Last updated Nov 21, 2024
It’s raw. Radically meaty. Rather controversial. Get the details on Darwin’s Natural Pet cat food in our unbiased review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Darwin’s Natural on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Darwin’s Natural and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 10/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 5/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 8/10
- Recall History – 3/10
Overall Score: 7/10
We give Darwin’s Natural cat food a 42 out of 60 rating or a B grade.
About Darwin’s Natural Pet Products
Darwin’s Natural Pet Products isn’t like most cat food brands. It’s one of the few companies that sells fresh, frozen raw cat food and ships it straight to its customers’ doors.
And Darwin’s Natural foods aren’t just uncooked—they aren’t pasteurized, freeze-dried, or dehydrated. By making and selling fully raw, minimally-processed food, Darwin’s Natural earns itself respect, concerns, and questions that don’t come up with other brands.
In this review, we’ll address the important questions about Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. You’ll learn about its recall history, safety standards, nutritional adequacy, and who’ll get the most out of it.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Darwin’s Natural prepares its products in a company-owned facility located in the Seattle, Washington area.
The company doesn’t go into detail on where they obtain their ingredients but talks a bit about its quality standards. Darwin’s Natural meat ingredients are never treated with antibiotics or given hormones or steroids. The chicken and turkey are cage-free. The vegetables are organic.
In addition to these quality standards, Darwin’s Natural says that they visit all of their partnering farms to ensure that they employ good farming practices and “treat both their animals and employees with respect.”
Has Darwin’s Natural Cat Food Been Recalled?
While their cat food has never been recalled, Darwin’s Natural Pet Food has been recalled several times. In addition to these recalls, this company has had a few scrapes with the FDA.
Darwin’s Natural announced a recall in December of 2017 after finding salmonella and listeria in several samples of raw dog food.
The next year—in March of 2018—the company issued another recall of raw dog food due to potential salmonella and E.coli contamination.
In March of 2019, the FDA released a cautionary letter warning customers that three varieties Darwin’s Natural Pet dog food may be contaminated with salmonella.
So…Darwin’s has been recalled a few times and they’re on the FDA’s naughty list. Does this mean that Darwin’s Natural pet food is unsafe for cats?
Not necessarily.
During its recalls and brushes with the FDA, Darwin’s Natural remained in contact with its customers and was transparent about the potential for contamination. The company never wavered in its insistence that the agency’s behavior was unreasonable.
In an interview with Dogs Naturally Magazine, Darwin’s Natural Pet founder Gary Tashjian notes that, though the FDA has slammed numerous other raw pet food companies with recalls and warnings over the presence of pathogens, there hasn’t been any evidence of pets or even humans getting sick in the wake of said recalls.
He concludes that “…with the best of intentions, the FDA’s standards for raw pet food are inappropriate and unnecessary.”
Raw meat, whether it’s prepared by a great company or at home, is prone to bacterial contamination. Most of those pathogens are harmless for healthy pets. Until the regulatory environment changes, even the best raw pet food companies are going to encounter recall after recall.
Yet bacterial contamination isn’t Darwin’s Natural Pet Products’ only problem.
In late winter of 2018, the FDA released a scathing report after investigating the Darwin’s Natural Pet manufacturing plant. The report revealed that after investigation, the agency had found a “pattern of contamination” in the raw food manufacturing facility. According to the report, FDA investigators touring the Darwin’s Natural facilities noted multiple instances of cross-contamination and sloppiness. The report includes a long list of problems, including employees handling the products with dirty hands and frozen products being defrosted under poorly-controlled conditions.
It appears that the original report is no longer available, but you can read a summary of it here and here.
In general, it appears that Darwin’s Natural Pet Products has failed to implement consistent, sanitary safety procedures.
An inconsistent, unreliable safety system causes more than bacterial contamination. It might lead to foreign objects showing up in the food, leaky packages, or other issues that may affect both you and your cat.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Darwin’s Natural Offer?
The Darwin’s Natural Pet cat food lineup is broken into two lines.
- The Natural Selections™ line includes three varieties of cat food. One features chicken, the second is made with turkey, and the third features lamb as its primary protein source.
- The Intelligent Design™ line is Darwin’s raw answer to those seeking a prescription or veterinary diet for cats with health issues. Currently, the line includes just one recipe. Intelligent Design™ KS Kidney Support is formulated for cats with kidney disease. It’s only available with a veterinarian’s prescription.
All Darwin’s Natural cat food recipes are high-protein, moderate-fat, low-carbohydrate foods. They’re primarily made from meat, contain as few plant ingredients as possible, and emphasize a healthy balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids from species-appropriate animal sources.
All of their recipes are complete and balanced according to AAFCO’s nutritional profiles and the NRC’s guidelines for cat nutrition.
Darwin’s Natural Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Darwin’s Natural Pet Natural Selections™ Chicken Raw Cat Food | Raw | $0.40 per oz | A- |
| Darwin’s Natural Pet Natural Selections™ Lamb Raw Cat Food | Raw | $0.60 per oz | A- |
| Darwin’s Natural Intelligent Design™ KS Kidney Support Raw Cat Food | Raw | $0.52 per oz | A- |
#1 Darwin’s Natural Pet Natural Selections™ Chicken Raw Cat Food
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this raw cat food.
Meat comes first in this raw food, with a mix of muscle meat, bones, and organs making up the bulk of the recipe. Muscle meat constitutes 63% of the mix, with organs—Darwin’s includes heart in this category— representing the remaining 37%. That’s roughly in line with what your cat would get from his prey. Altogether, these ingredients represent 98.5% of the food.
The rest of the food consists of trace minerals, plus tomato pomace as a source of fiber.
Unlike some other raw foods, it’s not fortified with additional taurine or other amino acids, instead relying on the amino acids present in the meat. It’s also supplemented with a combination of fish oil and cod liver oil.
Overall, this food has high protein content, moderate fat, and low carbohydrate content.
This recipe appears to be what cat food ought to be—an attempt to replicate your cat’s natural prey. By using a mix of muscle meat, organs, and bones, it harnesses the nutritional integrity of raw meat to provide the macronutrients and micronutrients your cat needs.
Yet, like many raw foods, it seems to get a little out of line with phosphorus content. At 2.51 grams of phosphorus per 1,000 calories, the food exceeds the AAFCO’s phosphorus recommendation for both kittens and adult cats. This may not be a problem for younger kitties, but older cats prone to kidney disease may want to stick with a lower-phosphorus food.
Ingredients
Free-Range Meat and Organs (98.5%): Chicken Meat, Chicken Necks (Including Bone), Chicken Gizzard, Chicken Livers, and Chicken Hearts.
Trace Minerals and vitamins (1%): Tomato Pomace, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Magnesium Proteinate, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Sea Salt, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12, Iodine (EDDI), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3
Marine Oils (0.5%): Fish Oil 18/12 EPA/DHA (Derived from sea-harvested wild Sardines), Cod Liver Oil (Derived from sea-harvested wild Alaska Cod)
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken Meat, Chicken Necks, Chicken Gizzard, Chicken Livers, Chicken Hearts, Fish Oil, Cod Liver Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- A species-appropriate food made primarily from muscle meat, organs, and bones
- Minimally processed and rich in animal-sourced nutrients
- Contains multiple sources of omega fatty acids
- The most affordable food in the Darwin’s Natural cat food lineup
Cons
- Relatively high phosphorus may not be ideal for senior cats and those with kidney issues
#2 Darwin’s Natural Pet Natural Selections™ Lamb Raw Cat Food
Lamb appears to be the primary protein source in this raw cat food.
Intended for those who prefer alternatives to proteins like chicken and fish, this food features lamb as its primary ingredient. Lamb muscle meat, heart, and liver are the first three ingredients and constitute 98% of the total recipe.
Unlike the chicken and turkey formulas, Darwin’s Natural’s lamb formula doesn’t contain any ground bone. Instead, the meat is fortified with synthetic minerals that would normally be found in bone. It’s also supplemented with a variety of other vitamins and minerals, taurine, and tomato pomace as a source of fiber.
Finally, the food contains fish oil from sea-harvested wild sardines.
Overall, this food has high protein content with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.
Like other Darwin’s Natural Pet Products cat foods, this is a prey-inspired food featuring a mix of muscle meat, organs, and fat. The use of lamb makes it a good choice for cats who are intolerant to or simply don’t like other protein sources like chicken and turkey.
At 2.28 grams per 1,000 calories, the food’s a little lower in phosphorus than the first one we reviewed, but still just over the general recommendation for both adult cats and kittens.
Ingredients
Free-Range Meat and Organs (98%): Lamb Meat, Lamb Heart, Lamb Livers
Trace Minerals and vitamins (2%): Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Tomato Pomace, Taurine, Sea Salt, Magnesium Proteinate, Inulin, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate,Iodine, Folic Acid.
Marine Oils (Under 1%): Fish Oil 18/12 EPA/DHA (Derived from sea-harvested wild Sardines)
Ingredients We Liked: Lamb Meat, Lamb Heart, Lamb Livers, Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Features a single novel protein, making it a good option for cats with food sensitivities and allergies
- Primarily made from nourishing animal ingredients
- Low in carbohydrates
- Minimally-processed for maximum species-appropriate nutrition
Cons
- May have a little bit more phosphorus than cats need
- The most expensive Darwin’s Natural Pet cat food
#3 Darwin’s Natural Intelligent Design™ KS Kidney Support Raw Cat Food
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this raw cat food.
This food is formulated for cats with kidney disease and is only available with a veterinarian’s prescription.
Most renal diets focus on protein restriction. By cutting back on protein, these foods reduce uremic toxins in the body. Those lower BUN levels are always good for cats with kidney disease, but severe protein restriction also contributes to muscle wasting and weakness.
Instead of cutting protein to a drastically low level, this food has a normal amount of protein and addresses kidney disease in other areas. It has significantly less phosphorus than other Darwin’s Natural Pet Products foods, with 0.9 grams of phosphorus per 1,000 calories. In addition to its inherently low phosphorus content, the food contains chitosan. It’s a salivary phosphate binder and helps to limit phosphorus absorption in the body. Increased calcium levels also help to reduce phosphorus absorption.
Elevated amounts of B-complex vitamins help to replace those lost in your cat’s urine, translating to more energy and overall better health, while omega-3 fatty acids may reduce inflammation and help your cat feel better.
Overall, this food has high protein content with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.
With plenty of animal-sourced nutrition, low carbohydrate content, and appropriate levels of key vitamins and minerals, this food appears to take a refreshing species-appropriate approach to kidney disease.
Ingredients
Chicken Thigh Meat, Turkey Hearts, Chicken Hearts, Beets, Zucchini, Turkey Livers, Chicken Livers, Celery, Fish Oil, Egg Whites, Parsley, Gelatin, Oyster Shell Powder, Cod Liver Oil, Dandelion Root Powder, lnulin, Turmeric, Potassium Chloride, Spirulina, Taurine, Tomato Pomace, Vitamin E, Cranberry Powder, Chitosan, Magnesium Proteinate, Choline Chloride, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Cinnamon, Sea Salt, Thiamine Mononitrate, Aloe Vera, Vitamin B2, Black Pepper, Selenium Proteinate, Folic Acid, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), Iodine
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken Thigh Meat, Turkey Hearts, Chicken Hearts, Turkey Livers, Chicken Livers, Fish Oil, Egg Whites, Oyster Shell Powder, Cod Liver Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- May be a good alternative to traditional foods for cats with kidney disease
- Primarily made with nourishing animal ingredients
- Controlled phosphorus and phosphorus binders help to keep your cat low on phosphorus consumption
- Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation
Cons
- Only available with a veterinarian’s prescription
- Doesn’t have a large body of reviews backing up its ability to help cats with kidney disease
What Do Customers Think of Darwin’s Natural Cat Food?
Darwin’s Natural cat food has a community of loyal customers. Most praise the food’s species-appropriateness and quality. On the flip side, some customers say that they received leaky packages or that the food had defrosted before it arrived at their house. Others claim that the food was discolored or otherwise inconsistent.
Positive Reviews
“We’ve been feeding our cats Darwin’s for over 10 years now…and before that it was still raw food. Lady Grey our first cat is now 21 years young 😻 Thanks to Darwin’s, our love and fresh air she is a very healthy, sassy little cat 😍” – by Elaine, reviewing Darwin’s Natural cat food on Trustpilot, April 5, 2024
“I’ve been a steadfast customer for 9 years. My 55 lb doodle had a sensitive digestive system and raw food was the solution that worked like a charm. Even with mid-grade hip dysplasia and the onset of typical old age health issues, he lived to be 16, taking walks and going to our neighborhood park until the end. I attribute his overall health and slow decline to Darwin’s. Dogs and cats have accepted kibble as food but they have evolved eating Raw food. Raw just makes so much sense. I’ve known many dogs that accept the kibble they’re fed without interest yet when allowed a taste of raw they perk right up and look for more. Darwin’s is reliable and convenient, with great customer service and an easy to use website. My two small dogs eat Darwin’s and are thriving, have beautiful coats and no stomach issues. We’re a very satisfied Darwin’s household!” – by Heidi, reviewing Darwin’s Natural cat food on Trustpilot, April 4, 2024
Negative Reviews
“Have a cat with IBD – one of the common symptoms is GI inflammation. The bone pieces, bone shards, cartilage pieces along with the many tendons and ligaments is waaaay too much to deal with AND risks throat injury and GI inflammation. I have to remove all these pieces before I feed him which is extremely time consuming. I’m shocked that your customer service considers your food ‘fine’ grind – there is no way this food is considered fine. Additionally I’ve made the mistake of putting these hard pieces down the garbage disposal – now the garbage disposal is complaining because it’s not breaking down these pieces and now I have to fish them out before I damage my disposal. Too bad, my cat loves your turkey but there should be a warning on your website and labels indicating the risk of injury and NOT TO COOK THE FOOD because that is more problematic when bones are involved. Very disappointed with my first and last experience with your company.” – by Marie reviewing, Darwin’s Natural pet food on Trustpilot, September 25, 2024
“I purchased the trial pack for my new puppy, but on my first visit to the vet with my puppy, the vet told me that raw food is not safe for my puppy nor for me. So I won’t purchase any more. Called Darwin to see if I could get a refund but they said “no”. I guess they don’t have a “satisfaction guaranteed” policy.
For those reading this who are considering raw food, you might want to check with your vet first. My vet also said that leading vet school hospitals won’t allow raw food into the building, again for safety reasons. This means that if your pet needs to be hospitalized, they won’t be able to continue their normal diet if it contains raw meat.” by Rob Gerritsen, reviewing Darwin’s Natural cat food on Google, August 2024
How Much Does Darwin’s Natural Cat Food Cost?
Darwin’s Natural cat food is more expensive than the average cat food, but it’s cheap compared to other raw food brands. If you order their lowest-priced variety and feed your 10-lb cat six ounces of it per day, Darwin’s Natural would add up to about $2.40 per day. Opt for lamb and your daily feeding cost will go up to $3.60.
That’s more than you’ll pay for Friskies, but it’s an incredible deal compared to raw cat food brands like Feline Natural and Vital Essentials.
To make it easier to get started, Darwin’s Natural Pet Products offers 50% off your first order. Shipping is always free.
Overall, Is Darwin’s Natural a Good Choice?
If you’re looking for an economical, species-appropriate frozen raw cat food that emphasizes meat over plants, Darwin’s Natural cat food may be the right choice for you.
The Darwin’s Natural site publishes full nutrient analyses, giving you rare insights into their foods’ micronutrient and macronutrient profiles. That’s an unprecedented level of transparency—some other companies lock this information away and guard it like a state secret.
Most reviewers agree that the company has outstanding customer service and appreciate the staff’s transparency and apparent interest in animal nutrition. With custom portion sizes and an adjustable delivery schedule, Darwin’s Natural Pet gives you a personalized experience that’s not equaled by many other companies in this business.
That said, Darwin’s Natural Pet misses the mark in a few areas. One is phosphorus content. Like some other raw foods—think Stella & Chewy’s—Darwin’s Natural Pet cat food has more phosphorus than most. While that’s not a problem for young, healthy cats, it might cause problems for senior cats and those with kidney disease.
The other problem is its recall history and reputation for quality control. While Darwin’s Natural maintains that the FDA’s warnings and recalls were unjustified, there’s no good reason to overlook them. Combined with the FDA’s report detailing the conditions in the Darwin’s facility, these events call the company’s safety standards into question.
Where To Buy Darwin’s Natural Cat Food?
Darwin’s Natural sells and ships directly to customers, so you’ll have to purchase the food through the company’s website. When you start your order of Darwin’s Natural Pet cat food, you’ll enter your cat’s name, his weight, and your protein preferences. You’ll receive individually-portioned packages tailored to your cat’s needs.
Darwin’s Natural ships to customers in the contiguous United States.
I’ve been fostering cats for almost 25 years and have been a Darwin’s customer nearly from the beginning. Along the way, many tweaks have been made in their products and packaging, largely spurred by customer input. While I used to be a proponent of feeding raw for many years and continue to be for my adopters, I’ve been cooking the Darwin’s food once they started having recalls; the primary reason is because, in my experience, cats whose gut and immune systems aren’t in tip-top condition, e.g., kittens and seniors, don’t handle raw very well. As I usually have cats of all ages, I prefer to play it safe and cook it to >165°F these days. I’ve never served Darwin’s at their recommended amounts; it’s too much, and cats can actually gain weight. I use my cooked Darwin’s as the basis for the regular diet (approx. 2 ozs per meal), and add good quality canned as fillers, which provide more variety (taste and texture) and ensure all nutritional bases are covered. The customer service, for the most part over these many years, has been good. I get the feeling something changed in their customer service and fulfillment process post-pandemic so there were some hiccups but it’s okay now. Lucky for me, I live in the Seattle area so if I have a delivery problem or run short I can run down to their plant, which is a huge benefit and one of the reasons I continue to purchase their product. Another reason is, I receive a substantial volume discount, without which I could not afford to feed it to my foster cats.
Here is Darwin’s response to the FDA “recall:” It is worth reading, and makes me trust them even more…
https://www.darwinspet.com/darwins-responds-to-fda-warning.html?
I did quite a bit of research before trying Darwin’s raw cat food. One of the things I was most interested in were the Cal/Ph/Mg levels. This is what they shared with me in Sept 2022 (these numbers are on a dry matter basis):
Chicken for cats:
Calcium: 0.09%
Phosphorus: 0.08%
Magnesium: 0.0096%
Turkey for cats:
Calcium: 0.10%
Phosphorus: 0.073%
Magnesium: 0.016%
Also, the graphic charts they shared with me show the chicken at 2.45 and the turkey at 2.20 (units per 1,000 kcal ME. Only the chicken is a bit higher than recommended levels for an adult cat (2.0) according to their chart. As a comparative, Rebel Raw’s phosphorus level (units per 1,000 kcal ME) for their turkey cat food is 2.64, and their chicken is 2.54 — both higher than Darwin’s.
These numbers are different than the ones you shared in your article, so I’m wondering if perhaps Darwin brought the levels down somewhat? The information I shared above puts their phosphorus levels at an average level and the chicken has a great ratio with the Calcium, which is important. The only thing that concerns me is the pH of their chicken and turkey meals, which I was told was between 5 and 5.6. Ideally, we would want our kitty’s meals between 6.0 and 6.8 to avoid oxalate and struvite crystal formation (thus our desire to watch the Cal/Ph/Mag levels as well).
I also wanted to add that I was stunned by how quickly my kitties jumped on this raw food and now prefer it to all of their other options. One walked right over to the bowl the first time and chowed down. The other took two days, but both absolutely love it. I am currently trying yet they anxiously wait for it to show up in their bowl twice a day. So, so far so good. And their coats have never been softer or more beautiful.
My only question is has anyone else had the stools become more hard and dark (almost black)? They don’t seem to be straining or having issues, but the color is indeed off-putting (with little to no smell).
I am a new Darwin customer, but have been very happy with their product thus far.
This sentence: “I am currently trying yet they anxiously wait for it to show up in their bowl twice a day,” should read:
“I am currently trying to reduce how much of this food I feed my kitties and add back in some of their other foods as it is just too expensive for me to feed to them exclusively, yet they they still anxiously wait for it to show up in their bowl twice a day.”
We have been feeding our two cats Darwin Natural for several years and have been very pleased. Until now. Just got off the phone with their customer service concerning the second incident in a row that our cat food delivery did not arrive on time. In March the shipment was delayed by a week due to a “technical” issue. This month the shipment simply did not show up, apparently lost or damaged en route via UPS. These mishaps are hard to swallow given that Darwin just raised their prices. It is also difficult in that we are now stuck for another few days awaiting a new delivery and are basically out of the food our cats have eaten exclusively for the past few years.
To Darwin’s credit, our cats love the chicken and turkey and have become sleek, healthy and energetic on this raw diet. The meals are easy to store and easy to dish out. They did an amazing job of getting our delivery to us on time for a year throughout the murky days of early Covid when all delivery services struggled with schedules. But that actually makes the delivery issues now less forgivable. I will also say it would be worth this company’s time to refresh their customer service protocol with distressed customers. Not once did I hear the words “Sorry your shipment was delayed” or “sorry that Ups didn’t get that handled for you”. They don’t necessarily need to take the blame, but an acknowledgement that this was not okay does go a long way to smoothing things over.
Hi Sarah, thank you for sharing your long-term experience with Darwin’s Natural and the recent fulfillment issues. This situation sounds far from ideal, and I’m glad that you’re making others aware of what you’ve experienced.
Is there anyway a person can buy just a sample to see if their cats will eat it?
With 3 very picky cats, I would hate to buy and then have to donate it because my cats won’t eat it.
Hi there! I just contacted Darwin’s Natural, and the representative explained that the introductory 10-lb package for $14.95 is the smallest offering that they have and the closest to a sample size.
You state “ the food exceeds the AAFCO’s phosphorus recommendation for both kittens and adult cats”. What is the maximum recommendation? I’ve been looking for it, but can’t find what the maximum amount is. I have a senior cat and don’t want to start feeding him this food of it will cause health issues.
Hi Andrea, there is no maximum recommendation, unfortunately—this is a rather controversial area. The sentence you mentioned simply indicates that the food exceeds the minimum amount recommended, but it’s hard to say whether or not this is excessive for seniors. Again, this is an area that’s a bit questionable. If possible, I would consult a trusted veterinarian for more specific advice. Sorry I wasn’t able to give more specific suggestions. Best, Mallory
I disagree with the suggested amount of “10-lb cat six ounces of it per day”.
My overweight 15lbs cat used to eat at t the most 5.5 ounces of canned food.
Changing to Darwin’s the amount she needs to be satisfied is about 4 – 4.5oz.
The difference of a cat eating canned food with all it’s additions is comparable to a person living on fast food – never really satisfied, thus the weight gain. That changed with Darwin’s. She drags the food from the plate as if it’s prey.
With Darwin’s the price of food is almost equal to Fancy Feast etc, maybe 10-15% more.
It also comes with a very healthy digestion – no more smelly poop, more aliveness and playfulness.
And she finally loses weight!
Hi how much are you feeding your cat? My cat is also 15lbs an and would like to know from a fellow pet owner regarding amount to feed!