Published Mar 1, 2022
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
We’ve rated Love, Nala Cat Food on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Love, Nala Cat Food review to learn how this brand stacks up.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Love, Nala Cat Food 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 – 9/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 6/10
- Price – 6/10
- Customer Experience – 8/10
- Recall History – 8/10
Overall Score: 7.6/10
In total, we give Love, Nala Cat food a 46 out of 60 rating or a B+ grade.
About Love, Nala Cat Food
Pet food lines inspired by celebrities are nothing new. Celebrity chef Rachael Ray teamed up with Ainsworth Pet Nutrition to launch her line in 2008 and Bobby Flay’s brand inspired by his cat Nacho was launched more recently in 2021.
Inspired by the adoption story of Nala, the Love, Nala brand was created by Pookie as a national platform committed to raising awareness for pet adoption as well as pet health and nutrition.
Nala was adopted at 5 months old from a shelter in Caliafornia. In 2012, her mom started an Instagram account to share her adoption story. Pookie and Nala’s family soon grew to welcome mom Shannon Ellis, five rescue pet siblings, and two adopted human kids.
Love, Nala launched with the introduction of a line of premium wet and dry cat foods in 2019. The company is partnered with Creative Labs and Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a leading entertainment and sports agency. Nala now has over 10 million followers, making him even more popular than Grumpy Cat.
Since launching her pet food line, Nala has accumulated a number of impressive titles. She’s the only cat represented by CAA, a Guinness World Record Holder, and was named the “most popular cat influencer” by Business Insider.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Love, Nala’s cat food was developed in partnership with Perfection Pet Foods. Nala’s owners claim to “have been involved in the entire process of the making of Love, Nala and it was [their] mission to make something that was nutritious, safe and affordable without compromising the quality of ingredients.”
Nala’s cat food is made with quality sources of animal protein and a fiber blend to support digestive health. It’s completely free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives with no grains, fillers, or by-product meals.
Love, Nala is distributed by Love Nala, LLC which is based in Visalia, CA. According to the company website, Love, Nala makes every effort to source ingredients from the United States but admits to using internationally sourced ingredients as well.
Dry Love, Nala cat foods are made in Visalia, CA while their wet foods are made in a human-grade facility in Thailand.
Recall History
To our knowledge, Love, Nala cat food has never had a product recall. The fact that the brand was only launched a few years ago influences our rating in this category. While Love, Nala earns points for having never been recalled, it doesn’t rank as high as more established brands with a long history of excellence.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Love, Nala Cat Offer?
Love, Nala offers a limited selection of wet cat food and dry cat food. They currently offer two adult wet cat food formulas, two adult dry cat food formulas, and one kitten dry food formula.
All of Love, Nala’s recipes start with a high-quality source of animal protein as the main ingredient.
What Do Customers Think Of Love, Nala Cat Food?
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
With over 10 million followers, Nala is a popular cat. Her cat food brand is only a few years old, however, so it hasn’t quite gained the following of longer standing brands like Blue Buffalo and Wellness.
I wasn’t able to find many reviews for Love, Nala outside of the company website. Customer reviews are posted for all five products, though the wet foods have significantly more ratings than the dry foods. This isn’t surprising, given the fact that Love, Nala has been sold out of dry food for a while.
It’s important to take reviews posted on the brand’s website with a grain of salt. After all, the brand has the final decision over which reviews to make public. It’s not surprising that nearly all of the posted ratings are 5 stars and it’s hard to tell whether customers have submitted negative ratings or not.
I only saw a handful of ratings that weren’t 5 stars and all of them were for 4 stars. These reviews didn’t specify why they’d docked Love, Nala a star.
Here are some comments from satisfied customers:
“I appreciated the ingredients list, but my kitties can be really picky about texture and flavor so I hesitated to buy at first. What if I was stuck with 10 cans and nobody to eat them??? But as I mentioned, the ingredients list is quality, and tuna is #1 in my house. Let me tell you, my cats are food motivated but I’ve never heard them meow with such enthusiasm as when I get this can out. Wow! And both of them lick their plates clean.” – Tanya L. reviewing Love, Nala Tuna & Salmon Dinner in Broth
“My cat loves her new food! She can be quite picky about her food and has turned her nose up more than once when I try something new. However, she took to this immediately and has been happily eating it ever since. Thanks for making a great product and for helping non-profits.” – Emily F. reviewing Love, Nala Grain-Free Salmon & Chickpea Dry Cat Food
“Going from grocery store cat food to LoveNala … my beautiful five-year-old Maine coon mix now wakes me up every morning as he in patiently waits for me to feed him! He used to just browse throughout the day on his food but now he gobbles it all up as soon as I feed him! He’s a big fan of both the wet and dry food!” – Betty B. reviewing Love, Nala Chicken & Pumpkin Dinner in Gravy
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
When I set out to order Love, Nala cat food for testing they were sold out of all three dry food recipes. I ordered both wet food formulas instead which are sold in a 12-pack of 2.8-ounce cans.
My Lova, Nala order arrived in about 10 days. I received an order confirmation email as well as shipping notifications and delivery announcements from the company.
As soon as I opened the first can of Love, Nala’s Chicken & Pumpkin Dinner in Gravy, my cats were intrigued. Bagel started gobbling it up as soon as it hit her bowl. Because Biscuit is allergic to chicken, I opened a can of Tuna & Salmon Dinner in Broth as well and she could hardly wait to dig in.
I’ve been actively trying to include more moisture in my cats’ diets, so I appreciated that both foods were made in gravy or broth. My cats really seem to enjoy shredded wet foods and they love lapping up broth. Both Love, Nala recipes earned their approval.
Love, Nala Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Calories | Price | Our Grade |
| Love, Nala Chicken & Pumpkin Recipe | Wet | Chicken | 61 kcal/can | $0.42 per oz | B+ |
| Love, Nala Chicken & Chickpea Recipe | Dry | Chicken | 360 kcal/cup | $0.14 per oz | B- |
| Love, Nala Tuna & Salmon Dinner in Broth | Wet | Tuna | 65 kcal/can | $0.42 per oz | A- |
#1 Love, Nala Chicken & Pumpkin Recipe Wet Cat Food
This wet cat food consists of tender shreds in a flavorful gravy. Chicken is the primary ingredient and a single source of animal protein.
My cats really seemed to enjoy the flavor of this wet food and they noticed the appealing aroma as soon as I opened the can. Because the cans are very small, I had to feed two cans per meal twice a day. Given the $0.42/ounce price tag, I can see how Love, Nala might be beyond budget for some cat owners.
Not only is Love, Nala pricey, but even their wet foods contain several unnecessary plant ingredients. I don’t have a big problem with pumpkin, but tapioca starch provides little to no nutritional value for cats, and I’d prefer an animal-based fat over the sunflower oil.
I also hate to see the inclusion of a plant protein concentrate (pea protein) over a supplemental animal protein. Overall, however, the carbohydrate content of this formula is very low.
Ingredients
Chicken Broth, Chicken, Pumpkin, Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil, Pea Protein, Calcium Chloride, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Niacin Supplement, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Chicken | Tapioca Starch
Sunflower Oil Pea Protein Guar Gum |
Chicken |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- High-quality source of animal protein as first ingredient
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
- Soft texture and rich flavor appealing to cats
Cons
- Contains unnecessary plant ingredients
- Includes a plant protein concentrate
- Large portion sizes
#2 Love, Nala Chicken & Chickpea Recipe Dry Cat Food
One of Love, Nala’s two dry food formulas, this recipe features chicken as the primary protein. Fresh chicken and chicken meal are the top two ingredients with supplemental protein from turkey meal and dried egg product later on the list.
I love that this recipe features chicken fat as the primary source of added fat with fish oil as a supplementary inclusion. That being said, sunflower oil is still on the list but much lower.
The main problem with this formula is the significant number of plant ingredients. In addition to starchy inclusions like potatoes, chickpeas, and peas, this recipe also includes a plant protein concentrate (pea protein).
These ingredients contribute to an estimated carbohydrate content around 30% as fed. This is a little above average for a “premium” dry food and much higher than we’d like to see.
Overall, this appears to be a moderate protein, moderate fat formula with higher than average carbohydrate content.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Chickpeas, Turkey Meal, Peas, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Powdered Cellulose, Pea Fiber, Flaxseeds, Fish Oil, Dried Egg Product, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate), Blueberries, Cranberries, Citric Acid (Preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Chicken
Chicken Meal Turkey Meal Chicken Fat Fish Oil Dried Egg Product |
Potatoes
Chickpeas Peas Pea Protein |
Chicken |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Numerous high-quality sources of animal protein
- Chicken fat as the primary source of added fat
- Free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
- Fiber content may be too high for some cats
- Doesn’t contain the moisture your cat needs
- Contains unnecessary plant ingredients, including plant protein concentrate
#3 Love, Nala Tuna & Salmon Dinner in Broth Wet Cat Food
Compared to the previous wet food formula, this recipe is a little higher in protein but a little lower in moisture. It still contains plenty of animal-based protein and, in this case, no plant protein concentrates.
Tuna and salmon are the primary ingredients in this formula. Again, we see some plant ingredients including carrots and tapioca starch along with sunflower oil as the only source of added fat.
The calorie content of this recipe is a little bit higher, but it’s still very low for a cat food which means larger portions may be necessary.
If your cat is overweight, it might be a good option to help him lose weight, however. Love, Nala wet food is also a great option for older cats or cats with dental problems as well as picky eaters.
Overall, this appears to be a very high-protein, low-fat formula with very low carbohydrate content.
Ingredients
Tuna Broth, Tuna, Salmon, Carrots, Sunflower Oil, Tapioca Starch, Calcium Chloride, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Spinach, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Niacin Supplement, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex.
| Ingredients We Liked | Ingredients We Didn’t Like | Common Allergens |
| Tuna
Salmon |
Sunflower Oil
Tapioca Starch Guar Gum |
Fish |
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Two sources of high-quality animal protein
- Very low carbohydrate content
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
Cons
- Contains unnecessary plant ingredients
- Low fat content, large portion sizes
How Much Does Love, Nala Cat Food Cost?
One of Love, Nala’s goals is to make high-quality pet food more affordable. While their dry food formulas average $0.14 per ounce, that still equates to nearly $2.25 per pound. Their wet food formulas are pretty pricey at $0.42 per ounce.
With the recommended 1 ½ to 2 ½ cans per 4 pounds of bodyweight daily, you’d spend between $3.54 and $5.90 per day to feed an 8-pound cat. An 11-pound bag of Love, Nala dry food would last a 9-pound cat about a month, making your daily price much lower, around $0.84 per day.
Overall, Is Love, Nala Cat Food a Good Choice?
Love, Nala stands up to their promises in creating pet foods centered around animal proteins. Their recipes are free from by-product meals and artificial additives, but they still contain more plant ingredient than we’d like. Even their wet foods contain plant ingredients (including some plant protein concentrates).
The brand also claims to value affordability. While that may be true for their dry foods, Love, Nala wet food is on par with pricier brands like Tiki Cat and Open Farm.
If you’re going to buy Love, Nala cat food we recommend springing for the more expensive wet food. These products are much lower in carbohydrate and contain the moisture your cat needs for hydration.
If your budget only accounts for dry food, we’d urge you to consider supplementing your cat’s diet with a more affordable wet food like American Journey.
Where Is Love, Nala Cat Food Sold?
Love, Nala cat food is currently only available for sale in the United States. It’s only available for purchase on the brand’s website, either as a one-time purchase or a recurring order.
