September 29, 2023
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Answers cat food is one of the only exclusively raw fermented pet food brands on the market. But how does it stack up against the competition? Let’s find out.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Answers Cat Food On What Matters
We’ve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality. Here’s how it ranks in each of these six crucial areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 9/10
- Ingredient Quality – 10/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 8/10
Overall Score: 8/10
We give Answers cat food a 48 out of 60 rating or an A- grade.
Why Trust Cats.com
Having switched to raw cat food with my three cats (Bagel, Biscuit, and Munchkin), I’ve tested a wide range of options. My extensive experience researching, evaluating, and testing cat food products of all types also helped inform my review.
I ordered a variety of products and took notes about my customer experience while navigating the Answers Pet Food website. In testing the food with my cats, I observed the products’ appearance, texture, smell, consistency, and general appeal. I offered the products alone and used them as meal mixers.
In addition to performing in-house testing, I evaluated Answers Pet Food according to the information on the product packaging. I also conducted in-depth research on the brand and drew on the entirety of my research to rate the brand according to the Cats.com Standard.
About Answers
Founded in 2009, Answers Pet Food is a small family-owned business headquartered in Eastern Pennsylvania. The company was started by sisters Roxanne Stone and Jacqueline Hill who sought to find out why cases of serious diseases in pets have seemingly increased over time. The answer the sisters found was in the food those pets were being offered.
The answer to resolving chronic health issues, the company suggests, lies in the gut. By improving gut health and digestion through fermented foods rich in natural probiotics, Answers Pet Food seeks to support pet health and wellness. Over the years, Answers has gained a following among veterinarians and homemade pet food advocates.
Answers Pet Food was briefly involved in a legal dispute when founders Roxanne and Jacqueline stepped down to build their own consulting business in 2021. Their resignation coincided with Jacqueline’s separation from Answers President Keith Hill. Several other key resignations followed, including the Science Director Billy Hoekman and on-staff Veterinarian Dr. Doug Kneuven.
Legal matters appear to have been settled since 2021 and Answers Pet Food continues to offer a wide range of complete raw meals, fermented meal complements, and probiotic treats.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Answers Pet Food is headquartered in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. The brand uses ethically sourced and humanely raised ingredients—including organically grown vegetables—in its products. Answers Pet Foods are formulated and manufactured by Lystn, LLC.
All Answers raw pet food products are nutritionally enhanced through fermentation. Recipes utilize kombucha (fermented organic decaffeinated green tea), cultured raw goat’s milk, kefir, and raw cultured whey. According to Answers, the beneficial bacteria in these fermented foods support healthy bacterial balance in the gut for optimized digestion and improved overall health.
Recall History
With over a decade of history in the raw pet food space, Answers Pet Food has never had a national recall. It has, however, had one state-specific recall.
In January of 2019, the FDA notified Answers and issued a warning to consumers that a single lot of A+ Answers Straight Beef Formula for Dogs tested positive for Salmonella. Answers promptly recalled the affected lot in Nebraska but didn’t implement a nationwide recall. Several months after the recall, in July of 2019, Answers Pet Food filed a Declaratory Judgment Complaint against the FDA.
In the complaint, Answers challenged the lawfulness of the FDA’s nationwide zero-tolerance standard for Salmonella in pet food. As other raw food brands like Hare Today have alleged, Answers’ President Keith Hill suggests that the FDA’s actions indicate a bias against raw pet foods. In a post on Answers’ website, Hill suggests that the fermentation process Answers uses is effective in controlling pathogens.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Answers Offer?
Answers offers an assortment of raw pet food products for dogs and cats. The Detailed Formula product line offers complete and balanced nutrition, while Straight Formulas are designed for supplemental feeding. Answers also offers fermented raw milks, fermented bone broths, raw cheese bites, and fermented raw chicken and pig feet.
The following recipes are included in Answers’ Detailed Formula line for cats:
- Detailed Chicken Formula
- Detailed Turkey Formula
- Detailed Pork Formula
- Detailed Duck Formula
- Detailed Beef Formula
Marketed as limited ingredient diets, Answers’ Straight Formulas offer a protein-rich base for custom pet food recipes. These products consist only of whole cuts of meat, organs, finely ground bone, whey, and salt. Protein options include beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and duck. The Straight line is marketed for dogs but may be appropriate for use in homemade diets for cats as well.
Answers’ fermented raw milks and bone broths are recommended as meal toppers and nutritional aids. Raw milk options include goat milk and cow milk kefir, both rich in probiotics, live enzymes, fatty acids, and essential vitamins and minerals. Fermented stock options include fish stock and turkey stock with beet juice.
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
To test Answers Pet Food, I ordered an assortment of products, including one Detailed Formula recipe, two liquid supplements, and raw goat cheese bites. My order shipped quickly and arrived thoroughly frozen. Because I live in Pennsylvania, my order qualified for 1-day shipping. The food was packaged compactly in a small box with foam insulation and a small bag of dry ice.
Answers Cat Food: Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Calories | Price | Our Grade |
| Answers Detailed Chicken Formula Raw Food for Cats | Raw | Chicken | 50 kcal/oz. | $0.71 per oz | A- |
| Answers Additional Fermented Raw Goat Milk | Supplement | N/A | 19 kcal/oz. | $0.55 per oz | B+ |
| Answers Raw Goat Milk Cheese Treat | Treat | N/A | 96 kcal/oz. | $1.87 per oz | B+ |
#1 Answers Detailed Chicken Formula Raw Food for Cats
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
One of five complete and balanced raw food formulas for cats, this chicken recipe features a carnivore-appropriate blend of chicken muscle meat, organs, and ground bone. It also contains duck eggs for supplemental protein and cod liver for animal-sourced vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids. Because it contains cod liver, however, it may not be appropriate for cats with fish allergies.
Like many Answers raw foods, this formula also contains raw goat milk which provides probiotic benefits. Because the food is animal-based, it doesn’t require supplemental taurine. The only synthetic supplement needed is vitamin E.
This raw diet is sold in 16-ounce cardboard cartons and should be kept frozen until you’re ready to thaw it for feeding. It has a smooth, finely ground texture and high moisture content. My cats weren’t immediately interested, but it might have been because it was cold. I warmed some of Answers’ fermented turkey broth and added it, making the food more appealing.
Ingredients
Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Heart, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Ground Chicken Bone, Duck Eggs, Cod Liver, Whey, Raw Goat Milk, Montmorillonite, Carrot Fiber, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement.
Ingredients We Liked: Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Heart, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Ground Chicken Bone, Duck Eggs, Cod Liver, Raw Goat Milk
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Carnivore-appropriate blend of muscle meat, organs, and bone
- Finely ground texture is easy for cats to chew
- Rich source of hydrating moisture
- Provides a complete and balanced source of nutrition
What We Didn’t Like:
- Raw foods must be handled with care
- May not be appropriate for cats with fish allergies
#2 Answers Additional Fermented Raw Goat Milk
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
One of two fermented raw milks Answers has to offer, this product contains nothing more than raw goat milk, the beneficial bacteria required for fermentation, and a little raw honey and organic cinnamon. It’s sold in cardboard cartons that are easy to close after use. Buy it by the pint, quart, or half-gallon.
Like all of Answers’ products outside their Detailed Formula line, this product is intended for supplemental feeding only. Because it’s a liquid, it makes for a hydrating meal mixer or food topper. It may also help support healthy and regular digestion.
I offered my cats this raw goat milk on its own in a bowl and drizzled it over their usual food. The consistency was a little thinner than I expected but my cats enjoyed it. Once thawed, the milk can be refrigerated for up to 14 days.
Ingredients
Raw Goat Milk, Raw Honey, Organic Cinnamon, Dried Lactococcus lactis Fermentation Product, Dried Leuconostoc mesenteroides Fermentation Product.
Ingredients We Liked: Raw Goat Milk
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Simple raw goat milk formula
- Sold in pints, quarts, and half gallons
- Cardboard carton is easy to close after use
- High moisture, good for hydration
What We Didn’t Like:
- At 20 calories per ounce, should be fed sparingly
- Raw foods should be handled with care
#3 Answers Raw Goat Milk Cheese Treat with Organic Ginger
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Part of the Rewards product line from Answers Pet Food, these cheese treats are made from raw goat milk cheese. Aside from the goat milk, the only other ingredients are the bacteria and microbial rennet required to make the cheese and salt. There are six different flavor options: organic mushroom, organic ginger, organic turmeric, organic cherries, organic blueberries, and organic cranberries.
Sold in 8-ounce packages, the cheese is cut into small pieces, but the sizes were extremely variable. Because cheese is very calorie dense, I broke the pieces up to offer them to my cats. They were hesitant at first but eventually came around. My dog, Archie, gobbled the cheese up right away.
What’s notable about this product is that because it’s made from fermented goat milk, it may be easier to digest than regular cheese. Many cats are lactose intolerant and, while goat milk still contains lactose, the fermentation process introduces bacteria and enzymes that help the body break it down.
Ingredients
Raw Goat Milk, Dried Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris Fermentation Product, Microbial Rennet, Salt, Organic Ginger.
Ingredients We Liked: Raw Goat Milk
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made from fermented raw goat milk
- Easier for cats to digest than regular cheese
- Available in six flavor options
- Easy to break into smaller pieces
What We Didn’t Like:
- High in calories, should be offered sparingly
- Raw foods should be handled with care
What Do Customers Think of Answers Cat Food?
While Answers Pet Food has been in the market for over a decade, customer reviews are all but nonexistent. Answers doesn’t provide testimonials on its site and doesn’t allow reviews on its Facebook page. The brand has no presence on Consumer Affairs or other third-party review sites. It’s possible this was an intentional move made by the brand due to the legal issues of 2021.
In the wake of Roxanne’s and Jacqueline’s departure, customer loyalty appeared to split. Some independent reviewers withdrew their support from Answers, siding with the resigned founders. There have been no recent FDA warnings or recalls, however, to suggest that the quality of Answers products declined in any way following the change in leadership.
How Much Does Answers Cat Food Cost?
While raw cat food is often more expensive than dry and sometimes canned food, Answers Pet Food is moderately priced within its category. Complete and balanced Detailed Formula recipes range from $0.71 to $1.16 per pound.
Calorie content varies from one recipe to another, but the daily cost to feed a 10-pound cat Answers Pet Food Detailed Chicken Formula would be about $2.84. That’s a similar daily cost to A-rated RAWZ canned food, and significantly cheaper than Tiki Cat. In a price-per-ounce comparison with other raw food brands, Answers is cheaper than Hare Today but more expensive than Smallbatch Pets and Darwin’s Natural.
Where Is Answers Cat Food Sold?
Answers Pet Food is working to expand US availability and currently ships directly to 36 states. Certain states have restrictions on the sale of raw milk, and some require label modifications for sale. You can find a list of the states Answers ships to on its FAQ page. You’ll also find a shipping map that provides estimated shipping speeds for various states.
There are two ways to purchase Answers Pet Food. For the greatest product selection, shop Answers’ website—just be sure to check for shipping restrictions in your state first. The alternative is to find Answers Pet Food in your local independent or specialty pet food store. Check the Store Locator here.
