6 GENTLY COOKED CAT FOODS ON THE MARKET
My honest opinion about each one. This is not sponsored and I paid full price for each item that I purchased from each of these brands. I hope my investment and research helps you save money and time and in turn makes your life easier.
Smalls
This was the first gently cooked cat food that I tried and initially, it was hit or miss I believe it was the pate consistency of the “smooth” option that was available when we tried it. When they came out with the “pulled” option, which is shredded, I gave it a try again and now they LOVE it! They lick their bowls CLEAN!!! The icing on the cake is their new matching broths. If I put a little broth in there, they absolutely can’t get enough. We get both the “pulled bird” and pulled “other bird”.
Ingredients:
Human-Grade Fresh Pulled Bird
Ingredient List: Chicken, water sufficient for processing, green beans, kale, dried yeast, tricalcium phosphate, magnesium proteinate, choline chloride, salmon oil, taurine, niacinamide, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pantothenic acid, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, potassium iodide, sodium selenite, biotin.
Calorie Content (Calculated): Metabolizable Energy (ME): 1,411 kcal/kg; 200 kcal/5 oz.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min): 23%
Crude Fat (min): 7%
Crude Fiber (max): 1%
Moisture (max): 70%
Human-Grade Fresh Pulled Other Bird
Ingredient List: Turkey, water sufficient for processing, green beans, kale, dried yeast, tricalcium phosphate, salt, choline chloride, sunflower oil, magnesium proteinate, taurine, salmon oil, iron proteinate, niacinamide, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, copper proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, pantothenic acid, manganese proteinate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, folic acid, sodium selenite, biotin.
Calorie Content (Calculated): Metabolizable Energy (ME): 1,411 kcal/kg; 200 kcal/5 oz.
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min): 23%
Crude Fat (min): 7%
Crude Fiber (max): 1%
Moisture (max): 70%
Feeding Guidelines:
Adult cats need ~20 kcal/lb daily. Each 4.1-5.5oz Smalls packet has 200 kcal, perfect for splitting into breakfast and dinner for a 10lb cat.
Kittens (under 12 months) need 30-40 kcal/lb, while pregnant/nursing cats need 40-80 kcal/lb.
4.1-5.5OZ / 200KCAL PACKETS
BIRD - 200 kcal/5oz package
OTHER BIRD - 200 kcal/5oz package
4lb cat ...................... 1/2 packet per day
6lb cat ...................... 2/3 packet per day
8lb cat ...................... 3/4 packet per day
10lb cat ...................... 1 packet per day
12lb cat ...................... 1 1/4 packet per day
14lb cat ...................... 1 1/2 packet per day
Cost: $4.50/ per packed of pulled (the smooth are $4 each). Each pack is between 4.1-5.5 oz.
Do the cats like it?
Mocha - he enjoys it VERY much
Shark - he absolutely loves this food
SodaPop - he is enthusiastic about this food and gladly partakes.
One thing I don’t like about this food, like AT ALL, is that one of the ingredients is green beans. Cats have no biological need for green beans. Additionally, it is a legume, which I usually avoid like the plague for all of my animals. Despite the green beans, I have this food in my regular rotation and they get it once or twice a week. They recently just came out with a dry food as well, which we are excited to try as a supplement to their daily “wet” meals.
Raised right
I really wanted to love this brand, it was one of the first gently cooked foods for cats that I found and was soooo excited to try it. My cats did not like it they always take a few bites and the leave the entire bowl. It has a VERY “herby” smell and I believe that is what makes it off putting to my cats. We tried all 4 options that they offered for cats, the response was the same for all of them.
Ingredients:
Original Turkey Adult Cat Recipe
Turkey Thigh, Turkey Heart, Turkey Liver, Carrots, Blueberries, Organic Spearmint, Cod Liver Oil, Egg Shell Powder, Flaxseed Oil, Organic Dried Kelp, Taurine, Thiamine Mononitrate
Original Chicken Adult Cat Recipe
Chicken Thigh, Chicken Heart, Chicken Liver, Carrots, Organic Spearmint, Blueberries, Cod Liver Oil, Egg Shell Powder, Organic Dried Kelp, Flaxseed Oil, Taurine, Thiamine Mononitrate
Turkey & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Cats
Turkey Thigh, Turkey Heart, Turkey Liver, Pumpkin, Organic Spearmint, Cod Liver Oil, Egg Shell Powder, Flaxseed Oil, Organic Dried Kelp, Taurine, Thiamine Mononitrate
Chicken & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Cats
Chicken Thigh, Chicken Heart, Chicken Liver, Pumpkin, Organic Spearmint, Cod Liver Oil, Egg Shell Powder, Flaxseed Oil, Parsley, Organic Dried Kelp, Taurine, Sea Salt, Thiamine Mononitrate
Feeding Guidelines: they have a calorie calculator for their specific food on their page. It even breaks down how much it will cost to feed your cat per cat per day and how often you will need to order. You can check it out HERE.
Cost: $10.99 per 16oz. bag
Do the cats like it?
Mocha - the first time, he ate it but after that, he will have a few hesitant bites, then always stops eating after a few bites.
Shark - He tried it the first time because he’s a curious boy but quickly decided that he did not like it. The remaining times I attempted to feed this to him, he just walked away.
SodaPop - He won’t even try it.
As I mentioned before, I believe the smell of the spearmint that is used in this cat food is VERY off putting to my cats. additionally, they don’t really prefer the pate consistency in any food, so that’s tough too. I do think if that if this food did not contain spearmint, they might eat it.
Identity
This is one of the newest fresh cooked foods we have tried for the kitties. We have tried all 5 recipes that they offer and the cats like them all! The consistency isn’t their favorite, it’s not quite pate but close, but the flavor must be good enough for them to not care too much because they eat it regardless. If your cats like the pate consistency though, you’ll be set with this food
Ingredients: I sell this food in my online store, so to save time and space here, I’m just going to like the product HERE. You can find ingredients, feeding guidelines and cost there. :) https://www.intothewildexperiences.com/store/p/identity-gently-cooked-cat-food
Do the cats like it?
Mocha - he devours it. I can’t get it into his bowl quick enough.
Shark - he really enjoys real food, so he gladly grazes on this throughout the day or night. He’s a grazer, so this isn’t a bad thing, it’s just how he eats.
SodaPop - Also a big fan of every flavor.
This brand has one of the biggest variety of favors, which is great, especially for kitties who have food allergies or intolerances and is one of our favorites, hence why I carry it in my store. They also makes high quality canned foods, which my fur babies also love.
Goodness gracious
Goodness Gracious offers two recipes for cats. One is fish based and the other is rabbit. Rabbit is always hit or miss with my cats, so I was a bit hesitant, they also aren’t a huge fan of pate, so we had two things working against us. WE also hardly ever buy fish, so that leaves us with only 1 recipe option. well, I served it up the first time and they DEVOURED it!!!! I’m not going to lie, I was shocked, pleased but shocked.
Ingredients:
Rabbit, pork, broccoli, spinach, pork liver, eggs, mackerel, organic sprouted dried sunflower seeds, mussels, oysters, ground eggshell, omega 3 fish oil (sardine, herring, mackerel, anchovy), organic dried kelp.
Holistic veterinarian designed, this is a high protein, moderate fat, low carb food
Protein: 65% DM basis / 56% of kcals
Fat: 19% DM basis / 40% of kcals
Carb: 4% DM basis / 4% of kcals
Ash: 8% DM basis / 0% of kcals
Fiber: 4% DM basis / 0% of kcals
30 kcal per oz
Feeding Guidelines:
Calories range from the energy requirement for an indoor sedentary cat to (aka "couch potato") to the metabolic need for an active adult cat. Adjust portions to account for activity level, health goals, and any supplemental feeding (e.g treats).
Weight of Cat (Ibs) To Ounces / Day
6lbs - 3½ - 5
8lbs - 4 - 6
10lbs - 4¾ - 6¾
12lbs - 5½ - 7¾
14lbs - 6 - 8½
16Lbs - 6½ - 9½
Cost: $84.99 for 15 pounds (10, 8oz. pouches) - that’s $8.50 per 8oz pouch
Do the cats like it?
Mocha - He is a fan and will eat it all up every time
Shark - He devoured it the first time I fed it to him but every time after that, he eats a little and then is over it. So maybe I just need to give it to him in smaller portions? It’s not that he doesn’t like it, it’s that it doens’t seem to be his absolute favorite.
SodaPop - He will take it or leave it. He takes a few bites and then sees what else I am offering in the second bowl. He does casually go back for a nibble here and there, so like Shark, I don’t think that he hates it, it’s just not his favorite. I really wonder if it wasn’t a pate consistency, if both he and Shark would devour it.
I hope they come out with a different consistency like smalls did, I will definitely be a frequent buyer if they do. For now, we purchase it “here and there” just to mix things up for them because it is fresh food and they don’t seem to hate it. If you cats enjoy pate, they will probably love this food. :)
Just food for cats
This is the only brand of gently cooked cat food from this list that I haven’t actually given to my cats yet. Ironically, we do use their gently cooked dog food and my dogs really like it BUT their cat food has very subpar reviews and you can only buy 7 pounds at a time, so I’m hesitant to take the leap. I don’t want 7 pounds of a food, that has mediocre reviews, that my cats may or may not like. IF it had AMAZING reviews, I would probably have taken the leap by now, like I did with Raised Right, who also has a big order minimum requirement BUT they had incredible reviews, so I went for it. So, although I can’t give you my cats opinions on this brand, I can give you all of the other information. One more thing, the packages are very large, so if you only have 1 or 2 cats, it could be tricky finishing a package off in the initial states, when you are slowly transitioning. Unless you refreeze it repeatedly, which doesn’t seem safe.
Ingredients:
wild caught white fish, chicken thighs, chicken hearts, chicken liver, tapioca starch, whole atlantic sardines, just food for dogs nutrient blend
Feeding Guidelines:
They don’t have explicit feeding guidelines on their website, instead they have a feeding calculator. It doesn’t appear to be cat specific unfortunately, because it literally says “tell me your dogs name” but I’ll attach it for you —-> HERE.
Cost: $104.99 for a 7.8 pound box (7, 18oz. packages).
Fetching foods
This food caught me off guard. It appears to be totally raw, despite the label saying it is cooked. I gave my Maine coon a bit to see what he thought and after a few licks, he left it alone. I picked up the packaging and noticed the small print said it’s is raw and needs to be cooked to 165. I FREAKED OUT because I did not cook it (why should I? I ordered, cooked food and it says it is cooked in the bold print on the package!) and with the avian flu going around, I just fed my beloved son CHICKEN! I immediately called the company who shared that if it says it is cooked, it is in fact cooked. They only cook it to 140 degrees to maintain the raw nutrient profiles and not damage the vitamin and mineral content. My concern is that 140 doesn’t kill pathogens. They also assured me that since the use ONLY human grade ingredients, the FDA is keeping a close eye on all birds and he could guarantee me with 100% certainty that there are no infected birds in their products. He didn’t get sick, thankfully, but I still don’t feel good about feeding them a product that is only cooked to 140 degrees at this time.
Now for a few positives, if you feed raw and you’re good with that, THIS is the brand for you! They have more protein sources than ANY other brand that I have seen on the market and can even custom make your food! AMAZIG right? I’ve never seen any other brand offer such a thing. Their ingredient lists are on point, clean (no fillers or junk), biologically appropriate and human grade. if I ever decided to feed raw, this is the brand I would use. Since I am not comfortable with feeding a raw diet at this time, I will be skipping it.
I did gently cook the chicken packet and all 3 of my cats DEVOURED it. Like, they LOVED it!!!! I did the same for all of the other recipes that we purchased and again, they scarfed it! I don’t know how much it changed the nutrient profile though and because of that, I don’t feel confident that serving it to them gently cooked will be meeting all of their nutritional needs.
Ingredients:
Just Cat Chicken: Free-range California USDA boneless chicken thigh, chicken heart, chicken liver, whole fresh egg (shell, white, yoke), psyllium husk, vitamin E supplement, astaxanthin, manganese gluconate. *All ingredients organic unless otherwise noted.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein min 15.8%
Crude Fat min 8.7%
Crude Fiber max 0.12%
Moisture max 74.5%
KCalories/Ounce 32
Just Cat Turkey: California boneless and skinless turkey thigh, turkey heart, turkey liver, whole fresh egg (shell, white, yoke), psyllium husk, vitamin E supplement, organic astaxanthin, manganese gluconate. *All ingredients organic unless otherwise noted.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein min 15.8%
Crude Fat min 7.5%
Crude Fiber max 0.19%
Moisture max 75.9%
KCalories/Ounce 32
Just Cat Venison: New Zealand premium boneless venison (red deer) trim, venison heart, venison liver, whole fresh egg (shell, white, yoke), psyllium husk, vitamin E supplement, astaxanthin, manganese gluconate. *All ingredients are organic unless otherwise noted.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein min 19.1%
Crude Fat min 5.4%
Crude Fiber max 0.12%
Moisture max 74.6%
KCalories/Ounce 32
Just Cat Pork: USDA Nebraska boneless pork loin, pork heart, pork liver, whole fresh egg (shell, white, yoke), psyllium husk, vitamin E supplement, astaxanthin, manganese gluconate. *All ingredients organic unless otherwise noted.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein min 15.7%
Crude Fat min 8.3%
Crude Fiber max 0.14%
Moisture max 74.6%
KCalories/Ounce 33
Just Cat Beef: Whole USDA boneless Choice beef loin, beef heart, beef liver, whole fresh egg (shell, white, yoke), psyllium husk, vitamin E supplement, astaxanthin, manganese gluconate. *All ingredients organic unless otherwise noted.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein min 15.9%
Crude Fat min 9.2%
Crude Fiber max 0.13%
Moisture max 74.4%
KCalories/Ounce 35
Just Cat Lamb: USDA Prime pasture-raised boneless leg of lamb, lamb heart, lamb liver, whole fresh egg (shell, white, yoke), psyllium husk, vitamin E supplement, astaxanthin, manganese gluconate. *All ingredients organic unless otherwise noted.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein min 12.6%
Crude Fat min 10.5%
Crude Fiber max 0.14%
Moisture max 75.2%
KCalories/Ounce 38
Just Cat Rabbit: Oregon pasture-raised deboned rabbit, heart, kidney, liver, whole fresh egg (shell, white, yoke), psyllium husk, vitamin E, manganese gluconate. *All ingredients organic unless otherwise noted.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein min 19.1%
Crude Fat min 3.8%
Crude Fiber max 0.13%
Moisture max 76.1%
KCalories/Ounce 33
Feeding Guidelines:
I could not find “general” feeding guidelines on their website, so it’s going to have to be up to you to know your cats daily caloric needs and feed accordingly.
Cost: Prices vary between $13.29 - $18.99 for a 16oz package. This is specifically for the recipes that I tried, they have other recipes that cost even more but I did not try those.
Do the cats like it?
Mocha - HUGE fan of it gently cooked but I did not give it to him as it came in the package, so I can’t say. If I am honest though, I do think he would’ve devoured it anyway.
Shark - He only took a few lick tastes of it as it came packaged and then walked away from it. Once I gently cooked it though, he couldn’t eat it fast enough.
SodaPop - He also did not try it as it came directly out of the package, so I have no feedback there but he loved it when I offered it to him gently cooked.
I really wish they “cooked” their foods at the temperatures required to kill pathogens but they don’t, so I will not be a repeat customer at this time. Maybe if the bird flu passes, I will reconsider. At this time though, I will not be feeding my animals anything that is not cooked to the minimum standard to kill pathogens.