Published Jul 2, 2019
It’s one of the only USDA-certified cat food brands on the market, but can Organix cat food earn a place in your cat’s bowl? Find out in our unbiased review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Organix on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Organix 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.
![Organix [Castor & Pollux] logo](png/new-logo_265dd825538ddce5b73e8531e214b1911.png){kind=logo}
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 7/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 5/10
- Price – 5/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 4/10
Overall Score: 6.2/10
We give Organix cat food a 37 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.
About Organix
Castor & Pollux has been in the pet food business since 1999, calling itself the first “branded, premium quality line of natural specialty food and supplies for pets.”
In 2003, the company introduced Organix, a line of USDA-certified organic pet food. In 2012, Merrick Pet Care, Inc. purchased Castor & Pollux. Three years later, Nestlé Purina bought Merrick, making it and all of its brands part of the second-largest pet food company in the world.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Castor & Pollux sources most ingredients from the United States. Some ingredients are sourced outside of the United States, including vitamins from Germany, Canada, and China, venison from New Zealand, and rabbit from France.
Organix products are made in Merrick’s Texas manufacturing facility. This company-owned kitchen is located in Hereford, Texas, and is certified by the USDA National Organic Program.
Has Organix Cat Food Been Recalled?
Castor & Pollux’s Organix brand has never been recalled, but at least one other Castor & Pollux brand has. In 2007, the company’s Natural Ultramix cat food line was recalled due to potential cross-contamination with melamine-tainted wheat gluten.
Merrick, the company that owns and manufactures Organix cat food, has issued several recalls. From 2010 to 2018, the company announced three recalls, with causes including potential salmonella contamination and potentially elevated levels of beef thyroid hormones.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Organix Offer?
As a full line of USDA-certified organic pet food, Organix products are produced without pesticides, artificial preservatives, added growth hormones, or antibiotics. Their ingredients aren’t irradiated, genetically engineered, or grown with synthetic fertilizers.
The Organix lineup includes both dry and wet foods. All of their ingredient lists start with organic free-range chicken or turkey. They don’t contain any corn, wheat, or soy.
Organix Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe | Dry | $5.76 per lb | C+ |
| Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken & Chicken Liver Recipe | Wet | $0.60 per oz | B+ |
| Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken Recipe | Wet | $0.59 per oz | B+ |
#1 Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Cat Food Review
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
This is your typical grain-free, chicken-based dry cat food. It features chicken and chicken meal as the first ingredients. Pea protein, sweet potatoes, peas, chickpeas, and tapioca give the kibble its cohesiveness and structure. In a market that’s turned against corn, soy, and wheat, these ingredients have an air of superiority, but they’re no better than any other plant ingredient commonly used in cat food.
Organix boasts about the food’s use of superfoods like coconut oil, cranberries, and flaxseed, but these ingredients aren’t superfoods for cats—they’re plant derivatives that carnivores don’t need.
Chicken fat serves as the food’s primary fat source, providing nourishing animal-sourced fatty acids. Later, the food includes chicken liver as a concentrated source of species-appropriate nutrition.
In addition to synthetic vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, the food contains a touch of salmon oil and probiotics, both good inclusions in cat food.
Overall, this food has moderate protein content with low fat and high carbohydrate content.
Aside from its USDA organic status, there’s nothing that sets this food apart from most grain-free kibble products. Its high carbohydrate content and lack of moisture make it a species-inappropriate choice for your carnivore.
The food has 412 calories per cup.
Ingredients
Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Meal, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Sweet Potatoes, Organic Peas, Organic Chickpeas, Organic Tapioca, Organic Sunflower Seed Meal, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Dried Alfalfa Meal, Salt, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Taurine, Salmon Oil, Organic Cranberries, Potassium Chloride, Rosemary Extract, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Fat, Chicken Liver, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Pea Protein, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Chickpeas, Tapioca, Sunflower Seed Meal, Flaxseed, Dried Alfalfa Meal
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Features a combination of muscle meat and organs
- Contains animal-sourced fat
- Doesn’t contain animal by-products
- Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
- High carbohydrate content
- No dry food delivers the moisture your cat needs
#2 Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken & Chicken Liver Recipe Review
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This grain-free paté features chicken and chicken liver as primary ingredients. Later on the ingredient list, you’ll spot a touch of dried egg product as an additional source of animal protein.
While the crunchy nature of dry food demands high plant content, wet food can easily get away with virtually no plants at all. Instead of leaving out plants, Castor & Pollux opts to incorporate small amounts of peas, coconut flour, pea protein, and other plant ingredients.
The food doesn’t contain any thickeners like guar gum, xanthan gum, or carrageenan. This is a pleasant surprise. Wet foods almost always contain these stabilizers and thickeners.
Overall, this wet food has high protein content with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.
Though it has more plant matter than many other wet foods, this food is still a low-carbohydrate product that honors your cat’s need for meat over starch.
The food has 183 calories per 5.5 ounce can or about 33 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Organic Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Peas, Organic Coconut Flour, Organic Dried Egg Product, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Cranberries, Organic Dried Alfalfa Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid).
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Liver
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Coconut Flour, Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Cranberries, Dried Alfalfa Meal
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Contains a mix of chicken muscle meat and organs
- Rich in species-appropriate animal protein
- Made without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Doesn’t contain any stabilizing gums
Cons
- Contains pea protein—animal-sourced protein may be preferable
- Expensive
#3 Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken Recipe Review
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This food is similar to the last one we reviewed, but there are a couple of differences between the two. Compared to the Chicken & Chicken Liver recipe, this formula has slightly less liver and contains carrots in addition to the other plant ingredients.
The inclusion of carrots increases the food’s overall carbohydrate content. Based on the guaranteed analysis, it appears that the food is about 11% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis.
Overall, this food is high in protein with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.
Despite the inclusion of peas, coconut flour, pea protein, cranberries, carrots, flaxseed, and dried alfalfa meal, this is ultimately a meat-based food and appears to be a carnivore-worthy choice.
The food has 194 calories per 5.5 ounce can or roughly 35 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Organic Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Dried Peas, Organic Coconut Flour, Organic Dried Egg Product, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Carrots, Organic Cranberries, Organic Dried Alfalfa Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid).
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Fat, Chicken Liver, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Pea Protein, Sweet Potatoes, Chickpeas, Tapioca, Sunflower Seed Meal, Flaxseed, Dried Alfalfa Meal
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Made from high-quality meats
- Features a combination of chicken muscle meat and liver
- Made without any thickening gums
- Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
- Expensive compared to other similar foods
What Do Customers Think Of Organix Cat Food?
A lot of people like Organix cat food, but the positive sentiment isn’t unanimous. For example, their popular grain-free Chicken & Sweet Potato dry cat food has a 4.1 out of 5 star rating on Chewy.
Here’s what a few happy and unhappy customers have to say about Organix cat food:
Positive Reviews
“Our Jack Russell has been on the dog version of this food for about a year now and is very healthy and happy. Our cat was on a different food and suddenly developed tummy troubles, so we put her on Castor Pollux grain-free organic chicken and sweet potato cat food and her tummy troubles have cleared up. She’s now a very happy and healthy kitty.” – Mack, reviewing Organix Grai-Free Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe
“I do wish it was less expensive. I love the quality and consistency of the food and my cats love it too (they are not finicky). There’s always the same amount of food in each can and it really does not smell like that typical gross cat food smell.” – nmcrave, reviewing Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken & Chicken Liver Recipe
Negative Reviews
“I used to give Organix a 5 star rating for having USDA organic & non-GMO ingredients. Our 5 cats liked the formula previously, but all of a sudden with the last shipment of 2 10# bags, none of the cats would touch it. The nice Chewy rep sent out 2 replacement bags. Still nobody would eat it. Chewy refunded my money, but I’m now questioning what has changed. Is it the fact that Nestle-Purina bought out Merrick/Castor & Pollux/Organix?? Sadly, I no longer have confidence in this brand.” – Daisy, reviewing Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe
“this is the third product we’ve tried from this brand. since they’re the only ones i’ve found with organic meat, i really want to stick with the brand, but… this one has the smooth paté texture that my cat requires, but unfortunately she keeps throwing it up. her stomach is very sensitive to fiber (indigestible), so i suspect that may be the problem with these products. i hope they will offer a formula with a lot less of the pea, coconut, and veg/fruit etc in it. i will keep feeding it to her for now, but am still looking for better alternatives (we’ve tried nearly every cat food in existence at this point)” – Kitty, reviewing Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken Recipe
How Much Does Organix Cat Food Cost?
Organix sits on the upper end of the mid-range price zone. It’s slightly more expensive than comparable non-organic brands. If you have a 10-lb cat, Organix dry food will cost about $0.52 per day and Organix wet food will cost closer to $3.06 per day.
Overall, Is Organix A Good Choice?
Organix is a good option for people who want to feed their cat organic food. Their wet foods stand out as a particularly good option with low-carbohydrate recipes featuring USDA-certified meat and no potentially-harmful thickeners.
If you’re not so interested in organic food, you might consider opting for a cheaper brand that offers nutritionally similar or superior food—Wellness comes to mind.
Where To Buy Organix Cat Food?
Organix cat food is sold in PetSmart and Petco stores around the United States and Canada, along with various other stores that stock pet food. Click here to search for a store near you.
If you prefer to shop online, you can find Organix through Petco and PetSmart’s websites, Amazon, Chewy, PetFlow, and Thrive Market.
My cat has been recently diagnosed with pancreatitis. He also has a history of high calcium levels. He was previously eating Purina OM because of the high fiber to push out the Calcium but I think that Actually might have caused the irritable bowel and pancreatitis. Now the vet recommended Purina UR. I am supposed to stay away from dL methionine, ammonium chloride, phosphoric acid and sodium bisulfate. He should also have a high calorie food. I was looking into the canned wet Organix. Is there any other cat food that you’ve reviewed that could also be a good option for me? Thank you.
Hey Marlisa, given your cat’s health issues, a veterinarian’s recommendation may be your best bet. That said, I would consider the options on our list of the best food for cats with pancreatitis.
Hope this helps!
– Mallory
Just want to thank you for all the hard work and obvious love you pour into your informative and very helpful articles!
Thank you for your support, Theresa! It’s much appreciated.
I second that. Your website is a godsend… though i am still having difficulty feeding my cat, whom i’ve been happy giving Freshpet, and half homemade of blended turkey tenderloin, beef stew meat, chickent breast, chicken liver, and a small amount of quinoa, peas, spinach and carrot. I know you don’t like veggies or grains, but i am convinced that they can’t hurt, and could be helpful, particularly with digestion, which is everything in health of all organisms. Moreover we can see how cats eat grass, for the same reason, they obviously need it when they do, and also we they eat prey in the natural /wild environment, the first thing they eat is the stomach of their prey which often contains plant foods that the prey ate.
I want a fresh food for Latte, but i do not want to spend $100+/month as Small’s costs.
I can not recommend Castor and Pollux Pollux Cat food. I previously fed it to my very healthy cat, and he began avoiding it (not long after Purina got involved) so I went to another well sourced grain free brand with pure ingredients and he loved it and thrived.
I found the C&P canned chicken formula deeply discounted and decided to give it another. Mr Kitty began vomiting after the first meal and his stools later smelled absolutely awful.
It continued, (he refused any more of the C&P food), and even when I offered him other food in small increments he ate like a hungry cat, and continued throwing up…for 5 days, losing 5 lbs…and by the last day he was vomiting blood.
I took him to the vet for significant sudden weight loss and to rule out systemic problems, since his symptoms didn’t bode well…and expected very bad news.
All tests came back completely normal, except for inflammation indicators. I followed the vets advice and made him home made chicken pate – just cooked chicken thighs and water- and he began eating again and held down every morsel…and no more blood or rank bowel movements.
There’s a lot of junk in pet foods. In fact most are basically junk food. How many cats go foraging for corn, peas, beans, wheat, sweets, and seaweed?
Cats are carnivores. They can’t digest most plant proteins, so the corn, peas, chick peas, etc are just cheap fillers (that cause inflammation in many humans) and many thickeners such as careegnan are also highly inflammatory to land mammals.
It’s in almost every pet food available, and many concerning ingredients (such as msg and artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup, and certain sources of fluoride and vitamin e sourced from toxic industrial waste…no joke…were just renamed/rebranded after so much bad press)….
So, for food safety of pets and people, you have to read labels and do some research to avoid the offenders and pay more for anything that’s pure and safe…unless you just make extra when you’re cooking for yourself.
Feeding our cats junk will do the same thing to them it does to us…only faster because they’re smaller and are dependent on us to make their food choices.
I’ve had many fur friends in my life and learned a lot. To me, it’s just not worth the risk of feeding them junk, and in the end, the vet bills far outweigh the cost of better daily limited ingredient pet foods (or home made with good quality vet approved, weight-based vitamin/mineral supplements) …not to mention the grief over the premature loss of a best friend.
I have not had the above experiences. My 3 Manx have really taken to Castor and Pollux canned catfood – we did go from using regular Chicken and Tuna along with Chicken/Liver and Salmon but they eventually settled on Chicken/liver and Salmon only.
We tried hundreds (I do mean hundreds) of dollars in other recommended foods and the one we used to use was Go! Sensitivity & Shine Duck Pate from Canada- this was the BEST recipe- Great food for them that they enjoyed. Then the company flipped the recipe to accommodate new Environmentally Friendly packaging and the cats threw up the new recipe and refused it. SUCH A LOSS! We then tried everything recommended on these boards and landed on Organix.
We started on Organix in April of 2020. And it is January 2021, consistent quality, consistent eating, no throw ups and clean plates. I also like the small cans because I can split a can between the 3 cats for each meal- no leftovers in the fridge.
My vet visits have revealed healthy cats, clear eyes and good coats.
My dry kibble is Dr. Elsey Clean Protein. They did not like the Organix Dry kibble. They ddi like Fromm Four Star Grain Free Beef Livattini Veg Dry Cat Food and another Fromm chicken but when Dr. Elsey Clean Protein came out, we tried a sample and they Loved it so much, I dropped over to this and they have been eating it happily ever since.
My cats are 100% Indoor cats.
It really does depend on cat to cat. We never know what will work and what won’t. Until they can figure out how to serve up Mice and Birds, this is what we have to deal with.
My cat eats organic dry. Is healthy and happy as long as his bowl has food.
The recent reviews on petsmart.com are concerning. Customers have been finding black lumps in half of the cans they bought. The food in those cans smell terrible compared to the normal cans. One reviewer attached a picture.
Thanks for sharing this.
Hi Mallory, I recently took in a week old stray and, foolishly, ran out to buy Fancy Feast case. Later, mainly from online content like yours, I discovered the correct food (KMR) for the newborn. 3 months old now and I have him on Organic Chicken wet food and use it as a base for raw chicken livers and gizzards along with a mix of other grain free wet foods. In a pinch I give him the Organix alone and he loves it and is growing so fast and happy I will keep him on it until he rejects it. Thanks for all your content -I watch all of your YT vids.
Hi Larry, thanks for being here, and I’m happy to hear that your kitty is doing well!