Looking for AAFCO approved cat food brands? Sorry, but they don’t exist.
The AAFCO does not approve, test, certify, or endorse pet food.
Instead, they set rules for pet food manufacturers to follow when creating and labeling products.
Don’t worry. I’ve made it easy for you to choose the best cat food brands that meet AAFCO requirements.
And these brands are actually healthy.
I’ve learned the hard way over and over again with cats in my life who all ate dry food only. They suffered from diabetes, stroke, liver disease, cancer, obesity, CKD, and the list goes on.
So now it’s my mission to help cat guardians switch to a fresh food diet so their cats can live longer, happier lives!
4 best fresh cat food brands that meet AAFCO standards:
- Raised Right – Best Wet Cat Food
- Smalls – Best Subscription Wet Cat Food
- Quest Cat Food – Best Freeze-Dried Raw
- Viva Raw – Best Frozen Raw Cat Food
These cat foods are suitable for adults and kittens unless noted otherwise.
Disclaimer: There are affiliate links below. These brands do not sponsor me. I only earn a commission on sales if you use my link and discount code. No additional cost to you.
1. Raised Right – Best Wet Cat Food
Raised Right is one of the best quality wet foods you’ll find. This is the closest you’ll get to a home-cooked meal.
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- Product name: Chicken Recipe = 25-94.9% chicken
- Meat ingredients: chicken thigh, chicken heart, chicken liver, cod liver oil
- Other ingredients: carrots, organic spearmint, blueberries, eggshell powder, organic dried kelp, flaxseed oil, and two synthetic supplements.
Again, we have specific ingredients. It would be nice if there were more secreting organs.
However, this product relies heavily on whole foods rather than a long list of synthetic supplements.
I agree cats would not eat carrots and blueberries in the wild. But the carb amount is very low at less than 4% on a dry matter basis. And Raised Right actually provides that information.
Raised Right also tests the food for nutritional analysis, mold, and bacteria. All results are posted on their website.
Buy Raised Right cat food from their website. Use code PETS20 for 20% off your first box.
Raised Right is suitable for adult cats only (no kittens).
2. Smalls – Best Subscription Wet Cat Food
Smalls human-grade fresh wet is a great option for busy cat parents. My mom’s 4 cats enjoy a free subscription to Smalls every month.
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- Product name: Chicken Recipe = 25-94.9% chicken (other protein options are comparable)
- Meat ingredients: chicken, chicken liver, chicken hearts
- Other ingredients: green beans, peas, water, kale, canola oil, and a long list of synthetic supplements
Unfortunately, there are inappropriate ingredients and a long list of synthetic supplements.
But the quality of the ingredients is much better than most commercial cat foods since it’s human-grade quality (including the supplements).
And most commercial cat foods have inappropriate ingredients and synthetic supplements anyway. So might as well feed better quality.
There’s no escaping these cons until you feed homemade cat food!
Buy Smalls from their website. Use code CATICLES for $5 off your first box.
Note: only their fresh wet food is human-grade. Their freeze-dried raw food is not.
3. Quest Cat Food – Best Freeze-Dried Raw
Quest freeze-dried raw cat food is a prey formulation that relies solely on whole foods to complete the diet.
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- Product name: Beef Recipe = 25-94.9% beef
- Meat ingredients: ground beef, beef hearts, beef kidney, beef liver, ground beef bone
- Other ingredients: raw goat milk, flaxseed, inulin, dried kelp, chia seeds, organic coconut oil, ground eggshell
This is one of the best ingredient lists you will find when it comes to commercial cat food.
Additionally, the formulator Steve Brown has been formulating pet food for decades.
Freeze-dried raw is helpful when you’re transitioning to raw. It’s very easy to portion and serve.
If your cat only wants dry food you can try offering freeze-dried bits as is. Then slowly rehydrate gradually each day to help your cat get used to it.
Buy Quest Cat Food from their website. Use code JESSCATICLES for 20% off.
4. Viva Raw – Best Frozen Raw Cat Food
Viva Raw is the best choice for complete ground frozen raw. They have excellent protein variety and use whole food ingredients to complete the meal.
- Product name: Rabbit = 25-94.9% rabbit
- Meat ingredients: Rabbit with Ground Bone, Rabbit Heart, Rabbit Liver, Rabbit Kidney, Chilean Mussels, Cod Liver Oil, Oyster Meat
- Other ingredients: Organic Psyllium Husk, Organic Egg Yolk, Fish Oil, Taurine, Organic Icelandic Kelp, Nutritional Yeast, Vitamin E (Tocopherols), Manganese Proteinate
They include the typical meat ingredients you will find in raw foods. Their rabbit and beef also include kidney which is an excellent addition to raw meals.
Most of the other ingredients are whole foods. With a few additional supplements to make the diet complete.
Viva Raw has turkey, chicken, beef, rabbit, and duck. They also come out with seasonal proteins throughout the year to change things up.
Buy Viva Raw Complete from their website and use code JESSCATICLES to save 20% on your first order.
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But my cat is too picky to eat healthy food
Sandra had two kibble-addicted cats. Dirk is older and started to gain weight. Avery was young and healthy, but she had very picky eating habits.
Dirk had trouble jumping to his favorite spots, and Sandra started to worry that he would develop diabetes. And she didn’t want Avery to be a picky cat her whole life!
So Sandra started researching about cat food.
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Sandra thought wet food would help because it is healthier than dry food.
But then she discovered raw feeding, and “it all started to make sense! This is what they eat in the wild, and would make them feel their best!!!”
She was excited to try raw, but she knew so little about how to transition them to this diet. And she didn’t know what to give them in the quantities they needed to be healthy.
Then Sandra found me and my course. She became a course member, and she followed my signature PURR blueprint.
My signature PURR blueprint works with your cat’s natural instincts. So you can focus on having fun with your cat instead of feeling stressed and overwhelmed dealing with a picky cat.
Sandra said, “This was such an indispensable tool. It eliminated any fears, or questions I had about the transition, making everything feasible, easy to understand and convenient.”
And now Dirk and Avery (previously two kibble-addicted cats) enjoy a lightly cooked homemade diet! Sandra doesn’t worry about them not getting the nutrients they need. She’s confident that what she’s feeding is the best.
On top of that, Dirk lost weight naturally (no starving) and he’s more energetic and playful.
Sandra felt close to her cats before starting this journey. But her connection and bond with her cats is much stronger now than it was before.
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Sandra and her cats have shown us that our cats need more real, fresh food. Processed foods are inconsistent and cause more problems than it’s worth.
But healthy homemade cat food gives us complete control. We control the ingredients, the quality, and how it’s made.
And it’s amazing to see the results of a healthy homemade diet!
Sandra (and hundreds of other cat parents I’ve worked with) feel more empowered to know what’s good and what should be avoided for their cats.
And their cats are healthier because of it!
Ready to switch to healthy food for a happier cat?
Grab my Raw Feeding Cats Blueprint video course and get the same plan that Sandra and 337+ other cat parents used to switch their cats from processed food to a healthy raw and homemade diet.