Whitefish Meal, Ocean Herring Meal, Herring Oil, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Garbanzo Beans, Red Lentils, Coconut Oil, Green Lentils
Common Allergens: Fish
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- According to Open Farm, this 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
- Free of potentially-harmful artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
- Cats tend to love the taste of this food
What We Didn’t Like:
- Relatively high in carbohydrates
Expensive compared to some other dry cat foods
#8 Best For Urinary Health: Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken
Overview:
- Brand Name: Tiki Cat
- Made In: Thailand
- Guaranteed Protein: 16% Min
- Age Range: Adult
- Calories Per Ounce: 25
- Typical Cost Per Day: About $4.50 to $5.00
Veterinarians, nutritionists, and other experts agree that high-moisture diets are the best choice for feline lower urinary tract disease prevention. Depending on the cause of your cat’s urinary tract disease, cats may also thrive on a diet made to control struvite or calcium oxalate crystals.
In short, choose a food that’s not dry, even if it’s a prescription formula for urinary tract health. Once you’ve gotten that basic requirement, you can start thinking about other factors, like the food’s pH and ash content.
Also Read: 8 Best Cat Foods For Urinary Tract Health
This recipe from Tiki Cat is low in ash, which will help lower the risk of urinary crystal formation. This recipe also has enough moisture to flush the urinary tract and has a species-appropriate pH that won’t cause crystal formation.
The protein content of this food is incredibly high at about 80% measured as dry matter. There is no significant carbohydrate content but it’s worth noting the very low calorie and fat content. If your cat struggles to keep on weight, you may need to supplement their calorie intake elsewhere in their diet.
This food is also very expensive to feed as a staple diet, though the cost may be less than a prescription diet formulated to support urinary tract health.
Ingredients:
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calcium Lactate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Zinc Oxide, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Sunflower Seed Oil
Common Allergens: Chicken
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Rich in nourishing animal protein
- High moisture content helps to flush the urinary tract
- Low ash shouldn’t contribute to crystal formation
- Species-appropriate pH helps keep things in balance
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains sunflower oil instead of species-appropriate animal fat
- Low fat content isn’t right for every cat
#9 Best for Picky Eaters: Caru Classic Turkey Stew Grain-Free Wet Cat Food
Overview:
- Brand Name: Caru
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 11% Min
- Age Range: All Life Stages
- Calories Per Ounce: 30
- Typical Cost Per Day: About $3.30
Cats can be finicky and each one has their own preferences when it comes to food flavor, type, and texture. If you’re having trouble getting your cat to eat traditional canned or dry cat foods, this stew-style recipe from Caru might pique their interest.
Made with a single source of animal protein, this recipe features fresh turkey as the main ingredient. The food is gently cooked in turkey broth for flavor and moisture, so it supports your cat’s hydration as well. That said, some reviewers comment that the food contains too much liquid and verges on soupy.
Also Read: The 10 Best Cat Foods For Picky Cats
When it comes to the texture of cat food, your cat has the final say. It also doesn’t hurt that the dry matter carbohydrate content of this recipe is very low, under 5%.
On the practical side of things, this wet cat food is pretty expensive. It costs over $3.00 a day to feed your cat. It does, however, come in resealable cardboard cartons rather than cans, so it’s easy to store the leftovers if you prefer to mix it with another food.
Ingredients
Turkey, Turkey Broth, Tapioca Starch, Egg Whites, Sweet Potato, Carrots, Apples, Natural Flavor, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Bitartrate, Taurine, Calcium Carbonate, Dandelion Greens, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Iodine Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite).
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Egg Whites
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca Starch
Common Allergens: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made with a single source of animal protein
- Rich in hydrating moisture
- Cats seem to like the flavor and texture
- Very low carbohydrate content
What We Didn’t Like:
- Fairly expensive
- Cardboard cartons can be tricky to open
#10 Best For Kittens: Wellness CORE Kitten Turkey & Chicken Liver Recipe Classic Pate
Overview:
- Brand Name: Wellness
- Made In: United States
- Guaranteed Protein: 12% Min
- Age Range: Kitten
- Calories Per Ounce: 36
- Typical Cost Per Day: About $3.50
This Wellness CORE formula has everything we look for in kitten food. It’s loaded with nourishing animal protein from turkey, chicken liver, chicken muscle meat, and chicken meal. The dry matter carbohydrate content is below 10% and it’s a hydrating source of moisture.
Also Read: Best Wet Food For Kittens
While menhaden fish oil is the primary added fat in this recipe, herring also supplies animal-sourced omega-3 fatty acids. Both are strong sources of DHA which contributes to brain and eye development in kittens. Omega-3s also play an important role in supporting healthy skin and coat in cats.
This recipe doesn’t contain any grains or starchy beans, peas, or legumes. The only potentially concerning ingredients are the gum thickeners. Guar gum, for example, has been linked to loose stools in some cats.
At over 50% crude protein measured as dry matter, this recipe is formulated to support the development of lean mass. It’s also, it’s calorie-dense enough to fuel your kitten’s growth at about 36 calories per ounce.
Ingredients:
Turkey, Chicken Liver, Turkey Broth, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Herring, Natural Flavor, Cranberries, Menhaden Fish Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Ground Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Cassia Gum, Xanthan Gum, Dried Kelp, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Alfalfa Meal, Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Chicken Liver, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Herring, Menhaden Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Guar Gum, Cassia Gum, Xanthan Gum
Common Allergens: Chicken, Fish
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Ultra-soft pâté texture is easy for kittens to eat
- Rich in protein and calories
- Hydrating canned food
- Supplemented with fish oil as a species-appropriate source of DHA
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains some unnecessary plant ingredients
What Did We Look For In The Best Cat Food?
Choosing great food involves a variety of factors, including company reputation, ingredient quality, and more. There are many things to consider, but it starts with knowing what your cat’s needs are and how a diet can meet them.
Dr. Chris Vanderhoof, DVM, MPH recommends that cat owners ask themselves several questions before they choose food for their cats.
- What life stage is my cat in (i.e. is your cat a kitten, an adult, a senior)?
- If a senior, does my cat have any specific nutritional needs that a diet can address (muscle loss, arthritis, etc)?
- Is this a cat food that is nutritionally balanced (i.e. does it carry an AAFCO statement and is it meeting at least the minimum nutritional requirements for my cat’s life stage)?
- Does my cat have any medical conditions that can be addressed with a particular diet?
- Does a particular cat food have a moderate caloric density, especially for indoor cats?
- Is this a food that my cat loves and will gladly eat?"
In addition to these personal considerations, there are certain qualities that define (almost) all of the best foods you can buy. All of them stem from your cat's dietary needs as an obligate carnivore.
Dr. Elizabeth Youens explains that "our domestic pet cats have not altered their physiology much from their wildcat ancestor. Cats are carnivores: they are nutritionally dependent on meat. They also have quite unique needs from their diet, gaining most of their energy from protein rather than carbohydrate and using fats to process certain vitamins and essential nutrients. An extra point to consider for our feline friends is that they cannot make certain amino acids, such as taurine, and so they must be provided as part of their balanced diet."
With that in mind, here's what we looked for when choosing the top 10 best cat foods on the market.
First, We Looked For Foods With Low Carbohydrate Content.
Cats use a process called gluconeogenesis to convert protein into glucose. Unlike in people, it is protein, not carbohydrate matter, which is the main type of fuel used to maintain a cat’s blood glucose concentrations.
Cats can metabolize carbohydrates instead of protein, but it’s not ideal. Cats are mildly insulin resistant, similar to a person with diabetes. And sustained carbohydrate intake could make your cat more likely to develop diabetes over time.
So How Much Carbohydrate Matter Does A Cat Need?
None. Carbohydrate concentrations between 1 and 10% won’t harm your cat, but anything more is a threat to your cat’s health. Excess carbohydrates can lead to problems like obesity and digestive issues.
Now, finding foods with low carbohydrate content is trickier than it sounds. Unlike a jar of peanut butter or a loaf of bread, cat food labels don’t tell you how many grams of carbohydrates are in each serving. They don’t tell you anything about the carbohydrate content.
The best way to avoid high-carbohydrate foods is by looking for products that don’t contain anything starchy. Read the ingredient list and rule out anything that contains potatoes, wheat, soy, peas, or other high-carbohydrate products.
If you want more details, you can contact the company and ask about carbohydrate content. Alternatively, use a carbohydrate calculator like this one to get a rough estimate.
We Chose Foods That Were Rich In High-Quality Protein.
Cats need a lot of protein. But it’s more complicated than just looking for high-protein food. Instead, we also have to think about the quality of that protein. When choosing the best cat food, we paid attention to the difference between crude protein and digestible protein.
Protein exists on a digestibility spectrum rated by biological value.
For example, 36g of crude protein from feathers is not equivalent to 36g of crude protein from an egg – they have vastly different biological values. An egg has a biological value of 100 (making it highly digestible), while the feather is virtually indigestible.
Yet both the feather protein and the egg protein look lovely on the guaranteed analysis and lend the impression of a high-quality food capable of nourishing your cat.
Digestibility values, not percentages in the guaranteed analysis, are key to measuring nutritional value.
To make things a little more interesting, we don’t know everything about protein digestibility in cats. No one has figured out exactly which protein sources are the most bioavailable or the least. Instead, we’re left to put together a picture based on what scarce information is available.
We Avoided Foods That Contained Animal By-Products.
Animal by-products are one of the most misunderstood ingredients in cat food.
Most people have responded to the AAFCO definition of byproducts with the same sort of nausea that you might feel if served a platter of these ingredients at a restaurant. And yet much of the products that fall into the definition of by-products are highly-nourishing parts of an animal carcass that your cat would love to eat. And there’s nothing disgusting about that.
Digestibility and quality control are the real problems with animal by-products. These vaguely-specified ingredients may be produced from any number of animal parts from any number of different animals.
A former AAFCO president once emphasized how loosely regulated these ingredients are by stating that “You don’t know if it’s cattle or sheep or horse – or Fluffy.”
Besides not knowing what type of animals contributed to the by-product stew, you don’t know if it contains more wholesome liver or nutritionally void chicken feet. If you want to ensure maximum protein digestibility, avoid meat by-products and other vaguely-named ingredients like “meat”, “poultry”, and “meat and bone meal”.
We Looked For Foods That Kept Plant Protein To A Minimum.
While it’s unclear exactly where each source of plant protein lies on the digestibility spectrum, we do know that protein from peas, potatoes, and other plants is less efficient than that from animal ingredients. While a single prey animal offers all the amino acids a cat needs, plant ingredients need to be combined with animal protein and synthetic additives to recreate that mix of amino acids.
Furthermore, many cat guardians report that their cats have less waste when they’re eating a diet composed primarily of animal-sourced protein.
What About Vegan And Vegetarian Cat Food?
It’s understandable to have misgivings about the impact of the livestock industry and the amount of meat used to produce pet food. While we don’t recommend any vegan foods, you can learn more about them in this article.
Many cats seem to do well on vegan food. A combination of plant ingredients and synthetic additives are capable of, at least according to our current understanding, recreating the mix of nutrients your carnivore requires. But it may be foolish to believe that we can recreate a perfect facsimile of the nutritional profile found in cats’ prey. Doing so may lead to unexpected nutritional deficiencies or overloads.
We Gave Preference To Moisture-rich Foods That Keep Your Cat Hydrated.
Our cats’ ancestors were desert dwellers. They lived in arid environments where fresh prey was often the best source of moisture. A mouse is about 70% water and a fine source of hydration for a desert cat hours away from the nearest watering hole.
Because fresh water was scarce, early wild cats evolved to have low thirst drives and a natural inclination to get their water from the moisture-rich bodies of their prey. This means that they typically don’t drink enough water to compensate for moisture-depleted dry food.
We Looked For Foods That Were Free Of Potentially Harmful Ingredients And Additives.
The Best Cat Food Is Free Of Carrageenan.
This natural seaweed extract is a great binder and thickener for canned cat food, but it has a bad reputation. Studies have shown that carrageenan creates inflammation in the body and may exacerbate cancer.
The Best Cat Food Doesn’t Contain Artificial Ingredients.
Artificial flavors are unnecessary if the food is made with nourishing meat ingredients. No cat needs artificial colors. In addition to being unnecessary, food dyes are tied to behavioral issues and cancer development in both humans and animals.
BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are popular preservatives that are associated with serious problems. Most pet foods have replaced them with natural alternatives including Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), rosemary extract, and other antioxidants. Although ethoxyquin rarely appears on the ingredient list, it may enter your cat food as a fish preservative.
We Looked For Brands With Excellent Reputations.
Remember that you’re relying on the cat food company to provide your cat the nutrition they need to stay healthy and vibrant – potentially for the rest of their life.
You need a company and a brand that you can trust. While it doesn’t tell us everything about the brand, a company’s recall history provides key insights into its ethics, safety standards, and the quality of its products.
If a company faces voluntary, or worse—mandatory—recalls every five years, purchasing from that company could subject your cat to three or more potentially harmful slip-ups during their lifetime.
A communicative, transparent company isn’t afraid to share information with their customers. We gauged the quality of cat food companies by contacting their customer support lines and evaluating their customer service. We gave preference to companies that responded promptly and were willing to provide key information.
Additionally, we paid attention to what other customers were saying about the brand. Through social media, blogging, reviews on retail platforms, and sites like Consumer Reports, consumers can easily share their complaints or praises with the world.
We read these reviews and used them to assess the customer experience.
Understanding Cat Food Labels And Marketing
Natural, Organic, And Human Grade: Are They Meaningless Buzzwords?
Until recently, the description “scientifically formulated” was a popular pet food marketing catchphrase. People wanted to imagine their cat’s food as being formulated by scientists in a sterile laboratory.
Today’s cat food consumer has a different ideal. They’re looking for food that’s gently crafted, fresh from the farm, non-GMO, natural, and based on real meat. Thanks to the ‘back to nature’ trend, the number of natural or organic cat food labels has skyrocketed. Numerous brands capitalize on the “premium natural food” concept.
But are they healthy for your cat?
Natural
The “natural” label is loosely defined and lightly regulated. FDA guidelines dictate that any food bearing the “natural” label must be manufactured without undergoing any chemical alterations.
Also Read: Best Holistic Cat Food: Our Top 5 Picks
Organic
The organic label, however, has some legitimacy.
The National Organic Program defines organic products as those “produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic engineering may not be used.”
But while the term “organic” does mean something in terms of the ingredients your cat’s food contains, it doesn’t tell you a lot about how nutritious that food is. Organic foods can be just as species-inappropriate and unwholesome as anything else on the cat food shelf. You’ll just pay a little more for them.
Also Read: Best Organic Cat Food
Human Grade
To earn “human grade” status, pet food must start with human-quality ingredients. But ingredient quality isn’t the end of the story. To keep its human-grade status, a food must be manufactured in a USDA-inspected human food processing facility.
The manufacturing facility is a vital part of this story. Any ingredient, once processed in a pet food manufacturing plant, is legally considered “feed grade”.
So human-grade food isn’t necessarily made from better ingredients. In fact, veterinarian Dr. Sarah Reidenbach says that "this term likely makes no difference in the safety or nutritional value of the pet food."
Do Life Stages Matter When You’re Choosing Cat Food?
Yes and no. Choose foods that meet AAFCO nutritional guidelines for either growth, all life stages, or adult maintenance.
Kittens and pregnant or lactating cats should eat food formulated for growth or all life stages. Adults—cats over the age of one—should eat meals formulated for all life stages or adult maintenance.
Other than these three categories, you don’t need to choose your cat’s food based on life stages. Seniors, for example, don’t usually need senior-specific food. Most of these labeling ploys are in the same league as indoor cat food, hairball food, and breed-specific formulations.
They’re easy to buy and feel like a little bit of personalization, but they jump straight to the personal details without nailing nutrition basics. How can you address the unique needs of a 7-year-old indoor-outdoor Persian without first acknowledging the fact that she’s a carnivore?
Is Grain-Free Cat Food Better Or Worse?
When we originally published this article in 2018, the grain-free trend was reaching its peak. Right around the same time, the FDA quietly began an investigation that would turn the trend on its head.
While we don’t have the answers about the potential connection between grain-free foods and dilated cardiomyopathy, we do know that grain was never the problem. Cats don’t need to avoid grain or gluten. They need to avoid excessive carbohydrates.
Grain-free foods often replace grain with an unhealthy dose of biologically inappropriate ingredients like potatoes and peas. Now that those ingredients are losing their appeal, the solution isn’t to go back to grains. The solution is avoiding plant ingredients.
Also Read: 10 Best Grain Free Cat Foods
Are Prescription Diets Good For Cats?
There is no law saying that prescription foods can be sold only with a veterinarian’s prescription. They are not drugs or medication. They’re food.
Quoting the FDA/CVM Communications Staff Deputy Director: “‘Prescription diet’ is an industry-coined term and holds no legal meaning.”
In many cases, prescription foods are perfect for the condition for which they’re marketed. Some prescription cat foods, however, are no better than the average food sold on a grocery store shelf.
A particularly ironic example is prescription dry food for urinary tract health. Because dry food can promote urinary tract disease, this marketing slant adds insult to injury. The final word on prescription cat food is that it can be both good or bad. Stay skeptical and evaluate each product on an individual basis. If you’re unsure about evaluating prescription food options on your own, your veterinarian can help you.
Whether You Choose One Of Our Top Picks Or Another Product, Look For Foods That Honor Your Cat’s Carnivorous Needs.
Choosing the right cat food is simple when you understand the fundamentals of species-appropriate nutrition. Cats are obligate carnivores who could thrive on a diet of raw prey alone. Regardless of brand, price, or format, the best foods resemble that prey-centric diet.
Want More? Browse Our Dozens Of Unbiased Reviews And Detailed Guides
Additional Resources:
Recent Updates
- April 17th, 2023 - Updated text for clarity and accuracy throughout, and verified that the picks are still available.
- April 1st, 2023 – Updated the picks to ensure cohesion across our recommended cat food round-ups and updated pricing.
- Feb 14th, 2023 – Added a link with an explanation of why we do lab testing and how to read the reports on the top best foods guides
- April 22nd, 2022 - Interviewed veterinarians, asking about their recommendations and insights on choosing the best cat food, added quotes throughout
- March 6th, 2022 - Added lab testing results for top recommendations
- February 10th, 2022 - Medically reviewed by Dr. JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
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.
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.
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!
Hi Viviana! We have a couple of in-depth articles on homemade cat food, including this one going over the details on homemade food and another including several recipes. Hope this helps!
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.
Glad you found the article helpful! I hope that Feline Natural and Authority work for your picky eater.
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.
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.
Truly awesome article! Thankyou.
Hi.
From your blog, I knew how to feed a cat perfectly.
Thanks
Glad to hear it! Thank you for stopping by.
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
Try feed cat food high protein may than he or she will be be happy cat picking rater
Thank you so much Mallory for the comprehensive review for which I have been guided in q myriad of products and advertising!
What about Feline Leukemia positive cats? What’s best to feed them?
Hello Cherry, it’s best to give cats with Feline Leukemia a nutritionally-dense diet that is ultra-easy to digest, similar to the type of food we might recommend for cats in between bouts of pancreatitis, except an FeLV-positive cat should be on a cooked diet (not raw). Here’s a useful article from the Feline Nutrition Foundation: https://feline-nutrition.org/health/nutrition-is-vital-for-felv-cats
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??
Hello Sieg. Thank you for commenting! We did add some more recommendations to our article on the best cat food for kidney disease: https://cats.com/best-cat-food-for-kidney-disease. You’ll also find some options that Oliver may like in our article on the best food for seniors: https://cats.com/best-cat-food-for-senior-cats.
I hope you find something that he’s willing to eat soon!
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?
Fantastic information. Thank you, What do you think of Dr. Marty’s?
Hi Noelle, we have gone in-depth on Dr. Marty’s cat food check here: https://cats.com/dr-marty-unbiased-cat-food-review, and it appears to be comparable to freeze-dried foods from Primal, except with somewhat more starch and less animal-derived omega-3 fatty acids. You can consider it, but I wouldn’t rank it among the best freeze-dried foods on the market. Hope this helps!
In your article a few months ago you said Kirkland is not an acceptable diet for carnivores… so did they change their formula? Or are you going back on what you said?
https://cats.com/kirkland-cat-food-review
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.
Have you ever reviewed Genesis cat food?
Hi Heather, we haven’t reviewed Genesis food yet, but we’ll consider it for a future brand review. Thank you!
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!
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.
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.
Heather, you can read our Farmina cat food review here: https://cats.com/farmina-cat-food-review
I am curious about wet food from Cat Person. Do you recommend for an 8 month old boy Ragoll kitten who is very picky and only eats Core for kittens now.
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.
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.
Thanks for the information, you can never be too informed.
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
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.
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.
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.
We will ask our vet about that. Thank you!
We will ask our vet about that, I never thought about it in that way and it’s a good place to start. Thank you!
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.
Thank you for letting me know about this. It sounds like it’s time to update our reviews of Authority cat food. – Mallory
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thank you for sharing this.
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!
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!
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?
Hi Lisa! Sounds like your Ragdoll has settled on a couple of good foods! As for our thoughts on Cat Person, I think you will appreciate our in-depth review of the brand. – Mallory
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.
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.
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?
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Hi there! Thanks for commenting. We haven’t reviewed Life’s Abundance yet, but it is something that we’d like to cover in the future.
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.
Hi Lea, thank you for commenting and making us aware of this! I’ve edited the Nom Nom cat food review to mention the recent recall announcement and will take this incident and revelations about Nom Nom’s manufacturing into consideration when writing about it in the future. All the best.
FYI, nom nom issued a voluntary recall on 7/8/2021: truthaboutpetfood.com/nom-nom-chicken-cuisine-cat-food-recall/
Thank you! We have made a note of this in our article reviewing Nom Nom.
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!
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.
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
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.
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?
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..
Interesting observation! Thank you for sharing.
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
Hi Ali, we plan to review Schesir in the near future. I hope you’ll find it helpful!
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!
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!
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
Hello Ali, we plan to review Schesir cat food soon!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
I lovre your cat
Sweet! Same here. 🙂
Thanks for all your research. Any advice on Nutrish by Rachel Ray?
Torri, you might like our review of this brand here.
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.)
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.
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.
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?
Hi Victor,
Please see our article on the best kitten food here:
https://cats.com/best-kitten-food
Can you just give your indoor cat wet food only or is it best to give them some dry kibble also?
Hi Cindy,
You can feed your cat only wet food as long is the food complete and balance (Should say so on the product label). For more info in wet and dry cat food we recommend to read the following article:
https://cats.com/wet-vs-dry-cat-food
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.
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.
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.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Russ.
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.
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.
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.
It’s difficult. I hope you find something that works for you soon.
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.
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!
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?
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
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?
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.
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.
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.
Wonderful… thank you so much for your response.
Dr. Marty Nature’s Feast Raw Cat Food is absolutely the best! Try it.
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.
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
We’ll consider it! Thanks, Henriett!
What about Orijen dry cat food and Instinct canned. I like that the cans of instinct are white inside.
Hello Heather, you can learn more about both in the following brand reviews:
Instinct Cat Food Review
Orijen Cat Food Review
Hi Moallory,
Cannot thank you and your team enough for this review. I will definitely try out some companies for my two pick eater cats.
Hope you find something that works well for you all.
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.
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.
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.
Hello Ellen, you might appreciate our article on the best cat food for cats with sensitive stomachs.
Hello,
Why did you remove Ziwi Peaks from the list?
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.
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.
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.
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.
It is really hard to select the best food for your cat.my cat is very nice.