Best Fresh Cat Food Brands 2024

Written by Emily Bayne

Veterinary reviewed by:

Published: 04/01/2024, edited: 05/08/2024

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.

If you have a picky kitty, you've likely tried a gamut of wet and dry foods and maybe even gone as far as making homemade cat food. But have you ever given fresh cat food a try?

Fresh food has the flavor of homemade cat food without the nutritional guesswork or the time commitment.

Fresh pet food is a newer type of pet food that must be frozen or refrigerated since it is cooked at low temps and usually doesn't contain the additives that keep canned food shelf-stable.

There are many different fresh dog food brands, but there aren't nearly as many that cater to felines. We rounded up the most popular fresh food brands for kitties and looked into their products and manufacturing processes to give you the most thorough and unbiased fresh cat food review on the web. Let’s get started!

Raised Right

Best vet recommended human-grade fresh food

We are big fans of all Raised Right pet products since they are human-grade and offer custom nutrition plans based on your pet's individual needs and goals. They have even won awards for their innovative recipes and high standards.

Their products are formulated without low-quality fillers like potatoes, wheat, soy, and corn, and are available both online and in-store at select retailers. Let’s take a closer look at these recipes.

Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, pet nutrition expert and one of Wag!’s veterinary consultants, says, "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."

Raised Right flavors & top 5 ingredients:

Original Turkey Adult Cat Recipe - Turkey Thigh, Turkey Heart, Turkey Liver, Carrots, Blueberries

Original Chicken Adult Cat Recipe - Chicken Thigh, Chicken Heart, Chicken Liver, Carrots, Organic Spearmint

Turkey & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Cats - Turkey Thigh, Turkey Heart, Turkey Liver, Pumpkin, Organic Spearmint.

Chicken & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Cats - Chicken Thigh, Chicken Heart, Chicken Liver, Pumpkin, Organic Spearmint

Raised Right Cat Food

Save 20% on Raised Right

Why Wag! Loves It

Winner of the 2019 Innovation Award for Nutrition
Developed under the guidance of their in-house vet, Dr. Karen Becker.
Low-carb recipes that focus on the high-quality proteins and fats cats need
Each batch of their products is carefully tested for quality assurance

Considerations & Concerns

Since it's a fresh food with no artificial preservatives, so it must be handled carefully to prevent spoilage. Follow the directions on the packaging for thawing and storage.
Unfortunately, Raised Right does not offer a kitten recipe at this time.

What pet parents say about Raised Right

"I love Raised Right. Quality control, timely shipping, my picky cat loves the adult chicken food, and the price is fair. Thank you so much for being the best out there!"

Read more reviews on the Raised Right website.

Image sourced from the Raised Right website. Copyright Raised Right Pets LP.

Freshpet

4.5

Best vet recommended affordable fresh pet food

Fresh Pet was one of the first fresh commercial cat foods to hit pet stores. The company was founded in 2006 with the goal to "revolutionize the way pets are fed, shifting from shelf-stable kibble to recipes made from fresh, natural ingredients."

Nowadays, this food can be found inside special coolers in most US grocers and offers a variety of fresh cat and dog products.

One of the things we like most about this brand is its accessibility. Since fresh pet foods are of higher quality than most kibbles, they are going to be more expensive than budget brands. Still, Freshpet manages to provide great recipes at an affordable price point, a rarity in this industry.

Because of their affordability, quality ingredients, and manufacturing processes, we decided to award FreshPet with an extra half-star.

Freshpet flavors & top 5 ingredients:

Select chicken & beef grain free gourmet paté - chicken, chicken broth, beef, chicken liver, natural flavors

Select grain free gourmet paté with salmon - chicken, chicken broth, beef, chicken liver, salmon

Moisture-rich tender bites tender chicken recipe with garden vegetables - chicken, chicken liver, natural flavors, eggs, carrots

Moisture-rich tender bites chicken & beef recipe with garden vegetables - chicken, chicken liver, beef, natural flavors, carrots

Vital grain free chicken recipe with antioxidant-rich vegetables & eggs - chicken, chicken liver, natural flavors, pea protein, eggs

Vital grain free chicken and beef - chicken, chicken broth, beef, chicken liver, natural flavors

Nature's Fresh grain free chicken recipe with anti-oxidant-rich vegetables -chicken, chicken liver, natural flavors, pea protein, carrots

Freshpet Cat Food

Editor's Choice

Up to 35% off with Chewy Autoship Shop on Petco

Why Wag! Loves It

One of the most widely available fresh cat foods in US stores
Only uses whole ingredients without artificial preservatives or meat by-products or meals
Each batch of food undergoes numerous tests to ensure a consistent and safe product.
Made in human-grade kitchens that are certified by both APHIS and the FDA

Considerations & Concerns

Signs of possible ingredient splitting (particularly the vital recipe, which features two kinds of pea products
While their cat food products have never been subject to recalls, there was a recall of select Freshpet dog food recipes in the summer of 2021 and 2022.

What pet parents say about Freshpet

"My cat is extremely picky, and he cannot eat dry food as it always irritates his stomach. I tried soo many different foods and made many donations to the local SPCA. Luckily, I found this one! My cat even wakes me in the morning to feed him this food. He loves it, and it doesn't irritate his stomach. I have it on autoship so I don't need to worry about running out. So grateful to have found something that works for us both."

Justfoodforcats

Most transparent pet food company

JustFoodForCats is a small cat food line with one fresh food recipe and a single cat treat recipe. Although the line is small, we hope it will expand its offerings because its high-quality products are a favorite of fresh-food lovers nationwide.

This brand prides itself on its human-grade recipes and encourages its customers to tour its open kitchens to have a look for themselves at the care they take in their manufacturing processes. (Their transparent processing practices are a breath of fresh air since the pet food industry hasn't always been the most forthright!)

JustFoodForCats flavors & top 5 ingredients:

Fish & Chicken Cat Food Recipe - Cod, chicken, chicken heart, chicken liver, cassava root

JustFoodForCats Fresh Food

Editor's Choice

Up to 35% off with Chewy Autoship Shop on Petco

Why Wag! Loves It

Vet-developed human-grade recipes
Transparent processing practices
Has undergone feeding trials to ensure they meet or exceed the nutritional requirements for the intended life stage

Considerations & Concerns

Has a short expiration window once thawed (5 days unopened or 3 days opened in fridge)
Unfortunately, this product isn't suitable for kittens or mother cats, but we're hoping they will expand the line!
On the expensive side, this is to be expected with high-quality fresh food.
Some pet parents complain that this food has an unpleasant smell.
While this food has never been recalled, the parent company experienced a recall in 2018 for possible listeria contamination in three of their fresh dog food recipes.

What pet parents say about Justfoodforcats

"My cat loves this food. The ingredients and quality are great. It has a strong smell, which is more appealing to cats than humans, so if you are very sensitive to strong smells, consider this. However, the company provides very high-quality pet foods, which is more important to me than what I think of the smell."

Smalls

Best cat food subscription service

Dog food subscription services are all the rage right now with Farmer's Dog, Ollie, and Spot & Tango— but Smalls is the first subscription service we've found tailored specifically to cats — and we love them for it!

The brand offers 4 different meat-based recipes, with two different preparations—smooth and ground— in each flavor, except fish, which is currently only available in the smooth texture.

Smalls flavors & top 5 ingredients:

Bird (available in smooth and ground) - Chicken, chicken liver, green beans, water sufficient for processing, dried yeast

Other bird (available in smooth and ground) - Turkey, turkey liver, green beans, water sufficient for processing, dried yeast

Cow (available in smooth and ground) - Beef, beef liver, green beans, spinach, water sufficient for processing

Smooth fish - Salmon, cod, green beans, pumpkin, dried yeast

Smalls Cat Food

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Why Wag! Loves It

We calculated that each recipe contains at least 13 to 16.5 grams per 100 k/cal of protein, much higher than the AAFCO requirement of 6.5 grams per 100 kcal for adult cats.
Uses whole ingredients like real meat and veggies and is fortified with vitamins, minerals, folic acid, and essential fatty acids.
Don't like it? No worries! Smalls backs their products with a money-back guarantee
They offer a sampler for your kitty to try 10 different products
Smalls has one of the highest pet food ratings we've ever seen on Trustpilot

Considerations & Concerns

We weren't a fan of how the website is set up, requiring you to make an account and answer several questions about your pets before being able to view the products or their ingredients list.
The website has very little information about the company's history and manufacturing and sourcing practices. (We actually docked our rating for lack of transparency!)
Smalls is a subscription service, which may be a turn-off for people who like to purchase pet food as needed.
Smalls does not offer delivery to PO boxes

What pet parents say about Smalls

"My cat had been getting quite chunky and loosing his spark. Even worse, he was occasionally vomiting up his food. I had tried so many brands of food, but he would not touch them. I finally tried Smalls and he LOVED it from the first meal. He is now not vomiting, is back to bouncing off the walls, and is getting back to a slightly slimmer figure. I'm happy to know he is eating good quality food. With it being better quality, he doesn't act like he is starving all the time. It always arrives fresh and cold. Even with it being a bit pricier, it is totally worth it."

Read more unbiased reviews on TrustPilot.

Image sourced from the Smalls website. Copyright Smalls.

FAQ

How does fresh cat food compare to kibble?

Fresh cat food is minimally processed and has a much higher moisture content than heavily-processed commercial kibble which is cooked and dehydrated at very high temperatures. For this reason, fresh cat food supports better hydration and is usually preferred by picky cats. The minimal processing also preserves the natural nutrients in the food.

What are some considerations when feeding fresh food?

The main thing to remember when switching from dry to fresh food is safe storage practices. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on proper storage and thawing. Be sure to take up any leftover food and refrigerate it to prevent bacterial growth.

Does wet food ruin a cat's teeth?

No, wet food itself will not ruin your cat's smile. The bottom line is that cats will develop tartar and plaque no matter what they eat; that's why it's important to brush your kitty's chompers regularly and have professional dental cleanings as needed.

How does Wag! determine paw ratings for pet food?

Our editorial team conducts independent research when choosing which foods to feature and how to rate them. Our paw ratings are largely based on the ingredients and nutritional content of each food. Here’s a quick guide to what our paw ratings mean:

1 paw: High filler content, meat not listed as first ingredient
2 paws: Meat meal, bone meal or meat by-products listed as first ingredient
3 paws: Named meat listed as first ingredient (e.g., chicken)
4 paws: Same as 3 paws, but also made with whole, limited ingredients and minimal processing
5 paws: Same as 4 paws, but is also veterinarian or veterinary body approved and includes human-grade ingredients
Half-paws may be awarded for extra benefits, like affordability, trustworthiness, etc.