We give Darwin’s Pet brand an overall rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Raw pet diets have become widely available in the last decade as more and more owners see the value in feeding uncooked, unprocessed nutrition. But finding a truly raw diet for cats that’s high quality and won’t rob from your human grocery fund is still a challenge.
That’s where Darwin’s Pet comes in. This pet food subscription service offers quality, truly raw cat food options made with 98%+ raw meat, ground bone, and organs. Best of all, this is one of the most affordable raw cat food brands, pound-for-pound, you’re going to find.
My cat, Makoa, and I had a chance to try three Darwin’s Pet raw recipes and one of their most popular freeze-dried treats. Keep reading to find out how Makoa took to this new diet and whether this raw-food subscription option is right for you and your cat.
At a Glance: Darwin’s Pet Recipes
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Cat Food
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Darwin's Pet Food Natural Selections Raw Cat Food |
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Cat Treats
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Darwin's Pet Food Freeze-Dried Raw Beef Liver Treats |
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About Darwin’s Pet
Darwin’s Pet was one of the first raw pet food subscription brands on the market. For two decades, they have offered affordable, high-quality raw feeding options for cats and dogs. In addition to their Natural Selections line, they also offer prescription-style raw recipes, including an option for cats with kidney disease.
Who Makes Darwin’s Pet and Where Is It Produced?
Darwin’s Pet was started by Gary Tashjian, a dog owner who was determined to help his aging dog find relief from chronic arthritis. After switching from kibble to a raw diet, he saw remarkable improvement. Wanting to share his discovery with other pet owners, he started making and selling raw dog food out of the back of his car.
Today, Gary is still sharing raw food with pet owners around the country through the company’s subscription program. Each box of nutritious Darwin’s Pet food is manufactured at the company’s Tukwila, Washington, facility.
Which Types of Cats is Darwin’s Pet Best Suited For?
Darwin’s Pet raw cat food recipes are designed for all breeds and all life stages. They are a great option for kittens, adults, and senior cats. As with all new foods, a transition period may be needed to help your cat get used to the new texture and allow their tummies to adjust to raw nutrition.
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Key Features
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Primary Ingredients
All of Darwin’s Pet Natural Selection raw cat food recipes contain 98% fresh meat ingredients, including muscle meat, ground bone, and at least 37% organ meat.
Raw meat ingredients provide an excellent source of protein, necessary fats, and the full spectrum of amino acids that cats need to thrive. Ground bone is necessary to provide optimal calcium levels for healthy bones and muscles. And organ meats provide trace minerals and vital amino acids not found in high amounts in muscle meat, including taurine.
The other 2% of each serving of Darwin’s Pet consists of added fish oil and cod liver oil, providing healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Each recipe also contains a handful of trace minerals to fill gaps, additional taurine, and a small amount of tomato pumice for color and texture.
Ingredient Sourcing
All ingredients in Darwin’s Pet Foods are USDA human-grade. The meat is antibiotic-free and hormone-free. The company works with a small number of farms to ensure animals are raised in ethical, humane conditions before they are processed.
The ingredients are not USDA-certified organic, and the country of origin is not always stated. However, they do not work with farms in China and get most of their meat from the US, with additional farming partners located in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Packaging
Each “package” of Darwin’s Pet Natural Selection cat food contains four separate pouches for easier feeding. Each of these pouches contains about 2 ounces of food. For the average large cat, this will be enough for a single day of meals.
The single-serving pouches tear easily away from the others so that you can thaw one meal at a time. The top of each serving peels back easily, and each new subscription includes a convenient reusable container to keep food fresh between meals.
Subscription Options
Darwin’s Pet products and recipes can be purchased one-time or ordered as a subscription with automatic recurring delivery.
You can choose how many packages you want delivered and how often (every week to every 20 weeks). You can also mix and match different recipes to ensure your cat gets variety in flavors and nutrition.
Choosing the subscription option will save you 10% per order. Orders over $20 also qualify for free shipping in the US.
Our Reviews of the Products We Received
1. Natural Selections Raw Cat Food
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I received three flavors of Darwin’s Pet Natural Selections Raw Cat Food:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Poultry Blend
The chicken option features whole chicken with bone, as well as chicken gizzards, hearts, and livers.
The turkey option features whole turkey with bone, turkey meat, and turkey gizzards, hearts, and livers.
The poultry blend option contains whole chicken, turkey organs, and duck heads to provide a unique blend of nutrients.
Each recipe also contains fish oil, cod liver oil, added taurine, and trace minerals.
Both the chicken and turkey recipes contain only one protein source, though the addition of fish oil means neither is “single ingredient” in terms of allergy concerns. However, all three options are great choices for cats with sensitivities to beef or lamb.
I started my cat, Makoa, on the chicken recipe because it had the closest protein profile to his normal food. He was a fan from bite one and never turned back. After a few days on chicken, I switched to the poultry blend, since I figured it would be a good transition option. And then, after the first week, I moved on to feeding the turkey recipe.
He loved all three and ate them with equal gusto!
I was also very impressed with these recipes. They are super high in meat and contain a great mix of organs and ground bone. These are vital ingredients for delivering the complex nutrition cats need, and are often left out of traditional cat food recipes.
I also love that Darwin’s Pet recipes are all truly raw. The ingredients are not “gently cooked,” high-pressure processed, pasteurized, or exposed to any other processing technique that reduces nutritional value. They are frozen fresh and shipped frozen to ensure your cat gets all the benefits these ingredients offer.
2. Freeze-Dried Raw Beef Liver Treats
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I also got to test one of Darwin’s Pet’s treat options, their Freeze-Dried Raw Beef Liver Treats.
As a dog trainer, freeze-dried liver was always my go-to for a high-value treat for picky dogs. That’s because this treat option has an enticing scent, a potent flavor, and is easy to carry around and store.
All of these are also the reasons this is my go-to treat for Makoa. He is a huge fan of these treats and will do just about anything to get to them, including battling difficult treat balls and puzzle toys. Translation: these are a great option for hyperactive cats that need something to do that isn’t tearing up your couch.
Each bag of Freeze-Dried Raw Beef Liver Treats contains only one ingredient: beef liver. Like all of Darwin’s offerings, the beef for this product is USDA human-grade. It is also 100% US sourced.
Each bag contains just over 2 ounces of diced, freeze-dried liver. The pieces range in size from about ½ an inch square to smaller bits. They are perfect for topping your pet’s meals for an extra boost of nutrition, using as training treats, or just as an occasional snack for good behavior.
Our Experience With Darwin’s Pet Cat Food
I have been casually searching for an affordable raw food option for my cat, Makoa, for quite a while now. I have found a few great choices he enjoyed, but none were priced well enough for me to feed them long-term.
That’s where Darwin’s is different.
The recipes I got to try contained the perfect combination of high meat, high organ content, ground bone, and minimal additional ingredients. And the price point is much more reasonable than most other options of this caliber I’ve tried.
Those savings likely come from two places.
First, Darwin’s has been doing this for a long time. They were one of the first raw companies to embrace a strictly e-commerce business model. So I’m guessing they’ve gotten good at minimizing costs over time.
The second likely has to do with the fact that they aren’t using organic meat. While organic would be preferred, I’m confident in the quality of the human-grade meat being used and happy to feed it if doing so means my cat gets to enjoy a lifetime of it rather than just the occasional, high-priced indulgence.
Speaking of my cat, Makoa absolutely loves this food. It’s been a while since he has had a raw meal, but he took to these recipes instantly. I transitioned him relatively quickly, due largely to how eager he was to eat it, and he had zero digestive issues or reservations.
I’m not sure he has noticed there are different recipes, because he eats them all with equal gusto and always licks his plate clean.
It’s only been about ten days since he made the switch, but I’ve already noticed his chronic eye infections and tear stains are clearing up. And he looks a little svelter than he did on kibble.
I’m excited about Darwin’s subscription options and definitely see this as a long-term raw option for Makoa.
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Conclusion
If you’re hunting for a raw cat food option that is made with plenty of high-quality meat ingredients, truly raw, and affordable enough for a long-term commitment, Darwin’s Pet is the place to go.
This raw, never-cooked, minimally processed cat food option is packed with human-grade meat, organs, and bone meal, and is served in easy-to-open single-serving packages, delivered right to your door. Raw has seriously never been so easy or affordable.
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