Farmina Cat Food Review 2024

Farmina is an Italian pet food brand that’s inspired by nature and guided by science. It relies on scientific studies and academic partnerships to formulate its dog and cat foods, which are made with high-quality ingredients such as animals raised without antibiotics and hormones. In addition to collaborating with leading universities around the world, Farmina has its own research team composed of top professionals in nutrition, veterinary medicine, and food formulation.

Farmina offers a wide range of wet and dry foods for cats, which includes grain-free, grain-inclusive, and limited ingredient options. 

Is Farmina the right food for your feline friend? Let’s find out by exploring the brand’s products, pros, cons, history, and more!

Farmina offers 64 wet and dry foods for cats across 2 main product lines. Let’s dive in!

Natural & Delicious

Natural & Delicious is Farmina’s main product line. All products feature a low glycemic index and release energy gradually throughout the day by including few or no grains. They’re also naturally preserved with antioxidants and nitrogen flushing and contain vitamins that last longer thanks to cold infusion technology.

Described as the nutritional system for carnivores, Natural & Delicious comprises six sub-lines. Read on to learn about each one.

N&D Quinoa

N&D Quinoa is a functional line developed for adult cats with specific nutritional needs. Each recipe contains over 92% protein from animal sources such as duck, lamb, herring, quail, and venison, which are listed as the first ingredient. Quinoa provides additional protein, as well as essential amino acids and natural antioxidants. 

Other beneficial ingredients include coconut, cranberries, chamomile, broccoli, asparagus, fennel, mint, sweet potatoes, and turmeric. The six dry and seven wet recipes in this line are designed to support a cat’s urinary tract, digestion, skin and coat, and weight. 

N&D Prime

N&D Prime was the first Natural & Delicious sub-line developed by Farmina. There are five dry and four wet recipes in this line; most are for adult cats, with a few options for kittens and cats who are pregnant or nursing. All recipes are made without grains and contain 98% protein from animals, with chicken, boar, or lamb being listed as the first ingredient. 

Other ingredients include herring, eggs, sweet potatoes, carrots, alfalfa, peas, spinach, blueberries, pomegranate, apples, and psyllium husk. Essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, DL-methionine, taurine, and L-carnitine are included as well. 

N&D Ocean

N&D Ocean is the fish-only line, comprising five dry and eight wet recipes for adult cats, kittens, and cats who are pregnant or nursing. All recipes start with fish ingredients such as herring, cod, trout, salmon, tuna, sea bass, and/or sardine. Some recipes also include squid and shrimp.

Except for one dry formula, all of the recipes in this line are grain-free. The dry recipes contain between 94% and 98% protein of animal origin, and the wet recipes are made without gum or carrageenan and come in BPA-free cans. 

N&D Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a common ingredient in Italian cuisine, and it’s the star of the N&D Pumpkin line. Rich in natural antioxidants and soluble fiber, pumpkin is featured in the five dry and six wet recipes in this grain-free line for adult cats. 

Each recipe consists of 96% protein from animals and starts with an animal-based protein like quail, lamb, duck, venison, chicken, or boar. Aside from pumpkin, fruits and veggies in N&D Pumpkin include alfalfa, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, blueberries, sweet orange, pomegranate, and apples. These recipes are also enriched with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, ascorbic acid, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B12, choline, manganese and copper. 

N&D Ancestral Grain

N&D Ancestral Grain is Farmina’s grain-inclusive line, consisting of three dry recipes for adult cats including neutered felines. The recipes are made with whole oats and whole spelt. Oats have vitamin B, vitamin E, iron, zinc, and selenium. Spelt is a good source of iron, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and niacin. 

Each recipe lists chicken or lamb as the first ingredient and contains 94% protein of animal origin. Other ingredients include eggs, chicken fat, herring, herring oil, apples, spinach, brewer’s yeast, and turmeric.

N&D Tropical Selection

N&D Tropical Selection is a new addition to the Natural & Delicious family. Formulated for adult cats, this line comprises three dry recipes that are made with five tropical fruits selected for their nutritional benefits: papaya, mango, kiwi, pineapple, and banana. 

The recipes in this line are also grain-inclusive and make use of ancient grains spelt and oats, which are low glycemic index foods that help regulate blood sugar. Each recipe lists chicken or lamb as the first ingredient and consists of 92% protein of animal origin. 

VetLife

VetLife offers natural nutritional solutions to different health issues. The six dry and six wet recipes in this prescription-only line are designed to treat and prevent certain conditions, including intestinal absorption disorders, struvite stones, renal insufficiency, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, cystitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and obesity.

All VetLife products are grain-inclusive, with rice, spelt, and/or oats being used in the dry recipes, and quinoa seed in the wet recipes. Chicken is usually the top animal ingredient, and only the formulas for sensitive skin are chicken-free.

Here are some of the reasons why Farmina is a highly rated cat food!

Wide range of products

Farmina’s offerings for cats consist of more than 60 products that cater to different diets, lifestyles, and preferences. Its wet and dry recipes include grain-free, grain-inclusive, and single animal protein options. Many of its recipes also use novel protein sources like boar, duck, quail, and venison, making them suitable for cats with food sensitivities. 

Made with high-quality ingredients

Farmina cat foods are made with carefully selected raw materials that provide optimal nutrition. Animals only come from certified farms that are raised on GMO-free diets and without antibiotics or hormones. Artificial preservatives and GMO ingredients are never included to avoid any potential harmful effects. Additionally, Farmina uses just-in-time production to ensure the freshness and quality of its products.

Vet recommended

Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, pet nutrition expert and one of Wag!’s veterinary consultants, personally recommends Farmina to her clients. She notes, “Farmina offers a broad range of wet and dry cat foods, including prescription lines tailored for specific medical conditions. Diets are high in animal-origin protein and with innovative nutrient profiles and their limited-ingredient diets are rich in antioxidants without cereals or artificial preservatives. Whilst these diets are a great choice for most felines, they do have a higher-price point than most commercially available diets.”

Backed by scientific research

Farmina’s Natural & Delicious and VetLife product lines were formulated following years of scientific research by the company’s own Farmina Vet Research (FVR) team and the Chair of Animal Nutrition of the University of Naples Federico II. The team has also worked closely with other prestigious universities including Cornell University, the University of Belgrade, the University of Messina, and the University of Ljubljana. Over the years, FVR and its collaborators have published studies in notable medical journals. These include:

• The usefulness of a hydrolysed fish and rice starch elimination diet for the diagnosis of adverse food reactions in cats: an open clinical trial 
• A diet to prevent struvite urolithiasis in cats
• Nutritional treatment of gastrointestinal diseases in cats

Cares about animal welfare

Farmina takes pride in its cruelty-free clinical trials. Some pet food companies that run trials employ laboratories that use animals kept solely for animal testing. Farmina collaborates with a network of veterinarians around the world to find cats and dogs to participate in its trials. These cats and dogs remain with their families throughout the trial period, and the only change they experience is their diet. 

What do pet parents need to consider before buying Farmina cat food?

Limited options for kittens

Most Farmina recipes are made for adult cats. Under the Natural & Delicious line, only two wet recipes and two dry recipes are formulated for kittens. While this is a non-issue for some pet parents, you’ll have to consider other brands if you want more variety. 

Some cats won’t eat it

Some pet parents have reported that their cats turned up their noses at certain flavors, so you may have to try a few different products before finding something your cat likes.  

Pricey 

Because Farmina is made with high-quality, non-GMO ingredients, you can expect to pay more for it. For example, a 3.3-pound bag of N&D Chicken and Pomegranate costs $31.37, which works out to $9.51 per pound.

“This dry food is the only food my cat will eat come rain or shine. I first discovered it when we lived in North Carolina in a privately owned store in Chapel Hill. It was recommended because of the great ingredients and lack of fillers. It is imported so [it] is expensive, but Ivy eats every single little kibble- nothing left on the plate. I used to buy the duck and melon but it is harder to find. But this flavor she loves.”

“My cat went crazy over this stuff. She can’t wait for me to scoop some out of the bag and put it in her dry food bowl. Within a few days, I saw a noticeable difference - reduced shedding, a soft healthy coat and no vomiting. Although it’s the most expensive dry cat food I’ve ever purchased, it’s definitely made an improvement in her overall condition.”

“Long ago my cats had some health issues and their coats were getting very dry looking. I went to a local pet store and asked for a suggestion based on a brand my vet had suggested. They did not have the type I wanted but suggested Farmina natural and delicious as it was a close fit for what I needed. What a difference! They just seemed more energetic and their coats became so soft and silky! This is great natural food! Beware of what is in most brands, even the fancy ones. This stuff is great!”

Read more reviews on Chewy.

Farmina’s history began in Italy in 1965 when Francesco Russo founded the Russo Mangimi company, which specialized in animal nutrition.

In 1999, Francesco’s son, Dr. Angelo Russo, decided to enter the pet food industry and shift the company’s focus. With a passion for animals, Dr. Russo set out to develop foods that were based on scientific studies and centered on the well-being of pets.

Dr. Russo began working with Farmina, an English food research and formulation company. As positive feedback from customers came in, the company invested more in technological research and development. Farmina eventually partnered with leading independent research institutes, including the Chair of Nutrition and Animal Nutrition of the University of Naples Federico II.

Today, Farmina has four manufacturing facilities in Italy, Serbia, and Brazil. Its products can be found in more than 65 countries and on 5 continents around the world.

Farmina has never been involved in any recalls.

Product images sourced from Chewy. Copyright Farmina Pet Food.