6 Healthiest Cat Food: Ultimate Guide 2024

Cats, just like humans, need nutritious food for optimal health and longevity, and it’s great that there are some truly excellent nutritious cat food delivery services out there. However, distinguishing the genuinely high-quality services from those making false claims can be challenging. 

Cat subscription services use various strategies to attract customers. Some provide a wide array of options, including dry and wet foods. Others focus on providing meals that are primarily muscle meat with minimal organ meat. Some feature meal customization tools, letting you tailor your cat's meals to her specific needs.

I found Smalls to be the healthiest cat food delivery service. It has meals made with human-grade ingredients and includes a meal personalization tool. Plus, the bulk of its customers reported a noticeable improvement in their pets’ well-being. Still, other services are worth considering, too, so read on to find the best fit for your cat.

The Healthiest Cat Food Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Smalls – Best Healthy Cat Meals Overall

Smalls offers fresh cat food that meets all the criteria for a healthy feline diet. The company designs its cat food for all life stages in consultation with pet nutrition experts, ensuring meals include high-quality proteins and beneficial superfoods. As a result, most of its subscribers have reported significant health improvements in their cats.

What’s on Offer?

Smalls has 5 recipes, each containing a protein or combination of proteins: Bird (chicken), Other Bird (turkey), Pig (pork), Fish (cod and salmon), and Bird & Fish (chicken and salmon). The recipes are rounded out with vitamins, vegetables, and healthy fats to ensure optimum nutrition.  

In addition to its protein formulations, Smalls offers a variety of textures. All recipes are available in the pâté-like Smooth texture, while the Bird and Other Bird recipes are also available in the Ground or Pulled textures. The premium Pulled texture appeals to a cat’s natural instincts to tear at food.

Smalls’ food is free from preservatives, mystery meats, by-products, and other unwanted and harmful additives. The team cooks ingredients at low temperatures for an extended period to preserve their nutritional integrity. Then, the food is frozen to lock in the nutrients.

What Makes It Special?

Smalls has a detailed meal customization quiz that takes into account various factors such as breed, age, health and body conditions, and even your cat's fussiness.

Human-grade ingredients are another thing that sets Smalls apart. Its meals use only human-quality ingredients, which all come from the U.S. or Canada. 

You can take advantage of Smalls' money-back guarantee. If your cat doesn't like the food or struggles with the transition to its new meals, you'll get a full refund. For details on the refund process, I recommend checking out our in-depth review.

Is It Good Value?

Smalls offers excellent value for money. Nine out of 10 customers have reported health improvements in their cats. Additionally, 78% observed shinier coats, and 64% noted their cats became more energetic.

What's more, I received free treats in the sampler box once I completed the quiz. And that's not just for the first delivery but for the rest of my cat's life!

How much you spend on Smalls' meals depends on many things, including your cat's appetite and age. The lowest cost per recipe is <$2 per meal.

2. The Honest Kitchen – Best Dehydrated Food for Cats

The Honest Kitchen offers a wide assortment of healthy cat foods, including nutritious and time-saving dehydrated meals with a long shelf life that you can serve to your cat in minutes. Besides meals, you can find cat treats and supplements on offer.

What’s on Offer?

The Honest Kitchen offers a variety of cat food options, including dry, wet, and dehydrated varieties. In its extensive line, you'll find items like Grain Free Chicken Clusters, Grain Free Chicken Cate (pâté), and Grain Free Turkey Dehydrated Cat Food.

But I think that dehydrated meals are the company’s biggest selling point. Besides turkey, the other dehydrated meals' main ingredients are chicken and chicken & fish. If you're unsure if your cat will give paws up to these dishes, opt for the Variety Pack, which combines all 3 recipes. 

The Honest Kitchen offers a variety of treats, toppers, and supplements for cats. My pets particularly enjoy White Fish and Herring cat treats. For toppers, I recommend Salmon & Pollock and Chicken & Duck blends. The company also has an Instant Goat Milk supplement available.

What Makes It Special?

The meal personalization quiz is one of The Honest Kitchen's outstanding features. You can personalize your cat's meals based on your answers to several questions. That said, THK's quiz is far less detailed than Smalls', so you may want to consider this provider instead if your cat is OK with fresh food. 

You can also consult with an HonestExpert for advice about your pet's nutrition, as highlighted in our full review. These consultations last for 15 minutes.

Is It Good Value?

The Honest Kitchen offers good value for money, especially if you opt for dehydrated meals with a shelf life of 12 months and over. Moreover, its food contains human-grade ingredients and proteins from animals caught in the wild and those roaming freely. 

The cost of meals depends on the type and quantity of product chosen. But the lowest cost per package you can expect to pay is $5.99 for dry food.

3. Raised Right – Best Pâtés for Kitties

Raised Right provides vet-formulated recipes, safety testing, and the ability for prospective customers to check costs. It also lets you trace the origins of ingredients in its meals, which is something few services in the market offer. 

What’s on Offer?

Raised Right offers 4 recipes for cat owners, including Original Turkey Adult Cat Recipe, Original Chicken Adult Cat Recipe, Turkey & Pumpkin Pâté for Adult Cats, and Chicken & Pumpkin Pâté for Adult Cats. If your pets prefer proteins other than turkey and chicken, check out The Honest Kitchen.

Raised Right's cat recipes include nutritious extras, too. Depending on the recipe, these may include carrots, blueberries, organic dried kelp, cod liver oil, and organic spearmint.

Besides meals, Raised Right has a couple of treats for your pets. These are Meat Bites containing beef, lamb, turkey, or pork liver, and Shake A Flakes toppers in beef, turkey, and lamb varieties. Read our in-depth review to learn more about the service’s offerings.

What Makes It Special?

Raised Right features an on-site cat food calculator to help you estimate your expenses. It factors in your cat's weight, activity level, and weight management goals. But it's not a meal personalization quiz. Consider using Smalls for a more customized approach.

With Raised Right,  you can trace the origins of each ingredient. It’s good to know that the company sources most of its ingredients from U.S. suppliers. The only exception at the time of my review was the cod liver oil, which comes from Norway. 

Raised Right also demonstrates a commitment to environmental sustainability. The company collaborates with carbonfund.org to offset carbon emissions generated through delivery. And it's a partner of rePurpose Global, actively working to remove plastic waste from the environment.

Is It Good Value?

Raised Right is a great choice if your cat loves poultry. It provides tremendous value by letting you know the origin of its food and by being environmentally responsible. But if your cat isn’t a poultry fan, you might want to check out the other providers on my list. 

The cost of your pet's food depends on the recipe and its appetite, activity level, and weight management goals. Still, you can expect to pay as little as $9.99/bag. 

4. Open Farm – Best Dry Food for Cats

Open Farm prioritizes quality and sustainability. It maintains these standards by thoroughly vetting its suppliers and implementing a climate strategy. The service lets customers easily trace the origin of its ingredients. Besides food, it offers pet supplements.

What’s on Offer?

Open Farm offers a wide range of cat products. You can choose from wet, raw, and dry food, as well as supplements and broths. All products are made from ingredients that are sourced sustainably and ethically.

The business has 6 wet recipes and 2 RawMixes. But it excels in dry food, with 7 meals at the time of my review. All these recipes had an average 5-star rating from dozens or even hundreds of cat parents. 

Homestead Turkey & Chicken Dry Cat Food seems to be the most popular, along with Wild-Caught Salmon and Pasture-Raised Lamb. Besides proteins, each dish contains superfoods and non-GMO ingredients. 

What Makes It Special?

Unlike many other cat food suppliers, Open Farm makes a clear distinction between items suitable for kittens (Kitten Essentials) and grown-up and senior cats (Adult & Senior Cat). Once on the site, look for these under the Tailored Needs category. 

Open Farm sources its meat from farms committed to treating animals with respect. Their animals roam freely and aren't confined to crates or cages, which significantly contributes to the high quality of the meat. Check our complete review to learn more.

The company invests in sustainability through carefully chosen high-impact programs. It aims to reduce its operational carbon footprint by 42% by 2030. Open Farm is also working to recycle solid waste. 

Is It Good Value?

Open Farm products are well worth your money. It produces high-quality food while investing in a greener future in the process. However, it doesn't provide meal customization options like my top 3 picks. 

You can consult with its customer support team, but I think that an expert-designed questionnaire is a better option. Smalls has the best cat food personalization tool I've reviewed so far.

Prices at Open Farm vary depending on the type and quantity of product you choose. But the most budget-friendly option starts at $7/day .

5. Chewy – Best Assortment of Cat Food

Chewy offers a vast selection of products from well-known and up-and-coming brands, including Farmina, Fussie Cat, and Nulo. On its website, you can search for food based on specific nutritional needs. The company provides various types of cat food, but no fresh options. If you feed your pet fresh dishes, take a look at Smalls. 

What’s on Offer?

Chewy offers a broad range of cat food types, including wet, dry, freeze-dried, dehydrated, and raw meals. Within these categories, there are hundreds to thousands of products. 

At Chewy, you can search for cat food not only by type and brand but also by your pet's specific nutritional needs. Options include High Protein, Weight Control, and Sensitive Digestion. Notably, Chewy is one of the top food services for pets with sensitive stomachs.

You can also find mixers, toppers, supplements, and even veterinary diets on the company's website. There’s a wide range of other products available, too, like litter boxes, flea & tick collars, healthcare products, toys, enclosures, and waste disposals. 

What Makes It Special?

Chewy has just about everything you need for your cat (apart from fresh food). You'll find a bunch of meals, accessories, and supplies on its website. Just type anything you need into the search bar, and it's likely to show up. 

You can reach out to the service's customer service 24/7, which is a rare quality among pet food delivery services. Check out our insightful review to learn how to get in touch with its customer care representatives.

Is It Good Value?

Chewy offers great value if you know what you're looking for, as it has a very wide variety of brands and products. If you wish to know the source of ingredients and the specific cost of your cat's food, Raised Right may be a better choice.

The cost of your cat's diet depends on food type, chosen brand, and many other factors. But the starting price for this online pet food shop is <$2 per meal.

6. We Feed Raw – A Wide Range of Raw Meals

We Feed Raw's raw meals exceed the AAFCO standards. Known for dog food, as highlighted in our expert review, the company stresses that its meals are also suitable for cats because they mostly consist of meat and organs.

What’s on Offer?

We Feed Raw offers 6 raw meals, including chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, duck, and venison recipes. These meals are grain-free, made up of animal proteins, and fortified with added minerals and vitamins.

We Feed Raw meals contain meat, organs, and ground bones, and they usually include proteins from more than 1 animal. If you take the Lamb Patty Recipe as an example, you'll find that it contains beef besides the obvious protein. 

The Venison Patty Recipe also includes beef components, while the Duck Patty Recipe has turkey additions. But, if you choose the Chicken Patty Recipe, it only contains chicken meat and organs.

What Makes It Special?

We Feed Raw's food primarily consists of animal-based protein. Each recipe I checked contained 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat, and 10% finely ground bone. Additionally, the company incorporates essential vitamins and minerals during the production process.

The service employs a Ph.D. nutritionist to create recipes that are suitable for cats and dogs. Moreover, the service emphasizes that it doesn't add taurine because there's enough of the acid naturally in its recipes. 

Is It Good Value?

If your cat enjoys raw meals, We Feed Raw offers great value for money. For other types of cat food, Open Farm could be a better choice. If you're seeking treats, supplements, or accessories, you might want to explore other providers.

The service may not be suitable for cats with allergies because most of the meals contain 2 types of protein. If your cat is allergic to beef, for example, this would considerably limit your pet's meal options.

The price per meal depends on the meal type and the box size. You can choose between the Small Box, Classic Box, and the Big Box. The lowest cost per unit is $6.59/lb.

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Healthiest Cat Food Delivery Service

Each of the services I have listed offers healthy food and treats for cats. To determine which one is best for your cat, consider the following points:

• Check providers based on your cat's life stage. Verify whether the pet food delivery service has options suitable for your cat’s age, as not all will meet this requirement. Open Farm has recipes for any life stage, and it categorizes them clearly. 

• Determine the appropriate food type. There are several types of cat food, and not every kittie has the same preference. Moreover, the shelf life of these foods varies, and dehydrated food lasts longer than fresh. The Honest Kitchen has various meals, even dehydrated ones that you can serve to your pet in minutes.

• Set your budget. Every cat meal delivery service on my list provides filler- and additive-free food made with real ingredients and even superfoods. But the prices vary, so if you're on a limited budget and would appreciate knowing how much you'll spend, Raised Right is worth considering.

• Customize your feline's mealtime. Some of the healthiest cat food delivery services provide on-site meal customization tools. They suggest meals based on factors such as breed, body condition, and age. Smalls has the most detailed on-site quiz among the services I reviewed.

FAQ

What is the number 1 healthiest cat food?

Opinions on the healthiest cat food vary, but my colleagues and I agree that Smalls stands out as the top choice. It sets itself apart with human-grade ingredients cooked at low temperatures. Also, it has an on-site meal personalization quiz, catering to the specific dietary needs and preferences of each cat.

Should cats eat wet or dry food?

Cats can thrive on wet and dry food, provided that pet food experts formulated them. Look for meals containing human-grade ingredients and meeting or exceeding the AAFCO (the Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards for quality and nutrition. Raised Right fresh meals meet these requirements.  

How long can you leave wet cat food out?

Generally, you should leave wet cat food out for 1 or 2 hours at room temperature tops. After this time, it not only becomes less appealing as it dries and congeals but also poses a risk of bacterial growth. 

The Healthiest Cat Food Delivery Service in 2024 — Final Score