SMALL UPDATE Apr 2021: Updated links. Removed some products no longer available. Moved Halo Sensitive Stomach Formula to top choice group.
The cat food world changes A LOT. When I have time, this list is updated. Meanwhile, you can help others by sharing info in the Comments.
Scratching your head in the cat food aisle? I’ve been there.
In fact, I’ve become a bit obsessive about how to choose the best cat food. I hope the hours of research and time I put into it will help you–and your cat. If you’re curious, I explain how I selected these cat foods here and answer FAQ’s about it here.
My main concern with cat food is how it affects:
- cat metabolism in regards to diabetes and weight
- cat kidney and urinary health
- cat digestive system, IBD, and intestinal cancer prevention
To me, these issues are even more important than the quality and source of the micro-ingredients in a food and who manufactures the food. Of course, I would never use a cat food created in China, but high quality pet food canning plants are few and far between even in the US. Now, there are some small ingredients I’ve taken a great interest in – such as carrageenan and BPA. This is because there may be life-threatening problems associated with these substances if they are consumed regularly over time. On the other hand, people ask about a lot of ingredients, like guar gum, that are not – to my knowledge thus far – known to be a big risk.
I think it’s easy, out of concern for your cat, to lose sight of the forest for the trees. So for me it’s about minimizing risk while keeping the higher priorities (above) in perspective and making sure we have enough good options to choose from.
Today’s best cat foods
If your cat has special health issues, please be sure to consult with a good vet about their food. If your cat has an illness with weakened immunity, some vets recommend avoiding raw meat as a precaution against bacteria.
Tip: On mobile, click the “+” signs for more info on each food.
FIRST PLACE
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WHAT’S
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COST |
SPECIAL
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ziwipeak Canned Cat Food |  |
Meat ingredients are sourced from grass-fed farming with no hormones or antibiotics used. No BPA in can lining. No carrageenan (removed). Very low starch, grain free.Sourced only from fully traceable, approved New Zealand farms. Manufactured in company-owned facilities in New Zealand
|
HIGH |
They listened -removed carrageenan! |
| Primal, RAW frozen |
 |
Some ingredients are organic (not the meats though).Small company focused solely on quality pet food.Omega 3s (fish oil)Raw is considered most easily digested, nutrient-available form of cat food.Very low starch, grain |
LOW daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
Includes ground bones—not recommended for cats with
|
| Instinct LID (Limited Ingredient) canned |
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Meats sourced from US and New Zealand
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MED daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
Recently moved from 2nd place to 1st place tier because the Montmorillonite Clay is tested to be toxin-free. According Nature’s Variety rep: “Our vendor tests the Montmorillonite Clay used in our diets for toxins and it is guaranteed toxin-free.”LID formulas are best as they have more simple ingredients than other Nature’s Variety canned recipes. |
| Halo Natural Sensitive Stomach Recipe | 
|
No grainsNo rendered meatsIncludes omega 3 + 6Ingredients sourced in US, except lamb from New Zealand and peas from CanadaIncludes a Quail formula, which is a good novel protein for cats with digestive tracts requiring alternatives (it also contains chicken though) |
MED-HIGH |
A little dry – try mixing a splash of waterMoved from 2nd to 1st place because now uses D3 (instead of D2). |
| Weruva Grain Free Cats in the Kitchen (cans + pouches) |
|
No carrageenanSimple ingredientsGrain-freeResponsive customer serviceCertified GMO-freeMade in human-food processing facilityNo BPA in can lining |
MED -HIGH daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
Moved from 2nd to 1st place because no longer contains starch ingredient.Beef is from Australia & New Zealand. Fish is from international waters, except for Tilapia, which is farmed in Thailand. Chicken raised in Thaliand.Manufactured in Thailand in human-food processing facility. |
| Tiki Cat Koolina Luau canned and Puka Puka Luau (both chicken) |   |
Very low starch, grain freeManufactured in a human food factoryUSDA certified chickenVery simple ingredients– easy on digestionNo BPA in cansNo carrageenan |
MED daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
Made inThailand at a human food factory. USDA certified chicken. |
| Darwins RAW frozen |  |
All meats are hormone-and antibiotic-free and free-rangeClaim human-quality ingredientsRaw is considered the most easily digested, nutrient-available form of cat food.Low starch, grain freeSimple recipe (best for digestion) |
MED-LOW |
Lab-tested to meet and exceed AAFCO guidelinesIncludes ground bones—not recommended for cats with
|
| Hound & Gatos canned |  |
No BPA in can liningNo carrageenanLow starch, grain freeClaim human-qualityUS food and factory |
MED daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
There is a misprint on some cans that indicates the product contains Vitamin D2. I have been contacted by the owner of Hound & Gatos, who assures me that it is a misprint; the product still contains D3, not D2. We assume the misprint will be corrected on future labels. |
SECOND PLACE
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WHAT’S
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COST |
WHY 2nd PLACE
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primal Freeze Dried RAW |
|
More convenient than raw frozen food.Raw is considered the most easily digested, nutrient-available form of cat food.Low starch, grain freeSome ingredients are organic (not the meat) |
LOW daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
IMPORTANT: Add water as instructed – otherwise the carb count is too high, plus cats can get dehydrated & accidentally overeat if you don’t add water.All raw dehydrated food are in 2nd place because they require water to be healthy and some people may overlook this.Includes ground bones—not recommended for cats with
|
| Ziwipeak, Raw air-DEHYDRATED |  |
Omega 3s (fish oil)No hormones and antibiotics8% more moisture than most dry foods–more if you add water.More convenient than raw frozen food.Raw is considered the most easily digested, nutrient-available form of cat food.Low starch, grain free; nice simple ingredients |
LOW daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
IMPORTANT: Add water as instructed – otherwise the carb count is too high, plus cats can get dehydrated & accidentally overeat if you don’t add water.All raw dehydrated food are in 2nd place because they require water to be healthy and some people may overlook this.Includes ground bones—not recommended for cats with
|
| FirstMate Limited Ingredient Canned |  |
BPA freeMade in Vancouver, CanadaUses free-range chicken. Vitamin and mineral supplements are sourced from North America, Germany and France.Meats sourced from US, except Duck from Germany, Lamb from New Zealand/Australia. |
MED |
In 2nd place because contains some starch, making carb count slightly higher. |
| Party Animal Canned Cat Food |  |
Grain free
|
MED |
In 2nd place because it contains several plant ingredients ingredients (harder for cats with sensitive digestion) |
| Pure Vita canned |  |
Grain free, low starchFairly simple ingredientsManufactured at company-owned US plantFish meal is cetified ethoxyquin-freeNo carrageenan
|
MED daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
In 2nd place because contains controversial ingredient Menadione (synthetic K) |
| Feline Natural Raw Freeze Dried by K9 |
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More convenient than raw frozen food.Raw is considered the most easily digested, nutrient-available form of cat food.Low starch, grain freeNice simple ingredients are easy on digestiom (if you add water as instructed –
|
LOW daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
IMPORTANT: Stir in warm water (at about body temp); don’t have to wait to serve. Add water as instructed – otherwise the carb count is too high, plus cats can get dehydrated & accidentally overeat if you don’t add water.All raw dehydrated food are in 2nd place because they require water to be healthy and some people may overlook this.Includes ground bones—not recommended for cats with
|
| Honest Kitchen GRACE DEHYDRATED |
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Only pet food legally allowed to call themselves “human grade” (they won a lawsuit). Company owned US plant is certified for organic and kosher products by the state of California.Meat is steamed at low temperatures to kill pathogens while conserving nutrient quality, then dehydrated.Grain free |
LOW daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
IMPORTANT: Add water as instructed – otherwise the carb count is too high, plus cats can get dehydrated & accidentally overeat if you don’t add water.All raw dehydrated food are in 2nd place because they require water to be healthy and some people may overlook this.Also in 2nd place because contains starchy ingredients, making carb count a bit higher than first place foods. NOTE “Grace” is lower in carbs and simpler in ingredients than “Prowl”Introduce gradually. Texture is unique–some cats resist it. Ours like it better with ground turkey added.Tip: Best deal I found on a trial
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| Stellas Freeze Dried RAW Dinner Morsels |
|
More convenient than raw frozen food.Raw is considered the most easily digested, nutrient-available form of cat food.Low starch, grain freeNice simple ingredients are easy on digestionNo carrageenan |
MED daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
All raw dehydrated are in 2nd place because they require added water to be healthy and many people may overlook this.No longer contains menadione!IMPORTANT: Add water; rehydrate for 1 minute. Add water as instructed.
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| LOTUS canned |
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No carrageenanNo ethoxyquin in fishVery low starch, grain freeAll ingredients sourced from US, Canada,New ZealandMade in small batches in USClaim not to have BPA in lining |
Medium daily feeding cost compared toothers on this list. |
In 2nd place because contains large fish (4th ingredient), so should not be fed exclusively due to concerns about accumulated ocean pollution toxins and/or extra iodine affecting thyroid health over time. |
| Taste of the WILD canned |
|
No BPA in cansNo carrageenanNo ethoxyquin in fishLow starch, grain free |
MED daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
In 2nd place because contains large fish, so should not be fed exclusively due to concerns about accumulated ocean pollution toxins and/or extra iodine affecting thyroid health over time.
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| Soulistic canned Carrageenan-free formulas only: Good Karma, Harvest Sunrise |
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Claims human-quality food sources and “free range” chickenNo GMOsGrain freeNo Carrageenan (Good Karma and Harvest Sunrise) |
MED daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
In 2nd place because contains starchy ingredients, making carb count a bit higher than first place foods.Other carrageenan-free formulas were removed from this list because they contain controversial ingredient Menadione (synthetic K)Manufactured in Thaliand at USDA-approved human food facilityYou’ll find it at PETCO |
| ORGANIX Grain-Free Canned Cat Food |  |
GMO-free certified.Organic (meats and protein sources as well as flaxseed, cranberries and carrots)No carrageenanMade in USA
|
MED |
In 2nd place because Organix is owned by Merrick, which was bought by Purina in 2015. They say the company will still operate independently with no changes. The takeover process will take many months. For these reasons, I would say the product is probably still fine for now, but after 2016, let’s revisit what’s happening with Merrick and the quality of its ingredients. (If you notice anything, let me know. I have already had too many complaints about the Merrick canned cat food and removed it from this list in March 2016. I believe Organix food has more of chance of maintaining quality thanks to certified organic standards.) |
| SOJOS Freeze Dried Raw |  |
Raw is considered the most easily digested, nutrient-available form of cat food.Grain freeUSDA meatVariety of formulas to choose |
MED daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
IMPORTANT: Add water as instructed – otherwise the carb count is too high, plus cats can get dehydrated & accidentally overeat if you don’t add water.All raw dehydrated food are in 2nd place because they require water to be healthy and some people may overlook this. Also, this food contains a starchy ingredient (sweet potatoes), so carb percentage will be higher than the many foods on this list that don’t contain a significant starch.Includes ground bones—not recommended for cats with kidney issues or constipationMeets (exceeds) minimum nutritional levels established by the AAFCO.com. |
| Tiki Cat Hanalei Luau Wild Salmon, canned |
|
Sources through environmental fishing practices; seafood sustainability and food safety guidelinesManufactured in a human food factory (quality is visible—looks and smells like human food)Omega 3’sNo carrageenanNo BPA in cansLow starch, grain free |
MED daily feeding cost compared to others on this list |
In 2nd place because contains large fish, so should not be fed exclusively due to concerns about accumulated ocean pollution toxins and/or extra iodine affecting thyroid health over time.No longer contains menadione (controversial synthetic vitamin K).Note: Avoid the TikiCat formulas that have grain (rice) in them. (This Wild Salmon one doesn’t have it.) |
| Life’s Abundance Instinctive Choice canned |
|
Simple ingredients, include organic chickenOmega 3s (fish oil)No carrageenanVery low starch, grain freeNo BPA in cansUS ingredients only |
MED-HIGH daily feeding cost compared to others on this list. |
In 2nd place because Instinctive Choice is manufactured in a Simmons Food facility, Simmons bought Menu Food after Menu Foods messed up big time in 2007. (I personally don’t think this is much of a risk though because Simmons is not Menu Foods and the dreadful 2007 Menu Foods incidents/recall was related to foods with wheat gluten from China. This food does not contain wheat gluten or ingredients from China.)Most cats love this food.I can only find it online–by the case. I suggesting getting their trial size first.You can save money & time with their auto-ship option. |
While all of these cat food choices are unbiased and based solely on what I would buy, I have started to allow some links on this page to be affiliate links in order to keep this blog funded.
Most cats resist unfamiliar food at first! Buy and try SMALL at first AND use these smart tips to help your cat accept new foods:
If your cat has IBS symptoms or digestive issues
See How treatment-resistant feline IBS symptoms healed in one month and What to feed cats with feline IBS, diarrhea, or frequent hairballs.
If your cat’s favorite natural cat food didn’t make the list…
Many cat foods almost made this list. There were so many foods, I had to be brutal in selecting.
See These natural cat foods didn’t make the “best” list: here’s why (includes the Runner Ups!).
Maybe I missed a food. Let me know if you have questions–I won’t always be able to answer every question personally, but I will add foods you ask about to my “To Be Researched” list.
I also started a list best dry cat foods here–with some health caveats.
Resources
Where to find these foods
- Only Natural Pet Store (carries most of these foods – affiliate store chosen for their reasonable prices)
- Amazon.com and Petfooddirect.com carry many of these foods.
- Many brands are available online directly from the company that makes them
- Your local pet food store (especially if holistic) may have some brands
- Whole Foods carries Primal cat food
Resources for making cat food
Making your own raw cat food can cost even less than the packaged raw cat foods, and is one the healthiest things you can do for most cats. However, it is absolutely essential that you do it right, and add proper nutrients—serious health problems could result if you don’t add the right nutrients. Here’s the scoop!
Your experience? Let’s talk!
None of these foods are perfect, but they met my “best of” criteria. However, every cat has different needs, just like you and I do.
I welcome your experiences, opinions, and contributions in the comments below.
Hi!
I bought some Ziwi Peak cat food after reading your article and so far so good. However, I just realized that they have chickpea in the ingredients and online research has shown it is a big NO for cats to eat chickpea. I am interested in your opinion on that. For that reason, I will no longer continue to purchase Ziwi Peak although it does seem quality products.
My cat drinks the gravy but doesn’t eat much of the food even though it’s tiny pieces. He used to love pate but stopped eating it. I am using fancy feast nature’s chicken in gravy. What can u recommend? And can it be purchased at Chewy.com. He is normal weight with no problems except he has almost no teeth. Thanks!
Who Were Pottenger’s Cats and Do They Matter?
https://feline-nutrition.org/answers/answers-who-were-pottengers-cats-and-do-they-matter
Hi,
Feline Natural now uses green tripe in some of their toppers. Is that OK for cats? Thanxs and I love your site.
How would you rate Dave’s Naturally Healthy wet food, turkey and chicken? The other flavors have carrageenan or guar gum.
Hello Im trying to change my kitty diet, I chose a brand called Canagan, have you heard about this? brand do you think the ingredients are good? I did bit of research and it looks like it’s very good but I would like to find out what are your thoughts are about this food.
Thank you for such a amazing blog I can learn a lot about cats. Thank you once again 🙂
Stellas Freeze Dried RAW Dinner Morsels now contains ground bones. I was going to feed it to my senior cat but now I can’t.
Kara, Why are you concerned about bones?
Kara, Probably bc of kidney disease? I tried to do a little research, but Google research is such BS these days, it’s hard to find anything but bogus copy/paste websites and ads. In the past, I had several seniors, some with kidney disease, and, at the time, researched what was best for them, but the info is ever-changing, as I’m sure you know. A lot of articles out there still say to limit protein, but that’s been discounted, so I wonder about the bones issue as well. Many of my favorite cat sites have relevant articles but they are older. It would, of course, have to do with the amount of bone in the food; and there may be other ingredients that even counter the effects of bone. If I were in your situation, I would email S&C and ask them about it. Usually, I don’t ever advocate taking a seller’s word for it about their own product, but I’d just see what they say; and get it in writing. What I found at the time I was dealing with the senior cat food issue, and still believe to be true now, is that the most important thing you can do is feed the healthiest food possible and provide lots of water. You do add water to the food, right? Interestingly, I discovered recently that adding bottled water instead of tap water to my cats’ food makes a huge difference in their acceptance of it. Altho our city’s tap water is supposed to be fine, I find it has a slight bleachy taste/smell, so I drink bottled (2 gal size cont’rs). Seems it was off-putting to the cats as well. If you do write to S&C, please post their response here. I’d be interested to know what they say.
https://feline-nutrition.org/answers/answers-who-were-pottengers-cats-and-do-they-matter
I SO appreciate a list that doesn’t just pull results from Amazon’s best sellers but actually RESEARCHES! This said, I don’t understand your concern about BPA (ALL plastics are toxic, leach, and disrupt hormones) – and there are very few commercial foods (for any species) not packaged in plastic or canned. Cans present different toxins. As you said, it’s all about weighing the risks — unless you can afford to feed your animals organic, grass-fed, free range meats. Even then, the bones are contaminated with lead, at best.
Hi, did anyone hear anything about Holistic Select going out of business ?
Their website is still up and says nothing. They might be experiencing slowdowns due to COVID 19.
It seems they’re discontinuing 😕
I just read this in their website:
“To our valued consumers, we regret to inform you that we are currently in the process of discontinuing our Holistic Select® recipes for cats.
We recommend trying Wellness® natural cat food, from the makers of Holistic Select. Click below to learn about Wellness® recipes for cats, replacement product recommendations and how to receive a coupon valid on Wellness products.”