Published Feb 3, 2022
We’ve rated Bella and Duke Food on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Bella and Duke Cat Food review to learn how this brand stacks up.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Bella And Duke 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 – 10/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 4/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 8/10
- Recall History – 8/10
Overall Score: 7.7/10
In total, we give Bella and Duke food a 46 out of 60 rating or a B+ grade.
NOTE: These ratings are based on an in-depth exploration of the brand and reading dozens of customer reviews. I was not able to personally test the cat food given that Bella and Duke is a brand based in Scotland.
About Bella And Duke Food
Bella and Duke is a raw pet food company based in Perthshire, Scotland. The company was founded by Mark Scott and Tony Ottley in 2017. After losing their dogs to cancer, the two set out to ensure that other pet owners don’t have to go through the same heartbreak they did.
Over the course of four years, Mark and Tony developed Bella and Duke into a raw food subscription service that delivers pet food all over the UK. They developed the recipes in their own kitchen with input from animal nutritionists and everything is approved by veterinarians.
Bella and Duke is on a mission to keep pets happy and healthy. Their products are on the cutting edge of animal nutrition, and they are committed to constant development and transparency with customers.
Also Read: KatKin Unbiased Cat Food Review
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Bella and Duke employs both an animal nutritionist and an animal behaviorist on their team. Their recipes are formulated in keeping with the latest research with input from customers. Every recipe includes muscle and organ meats along with ground bone and small amounts of vegetables and fruits.
The company sources ingredients from UK suppliers. While they do not name these suppliers on the Bella and Duke website, the company says, “We know that they are managed ethically, and that all food comes from human-grade ingredients.”
Bella and Duke meals are made with fresh ingredients that are cooked and frozen within 30 minutes. They do not use any artificial additives or preservatives, relying on the freezing process to keep it fresh.
According to an article published in The Herald, Bella and Duke secured £7 million from a consortium of investors in mid-2021. These funds will be used to move operations and distribution from its factory in Inverkeithing to a new 10,000 square foot head office in Rosyth.
Recall History
To our knowledge, Bella and Duke has never had a product recall. It’s important to recognize that European pet food companies aren’t regulated by the FDA. They are, however, held to the standards determined by local governing bodies including the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF), the trade body representing the European pet food industry.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Bella And Duke Offer?
Bella and Duke is a raw food only company. They offer an assortment of recipes formulated for adult cats, kittens, and seniors. Their recipes are developed with an approach that combines an understanding of the natural evolutionary diet for cats and the latest nutritional science.
All of Bella and Duke’s raw cat food formulas contain fresh meat and organs, ground bone, and healthy fats like fish oil or olive oil.
Here is a list of Bella and Duke’s raw food formulas:
- Lamb & Duck Raw Cat Food
- Turkey & Chicken Raw Cat Food
- Chicken & Salmon Raw Cat Food
While Bella and Duke divides their products into categories for kittens, adults, and senior cats, it appears that all the recipes are the same. As a subscription service, Bella and Duke helps customers calculate their cat’s calorie requirements to create a custom meal plan.
What Do Customers Think Of Bella And Duke Food?
Bella and Duke appears to be quite popular in the UK. Not only does the brand have over 5,000 reviews on TrustPilot, but the company just received £7 million in funding to expand their operations.
Customers seem to appreciate the quality of the food, but what many find most impressive is the delivery and customer service. Bella and Duke makes it easy to order and change your subscription – you can even request a specific day for delivery.
Negative reviews of Bella and Duke often mention the higher price point and some customers had trouble canceling their order. In most cases, however, a representative from the company replied directly to the complaint on TrustPilot and it looked like the company made an effort to reach out to the customer directly to resolve the issue.
Let’s take a look at a few reviews from some of the most popular recipes from Bella and Duke.
Positive Reviews
“Easy to order, amend subscription and good that you are able to book a specific day for delivery, although not 100% guaranteed that you will be able to request this every time.” – reviewed by Laura Hodder
“Took a while to get the cat used to eating raw food but managed it after 2 weeks. Must be good and tasty, all the cats in the neighborhood are waiting outside the window in the evening.! Just a bit expensive to buy on a regular basis.” – reviewed by Geoffrey Catterall
Negative Reviews
“I have been a customer of Bella and Dukes for nearly a year under the monthly subscription. They have changed a few things including the ability to pause. I had postponed the date of a delivery and they still took my money and sent me another delivery just a week later, common sense would show that I wouldn’t need another delivery. I called and emailed but was told that once payment had been taken there is nothing they could do, there was no apology, when I asked what I was meant to do with the food as I had no room in my freezer to store it, she rudely replied “that’s up to you!” Needless to say, I have cancelled my subscription.” – reviewed by Joanna Malcomson
“I decided to change my cat’s food from using another raw food and took advantage of the promo discount. They enjoyed the food; however, it is extremely expensive, almost double the price of their usual raw food provider. I checked the ingredients on both and they’re almost identical. I can’t justify paying nearly double for almost the same food.” – reviewed by Customer
Bella And Duke Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Calories | Price | Our Grade |
| Bella & Duke Raw Turkey & Chicken Cat Food | Raw | Turkey | N/A | £1.59 per 250g tub | A |
| Bella & Duke Raw Lamb & Duck Cat Food | Raw | Lamb | N/A | £1.59 per 250g tub | A |
| Bella & Duke Raw Chicken & Salmon Cat Food | Raw | Chicken | N/A | £1.59 per 250g tub | A |
#1 Bella & Duke Raw Turkey & Chicken Cat Food
This turkey and chicken cat food contains only muscle meat, organs, and bone with beef broth for moisture and two sources of added fat. There are no unnecessary plant ingredients.
The primary ingredient is turkey hearts followed by chicken with bone. These two ingredients reflect the name of the recipe, but customers might not realize the formula contains a significant number of beef ingredients unless they check the nutritional information. The beef organs are certainly nutritious ingredients, but could be a problem for cats with beef allergies.
Somewhat strangely, Bella and Duke doesn’t list the fiber content or calorie content of their recipes. It’s somewhat understandable that the calorie content wouldn’t be listed considering portion sizes will vary by bodyweight, but it would still be a helpful detail for customers to choose a recipe.
Overall, this appears to be a species-appropriate raw food formula rich in protein with moderate fat and plenty of moisture to support your cat’s hydration.
Ingredients
Turkey Hearts, Chicken with Bone, Beef Tripe, Beef Offal, Beef Broth, Herring Oil, Virgin Olive Oil.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Turkey Hearts
Chicken with Bone Beef Tripe Beef Offal Herring Oil |
Chicken
Beef |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Packed with muscle meat, organs, and bone
- Doesn’t contain any unnecessary plant ingredients
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
- Free from by-product meals and artificial additives
Cons
- Not a single-protein recipe
- Cats with beef allergies may not tolerate the food
#2 Bella & Duke Raw Lamb & Duck Cat Food
This lamb and duck recipe contains only two sources of animal protein: lamb and duck. While it may not be a single-protein recipe, both proteins are novel for most cats which could make it a good option for cats with food allergies or sensitivities.
Similar to the previous formula, this recipe contains two sources of added fat: herring oil and virgin olive oil. Herring oil is an animal-based source of omega-3s, making it a great ingredient for your cat’s skin and coat. Olive oil is plant-based which isn’t preferable, but there’s nothing inherently wrong with it.
One thing worth noting with this recipe is that the fat content is almost equal to the protein content. Again, the calorie content isn’t listed but it’s safe to assume that with such a high fat content the calorie count would be fairly high. Depending on your cat’s body weight, the portion size for this recipe could be fairly small.
Overall, this appears to be a species-appropriate raw food formula rich in protein and healthy fats with plenty of moisture to support your cat’s hydration.
Ingredients
Lamb Hearts, Duck with Bone, Lamb Tripe, Lamb Offal, Lamb Broth, Herring Oil, Virgin Olive Oil.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Lamb Hearts
Duck with Bone Lamb Tripe Lamb Offal Herring Oil |
None |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Rich in animal protein from muscle meat, organs, and bone
- Doesn’t contain any unnecessary plant ingredients
- Made with two novel sources of species-appropriate protein
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
Cons
- High fat content may equate to higher calorie content
- Portion sizes could be fairly small
#3 Bella & Duke Raw Chicken & Salmon Cat Food
This raw food formula features chicken as the primary source of protein supplemented with fresh salmon and beef offal. About 60% of the formula is made up of chicken hearts and chicken bone and there are no added plant ingredients. This makes it a very species-appropriate recipe for cats.
Like the first formula reviewed, this recipe contains beef in addition to the two proteins mentioned in the recipe’s name. Again, beef offal is a high-quality ingredient and a rich source of nutrients, but it could be a problem for cats with beef allergies.
The calorie content of this recipe isn’t listed, but the fat content is much lower than either of the two formulas. If your cat struggles to maintain a healthy bodyweight, this recipe could be a good choice.
Overall, this appears to be a species-appropriate raw food recipe packed with protein and moisture with moderate fat content.
Ingredients
Chicken Hearts, Chicken with Bone, Salmon, Beef Offal, Beef Broth, Herring Oil, Virgin Olive Oil.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Chicken Hearts
Chicken with Bone Salmon Beef Offal Herring Oil |
Chicken
Fish Beef |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Rich in muscle meat, organs, and bone
- Doesn’t contain any unnecessary plant ingredients
- Lower in fat than other recipes, could be good for weight maintenance
- Plenty of moisture to support your cat’s hydration
Cons
- Not a single-protein recipe
- Cats with beef allergies may not tolerate the food
How Much Does Bella And Duke Food Cost?
Like popular US brand Nom Nom, Bella and Duke is a pet food subscription service.
They offer a raw cat food calculator on their website to help customers determine how much food their cat needs per day. Using this calculator, Bella and Duke recommends that a 3.5kg (about 7.7lbs.) cat needs 88g (~3oz.) of food per day.
Prices for Bella and Duke raw food start at £1.59 per 250g tub. For a 3.5kg cat, Bella and Duke estimates daily feeding costs at £0.94. That’s a weekly average of £6.58 or a monthly cost of £28.20.
These prices are based on a 4kg delivery and prices may vary according to delivery size. Delivery sizes available are: 4kg, 8kg, 12kg, 16kg, and 20kg.
Overall, Is Bella And Duke Food A Good Choice?
When it comes to the quality of their products, Bella and Duke seems to be a great choice. Their raw food formulas for cats contain only muscle meat, organs, and bone with healthy fats added for balance.
There are no unnecessary plant ingredients like you’d find in Stella & Chewy’s or Dr. Marty’s freeze-dried raw formulas and the recipes are rich in moisture to support hydration. This brand is very similar to US-based Darwin’s Natural Cat Food.
One downside of this brand is that they do not offer any single-protein formulas. Cats with food allergies or sensitivities may not be able to enjoy the Turkey & Chicken recipe or the Chicken & Salmon formula. The Lamb & Duck recipe is, however, made with novel proteins which could be an option.
Overall, Bella and Duke seems to be a trustworthy company that produces species-appropriate and cat-friendly products. Just keep in mind that they are a subscription-only serviced based in the UK, so product availability is limited to that area. Subscriptions can be a little pricey as well, but the price seems to reflect the quality of the products.
Where Is Bella And Duke Food Sold?
Similar to UK-based Nutriment, Bella and Duke is a raw pet food company. The primary difference is that Bella and Duke is a subscription service, so you can only order it through the company’s website. Using your cat’s bodyweight, you can create a custom meal plan and subscribe for regular deliveries.
