Published May 2, 2021
We’ve rated Diamond on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Diamond cat food review to learn how this brand stacks up.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Diamond on What Matters
We’ve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality. Here’s how it rates in each of these six crucial areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 6/10
- Ingredient Quality – 5/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 6/10
Overall Score: 6.3/10
In total, we give Diamond cat food a 38 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.
About Diamond
Diamond Pet Foods is a family-owned and privately held business that believes “every pet deserves the very best.” The company was founded in 1970 in an effort to create a high-quality pet food that the average pet owner can afford.
Today, Diamond has become one of the largest and fastest growing manufacturers in the pet food industry, sold in over 100 countries around the world.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
This brand claims to use only high-quality ingredients sourced from trusted local and global suppliers. Every formula is made in the USA in company-owned facilities. Though Diamond Pet Foods is based in Meta, Missouri, they have production plants in South Carolina, California, and Arkansas.
Not only does Diamond manufacture their own products, but they use state-of-the-art technology and manufacturing processes. Every facility undergoes yearly audits, and every batch of food is put through rigorous testing for quality and safety.
Recall History
As one of the largest manufacturers of pet food, it’s not surprising that Diamond has had a number of recalls over the years.
Here’s a quick history:
- March 2013 – Diamond Naturals cat food was recalled due to low levels of thiamine.
- April & May 2012 – Several Diamond and Diamond Naturals products (as well as other Diamond Pet Foods brands) were recalled due to positive tests for salmonella.
- December 2005 – Diamond Maintenance and Diamond Professional cat food was recalled from the brand’s South Carolina facility.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Diamond Offer?
Diamond offers a variety of cat and dog dry food and wet food products for cats in three product lines: Diamond, Diamond Care, and Diamond Naturals.
The original Diamond line of products includes a single Maintenance formula while Diamond Naturals includes several dry and wet food formulas. This product line includes dry food recipes for kittens, indoor cats, and active cats as well as canned food for adult cats and kittens.
The Diamond Care line of products features two recipes formulated by veterinarians to support your cat’s urinary health and weight.
The Diamond Pet Foods brand also manufactures a number of other popular pet product brands including Taste of the Wild, Kirkland Signature, Solid Gold, 4Health, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.
What Do Customers Think of Diamond Cat Food?
Generally speaking, customers seem to like Diamond cat food. Many customers comment that the products are appealing even to picky cats, though Diamond has its fair share of negative reviews. Negative comments range from cats vomiting after eating the food to increased litter box odor.
Let’s take a look at a few customer reviews from some of the most popular recipes from Diamond.
Positive Reviews
“I have used Diamond brand for both dogs and cats for years and my animals are shiny, healthy and happy. They love the taste. When you open up a bag – unlike cheap food it smells meaty. Also, her poops are less smelly and less in quantity because her body actually absorbs the nutrients.” – Maxine reviewing Diamond Naturals Active Chicken Meal & Rice Formula
“First time I tried this brand, my kitties are eating it up. I have several feral cats out back and they can’t stop eating it. Very happy with purchase, good amount for low price.” – Nancy reviewing Diamond Maintenance Formula Dry Cat Food
Negative Reviews
“Yes, they’re eating every bite. They’re also drinking twice as much and filling the litter box 4xs as fast – the smell is unreal awful. You get what you pay for!” – Persians reviewing Diamond Maintenance Formula Dry Cat Food
“Not saying it’s a bad food, but my dogs ended up with allergies after eating this food for a while. Raw, red, itchy tummies and super dry skin.” – TicTac16 reviewing Diamond Naturals Active Chicken Meal & Rice Formula
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Overall, our test cats had no qualms about eating Diamond cat food. They were most interested in the Diamond Naturals wet food formula, though they found the dry foods appealing as well.
The primary issue in testing this brand is that one of our test cats is allergic to chicken, so she wasn’t able to eat any of the recipes Diamond had to offer.
Diamond Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Calories | Price | Our Grade |
| Diamond Naturals Active Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Dry Cat Food | Dry | Chicken | 400 kcal/cup | $2.39 per lb | B- |
| Diamond Maintenance Formula Dry Cat Food | Dry | Chicken | 350 kcal/cup | $1.45 per lb | D |
| Diamond Naturals Whitefish Dinner Adult & Kitten Canned Cat Food | Wet | Whitefish | 172 kcal/can (5.5 ounce) | $0.18 per oz | B- |
#1 Diamond Naturals Active Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Dry Cat Food
This chicken meal and rice formula is the highest quality of the three recipes we reviewed from Diamond but it is by no means perfect. We love that it starts with a high-quality source of animal-based protein, but it is quickly followed by white rice which offers limited nutritional value.
We were a little concerned by the length of the ingredients list and the high number of carbohydrate ingredients, though the estimated carb content is only about 20%. We also appreciated the addition of probiotics, though it’s hard to tell whether the microorganisms survive the cooking process.
Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Ground White Rice, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Ground Miscanthus Grass, Sodium Bisulfate, Salmon Oil (Source Of DHA), Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Dried Chicory Root, Kale, Chia Seed, Pumpkin, Blueberries, Oranges, Quinoa, Dried Kelp, Coconut, Spinach, Carrots, Papaya, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Chicken Meal
Chicken Fat Salmon Oil |
Ground White Rice | Chicken |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Real animal protein as the first ingredient
- Made with all-natural ingredients, no artificial additives
- Probiotic blend to support healthy digestion
Cons
- High in carbohydrates (over 20% estimated)
- Ground white rice offers limited nutritional value
#2 Diamond Maintenance Formula Dry Cat Food
This Maintenance formula dry food is problematic from the very first ingredient – an animal by-product. You’ll also find several corn- and wheat-based ingredients which are primarily used as fillers in pet food. They don’t offer much in the way of nutrition for your cat.
Compared to the previous recipe, this formula is also much higher in carbohydrates, estimated around 35%. It does contain probiotics but, again, we’re not sure how well they survive processing.
Ingredients
Chicken By-Product Meal, Whole Grain Ground Corn, Wheat Flour, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Corn Gluten Meal, Ground White Rice, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Chicken Flavor, Flaxseed, Fish Meal, Sodium Bisulfate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid. Contains A Source Of Live (Viable), Naturally Occurring Microorganisms.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Chicken Fat | Chicken By-Product Meal
Whole Grain Ground Corn Wheat Flour Corn Gluten Meal Ground White Rice |
Chicken
Fish |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Animal-based protein as the first ingredient
- Supplemented with probiotics for healthy digestion
- Doesn’t contain any artificial additives
Cons
- Contains corn and wheat ingredients
- Contains by-products and some non-specific animal protein
#3 Diamond Naturals Whitefish Dinner Adult & Kitten Canned Cat Food
Like most canned foods, this formula is packed with moisture and it is much lower in carbohydrate than either of the two dry foods. The estimated carb content of this formula is under 10%. We like that this recipe includes several sources of real animal-based protein as well. The only potential issue is that chicken and fish are common food allergens for cats.
Ingredients
Whitefish, Fish Broth, Chicken, Ocean Fish, Chicken Liver, Brown Rice Flour, Carrots, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Agar-Agar, Salt, Potassium Chloride, DL Methionine, Pumpkin, Quinoa, Cranberries, Blueberries, Dried Kelp, Inulin, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Sodium Carbonate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Whitefish
Chicken Ocean Fish Chicken Liver |
Brown Rice Flour
Sunflower Oil |
Chicken
Fish |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Packed with real sources of animal-based protein
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
- Fairly low in added carbohydrate (under 5% estimated)
Cons
- Contains several common food allergens (chicken and fish)
How Much Does Diamond Cat Food Cost?
Diamond is a fairly affordable brand of cat food, depending which product line you go with. The Diamond Naturals line is more expensive than the original Diamond line of products, though both are priced under $0.10 per ounce for dry food. Diamond Naturals Wet food is about $0.18 per ounce.
Overall, Is Diamond Cat Food a Good Choice?
For the most part, Diamond cat food is a mediocre brand. Some of their formulas are better than others in terms of quality ingredients, though all of their dry foods are pretty high in carbs.
If you’re looking for an affordable brand of cat food, our favorite of the three recipes we reviewed is the Diamond Naturals wet food. It is rich in animal protein and moisture but very low in carbohydrates.
Where Is Diamond Cat Food Sold?
You can find Diamond cat food in a variety of local and independent pet stores as well as from online retailers. Online, your best bet is to shop on Amazon or Chewy, though you can also purchase Diamond pet food from Petco and PetFlow.
The values of this review are wrong. For example, in the site the values published of the cat naturals kibble is:
Crude Protein 32.0% Minimum
Crude Fat 14.0% Minimum
Crude Fiber 8.0% Maximum
Moisture 10.0% Maximum
Hi Dae, do you have a link to the product you’re talking about? The values stated in this review are consistent with the information on Chewy, Amazon, and the Diamond website.
Kate, the values you have are actually correct for the specific variety of the food you listed, which is the Active version of Diamond Naturals. Diamond Naturals has 2 varieties, Indoor and Active. The values Dae is providing are for the Indoor variety, which you do not list on here. I am guessing Dae did not realize there is more than one variety of Diamond Naturals dry kibble for cats.
Thanks for solving that question for us, Mrs. Barnett!
You’re welcome.
My last 3 cats have eaten Diamond cat food for indoor cats. And they’re very healthy, silly & active. 1 has passed away before her 1year birthday, due to a heart defect. The other 2 are 8 & 2 yrs. old. They shed very little,& never throw up hairballs. It is Good stuff!!
It is interesting that one of the negative reviews you show is someone explaining that their “dogs” had problems with the “Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice Formula”. Since this page is about cat food reviews, I would say no wonder the dogs were having health problems from eating cat food. Cat foods are designed for the unique physical makeup of cats, which is completely different for dogs. So many people just don’t seem to get this. The mineral and other nutritional contents, such as fats would be different, and there are ingredients that are different between cat and dog foods. I don’t believe a dog temporarily eating a cat food would cause too much trouble, but definitely in the long term, I don’t believe it is healthy. Many experts say it leads to obesity, gastrointestinal problems, and more. I think pet food companies really need to emphasize, and put on the bags that cat food and dog food is not interchangeable and note the reasons and warn of the health issues that can arise from giving cat food to dogs and dog food to cats. I know someone who keeps giving cat food on purpose to their dog because he won’t eat the dog food they buy and has a taste for the cats’ food. I would say they just need to try a different kind of dog food, rather than letting them consume cat food. If someone is worried about having both cats and dogs and eating each others’ food, I would suggest closing, say the dog in a room, then feeding the cat, then removing the cat food, then close off the cat, and feed the dog and then take the food away when the dog is finished. There are also bowls that will only open for the specific pet that matches a certain pet’s microchip.
I feel like the Diamond Naturals line should be a different listing than the Diamond Maintanence line, as they are very different foods. You have 7 different listings for Purina label foods. And that is just the Purina name. I notice there is a listing as just Purina, in which the 3 foods tested were Purina Beyond, Purina Cat Chow, and Purina Fancy Feast. These are 3 vastly different food lines, just all made by the same company. And this is reflected in their varying scores of C, D, & B- respectively. And an overall of C+.
But then Purina Beyond was given its own listing with overall B-. And Purina Cat Chow given its own listing with overall D rating. Then there is a separate listing for Fancy Feast, not under the Purina name, which brings us to 8 listings, and it got an overall B- score. I’m sure there are lots of other examples like this of Purina brand foods in your listings. But I think you see my point. When comparing foods, Purina Cat Chow with a D score is a very different food than Purina Beyond with a B- score. To the layperson that would be obvious from the price difference alone, but especially when reading the ingredients.
So then the Diamond Naturals Active Cat dry food, and the wet food recieved B- ratings. Yet the overall score given to Diamond is C+. Simply because Diamond Maintanence, a far lesser quality product, was included in the evaluation with a D score. I find the ratings of each individual food to be fair, and accurate. But why does Diamond only get one listing, while Purina Cat Chow and Purina Beyond get their own listings? Because it is about the equavalence in differences between 2 food lines made by the same company.
Furthermore, there are probably TLDR researchers out there, that may or may not even be aware of there being 2 different Diamond name food lines. Say they feed a Diamond Naturals food, and want to know the rating. They click on the Diamond listing, see the photo at the top which is only Diamond Naturals products, scroll down to see the overall C+ grade, and call it a day. Assuming that Diamond Naturals isn’t as good of a food as they thought. When if there was a listing including just Diamond Naturals foods, the overall score would likely be more like a B or B-. Perhaps not a huge difference. But when people are comparing foods by grade, and looking at prices, they’ll quickly realize they are better off with Diamond Naturals than some other similar foods.
Examples with current price on Chewy, cost per pound, amount of crude protein, and the rating you’ve given these individual foods:
Purina Beyond Whitemeat Chicken & Egg
-$52.68 for a 16lb bag
-$3.30/lb
-35% crude protein
-B rating
Crave Chicken formula
-$37.98 for a 10lb bag
-$3.80/lb
-40% crude protein
-C rating
Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain
-$39.99 for a 14lb bag
-$2.86/lb
-42% crude protein
-C+ rating
Diamond Naturals Active Cat
-$33.99 for 18lb bag
-$1.89/lb
-40% crude protein
-B- rating
My point in listing these out in this manner is to elaborate that higher cost doesn’t always equal higher quality. And while your rating system is good, and quite helpful in finding a cat food, it is lacking a bit. I do understand how tedious this kind of research is. But please consider being more fair to Diamond Naturals and removing Diamond Maintanence from the same listing. It would be a far more accurate assessment to have a Diamond Naturals only listing where the products tested are the Active cat kibble, Indoor Cat kibble, and one or more of their canned wet foods. I’m actually not a fan of the indoor kibble as it isn’t high enough protein. And the wet food is a mixed bag. But that is a whole different story and this post is long enough as is.
I feed my cats Diamond Naturals Active kibble(mixed with whatever decent quality wet food I can buy for the best price), I would never feed them Diamond Maintanence. Because I understand that Diamond Maintanence is low cost, low quality food, same as Purina Cat Chow. Whereas Diamond Naturals Active Cat is one of the most affordable, moderate quality, 40% or more protein dry foods I can find. As laid out in the above comparison. And I’ve included Purina Beyond only because I’ve used it as an example in the differences between food lines from the same brand. Even if it were cheaper, I still wouldn’t feed it to my cats because it doesn’t have enough protein. The minimum recommended protein for cats is 40%. I wish I could afford to feed my cats a food with higher protein content, but anything higher than 40%, with the exception of Taste of the Wild’s 42%, gets incredibly more expensive, not just a little more expensive.
Objectively, which seems a better option for those of us feeding multiple cats, wanting to give them higher protein they should have, having limited funds, and not wanting to feed them trash food?
Purina Beyond is nearly twice the cost per pound as Diamond Naturals Active, has far less crude protein, and barely received a better rating. Crave is the same amount of crude protein as Diamond Naturals Active, but it costs over twice as much per pound, and received a lower rating. Taste of the Wild is almost $1 more per pound than Diamond Naturals Active, not as much as the others but still a considerable difference when feeding 4 cats. It has slightly more crude protein, and received a much lower rating.
All of this is only for dry foods. It doesn’t even touch on the wildly varying price of canned foods. And how insanely difficult it is to find an affordable one that doesn’t contain carrageenan. There are wet foods that cost 2, 3, sometimes more than the brands I buy, and the quality of the food is worse. That is the real kick in the wallet. Because I feed far more wet food than dry food per day. I pretty much only include dry food with the wet to supplement calories so I don’t have to spend even more money on wet food than I already do. Also it is likely good for their teeth, though dental treats would also accomplish this.
Ok I’m getting off topic now, so I’ll wrap this up. I hope this suggestion about the Diamond listing is heard, understood, and taken into account with an updated listing. I took an hour or so out of my Saturday morning to write this up. I really hope it wasn’t wasted. But it should show you I take this seriously, and this response was not written hastily, but with thought and purpose.
I am feeding up to 30 stray/ feral cats – it wasn’t my choice but our county doesn’t have animal shelters,
I go thru the monthly ritual of trying to find halfway decent cat food at a reasonable price.
Reading labels, doing research of ingredients etc. reading reviews is really not helping.
Cat food has really gotten so expensive it is hard to afford it. Coupons are hard to find and really a joke. No wonder we have a problem with abandoned cats, or overcrowded animal shelters.
My vet told me to feed the cheapest food…..
Well, I really can’t get myself to do it, but is there really that much difference.
The pet food industry has gone overboard in my opinion with all the specialty foods.
Yes, we want our pets to live a long healthy life,
But are we really ? If we have all that great food, why is it that then , that so many pets have increased health problems.
I tried the naturals brand from a pet store randomly based on price and what seemed good ingredients, made in USA , and anything not from the Purina empire (voting with dollars ). I have 2 males that i adopted & were eating meow mix with different colors . They are now on this food & Seem to like it okay & poop less . I’m pleased but was disappointed in the C rating .