Published May 26, 2022
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
We’ve rated Koha on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Koha cat food review to learn how this brand stacks up.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Koha 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 – 8/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 6/10
- Customer Experience – 9/10
- Recall History – 9/10
Overall Score: 8/10
In total, we give Koha cat food a 51 out of 60 rating or an A grade.
About Koha
The story of Koha pet food began with Lonnie and Jennifer Schwimmer along with their Boston Terrier, Ellie Rae. The couple’s first foray into the pet product industry was with a line of grooming products called Nootie in 2018, but they eventually branched out with other products designed to make pets thrive. According to the company, the Koha pet food brand was born once Ellie got older and started developing digestive issues.
Founded in 2014, Koha only offers wet food recipes. Their products are moisture rich, made with 70% to 90% protein, and free from carb-heavy ingredients like grains, potatoes, and pea protein. Their formulas are ideal for picky eaters as well as cats with food allergies or sensitive stomach. Many of their recipes are made with a minimal list of ingredients as well.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
The Koha pet food company is headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida. All of their recipes are formulated by animal nutrition experts and reviewed by the company’s nutritionist, who holds a PhD in Animal Nutrition.
Koha’s pet products are manufactured by three different companies: Simmons Food in Toronto, Canada; Thai Union in Thailand; and Asian Alliance in Thailand. Of their choice to manufacture many of their foods in Thailand, Koha says:
“Thailand is the global leader for sourcing and manufacturing shredded land and sea proteins. Our factories’ unique manufacturing processes allow us to make the safest and highest quality food that is not available in North America.”
In addition to providing details about where their products are manufactured, Koha is also very transparent about the sourcing of their ingredients. Most of their proteins are sourced from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, or Denmark with a few ingredients from New Zealand and Australia. Their tuna is wild-caught. Their kangaroo, lamb, and venison are free-range, but the rest of their animal meats are farm-raised.
Recall History
To the best of our knowledge, Koha has never had a product recalled. The brand is over 6 years old, so the lack of recalls helps support Koha’s claims that the brand takes the safety and quality of its products seriously.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Koha Offer?
The Koha brand is a wet food-only brand of pet food. Koha offers four different product lines of canned foods and pouches using high-quality animal proteins like chicken, beef, duck, turkey, rabbit, kangaroo, and fish.
The Limited Ingredient Diet Pate line of products contains six different flavors as well as a trial variety pack. Koha also offers limited ingredient shredded food packaged in pouches and an assortment of canned minimal ingredient stews. Their poke bowls are made with tuna and an assortment of other proteins in a flavorful gravy.
What Do Customers Think of Koha Cat Food?
Koha cat food has over 700 reviews on Verified-Reviews.com, over 90% of which are positive. The brand carries a 4.7 out of 5-star rating. Customers seem to like the quality of the ingredients and there are many comments that cats seem to love the flavor. Some customers mentioned slow shipping, but that wasn’t my experience – I received my order within a few days.
There are also a few comments about food arriving within days or weeks of expiration. I did notice when browsing the Koha website that they offered products near expiration at a discounted price – the customers who complained may not have realized what they were buying.
Let’s take a look at a few customer reviews from some of the most popular recipes from Koha.
Positive Reviews
“Koha’s food is consistent, thoughtfully produced, and priced competitively with other high-quality pet foods. I’m a fan!”- Anthony S. on 6/20/2021
“Our cat was experiencing horrible allergies, hair loss, and stomach upset with every food we tried until we found Koha. We love Koha canned cat food!”- Brandy S. on 6/09/2021
“The website is easy to use and I love that I can set up auto deliveries at whatever intervals I need to for my cat’s needs. Shipping is quick and easy and the case always arrives well packaged! Love this brand!”- Bethany M. on 6/14/2021
Negative Reviews
“16 of the packs expire within FOUR DAYS of arrival (very unhappy about this), 12 of the packs expire within four weeks of arrival (not impressed with the date on these) and the others expire anywhere from July to December (as it should be).”- Cindy C. on 6/20/2021
“I had hopes that this would be the answer to my picky cats, but it is not. They refuse to touch it. I even tried mixing a little bit of it with their ONE food they will eat, but they refused that also. Sorry…..I tried.”- Linda H. on 6/14/2021
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Koha’s varied selection of single-protein and limited ingredient diets made the brand a great choice for my cats, one of whom is allergic to chicken. Bagel, obviously, is not! Kate Barrington / Cats.com
My test cats were big fans of Koha cat food. They always seem to be a little more interested in canned food than dry food anyway, but Koha was particularly appealing to them with its meaty flavor and strong aroma.
I appreciated that all of the recipes were made with a limited list of ingredients, since one of my cats has a chicken allergy. I already feed them all rabbit-based food, and Koha is one of the few brands that offers this option.
Koha Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Calories | Price | Our Grade |
| Limited Ingredient Diet Rabbit Au Jus for Cats | Wet | Rabbit | 885 kcal/kg | $0.54 per oz | A- |
| Limited Ingredient Diet Shredded Lamb Entrée in Gravy for Cats | Wet | Lamb | 777 kcal/kg | $0.53 per oz | A- |
| Minimal Ingredient Turkey Stew for Cats | Wet | Turkey | 879 kcal/kg | $0.33 per oz | A- |
#1 Limited Ingredient Diet Rabbit Au Jus for Cats
Made with 96% rabbit, this limited ingredient formula is packed with animal protein from a single, novel source. This makes it a great choice for cats with food allergies and sensitive stomachs. It was a hit with my test cats, who are already used to eating rabbit due to the chicken allergy in the group.
Ground flaxseed provides a source of omega-3 fatty acids while pumpkin acts as a source of fiber. Other than that, the only plant ingredients are dried kale and cranberries. Even with those added carbohydrate sources, however, the estimated carb content of this formula is under 5%.
Overall, this is a meat-based recipe made with a novel source of animal protein, moderate fat content, and low carbohydrate content.
Ingredients
Rabbit, Water Sufficient For Processing, Ground Flaxseed, New Zealand Green Mussel, Agar Agar, Pumpkin, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Salt, Taurine, Dried Kale, Cranberries, Ginger, Turmeric, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, 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 |
| Rabbit
New Zealand Green Mussel |
None | None |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Made with 96% protein from real rabbit
- Loaded with moisture your cat needs
- Limited carbohydrate content, estimated under 5%
- Free from fillers and artificial additives
Cons
- Made with some thickener (agar agar)
#2 Limited Ingredient Diet Shredded Lamb Entrée in Gravy for Cats
When Koha says this formula has a limited number of ingredients, they really mean it. The formula starts off strong with lamb as the primary ingredient and single source of protein. These are followed by two starchy carbohydrates, pumpkin and tapioca.
In addition to these starches, this recipe contains xanthan gum as a thickener. You’ll also note that sunflower oil is the primary source of added fat, and a plant-based fat at that.
What we like about this formula is that it is packed with protein and moisture. Even though it contains several plant-based ingredients, the estimated carb content is still under 5%.
Overall, this is a meat-based formula with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.
Ingredients
Lamb Broth, Lamb, Pumpkin, Tapioca, Calcium Sulfate, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Reduced Iron, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate Monohydrate, Copper Glycine Complex, Potassium Iodide), Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin).
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Lamb | Tapioca
Xanthan Gum |
None |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Made with a limited number of main ingredients
- Single source of real animal protein
- Packed with moisture your cat needs
- Free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives
Cons
- Sunflower oil is the primary source of added fat
#3 Minimal Ingredient Turkey Stew for Cats
This minimal ingredient turkey stew contains four animal-based proteins within the top six ingredients – the other two are broths which provide an essential source of moisture for your cat.
In addition to these ingredients, this formula contains a number of plant-based ingredients including chickpeas, pumpkin, dandelion greens, parsley, cranberries, and dried kale. Fortunately, the estimated carb content of this formula is still very low – under 5%.
In addition to being protein-rich, this formula is made with a single source of meat with the addition of New Zealand mussels for their joint-supporting omega-3s.
Overall, this is a meat-based formula with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.
Ingredients
Turkey, Turkey Broth, Vegetable Broth, Turkey Liver, Porcine Plasma, Dried Egg Product, Ground Chickpeas, Xanthan Gum, Pumpkin, Calcium Carbonate, New Zealand Green Mussel, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Dandelion Greens, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Parsley, Cranberries, Dried Kale, Turmeric, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Ginger, Fenugreek Seed, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, 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 |
| Turkey
Turkey Liver Porcine Plasma Dried Egg Product New Zealand Green Mussel |
Xanthan Gum
|
None |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Four animal proteins listed within the first 6 ingredients
- Rich in the moisture your cat needs
- Very low in carbohydrates, estimated under 5%
- Free from fillers, by-products, and artificial additives
Cons
- Contains several plant-based ingredients
- Made with some thickener (xanthan gum)
How Much Does Koha Cat Food Cost?
Koha cat food is sold in 3-ounce and 5.5-ounce cans as well as 2.8-ounce pouches. Both their limited ingredient pates and limited ingredient shredded foods are priced little over $0.50 per ounce. The most affordable line of products seems to be the minimal ingredient stews, priced around $0.33/ounce.
For the average cat who eats about 2 to 2.5 ounces of food per day, the estimated daily cost for Open Farm cat food is between $0.66 and $1.25 per day.
Overall, Is Koha Cat Food A Good Choice?
For the most part, Koha seems to be a high-quality cat food brand. We love that they only offer protein- and moisture-rich wet foods and that their formulas are designed for simplicity. Limited ingredient lists make this brand a great choice for cats with food allergies or sensitive stomach and for picky eaters.
The estimated carb content for most of these products is still under 5%, which is lower than the average wet food and much lower than the average dry cat food.
Overall, we like this brand and can heartily recommend it for pet owners looking for a high-quality, nutritious option for their cats. We love the flavor variety, but it’s worth mentioning this brand is a touch on the pricy side.
Where Is Koha Cat Food Sold?
You can find Koha cat food in specialty pet food stores and some independent local retailers. If you prefer to shop online, the Koha website is the best option. Here you can purchase all of their products and you’ll receive free shipping on orders over $69.
Also Read: The Best Rabbit Cat Food
I am not comfortable buying food made in Thailand.
It’s NOT sourced from Thailand, only MADE there. The meats come from the US, New Zealand, “Most of their proteins are sourced from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, or Denmark with a few ingredients from New Zealand and Australia. Their tuna is wild-caught and their kangaroo, lamb, and venison are free-range but the rest of their animal meats are farm-raised.”. Try reading the info & you’ll learn a lot. There’s a manufacturer in CANADA. Got any worries/ complaints about. That?
That’s an understandable concern, Kevin. We’re thinking about doing a detailed post about cat food made in Thailand soon. Check back in a few weeks!
Agree 100 percent!
Why is the recall rating 9/10 if it has never been recalled??
This is standard for newer brands that haven’t been recalled yet—a 10/10 is reserved for brands that have been in the business for a long time and still haven’t been involved in a recall. Hope this helps!
Do you have any lab analysis of the chemical components of KOHA chicken pate..?
No, we don’t have that yet!
Hi Gabriel! You can find the detailed nutrition information for the chicken pate here:
https://kohapet.com/products/chicken-pate-wet-cat-food
Just scroll below the picture and click on the Nutrition Information tab. There you’ll see the nutritional breakdown and composition for 7 other nutrients.
Someone just told me that your Cat food is high in phosphorus and that is concerning to me. I’ve been buying the rabbit au jus and the chicken pate in the 3oz cans for cats, and would like to know the analysis of the phosphorus and calcium amounts per can. That kind of information should be readily available to consumers. It’s all about transparency. Plus, anytime a person hears about the association to Thailand and the food we feed our pets, is also concerning.
Hi Victoria! You can view the full nutritional information on Koha’s website. Simply go to Koha.com and click on “Shop Cat” then find the recipe you want to view. Partway down the page, you’ll see tabs for Description, Ingredients, Feeding Instructions, and Nutrition Information. Click on Nutrition Information and you’ll find a page with the detailed nutrition info for all the recipes.
Rabbit Au Jus -0.34% phosphorus, 0.56% calcium
Chicken Pate – 0.35% phosphorus, 0.50% calcium
Regarding cat food made in Thailand, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. The giant melamine recall of 2007 only affected foods from China. Thailand has become a reputable country of manufacture that many US brands use. They generally follow high standards for manufacture and typically FDA-approved food facilities.
Hi there – all there products seem to be pretty high carbs. 27% to 35% – I’ve noticed other companies like waruva BFF was ding for high carbs – with 14% carbs – this isn’t a criticism just trying to understand the rating 🙂 thanks!
Gabriela, I’m afraid this is another case of our charts being inaccurate. In reality, Koha’s food is typically under 5% carbohydrates; it’s just being distorted when we calculate from the guaranteed analysis. I apologize for the inaccuracy; this is something we’ve been trying to sort out, but it’s tricky. I hope this helps.
Hi there, I’ve recently been searching for a replacement for the Dr. Elseys Turkey Pate due to supply chain issues/bird flu apparently or according to thier website 🙁 I am in canada so there is only one place that has dr elseys. Chewy is not an option for me. So I have been trying the KOHA limited ingredient Turkey Pate, as well as the Rabbit. It seemed to be going ok and the ingredients were fairly similar besides the cranberry and pumpkin, but then his mood kinda declined seems less social **I should note that my cat is diabetic and his Blood glucose was well managed and consistent for almost a year up until the food switch** I took his Blood glucose and its nearly double what its suppose to be! ugh. NOW I see the carb content compared Dr. Elseys and it makes sense. I wonder what the turkey carb content is. I don’t understand these charts full tho. I looked up the carbs on catfoodDB and the rabbit is way lower on there than it is here. I dunno what to do! Dr. Elseys was working so well for him. And its such a clean basic product, there’s nothing that equally compares to it. Frustrating.
Jenelle, that’s a really good question. According to KOHA, the average carbohydrate content of their food is a lot lower than it appears in our nutrient charts. This is due to the fact that our charts are calculated by an automated system drawing from the guaranteed analysis. As you may know, the guaranteed analysis gives us minimum and maximum values and, while it can be helpful for getting a general understanding of a food’s nutrient composition, isn’t the best indicator of what’s actually in a given batch of food. So what’s actually in the KOHA turkey paté? According to the company, the average batch is 1.71% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis. That’s extremely low, and it should be acceptable for your diabetic cat. Of course, there may be some variation—clearly, the guaranteed analysis leaves enough wiggle room to allow for a higher carbohydrate percentage—so I do wonder if you got a batch with more carbohydrate matter. It’s difficult to say exactly what’s going on, but I wouldn’t give up on KOHA just yet. I apologize for how confusing these charts are—we are aware of the issue and are looking into ways to correct it, but it’s difficult to automate this without relying on the guaranteed analysis. When in doubt, I’d recommend looking to the information written in the content rather than the nutrient charts, as these assessments have a human sense of nuance and a bit deeper research behind them. Thank you for your comment, and I wish you and your cat all the best.
Thank you so much for the response, I appreciate the info/clarification! I think another important ingredient and amount of it, is fibre. It’s key part in regulating diabetes. I’m not 100% how or which types of fibre effect or cause spikes. But I think the cranberry and pumpkin cause bigger spikes as opposed to slow & stable? I’m not sure if the added protein of egg in the elseys helps keep his Blood glucose more stable. Possibly the agar agar too. But I don’t think I’ll be sticking to KOHA mostly cause Then I have to increase his daily insulin amount substantially and that’s not something I want to keep doing. I’m slowly introducing RAWZ now and monitoring his blood glucose. We’ll see how it goes! 🙂
Have you tried Young Again cat food? So many people had great results for their diabetic cats, unfortunately mine refused to eat, so I’m using Dr. Elsie’s Salmon with supplemental canned food daily. YA ships to Canada.
Hi there, I was feeding this to my kitty for a while and she loved it. Koha Rabbit Pate. Then, learned the phosphorus was “sky high” from other reviewers. I looked into it and it was 3.98 dry matter which *is* sky high. I sent numerous cases back to them with great customer support and told them why. This was in January of 2022. Now, I see the food is showing about half that in terms of phosphorus in dry matter basis. I have an email in to Koha asking how and when this change came about.
My cat did amazing on this food and she really loved it. I took her off due to the phosphorus and massive increase in drinking water so I was fearful she was being harmed. She is being treated for suspected lymphoma and IBD.
Maybe you know when and how that all changed for the phosphorus? I would like to put her back on the food as she loved it. I will repost once I get a reply to let you know what was said.
Hey Teya, thanks for the comment. Unfortunately, I don’t know any more than you do about the phosphorus content, but we do have direct contact with the brand as an affiliate partner, so I’ll shoot them an email and ask. Please do keep me updated!
Hello!! I did ask them and they said they changed suppliers. So now that it’s a new source and is breast meat that is what supposedly changed it. Not sure I understand but that’s what she said. She also said the nutrition is updated and posted regularly. I’d voiced concern about my kitty going back on only to have the source change and phosphorus go back up.
Sorry; I missed this response! Okay, sounds like we got roughly the same information, and I agree that it’s frustrating to not have 100% control over and knowledge of the phosphorus content of our cats’ food. If only all labels had a typical analysis with all of these details!
Hi Teya, not sure if you already got your followup, but I contacted the people at Koha, and they replied with the following explanation:
“Regarding the Limited Ingredient Rabbit, the phosphorus levels can vary depending on the type of meat being sourced. There is currently a supply chain shortage of rabbit meat. Our current batches are made with saddle meat (rabbit breast meat). Ground meat has higher phosphorus, and at one time it was ground meat which is why the phosphorus was higher. The nutrition information was recently updated on our website again.” Hope this helps! Have a great Friday and weekend ahead.
Can you help me to better understand the phosphorous levels in Koha cat food. I saw a video the other day that said it was over the average and I am having trouble decifering the levels myself. My cats get 2/3 a can of wet food from koha a day so I’m not sure if it helps that they are not getting the entire can or if there is only concern if they exceed 1 can per day or what.
Hi Kallie! Thanks for the comment, and I apologize for taking a bit to get back to you! This is an excellent question. Phosphorus guidelines are based on the amount of phosphorus in the food rather than the amount the cat consumes each day, so it can be tricky to fully understand, especially if your cat’s eating multiple foods. I would figure out how much food is in the other diet per 1,000 calories, then work out an average.
Hello I’m looking for a good cat food for my elderly cat with kidney Disease . I was looking for food that he would enjoy that has a phosphorus of .04%- .07%do any of your food fall into this category
Hi Stephanie, we have a roundup of low-phosphorus foods you can find here: https://cats.com/best-cat-food-for-kidney-disease