Go! Cat Food Review

Go! Solutions promises to provide expert-formulated solutions for your cat’s unique dietary needs, but is it a good choice for your special feline? Find out in our unbiased Go! cat food review.

The Cats.com Standard—Rating Go! on What Matters

We’ve analyzed Go! 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.

In total, we give Go! cat food a 41 out of 60 rating or a B- grade.

About Go!

Go! Solutions is a pet food brand dedicated to products that address specific needs, including food sensitivities, allergies, and digestive issues. The brand operates with a goal of “nourishing pets from the inside out,” providing solutions pet parents trust and pets love.

The Go! Solutions brand is owned by Petcurean, a family-owned Canadian company founded in 1999. Petcurean’s other brands include Gather™, Now Fresh™, and Summit™.

In addition to providing dietary solutions for pets, Petcurean is dedicated to sustainability. Their dry food packages aren’t currently recyclable, but their wet food cans are. Petcurean is currently working to make their packaging 100% recyclable and is starting to package some of their wet foods in recyclable cardboard cartons instead of cans.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

Petcurean sources ingredients from North America with a focus on ingredients grown or raised near its production facilities. Exceptions to this rule include lamb and venison from Australia and New Zealand. Petcurean doesn’t mention supplement sourcing, so these ingredients are likely sourced internationally.

All Go! cat foods are made from meat sourced from animals that were deemed fit for human consumption by the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency). Their fruit and vegetable ingredients were also approved for human food use.

Though these raw ingredients were human-edible, Go! products aren’t fully human-grade because they’re made in a pet food processing facility and handled according to pet food production standards.

Go! Solutions cat food is produced in multiple facilities in the United States and Canada. All Go! kibble is manufactured in Ontario, Canada, while canned food production is divided between Ontario and New Jersey. Go!’s Tetra Pak products are manufactured in the United States and their Meal Mixers are manufactured in British Columbia.

Has Go! Cat Food Been Recalled?

Yes, Go! Solutions has one recall in the brand’s history, though it took place nearly twenty years ago.

In 2003, Go! foods manufactured in Texas were recalled after a series of reports that the food had made cats and dogs seriously ill. Symptoms included rashes, vomiting, and liver dysfunction. One report put the death toll over twenty, while an article from AVMA (the American Veterinary Medical Association) mentions 13 cases and says that six animals died.

How was Go! Food making pets sick? That’s not clear. In fact, we don’t really know that Go! Pet food was making pets sick at all.

An FDA investigation found that some Go! foods contained undisclosed and higher-than-acceptable levels of the chemical preservative BHA, but no one could confirm that this chemical was linked to the reports of illness. No other contaminant or imbalance was ever identified.

The company no longer manufactures products at the Texas facility involved in the recall and since 2003, hasn’t been associated with any reports of illness.

What Kinds of Cat Food Does Go! Offer?

The Go! Solutions cat food lineup includes both wet and dry foods. Most address specific health issues, including coat health, allergies, and sensitive digestion.

Go! Solutions Carnivore foods are relatively high in meat and protein with low carbohydrate content, while Daily Defence™ recipes are designed to provide preventative care and support long-term health.

Go! Solutions Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed

#1 Go! Fit + Free Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey & Duck Recipe Review

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Chicken meal appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.

Formerly called Fit + Free, this food is part of Go! Solutions’ selection of “Carnivore” meals, which highlight animal-sourced protein content. Dehydrated chicken, duck, turkey, and salmon meals serve as concentrated sources of protein. The food also contains deboned chicken, turkey, trout, salmon, and duck as well as whole dried egg for supplemental protein.

This combination of meals and fresh meats as the first seven ingredients is a promising sign. As dehydrated products, meat meals are concentrated sources of protein. Along with fresh meats, the prominence of these ingredients indicates a high-protein, meat-rich food.

After a series of meats and meat meals, the food contains chicken fat as its primary source of fat. It includes something the company calls “natural fish flavor”, which is likely made from hydrolyzed fish tissues.

After meat, meat fat, and meat flavor, the ingredient list takes a more vegetal turn, mentioning peas, potatoes, potato flour, and tapioca. Considering the food’s low carbohydrate content, it appears that Petcurean used a light touch with these starchy ingredients.

Salmon oil is added as a second animal-sourced fat. This fish oil is rich in EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that may support your cat’s skin and coat health while reducing inflammation.

The food contains a trace amounts of fruits, vegetables, and other additives, including pumpkin, apples, blackberries, and cottage cheese. Dried chicory root is added as a prebiotic and works in concert with a blend of probiotics. The food is fortified with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to make it nutritionally complete.

Overall, this food has moderate protein content with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.

The food contains 473 calories per cup.

Ingredients

Chicken Meal, De-Boned Chicken, De-Boned Turkey, Duck Meal, Turkey Meal, Salmon Meal, De-Boned Trout, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Fish Flavor, Peas, Potatoes, Whole Dried Egg, Potato Flour, Tapioca, De-Boned Salmon, De-Boned Duck, Salmon Oil, Pumpkin, Apples, Carrots, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Lentils, Broccoli, Cottage Cheese, Alfalfa, Sweet Potatoes, Blackberries, Squash, Papayas, Pomegranate, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (A Source Of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Sulphate, Calcium Iodate, Ferrous Sulphate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Rosemary.

Ingredients We Liked: Chicken Meal, Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey, Duck Meal, Turkey Meal, Salmon Meal, Deboned Trout, Chicken Fat, Whole Dried Egg, Deboned Salmon, Deboned Duck, Salmon Oil

Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Potatoes, Potato Flour, Tapioca

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 46%

Crude Fat: 18%

Crude Fiber: 1.5%

Moisture: 10%

Ash: 9%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 51.11%

Fat: 20%

Fiber: 1.67%

Carbs: 17.22%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 43.72%

Fat: 41.55%

Carbs: 14.73%

Pros

• Contains animal-sourced fat
• Free of animal by-products
• Relies primarily on animal-sourced protein
• Free of artificial colors and flavors
• Significantly lower carbohydrate content than most dry foods

Cons

• Like all dry foods, it’s not hydrating

#2 Go! Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey & Duck Recipe Dry Cat Food

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Duck appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.

This dry food is advertised as a solution for allergy-prone cats. It’s a grain-free food with “single poultry protein” and a limited ingredient list.

Though it’s true that this food only contains one poultry ingredient, it’s not a single-protein product. The food contains deboned duck as the first ingredient, followed by duck meal. It also contains whole dried egg, one of the most common feline food allergens.

It’s possible the recipe uses duck egg rather than chicken egg, but we weren’t able to verify whether that’s the case. The chicken fat could potentially be an issue for cats with allergies as well, though cats with chicken allergies may react only to chicken protein and not to chicken fat.

Peas, pea flour, tapioca, lentils, and chickpeas give the kibble its shape, structure, and texture. These ingredients increase the food’s protein, fiber, and carbohydrate content. The estimated carbohydrate content is over 30% (as fed).

This dry cat food also contains flaxseed. This fiber source is sometimes praised for its omega-3 content, but cats are best suited to the omega-3s found in animal fat and can’t utilize those found in flaxseed. We’d prefer to see duck fat or salmon oil used instead.

The ingredient list concludes with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, along with a variety of probiotics and dried chicory root as a prebiotic.

Overall, this dry food has moderate protein content with moderate fat and high carbohydrate content.

This food has 464 calories per cup.

Ingredients

De-Boned Duck, Duck Meal, Whole Dried Egg, Peas, Pea Flour, Tapioca, Lentils, Chickpeas, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Sodium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Chicory Root, Phosphoric Acid, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (A Source Of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Sulphate, Calcium Iodate, Ferrous Sulphate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, Dried Rosemary.

Ingredients We Liked: Deboned Duck, Duck Meal, Whole Dried Egg, Chicken Fat

Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Pea Flour, Tapioca, Lentils, Chickpeas, Flaxseed

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 31%

Crude Fat: 15%

Crude Fiber: 3.5%

Moisture: 10%

Ash: 7.5%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 34.44%

Fat: 16.67%

Fiber: 3.89%

Carbs: 36.67%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 30.87%

Fat: 36.27%

Carbs: 32.86%

Pros

• Free of animal by-products
• Made without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
• Made with animal-sourced fat

Cons

• High carbohydrate content
• Contains egg, a common cat food allergen
• Like all dry foods, it’s not hydrating

#3 Go! Solutions Carnivore Grain-Free Minced Lamb + Wild Boar Wet Food Review

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Lamb appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.

This wet food belongs to Go! Solutions’ Carnivore line of products which means it is very meat-heavy. Fresh lamb and chicken are the top two ingredients with chicken liver, wild boar, pork plasma, and dried egg whites appearing within the first ten.

Both chicken broth and turkey broth provide flavor and moisture in this recipe while tapioca and various gums are used as thickeners.

While this formula contains two novel animal proteins – lamb and wild boar – it still contains chicken which makes it a poor choice for cats with food allergies. We do, however, appreciate that it is much more limited in plant ingredients than the previous two formulas and the estimated carbohydrate content is extremely low.

This wet food is fortified with a standard array of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It also contains trace amounts of vegetable juice, fruit juice, paprika, and turmeric. These last two are likely used as natural coloring agents.

Overall, this food is rich in protein with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.

This food contains 178 calories in each 6.4-ounce carton or about 28 calories per ounce.

Ingredients

Lamb, Chicken, Chicken Broth, Turkey Broth, Chicken Liver, Wild Boar, Tapioca, Pork Plasma, Dried Egg Whites, Flaxseed, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Cassia Gum, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Pumpkin, Cranberries, Salmon Oil, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, Salt, Vegetable Juice, Fruit Juice, Paprika, Turmeric.

Ingredients We Liked: Lamb, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Wild Boar, Pork Plasma, Dried Egg Whites, Salmon Oil

Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca, Cassia Gum, Guar Gum

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 8.5%

Crude Fat: 6.5%

Crude Fiber: 1%

Moisture: 82%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 47.22%

Fat: 36.11%

Fiber: 5.56%

Carbs: 11.11%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 32.34%

Fat: 60.05%

Carbs: 7.61%

Pros

• Uses a combination of muscle meat and organs
• Rich in animal-sourced protein
• Thickened without carrageenan
• Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
• Low carbohydrate content

Cons

• Contains chicken and egg, common cat food allergens

What Do Customers Think of Go! Cat Food?

This brand receives overwhelmingly positive customer reviews. On Chewy, Go!’s top three recipes receive four-to-five star ratings with most customers saying they’d recommend Go! to a friend. The foods are praised for palatability and digestibility.

Positive Reviews

“I have a cat with IBD, so I’ve been searching for a high quality since source protein. He’s also a picky wet eater. But this product has a great consistency, very moist and a nice layer of broth. Very pleased with this purchase.” – chris4, reviewing Go! Sensitivity + Shine Grain-Free Duck Pate Recipe

“I originally gave this food a poor review, because my cats wouldn’t eat it. After several weeks of feeding it to my cats, which I now mix 50/50 with my old food, they like it fine. My cats seem to have more energy and just overall are healthier. This is why I bought this brand of food to start with. The people from Chewy were extremely sympathetic to me, because of my original review, and actually reimbursed me for the food. I tried to refuse the money, but they gave it to me anyway. I was and will be a loyal customer to Chewy, thank you.” – Petowner71, reviewing Go! Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey, + Duck Recipe

Negative Reviews

“This product contains chicken eggs which isn’t made clear on the label. Since the whole reason I bought this food is to avoid chicken or beef for my IBD cat I won’t be buying it again.” – Meret, reviewing Go! Sensitivity + Shine Limited Ingredient Diet Duck Recipe

“Our cats mainly eat canned food, but we give a little dry as a daily treat. I was forced to try a different brand due to a recall, and decided this one would do, although it has way too many fruit/veg in it. Our cat that thinks of dry food as “candy” and craves it continuously ate this food fine. The other cat who does not crave dry food would not eat this one at all, although will eat other brands. The kibble size is very small, although I do not think that was the issue. He seemed to dislike the smell of it.” – Kramer63, reviewing Go! Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey, + Duck Recipe

How Much Does Go! Cat Food Cost?

Go! cat food is a little bit more expensive than grocery brands, but it’s not among the priciest on the market. If you follow the company’s feeding guidelines for the average 10-lb cat, Go! dry cat food would cost roughly $0.44 per day. Go! wet cat food would cost closer to $2.50 to $3.33 per day.

Overall, Is Go! Cat Food a Good Choice?

Go! cat food appears to be one of the better brands you can buy. Their Carnivore line includes some of the lowest-carbohydrate dry cat food on the market. Their canned foods stand out with plenty of meat and minimal starch for species-appropriate nutrition.

Though some cats do well on their recipes, not all Go! foods are right for their target consumer. Some of their allergy-focused foods contain common allergens and, despite bearing the “limited ingredient” label, could have much shorter ingredient lists.

Note that after the 2003 Go! recall, an FDA investigation found that the food contained excessive levels of BHA—a preservative that wasn’t listed on the label. Though the company severed their relationship with the involved manufacturing partner and the brand hasn’t been recalled since 2003, this moment in their history is worth thinking about before you start feeding your cat Go!.

Where To Buy Go! Cat Food?

Go! cat food is sold in local pet food retailers throughout the United States and Canada and by distributors around the world. If you’re in the United States or Canada, click here to find a retailer near you. Otherwise, browse for a distributor in your country. Online retailers include Chewy, 1-800-Pet-Meds, Only Natural Pet, and Petflow.

Click here to shop for Go! cat food on Chewy