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Best Budget-friendly Cat Food 2025
Written by Adam Lee-Smith
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 01/23/2024, edited: 01/21/2025
The Wag! team conducts independent research and consults pet experts to curate our recommendations. This content is supported by our affiliate pet partners and we may receive a commission on the links provided.
You want to feed your fur-baby a feast they deserve, but what if top-shelf cat foods are outside your budget? Feeding your feline a high quality diet can be expensive.
Luckily, you’ll find dry, wet, and raw budget-friendly cat foods on the market that meet all your feline's nutritional needs and will have your kitten purring at dinnertime. It’s possible to buy cat foods containing quality cuts of meat, limited filler ingredients, and no artificial preservatives that won't break the bank!
Scroll down for the best budget-friendly cat foods for your feline in 2024!
Overview
Raised Right
5
Best vet recommended budget-friendly fresh cat food
Fresh cat food is never cheap, but Raised Right is one of the most affordable options around. In fact, it's one of the highest rated cat foods we’ve reviewed due to its ingredient quality and manufacturing practices.
Raised Right’s cat foods are human-grade with limited ingredients, making them suitable for cats with food allergies. All recipes list quality cuts of muscle meat or organ meat as the top three ingredients.
Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, pet nutrition expert and one of Wag!'s veterinary consultants, agrees that Raised Right produces some of the finest fresh cat food on the market:
“Raised Right cat food offers a whole-food diet with real meat as the initial ingredient, ensuring a high-protein meal. Including organ meats for vital nutrients and antioxidants, their recipes often feature limited ingredients for simplicity and digestibility. Notably, they exclude grains, potatoes, and preservatives while prioritizing safety with batch testing and traceable ingredients.”
All Raised Right recipes are "complete and balanced," meeting the AAFCO nutrition guidelines for maintenance (adults).
Raised Right isn't cheap, but is reasonably priced compared to fresh products of similar quality. Raised Right cat food costs $10.99/lb when bought in bulk.
Raised Right cat food is available in four variations:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Chicken & Pumpkin
- Turkey & Pumpkin
Raised Right Cat Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- 100% human-grade ingredients
- Made with 63% crude protein
- Made whole produce, including carrots, pumpkin, and blueberries
- Raised Right delivers directly to your door
Considerations & Concerns
- Limited meat protein options
- Only suitable for adult cats
What pet parents say about Raised Right
"My two cats love the Raised Right turkey recipe. I started them on it when they were young and just weaning off of kitten food. The transition was smooth, and they have now been eating it for about a year. I had read a few reviews before purchasing that some people's cats didn't like the food, but I've never had a problem with it. They have always been excited to get there next serving of Raised Right."
Read more reviews on Raised Right.
Product image sourced from the Raised Right website. Copyright Raised Right Pets LP.
The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Grain-Free Chicken & Fish Cat Food
5
Best vet recommended budget-friendly dehydrated cat food
The Honest Kitchen produces 100% human-grade dehydrated cat food that's budget-friendly, considering its outstanding quality.
Dehydrated chicken is the top ingredient, while dehydrated white fish is the sixth ingredient. Other notable ingredients include sweet potato, potato, flaxseed, and eggs.
"The Honest Kitchen offers high-protein, human-grade cat food that's grain-free and devoid of artificial preservatives, GMOs, corn, wheat, and soy. Prioritizing meat as the first ingredient, their range includes both wet and dry varieties in multiple flavors to satisfy picky eaters - all with a money-back guarantee." notes Dr. Georgia Jeremiah.
A 2-pound box of The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Grain-Free Chicken & Fish Cat Food costs $31.99 at the time of writing on The Honest Kitchen. A 2-pound box makes around 8 pounds of cat food.
The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Grain-Free Chicken & Fish Cat Food is "complete and balanced," meeting the AAFCO nutrition guidelines for all life stages.
Read our full The Honest Kitchen review to learn why give it a flawless five out of five paws up!The Honest Kitchen Cat Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Made with 100% human-grade ingredients
- No fillers or artificial ingredients
- Shelf-stable
- Generous money-back guarantee
- Vet recommended
Considerations & Concerns
- No recipe catering to senior cats
- You must add warm water before serving
What pet parents say about The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Grain-Free Chicken & Fish Cat Food
"My cats love it! It is so difficult to find a pet food without the word “meal” in the ingredients list. Their coats are soft and shiny and they are active and healthy. The nutrition value is amazing and it is a diet that maintains a healthy weight"
"My kitten loves this food, however my older cat tends to be picky about dehydrated food no matter how much water I add. Sometimes I mix it with other food and he eats it up but other times he goes on strike and my kitten gets double the serving lol! I’m super happy with the wholesome ingredients"
Read more reviews on The Honest Kitchen.
Product image sourced from The Honest Kitchen's website. Copyright The Honest Kitchen.
Weruva B.F.F. Tuna & Salmon in Gravy Pouches
4.5
Best vet recommended budget-friendly wet cat food
Check out Weruva B.F.F. Tuna & Salmon in Gravy Pouches if you're searching for quality, affordable wet cat food. Cooked in a tasty gravy with a strong fishy taste, it's purrfect for picky eaters.
Weruva B.F.F. Tuna & Salmon in Gravy Pouches list tuna broth, tuna, and salmon as the top ingredients. It's made with only quality cuts of fish, including wild-caught salmon.
This recipe includes no fillers like grains, gluten, or carrageenan. Weruva B.F.F. Tuna & Salmon in Gravy Pouches consist of 86% moisture, helping to keep your kitty hydrated.
Dr. Georgia Jeremiah recommends Weruva to her clients:
"Weruva cat food offers a variety of recipes and flavors suitable for different life stages and palates, always ensuring high-protein, real-meat ingredients without grains, gluten, or non-nutritive thickeners such as carrageenan..."
Weruva B.F.F. Tuna & Salmon in Gravy Pouches are "complete and balanced," meeting the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutrition guidelines for maintenance (adults).
At the time of writing, $16.14 for a case of 12 3-oz pouches at $0.45/oz on Chewy.
Read our full Weruva review to find out why we highly rate this cat food brand!
Weruva B.F.F Wet Cat Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Lists quality cuts of meat as the top ingredients
- 86% moisture helps prevent dehydration
- Recyclable pouches
- Vet recommended
Considerations & Concerns
- Includes some less nutrient-rich ingredients like tapioca starch
- Must be refrigerated after opening
What pet parents say about Weruva B.F.F. Tuna & Salmon in Gravy Pouches
"The price is reasonable, quality good and my cat loves it!"
"I've been a fan of Weruva for years. My kitties prefer the pouches over the cans. Tuna & Salmon is their favourite flavour."
Read more reviews on Petco.
Product image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Weruva.
Stella and Chewy's Freeze-Dried Dinner Morsels
4.5
Best vet recommended budget-friendly freeze-dried cat food
Freeze-dried foods are an excellent way to feed your cat a raw diet, and Stella and Chewy's Freeze-Dried Dinner Morsels are among the most affordable options.
Eight available recipes mean you’ll find something to please your fussy feline. Every recipe consists of 90% to 98% animal protein, making this an exceptional cat food.
All recipes list a quality cut of meat as the top ingredient and include no animal by-products. Stella and Chewy's enriches its recipes with a vitamin and mineral blend, which includes iron, zinc, and vitamin A. Stella and Chewy’s use no fillers, artificial flavors, or artificial preservatives — just quality meat!
Dr. Georgia Jeremiah highly regards Stella and Chewy’s and recommends the brand to pet parents:
"Stella and Chewy's cat food offers raw and freeze-dried options with high-quality, sustainably sourced ingredients that are minimally processed for nutrient retention. It provides a variety of protein sources, is free from artificial additives and grains, and is a trusted choice for raw and natural pet diets."
At the time of writing, an 18-oz bag of Stella & Chewy's Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food costs $46.99 on Chewy, at $2.62/oz.
Stella and Chewy's Freeze-Dried Dinner Morsels recipes are "complete and balanced," meeting the AAFCO nutrition guidelines for all life stages.
Stella and Chewy's Freeze-Dried Dinner Morsels is available in the following eight recipes:
- Rabbit
- Beef
- Chicken
- Duck
- Pork
- Turkey
- Salmon & Cod
- Salmon & Chicken
Stella & Chewy's Cat Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Made from 90%+ quality animal meat, organs, and bones
- Freeze-drying raw food locks in nutrients
- No fillers or artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
- Vet recommended
Considerations & Concerns
- Pricier than wet and dry foods
- Picky felines may not like the texture
What pet parents say about Stella and Chewy's Freeze-Dried Dinner Morsels
"My two cats have been on this for years. Not only do they love their food, but their vet says that my 14 year old girl cat has the blood work of a young cat. Also great it's stored without refrigeration, because of hurricane season. Wonderful food that they love!"
"My Miss Emmie absolutely LOVES her Stella & Chewy's Freezed-dried raw dinner morsels! She munches all day on her dry food but can not wait till dinner and breakfast when she gets to have her Stella & Chewy's! Thank you very much from Miss Emmie and myself!"
Read more reviews on Petco.
Product image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Stella & Chewy's.
IAMS ProActive Health Healthy Adult Original with Chicken Dry Cat Food
4
Best budget-friendly dry cat food
IAMS Proactive Health Healthy Adult Original with Chicken Dry Cat Food is our choice as the best budget-friendly dry cat food. It's specially designed to help maintain the ideal body weight and aid digestion.
This recipe lists a quality cut of chicken as the top ingredient. That said, it includes less nutritionally valuable ingredients like chicken by-product meal, ground whole grain corn, and corn grits.
Ingredients like fish oil and dried beet pulp ensure this food is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and fiber.
IAMS ProActive Health Healthy Adult Original with Chicken Dry Cat Food is very affordable, with a 22-pound bag costing $39.98 at the time of writing on Chewy.
IAMS ProActive Health Healthy Adult Original with Chicken Dry Cat Food is “complete and balanced,” meeting the AAFCO nutrition guidelines for maintenance (adults).
Iams Cat Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Lists a high-quality cut of chicken as the top ingredient
- Rich is calcium, potassium, and fiber
- Very affordable dry food considering its quality
- Made in the USA
Considerations & Concerns
- Some filler ingredients like corn grits and ground whole grain corn
What pet parents say about IAMS ProActive Health Healthy Adult Original with Chicken Dry Cat Food
"I have a friend that is a vet that has seven cats of her own. This is the dry food she feeds them, so I am using it too. The cats seem to like it just fine."
"My 1.5 years old kitty LOVES her kitty food, IAMS (ProActive Health Healthy Adult)! She has minimal shedding, and her coat is so soft and shiny. I highly recommend this product."
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Product image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Mars Petcare.
FAQ
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