Diamond Cat Food Review

We’ve rated Diamond on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Diamond cat food review to learn how this brand stacks up.

The Cats.com Standard—Rating Diamond On What Matters

We’ve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality. Here’s how it rates in each of these six crucial areas.

In total, we give Diamond cat food a 38 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.

About Diamond

Diamond Pet Foods is a family-owned and privately held business that believes “every pet deserves the very best.” The company was founded in 1970 in an effort to create a high-quality pet food that the average pet owner can afford.

Today, Diamond has become one of the largest and fastest growing manufacturers in the pet food industry, sold in over 100 countries around the world.

Sourcing And Manufacturing

This brand claims to use only high-quality ingredients sourced from trusted local and global suppliers. Every formula is made in the USA in company-owned facilities. Though Diamond Pet Foods is based in Meta, Missouri, they have production plants in South Carolina, California, and Arkansas.

Not only does Diamond manufacture their own products, but they use state-of-the-art technology and manufacturing processes. Every facility undergoes yearly audits, and every batch of food is put through rigorous testing for quality and safety.

Recall History

As one of the largest manufacturers of pet food, it’s not surprising that Diamond has had a number of recalls over the years.

Here’s a quick history:

• March 2013 – Diamond Naturals cat food was recalled due to low levels of thiamine.
• April & May 2012 – Several Diamond and Diamond Naturals products (as well as other Diamond Pet Foods brands) were recalled due to positive tests for salmonella.
• December 2005 – Diamond Maintenance and Diamond Professional cat food was recalled from the brand’s South Carolina facility.

What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Diamond Offer?

Diamond offers a variety of cat and dog dry food and wet food products for cats in three product lines: Diamond, Diamond Care, and Diamond Naturals.

The original Diamond line of products includes a single Maintenance formula while Diamond Naturals includes several dry and wet food formulas. This product line includes dry food recipes for kittens, indoor cats, and active cats as well as canned food for adult cats and kittens.

The Diamond Care line of products features two recipes formulated by veterinarians to support your cat’s urinary health and weight.

The Diamond Pet Foods brand also manufactures a number of other popular pet product brands including Taste of the Wild, Kirkland Signature, Solid Gold, 4Health, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.

What Do Customers Think Of Diamond Cat Food?

Generally speaking, customers seem to like Diamond cat food. Many customers comment that the products are appealing even to picky cats, though Diamond has its fair share of negative reviews. Negative comments range from cats vomiting after eating the food to increased litter box odor.

Let’s take a look at a few customer reviews from some of the most popular recipes from Diamond.

Positive Reviews

“I have used Diamond brand for both dogs and cats for years and my animals are shiny, healthy and happy. They love the taste. When you open up a bag – unlike cheap food it smells meaty. Also, her poops are less smelly and less in quantity because her body actually absorbs the nutrients.” – Maxine reviewing Diamond Naturals Active Chicken Meal & Rice Formula

“First time I tried this brand, my kitties are eating it up. I have several feral cats out back and they can’t stop eating it. Very happy with purchase, good amount for low price.” – Nancy reviewing Diamond Maintenance Formula Dry Cat Food

Negative Reviews

“Yes, they’re eating every bite. They’re also drinking twice as much and filling the litter box 4xs as fast – the smell is unreal awful. You get what you pay for!” – Persians reviewing Diamond Maintenance Formula Dry Cat Food

“Not saying it’s a bad food, but my dogs ended up with allergies after eating this food for a while. Raw, red, itchy tummies and super dry skin.” – TicTac16 reviewing Diamond Naturals Active Chicken Meal & Rice Formula

What Did Our Test Cats Think?

Overall, our test cats had no qualms about eating Diamond cat food. They were most interested in the Diamond Naturals wet food formula, though they found the dry foods appealing as well.

The primary issue in testing this brand is that one of our test cats is allergic to chicken, so she wasn’t able to eat any of the recipes Diamond had to offer.

Diamond Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed

#1 Diamond Naturals Active Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Dry Cat Food

View On Chewy

This chicken meal and rice formula is the highest quality of the three recipes we reviewed from Diamond but it is by no means perfect. We love that it starts with a high-quality source of animal-based protein, but it is quickly followed by white rice which offers limited nutritional value.

We were a little concerned by the length of the ingredients list and the high number of carbohydrate ingredients, though the estimated carb content is only about 20%. We also appreciated the addition of probiotics, though it’s hard to tell whether the microorganisms survive the cooking process.

Ingredients

Chicken Meal, Ground White Rice, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Ground Miscanthus Grass, Sodium Bisulfate, Salmon Oil (Source Of DHA), Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Dried Chicory Root, Kale, Chia Seed, Pumpkin, Blueberries, Oranges, Quinoa, Dried Kelp, Coconut, Spinach, Carrots, Papaya, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid.

Ingredients We Liked	Ingredients We Didn’t Like	Common Allergens
Chicken Meal Chicken Fat Salmon Oil	Ground White Rice	Chicken

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 40%

Crude Fat: 20%

Crude Fiber: 3%

Moisture: 10%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 44.44%

Fat: 22.22%

Fiber: 3.33%

Carbs: 30%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 34.61%

Fat: 42.03%

Carbs: 23.36%

Pros

• Real animal protein as the first ingredient
• Made with all-natural ingredients, no artificial additives
• Probiotic blend to support healthy digestion

Cons

• High in carbohydrates (over 20% estimated)
• Ground white rice offers limited nutritional value

#2 Diamond Maintenance Formula Dry Cat Food

View On Chewy

This Maintenance formula dry food is problematic from the very first ingredient – an animal by-product. You’ll also find several corn- and wheat-based ingredients which are primarily used as fillers in pet food. They don’t offer much in the way of nutrition for your cat.

Compared to the previous recipe, this formula is also much higher in carbohydrates, estimated around 35%. It does contain probiotics but, again, we’re not sure how well they survive processing.

Ingredients

Chicken By-Product Meal, Whole Grain Ground Corn, Wheat Flour, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Corn Gluten Meal, Ground White Rice, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Chicken Flavor, Flaxseed, Fish Meal, Sodium Bisulfate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid. Contains A Source Of Live (Viable), Naturally Occurring Microorganisms.

Ingredients We Liked	Ingredients We Didn’t Like	Common Allergens
Chicken Fat	Chicken By-Product Meal Whole Grain Ground Corn Wheat Flour Corn Gluten Meal Ground White Rice	Chicken Fish

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 30%

Crude Fat: 15%

Crude Fiber: 3%

Moisture: 10%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 33.33%

Fat: 16.67%

Fiber: 3.33%

Carbs: 46.67%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 27.67%

Fat: 33.6%

Carbs: 38.74%

Pros

• Animal-based protein as the first ingredient
• Supplemented with probiotics for healthy digestion
• Doesn’t contain any artificial additives

Cons

• Contains corn and wheat ingredients
• Contains by-products and some non-specific animal protein

#3 Diamond Naturals Whitefish Dinner Adult & Kitten Canned Cat Food

View On Chewy

Like most canned foods, this formula is packed with moisture and it is much lower in carbohydrate than either of the two dry foods. The estimated carb content of this formula is under 10%. We like that this recipe includes several sources of real animal-based protein as well. The only potential issue is that chicken and fish are common food allergens for cats.

Ingredients

Whitefish, Fish Broth, Chicken, Ocean Fish, Chicken Liver, Brown Rice Flour, Carrots, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Agar-Agar, Salt, Potassium Chloride, DL Methionine, Pumpkin, Quinoa, Cranberries, Blueberries, Dried Kelp, Inulin, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Sodium Carbonate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, 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.

Ingredients We Liked	Ingredients We Didn’t Like	Common Allergens
Whitefish Chicken Ocean Fish Chicken Liver	Brown Rice Flour Sunflower Oil	Chicken Fish

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 9.5%

Crude Fat: 3.5%

Crude Fiber: 1%

Moisture: 78%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 43.18%

Fat: 15.91%

Fiber: 4.55%

Carbs: 36.36%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 36.54%

Fat: 32.69%

Carbs: 30.77%

Pros

• Packed with real sources of animal-based protein
• Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
• Fairly low in added carbohydrate (under 5% estimated)

Cons

• Contains several common food allergens (chicken and fish)

How Much Does Diamond Cat Food Cost?

Diamond is a fairly affordable brand of cat food, depending which product line you go with. The Diamond Naturals line is more expensive than the original Diamond line of products, though both are priced under $0.10 per ounce for dry food. Diamond Naturals Wet food is about $0.18 per ounce.

Overall, Is Diamond Cat Food A Good Choice?

For the most part, Diamond cat food is a mediocre brand. Some of their formulas are better than others in terms of quality ingredients, though all of their dry foods are pretty high in carbs.

If you’re looking for an affordable brand of cat food, our favorite of the three recipes we reviewed is the Diamond Naturals wet food. It is rich in animal protein and moisture but very low in carbohydrates.

Where Is Diamond Cat Food Sold?

You can find Diamond cat food in a variety of local and independent pet stores as well as from online retailers. Online, your best bet is to shop on Amazon or Chewy, though you can also purchase Diamond pet food from Petco and PetFlow.