Published Mar 1, 2021
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
We’ve rated Just Food for Cats on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Just Food for Cats cat food review to learn how this brand stacks up.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Just Food For Cats on What Matters
We’ve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality. Here’s how it rates in each of these six crucial areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 10/10
- Ingredient Quality – 10/10
- Product Variety – 3/10
- Price – 8/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 7/10
Overall Score: 7.5/10
In total, we give Just Food for Cats cat food a 45 out of 60 rating or a B+ grade.
JustCats offers a single fresh food recipe for cats, their JustCats Fish & Chicken formula. Kate Barrington / Cats.com
About Just Food For Cats
Just Food for Dogs was founded by Shawn Buckley in 2010 but the story of JFFD began about nine years earlier when he adopted his first dog, Simon. Simon was just six months old when Buckley brought him home, but it wasn’t until the dog turned nine that Buckley realized what was in the food he’d been feeding him.
Shocked and angry by the misleading information on pet food labels, Buckley set out to create his own pet food product. It was an immediate success.
At first, Buckley was only feeding his own dog but when he saw the transformative power of high-quality nutrition right before his eyes, he couldn’t keep it to himself. He began feeding the neighbors dogs as well then eventually put together a team of veterinarians and specialists to develop his own line.
In 2010, Just Food for Dogs was launched as the first-ever kitchen for dogs. Not only does JFFD offer high-quality, fresh foods for pets, but they make them in kitchens open to the public. Customers can view the food being made and purchase it directly from the kitchen.
Since beginning Just Food for Dogs, Buckley has made it his mission to improve the length and quality of life for as many pets as possible through real food and nutrition.
Today, Just Food for Dogs follows these core values:
- Relentlessly advocating for pet health
- Being completely transparent
- Basing decisions on scientific evidence
- Driving change in their category
- Honoring pet life through support of rescue efforts
After seeing the difference his fresh food made in the lives of dogs, Buckely eventually launched Just Food for Cats. Though this line only includes a single fresh food recipe at the moment, it may expand in the future to mimic the much wider variety available for dogs.
There Are Better Fresh Options
Just Cats can be purchased at the official website but a crop of new fresh cat food delivery competitors offer better, fresher cat food delivered right to your door.
Here are our favorite premium cat food delivery companies you can choose from today. Most offer a heavy discount on your first order so you can see how your cat likes it .
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Just Food for Dogs and Just Food for Cats is crafted by hand in open-to-the-public kitchens in both Irvine, CA and New Castle, DE. All of their products are made with real, unprocessed, bioavailable, and nutrient-rich ingredients in their natural state.
Additionally, JFFC uses meats that are inspected and approved by the USDA for human consumption. They use the same premium suppliers as the restaurant industry for their other ingredients, so you can rest assured your cat is getting the highest quality ingredients.
One thing we’d like to note about Just Food for Dogs is that their recipes meet AAFCO standards, but not in the usual way.
Just Food for Dogs recipes provide complete and balanced nutrition for adult maintenance based on feeding trials using AAFCO procedures. You can find information about JFFD’s evidence-based research here which explains the feeding trials.
It seems that Just Food for Cats is formulated according to AAFCO nutrient profiles, as is most common in fresh pet food recipes.
Recall History
Before settling on a pet food brand, it’s important to do your research – that includes researching the brand’s history of product recalls.
A product recall can happen for a wide variety of reasons including minor issues like labeling errors or major issues like contamination with foodborne pathogens. Pet food manufacturers are able to voluntarily withdraw products on their own or the FDA can issue a recall.
Just Food for Dogs has one product recall in its history.
In January 2017, the FDA announced that Just Food for Dogs had voluntarily recalled three of their dog food products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. No cases of Listeriosis have been confirmed and there were no reports of human illness.
This is the only recall we were able to find for JFFD and none affecting Just Food for Cats products.
If you’re not satisfied with Just Food for Cats, you can return it for a full refund at any time. Just note that shipping and/or delivery fees are non-refundable.
JustCats is unique in that they offer customers the ability to visit their kitchens and pick up their order in person. Kate Barrington / Cats.com
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Just Food for Cats Offer?
When it comes to dog food, Just Food for Dogs offers a wide variety of products including fresh frozen food, pantry fresh boxed meals, veterinary support fresh food, and nutrient blends for homemade diets.
Unfortunately, their selection for cats is much more limited.
Just Food for Cats offers a single fresh frozen cat food recipe made with fish and chicken. Here’s what they have to say about it on their website:
“Our Fish & Chicken recipe is our low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet for cats that’s perfect for adult cats of all breeds. This delicious nutritionally balanced diet is better than your typical fish and chicken cat food. Our fresh recipe contains yuca root to absorb and retain moisture, to help ensure your cat is always fully hydrated and chicken liver for cats to obtain the nutrients they need.”
In addition to this fresh cat food recipe, JFFC also offers Salmon Bark Treats for Cats. These are low-fat treats made with 80% salmon fillet, prepared in small batches in the company’s Southern CA kitchens.
What Do Customers Think of Just Food for Cats Cat Food?
When researching a new brand of cat food, it’s a good idea to see what real customers have to say about it. Though it can sometimes be tricky to get an accurate picture of a brand based on reviews, JFFC only has one recipe available, so you know exactly what the reviewers are talking about.
Unfortunately, we had a difficult time finding reviews for Just Food for Cats anywhere other than the brand’s website.
On the JFFC website, their JustCats Fish & Chicken recipe has over 80 reviews and a star rating above 4/5. We were pleased to see that they allowed both positive and negative reviews to be visible on their website – many pet food manufacturers don’t.
Let’s take a look at a few customer reviews for Just Food for Cats.
Positive Reviews
“My finicky feline loves his just food for cats. He hasn’t had any hair ball episodes for nearly a year since feasting on his fresh favorite just for cats meal. My feline friend typically prefers to snack on kibble, turning his nose to several different brands of wet can food. Now my cat lays in front of the fridge waiting for his just food for cats mealtime.”- Arrow R. (5/05/20) reviewing JustCats Fish & Chicken
“I just found out my cat was sick and I was looking for more natural approach to her diet. When I came to Petco, The Just FoodForDogs section was open and I just had to ask. They were delighted to show me the cat selection they had available. I felt like my prayers were answered. I noticed it was only one option, but I went for it, didn’t even think twice. My cat is so much more excited to eat this than anything I’ve ever given her. Please make more varieties. We love this stuff.”- Ashley (8/17/20) reviewing JustCats Fish & Chicken
Negative Reviews
“I admit – I have picky cats. And they are all – well, older – so like the humans they push around, they get “set in their ways”. The food looked and smelled good. I would have given you folks a great rating, but I had to go with what the picky pussies said.”- Nancy T. (1/23/18) reviewing JustCats Fish & Chicken
“I got a sample from Pet Food Express and I have one cat who is picky and other cat who likes real human food – real chicken or turkey, etc. However, my picky cat didn’t even touch it and walked away. My other cat ate few bites and left the rest. Tried again the next day – didn’t eat. Wish it was sold in smaller packs – my cats even if they would eat, can finish the whole pack in 3 days.”- Wendy (1/31/20) reviewing JustCats Fish & Chicken
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
To review Just Food for Cats, we ordered two packages of JustCats Fish & Chicken fresh food. We appreciated the simplicity of the ordering process, including the fact that there’s an option to make a one-time purchase as well as an autoship option. JFFC is also one of the only brands we’ve seen that offers free local pickup to customers who live near their CA or DE kitchens.
Our order shipped quickly and arrived completely frozen. Each package contained 18 ounces of fresh food which, according to the feeding instructions, is enough to feed a 10-pound cat for about 2 ½ days.
Just Food for Cats Fish & Chicken fresh food looks just as it is pictured on the website. It’s light brown in color and it is a homogenous mix with a texture that’s a little closer to pate-style canned food than other fresh cat foods we’ve tried. It certainly seemed to be high in moisture, as promised.
Testing this product was a little bit tricky because one out of our three test cats is allergic to chicken – this makes JFFC a no-go for that cat.
The other cats who tested the product seemed to find it perfectly palatable, though they weren’t particularly excited about it. Their interest was piqued by the unfamiliar smell, but after a few bites they seemed to have had enough and wandered away to look for another option. This kind of reaction was repeated in many of the customer reviews we read on the JFFC website.
Just Food For Cats Cat Food – Top 2 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Calories | Price Per Ounce | Our Grade |
| JustCats Fish & Chicken Fresh Food | Fresh | Alaskan Pacific Wild-Caught Cod | 1,219 kcal/kg | $0.64/oz. | A |
| Salmon Bark for Cats | Treat | Wild-Caught Salmon Fillet | 3,421 kcal/kg | $3.00/oz. | A |
All nutritional percentages in this table and hereafter are taken from the manufacturer’s guaranteed analysis. Exact nutritional percentages are not available.
All calculated values are determined using these minimum and maximum published values and may differ from actual values. JustCats is the ultimate authority on their products, so please contact the company for more nutritional information.
#1 JustCats Fish & Chicken Fresh Food
Click Here To Shop on Justfoodfordogs.com
This fresh cat food recipe features several sources of real animal-based protein including fish and chicken. Alaskan Pacific wild-caught cod is the first ingredient supplemented with whole Atlantic sardines. You’ll also find chicken thighs and several chicken organ meats included on the list.
The only other main ingredient is dried yuca root which JFFC includes to help maintain hydration. This ingredient is gluten-free, grain-free, and hypoallergenic and it absorbs over 4 times its weight in water. JFFC claims it is highly digestible and helps maintain consistency in texture of the product.
Overall, we have no issues with the quality of this product. In fact, we love the high inclusions of real animal proteins and the lack of added carbohydrate (minus a small amount of yuca root).
The only issue we have with this product is the fact that it is not a single-source protein recipe. In fact, it is made with two of the most common cat food allergens – chicken and fish. If your cat is allergic to either, unfortunately, Just Food for Cats simply won’t be an option.
Ingredients
Alaskan Pacific Wild-Caught Cod, Chicken Thighs, Chicken Hearts, Chicken Liver, Tapioca Starch, Whole Atlantic Sardines, Multi-Vitamin & Mineral Blend
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Alaskan Pacific Wild-Caught Cod
Whole Atlantic Sardines Chicken Thighs Chicken Hearts Chicken Liver |
None | Fish
Chicken
|
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Multiple sources of premium animal-based protein
- Rich in moisture with moderate fat and fiber content
- Available for one-time purchase, autoship, or local pickup
Cons
- Made with two common food allergens (chicken and fish)
- Some cats seem disinterested in the food
#2 JustCats Salmon Bark Treats
Click Here To Shop on Justfoodfordogs.com
These Salmon Bark Treats from Just Food for Cats are made with just two simple ingredients: salmon and yuca. They are low in fat, high in protein, and full of real salmon flavor.
What makes these treats unique is that they come in the form of bark. This means some of the pieces are very large, but you can easily break it down into smaller pieces.
The fact that these treats are made almost entirely from salmon is great, but the texture of the treat is a little odd. Some cats may not like it as much as the smaller bite-sized treats they are used to. That being said, we had no issues with the quality of the treats themselves.
Ingredients
Wild-Caught Salmon Fillet, Dried Yuca Root
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Wild-Caught Salmon Fillet | None | Fish |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Real wild-caught salmon as the main ingredient
- High in protein, low in fat and calories
- No artificial additives or preservatives
Cons
- Crunchy texture may be off-putting for some cats
- Only one flavor/protein option available
How Much Does Just Food For Cats Cat Food Cost?
When shopping for fresh pet food, you’ll notice that it is often more expensive than kibble and canned food. Just Food for Cats is a little pricier than the options you’d find on pet store shelves, but not significantly so. In fact, it costs just $0.64 per ounce ($11.45 for an 18-ounce package) which is comparable to premium canned food.
If you’re shopping for JFFC online, you’ll want to pay attention to shipping costs unless you select the Free Local Pickup option.
For a single 18-ounce package of JustCats Fish & Chicken, the shipping cost is $19.99. Flat rate shipping is $19.99 for orders that do not meet free shipping minimums. Free shipping is available on frozen orders and dry goods (DIY kits, supplements, treats, and merchandise) over $99. This is valid in the Continental U.S. only. For more information about their shipping policy and costs, please visit this page. This is a much more economical option than many of the fresh food companies we’ve reviewed.
Where Is Just Food For Cats Cat Food Sold?
Many fresh cat food companies only sell their products online, but Just Food for Cats is unique in that they offer free local pickup as well.
When shopping for JFFC online, you can choose to place a one-time order or start an autoship subscription. If you go with the autoship option, you can select from weekly orders all the way up through receiving an order every 8 weeks. You can change or cancel your subscription at any time.
If you choose the Free Local Pickup option, you’ll be able to pick your order up directly from one of Just Food for Dogs’ local kitchens and you’ll save 5% on your first order.
Though JustCats only offers one fresh food recipe at this time, it is packed with protein and moisture. Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Overall, Is Just Food for Cats Cat Food a Good Choice?
Generally speaking, we like Just Food for Cats. We love that they use only high-quality ingredients, and their recipe is high in protein and low in carbohydrate. We also like that they provide a detailed description of each ingredient and its role in supporting your cat’s nutrition.
The primary issue we have with this brand is their lack of variety, at least in terms of cat food recipes. The only formula they have available is made with two common cat food allergens – chicken and fish. This makes it difficult for cats who have food allergies or sensitivities to enjoy this food.
If you’re looking for a high-protein, high-moisture cat food that isn’t overpriced, Just Food for Cats could be a good option. Just keep in mind that cats allergic to chicken or fish should avoid this food. Perhaps in the future JFFD will release additional recipes.
My vet does not want the AAFCO statement, but only recommends cat food with WSAVA approval. And my cats do not like fish.
Hey Jo, thanks for your feedback. Unfortunately JustCats only has the one recipe available at this time but hopefully in the future they’ll come out with something that doesn’t include fish!
I have a question. I have had felines for a good many years and therefore have done my homework on what is good quality plus just what a feline need to eat…. not what you would like to try or what you can find cheap, etc. A feline is nothing like a canine. Canines can eat vegetables. Felines on the other hand only get their veggies from eating an animal that has eaten them. Felines are Obligate Carnivores which defines them as ‘strictly meat eaters.’ I read what your meal is for cats and I was not certain that the recipe you created is a ‘strictly meat’ recipe with nothing else added and that you have included the organ meats which are also a vital part of a cats diet.
Hi Sunny, we appreciate your concern! Cats definitely need a much higher percentage of meat in their diet with minimal carbohydrates. JustCats has the ingredients for their fresh food available on their website and it shows dried yuca as the only carbohydrate addition. Hope that helps!
I am glad you are reviewing this cat food recently as I have been subscribing to Just Cats for a few months. I have 5 cats so I get 20 packages per month, %309 or so, not a cheap price. It seems to be helpful to my Johnny which has a sensitive stomach and has been getting diarrhea with most canned cat food. He seems to be fine with this food. I got all 5 cats onboard but they just eat a little and then leave some behind. Recently I noticed the batches have been quite starchy and sticky even without heating them. It is different from last year’s batch which is more protein like and less starchy. When I complained to the company, they said the formula has not changed and I should not microwave the food to heat them a little. But I am pretty sure the consistency has changed and the cats like it even less. I complained also on their Facebook page. I am disappointed with the change. I used to have Nom Nom before they recalled and Nom Nom’s food does not look starchy and my cats would eat them all up. But Nom Nom is sneaky for using Tyson. I just want to bring your attention to the starchiness of the food. The starch concerns me. I still have 20 some bags in my freezer.
Hi Mary, thanks for commenting! Hearing about your experience is very valuable. This sticky, starchy quality is intriguing…I wonder what’s going on! Hopefully, we can learn more soon. Cheers, Mallory
Hello,
Could you please give me the adresses where I can buy your produtcs for my cat, in the south of France (city of Hyeres les Palmiers 83400)
The close biggest city is Toulon…in case you haven’t shops in my little city.
Many thanks for you reply
Cordialement
Monick
Hi Perriot, unfortunately, Just Food for Cats is only sold in the United States at this time.
I’m confused to why chicken is a concern for this food, but the top rated cat food is Smalls Fresh Kills Fresh Minced Chicken? Am I missing something?
Hi Jamie! We simply make note of common allergens that appear in any of the recipes we review. There’s nothing wrong with chicken as an ingredient – it’s a great source of animal-based protein! We just want cat owners to be aware of the presence of potential allergens like chicken, fish, and beef in case their cat has food allergies or sensitivities.
Hi ladies! Thanks so much for your review. I’m wondering if the 26% carbs (it was listed as 34% somewhere else on your site) isn’t concerning as too high carbs – which all appears to be coming from the yuca. Thanks again for all the work you put into these reviews.
Hello Gabriela, thank you for commenting! Our program that calculates carbohydrate content can sometimes produce results that differ from the actual nutrient composition of the food (because it pulls information from the guaranteed analysis). The company has informed us that the typical carbohydrate content of the food sits at 19%, so a bit lower than was shown on that chart. That’s still pretty high, but not quite as high as the 26% or 34% you’ve mentioned, though I’m not sure where that 34% figure appears on the site. If you could share a link, I’d like to be able to correct that. Thank you!
Thanks for the review.
We’ve been using Just for Cats for a year or so now. Our system is to cut the frozen block into 1 inch cubes and freeze them. We always keep a few cubes in the refrigerator to thaw. When our cat needs food we take a cube from the fridge (replace it with a frozen cube), add warm water so it’s almost a gravy, and she loves it.
Hi. Please let me know if your car good is ok for cats who are prone to utis and crystals?
Hi there! While Just Food for Cats is not specially made for cats with urinary tract issues, it may be an acceptable choice for some. Remember that each of these types of urinary tract disease develops in a different way, and what works for one cat will not necessarily work for another. I would talk with your vet to figure out what your cat needs.