The 10 Best Dry Cat Foods of 2024

199 thoughts on “The 10 Best Dry Cat Foods of 2024”

1. Mike Jul 6, 2018 at 6:05 am

   My cats are only about 3 years old. I have been feeling like buying 80 cents per pound purina and kit and kabootal food is not worth the savings versus how much i value my guys(and girl). At the same time i dont want to spend $50 for a 16 pound bag of food. What is the best food for indoor cats(ages 2-4 year old) at about 2$ a pound? I dont want to overspend on crap thats marketed as good food, but also dont wont to buy garbage for them. I started buying rachel ray and other brands that are about 14$ for around 5 pounds of food. They dont eat as much of it as quickly as the cheap stuff. I am not sure if they dont like it, or its its just making them more satisfied.

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2. Scott Williams Dec 12, 2018 at 5:14 pm

   Dear Mallory;
   There is one brand of both dry and wet cat foods that is consistently passed over on all the “top” lists and it’s wrong. I feed Akiko, my 2 year old jet black DSH nothing but Performatrin Ultra, food and treats. It’s made in Canada from all Canadian ingredients, and is grain free and very high in animal protein, nutrients and minerals, quite comparably to high end brands like Blue . Also, if you buy it in Canada it’s lower priced than the brands like Blue. More and more Canadian veterinarians are telling there pet owners(Performatrin makes dog food as well) to switch to Performatrin Ultra because it’s just that good. I know Aikiko is very healthy and happy with it, and that’s good enough for me.

   Thank-you for your time;
   Scott Williams

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   1. Cat Stevens Aug 16, 2020 at 9:28 pm

      Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Recipe Cat Food is 32% carbs (dry matter analysis). That’s too high for a feline’s diet. Also, potato is its 3rd highest ingredient content and peas is its 5th. Not a positive.

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3. Mallory Crusta Dec 16, 2018 at 12:29 pm

   Hello Scott!

   Thanks for bringing Performatrin Ultra to my attention! I took a look at the product selection and it does appear that it’s an above-average cat food—nutritionally on par with some of the brands on this list of the best dry food. Again, I appreciate you leaving a comment and will keep Performatrin in mind for future “top” lists.

   All the best to you and Aikiko,

   Mallory

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4. Idan Aug 7, 2019 at 8:47 am

   Hello,
   It is sad that a lot of good US brands aren’t sold outside of the US and are extremely expensive to import.
   I would like to point out you are a bit inconsistent in that you rated Orijen 8 and Acana 9, while giving Acana a better grade in your Full Brand Review.

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   1. Dan A Hammack Nov 23, 2023 at 3:36 pm

      I don’t understand. You say Arcana was rated 9, Orijen 8, but that Arcana was given a better grade in the full brand review. 9 is better than 8, so where’s the inconsistency?

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5. Mallory Crusta Aug 7, 2019 at 10:01 pm

   Hello Idan,

   Thanks for your comment! Where are you from? I may be able to recommend a few good brands that are available in your country. Also, thanks for pointing out that discrepancy. This article was written before the brand reviews and should be updated for consistency.

   Purrs,

   Mallory

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   1. Anya Jan 18, 2020 at 7:41 pm

      I would like to hear a recommendation about good food available in Israel ?

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6. Jay Aug 8, 2019 at 6:18 pm

   My vet cautioned me about grain free foods. The heart problems showing up in dogs due to lack of taurine in grain free food is also a concern for cats. Can you recommend a quality dry food that is not grain free? Thank you!

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   1. Brittney Oct 30, 2019 at 5:38 am

      My cats eat grain free and their food absolutely contains taurine. It’s an essential ingredient for cat foods. Just read the ingredients label. If taurine is one of the last ingredients listed then it doesn’t contain much. The higher on the ingredients list that taurine appears, the more that food contains!

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   2. Kathy Wood Feb 27, 2020 at 8:08 pm

      If I may: Cat foods went through similar as what we are going through in dogs. It was taken care of before 2000 so you are okay. My Purdue cardiologist tells me (I have one golden with NDCM which we caught in time not to kill him but not soon enough to reverse it and will be on heart meds for the rest of his life) It will be years before we have a definitive answer and can right this wrong brought down upon our heads and our dogs. My own research leads me to believe the food companies decided to save money by slowly increasing the plant/grain proteins and decrease the animal proteins which meant and means dogs started dying from NDCM long before any of us were clued in. IN response I have changed my dogs to a very high percentage animal protein food (81%) with added meats and eggs to help insure they are getting enough animal protein to create enough taurine for their hearts. My cardiologist says I am on the right track.

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   3. Brooke Nov 1, 2022 at 9:02 pm

      Vets warn against grain free marketing because there are usually other fillers added to the food. But that isn’t always the case. Highly recommend Dogfoodadvisor.com for reviews for dog food specifically.

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7. Heidi Humes Sep 27, 2019 at 9:37 pm

   How does the wellness brand suit the Siberian Forest Cat breed.

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8. Aubrey Nov 15, 2019 at 4:40 am

   My vet recommended royal canin and said that grain free may cause heart disease but I wonder about vet’s motives (feeding pets unhealthy food gives them more business). I bought some tiki cat at the pet health food store instead. Interested in checking out Dr. Elsey’s instead. I was using 4health before.

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   1. Ashley Jul 17, 2020 at 10:12 pm

      There’s new research coming out showing a link between grain free diets and DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy). The FDA is who put out the most recent report publishing the link so it’s not just you vet.

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      1. A raw feeder Dec 25, 2022 at 2:55 pm

         Cats do not get DCM from a grain free diet. It is caused by a lack of Taurine in the diet. Every complete and balanced cat food, whether grain-free or not, contains enough Taurine to prevent DCM. Even strictly grain-free raw diets that are done correctly, do not cause DCM. I feed a strictly grain-free raw diet, and all my cats have perfect vet visits. My vet advocates for a grain-free diet as well.

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   2. MS Jun 17, 2023 at 6:43 am

      So why go to the vet at all then if you’re so worried about their “motives”? You would just go back and they would recommend a weight management option. Most vets are ethical and yes, actually care about the general well being of your cat, but please, go ahead and attend vet school yourself if you’re so paranoid and know better than to abide by the advice and suggestions from a certified veterinarian.

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      1. KW Dec 18, 2023 at 5:48 am

         You said it MOST VETS ARE ETHICAL and a magorare not just like human medical Doctor’s because they are mostly all bought out and controlled buy a big corporate business and they have to follow corporate rules that only care about the money not the pet and also vet school and medical school only spend maybe 10% time on learning nutrition. This is why we have to research and be the advocate for are pets and are self
         The key is eating unhealthy food keeps the medical profession in business

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9. Kathy Wood Feb 27, 2020 at 7:46 pm

   I am interested in knowing your thoughts on Victor cat food. I feed Victor to my goldens (I have 5). I have an 18 yr old cat and am picking up a 7 month old NFC mid March. I am not crazy about the food the breeder has her on and am looking for a food that both my kitten and my cat can eat (dry) with the addition of canned (alternating).

   A second question is do you know of any dog food sites similar to yours that conducts independent research like you do on cat foods?

   Thank you.

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   1. Mallory Crusta Post authorFeb 28, 2020 at 3:10 am

      Hello Kathy,

      Thanks for reading and commenting! Check out our review of Victor cat food here:

      https://cats.com/victor-cat-food-review

      To answer your second question, there are a few sites that review dog food in a similar manner. To start, I’d recommend Dog Food Advisor, Dog Food Guru, and PupJunkies.

      https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/
      https://dogfood.guru/reviews/
      https://pupjunkies.com/category/dog-food

      Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any more questions.

      Best,

      Mallory

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10. Kim Mar 13, 2020 at 10:02 am

    I feed my cats Iams Proactive Health indoor hairball and weight control
    I have had 4 cats die of unexplained rare cancer is the food doing this.

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    1. Mallory Crusta Mar 13, 2020 at 6:20 pm

       Hi Kim,

       While it’s almost impossible to know whether or not the food was related to your cats’ death, it’s unlikely. The Iams Proactive Health recipe doesn’t contain any known carcinogens and I haven’t seen similar complaints from other customers. That said, I sympathize with your concern and would understand if you chose to switch to another food.

       Take care,

       Mallory

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       1. jane Apr 11, 2020 at 6:48 pm

          The rare cancers might possibly be due to mycotoxins in the Iams. Not stating that Iams has them, just stating the possibility.

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11. Angela Jun 1, 2020 at 10:14 pm

    I’m curious to know what you think of the American Journey & Nature’s Variety Instinct dry cat food? I’m currently caring for 10 cats & cannot afford any of the foods you include in this list, though I wish I could! I wish I could feed them all raw foods or at least canned food, but even healthy canned food would cost me $300-$400 a month! I feel the best I can do at this time is to at least feed them a grain-free food, but am unsure which brand is best & won’t bankrupt me!

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 1, 2020 at 11:06 pm

       Hey there Angela, both of those are fair options.

       For more information, you might be interested in our reviews of those brands:

       https://cats.com/american-journey-cat-food-review
       https://cats.com/natures-variety-instinct-cat-food-review

       I’d also consider Kirkland dry cat food, which is one of the better economical dry products on the market. You might also be interested in our list of the best cheap cat foods on the market:

       https://cats.com/best-cheap-cat-food

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12. hooda Jun 3, 2020 at 12:55 pm

    hi, have you heard of the brand vital plus? heard it’s a budget friendly premium cat food. would love to hear your take on it!

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 4, 2020 at 5:40 am

       Hi Hooda, thanks for asking! I did a quick search and Vital Plus cat food looks like it does a few things better than a lot of comparable foods. For example, it doesn’t contain animal by-products or any vaguely-labeled meats and poultry. It contains beneficial ingredients like fresh salmon oil and whole dried eggs. But when you consider that their recipes contain large amounts of high-carbohydrate grains, they don’t look like the most species-appropriate option on the market. I’d consider them as an alternative to ultra-cheap kibble, but they wouldn’t be my first pick.
       Hope this helps!

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13. Judy Funk Jun 3, 2020 at 7:52 pm

    i have 2 ragdoll cats 1 year old I have been feeding weruva chicken licken wet food and Purina pro plan for indoor cats..Please tell me i I should change their diet…Thankyou.. I really want what is best for my cats….Thankyou

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 4, 2020 at 5:21 am

       Hi Judy, I think that your two ragdolls’ current diet sounds relatively good! Weruva’s Paw Lickin’ Chicken cat food is an excellent choice and, as long as the Purina Pro Plan indoor cat food is kept to a minimum, your kitties should be getting a fairly low-carbohydrate, moisture-rich diet. I’d encourage you to minimize the amount of dry cat food in your kitties’ diet, but don’t be afraid to make that a slow and gradual transition.

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14. Sam Jun 13, 2020 at 7:20 pm

    I’m currently living in Saudi and would love some advice on the best grain free cat food (dry and wet) for my Siberian. Happy to import… Taste of the Wild is available here and I believe I can access Orijen – happy to import also…. He definitely becomes ill with grains (vomiting and diarrhoea though unclear if it is just because his breeder had him on a grain free diet which sensitised him). Thank you!

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 17, 2020 at 3:31 pm

       Hello Sam, thanks for reaching out! Almost all of the foods on this list are grain-free, so if you can access them in your area or have them imported, they should work well for your Siberian. As for wet foods, you might like our list of the best wet cat food on the market.

       Hope this helps!

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15. NM Jun 30, 2020 at 3:18 am

    Kirkland Signature is definitely great on your wallet. But the bag is 35 pounds. Considering that dry cat foods can start to degrade slowly before the bag is even opened, there’s no way all those nutrients are still good once you get to the bottom of the bag.
    What’s left of any omegas would have long gone rancid. There’s also no evidence that omegas stay good in a dry food at all.
    I’m disappointed this was given such a good rating because this is an important factor to take under consideration. I would like to see some better options in this ranking spot!

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJul 1, 2020 at 5:03 pm

       Thank you for another thoughtful comment, NM! We will bear this in mind next time we update this guide.

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    2. continuum Oct 12, 2020 at 7:15 pm

       I believe you can freeze dry cat food, and it will preserve the contents.

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       1. continuum Oct 12, 2020 at 7:20 pm

          hmm…actually that would read better as: I believe you can preserve dry cat food by freezing it. So, store the portion you cannot use within 30 or so days in your freezer, separated into one or more portions for ease of use.

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    3. Michele Hollar Jan 28, 2022 at 6:41 pm

       I feed feral cats- someone asked me how many and I have no idea, but a 25# bag of Kirkland lasts maybe a week if I am lucky, so I do need recommendations like this! I like Kirkland best but when I can’t get to Costco I use Purina Cat Chow or Friskies dry. For wet my preferred is Friskies canned and I rue the day they stopped making the large cans because it is ridiculous to keep opening small cans. I discovered Triumph wet food during the pandemic and like that too. Some of the ferals love it and others don’t…..

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16. Brenda Jul 6, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    Hi. Thanks for all the efforts you put in to your reviews. We are looking for a new dry food for our 2 kitties (both are mixed-breed/rescues, one is almost 10 years (18 pounds), and the other is 2 years old (not quite 7 pounds). We have always fed the NutroMax dry food, but it was recently discontinued (because it was apparently a bad product??). I am nervous about changing foods because out little kitty is extremely picky and out big guy seems to have a sensitive stomach. I like the reviews I’m seeing on the Kirkland purple bag. A vet once recommended that we use the Kirkland dry dog food for our Cavalier (dog) we had….but to freeze it to keep the oils from going rancid before you can get through a Costco-sized bag of it. Do you think this would be a good idea for the dry cat food, too?

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJul 9, 2020 at 12:10 am

       Hello Brenda, thank you for commenting. We recently received a comment from someone suggesting that you do that and it certainly seems like a good idea. Good luck transitioning your kitties to their new food!

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17. Hamza Sep 3, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    Hello Mallory,
    I’m not that much expert while choosing a cat food for cats, but I’ve read several times that dry cat food is not good for old aged cats. The reason is that they find it difficult to chew dry cat food. If you know anything about it, please share with us.

    Have a nice day.

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 4, 2020 at 7:51 pm

       Hello Hamza, thank you for your comment! That’s a great question. Some cats with bad teeth do have difficulty with dry cat food, but cats don’t chew their food. Instead, they use their teeth to rip or break food slightly before swallowing it. When eating kibble, most cats swallow the pieces whole. For that reason, some seniors—even those without teeth—continue eating kibble without a problem. In other words, this varies from individual to individual. That said, wet food is a generally superior choice for cats of all ages and, indeed, a more accessible option for cats with poor dental health. Whether they’re one or eleven years old, cats get numerous benefits from a high-moisture diet, including lower blood sugar and a decreased risk of urinary tract disease.

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18. Sc00bs Oct 2, 2020 at 6:38 am

    I was looking at some of the reviews. It seems that some may need an update. Like the pure balance that Walmart puts out. My dry bak of dry Wild and Free Chicken Grain-Free. It says it has 40% Protein, 9% Fat, Fiber 6%, and moisture 10%, Your review shows completely different contents. Is it possible they changed their formula and you have not updated it yet?

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 2, 2020 at 8:46 pm

       Hello there! Thank you so much for letting us know about this. I would go in to make sure that everything is accurate, but I’m not sure where you saw a review of Pure Balance’s Wild & Free Chicken recipe. Could you please point me to a specific article where it’s mentioned? Thank you again.
       – Mallory

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       1. Sezgi Dec 27, 2022 at 10:10 pm

          Hello,
          I have not seen a review for Mera. Could you kindly review Mera cat food (sensitive)?
          Many thanks!

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          1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 28, 2022 at 7:22 pm

             Good request! We’ll consider it. Thanks!

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19. Jacquie Oct 15, 2020 at 1:37 pm

    Do you have an opinion on the Royal Canin line of foods? Thinking of swtiching my 2 long haired cats from BB to the hairball formulation

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 16, 2020 at 6:13 am

       Hi Jacquie, you might like our complete review of the Royal Canin brand: https://cats.com/royal-canin-cat-food-review

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20. Dan Oct 24, 2020 at 11:41 am

    hello mallory, thanks alot for your work!
    i’m from Israel and the the brand you recommend aren’t available here and it’s too expensive to import them.
    can you recommed a few brands that are available in Israel. If you don’t really know about the brands available in israel, which of the options is better in your opinion; Acana, Orijen, Farmina N&D or GO?
    Thanks alot 🙂

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 29, 2020 at 2:19 am

       Hi Dan, thank you for commenting! Of the brands you listed, I would recommend Farmina N&D as the best choice—this brand has an excellent reputation for safety and ingredient quality.

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21. MARCELLA D CERVANTES Nov 21, 2020 at 12:20 am

    Have you reviewed Petguard foods? My cat is incredibly picky and he loves their dry and wet food but is it good for him?

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22. Christina Adamaki Feb 19, 2021 at 7:51 am

    Hello,

    I really like your reviews! Unfortunately the brands you are proposing are not available everywhere. I would really like to hear a recommendation about good food available in Greece ? 🙂

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorFeb 19, 2021 at 11:37 pm

       Hi Christina, thank you for writing to us with your request for good brands available in Greece. Unfortunately, I’m not very familiar with the brands available in your country, but I do know that Farmina and Performatrin Ultra are fairly good brands that are available there. You might also look into Orijen’s dry cat food.

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23. Marie Soda Feb 24, 2021 at 6:05 am

    Hello,
    I’m looking for reviews on Catit Gold Fern Air Dried Cat Food and it isn’t listed in your A-Z Brand Reviews. Can you tell me if this is a good option for our 14 year-old cat? After watching the documentary, Pet Fooled, I’m trying to switch him to a raw diet but he isn’t at all interested in the raw foods I’ve tried. This is one he will eat but I’d like confirmation it is a nutritious and healthy option. We’ve been using this as an option to leave in his bowl overnight since he has been a grazer since a kitten. During the day, we’ve been trying various canned wet foods since the transition to raw hasn’t gone over well. So far his favorites have been TikiCat and Weruva but I’m not comfortable leaving wet food in his bowl for 8 hours overnight. Is Catit Gold Fern Air Dried worthwhile?

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 2, 2021 at 9:55 am

       Hi Marie, I’ve not seen much about Catit’s Gold Fern food—this was my first time hearing about it! At any rate, it generally looks like a decent option comparable to Ziwi Peak. It’s hard to say just how good it is since the brand has only been selling cat food since 2019 and we don’t know all the details on their manufacturing process, quality control, and testing processes, but based on the advertising, it does look like a fairly good choice—seemingly much more species-appropriate than the majority of dry foods on the market. I’d give it a shot. Thanks for stopping by!

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24. Andrea Lavelle Mar 4, 2021 at 4:03 pm

    Trusted this website til you started pushing the grain free gimmick. Not only is it bad for cats but dangerous to their health. Surely you can find a healthy kitten food other than Simply Nourish grain free. Won’t use this site again.

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 8, 2021 at 7:51 pm

       Hi Andrea, sorry to hear that you’re disappointed. To clarify, we are not biased towards grain-free foods, and secondly, there is no definitive evidence that grain-free foods are any worse (or better!) than grain-inclusive foods for cats. You can learn more about grain-free diets for cats in our article on the subject.

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25. Marilyn Boschetto Mar 20, 2021 at 12:27 am

    Hello. This is the first time I have seen your reviews, I found them very useful. i have two 10 yr old cats, one of which has a sensitive tummy and he frequently vomits right after gulping his kibble. I’d like to wean both off of the dry food as they seem addicted to it. They also get wet food twice a day but beg and beg for the kibble. I’ve been told most dry cat food has been sprayed with an agent that cats are attracted to. Can you shed any light on this for me? I have recently started adding a probiotic to the wet food and it seems to be helping with the vomiting. It’s called Hairball Buster and made by Fidobiotics.
    If you have any recommendations, I’d like to hear them. Thank you

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 22, 2021 at 6:42 pm

       Hi Marilyn, it is true that dry food is often much more appetizing to cats than wet food. Many dry foods are coated with animal digest, which is a highly-concentrated source of flavor that cats love. You’ll often see it referred to on the label as “natural flavors”. Since the Hairball Buster is helping with the vomiting, I would encourage you to try Purina Fortiflora. It’s a probiotic that should have similar benefits for your kitty’s regular vomiting and, because it contains that animal digest I mentioned earlier, it should also help to encourage your cats to eat wet food. Hope this helps!

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26. Ariana May 14, 2021 at 3:22 am

    I wish u can added with more brand recommendation base on region product availability. I had seen lot article site which the brand recommendation are not selling or not able to find it in my region. Amazon charges shipping fee (currency conversion) its too high and delivery may took 3-4 wks to arrives. I know it hardest for you to break it down the brand name for each country around the world. Just specific which the best of the brand products for western site market and Asian site market. Tq

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 18, 2021 at 9:43 pm

       Thanks, Ariana. We’ll consider adding more content to cover a wider range of regions around the world.

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27. Sam May 23, 2021 at 5:45 pm

    Hi Mallory,

    I was wondering if you could rate and do an individual review of the “Made by Nacho” brand by the chef Boby Flay. I’ve been curious if the reviews of his wet and dry food are as high quality as he and the reviewers claim. Also as healthy as he claims.

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 28, 2021 at 9:48 pm

       Sam, we plan to do that soon! Thank you.

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28. Trevor Jun 1, 2021 at 10:50 pm

    Only Natural Pet Feline PowerFood Poultry Dinner Grain-Free Dry Cat Food has been updated recently (I think), with both a new look to the bag and different ingredients. A fair amount has been removed, and added. I’m thinking of getting this food, is it still good with the new recipe? Thanks!

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 7, 2021 at 10:49 pm

       Hi Trevor, thank you for bringing this to our attention; we are working on an update presently.

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29. David Jun 6, 2021 at 5:35 am

    Why is the only natural pet dry food different from the one on their website? Does this matter?

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 7, 2021 at 10:48 pm

       Hi David, thank you for bringing that to our attention! It appears that the food listed here is no longer available from Only Natural Pet. We will have to update the article accordingly. Only Natural Pet’s new formulations look good, though we will need to look more closely to make a final assessment.

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30. Cha Jul 18, 2021 at 4:28 am

    Hi Mallory! I have been thinking on what brand to shift from Equilibrio, I never knew that dry food that contain grains can be bad for their healthy. However I can only find few affordable brands that you have listed in Malaysia. Do you have a recommendation for my region as well? Because Royal Canin & Equilibrio is considered the best over here. Thank you for your well-researched reviews and recommendations! It definitely helps me in wanting better for my dear cats.

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJul 21, 2021 at 8:43 pm

       Hello Cha, thank you for commenting! We would love to be able to help more people by providing information relevant to more countries outside of the United States. For now, you might appreciate this article from another blog on the best cat food available in Malaysia. To my understanding, Royal Canin and Equilibrio are good, reputable brands that should serve your cat well, although it is true that some would advise switching to a lower-carbohydrate diet.

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31. Rose Jul 19, 2021 at 6:25 am

    Hi Mallory! I’m in South Korea and I’m looking for a good cat food for my cat here. I tried to find Dr.Elsey’s, but it seems they don’t sell it here.
    Is there any food you would recommend?
    Also, my vet recommended I change his feed, saying it might be linked to his ear problem. We treated him extensively for mites just in case, but it seems that’s not problem..
    If you could give me your best advice, I would seriously appreciate it!!

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJul 21, 2021 at 10:16 pm

       Hi Rose, thank you for writing! Unfortunately, I am not very well-informed on the cat food marketplace in South Korea, so my recommendations are limited. Are you looking for dry food, specifically? You may be able to find Orijen food, which is another meat-based, lower carbohydrate dry food. Alternatively, options from Purina, Royal Canin, and Hills will not give you the most species-appropriate nutrition, but they do come from reputable companies with a history of producing food that is trustworthy and well-loved around the world.

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32. Melvin Mar Aug 9, 2021 at 2:33 am

    Hi. I’m having trouble with the specs in the article. In the Tiki Cat Chicken dry food, the copy states as follows. “These plant inclusions contribute to the food’s approximate 18% carbohydrate content.” The graph beneath says it’s 27.22%. I went to Chewys.com and they state the the carb content is 11%. What gives?

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 15, 2021 at 4:12 pm

       Hi Melvin, excellent questions. I’m not sure why I was mistaken about the 18% and have edited it. As for the other discrepancies, I believe that the main issue arises from a conflict between the guaranteed analysis and the actual nutrient values of the food. Our pie charts automatically calculate dry matter values based on the guaranteed analysis, but this is an imperfect system—guaranteed analyses only give minimum and maximum nutrient values, and the actual content of the food may be different. If, for example, a food is at least 19% fat, it may actually be 30% fat. In that case, the carbohydrate content would be significantly lower. Because the 10.9% value on Chewy is most likely pulled from a typical nutrient analysis, I would consider it to be the closest to an accurate value here. And that’s good news—being 11% carbohydrates is pretty impressive for a dry food! Thank you for bringing all of this to my attention, and I hope the response was helpful. Sorry about the inaccuracies and conflict. – Mallory

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       1. Blanche Dec 3, 2023 at 10:35 pm

          Tiki cat dry cat food is very high in phosphorus from 1.64% to 2.11%. High phosphorus causes kidney damage even in healthy cats. You recommend a lot of very high phosphorus food. Before you recommend a food you should be looking at the minerals in the food too. High minerals cause kidney disease. Acana is another bad dry food. I have read customer reviews where their cats were peeing blood from the food

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33. Theresa Aug 25, 2021 at 9:48 pm

    Is Purina One Healthy Kitten Formula a good brand. My kitten is 8 weeks old. I also give her all natural raw food by Applaws since I was told not to just feed her dry food.

    Thanks

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    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 29, 2021 at 10:22 pm

       You can learn more about Purina One food for cats here: https://cats.com/purina-one-cat-food-review

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34. Lauren Sep 16, 2021 at 10:25 pm

    Hello,

    I’ve been researching Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein food that you describe here to be your number one pick, and found that they use rosemary extract as a preservative, which is known to cause seizures in cats. Is this preservative something that is not avoidable?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 29, 2021 at 3:52 am

       Hi Lauren, the research on rosemary as a potential neurological hazard seems to be quite limited, and at this time, I don’t see it as a pressing enough risk to avoid it in cat food.

       Reply ↓
35. MYSelf Sep 16, 2021 at 10:25 pm

    why are you recommending dry cat foods that contain Rosemary Extract? There are many of them, but I read that rosemary extract can cause neurological problems in cats. This is reported in MANY articles.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 20, 2021 at 8:36 pm

       Frankly, I’d never heard of the claim that rosemary may be a neurotoxin for cats. I’ve looked into it, and it seems that most claims are pretty vague without good references. For instance, the 2010 article on The Dog Press that seems to be the source of a lot of these concerns links to an article from the University of Maryland Medical Center here, but that article is no longer available. The other site mentioned is no longer in operation. Overall, I’d need to see more information on this claim before ruling out rosemary extract as an acceptable preservative.

       Reply ↓
    2. AEMarch Nov 21, 2021 at 11:56 pm

       Rosemary extract is listed LAST in the ingredients; therefore, it is the least quantity of all ingredients in the list. It is a natural antibacterial and safe for consumption; furthermore, it is purified and traces of the oil are out of the extract that is included in cat food.

       Reply ↓
36. dd Dec 1, 2021 at 9:27 pm

    Bonjour Mallory,

    We are in need of your recommandation. Our cat (tabby) is 10 years old,
    overweight 14.5lb and sensitive to constipation.

    She eats mostly canned food, but overnight and when we leave for a bit longer,
    she earts dery food . The veterinary put her on a diet with their products ( Royal Canin Sasiety ) ,
    but I am sure there are better quality options for her …I tried Weruva Chicken and had to stop, she vomitted, so now I am paralized
    and a bit scared to test foods with her .

    Thank you so much for your help and bravo for the great work on the site !
    Dana

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 6, 2021 at 6:52 pm

       Hello Dana, thank you for writing, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you! Before entirely ruling out the Weruva food as an option, I would think about the way you switched her food. A sudden change in diet can cause gastric upset and may lead to vomiting. A slow transition is preferable, regardless of the type of food you’re giving her. Other than this, I would recommend discontinuing any free-feeding and measuring out all of her portions. You need to know exactly what and how much she’s eating every day. Caloric control and consistent monitoring are key, no matter what you’re feeding her.

       Reply ↓
37. Andreia Dec 5, 2021 at 5:58 pm

    Hi, I’m living in Denmark and I tend to buy cat food from Germany. Mostly “Josera” Classic brand. If I ran out I buy “Perfect Fit” from the supermarket.
    Are these brands the best option for my cat that only likes dry food?

    Thanks for reading!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 9, 2021 at 8:21 pm

       Hi there! Unfortunately, I’m having trouble finding the ingredient lists for Josera cat food. Perfect Fit doesn’t look like the best product available—I’m seeing generic “dried poultry protein” and a variety of plant-derived protein on the ingredient list. This food will offer the nutrition your cat requires, but it may not be the most digestible or efficient diet for them. I would lean towards foods that are primarily made from animal-derived protein sources, preferably from clearly-specified animal species like chicken, beef, or lamb. While plant proteins do help your cat get the amino acids they need, they aren’t necessarily the most digestible source of protein. With this information (and that found in the article above) in mind, you can make a decision about any cat food product or brand on the market. You may also want to talk to a veterinarian to get their recommendations. Hope this helps.

       Reply ↓
38. Mary Nespoli Jan 3, 2022 at 5:35 pm

    Hi, per your #1 choice, Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein Dry Cat Food, we’ve been using this dry food for a couple years and buying the chicken flavor with no problems. Our cat has always loved it; she likes dry food and we also give her a freeze dried brand which she will eat, Stella and Chewy’s.
    I just wanted you to know that Dr. Elsey’s is having a problem with supply issues and therefore the chicken flavor of this food has changed in both smell and color the last few months. Consequently my cat now refuses to eat it. I called and spoke to customer service at Dr. Elsey’s and they say they are having problems with supply issues due to the Covid virus and they have changed the chicken flavor. They are working on fixing the issue as there are many people that are having the same problem with their cats not liking it. I’ve been trying to find another food that my cat likes and so far, it’s Blue Buffalo. I did like the Dr. Elsey’s but until they get this issue fixed I won’t be buying it again. Just wanted you to know. Thanks for your good reviews.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJan 4, 2022 at 2:36 am

       Hi Mary, thank you so much for making us and the community aware of this!

       Reply ↓
39. Jessca Jan 14, 2022 at 9:36 pm

    Hi! What are your thoughts and review for the pretty please dry cat food from the same brand of pretty litter? would love to hear your thoughts on that brand 🙂

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJan 18, 2022 at 12:29 am

       Hi there! We haven’t tried it yet, but we have a review on the schedule for later this month. We’ll let you know when that goes live!

       Reply ↓
40. Yiwu Wang Mar 1, 2022 at 12:16 pm

    Hi!
    I live in Finland, and have bought cat foods mainly via zooplus.fi. The top brands you recommend I haven’t seen in our local market. Would you please check the brand in the website and recommend which I can buy, dry and wet food. Thank you in advance.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 11, 2022 at 6:17 am

       Hey there! Apologies for the late reply. If you’re focused on dry food, a few brands that should work include:

       • Wild Freedom
       • Purina One
       • Purina Beyond
       • Almo Nature

       Hope this helps!

       Reply ↓
41. Brittany Mar 1, 2022 at 10:34 pm

    I tried switching my cats over to Only Natural Pet PowerFood Poultry Indoor Cat Dinner Dry Food, based on the review from this site. Both of my cats have been on a handful of foods over the years. One of them wants nothing to do with the food. I hand feed it to him and he spits it out. I’d like to see a biased cat review.

    Reply ↓
42. Fremy Mar 3, 2022 at 12:26 am

    Hi, do you still recommend all this dry food this year? I’m a new cat owner and I’m looking for best dry food for cats. I don’t plan to feed them dry food forever, I’m just trying to budget my food and their food lol. I noticed that you made this review long,.long time ago your opinion and review may change now.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 8, 2022 at 5:43 am

       Yes! We just updated this article for 2022. 🙂

       Reply ↓
43. Charlie Mar 3, 2022 at 4:21 pm

    The Open Farm Wild-Caught Salmon Dry Cat Food promo of FIRSTSUB20 doesn’t appear to work. Can you either provide working promo or remove it?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 8, 2022 at 5:38 am

       Hi Charlie, thank you for mentioning that. The code has expired, so I’ll remove it. Sorry about the hassle.

       Reply ↓
44. Shanne Mar 3, 2022 at 4:21 pm

    Often passed up is “Wholehearted Grain Free” formulas. Doing a quick search on this site ranks Kirklands as Overall Score: 6.5/10 (B-), but is listed as the BEST budget food on this list. Meanwhile, searching for Wholehearted results in an Overall Score: 7.5/10 (B+) but is seen nowhere on this list.

    How does a food that has a lower grade rating end up on the “Best Dry Cat Food” list while a food with a full point higher grade does not?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 11, 2022 at 6:01 am

       Hi Shanne, the B+ grade refers to the Wholehearted brand as a whole (including their wet foods), but we gave their dry foods a C+ in contrast to the Kirkland recipe’s B-. We still believe this is a good option for budget-conscious buyers!

       Reply ↓
45. Golnaz H Mar 8, 2022 at 10:36 pm

    Hi Mallory,
    I have two munchkin kittens (siblings one girl one boy) and they will turn 1 year old in April, so far we are feeding them Hills for kittens as dry and Schesir kitten as wet (more like treat) i am looking for the best dry food for this breed.

    Appreciate your recommendation

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 10, 2022 at 2:59 am

       The overall best foods will be great for your munchkins, too!

       Reply ↓
46. Dorin Iordache Mar 14, 2022 at 7:20 pm

    We adopted 4 cats and we are looking to get some good food for them.
    Unfortunately, in Romania, we do not have many options, but the is the website zooplus where we order food from.
    Any ideas which cat food is good?
    Until now, we gave them Animoda Carny as wet food, and Hills Science plan as Dry food, but, I saw that hills is not such good food.
    Can you tell us if Animoda Carny is good wet food for the cats?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 27, 2022 at 2:37 am

       Hi there Dorin, thanks for reaching out. Animoda Carny’s wet cat food looks excellent—I would keep feeding it if everything seems to be working well. I gave the following recommendations to another commenter looking for European foods on Zoplus:
       – Wild Freedom
       – Purina One
       – Purina Beyond
       – Almo Nature

       Hope this helps!

       Reply ↓
       1. Dorin Iordache Mar 27, 2022 at 7:57 pm

          Hi! Thank you so much for all the information and for the videos you create, they have helped us understand better what we were feeding our cats (Hills, Royal).
          From now on we will be feeding only Animoda Carny as wet food for our little ones, but we also need dry food as we are on a tight budget.
          Was wondering about your thoughts on Purizon Sterilised Adult Fresh Turkey and Chicken as dry food-> https://www.zooplus.ro/shop/pisici/hrana_uscata_pisici/purizon/adult/986105
          ?

          Thank you once again

          Reply ↓
          1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 28, 2022 at 9:20 pm

             It looks pretty good! Ideally, I’d prefer to see a dry food without potato starch or peas, but that’s the nature of kibble, generally. The ingredients appear to be high-quality, and I appreciate the use of animal-derived fat and various components chosen with sterilized cats in mind.

             Reply ↓
47. Debra Mar 15, 2022 at 4:10 am

    Farnina N&D Prime grain-free cat food should be high on this list, Ingredient selection is held to a higher European standard than U.S. pet food.
    https://www.farmina.com/us/

    Reply ↓
48. Debra McFadden Mar 15, 2022 at 4:49 am

    Unlike humans and dogs, cats are obligate carnivores. Thus, they thrive on high animal protein and animal fat, that which they consume, naturally, from prey. No grains (corn, wheat, rice, barley, soy) should be in any cat food, Soy, unless, fermented, shouldn’t be in anyone’s diet, yours or your pets. Research. Cat’s are not predisposed to feline diabetes and inflamed bowel disease. Both are caused by thoughtless, ignorant pet owners that feed their cats grains and carbs. Thickening gums should be avoided, as much as possible. Synthetic vitamin K (menadione sodium bisulfate) is also highly toxic and banned for human consumption., All synthetic vitamins/supplements is toxic, for us and pets. Cats get the minimal natural vitamin K that they may need by eating grass and/or catnip. Healthy dry cat food should contain AT LEAST 40% ANIMAL SOURCED PROTEIN, Canned food should be grain-free, as well, and contain, at least 10% protein. The closer a pet owner can mimic a cat’s natural diet from prey, the healthier your pet will be. Stands to reason. I have to cats, 10 and 11 years old, never been vaxxed and fed a high quality grain-free food, minus the many toxins, I’ve mentioned, and neither one has ever been sick. Grains are used as cheap filler. Unless organic, crops, especially grains are saturated with glyphosate (RoundUp), a neurotoxin/carcinogen, before harvesting. You can’t wash it off. Ignor-ance is a choice, one sure to lead to unnecessary suffering. Purina and Kirkland are garbage!

    Reply ↓
    1. Amber May 14, 2022 at 10:27 pm

       Can i ask what your recommendations would be for dry food and canned?

       Reply ↓
49. Muffin Mar 15, 2022 at 6:40 am

    Hi! I’m really, really sorry to bother you, but I have been researching cat foods for days in search of a better option for my babies. For wet food (first meal of the day, which I can only afford for now) I have settled on Authority canned food. But since I am on a tight budget, I do need to feed dry for the second meal (but I do have appropriately placed water fountains that they enjoy drinking from). I have narrowed down a lot of options by really digging through your website and other forums but I still don’t feel confident enough without your opinion. Current picks are Only Natural Pet Feline PowerFood Poultry Dinner (B+), Beyond White Meat Chicken & Egg Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food (B), Kirkland Signature Maintenance Cat Chicken & Rice Formula (B), and American Journey Grain Free Turkey & Chicken Recipe (B-). What do you think of these foods when put against each other? I have no idea what the best option is and it’s kind of stressing me out haha I just want the best for them… Also, do you think you could do something on the best dry foods on a budget that shows options like these? It would really help out people like me who are using it for only a small part of my cats diet or even for people whose cats will not take wet food! Thank you so much!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 27, 2022 at 2:45 am

       Hey there Muffin! 🙂

       Of the foods listed there, I’d go for either the Purina or the Only Natural Pet options, with the ONP being my number one choice of all of them. An article on the best budget dry foods is a great idea. I hope you’re able to sort everything out soon. Sorry about the late reply. Take care!

       Reply ↓
50. Golnar Apr 5, 2022 at 12:50 am

    Hello, I need help with picking the best food for my Ragdoll kitty. I have been feeding her Nutro wholesome essentials indoor cat dry food.Is that a good choice? I am also thinking of switching to grain free but now I am reading it may cause heart issues so I’m really confused, can you please let me know what is the best food I ca feed her? I also have a water fountain but not sure how much water she drinks.
    Thank you

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorApr 12, 2022 at 5:35 pm

       Hi Golnar, whether or not a food is grain-free isn’t really the important issue. The question is how much carbohydrate and plant matter is in the food. You can find foods that are high in carbohydrates and plant matter that are grain-free and ones that are grain-inclusive. Focus on that rather than whether or not the food contains grains. Regarding the DCM issue, this is a complex matter, and we don’t have the answers, but we do know that the issue is not grain deficiency. It’s something else—perhaps the presence of legumes in the food, perhaps the types of proteins used in them. You can learn more about the issue here. Nutro’s Wholesome Essentials is okay, but I wouldn’t consider it an ideal choice. The options on this list would likely be a superior choice, and you can explore some of the other recipes from the brands mentioned.

       Reply ↓
51. Janet Lillie Apr 20, 2022 at 12:32 am

    Hey Mallory!
    I really appreciate your site and all the info! Thx!!
    I frequently study your cat food lists. I have 5 feral cats; 2 that l believe had urine blockages… 1 was verified at the vets. Both maybe around 9+ years old So l put them on the prescription urinary diets from Purina, Hills, and Royal Canin. I understand your concern for the dry foods. I’m wanting to wean them mostly or completely off the dry.
    I was curious with your recommendations of the wet cat foods that l assume dieticians? have determined the certain ingredients that they shouldn’t eat; because they are more prone to cause urinary crystals, are Not in those recommended wet cat meats?
    I know the food recommendations go thru intense studying, l just need to be sure my cats can handle safely what’s in the wet cat meat nutrients.
    Another of my cats has Thyroid issues, 17 years old. He’s on Hill’s Thyroid Y/D. Hates the wet meat. Likes the dry. Fine. Until l realized there’s No Meat in the dry!!
    So I’m feeding him your Wellness chicken entree you recommended with his dry thyroid kibble. I’m guessing that the recommended wet cat meats are safe for the prescription diet cats by vets and dieticians?

    The thyroid cat also very well may have IBD, or pancreatitus, or cancer in the gastro tract, but my vet said it would be expensive to try to prove it, not to mention quite possibly totally inconclusive. So I’m asking you should l just stick to the thyroid recommendations for the wet cat food, or also the recommended wet meats for the IBD & pancreatitus?
    My last 2 cats of these 5 ferals seem fine.
    Thx So Much Mallory for all your gang do!!

    Reply ↓
52. Emily May 1, 2022 at 10:12 pm

    Hi Mallory
    I’m from Australia & have two cats. I’ve been feeding them Premium One cat biscuits & Purr wet food.
    My concern is…have they become addicted to the biscuits, are these biscuits healthy for them? I have also noticed recently the “shrinkflation”.
    The price has sky-rocketed to $16.50aud for 1.4kg (previously $12.50aud for 1.5kg).
    Is their a healthy biscuits you could recommend that is available here in Australia?
    Kindest regards
    Emily

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 2, 2022 at 3:29 pm

       Hey Emily, thanks for the comment! Unfortunately, I’m not able to find Premium One cat food online—a link could be helpful. As for better cat food available in Australia, here’s a link to our article on the best cat food in your country.

       Reply ↓
53. Alex May 13, 2022 at 7:56 am

    Hello Mallory, hope you’re doing well,

    I’m mainly from Europe and most of the recommended brands are not available here. I have a 6 years old mixed Norwegian Forest Cat, which apparently is very sensitive to food (we adopted him last year). We have tried wet-foods but he gets diarrhea from it, so wet food unfortunately is a no-go. We have tried Orijen/Acana, and apart from the fact that he does not like the food (not sure if it’s for the grain size or smell) he also gets diarrhea from it, which saddens us because for the short time we gave him Orijen dry food we noticed a change on his coat (less oily) and more energy to play. We have since tried some other lesser known cereal-free brands and he either does not like the smell/shape of the grains or gets diarrhea.

    The only types of food which he eats (and actually likes) and does not get diarrhea from are like the cheap dry food bags or Purina (and those types of brands). We would really like to give him good quality dry food but we’re getting out of options. Would you have some recommendations ?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 24, 2022 at 3:47 pm

       Farmina is one promising option that’s available in Europe. It’s made from very high-quality ingredients and has an excellent reputation, and you may find that it satisfies your cat’s needs. Hope this helps!

       Reply ↓
54. Alex May 13, 2022 at 7:59 am

    To add salt to the injury, the only brands that the veterinarians recommend here are Purina/Whiskas/Hill/etc, so not ever veterinarians are able to properly explain and help here.

    Reply ↓
55. Susan B May 18, 2022 at 2:56 am

    I have 3 cats. They are littermates and are 2 years old. They ate Core Wellness dry and wet food since they were kittens. I would change up the flavirs and they always seemed eager to eat. About 6 months ago, they went on a hunger strike- refusing to eat all Core Wellness products. We had no idea what to do. So, we tried IAMs dry and they liked it well enough, but we knew it was only a short term fix as it isn’t a super healthy food. We switched to Tiki Cat. They will not eat any of the ultra expensive wet food and they are rapidly losing interest in the dry food. Tonight we gave then IAMs again. We realize that our babies need a better food, but I feel like we are running out of safe options. I would like to try some food manufactured by Diamond- Solid Gold or Costco food, but they don’t have a stellar reputation. I don’t want to make a mistake and make my cats sick. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMay 24, 2022 at 4:28 pm

       Hi Susan, I’m afraid I can’t tell you much more than what’s already on this list! The Diamond-manufactured foods are likely going to be more palatable than the Tiki Cat kibble, but I understand your hesitation there. You can make any kibble more palatable by sprinkling Fortiflora over the top—it’s made with animal digest and has a potent meaty flavor that cats love.

       Reply ↓
56. Kinz Jun 5, 2022 at 8:25 pm

    Okay, I’ve been wondering this for years now. Why isn’t Young Again ZERO (or any of the other Young Again products) on the list? They have lower carb contents (including literally zero!) and are cheaper than many of the options on the list. I would think they’d be a shoe-in for best overall dry cat food, or at least somewhere on the list. (Besides the paragraph about ZERO that’s in the Smalls section on this list, that is- I’m pretty sure that’s just a copy/paste mistake!)

    Reply ↓
    1. Kate Barrington Jun 10, 2022 at 2:58 pm

       Hi Kinz! Thanks so much for pointing out that error, I’ve corrected it. I’m not personally familiar with the Young Again brand, but you’re right – it offers high nutritional quality with plenty of protein and very low carbohydrate content. It definitely looks like something that could fit on this list, so I’ll see about adding it!

       Reply ↓
57. Anna Jul 17, 2022 at 12:37 pm

    Thank you for this great list. Would you please recommend the best kibble biscuits for my 2 year old cat. I live in new zealand and cannot find any of these brands listed… my vet keeps recommending royal canine but after reading the review about the brand on your website i think i should try something else….
    Thank you

    Reply ↓
    1. Kate Barrington Jul 18, 2022 at 4:29 pm

       Hi Anna! The good news is that New Zealand is becoming a hub for high-quality cat food, so you should have plenty of options available to you! Some of my favorite New Zealand-based brands are Ziwi Peak, Feline Natural, and the New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co. All three offer wet and freeze-dried foods, though Ziwi Peak also offers air-dried food which is similar to kibble.
       If you’re looking for dry food specifically, Addiction is an NZ brand that has a few high-quality options. Kiwi Kitchens is a NZ company as well that offers raw, freeze-dried, canned, and air-dried cat food. Hope that helps!

       Reply ↓
       1. Brianna May 3, 2023 at 4:52 am

          Hello, I am kind of confused as to why you guys recommend KIWI peaks even though you guys found it had a score of over 800 for mercury with the minimum allowed being 0.05… unless I am reading this wrong I feel like some context should be given with the lab reports as its difficult for pet owners to make informed decisions without actually understanding what they’re being informed of…

          Reply ↓
58. Danielle Aug 10, 2022 at 6:30 pm

    Hi! I was wondering if you could recommend a good dry food in Australia Royal canin leaves my cats famished and gives them terrible chin acne while they absolutely hate all of the wellness brand and Ziwi peak and Feline natural are off the table right now due to cost but I’m still willing to pay as much as I can
    Also the best cost effective as my sister is struggling financially but still wants to feed her cats food food, thank you for any help

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 17, 2022 at 12:53 am

       Hi Danielle, you might appreciate our article on the best cat food in Australia.

       Reply ↓
59. Michael Morgan Aug 19, 2022 at 8:14 pm

    You really need to take a look at Fromm dry cat food. It is absolutely the BEST dry food I have ever fed to my 3 precious kitties. I’ll give you an example why I feed this dry food to my kitties every day. I read one of the reviews from a cat’s owner whose cat had diarrhea posted on the web site. He stated after he started to feed the Fromm dry food to his kitty within two days the diarrhea stopped completely. I have an elderly kitty myself and he had developed a case of diarrhea. I purchased a small bag of the Fromm dry food and started feeding it to all my kitties. They LOVE the food and all gather around their dishes when they hear me open the bag. Within a couple of days the diarrhea stopped completely in my elderly cat. He is over 18 years old and he is the BEST cat I have ever had. My vet said to purchase some of the powder and sprinkle it on my elderly kitties wet food every day, but after I started using the Fromm dry food there was no reason to do that. Please consider Fromm dry food for a test and review.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 24, 2022 at 11:45 pm

       Yes, absolutely! Fromm is near the top of our list of brands we need to add to our list of reviews.

       Reply ↓
60. Samael Aug 25, 2022 at 11:06 am

    Hey! I am a parent of two cats and one of them has a bit of constipation. So, I was doing a bit of research and came across both yours and another article. Even though your one is better, the other one was answering my exact question (here’s the link – https://petlytical.com/blog/the-best-cat-foods-for-constipation-in-2022/). But they don’t have that many articles there so I can’t decide if I should trust them. Will you be kind enough to go through it and recommend a brand for me?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 29, 2022 at 5:47 pm

       Hi Samael, I’m not particularly impressed by this article. It doesn’t look like they went into much effort to consider the factors that contribute to constipation or go beyond what comes up in a quick search when they created this guide. Additionally, Petlytical doesn’t work with veterinarians or behaviorists, while our guide on the best cat food for constipation was medically reviewed by a veterinarian. Besides knowing that Dr. Pendergrass is an expert in the field and would flag any inaccuracies, I’m the original author of this guide and feel confident in my own research. I believe our article on the subject is a more comprehensive and carefully-considered piece that, if nothing else, will allow you to walk away with a better understanding of constipation and what to look for when choosing a recipe, even if it’s not on the list.

       Reply ↓
61. Denise Sep 2, 2022 at 10:00 am

    hi Mallory, i read that Dr. Elsey’s is advertised as All Life Stages dry food, but I see you recommend it for adults cats only … Would you say I should rather not feed it to a 6 month old kitten? Thank you!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 8, 2022 at 12:17 am

       Hi Denise, thank you for the comment! It looks like we made a mistake when filling in the product summary—I just corrected the article, and the food is definitely acceptable for a 6-month-old kitten and any other growing cat.

       Reply ↓
62. Lyle E Cooper Sep 2, 2022 at 12:35 pm

    It would be nice if your website had a link for all A rated foods, all A- rated, all B rated, all B- rated.

    As it is, we have to put in a company name, then read its rating.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 2, 2022 at 8:18 pm

       If you go to this page and select the “sort by score” radio button, you will be able to view all of the brands sorted by their letter grade!

       Reply ↓
63. Jennifer Sep 2, 2022 at 5:12 pm

    May I ask why RAWZ is not in this list? It has its first 7 ingredients as whole named meats and gets a higher score (RAWZ=8.1, Dr. Elsey=7.7) on your full list.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 8, 2022 at 12:32 am

       Jennifer, that’s a good question. Sometimes our recommendations get out of date as we continue to discover and research various brands, and sometimes similarly-rated brands outrank one another based on availability issues. In the case of RAWZ, we simply hadn’t recognized the brand’s dry food as an option at the time when this article was written. I’ll consider it for a future update. Thanks!

       Reply ↓
64. Craig Sep 8, 2022 at 4:20 am

    Is Wellness really considered a budget choice???

    At $17-18 for just a 5lb bag, that seems a bit high end.

    That spot was previously held by Kirkland, which at Costco is about $25 for a 20lb bag.
    Has Kirkland dropped in quality – or is there something around the same price point that has similar quality to the Wellness brand?
    I got 3 tiny mouths to feed on a single dad’s budget! 🙂

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 20, 2022 at 4:14 pm

       Hello Craig, I’ve talked with the site owner about this question, and we’ve decided that we’d like to reinstate Kirkland cat food on the page, since it does offer a combination of quality and price you can’t find in essentially any other food on the market. You can continue to feel good about this choice.

       Reply ↓
       1. Craig Sep 20, 2022 at 6:43 pm

          Mallory,

          Thank you so much hearing my concern and caring enough to research and act on it!
          I always come to this website when I make decisions for my little ones because I always got the sense that not only is your research on par and not biased, but the hearts are in the right place.
          This is just another example of why I know my faith in your advice is well placed!

          Thanks kindly,
          Craig

          Reply ↓
65. Craig Sep 20, 2022 at 6:44 pm

    Mallory,

    Thank you so much hearing my concern and caring enough to research and act on it!
    I always come to this website when I make decisions for my little ones because I always got the sense that not only is your research on par and not biased, but the hearts are in the right place.
    This is just another example of why I know my faith in your advice is well placed!

    Thanks kindly,
    Craig

    Reply ↓
66. Libby Randall Oct 14, 2022 at 8:47 pm

    Please do not recommend Kirkland Maintenance Cat Food. We have lost two cats within two weeks, and another is now sick. They all eat the same food and are all indoor cats. The second one that passed away last was tested and had no other known diseases that showed in his bloodwork. The vet said it is probably something they ingested but they have been inside with us. It has been so painful to see those who trust and depend on us to take care of them get so sick. I have read of other pet owners who have experienced these same problems with their cat food.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 18, 2022 at 8:35 pm

       Hi Libby, this is very concerning—please report this to the FDA and save samples of the food as possible. I’m passing this comment along to Diamond pet food as well. Thank you, and I’m very sorry for your loss. Wishing your third cat all the best.

       Reply ↓
67. Mike Oct 25, 2022 at 4:51 am

    Your top pick of Dr. Elsey’s clean protein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food when clicking the check price link goes to chewy.com yet the reviews there are not good, I think I will find another site that cares more for pet owners and animals then click through marketing.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 31, 2022 at 6:02 pm

       Hi Mike, thanks for the comment. We’ve had this Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein recipe as our number one recommendation for a couple of years, and the review hasn’t caught up with the recent increase in negative reviews and reports of quality decline. The product was chosen based on nutritional merits, not monetary incentives, and, if we keep seeing a lot of complaints about the product’s quality and palatability, we’ll consider replacing it in our next round of updates.

       Reply ↓
       1. Mike Nov 1, 2022 at 10:56 am

          Good to know, thanks for the reply.

          Reply ↓
68. Xanthe Nov 29, 2022 at 3:34 pm

    Hey Mallory,
    I love your reviews and videos. I’m in Europe so the product selection is somewhat limited. Can you please do a review of Monster Pet Food? Thanks so much!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 5, 2022 at 6:50 pm

       Hello there! We’ll add Monster Pet Food to our list of brands to cover in the future. Thanks!

       Reply ↓
69. A raw feeder Dec 25, 2022 at 3:01 pm

    What are your thoughts about the low moisture content of dry foods fed to cats? Cats are a desert species, and need to eat their water. Their natural prey is 70% water, and they have a very low thirst drive because of this. You are not going to find water to drink in a desert, so you need to eat it in the form of fluids from your prey.

    There are studies that show even if a cat drinks water while on a dry diet, they cannot rehydrate themselves enough to combat the dehydration from eating the dry diet: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/464354/

    Being on a dry diet also encourages urinary problems to form, because the kidneys cannot function as well as they should be since they are always in a state of dehydration: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effect-of-dietary-water-intake-on-urinary-output-specific-gravity-and-relative-supersaturation-for-calcium-oxalate-and-struvite-in-the-cat/7FF71DDA2706FDCDA3BA961C3D8DB46F

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 28, 2022 at 7:26 pm

       My thoughts are that you’re 100% right—we mention this in the article, though the studies you’ve mentioned weren’t included. Really appreciate you making these more accessible to other readers. Thanks.

       Reply ↓
70. Angela Stooksberry Jan 18, 2023 at 3:24 am

    Hello. So I’m feeding mostly wet food & wet homemade as well as Dr. Elsey’s so he does not go hungry in between meals & so I know he will eat it for the cat sitters while I’m away or even If he were hospitalized most vets feed in House patients dry. He is a kitten now. He is 4 months old & being neutered tomorrow. Extremely active! Healthy & no health problems. In your opinion I should change him to Simply Nourish® Source Indoor Cat Dry Food – Fish & Chicken, Natural, High-Protein, Grain Free when he is an adult? Is one better than the other for adults??? I would really specifically like your opinion Ms. Mallory as we watch you on YouTube & we trust you….even my extended family are big fans but regardless of your cat “celebrity” I want to feed the best dry food available since he eats such a small amount. Thank you for all you do regarding cats! I know it’s work but feline nutrition is SO important & we don’t have the science skills nor the time so again THANK YOU! 🙏. Forgive typos!!

    Reply ↓
71. Angela Stooksberry Jan 18, 2023 at 3:33 am

    Btw, we are having no issues with food that is crumbled or not fully formed kibble. The bags of Dr. Elsey have a wonderful zipper like on a ziplock bag. It arrives on time & no delivery problems. We’re on our 11th bag now, between my brother & I anyway. I just wanted to stress our experience with the food since there are complaints & I also like the small bags. We can always afford $13. They also stay fresh since our cats eat a small amount of dry being the bags are small & resealable. We love Dr. Elseys as do our cats! 😀

    Reply ↓
72. zyako Jan 20, 2023 at 10:46 am

    It can be difficult to transition cats to a new food, especially if they’ve been used to eating the same type of food. We suggest trying a few different tactics to get your cat to become more favorable towards the PowerFood Poultry Indoor Cat Dinner Dry Food. Firstly, try transitioning to the new food gradually by mixing it with the old one. You can also try adding in some warm water to soften the texture, which could make it more appealing to your cat. As for the review, we recommend checking out the customer reviews on the Only Natural Pet website. Many reviews are written by pet parents who have used the product and can provide insightful information on how their cats reacted to the food.

    Reply ↓
73. Nicole Jan 28, 2023 at 9:49 pm

    Would you guys ever be into the idea of doing separate lists for foods that include chicken as their main ingredient and foods that include fish products as their main ingredient? I keep looking around for decent options that won’t destroy my bank account for fish-based foods. One of my cats seems to take issue with chicken (soft, smelly poopies!) but when I switched him over to fish-based foods he improved drastically. Right now he’s on Cat Person, but I’d like to find something budget friendly that he can eat becasue my other two cats have zero problem with chicken, but he’s a dummy and will eat what smells tasty in anyone’s bowl (I free feed and have no way to effectively separate out his bowl from the others’).

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJan 31, 2023 at 10:02 pm

       Hi Nicole, that’s a good question! We do have an article on the best fish-free cat food. You might find that helpful!

       Reply ↓
74. James Jan 31, 2023 at 3:29 pm

    It would be nice if the list contained an alternate/second option for each category. Sometimes availability/price/cat acceptance of a choice doesn’t work out and having an alternative option would be helpful (ie. If the top pick/weight-loss/etc. doesn’t fit your needs, here’s the runner up)

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJan 31, 2023 at 11:08 pm

       Thank you for the advice, James. We’re taking it into consideration!

       Reply ↓
75. Morgan Mar 21, 2023 at 7:14 pm

    Hi Mallory! I would love to know your thoughts on Stella and Chewys Grain Free Raw Coated Baked Kibble??

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 28, 2023 at 8:29 pm

       It’s pretty good as far as dry foods go, but if you’re one of those who prefers a low-plant, low-carbohydrate diet for your cat, it doesn’t really cut it.

       Reply ↓
76. Charles Mar 24, 2023 at 12:47 am

    Hello can you do a review on a brand called Carna4 it looks to be high quality with no synthetics!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorMar 28, 2023 at 8:39 pm

       Hi Charles, yes! This is on our to-review list!

       Reply ↓
77. Cassie Owen Mar 29, 2023 at 6:11 pm

    Surprised you did not include Instinct Ultimate Protein Dry/Raw in your reviews of leading dry cat foods. Any particular reason?

    Reply ↓
78. cristina Apr 3, 2023 at 3:52 pm

    Hi Mallory
    I am writing to you from Romania and I would need a recommendation related to the best food that I can buy in my country?! I mention that I have access to Zooplus, and also to Orijen, Acana and Wellness core. My cat is a Pure Russian Blue and she is now 10 months old, she is sterilized and lives only indoors. I would like to give her a long and beautiful life, and I know how important nutrition is, but unfortunately here, veterinarians invariably recommend Royal Canin… so please help me choose the best option from what I have available here. Oh, and she prefers dry food !! Thanks a lot for everything!!!

    Reply ↓
79. Xanthe May 4, 2023 at 1:28 pm

    Hey Mallory!
    I’m in Europe and usually feed my cats Ziwi Peak as there’s not a lot of options for high quality dry food near me. However, a new Polish food called Superfood by Dolina Noteci just came on the market. It’s an air dried food like Ziwi Peak which is why it caught my eye and is only a fraction of the price of Ziwi Peak. I was wondering if you would consider doing a review or taking a look as I’m not very good at understanding the labels. Thanks for all that you do!

    Reply ↓
80. Kyle Jun 5, 2023 at 9:42 am

    Hello,
    I was curious as to why open farm raw mix has dethroned Dr. Elseys dry kibble. I had a subscribe and save on Dr. Elseys already on the way and switched to open farm because it is your overall best now. Any updates to why your number one has changed?
    Thanks!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJun 6, 2023 at 3:55 pm

       Hi Kyle, we lowered it due to a lot of reports that the quality of the food had changed over the last year, and we’ve also noticed some availability issues. I still think the nutritional value of the food is greater than Open Farm, so if it works for your cat, I wouldn’t necessarily switch! Thank you for taking our recommendations so seriously—really appreciate the trust!

       Reply ↓
81. Regina Ramos Aug 9, 2023 at 11:49 pm

    Hi, Mallory.
    Thank you much for all the information you share, i was quite happy to find and lean so much from you videos and articles.
    I have tried at least 10 to 15 brands of dry food and i am almost going insane with my 4 cats ( 6, 3, 2 and 1 year old).
    They are quite picky and like the worse dry food. I live in Portugal so most brands mentioned as being the best i have never heard of or are not available. The one they love : Royal Canin 7+ ( i was horrified at the first ingredient, corn) They also like Proplan turkey ( don´t like salmon).
    They don’t like Advance, Brit, Libra, Josera, Naturea, Happy Cat., Dibaq., Natural Greatness,
    They did like ND Farmina but the price is absurd ( if i had just one cat).
    If you could suggest others, i would appreciate.
    Thank you so much.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 13, 2023 at 10:39 pm

       Hello Regina, thanks for stopping by, and I apologize for the late reply! You’ve tried a good variety of foods. Have you tried Almo Nature? I believe it’s available in Portugal.

       Reply ↓
       1. Regina Ramos Aug 14, 2023 at 1:01 am

          Thank you for answering. No, i have not tried that one. I normally have 2/3 different types of dry food for them to choose. Is it worng? Trying my best to give them better. They do like Poplan but i was looking fo something better.
          Thank you so much, i will ty that one and yes, it is sold in Potugal.

          Reply ↓
82. Regina Ramos Aug 14, 2023 at 1:07 am

    *wrong
    *better food
    * Proplan
    *for
    *try
    *Portugal
    Sorry about the mistakes.

    Reply ↓
83. Kara Aug 16, 2023 at 3:08 pm

    Hi, I just wanted to comment that Smalls has discontinued their freeze-dried options.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorAug 22, 2023 at 11:47 pm

       Thanks for the heads up—we’re working to update all of our content to reflect this.

       Reply ↓
84. Alex Aug 30, 2023 at 7:28 pm

    It’s very interesting – none of these available in Europe. The site is only for American users and cats?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 5, 2023 at 4:49 pm

       No, but the vast majority of our readers are in the United States, so we tend to focus on products that are available here. You can browse for European brands in our brand review list here.

       Reply ↓
85. Ariana van Dyck Aug 31, 2023 at 12:59 am

    Hey there, quick question – I am reading these articles and under Best Dry Food it has Tiki Cat as best for kittens but when you go to the Best Food for Kittens article Tiki Cat doesn’t even make an appearance. I’m wondering about the consistency of the recommendations and why the difference between articles?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorSep 5, 2023 at 7:27 pm

       Hi Ariana! Thanks for pointing that out—we write and update the articles on varying schedules, and sometimes, discrepancies like this do appear. I will see if we can get the Tiki Cat food added to the kitten food guide in our next update.

       Reply ↓
86. Vanessa Del Valle Oct 10, 2023 at 11:19 pm

    Hi! I was wondering it says the recipe for the open farm open prairie is the best overall. I was wondering (sorry if I missed it) why this specific recipe is better than the wild ocean recipe and if there is large differences in the numbers/quality?

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorOct 22, 2023 at 11:37 pm

       Hi Vanessa, thanks for the question! No, the foods are pretty similar, but we generally prioritize non-fish-based foods over the ones that emphasize fish as their main component. Very high-fish foods tend to be high in heavy metals and minerals that make them a suboptimal choice for daily feeding long-term.

       Reply ↓
       1. Jill Nov 3, 2023 at 10:15 am

          Hi Mallory!
          Jill from Malaysia here and I am a huge fan of your content.
          Thank you for all the solid reviews that help me make decisions about my cat’s nutrtion.

          Would you please consider to review Carnilove’s True Fresh range – especially the chicken option.
          Thanks a lot.

          Reply ↓
          1. Mallory Crusta Post authorNov 9, 2023 at 2:02 am

             Will consider it! Thank you.

             Reply ↓
87. Jill Nov 3, 2023 at 10:43 am

    Hi Mallory,

    I would really appreciate it if you will consider to review Nottie Pet Food. Malaysia’s own home grown brand that was launched a couple of months ago.

    Website with the ingredients & Guaranteed Analysis details:
    https://www.nottipetfood.com/product/slow-baked-fresh-chicken-tuna/

    Thank you so much!

    Reply ↓
88. Jill Nov 6, 2023 at 9:48 am

    Hi there!
    I’m Jill from Malaysia.
    Thank you for the good work and I really find them all very useful.

    Can you please consider reviewing Blackwood dry food?

    Thank you!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorNov 9, 2023 at 2:01 am

       Yes, we’ll add this to our list!

       Reply ↓
89. Trevor Dasilva Nov 9, 2023 at 6:13 pm

    Hello Mallory!

    I wanted to ask which would you prefer to feed a Maine Coon kitten? Open Farm Kitten Grain-Free Dry Cat Food or Tiki Cat Born Carnivore Deboned Chicken & Egg Recipe?

    Thank you!

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorNov 18, 2023 at 6:43 am

       I would, instead, recommend Tiki Cat’s Born Carnivore kitten food. 🙂

       Reply ↓
90. jeff Nov 10, 2023 at 6:53 pm

    Just a heads up; Dr. Elsey’s CleanProtein food pricing has skyrocketed this year. First half of ’23, it was $37.00 per 6.6lb bag. That price is now $51.xx. Add the recent reviews in the past two months on Chewy citing the change in formula causing their cats to either not eat the food, or getting sick from eating it (with one apparently a major illness, but who knows whether the food caused that), and seems like the quality has dropped tremendously. Have you guys tested the new formula to see what has changed?

    I’ve been feeding my cats Dr. Elsey’s CleanProtein since they grew out of the kitten phase, but between the crazy price increases and question marks on the new formula, I’m looking for a change. Really disappointing. I use Dr. Elsey’s litter as well, and the “Ultra Blue Bag” Non-Scented Clumping was changed to “Ultra+ Black Bag”, and people have been reporting a drop in quality there too. I hope this isn’t a trend for Dr. Elsey overall.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorNov 16, 2023 at 9:46 pm

       Hi Jeff! Thanks for the news. We haven’t tried the new formulation yet, but we do have it on our radar. Will keep this in mind!

       Reply ↓
91. MJ Nov 11, 2023 at 10:58 pm

    Mallory, Great review and info! I’d love to see Instinct Ultimate Protein dry and wet reviewed as it never seems to make the list and has a better protein/carb ratio than many listed, including the Instinct dry on the list. Thanks!

    Reply ↓
92. Alissa Nov 21, 2023 at 5:57 am

    Hi Mallory,
    I have three young adult show cat neutered males, an Egyptian Mau, Bengal, and an Ocicat. I typically love your reviews, but this list makes no sense. Why would a person choose your #1 on the list, Open Farms, that is way higher in carbs, than Tiki or Nulo? I actually have bought all of these brands before, and my cats prefer Dr. Elsey the best. Unfortunately for me, Dr. Elsey has raised the price though for a 6.6 lb bag from $37 to $50, which for three cats, is too much. The brands that you prefer to list are very expensive overall, and I think you’re putting too much emphasis on grain-free or how the ingredients were sourced. New Zealand beef and mussels, and blueberries, who cares? My cats hated that Ziwi Peak (it stinks and is uber expensive for a small bag), and since when did cats enjoy eating First Mate blueberries? I’ve read several vets’ opinions on the whole grain-inclusive carbs and that was a big scam. It’s not actually bad for cats per se, it just packs in more calories and clearly makes them heavier if they really enjoy the food. Moreover, there are several dry foods that are healthier than a lot of wet foods that people feed their cats. I really have no idea why you don’t list Wysong 90 (way more affordable) and Farmina (expensive, but good quality ingredients) on here. Mix those two with Nulo and if you can find Dr. Elsey’s on sale, you’re good to go. You need to update the ratings system at some point so it’s equal when each of your authors review a food. Thanks so much for the work you do!

    Reply ↓
93. Diane Nov 26, 2023 at 10:43 pm

    For the last few years, I have been using Dr Elsey’s Clean Protein both chicken & salmon (so that my cats are accustomed to both flavors, due to the scattered availability during the last couple years), but have just found that they have reformulated their food by replacing the dried egg with pork plasma. Three of my seven cats became ill with the 1st bowl after opening the new formulated chicken flavor. The others smelled the food but wouldn’t eat it. Two of the females vomited within minutes, with one throwing up in the bowl as she was eating it. My male cat ended up at an emergency vet visit after not eating for two full days. He had an inflamed stomach & since the vet couldn’t confirm it was not a blockage without an x-ray, a barium swallow had to be administered. One of my older cats is now showing signs of a UTI (which may or may not be related to the extra pork ingredient) & will be diagnosed when I can contact my vet in the morning at office opening. The company is replacing the chicken food I have with the prior formula in salmon. However, that flavor has/is being reformulated, also. I originally had my doubts about Dr Elsey’s dry food because of the pork (it gave several of my cats diarrhea until they became accustomed to it) but served between their two meat/canned meals because of the excellent rating. Now, due to the new formulation, will be integrating my cats to a different dry food.

    Reply ↓
    1. Brenna Dec 4, 2023 at 7:03 pm

       Yeah I’m also really disappointed in the formula change for the Dr Elsey food.

       Reply ↓
94. Gabriela Nov 29, 2023 at 5:29 pm

    Our family reciently adopted a -estimated- three months old kitten, and as a first time cat owners, who also come from a small country without plenty of options, navigating through the world of well balanced cat food hasn’t been easy! Our market has way more dog food options and even those are scarce.

    I felt kinda sad when I couldn’t recognize any of the brands cited, until I came across the Kirkland one: there’s actually Costco in Central America! So thank you miss! So far, my dear Nebula was being fed with a mix of Cat Chow kibble and Pro Plan’s wet food. She really will appreciate the upgrade and so does my wallet, knowing that we can find quality food locally.

    Thanks again! Kind regards

    Reply ↓
    1. Mallory Crusta Post authorDec 16, 2023 at 10:55 pm

       Hi Gabriela, sorry it’s taken me a bit to get back to you! Really appreciate the kind words, and I’m glad you found the article helpful.

       Reply ↓
       1. Sarah Davis Dec 27, 2023 at 4:22 am

          Hi Mallory!
          I have a cat that is having diarrhea. I’m assuming it’s from the cat food but I’m not sure. She may have a sensitive stomach and the food may be causing some issues. I’m going to take her to the vet to see what they say just to be sure it’s nothing else. She is currently eating Rachel Ray Nutrish Natural Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe dry cat food. Sometimes I’ll feed her a different Rachel Ray cat food if that one isn’t available. What are your thoughts on this dry cat food? I still want to get her on a better diet. I’ve ordered some raw food from Smalls that I’m going to try. I also want to add dry food in her diet as well. What is a better dry cat food option? Preferably budget friendly but also easy on the stomach.

          Reply ↓
          1. Mallory Crusta Post authorJan 12, 2024 at 2:02 am

             Hi Sarah, apologies for the late reply! You can learn about my take on this brand and line here. Any of the products recommended here would likely be a good upgrade from your cat’s current diet. Nulo would be a particularly promising option given your specific needs.

             Reply ↓
95. Alessia Jan 31, 2024 at 8:29 pm

    Nothing from this list is available in Italy!!! Please help me I need some healthy dry food for my lovely cat!

    Reply ↓
    1. Cats.com Editorial Team Feb 2, 2024 at 8:51 pm

       Hi Alessia,

       We’ll look into doing a guide specific to Italy in 2024.

       Reply ↓
       1. Alessia Feb 2, 2024 at 9:21 pm

          Thanks you so much 🙏🏻

          Reply ↓
96. Rianne Mar 6, 2024 at 2:59 pm

    I was so happy to have found this website as i wanted to switch for my cats to better food. But in my country (the netherland in europe) only orijen is available. I looked over the foods from orijen and was wondering if regional red would be a good one? Since that is the one my local pet shop has from orijen.

    Reply ↓
    1. Kate Barrington Mar 6, 2024 at 6:01 pm

       Hi Rianne! It looks like Regional Red has a similar nutrient profile to the Original Cat recipe we reviewed here: https://cats.com/orijen-cat-food-review

       It features plenty of animal protein and relies primarily on animal-sourced fats. If that’s what’s readily available to you it could be a good choice!

       Reply ↓
97. Ricardo Soares Mar 29, 2024 at 10:16 am

    Hi Mallory,
    I live in SouthAfrica and none of these products are available in South Africa

    I have been feeding my 2 cats Hills scoence plan dry food and twice weekly wet food (sometimes canned ) hills as well
    I have recently purchased Acana wild praire, however my cats prefer Hills

    Is it alright to feed them both and how often should i be feeding them wet food

    Looking forward to hearing from you

    Kind regards
    Ricardo

    Reply ↓
    1. Kate Barrington Apr 1, 2024 at 4:40 pm

       Hi Ricardo, thanks for your question. As long as your cats are tolerating both foods, there’s no reason to keep feeding both. Wet food is very helpful in keeping your cats hydrated if they don’t otherwise drink a lot of water, so consider feeding a little at every meal or once a day. You can always feed partial portions of two different foods in the same meal.

       Reply ↓