Many cat food deliveries provide outstanding meals for our felines. But distinguishing these high-quality services from those merely claiming superiority is challenging. Cats, akin to humans, need nutritious food for optimal health and longevity. And identifying authentic services that sell high-quality recipes is no easy task.
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 find Smalls to be the healthiest cat food delivery service. It has meals made with human-grade ingredients and includes a meal personalization tool. The bulk of its customers reported a noticeable improvement in their pets’ well-being. Still, other services are worth noting, too, so read on to find the best fit for your cat.
Smalls – Best healthy cat meals overall
The Honest Kitchen – Best dehydrated food for felines
Raised Right –Best pâtés for kitties
Open Farm – Best dry food for cats
Cat Person – Best high-protein recipes for pussycats
The company has a detailed meal personalization quiz
Choose between 5 recipes featuring different proteins
The company has Ground, Smooth, and Pulled recipes
Current deal: 32% off your first order + free treats for life. Code: DELIVERY32
Smalls stands out in offering 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 observed in their cats.
Smalls has 5 recipes, each corresponding to 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 also 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 mimics a cat’s natural instincts to tear at food.
Smalls’ feline 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.
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 fussy nature.
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.
Human-grade ingredients are another thing that sets Smalls apart. This means that its meals contain foods that many people use in their diets. All the ingredients the service sources come from the U.S. or Canada.
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 felines being more energetic.
What's more, I also received free treats in the sampler box once I completed the quiz. And that's not just for the first delivery but for my feline's life.
How much you spend on Smalls' meals depends on many things, including your mouser's appetite and age. The lowest cost per recipe is Cat meals starting from <$2 per meal.
Choose a variety pack to test the waters before committing
Take the on-site meal personalization quiz
The company has dry and wet foods for felines, too
Current deal: Get 15% off your first purchase. Code 15DELIVERYRANK
The Honest Kitchen is among the leading healthy cat food delivery services for its wide assortment. It's also among the rare ones that offer 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.
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 advantage. Besides turkey, 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.
The meal personalization quiz is 1 of The Honest Kitchen's outstanding features. It can help you personalize your feline's meals based on your answers to several questions. But THK's quiz is far less detailed than Smalls', so you may want to consider this provider instead if your kittie’s OK with fresh food.
You can consult with an HonestExpert for advice about your pet's nutrition, as highlighted in our full review. These consultations last for 15 minutes.
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.
Use the cat feeding calculator to assess costs
The company has meals for adult cats only
All feline meals meet the AAFCO standards
Current deal: 20% Off Your First Box (16 Bags)
Raised Right is the third competitor on my Healthiest Cat Food list for several reasons. Vet-formulated recipes, safety testing, and the ability for prospective customers to check costs are some. It also lets you trace the origins of ingredients in its meals, which is something too few services in the market do.
Raised Right offers 4 recipes for cat owners – 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 a variety of ingredients that are desirable both in your cat's bowl and on your own table. 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. Shake A Flakes toppers are available in beef, turkey, and lamb varieties. Read our in-depth review to learn more about the service’s offerings.
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 researching Smalls for a more customized approach.
Raised Right lets you trace the origins of each ingredient in its products. It will please you to know that the company sources most of its ingredients from U.S. suppliers. The only exception at the time of my Healthiest Cat Food review was cod liver oil, which hailed from Norway.
Raised Right demonstrates its 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.
Raised Right is the right choice if your mouser craves poultry. Otherwise, you might want to check out the other providers on my list. But if she does, the company provides tremendous value by letting you know the origin of its food and by being environmentally responsible.
The cost of your pet's food depends on the recipe, its appetite, activity level, and your weight management goals. Still, you can expect to pay as little as $9.99/bag.
The company has several dry meals for felines
You can buy RawMix and Wet foods from this provider
The service has options for kittens and adult kitties
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.
Open Farm offers a wide range of cat products. You can choose from wet, raw, and dry food, as well as supplements and broths. Also, all Open Farm products contain 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 Healthiest Cat Food Delivery Services review. All these recipes had an average 5-star rating from dozens, even hundreds, of cat parents.
Homestead Turkey & Chicken Dry Cat Food seem to be the most popular. Along with Wild-Caught Salmon and Pasture-Raised Lamb, this meal is 1 of Open Farm's best-sellers. Besides proteins, each dish contains superfoods and non-GMO ingredients.
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. Besides, Open Farm is actively working on recycling solid waste.
Open Farm products are well worth your money. It produces high-quality food while investing in a greener future in the process. On the flip side, it doesn't provide meal customization options like my top 3 picks.
You can consult with its customer support team, true, 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 Pet meals starting from $7 / day.
Cat Person dishes are grain-free and low in carbs
You have a 30-day money-back guarantee
Tailor your cat's mealtime to match her needs and preferences
Cat Person excels in the protein content of its meals, with a strong focus on ingredient quality. Also, its starter boxes suit cats of all ages but are especially convenient for kitten owners. It offers wet and dry meal options for felines. If you're more into dehydrated meals, better check out The Honest Kitchen.
Cat Person provides a selection of 8 wet and 3 dry meals. These feature either a single animal protein or a combination of 2. Some key ingredients, based on your choice and your pet's preferences, include tuna, salmon, beef, duck, and chicken.
I find the choice between 2 versions of wet dishes particularly convenient. You can choose either shreds in broth or pâté, which turns 8 of these meals into 16. Some options are Mecherel & Bream, Chicken & Duck, Beef, and Tuna. Read our review to learn more about other wet and dry meals.
You'll also find a variety of treats, accessories, and toys on Cat Person's website. Available treats include savory chews and items that support your cat's skin, coat, bones, and joints. Accessories include bowls, beds, and a litter box.
Cat Person takes pride in the high protein content of its meals. Its wet recipes contain 2.2x more protein than the industry standard, while the dry meals boast 75% more protein by the same measure. As highlighted on its home page, the service's food has at least 50% more protein than the industry standard.
The provider has 2 Starter Box types. One contains a combo of wet and dry meals, while the other has wet food only. If you have a playful kitty or a kitten, you can turn this box into a toy. Both Starter Boxes include 2 free Savory Chews.
You can take Cat Person's meal personalization quiz, which includes several questions. These cover topics like your feline's favorite proteins, potential allergies, and appetite. Based on your answers, the company will tailor a Starter Box and meal plan specifically for your mouser.
Cat Person is an excellent choice if you've recently adopted a kitten or cat, as it provides all the essentials in 1 place. But if your furry friend is not keen on dry or wet food, you might want to explore other options like Open Farm.
If you're unsure whether Cat Person's meals will suit your pet, the service's 30-day Money-Back Guarantee covers you. If the food fails to meet your expectations, you'll get a full refund.
The price per product depends on its type the most. The most affordable Cat Person item will set you back $2.76 per day.
Browse among thousands of offerings for cats
Stella & Chewy's, PureBites, and The Honest Kitchen are some available providers
Choose between wet, dry, freeze-dried, and other food types
Chewy offers a vast selection of feline 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, except for fresh options. If you feed your pet fresh dishes, take a look at Smalls.
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 the time of my Healthiest Cat Food review, there were over 1,200 wet and more than 300 dry food options available.
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 1 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. Other essentials are also on offer, such as litter boxes, flea & thick collars, and healthcare products. You can buy toys, enclosures, waste disposals, and many other products from Chewy.
Chewy has just about everything you need for your 4-legged family member except fresh food. You'll find a bunch of meals, accessories, and supplies on its website. Anything you need for your pet, just type it 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.
Chewy offers great value if you know what you're looking for. With a wide variety of brands and products, not all may fit your pet's needs. 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 kittie'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.
Choose between 6 raw recipes
Opt for 1 of 3 different-sized boxes for delivery
Nutrition experts formulate the service's 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, natural carnivores. The reason is that its dishes consist of meat and organs for the most part. Moreover, experts in the field plan the company's pet food.
We Feed Raw offers 6 raw meals, some of which are quite rare among the healthiest cat food subscription services. The menu includes 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. But 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 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.
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 felines and canines. Moreover, the service emphasizes that it doesn't add taurine because there's enough of the acid naturally in its recipes.
If your cat enjoys raw meals, We Feed Raw offers great value for money. For other types of cat food, save fresh, 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 mousers 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.
Starting Price | Minimum Order | Meal Type | Shipping | Active Deals | |
Cat meals starting from <$2 per meal | 6 packets | Fresh | Up to $10 | 32% off your first order + free treats for life. Code: DELIVERY32 from Smalls | |
$5.99 for dry food | No minimum | Dry, dehydrated, wet | Free or $9 | Get 15% off your first purchase. Code 15DELIVERYRANK from The Honest Kitchen | |
$9.99/bag | 16 x 1-pound bags | Fresh and pâté | Free or $9.99 (Sample Box) | 20% Off Your First Box (16 Bags) from Raised Right | |
Pet meals starting from $7 / day | $7/lb without auto-shipment | Dry, wet, freeze-dried raw, RawMix | Free on orders over $50 or $5.99 | Save up to 20% on first time orders with code DR20 from Open Farm | |
$2.76 per day | No minimum | Wet, dry | Free or $7.95 | Get 25% Off Your Starter Box from Cat Person | |
<$2 per meal | No minimum | Wet, dry, raw, freeze-dried, dehydrated | Free or $4.95 | Save 35% On Your First Order from Chewy | |
$6.59/lb | 30 lbs per order | Raw | Free | Get 40% off your first box + Free Shipping! from We Feed Raw |
Each of the services I have listed provides, among other things, healthy food and treats for cats. To determine which 1 is best for you and your feline friend, consider the following points:
Check providers based on your cat's life stage. Verify whether the pet food delivery has options suitable for your feline's life stage as not all 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 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, even superfoods. But prices among them tend to fluctuate for many reasons. 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.
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.
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.
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.