Published Oct 4, 2022
We’ve rated Almo Nature cat food on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Almo Nature cat food review to learn how this brand stacks up.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Almo Nature Cat Food 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.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 9/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 6/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 10/10
Overall Score: 8/10
In total, we give Almo Nature cat food a 48 out of 60 rating or an A- grade.
About Almo Nature Cat Food
Almo Nature is unique among pet food brands in that the company is “owned by the animals.” Originally founded in 2000 in Genoa, Italy by Pier Giovanni Capellino, Almo Nature declared in March 2018 that all of the company’s profits would be allocated to a non-profit organization benefiting cats and dogs.
Since June 28th, 2019, Almo Nature has been owned by Fondazione Capellino. This organization was founded with a mission to protect biodiversity and to combat climate change. Fondazione Capellino supports work in the preservation and restoration of natural habitats, regenerative agriculture, reintegration economy, and more.
According to a blog post on the Almo Nature website, Fondazione Capellino is “a direct expression of the social-economic model that Pier Giovanni envisioned, a model in which the property and revenue don’t benefit an individual, but a purpose: protecting cats, dogs, and biodiversity.” This model has been fully recognized by the Italian revenue authorities, making Fondazione Capellino the first non-profit organization to own a commercial company with the mission of affecting social change.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
While Almo Nature is based in Italy, they have operations in two other countries. Almo Nature’s United States operation is based in Miami, Florida and there is a Canadian subsidiary of Almo Nature based in Quebec.
All of their canned foods are made in Thailand. While the company website doesn’t name sources for their ingredients, the fact that all of their canned foods appear to be made with chicken, fish, or both suggests that the ingredients are sourced from Thailand as well.
All Almo Nature cat foods are made with non-GMO ingredients and are free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives as well as harmful thickeners like carrageenan.
Recall History
Almo Nature doesn’t appear to have any product recalls in the brand’s history.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Almo Nature Offer?
While Almo Nature does offer a limited selection of dog foods, they primarily make cat food. Their cat food lineup contains only wet food formulas in cans and pouches.
Almo Nature cat foods are divided among the following product lines:
- HQS Natural
- HQS Made in Italy
- HQS Complete
- HQS La Cucina
- Daily
Four out of Almo Nature’s five product line names start with HQS: high quality sourced. The Natural line is made with 100% natural ingredients, including fish and meat originally fit for human consumption. The Made in Italy line is self-explanatory and the Daily line is marketed as an “everyday cat food.”
Except for the HQS Complete line, all Almo Nature cat foods are intended for supplemental feeding only.
What Do Customers Think of Almo Nature Cat Food?
While Almo Nature was founded in 2000, its United States and Canada operations appear to be fairly new – perhaps starting in 2019 when the Fondazione Capellino took ownership. Almo Nature cat foods can be found online at Chewy.com and Amazon.com, but customer reviews are still a little sparse.
Customers appear to be pleased with Almo Nature on the whole, given that most products have at least a 3-star average rating. Cats seem to love the food – even picky eaters.
Complaints about Almo Nature are primarily related to the high price tag and the fact that most recipes are intended for supplemental feeding only. There are a few comments about some recipes having an overwhelming fishy smell, however, and some about certain recipes being reformulated into a more pate-like consistency instead of the previous shredded formula.
Let’s take a look at a few reviews from some of the most popular recipes from Almo Nature.
Positive Reviews
Simple And Clean, Nothing Wasted. Cat Prefers Over Pâté
“Simple and clean chicken in water. Costs more than I would like for what one pays considering there is only chicken in it and no nutritional lab science to calculate other ingredients- but my cat prefers this over pâté. It’s worth it because he licks the bowl clean instead of leaving the pâté to crust on the dish and be tossed. Also very hydrating. It’s supplemental so we include a dry kibble like RAWz or Origen to balance his nutrients. 1 can, 1/2 cup kibble per day. He is an athletic outdoor cat and this seems to be the right balance in the winter weather when he needs more calories. We’ll sometimes even add warm water to the dish for his second serving out of the fridge.” – by Ginana Reviewing Almo Nature HQS Natural Chicken Breast in Broth on 6 December 2018
Kitty Likes This!
“I like these pouches. They are easy to dispense if you have a mobility impairment and function from a wheel chair. The only downside is that there is only about a serving per pouch; convenient, but pricey. However, they are worth it, considering they are healthier for your cat than dry kibble. This is important if your pet has pancreatitis and should not be given dry food. Cats need hydration, and these pouches fill the bill and also provide variety.” – by World Citizen Reviewing Almo Nature HQS La Cucina Chicken Dinner with Apple in Jelly on September 9, 2019
Negative Reviews
Into Early 2022 I Was Able To Get This A
“Into early 2022 I was able to get this and the cat tolerated the original formulation. Then it was out-of-stock for a while and recently came back in. The box and labels are different now, and the formulation seems to have changed. It used to look like distinct shreds, and was obviously dark meat by the color. Now it is just a mush that is much lighter than it was before, Cat no longer tolerates it. Not sure if the change was intended, or is just a nothing-works-with-covid change. Please go back to the original formulation!” – by M2Cat Reviewing Almo Nature HQS Natural Chicken Drumstick in Broth on 14 Apr 2022
Super Stinky Food
“My cats loved this food… I did not. It smells horribly, so I suppose that’s really a good thing with less processing. However, I was not happy when it gave my cats the runs so ceased use immediately. Also, this size can I usually have to give my cats 2 cans, but there’s so little that I had to use 3. It may be a great food for some people, but I won’t be using again.” – by Right Hand Reviewing Almo Nature Complete Tuna Dinner in Broth on February 5, 2022
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
In order to test Almo Nature cat food I ordered a variety pack of canned foods in the HQS Natural product line. The four flavors included are:
- Almo Nature HQS Natural Atlantic Tuna
- Almo Nature HQS Natural Mackerel
- Almo Nature HQS Natural Chicken & Shrimp
- Almo Nature HQS Natural Trout & Tuna
Given that most Almo Nature cat foods are intended for supplemental feeding, I appreciated the smaller 3-ounce cans. My cats love fish-based foods, so all four recipes in this variety pack were a hit. They particularly enjoyed the Atlantic Tuna recipe because it consisted of large chunks of fish in a flavorful tuna broth.
Almo Nature Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Calories | Price | Our Grade |
| Almo Nature HQS Daily Tuna with Mackerel in Broth Grain-Free Canned Cat Food | Wet | Tuna | 65 kcal per 2.47-ounce can | $0.28 per oz | A |
| Almo Nature HQS Natural Chicken Drumstick in Broth Grain-Free Canned Cat Food | Wet | Chicken | 84 kcal per 2.47-ounce can | $0.36 per oz | A |
| Almo Nature HQS Complete Tuna Recipe with Ocean Fish & Pumpkin in Gravy Wet Cat Food | Wet | Tuna | 66 kcal per 2.47-ounce can | $0.79 per oz | B+ |
#1 Almo Nature HQS Daily Tuna with Mackerel in Broth Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
Tuna is the primary source of protein in this canned food. It contains 65 calories per 2.47-ounce can, or about 26 calories per ounce.
Made with 75% red meat tuna and supplemented with mackerel, this supplemental cat food is packed with species-appropriate animal protein. The only other ingredient is water which makes it a moisture-rich option to help support your cat’s hydration and it has minimal carbohydrate content.
Almo Nature notes that the fish ingredients included in this recipe follow high restriction standards for heavy metals, though it may still be wise to limit your cat’s intake of large fish like tuna. King mackerel has fairly high mercury content as well, but it isn’t specific what kind of mackerel is used in this recipe.
This is a supplemental cat food intended for rotational feeding along with a nutritionally complete diet.
Ingredients
Tuna, Water Sufficient for Cooking, Mackerel.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Tuna
Mackerel |
None | Fish |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Contains two high-quality sources of animal protein
- Rich in moisture to support hydration
- Minimal carbohydrate content, easy to digest
Cons
- Intended for supplemental feeding only
#2 Almo Nature HQS Natural Chicken Drumstick in Broth Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
Chicken is the primary source of protein in this canned food. It contains 84 calories per 2.47-ounce can, or about 34 calories per ounce.
Similar to the previous formula, this recipe contains an incredibly simple list of ingredients: a single source of animal protein and water for cooking. In this case, that protein is chicken rather than fish. Because this recipe uses dark meat chicken, the fat and calorie contents are higher than you’d see with a recipe made with chicken breast. This means that the food could be a good option for boosting both the protein and calorie content of your cat’s diet.
Like the previous recipe, this canned food is rich in hydrating moisture and the limited list of animal-based ingredients means it’s easily digestible. The only thing to keep in mind is that it won’t be appropriate for cats with chicken allergies.
This is a supplemental cat food intended for rotational feeding along with a nutritionally complete diet.
Ingredients
Chicken Drumstick, Water Sufficient for Cooking.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Chicken Drumstick | None | Chicken |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Good source of supplemental protein and calories
- Simple list of ingredients, highly digestible
- Packed with animal-based protein from chicken
Cons
- Intended for supplemental feeding only
#3 Almo Nature HQS Complete Tuna Recipe with Ocean Fish & Pumpkin in Gravy Wet Cat Food
Tuna is the primary source of protein in this canned food. It contains 66 calories per 2.47-ounce can or about 27 calories per ounce.
Made with tuna and ocean fish as two of the top three ingredients, this is a primarily fish-based formula. Because it contains starchy thickeners like tapioca starch and guar gum, however, it’s higher in carbohydrates than Almo Nature’s supplemental foods. The carb content is higher than the 10% maximum we prefer but not considerably so.
In contrast to the previous recipes, this formula contains an added source of fat: sunflower oil. This helps balance the fat and protein content, but we’d prefer to see an animal-based fat like salmon oil or even chicken fat. Still, the recipe is free from artificial additives and could be a good choice for cats with food allergies who are able to tolerate fish.
This is a nutritionally complete cat food appropriate for daily feeding.
Ingredients
Tuna, Fish Broth, Ocean Fish, Pumpkin, Sunflower Oil, Tapioca Starch, Calcium Sulfate, Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B1 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity)), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Magnesium Sulfate, Choline Chloride.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Tuna
Ocean Fish |
Sunflower Oil
Tapioca Starch Guar Gum |
Fish |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Primarily a fish-based diet high in protein
- Free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
- Provides complete and balanced nutrition
Cons
- Much more expensive than supplemental foods
- Contains starchy thickeners
How Much Does Almo Nature Cat Food Cost?
When considering the cost of Almo Nature cat food, it’s important to remember that most of the recipes are for supplemental feeding only. These foods are fairly pricey, averaging between $0.25 and $0.40 per ounce. If you were to feed a 10-pound cat Almo Nature’s complete canned food, it would cost somewhere around $6.00 per day.
Overall, Is Almo Nature Cat Food a Good Choice?
The driving motivation behind Almo Nature’s business model is unique among pet food brands. Rather than being driven by profits, Almo Nature adheres to strict requirements for quality and allocates all revenue from sales to benefit cats, dogs, and the environment.
In terms of quality, Almo Nature has a lot to offer. Their supplemental foods are limited-ingredient and packed with both protein and moisture. You might pay more for them than you would for similar products from Tiki Cat but Almo Nature is less expensive than Thai-made Snappy Tom.
If you’re looking for a high-quality cat food to supplement your cat’s protein intake, Almo Nature is a great choice. While they do offer several complete recipes, they come with a price tag that may be prohibitive for many cat owners.
Where Is Almo Nature Cat Food Sold?
Almo Nature cat food is made in Thailand but distributed throughout the world. In the United States, you can find this brand in major pet retailers like Petco and PetSmart as well as some independent pet retailers and box stores like Walmart. Online, the best places to buy it are Chewy.com and Amazon.com.
I have fed my 2 MAINE COON ALMO complete HQS tuna and pumpkin or chicken and carrot. But since early 2022 you seem to have changed the formula and both my cats got diarrhea from the chicken which I no longer use and now 4 months later the tuna is causing the same problem. I use fortiflora to get control of it. But the minute I reintroduce your food the diahrreha comes back.
I’ve even tried to return the food to Mondou they refused. Pretty sad when your company makes changes and does not warn clients. If your stuff is made in Thailand I sujest you look at your facility to see if you have an issue. I will be reaching out to your company but you don’t make it easy to find you and when your suppliers refuse to take something back that makes my animals sick shame on them.
Hi Julie, we are a cat food review site – we have no direct affiliation with Almo Nature. I would recommend submitting a contact form on the brand’s website to get in touch with them about your concerns. Here’s a link:
https://www.almonature.com/en-us/contact
This post is misleading as fish is NOT a species appropriate protein for cats, moreover, tuna is the worst possible kind of fish for cats.
Hi Esther, thanks for your input! While it’s true that fish is not part of an ancestral diet for cats, the point being made here is that it’s a more species-appropriate choice than plant proteins simply because it is animal-based. We actually have two posts in which we address both of your comments in depth. We address the question of the species-appropriateness of fish for cats and the safety risks of tuna in these articles:
https://cats.com/fish-free-cat-food
https://cats.com/best-tuna-cat-food
Hi, Esther. I just wanted to tell you that, like many cat food flavors out there, beef isn’t a “species appropriate food either. When is the last time you saw the neighborhood stray take down a full-grown heifer (LOL)? But, as I now see is one of the other responses, beef, just like fish, still beats out potatoes and peas or rice every time when it comes to providing a meat-sourced protein for a cat–yours included. Beleive it or not, there are those out there who are trying to turn their cats into vegetarians just because they themselves are! That is, in my humble opinion, someonme who whould NEVER be a pet owner. It’s great to see that there are folks like you who pay attention to what their pets eat and not try to turnn them into small version of themselves. Good for you for looking out for your ‘fur-kids’. Now if we could just get those other cat food manufacturers to take the hint from people like you. Who knows…maybe one day they will. Have a great day!
I’m vegan and I’m not turning my cat into a version like me. And knowing, that cats need meat I do feed my cat meat (cruelty free brands). It’s an insult, in my humble opinion, when you claim someone should never be a pet owner. Please, respect vegetarians and vegans as I respect carnivores having pets.
I’m vegan and I’m not turning my cat into a version like me. And knowing, that cats need meat I do feed my cat meat (cruelty free brands). It’s an insult, when you claim vegetarians or vegans shouldn’t pet owners. Please, respect vegetarians and vegans as I respect carnivores.
Thank you very much for this Review. Could you please tell your opinion regarding the dry options? And could you compare them with Monge dry food? Apparently, almo Nature does not use pea fibers, which seems a better option. Do you agree? I am looking for a kitten dry food without peas or lentils, given the possible association with dilated cardiomiopathy.
Thank you in advance.
Hello Sofia, thank you for the comment! Their dry food seems to be made according to the same philosophy that guides their wet food production, and it seems like a similarly high-quality, high-value diet, though we don’t recommend dry foods or high-carbohydrate products in general. Furthermore, pea-based foods are not necessarily superior to those containing corn and rice. Instead, the inclusion of peas may increase the amount of less-digestible protein in the food, and there’s been some controversy around a possible connection between grain-free, legume-inclusive diets and DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) in dogs. Therefore, I wouldn’t necessarily assume that a food containing peas is better than one containing grains. Overall, we give Monge food a higher rating than Almo Nature, and they seem to offer a better variety of high-quality dry cat foods than the latter, so I would explore Monge further.
Thank you very much for your reply. My concern with monge dry food is the presence of pea fibers. But I don’t know if the association with DCM is related with pea protein or pea fiber content. Do you recommend another dry food without peas or lentils?
The vet recommended Royal Canin, but I think is a worse choice when compared to Monge., given your review. But I’m lost!
Thank you very much.
Best regards,
Sofia
Hi,
I know the brand very well and I have never trusted them. Btw, they source their meat in China. .
This is completly false. The brand is Italian and they don’t source anything in China. The fish comes from Thailand and the meat comes within the EU Community.
Have been using this brand exclusively for a few years now, in July 2022, they changed their formula and now the food and smells disgusting. I hope their revenue tanks because they did not warn anyone of the change.
My cat won’t touch the new stuff and it’s quite expensive.
anyone know which ones are the pate based foods – i have been using almost nature for at least 10yrs now my cats love most of the products but recently in canada we have finally been getting more of the almo soft food line and none of the cans identify as shedded meat or pate style -while i would never go with pate normally from any other brand – i have a cat thats having some dental issues presently and i can water down the pate. the people working in the privately owned pet stores and even the big box can’t tell you and the site doesn’t seem to give you the info either – thanks in advance
Hi Ashley, I’m afraid I don’t have an answer to that question, either! You may need to contact Almo Nature support.
thank you i’ve answered my own question about looking for pates
I agree with people about the change in quality. My cats used to love the food. Got case of chicken with cheese and gravy HQS complete recipe and they recoiled from it. I tried again a few days later and noticed a blackish/gray substance. The residue from the bowl had 100’s of micro hairs like what you find after someone shaves beard. I tried to contact Alamo but they make it almost impossible. Perhaps why there are no recalls. I had intended for them to be able to recall batch. Only way to contact is through email and they will not let you submit unless you agree to have your info stored and receive spam communications from them. I’ll be contacting Chewy as I bought it from them. Based on other’s comments, it may be the Thailand factory. Something went weird with this brand and I’d suggest using caution or using another brand.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thailand has been proven to be abusive to animals – particularly chicken. I don’t understand how they can use Thailand for the industrial production of fowls and think they are ethically sourced. (BTW my best friend is from Thailand and she won’t eat a Thailand-sourced chicken).
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My understanding is the brand is ltalian and the chicken comes within the EU community and the fish comes from Thailand.