
Liz Coleman / Cats.com
Young Again is one of the only low-carbohydrate, meat-based dry food brands on the market. Find out if it’s the right choice for your cat in our Young Again cat food review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Young Again on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Young Again 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 – 8/10
- Product Variety – 6/10
- Price – 8/10
- Customer Experience – 9/10
- Recall History – 7/10
Overall Score: 7.7/10
We give Young Again cat food a 46 out of 60 rating or a B+ grade.
Why Trust Cats.com
Cat nutrition can be confusing. Our team is committed to delivering thorough, unbiased cat food reviews to help you make an informed decision. For this review of Young Again cat food, I researched the company’s history, manufacturing and sourcing practices, and checked for any recalls. Then I ordered three recipes to test at home.
To rate these foods, I evaluated their nutritional content and species-appropriateness for cats. I studied the ingredient lists while assessing each food’s smell, texture, and overall cat appeal. My years of experience researching and testing cat foods also guided this review.
About Young Again
Young Again was founded by Michael Massie in 1987 and the first pet food products were released in 1990. The brand was the first to offer grain-free cat food made with 50% meat-based protein, no plant proteins, and less than 6% starch/carbohydrates.
All Young Again products are free from fillers, plant proteins, grains, gluten, and peas, beans, and legumes. The food’s low carbohydrate content makes Young Again a favorite among cat owners seeking a diet appropriate for cats with diabetes mellitus.
While Young Again has earned a name for themselves through word-of-mouth, the company keeps a low profile, selling directly to consumers through its own website.
Young Again promises to provide species-appropriate diets for cats, but do they practice what they preach? Let’s take a closer look at this brand to see if it’s a good choice for your cat.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Young Again sources ingredients from the United States, Canada, France, Switzerland, India, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, Finland, and Scotland. All of their meat ingredients are bought from USDA and/or FDA-approved human-grade food manufacturing facilities.
Young Again cat food is manufactured in the company’s facility in Stacy, Minnesota.
For more information, read the Young Again website. Their Ingredients & Sourcing page details their ingredient sourcing, ingredient quality standards, and quality control practices.
Has Young Again Cat Food Been Recalled?
Young Again’s cat food has never been recalled. However, in February 2026, the brand’s parent company, Pretty Bird International, issued a voluntary recall of Young Again’s Core Health Dog Food due to a Salmonella scare.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Young Again Offer?
Young Again’s dry cat food promises whole-prey-inspired nutrition that captures the essence of, in the brand’s own words, “a juvenile mouse.” The brand offers an assortment of dry cat food, treats, raw premixes, and supplements for cats, dogs, and ferrets.
All Young Again formulas are built on a foundation of animal protein with minimal carbohydrate inclusions. Their foods contain relatively high levels of nucleotides. These are organic compounds best described as the building blocks of RNA and DNA.
Though research is limited, nucleotides have been shown to support immune health and liver function. They may also play a role in mitigating your cat’s stress in response to exercise. The food also contains probiotics and digestive enzymes, which may help soothe symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Young Again cat foods are divided by life stage and by nutritional composition.
The Original 50/22 recipe is formulated for kittens and juvenile cats. It contains 50% protein and 22% fat with less than 6% starch.
Young Again’s Zero cat food contains less than 1% carbohydrate matter, effectively zero. The original Zero formula is designed for kittens and young cats – it contains 54% protein and 26% fat. Young Again also offers a Zero Mature formula for older cats.
A second Mature recipe is available with a 54/22 protein-to-fat ratio, but the primary focus is reduced calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium content. It’s intended for cats diagnosed with or at risk for renal disease. Young Again’s LID Zero Mature formula is a limited ingredient diet (LID) made with 54% protein from chicken and pork and contains 25% fat.
Young Again’s newest cat food products are their raw premixes. Formulated for both dogs and cats, these premixes are intended for pet owners making homemade pet food. The primary difference between the two is that one contains added calcium, and the other does not. Which you choose simply depends on whether you’re including ground bone in your homemade cat food.
Young Again Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Young Again ZERO Cat and Kitten Formula | Dry | $0.45 per oz | A- |
| Young Again Original 50/22 Cat & Kitten Formula | Dry | $0.43 per oz | B+ |
| Young Again ZERO Mature Health Formula | Dry | $0.47 per oz | A- |
What Do Customers Think of Young Again Cat Food?
Young Again’s biggest following? People with diabetic cats. Its low carbohydrate content and satisfying crunch make it an appealing compromise for the kibble-addicted diabetic.
Though most agree that a high-moisture diet is preferable, users on feline diabetes message boards have positive things to say about this brand. More than a few people attribute their cats’ diabetic remission to Young Again cat food.
Because Young Again only sells through their own site, it’s the only place to get formal customer reviews. The customer experiences published on Young Again’s site are more testimonials than reviews, so the following is a mix of those review-testimonials and comments from cat forums.
Let’s hear what these customers have to say.
Positive Reviews
“My 11 year old cat was recently diagnosed with kidney damage and diabetes. I switched him to Zero Mature cat food and his numbers continue to improve! He seems to really enjoy the food and I had no problem switching him over. He used to throw up every dry cat food that he ate and this is the first time he hasn’t thrown up food.” – Melinda L. reviewing Young Again Mature Zero on the Young Again Website, Oct. 7, 2025
I have three cats, and one of them absolutely refuses to eat wet food. I’ve tried countless brands with no luck. What ended up working best for her is Young Again mature zero. She’s not a big eater, so the fact that it’s high in calories is a huge plus. I’m able to feed her smaller portions while still meeting her daily caloric needs. Even though she only eats dry food, she drinks enough water throughout the day and stays well hydrated. Her most recent lab results were perfect, so it seems to be working well for her.” – MomoAurum discussing Young Again Cat Food on Reddit, May 2025
Negative Reviews
“Young Again Zero doesn’t use starch as its binder, it uses guar gum as its binder. This is an soluble fiber that’s also sold for humans as a laxative or stool softener. It has the same effect on my cat — he gets projectile stools with it, very loose. If your cat has constipation, YAZ will certainly solve that problem. (Note that while guar gum is being investigated for its effect upon blood sugar in humans — i.e., it reduces blood sugar in humans and is being investigated as a possible treatment for borderline Type 2 diabetes in humans — there is no evidence that it has any effect on blood sugar in cats).” – Badtux, discussing Young Again cat food on Feline Diabetes Forum
“Okay so my cats enjoyed this food and immediately took to it. Unfortunately their stools were incredibly smelly and they were unable to control their bowels. It simply did not matter how much I fed them. I was feeding them an amount which was less than recommended and they still developed loose stools sometimes uncontrolled. The company site offers advice on free feeding vs restricted diet but neither worked for me. Once I transitioned them back to their old diet their bowls cleared up in 12 hours and would become loose again if I even added just a tablespoon/day to their old food.” – jclark, discussing Young Again cat food on TheCatSite Forum
How Much Does Young Again Cat Food Cost?
Young Again cat food is very calorie-dense, so on a price-per-ounce basis, it looks more expensive than the average kibble. However, if you look at it in terms of cost per day, it doesn’t look quite so pricey. If you purchase the food in 25-pound bags, none of the recipes reviewed will cost you more than $0.41 per ounce.
In order to feed a 10-pound cat Young Again cat food it would cost between $0.68 and $0.82 per day. That’s significantly cheaper than a premium brand like Ziwi Peak and similarly priced to a high-quality dry food like Dr. Elsey’s.
Overall, Is Young Again a Good Choice?
If you have an overweight, diabetic, unhealthy cat who meows up and down that he’ll starve before tucking into a bowl of anything that doesn’t crunch, Young Again might be a low-carbohydrate way to indulge your cat’s passion for kibble.
It’s one of the lowest-carbohydrate dry foods you can buy, competing head-to-head with dry food from brands like Ziwi Peak, Wysong Epigen, and Dr. Elsey’s.
That said, dry food—even a thoughtfully-formulated low carbohydrate dry food like Young Again—is deficient in a vital macronutrient.
All dry food is deficient in water. Water deficiencies result in serious health problems, including urinary tract inflammation, crystals, blockage, and other forms of feline lower urinary tract disease. If you serve dry food exclusively, encourage hydration with extra water bowls, a cat water fountain, and fresh water.
Where To Buy Young Again Cat Food?
You can only buy Young Again cat food through the manufacturer’s website. You can order a single shipment or, if you like the products, opt for Young Again’s “Bottomless Bag” program and set up a recurring shipment. Shipping is free on all orders over $30.




Hi there, I’m a longtime fan of all about cats. I have a kitty who is FIV positive and has recently tested with high levels of phosphorus and is losing weight. The vet hasn’t offered much guidance besides additional testing, all of which have shown nothing out of the ordinary. I’m looking for a food that will help her gain weight and has a lower level of phosphorus, in case that is the cause of the abnormal level. I can’t find the lab results for this food to check on this before I buy it. Is there anyway I could get assistance with this? I’m sure I am just missing it but feel like I’ve looked everywhere. Thank you so much for your time and assistance. I’m desperate to find something that will help her live a long and healthy life and don’t know what else to do.
Hi there! It sounds like the Mature Health line would be a good match for you. We haven’t done any testing of this particular brand yet, but if you visit the product page and click “Dry Matter Analysis”, you’ll get a dropdown with all of the details you’re looking at. At 110mg/100kcals or .5% phosphorus, it’s on the low side. I’d also suggest contacting their customer support—I’ve heard very positive reports on them in the past. Hope you’re able to help your cat!
Hi there – thanks so much for this. On your recomendaré for seniors – I noticed it has almost 5% ash – I was under the understanding that you should limit the amount of ash – which I guess included phosphorous – I wonder if most of that 5% other minerals that I guess aren’t aggravating for senior kitties?
Hi! That’s a good question. The company shares detailed breakdowns of the minerals in the food, and these confirm that the levels of relevant minerals are on the low side. Five percent ash is not necessarily high, especially for a dry food. If you want more information, I would consider contacting the company for a better explanation!
I have been feeding YA cat food to my cats for over 10 years. My new vet told me to stop this food be cause of the calories for 1 cat and the 50% protein for the other 2 cats. They have 2 water fountains to drink. Will this food hurt their kidneys? I cannot find info other than the YA site. Tell me where to find info please
It really depends on your cats’ specific needs. Cats with kidney disease may benefit from protein restriction to limit waste products in the blood. One of the Young Again “Mature” diets helps to address these issues through the restriction of certain minerals often associated with a high protein diet. However, there is little indication that long-term consumption of a high-protein diet will hurt the kidneys. Phosphorus consumption and calcium-to-phosphorus ratio seems to have a much bigger influence.
I’d be wary of any vet’s nutritional advice. Good nutrition is not what they study in school, and they recommend what the “specialty vet-only” foods recommend. I just started this food for my diabetic cat, who went quickly into remission so I don’t have to do insulin right now, and I hope it stays that way. I’ll monitor his urine for crystals, but I have 2 waterfountains plus bowls of water everywhere so I’m not too concerned he’s constantly dehydrated, which will contribute to kidney trouble. Are your cats healthy on this food? Too fat? Labs out of whack? I wouldn’t change a thing if it’s not broken. I like this company, I like this article, I was going to do additional research about how long the company existed and customer reviews, recalls, etc…..and I like what I am finding. I did email the company about possibility of developing crystals on this food (I have 7 cats and one with diabetes, I said “I don’t want to trade one problem with an even bigger one!” )—and the president (Mr. Massie) returned my email within a half hour. He reports zero complaints of crystals on the food, and says there should be no issues as long as a water fountain is provided. I do know water is important so I have bowls everywhere, and it’s kept fresh and clean. I feed the Mature Zero based on my cat population. I also encourage lots of canned food for extra moisture (low carb brands) but my cats are dry food addicts. Good luck! Thanks to the author for this article, I’m usually skeptical of online reviews, but your information correlates with my independently confirmed info, and it’s well-written. Thanks for your work.
It’s possible. Per a study out of Australia cats with kidney disease will not do well on high protein foods because the kidneys can’t process the byproducts generated from digesting proteins. In this case it’s not the minerals (P/Mg) that are the issue.
Mallory, I haven’t tried this food, it looks good except I have a cat with a chicken allergy and this has a lot of chicken. Any suggestions for a non-fish based food that is also not chicken. Brands I’ve tried are Orijen, Arcana, Open Farm, and Stella & Chewy’s. I used to buy Instinct limited ingredient Rabbit but I can’t find that since covid hit. I have 5 cats so I feed dry with a treat of wet. Everything not chicken seems to be mostly fish. With thanks B
The laxative effects of this food were an issue with our guys. We simply could not get it under control. They made a mess of the house.
I also had cats that experienced loose stools on this food, but it resolved within a few weeks of using the food. Maybe you should’ve stuck it out a bit longer? Or maybe made a more gradual switch? If you’re feeding this food, you’ve got a health issue with your cat that needs to be addressed. If that issue can be addressed with another diet, best of luck to you!
I had that issue at first. Then I went back to the old food until it corrected and very SLOWLY introduced this food mixing small amounts and increasing weekly until on it full time. No issues. I think with some cats their bodies have to adjust to the higher protein. It’s how the company recommends you transition anyway. Maybe most people miss this part as I did in the beginning. Hope it helps someone. My diabetic cat is no longer diabetic and lost weight naturally. I’ve been using YA for 8yrs now and my senior cats look young and healthy.
Has anyone tried mixing this food with another dry cat food? We are on a tight budget but want to feed our cats the best, and wet food is so expensive. We may mix this with some Kirkland chicken/rice since that one has good reviews but is higher carb (though it’s such a huge bag I’m nervous about it expiring). And continue with a can of wet food a day to supplement and provide moisture. Any thoughts/advice is appreciated. thanks!!
Hi Carrie, anything you can do to improve your cat’s diet is a great idea! I say go for it.
Hello, can you just confirm the difference between Young again zero mature and young again LID zero mature. Would you give them the same rating? Do they basically have the same nutritional value and low carbohydrates? Does one rank better than the other? Thank you and I look forward to your response.
Could you please explain if the ingredients in this food, “chicken liver flavour” , is good for cats? Thank you
Hi Stephanie,
Chicken liver flavor typically refers to artificial or natural flavors replicating the taste of chicken liver in pet food. It is generally safe for cats.
Hello! I’m looking for a dry food to feed my Senior cat who tested borderline for hyperthyroidism. Diagnosis still needs to be confirmed and no treatment has begun. I am wondering if young again would be appropriate for her considering iodine levels and other diseases she could develop from hyperthyroidism/age.
Hi Julia, you may want to check out our list of cat foods recommended for hyperthyroidism here: https://cats.com/best-cat-food-for-hyperthyroidism
The Zero Mature formula now contains Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate. Doesn’t this ingredient increase the inorganic phosphorus content of the food, which may not be good for CKD cats? Is this ingredient safe for cats to consume? I know it’s on many dry cat foods.
Hi Cindy,
It potentailly could but it’s hard to say for sure without the a comprehensive nutritional analysis
Hi Cindy,
It potentially could but it’s hard to say for sure without the a comprehensive nutritional analysis
I’ve been using Young Again for 3 yrs now. I started using it when my 15 yr old cat became diabetic. This food put her diabetes in remission! Even though she passed away from mammary cancer I still use YA food. I have 4 cats and they all love it. My 13 yr old cat has been on YA for over a year and in her wellness vet visit the vet was shocked at how good her blood work was especially her kidneys. It is expensive but if you can afford it buy it. I buy the 25lb bag and it lasts almost 2 months with 2 big male cats and 2 female cats eating it.
Hi. Your review of the Zero Mature version begins saying that turkey seems to be the main protein, yet the ingredients listed begin with pork and chicken, and turkey is nowhere to be found. Perhaps the wrong list was inserted? Please clarify. Thanks.
Thanks Rand it was a typo and now it’s fixed
I have been feeding Young Again for about 7 years. Apollo was 15 when he started Young Again. He lived to 20. Shane lived to 18. My current cats have been on it since they were on solid food. They are six and have not had any health issues. I brought home a 7 week old kitten and tried him on the kitten food which he did not like. He is now a year old and eating the same food as the others.
Initial cost of the food does seem prohibitive; however a 20 pound bag feeds 7 cats for a month. It is about 3 pounds a month per cat. With that in mind, an 8 pound bag would last one cat about 10 weeks.
My dogs have also been in the food, but I had to change when one developed a severe allergy to chicken.
I highly recommend this food.
I’m with you! I’ve been feeding YA for over 15 years. I’ve reversed two diabetic cats and no more crystals or stones on ones I rescued needing to be treated. The loose stools are no more as they have since adjusted their formula. I will feed this forever 💖
I have 3 elderly cats. One has hyperthyroidism,. She’s 17 and the reason I bought this food. I’m hoping it will help her live longer but I haven’t seen many reviews for hyperthyroid cats. The other two are sons of Kalina, my hyperthyroid cat. One needs to lose weight. I’m hoping this will work for all three but I am actually afraid to try it since all three have stomach sensitivities. Teddy vomits dry food. The other two vomit periodically. But, they eat mostly dry. Should I risk trying it or try to wean them off the dry for wet. I can’t even find a good wet cat food and am disheartened. Kalina is on meds for her thyroid. I appreciate all replys. Thanks.
My kitties love the food but we’re concerned about A.G.E.s. Michael at Young Again said their dry food doesn’t produce A.G.E.s, as it’s cooked at “low temp, high moisture for under 30 seconds.” Is this possible, given it’s a kibble?
Hi CKR, you ask an interesting question! This isn’t a subject I’ve done a lot of research on, and the Young Again brand is probably the best source to answer questions specific to their products. If what Michael says is true about the processing, limiting the time the food is exposed to high heat may reduce AGEs. Some sources also suggest that the addition of antioxidants may help mitigate the effects of AGEs, and Young Again products do appear to contain added antioxidants.
If you’re concerned about AGEs, some sources suggest incorporating wet food into your cat’s diet to reduce the amount of dry food you’re feeding. Sorry I couldn’t be more help!