Last updated Oct 1, 2026
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Does Instinct Pet Food have what it takes to satisfy your cat’s carnivorous cravings? Find out in our unbiased Instinct cat food review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Instinct on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Instinct and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 8/10
- Ingredient Quality – 7/10
- Product Variety – 10/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 8/10
- Recall History – 5/10
Overall Score: 7.5/10
We give Instinct a 45 out of 60 rating, or a B+ grade.
About Instinct Cat Food
Instinct Pet Food was founded in 2002 near Lincoln, Nebraska, though at the time it was called Nature’s Variety. The company officially rebranded to Instinct in 2006 and relocated its company headquarters to St. Louis, Missouri, in 2009. Instinct kept its manufacturing operations in Lincoln and updated its methods in 2010 to enhance the safety of its raw formulations using high-pressure processing (HPP) techniques.
Throughout its history, Instinct has always prioritized animal proteins in its recipes. Especially after rebranding to Instinct, the company’s marketing has focused heavily on fresh, raw food inspired by the diets of wild felines and canines. The brand continues to branch out with new products and updated formulas while maintaining its commitment to offering species-appropriate nutrition.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Many of Instinct’s recipes are made in the United States, including many produced in company-owned facilities located in Lincoln, Nebraska. Instinct manufactures all of its frozen and freeze-dried raw recipes in its Lincoln facilities while the dry foods are made by third-party manufacturing partners based in the US. The wet food products are manufactured in Thailand and Kansas.
Instinct Pet Food ingredients are often sourced from the United States, with some proteins sourced from New Zealand, Australia, France, and Italy. A post in the brand’s FAQ section states, “We look for our ingredients domestically first, but sometimes turn to other locations when their ingredients are truly the better choice.”
The Instinct brand employs a team of food scientists and quality control engineers to run its manufacturing facilities and help formulate the products. The team includes board-certified veterinary nutritionist Dr. Susan Wynn.
Has Instinct Cat Food Been Recalled?
Yes, Instinct Pet Food appears to have been recalled several times since its creation in 2002. The first was in 2010 when the company issued a voluntary recall of Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for dogs and cats due to potential salmonella contamination.
In February 2013, Instinct voluntarily recalled a single batch of Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula after small pieces of clear plastic were found in some packages. The same formula was recalled again in 2015 after samples tested by the FDA were positive for salmonella.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Instinct Offer?
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Instinct offers a wide variety of wet, dry, and freeze-dried cat food options as well as meal toppers and treats. The products run the gamut from standard kibble and canned food to dry recipes infused with freeze-dried raw pieces. Every recipe features real animal protein as the main ingredient, with some of the wet foods consisting of up to 95% animal ingredients.
Here’s a quick overview of the product lines Instinct currently offers:
- Original – The flagship line of dry and canned foods, including classic kibble and pâté-style wet foods made with 95% animal ingredients.
- Ultimate Protein – A high-protein line of kibble featuring premium proteins like cage-free chicken and duck.
- FreshDried – A limited line of freeze-dried raw meals in pellet or flaked form that can be rehydrated with water to create fresh meals.
- RawBoost – Kibble and meal mixers featuring pieces of freeze-dried raw protein.
- Limited Ingredient – A line of limited-ingredient wet and dry cat food recipes featuring a single source of animal protein like turkey, rabbit, or salmon.
In addition to these product lines, Instinct also offers wet cat food in a few other textures. There’s grain-free flaked recipes sold in cans, minced formulas sold in cups, and cuts in gravy sold in pouches. A few wet food formulas are also sold in split cups with one portion in each cup.
Outside of Instinct’s complete and balanced recipes, there’s a variety of toppers and meal mixers. Instinct offers bone broth as a liquid mixer, freeze-dried Shakers as a powdered topper, and RawBoost mixers that consist of freeze-dried nuggets of protein.
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Instinct has been one of my personal go-to brands for years, so I’ve tested a wide variety of the products with my cats. To update this review in 2026, I purchased an array of wet, dry, and freeze-dried products to try with my two cats, Biscuit and Munchkin.
Both my cats are fans of Instinct’s Limited Ingredient Diet line, and the rabbit recipes (both wet and dry) are a staple in our household. Munchkin particularly liked the Healthy Cravings Cuts in Gravy recipes and Biscuit liked the FreshDried patés.
I appreciate that Instinct’s products have always prioritized animal proteins and it’s one of the few brands to offer single-ingredient novel protein recipes. As some other customers have noted, however, it’s important to double-check which recipe you’re buying. Instinct offers both a regular rabbit recipe (which also contains pork) and a limited ingredient recipe.
Instinct Cat Food—Top 5 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Primary Protein | Calories Per Ounce | Price Per Ounce | Our Grade |
| Instinct Original Paté Real Chicken Entrée Grain-Free Wet Cat Food | Wet | Chicken | 39 | $0.51 per ounce | A- |
| Instinct Healthy Cravings Real Tuna Recipe Cuts in Gravy Wet Cat Food Topper | Wet | Tuna | 22 | $0.67 per ounce | B+ |
| Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Dry Cat Food | Dry | Chicken | 123 | $0.26 per ounce | B- |
| Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Rabbit Dry Cat Food | Dry | Rabbit | 111 | $0.48 per ounce | C+ |
| Instinct FreshDried Patés Surf & Turf Entrée Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food | Freeze-Dried | Pollock | 136 | $2.85 per ounce | A- |
#1 Instinct Original Paté Real Chicken Entrée Grain-Free Wet Cat Food
Easily one of Instinct’s most popular products, this wet cat food recipe is 95% chicken, turkey, and chicken liver, plus chicken broth. The remaining five percent of this food is composed of egg product, ground flaxseed, peas, and fresh produce. The food is also fortified with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that make it nutritionally complete.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Measured as dry matter, this recipe contains over 45% protein and nearly 39% fat, which leaves an estimated carbohydrate content under 10%. As a high-protein, low-carb, and moisture-rich recipe, this Instinct Original pate is very species-appropriate. We’d love to leave out the peas but none of the other ingredients are particularly concerning.
This recipe is a hit with many cats, including our test cats. It has a very moist texture that made it easy for my senior cats to enjoy and I appreciated the clean formula. This food gets mostly positive reviews, though some cat owners are disappointed in the recent reformulation which made turkey a more prominent ingredient (it used to be 6th on the list).
Ingredients
Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Ground Flaxseeds, Menhaden Fish Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Egg Product, Peas, Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Minerals (Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Salt, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, Magnesium Sulfate, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Tomato, Blueberries, Broccoli, Kale, Parsley.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Liver, Menhaden Fish Oil, Egg Product
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made with 95% animal ingredients
- Rich in hydrating moisture your cat needs
- Soft paté texture is easy for cats to eat
- Contains under 10% carbohydrate (as dry matter)
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains some added peas
#2 Instinct Healthy Cravings Real Tuna Recipe Cuts in Gravy Wet Cat Food Topper
While most of Instinct’s recipes are nutritionally complete, there are a few complementary food toppers like this Healthy Cravings tuna recipe. Though tuna features prominently in the product name, it’s a multi-protein recipe that also contains chicken, chicken liver, and egg product. There are also ground peas, which may contribute significantly to the overall protein content.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
As the Cuts in Gravy descriptor would suggest, this product consists of chunks of meat in a savory gravy. The chunks are pretty sizable (some as big as ½ inch square), so keep this in mind if your cat has trouble chewing. The food is, however, very moist and my test cats loved the flavor (even the one who usually just licks up the gravy and leaves the pieces behind).
Though not a nutritionally complete formula, this cat food topper is packed with protein. Measured as dry matter, it contains about 53% protein and just under 2% fat. This leaves a fairly significant amount of carbohydrates but that’s common in complementary products. It’s also worth keeping in mind that this recipe contains 22 calories per ounce, which is similar to a nutritionally complete wet food.
Ingredients
Fish Broth, Tuna, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Egg Product, Ground Dried Peas, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Sodium Phosphate
Ingredients We Liked: Tuna, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Egg Product
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Ground Dried Peas
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Top five ingredients are all animal-based (including fish broth)
- Contains nearly 53% protein measured as dry matter
- Good source of hydrating moisture for cats
- Chunks are soft and relatively easy to chew
What We Didn’t Like:
- Not a nutritionally complete formula (intended for supplemental feeding)
- Ground dried peas are a main ingredient
#3 Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Dry Cat Food
One of Instinct’s flagship products, this grain-free kibble consists of 81% animal ingredients and oils with the remaining 19% of the recipe dedicated to “fruits, vegetables and other wholesome ingredients.” Though it’s grain-free and doesn’t contain starchy potatoes, the fifth ingredient is peas**, and** tapioca (a starchy, minimally nutritious ingredient) falls in seventh place.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Where this recipe shines is in its reliance on animal-sourced proteins and fat. Measured as dry matter, it contains about 45% protein, which comes from a mix of chicken, turkey, and menhaden fish meal. Most of the recipe’s 23% fat comes from carnivore-appropriate chicken fat rather than plant-based oils.
Overall, this recipe is fairly simple and doesn’t include any major red-flag ingredients. It’s enriched with antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics to help support healthy digestion. It’s lower in carbohydrates than the average dry food and it comes in small, easy-to-eat kibbles coated with freeze-dried raw pollock for added flavor.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Peas, Tapioca, Natural Flavor, Dried Tomato Pomace, Montmorillonite Clay, Carrots, Apples, Cranberries, Choline Chloride, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Freeze-Dried Pollock, Taurine, Pumpkin Seeds, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Fat, Freeze Dried Chicken Liver, Freeze Dried Chicken Heart
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Tapioca
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Free of animal by-products
- Made without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Primarily made from animal protein
- Contains a mix of muscle meat and organs
- Low carbohydrate content compared to most dry foods
What We Didn’t Like:
- Lacks the moisture cats need
#4 Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Rabbit Dry Cat Food
Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Real Rabbit Recipe is a grain-free dry cat food designed for cats with food sensitivities and limited-ingredient needs. The brand focuses on simple, purposeful nutrition, using a single animal protein source to help minimize the risk of triggering allergies. This formula features real rabbit as the primary ingredient and the only animal protein source, making it a strong option for cats with sensitivities to more common proteins like chicken or beef.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Along with rabbit, the recipe includes a carefully selected blend of digestible ingredients to support overall health without unnecessary fillers. Canola oil and other added fats provide essential fatty acids, helping to support healthy skin, a shiny coat, and overall wellness.
The recipe is also fortified with vitamins, minerals, and probiotics to promote digestive health and immune support. With a limited ingredient list and no grains, dairy, eggs, or artificial additives, this formula is well-suited for cats with sensitive stomachs or food allergies. As a dry kibble, it offers convenience and crunch, though pairing it with wet food or fresh water can help support proper hydration.
Ingredients
Rabbit Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Rabbit, Natural Flavor, Coconut Oil, Montmorillonite Clay, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin), DL-Methionine, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Freeze-Dried Rabbit, Salt, Pumpkin Seeds, Rosemary Extract
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made with a single source of novel animal protein
- Limited ingredient formula is easily digestible for cats
- Contains over 38% protein measured as dry matter
What We Didn’t Like:
- No dry food provides the moisture your cat needs
- High carbohydrate content over 30% as dry matter
#5 Instinct FreshDried Patés Surf & Turf Entrée Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food
Instinct’s FreshDried line of freeze-dried products includes raw meals and patés. The raw meals contain upward of 90% animal ingredients and come in small nuggets, while the patés are powdered for easy rehydration. This Surf & Turf Entrée recipe features pollock and beef as the main ingredients with additional protein from beef spleen, liver, and kidney.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Aside from the animal proteins, this recipe contains salmon oil as the primary source of animal fat, fiber in the form of flaxseed and miscanthus grass, and an assortment of fruits, veggies, and nutrient supplements. Measured as dry matter, it contains almost 47% protein and 34% fat, so the carbohydrate content is under 20%.
I found that this recipe rehydrated pretty well as long as the water I used was very hot. Some of the pieces were big enough that I had to break them up first, but it was pretty easy. My cats really seemed to like this food format, though I wouldn’t say the rehydrated texture is equal to paté. It’s more like a finely minced wet food.
Ingredients
Pollock, Beef, Beef Spleen, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Ground Flaxseeds, Montmorillonite Clay, Lactic Acid, Ground Miscanthus Grass, Yeast Culture, Salmon Oil, Carrots, Apples, Butternut Squash, Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Salt, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate), Taurine, Blueberries, Spinach, Mixed Tocopherols (for freshness), Rosemary Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Pollock, Beef, Beef Spleen, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Rich in animal-sourced protein and fat
- Dual-protein recipe may appeal to picky eaters
- Contains nearly 47% dry matter protein
- Good source of moisture once rehydrated with water
What We Didn’t Like:
- Safe food handling procedures are recommended for raw cat food products
- Some cats may not like the texture of rehydrated freeze-dried food
What Do Customers Think of Instinct Cat Food?
Across roughly 25 years in the pet food industry, Instinct has had its ups and downs. The brand generally receives favorable reviews and has demonstrated an interest in not just expanding its product lines but improving them over time. That said, some of the most common customer complaints reference formula changes or inconsistencies in product quality.
Let’s take a look at some positive and negative Instinct customer reviews.
Positive Reviews
Cats who like Instinct products tend to really like them (according to some pet parents, their cats won’t eat anything else). Satisfied customers often say the products are worth the premium price tag and many love the simple ingredients. Owners of picky eaters and cats with food allergies often find that Instinct products are a hit with their cats.
“To preface, my cat is theee slowest eater in the entire world!! But wowww I have never seen him devour something as fast as the chicken flavor.” – Camila reviewing Instinct Original Chicken Recipe wet cat food on Chewy, August 12, 2026
“My cats love the dry food that they have 24/7. They also have wet food twice daily and they have healthy coats, and food vet check ups.” – Lynne reviewing Instinct Original Chicken Recipe dry cat food on Chewy, July 9, 2026
Negative Reviews
As is true for any cat food brand, some cats simply don’t like Instinct. Some customers suspect it has to do with the multi-protein formulations (most of the pates include pork, for example). Multiple reviews mention foul-smelling stools on Instinct dry food and the new FreshDried patés have a much higher percentage of negative reviews than Instinct’s other products.
“I’ve been pleased with this product until they (recently) changed their recipe. New formula lists turkey as its second most proficient ingredient. My cat has never liked the turkey entrees, so he won’t eat this new version of “chicken”. I’m disappointed that it is marketed as “same great recipe”.” – Christine reviewing Instinct Original Chicken Recipe wet cat food on Chewy, August 2, 2026
“This appears to be a love it or hate it food, and both my cats hated it. It looks and smells like wet cardboard. I bought it for my picky cat, because she loves the Instinct brand food toppers, but she took one sniff, got a startled look on her face, and tried to bury the bowl. My other cat, who never met a meal he didn’t like, wouldn’t touch it. I’m glad I only wasted money on the small bag. Big failure in this house.” – Kristi reviewing Instinct FreshDried Pates on Chewy, July 14, 2026
How Much Does Instinct Cat Food Cost?
Instinct is marketed as a premium brand and some of the recipes do fall on the higher end of the price spectrum (largely the limited ingredient diets and raw foods). However, the Original line of kibble and canned foods is modestly priced around $0.50 per ounce for wet food and about $0.25 per ounce for dry food. The cost is similar to brands like Wellness CORE and Orijen.
For a healthy 10-pound cat, the estimated daily feeding cost for Instinct Original wet food would be between $2.50 and $3.50 while dry food would cost under $0.50 per day. Depending on the recipe, daily feeding costs for Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets could be twice as high, with the dry foods costing up to $0.48 per ounce (and up to $0.76/ounce for wet food).
Instinct’s raw recipes are the priciest of the bunch at over $2.50 per ounce. To feed a 10-pound cat Instinct FreshDried Paté, the estimated cost would be between $3.90 and $4.75 per day.
Where is Instinct Cat Food Sold?
The best place to browse Instinct’s full selection of cat food products is on the brand’s website. The brand is currently updating its site to sell its full product line as well, though you can also find Instinct products on Amazon and Chewy. In stores, Instinct products are sold at major pet food retailers like Petco and PetSmart as well as small and independent pet stores.
Overall, Is Instinct Cat Food a Good Choice?
With its focus on protein-rich recipes and a diverse product variety, Instinct is one of our higher-rated brands. It’s a solid option for cat owners seeking a premium option and it’s also one of a relatively few brands that offer single-protein formulas for cats with food allergies.
It’s worth noting that Instinct is a brand that leans heavily into the raw nutrition trend. All of the brand’s dry cat foods incorporate raw ingredients, including the kibble which has a freeze-dried raw coating. Raw diets aren’t appropriate for every pet and, if you’re not comfortable feeding your cat raw, you’ll be limited to Instinct’s wet food line (which is pretty diverse).
If you’re interested in trying a raw diet, however, Instinct is a great place to start. The brand has a generous variety of raw food formats and flavors to choose from, and it’s easy to complement raw foods with more traditional options. No matter what formulas you choose, feeding your cat Instinct comes with a premium price tag but cats generally seem to like the food and many pet parents think that it’s worth the price.
Similar Brands
Looking for other cat food brands similar to Instinct? Check out some of our other brand reviews.
I have a Maine Coon that was vomiting frequently. After one vet cut him open in an exploratory surgery (which was negative), I changed vets and her diagnosis was a food allergy. She suggested feeding him a different protein source, such as rabbit. His previous food was a premium brand chicken product. I found the Instinct Limited Ingredient Rabbit and tried it. It immediately solved his problems, and, fortunately, he likes the food. He’s been eating that along with the Instinct flaked rabbit canned food for a couple of years now with no further issues. I have been very pleased with the products.
I just bought a 5.5 oz. 12 pack of Instinct wet cat food (Chicken Entree). When I press on the cans on the top and bottom many of the cans make a popping sound. I have always understood that this might mean that the food could be tainted and should not be used. (I read online that Purina Fancy Feast had this problem in the past and they recalled the food) Has anyone else run into this problem with the Instinct brand canned food. I called the company and all they did was send me a voucher for more food. We made our own cat food for 9 years but it’s getting too much for us, so we decided to try the Instinct. We live a long way from a pet store so we purchased the Instinct pack online.
are you still feeding instinct? what is the feeding style now?? considering this brand for my cats now
I am looking for a review of Instinct Freeze Dried Raw cat food and would appreciate any input. thank you
Hi Amy,
We’ll add that to our list!
The dry food gave my cats chronic constipation for months before I realized it contains Montmorillonite Clay high up on the ingredients list, which slows down the GI tract and makes stools more solid. They were both straining to poop until I switched their food and now their bowel movements are healthy and regular
Wouldn’t 7.3 out of 10 be a C grade? Also, they probably need rechecked since they changed their recipes for their wet food recently.
Hi,
Our ranking system is a bit different. 42/60 to 44/60 is a B score.
We’ll check out their wet food for the next update
Thank you for the feedback!
The brand received a B grade overall, which is pretty good. They also analyze the brand according to six key areas: species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. This means you can be sure that the food considers your cat’s biological needs and is made with high-quality ingredients.
You said this was one of the 4 top brands you tested….but I am not seeing that when I look at your other articles on testing. Curious as to what the other 3 brands are and if you still stand by this being in the top 4. With the processing being in Thailand now instead of the US I feel that is a concern. Incidently I am noticing people food that was once processed in the US is not being processed in Thailand too ….their standards are not the same. I will not buy the people food that is now processed in Thailand and am thinking it does not bode well for pet food either.
I’d like to think that Instinct is one of the better foods out there. I have been feeding this to my 2 cats for quite some time. They love the salmon dry and wet foods. My cat was sick for a while before she got a surgery and wasn’t eating well, and Instinct was the only one she was eating with appetite. I hope I won’t find major changes and surprises as other negative reviews mentioned, and I hope they keep the good quality.
Also, if possible can you do a review to include the kibble+raw limited ingredient chicken dry food. I switched to THIS brand for dry kibble& I also add the raw boosters(digestion formula) to it, when my two Persian kittens turned 1years old bcuz they no longer need kitten formula & the brand I was feeding them (solid gold) was discounted at pet smart. I want to feed primarily wet food however the brand& type I’ve been feeding turns out to ONLY be a complementary & not a complete meal due to it being limited ingredient (applaws chicken w broth & chicken w/pumpkin& broth &/or the 2-4ingredienr formulas)-bcuz they have sensitive stomachs. I really miss the solid gold as the wet/can food had coconut oil that keep thier coats healthy, shiny& didn’t shed nearly as much as they do now nor matted… Soo the issue in having with the kibble+raw limited ingredient/grain free chicken formula is that it’s also inconsistent & I got a bag that had ZERO raw bits in it!!-i had to buy a bag of the raw to add to what I had already used& took the rest back to pet smart which they allowed me to trade it in for a new bag of the same which did have ‘some’ raw bits but for the price I think it’s ridiculous!-also, my other issue is how do I find a limited ingredient grain free wet food(not pate or chunks in gravy)-that’s easy for my Persian cats(face issues)& is there a better option out there that does have coconut oil or something that will help maintain healthier coats -please HELP as my house is so full of cat hair it’s unbelievable & my poor cats are getting matted causing them pain!-thank you Soo much for ALL the hard work& efforts you& your staff put into these reviews& responses!!
Furever Grateful ~MoSurfs73 ❤️ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ
Hi Monica! Sorry about the late reply, and I’m also sorry your kitties are left without their favorites and struggling with their fur so much! We will consider adding the raw blend kibble. In the meantime, you might appreciate our article on the best cat food for skin and coat health.
Hiya Mallory,
Thanks for your analyses and write-ups. I read them a lot 🙂
I was wondering if you can conduct an analysis for the one of the Ultimate Protein Line, Raw Boost and Limited Ingredient Dry food please?
Like to know how they compare vs the Original Instinct Dry Cat Food.
Thanks in Advance, cheers!
Hi! That’s a great idea—I’ll talk with the team about updating this review accordingly.
I am EXTREMELY confused as to why a clearly lower quality food (Purina Beyond Chicken + Egg, full of plants and higher in carbohydrates, with only three “Pros”) has a B rating, whilst this one has a B- rating (with 6 “Pros” and one single “Con”)…
I have noticed so many inconsistencies with this website’s evaluations! The more I browse, the worse it gets.
I used to consider it a trustworthy source of unbiased and thorough reviews, but I’m quickly losing that trust.
Hi Giovana, thanks for mentioning this. Frankly, I can’t really give any excuse—the Cats.com Standard is rather broadly-defined, and whether it’s due to the same writer having a different subjective assessment one day than another or multiple writers having different interpretations of the Standard, this leads to occasional inconsistencies like this. We’ve written up a stricter Standard and are working on applying it to all of our content, but it is a work in progress. Overall, though, I think that the overall B grade for Instinct and B- for the Beyond line are accurate, though I agree that the product-specific assessments don’t quite align with the content.
You didn’t give them those grades, though.
You gave Instinct a B-, and Beyond got a B, despite having nearly 40% more carbohydrates and high plant content.
Has this been updated? I bought this bag of food for $40 bucks today because I trusted this specific website and this article. I hope it’s low in carbs (the regular dry food, not the protein or rabbit diet food). I only want the best for my cat, regardless of price. Thank you.
Hi! While the charts still have information pulled directly from the guaranteed analysis, I can confirm that the food is 41% protein on an as-fed basis (45.05% on a dry matter basis), 21% fat on an as-fed basis (23.07% on a dry matter basis), and 14% carbohydrates on an as fed basis (15.38% on a dry matter basis).
“Updated March 5, 2023” makes it look to the casual observer like your information is current. However, it does not reflect the changes in formula and processing location–for instance, the article still states that it is made in the US. My cat is one of many that hates the new formula, and I hate that they changed the ingredients significantly without indicating that to the customers. For many of us the whole reason we buy premium cat foods is because our pets are sensitive to certain ingredients.
Hi Siri, thanks for the comment, and I apologize for the late reply. I agree that it’s misleading—this date refers to any minor changes we’ve made on the page, but we haven’t yet completed a full update of this article. I just went through and made a few updates to reflect the changes you’ve mentioned, including the manufacturing location, formulation changes, and recent complaints similar to your own.
Thanks! It’s hard when all changes are registered as updates whether they’re minor or reflect significant changes. For those of us affected by the Instinct reformulation, it’s been tricky to find information about the change beyond simple word of mouth from other customers.
On the dry matter chart for the Real Rabbit flavor, did the fat and carbs get switched? That’s the only way I see to justify the numbers in the graphic with what is written in the rest of the review.
Hey Amanda, thanks for pointing that out. Unfortunately, we have an ongoing issue where our automatically-generated pie charts are not aligning with the text. As mentioned in the disclaimer now added to the bottom of every review, the values in our nutrient charts are automatically calculated based on the guaranteed analysis and may not represent typical nutrient values. This may lead to discrepancies between the charts and the values mentioned in the body of the review.
The Rabbit recipe has so much Carbs (30%+ is even higher than some kibble) and in your review you wrote “Cons: none”. And “Overall, this food is rich in protein with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.” This food is also rated as A-. Why? I came to the website from your Youtube videos and I found some of them useful. But now I am worried about consistency of your standards.
I have also seen other places where on this website where the Carbs seems high in the charts but the food was rated as good.
Hello YJ, thanks for being here. It means a lot that you found some of our YouTube videos helpful enough that you’d come to the website. What you’re seeing is an ongoing problem with the way our nutrient charts are calculated. Our automated system is not complex enough to recognize anything but the guaranteed analysis when calculating nutrient content. It simply pulls the guaranteed analysis from retail sites and uses that information to both infer unlisted nutrients, like carbohydrates, and generate dry matter and percentage-of-calories values. Because the guaranteed analysis is simply a set of minimum and maximum values, these inferences will often differ from typical nutrient values. On the other hand, the review content is written by a human and based on research (and sometimes, lab testing), so the information there is based on complete nutrient analyses when possible. For example, you can see that their chicken wet food recipe was 0% carbohydrates in our lab test. And according to Chewy (presumably informed by the company), the rabbit recipe you mentioned has a carbohydrate content of 3.42% on a dry matter basis.
I realize that it’s very misleading to have such a discrepancy in the articles, so I’ve reached out to our team asking if we can at least add a disclaimer explaining what I’ve just told you, and we’ll see if there’s a better way to approach it in the future. – Mallory
Thanks for the clarification. I do like your videos and also the website is a good place for me when I want to see things clearer in details. But the content on the website here so far is not well prepared. Like in this case the charts and the written reviews are not communicating with or supporting each other instead in some cases seems confusing or contradicting if you didn’t give those explanations. If only the written reports were written by human, I would prefer to see more written explanation using the lab test or estimates you get from the guaranteed analysis there. Otherwirse most food reviews looked more or less the same, especially for wet food.
The food has completely changed. Don’t know why. Its greasy and doesn’t look the same. My moms cats don’t like it. And I just noticed for my cans they are not making this in Thailand and it used to be USA. I will continue to buy the freeze dried as that is USA made. But I am changing canned foods now. Natures Variety sold out in 2014 and now this new big company obviously is more concerned with $$$ so they moved production to Thailand. So sad. The food used to be great.
I also noticed this last case I bought was different. Also noticed it was made in Thailand. Have you noticed little white specks in yours? Curious to know what those little specs are
Not the person you replied to. But thought you might appreciate knowing what the white specs are. I got a variety pack of wet patés in June, and noticed those white specs (most notably in the Salmon cans.) I went to find out what that was, naturally. What you are seeing is most likely congealed fat/protein. Granted, as I haven’t seen a picture or have a can to view in person, I can’t 100% be sure, but it happens in cat foods sometimes, especially ones that don’t use thickeners or other preservatives (or lower amounts.) Ones that have higher amounts of meat/fat in the recipe often deal with this as well. If you’ve ever cooked a piece of salmon, you’ll have probably seen the white stuff on the fish after cooking. This is similar! So said white stuff is perfectly okay for the cats to eat.
It’s always worth it to be vigilant though, and if you suspect something like mold, the can may warrant examination. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but here are some tests you can do if you feel concerned about mold.
You can:
1. Check for possible expiration. Smell it to see if it smells off/rancid and check the expiration date of the food.
2. See how the white spots are dispersed in the wet food. If the white stuff is dispersed throughout the paté, it’s probably fat. Mold is often more lopsided, and not so evenly dispersed/spread out (you might have a one big blotch. Or a big blotch and a couple smaller blotches, for example). Mold usually doesn’t dip into the food it is growing on, and will grow on top of the food. For example, you might have seen mold grow up strawberries at the super market before. It’ll be growing on the top of the berry, but if you cut into the strawberry in half, you won’t be finding mold in the middle of the strawberry.
3. Note any strange coloring or texture. Mold often can have a greenish or black coloring to it, (sure there are other colors that pop up too). Texture-wise, mold can be furry, and you can sometimes tilt the food to a different angle to see the little furry spores if they are difficult to see otherwise. Fat won’t be furry.
4. Shape. Mold usually spreads from its center colony mass. So their shape is usually round to some degree. Doesn’t have to be a perfect circle, but mold shapes tend to be circular/rounded. If it’s just fat, you can see other shapes like streaks and so on.
5. Heat it. Another test. you can do is take a sample of the wet food with the white specs on and put it in the microwave or heat it in a pan for a bit. Fat will melt/become transparent when it reaches its melting point. Mold isn’t going to melt like butter.
6. Check for consistency. You can open another can of the same recipe of food (one from another box or bought on another date/store would be preferable for comparison). You can always drive down to another pet food location and pick up another can. If what you have is mold (or even something else), it should be an exception, not the rule. If you open cans of the same food recipe with different production/expiration dates and retailers and see all these white specs consistently in all of them, it’s probably fat or something that is meant to be there as part of the recipe.
7. Email the company that makes the food with a photo and ask them if the specs you found are normal and see how they answer.
If, after all of these you still feel concerned, don’t trust the food, then just throw it out. There are so many cat food brands out there. If one makes you uncomfortable, don’t feel bad leaving it behind for another.
Is instinct not a good quality food … is there something I should be concerned about I recently started transitioning my girl because we found out she might have a sensitive stomach so I started her on the limited ingredient line but now I don’t know if I should continue
No, I think Instinct cat food is a perfectly good option, and their limited ingredient food seems like a great choice for a cat with that sort of sensitivity.
I noted the lab reports…
The results alone are not constructive without proper interpretation…and context. Yet you put them out there to be read.
I did not appreciate that…
Now, since you have put them in your review, could you explain the breakdown, otherwise you leave this product as being quite harmful to cats., and a poor product.
Leslie, yes—this is 100% something we’re working on adding. I’m going to mention this comment in my next conversation with the site owner.
Perhaps you should have provided complete information in the first place, rather than lab results without context or interpretation.
Your site has caused me considerable worry, as well as time researching. I read your article, with the lab results, on the same day that my first order of Instinct arrived, for my cat.
I have spoken with the company today…
Hi there,
Do we know what the total carb content is for Instinct by Nature’s Variety Original Grain-Free Real Chicken Recipe Natural Wet Canned Cat (or any other recipe for that matter) in the current 2023 recipe?
Thanks!
Hello! I haven’t had it tested in 2023, but I’m reaching out to the company now to get updated carbohydrate content.
It’s 4.10% on a dry matter basis. Updating the article as well.
Thanks, Kate. I do think it’s concerning, since if I am ordering something for a reason, I expect there to be consistency. Also, the extremely different can qualities make me concerned that some may not be BPA free – something that I was expecting from Instinct.
I would like to hear from a representative of the company about this – in a public forum. That would make me feel more comfortable about these variations.
I have been getting the chicken pate from Chewy for a number of years. I have found that there seems to be something strange with quality control. Some cans (by the case) have peas and carrots, and others do not. The latter also seems oilier. The two varieties also come in different types of cans — interior of some (with the peas and carrots) is white, the other looks like a regular can.
What is going on here? The order remains the same, the packaging looks the same, but the content is not the same.
That’s definitely concerning, Irene! With brands like Instinct that mass produce pet food it’s to be expected that there might be some minor differences from one lot to another. It sounds like you’re saying the product looks entirely different, however.
I found a few comments online from other customers noticing a change in the look of the product or the packaging when Nature’s Variety rebranded as Instinct in 2018. It sounds like the company was trying to use up the cans they had in stock which, if that’s the case, could account for the variation. I can’t be sure, of course, so if you want a more specific answer you may need to contact Instinct directly. Let us know what you find out!
Hello! We have been feeding our cat the chicken pate wet food for a few months and noticed in our most recent order the recipe has changed. There is no more turkey in the ingredient list (although the label still says it has turkey), and chicken liver is third instead of second. It is also no longer made in the US and is made in Thailand. Lastly they’ve added other vegetables to the recipe like kale, tomato, cabbage and pumpkin. The calorie content for one can went from 193kcal to 240kcal as well. Would you still rate this food the same grade given these changes?
Hi KJ, we’ve updated the ingredient list here. The food seems to have the same macronutrient composition as it did previously, but some customer reviews suggest that the new formulation is different enough to make cats no longer like it. Overall, it seems like it should be similar nutritionally, but we don’t know exactly how the quality of the ingredients compares to those in Nature’s Variety’s US-made food. In conclusion, I’ll give it the same grade, but tentatively.
I wish you would have went into more depth on the instinct raw food. But other than that you showed me that instinct is an alright brand.
Good point, Samuel—we usually go in-depth on the most popular varieties, and sometimes things get left out. I’m glad you found it helpful anyway.