Freshpet Cat Food Review of 2026: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Review Summary

Freshpet produces several lines of soft food for dogs and cats. The soft food uses a formula closer to a cat’s natural diet. It uses only high-quality ingredients and contains no chemical preservatives or dyes. The ingredients are locally sourced in the USA when possible and steam-cooked to preserve nutrient integrity. We highly recommend this brand as the primary food or as an extra treat.

At a Glance: The Best Freshpet Cat Food Recipes:

Image	Product	Details
Best Overall	Freshpet Cat Food Nature's Fresh Chicken Egg, 16 Ounce	Taurine Chicken first ingredient No corn, wheat, or soy	CHECK PRICE
Best Value	Freshpet Vital Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Complete & Balanced Dry Cat F	Omega fats Chicken first ingredient No preservatives	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice	Freshpet Select Chicken & Beef Grain Free Gourmet Pate For Cats	Limited ingredients No artificial colors or preservatives Contains chicken and beef	CHECK PRICE

Freshpet Cat Food Reviewed

Let’s take an in-depth look at Freshpet so we can learn more about it.

Who Makes Freshpet, and Where Is It Produced?

The Freshpet company is in Bethlehem, PA, United States, and they make Freshpet foods in their local factory using locally sourced ingredients when possible.

Which Types of Pets Is Freshpet Best Suited For?

Freshpet is suitable for all cats. It’s packed with antioxidants, protein, omega fats, and more to help your cat stay healthy. There are no chemical preservatives or dyes, and it only contains limited ingredients, with chicken or beef at the top of the list.

Which Types of Pets Might Do Better with a Different Brand?

Some cats can be picky eaters and might refuse to change brands. You may also have a cat with health issues requiring a specific brand of food your vet has prescribed.

Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

The Freshpet brand uses very limited ingredient recipes to minimize the risk of an allergic reaction. They only use whole meat like chicken and beef and real fruits and vegetables to keep the food as natural as possible.

One natural ingredient added to a lot of fresh pet recipes is taurine. You can only find taurine in animal proteins, and it’s an essential nutrient for cats. It’s critical for vision, digestion, and heart function and helps boost the immune system.

Ethically sourced ingredients

All ingredients in Freshpet cat food are ethically sourced from the United States. The chicken is certified humanely raised and vegetarian fed, and there are no antibiotics or added growth hormones. No ingredients come from China, where they have lower standards for pet food.

No by-products or chemical preservatives

There is no meat meal or by-products in the ingredients and no chemical preservatives like BHA or BHT, which can have serious consequences for your cat’s health. There are also no artificial colors that can cause an allergic reaction or other health problems.

High moisture content

Despite having several fountains around our home, many of our cats still struggle to drink enough water. The high moisture content in Freshpet food can hydrate your cat and relieve diarrhea and dandruff caused by dry skin. The moisture level often drops too low in the home when the furnace is running, which can dry out your cat’s skin. Freshpet can help replenish that moisture.

Doesn’t clean teeth

One downside of Freshpet is that the soft food does not do much to clean your cat’s teeth. Feline dental disease is a severe problem that affects all breeds. Some studies show that 50% to 90% of cats over 4 years old have dental issues. While soft food can be much easier for cats with sore teeth to eat, it does little to prevent the onset of dental disease.

Dry cat food scraps away plaque and tarter and keeps the teeth cleaner. If your cat allows it, you can also manually brush your pet’s teeth using pet-safe toothpaste. Avoid using human toothpaste because it may contain harmful chemicals.

Hepper NomNom - Spill Proof Elevated Cat Bowl

• NO MESS - The 360° tray on this cat food and water bowl set has a raised design to catch and...
• WHISKER FRIENDLY - Shallow and wide metal containers with flat bottoms ensure your kitty can enjoy...
• CHEW-SAFE MATERIALS - Kittens and cats love chewing on silicone and soft rubber - but it's a choking...

Feeding your cat a high-quality diet is important for keeping them healthy and happy. But it goes beyond the food you choose; the dishes they use also matter. The Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl is our favorite for its unique, five-star design that protects from whisker fatigue and promotes good posture which also aids in better digestion. As an added bonus, it’s beautifully crafted and offers a modern take on the traditional cat bowl that fits seamlessly with all home stylings. Learn more about the NomNom by clicking here.

At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

 

 

A Quick Look at Freshpet Cat Food

Recall History

So far, there have not been any recalls of Freshpet cat food. While that is undoubtedly good news, the company has only been active since 2006 and is relatively new compared to many other brands.

Frespet did issue a recall regarding its dog food Freshpet Select Fresh From the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe in 2022 due to potential salmonella poisoning, but so far, there haven’t been any recalls regarding cat food.

Reviews of the 3 Best Freshpet Cat Food Recipes

1. Freshpet Cat Food Nature’s Fresh Chicken, 16 Ounce

Freshpet, Cat Food Nature’s Fresh Chicken, 16 Ounce is a soft kibble type of food that most of our cats enjoy. It features certified, ethically raised, vegetarian-fed chicken as the top ingredient, and it has taurine, which helps with numerous biological functions in a cat. There is no corn, wheat, or soy to upset your cat’s sensitive digestive system and no gluten to raise blood sugar.

The biggest downside to Freshpet, Cat Food Nature’s Fresh Chicken is that it always needs refrigeration and only lasts 7 days after opening.

Calorie Breakdown:

2. Freshpet Vital Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Complete & Balanced Dry Cat Food

Freshpet Vital Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Complete & Balanced Dry Cat Food is another high-moisture soft cat food that contains no chemical preservatives or artificial dyes. There are no meat by-products, and all the protein comes from ethically sourced chicken, which is also the top ingredient. The recipe has few ingredients, so there is little chance of an allergic reaction, and fish oil provides healthy omega fats.

The biggest downside to Freshpet Vital is that the protein level is a little low for cat food at 17%. We like our foods to contain at least 20%. Like the previous brand, this recipe requires refrigeration and spoils relatively quickly.

Calorie Breakdown:

3. Freshpet Select Chicken & Beef Grain Free Gourmet Pate For Cats

Freshpet Select Chicken & Beef Grain Free Gourmet Pate For Cats is a cat food loaf that resembles cookie dough. It uses real chicken and beef and has chicken listed as the top ingredient. Like the others, it contains limited ingredients and no artificial colors or preservatives.

The biggest downside to Freshpet Select is that it is hard to find anywhere except the main website, so it can be inconvenient to refill your supply. Like the others, it also requires refrigeration and spoils quickly. Since it was in a plastic wrapping, it was hard to reseal, so if you use it, you’ll want to have an airtight container, or the food will dry out quickly.

Calorie Breakdown:

What Other Users Are Saying

Conclusion

When looking for a new brand of food for your cat, Freshpet is an excellent choice. Few ingredients and ethically raised chicken provide your cat with a high-protein food that closely resembles their instinctual diet. The soft food is easier for senior cats to eat, and the pate allows you to slice off just the right amount.

We hope you have enjoyed reading this review and that it helped answer any questions you had before we began. If we have helped you find your next food, please share this in-depth review of Freshpet cat food on Facebook and Twitter.

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