Tiki Cat Food Review 2024

Tiki Cat touts itself as “the carnivore diet cats were born to eat.” Inspired by the natural prey diet of felines, Tiki Cat offers a wide selection of meat-forward, high-protein foods, meal toppers, and treats. Its focus is on wet recipes, which provide up to 95% protein and high moisture levels. All Tiki Cat products use non-GMO, identifiable ingredients and are designed to meet the nutritional needs of cats across different life stages. 

Tiki Cat’s use of real ingredients and broad range of offerings has made it the preferred brand of many pet parents. But is Tiki Cat the right food for your kitty? Let’s dig a little deeper into its product lines, history, pros and cons, and more to find out! 

Tiki Cat offers an impressive range of flavors and textures across more than a dozen lines of wet food, dry food, treats, and meal toppers to please even the fussiest eaters. Let’s check them out!

After Dark

The After Dark line comprises hearty meals packed with “dark” and delicious organ meats like liver, gizzard, and heart in savory broth. There are 10 flavors to choose from, including Chicken, Chicken & Beef, Chicken & Duck, Chicken & Lamb, Chicken & Pork, Chicken & Quail Egg, New Zealand-Sourced Beef & Beef Liver, New Zealand-Sourced Duck & Chicken Liver, New Zealand-Sourced Rabbit & Chicken-Liver, and New Zealand-Sourced Venison & Beef Liver. Each recipe comes in one or more of the following textures: shredded, pâté, Pâté+ (pâté with meaty morsels), and Velvet Mousse (smooth, silky mousse). 

Aloha Friends

Aloha Friends is ideal for felines with sensitive stomachs. All the recipes in this wet food line contain real tuna or chicken as the first ingredient, plus easy-to-digest pumpkin and other fish, seafood, or meat. Flavors include Chicken, Pumpkin & Beef; Chicken, Pumpkin & Duck; Chicken, Pumpkin & Egg; Chicken, Pumpkin & Lamb; Chicken & Pumpkin; Tuna, Calamari & Pumpkin; Tuna, Ocean Whitefish & Pumpkin; Tuna & Pumpkin; Tuna, Shrimp & Pumpkin; and Tuna, Tilapia & Pumpkin. 

Baby

Baby is Tiki Cat’s line for kittens, with products for the different stages of kittenhood. Tiki Cat Baby recipes are high in protein and fat to support early growth and feature DHA for brain health, taurine for heart health, and prebiotics for digestive health. 

For weaning kittens who are transitioning to solid food, there’s Mousse & Shreds Chicken, Duck & Duck Liver; Mousse & Shreds Chicken, Salmon & Chicken Liver; Mousse & Shreds Chicken, Tuna & Chicken Liver; Mousse with Salmon & Chicken; and Mousse with Chicken & Chicken Liver. Kittens who are underweight or losing weight will benefit from the high-calorie supplement Thrive Chicken & Chicken Liver. Older kittens can enjoy Kitten Health: Deboned Chicken & Egg dry food, as well as four canned recipes: Chicken & Egg; Chicken, Duck & Duck Liver; Chicken & Salmon; and Chicken, Tuna & Chicken Liver. 

Born Carnivore

Born Carnivore is Tiki Cat’s only dry food line. Inspired by cats’ natural diets, these minimally processed, baked recipes offer 44% average protein and list real chicken, fish, or turkey as the first ingredient. They also contain pumpkin, salmon oil, flaxseed, peas, chickpeas, and essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin E, and folate. All ingredients are non-GMO.

The eight Born Carnivore dry cat food flavors are: High Protein: Deboned Chicken & Egg; High Protein: Chicken, Herring & Salmon Meal; High Protein: Herring & Salmon Meal; Indoor Health: Trout & Menhaden Fish Meal; Indoor Health: Chicken & Turkey Meal; Senior Health: Chicken & Herring Meal; Kitten Health: Deboned Chicken & Egg; and Optimal Weight: Turkey.

Grill

Grill is Tiki Cat’s seafood-only line for fish-loving felines. These high-protein recipes are made with tuna, mackerel, sardines, crab surimi, prawn, crab, and calamari and contain no fruits or vegetables. Flavors include Mackerel & Sardines Pate, Sardines Pate, Tuna & Crab Surimi Pate, Sardines & Lobster Consomme Pate, Tuna & Prawn Pate, Tuna & Crab Pate, Hawaiian Grill Ahi Tuna, Hana Grill Ahi Tuna & Crab, Manana Grill Ahi Tuna & Prawns, Makaha Grill Mackerel & Sardines, Tahitian Grill Sardine Cutlets in Sardine Consomme, Bora Bora Grill Sardine Cutlets in Lobster Consomme, and Lanai Grill Tuna & Crab Surimi.

Luau

Chicken and fish are the main ingredients in the recipes under the Luau line. Each hand-packed can contains flaked fish and shredded chicken in consommé or finely minced fish and chicken in broth, as well as supplements like vitamin E, vitamin D3, thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin B12. Some flavors are also available as a creamy mousse.

The Luau flavors are: Hookena Luau Ahi Tuna & Chicken, Tuna & Chicken Pate, Papeekeo Luau Ahi Tuna & Mackerel, Tuna & Mackerel Pate, Koolina Luau Chicken & Egg, Chicken & Egg Pate, Oahu Luau Seabass, Seabass Pate, Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken, Succulent Chicken Pate, Kapi'Olani Luau Tilapia, Tilapia Pate, Hanalei Luau Wild Salmon, Wild Salmon Pate, Napili Luau Wild Salmon & Chicken, Wild Salmon & Chicken Pate, Velvet Mousse Chicken, Velvet Mousse Chicken & Salmon, Velvet Mousse Chicken & Egg, Velvet Mousse Tuna & Chicken, Velvet Mousse Tuna & Mackerel, and Velvet Mousse Salmon.

Silver

Silver is made especially for older cats ages 11 and up. The recipes in this line are high in protein to maintain weight and muscle mass and low in phosphorus to support kidney health. They also contain optimal omega fatty acids, vitamins, and taurine to help your cat thrive in their golden years. 

The wet foods under the Silver line come in three easy-to-eat textures: Mousse with Salmon & Pumpkin; Mousse with Chicken & Pumpkin; Mousse & Shreds Chicken, Salmon & Chicken Liver; Mousse & Shreds with Chicken, Duck & Duck Liver; Whole Foods with Chicken; and Whole Foods with Tuna & Mackerel. Senior cats who still prefer kibble can munch on Senior Health: Chicken & Herring Meal, while those who need an appetite booster can incorporate the high-calorie supplement Comfort Chicken & Chicken Liver into their diets.

Special

The Special line consists of mousse recipes that are not only delicious but also functional. Made with ingredients such as chicken, egg, turkey, pumpkin, duck liver, salmon oil, and coconut oil, these high-protein, high-moisture formulas are especially designed to improve digestion, support joint health, promote a healthy skin and coat, or maintain a healthy weight. There are five flavors, including Digestion: Chicken & Egg; Fussy: Duck Liver & Egg; Mobility: Chicken & Tuna; Skin & Coat: Salmon; Light: Chicken, Turkey & Pumpkin.

Meal Toppers

Tiki Cat has three lines of Born Carnivore meal toppers that are great for pairing with your cat’s regular food: Broths, which are made with real meat and include meaty bits; Complements, which have only 2 or 3 ingredients but boast 80% protein; and Functions, which offer functional benefits like digestion support and healthy weight management. Aside from adding aroma and flavor to entice picky eaters, these wet meal toppers provide important extra hydration as well. 

Tiki Cat meal toppers are available in the following flavors:

Broths

• Beef
  
• Chicken
  
• Duck & Chicken
  
• Salmon 
  
• Tuna
  

Complements

• Chicken
  
• Chicken & Beef
  
• Chicken & Duck
  
• Chicken & Egg
  
• Chicken & Salmon
  

Functions

• Digestion: Pumpkin
  
• Fit: Chicken & Turkey
  
• Fussy: Tuna
  
• Skin & Coat: Salmon
  
• Silver: Chicken & Duck Liver
  
• Baby: Chicken & Chicken Liver

Treats 

Like its wet and dry foods, Tiki Cat’s treats are high in protein and made with real meat, poultry, and fish. They also come in various textures to cater to different preferences. Crunchers are baked crunchy treats, Filets are steamed whole tuna or salmon filets, Soft & Chewy are soft and chewy treats, and Stix are meaty mousse in convenient single-serve tubes. 

Tiki Cat treats are available in the following flavors:

Crunchers

• Chicken
  
• Tuna
  

Filets

• Salmon
  
• Tuna
  

Soft & Chewy

• Baby Mini Treats Chicken
  
• Chicken
  
• Tuna
  

Stix

• Chicken & Shrimp
  
• Duck
  
• Salmon
  
• Tuna & Scallops
  
• Chicken 
  
• Tuna
  

Here are some of the things that make Tiki Cat a highly rated cat food!

Wide range of products

Tiki Cat boasts plenty of variety across its several product lines. With over 40 different flavors and textures, there’s something for every feline! Products include wet and dry foods, meal toppers, and treats, while textures range from whole foods to mousse. All products can be served alone or combined to expose cats to different ingredients and nutritional benefits. 

High in animal protein

As obligate carnivores, cats get their nutrients from animal-based diets. Tiki Cat foods always start with high-quality protein from animal sources such as chicken and tuna; dry recipes offer up to 47% protein while wet recipes offer up to a whopping 95% protein! Additionally, all products are made with non-GMO ingredients and contain no animal by-products, corn, white potatoes, wheat, or artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

Human-grade kitchens

Tiki Cat wet foods are manufactured in Thailand, which produces millions of pounds of human food every year for other countries. Tiki products are hand-packed in facilities that also make food for human consumption. 

Options for kittens and seniors

While some brands have only a couple or no options for younger and older felines, Tiki has product lines just for kittens and senior cats. Both Baby and Silver have wet and dry foods, meal toppers, and supplements that meet the unique nutritional needs of these specific life stages. 

Vet recommended

Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, pet nutrition expert and one of Wag!’s veterinary consultants, personally recommends Tiki Cat to her clients. 

Dr. Jeremiah says, “Tiki Cat cat food is known for high-quality, human-grade ingredients, focusing on natural, whole foods, rich animal proteins, limited ingredient options for sensitive cats, grain-free, low-carb recipes, and palatable flavors for picky eaters.”

What should pet parents consider before buying Tiki Cat?

Expensive

Since Tiki Cat is a premium brand made with high-quality natural ingredients, it’s not surprising that it’s on the pricey side. For example, a case of a dozen 2.8-ounce cans of After Dark Chicken & Quail Egg is $26.28, which works out to $2.19 per can or $0.79 per ounce. A 2.8-pound bag of Born Carnivore High Protein: Chicken, Herring & Salmon Meal costs $19.66, which is $7.03 per pound.

Some cats won’t eat it

A common gripe pet parents have about Tiki Cat is that their cats won’t eat it. While cat moms and dads love the ingredients, some felines turn up their nose at certain variants, so you may have to try different flavors and textures to see what your cat likes. 

Concerns about fish recipes

Despite popular belief, fish isn’t a natural part of the feline diet and is actually an allergen for cats. Fish may also contribute to urinary tract problems and hyperthyroidism in cats. 

“Tiki Cat After Dark is my number one recommendation for a wet food that’s nutritionally complete and made with premium high quality ingredients. It’s well made and smells like human grade food, and the broth is perfectly portioned. I feel good feeding my cats this, because it’s the closest to their natural diet, without grains and fillers. This has been my go-to food since my cats were a year old, and my number one brand since I adopted both of my babies at six weeks old. The pates are equally good for a cat that prefers that texture. For my bougie babies, After Dark is worth every cent. I’ve heard from others that the quail egg is too large, but one of my cats loves it while the other leaves it. That’s the only one they don’t really go crazy for. If you can afford it, you should try it and see how your cats love it.”

“After my kitty was diagnosed with diabetes, I was instructed to give her high protein, zero carb food… I tried several wet food brands until finding Tiki Cat after dark, and I’m honestly impressed with the quality. It’s literally pure, shredded meats, plus one of the variety [packs] includes a real hard boiled quail egg — very cute & very healthy! My cat is now off insulin, and eating only Tiki Cat (with occasional healthy treats). Highly recommend!”

“I really like the wet Tiki canned cat food. I have tried all different versions and my cat likes them all. What I notice more [than] anything [is] that within 1 week of feeding Tiki to my cat, her dandruff is completely gone. She is pure black so those little white flakes really stand out. She has absolutely no more white flakey skin now that her diet is all Tiki. It’s expensive but well worth it I believe.”

Read more reviews on Chewy.

Tiki Cat is a sub-brand of Tiki Pets. Launched in 2005, Tiki Pets is known for offering minimally processed foods and treats that mimic the natural prey diets of cats and dogs. In 2015, Petropics, the maker of Tiki Pets, merged with Cloud Star to form Whitebridge Pet Brands. 

Whitebridge’s goal is to help pet parents bring health and happiness to their companion animals through better nutrition. The company currently owns about a dozen brands that offer natural and minimally processed foods, treats, and supplements. 

In an interview with Pet Age, CEO Olivier Amice said, “The bulk of the dog and cat food market is dry and most of that is extruded kibble. For [Whitebridge Pet Brands], dry kibble is a tiny percentage of what we do. While kibble is convenient and less pricey for the consumer, we believe other food formats are better for pets. Hydration through food, variety and limited processing provides better nutrition for humans and pets too! This is the reason our focus is on wet, including raw foods and healthy treats.”

In 2020, Tiki Pets made sure dogs and cats in need received high-quality nutrition by donating $750,000 worth of Tiki Cat and Tiki Dog foods to shelters, rescues, and foster families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The donations provided 348,000 meals for cats and 100,000 meals for small dogs.

In addition to Tiki Pets, Whitebridge Pet Brands also owns Cloud Star, Schesir, Dogswell, and Buddy Biscuits. The company has offices in St. Louis, Missouri and Genoa, Italy, and has distribution in over 25 countries around the world.  

Great news for pet parents: Tiki Cat has never been recalled.

Product images sourced from Chewy. Copyright Tiki Pets.