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Primal Cat Food Review Summary
We gave Primal Cat Food a rating of 4 out of 5 stars
Like their wild cousins, domestic cats are also obligate carnivores. This means that they do not only crave raw meat, but they also need it for optimal health. The gastrointestinal tracts of obligate carnivores are designed to extract all the necessary nutrients from meat alone.
Unfortunately, most commercial cat food recipes today do not provide proper nutritional balance to cats because they are laden with meat by-products and filler products instead of actual meat. Needless to say, these foods can be detrimental to your cat’s health, which is part of the reason chronic diseases such as feline obesity are on the rise today.
The good news is that a few brands are actively solving this problem by providing raw and free-dried diets, which are healthier and ideal for felines. Primal Pet Food is one of those brands.
Primal Cat Food consists of several freeze-dried raw cat food recipes that mimic a cat’s natural diet. The company is top-rated among pet owners owing to how their cats enjoy the recipes, in addition to the significant improvements in health they have observed after feeding their felines Primal Cat Food.
Here is everything you need to know about this brand.
The Best Primal Cat Food Recipes
As mentioned, Primal Cat Food has several recipes. The following are five of their most popular recipes:
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Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Turkey Formula |
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Primal Pet Foods Freeze-Dried Chicken Salmon |
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Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Rabbit Formula |
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Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Duck Formula |
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Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Venison Formula |
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Primal Cat Food Reviewed
This section will take an in-depth look at the Primal Cat Food brand. While this brand is renowned for its freeze-dried raw foods that mimic a wild feline’s diet, you must understand its products and ingredients so you can know whether this brand is worthy of your investment.
Who Makes Primal Cat Food and Where Is It Produced?
Primal Cat Food is based in San Francisco, California, and has been in business since 2001. The company offers raw cat food as a healthier alternative to the plethora of mediocre commercial cat foods on the market today.
Which Types of Cats Are Primal Cat Foods Best Suited For?
Primal Cat Food is ideal for all types of cats, as it mimics their natural diet in the world. Therefore, if you plan on switching your cat’s current diet to a raw diet, Primal Cat Foods would be a great brand to consider.
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)
According to the manufacturer, they formulate all their recipes using human-grade ingredients free from steroids and antibiotics. Moreover, they even add unrefined vitamins and minerals to ensure your cat does not miss out on any vital nutrients.
Primal Cat Foods says they source their ingredients from farms and ranches in the U.S. and New Zealand. Moreover, all their recipes are based on the Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods (BARF) diet and do not feature grains, gluten, rice, wheat, or other fillers.
Nonetheless, we went ahead and evaluated their recipes to see whether the manufacturer’s claims were valid. Here is what we found:
The Primary Ingredients of Primal Cat Food
Primal Cat Food utilizes up to 55 different ingredients to create their various cat food recipes. However, in the United States, cat food ingredients are ranked and listed according to weight, meaning the first five ingredients constitute the bulk of the meal.
- Chicken
- Turkey neck
- Chicken gizzard
- Organic collard green
- Organic squash
Right off the bat, you can see that the bulk of Primal Cat Food’s recipes consist of high-quality protein sources, which we all appreciate.
Artificial Dyes
Pet food manufacturers are notorious for using artificial dyes to enhance the color and appeal of their recipes. Artificial dyes are not only unnecessary but are also potentially harmful. This is why we recommend avoiding pet foods with artificial dyes.
Fortunately, Primal does not use artificial food coloring in its recipes.
Animal By-Products
According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials, animal by-products are the non-rendered, non-meat parts obtained from slaughtered animals. Essentially, they are the leftovers of the carcass after it has been processed for meat. While animal by-products are not inherently harmful (some can even be nutritious), most consumers equate them to slaughterhouse waste. As such, premium brands avoid using animal by-products in their ingredients, using named organ meats instead.
Primal Cat food does not use animal by-products in its formulas.
Cereal Grains
As mentioned, cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they cannot process plant-based ingredients. As such, cat food must be grain-free. Unfortunately, most manufacturers include grains as filler products in their cat food recipes.
Luckily, all of Primal Cat Food’s recipes are grain-free.
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 Primal Cat Food
- Mimics a cat’s natural diet in the wild
- Made with human-grade ingredients
- The meats used are free from steroids and antibiotics
- A wide selection of recipes
- All recipes have a “Complete Diet” status
- High phosphorus content
Primal Cat Food Recall History
One of the best ways of determining a brand’s adherence to high-quality standards is by checking its recall history. A recall does not imply that a brand has low-quality standards. Product recalls occur for numerous reasons, including simple issues such as labeling errors. However, they can also result from serious issues such as contamination.
Therefore, the most important thing to consider when evaluating a brand’s recall history is the reason for the recalls. A long history of recalls is not a good sign either.
Primal Cat Food has had three recalls since it was founded.
- May 2011 – The FDA issued a recall for Primal’s Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula due to potential salmonella contamination.
- March 2015 – The FDA issued a recall for Primal’s Feline Turkey Raw Frozen recipe due to having low levels of thiamine.
- December 2017 – The company recalled 9 of its freeze-dried formulas due to their bone grind sizes being too large.
Reviews of the 3 Best Primal Cat Food Recipes
The Primal Cat Food brand has numerous recipes. However, we found the following to be the most popular among their customers. Let us review these recipes to see why cat parents hold them in such high regard.
1. Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Turkey Formula
The Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Turkey Formula consists of 93% turkey organs and 7% supplements. To date, this formula is one of the best cat foods we have come across because it provides cats with a complete and balanced diet without including unnecessary or filler ingredients.
Moreover, the turkeys used are raised organically, ensuring that their meat does not contain any compounds that could be harmful to a cat’s health. Like other Primal recipes, the Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Turkey Formula is grain-free and does not contain any fillers or additives. Moreover, unlike wet cat food, this recipe has a long shelf life.
Nonetheless, this formula can take up to 15 minutes to prepare, meaning you cannot serve it in a hurry.
Calorie Breakdown:
- 93% of this formula consists of high-quality turkey organs
- Great for cats of all life stages
- Long shelf life
- It does not contain any additives or fillers
- It takes a long time to prepare
2. Primal Pet Foods Freeze-Dried Chicken and Salmon Formula
The Primal Pet Foods Freeze-Dried Chicken and Salmon Formula is a hit with cats due to its exceptional taste. Just like the turkey formula, the chickens and salmons used to make this food are reared organically. Additionally, it is fortified with vitamins and minerals to make it a complete and well-balanced diet that is ideal for cats of all ages.
The Primal Pet Foods Freeze-Dried Chicken and Salmon Formula is also grain-free, does not contain any fillers or additives, and is freeze-dried to preserve the nutrients. However, since it is essentially a dry formula, you must add water before serving to make it palatable.
Calorie Breakdown:
- Meat from organically-reared chicken and salmon
- Great taste
- Fortified with minerals and vitamins
- Ideal for cats of all ages
- Grain-free and does not contain fillers or additives
- Requires water to be palatable
3. Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Rabbit Formula
If your cat has a taste for rabbit meat, the Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Rabbit Formula will more than make their day. Rabbit meat is an excellent source of protein, and it makes up the bulk of the content in this formula. Like other Primal products, the rabbit meat used in this recipe is sourced from organically reared rabbits.
This recipe is also fortified with numerous minerals and vitamins to ensure a balanced diet for your kitty. It is also freeze-dried to ensure a long shelf life without losing any nutrients in the process.
While the Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Rabbit Formula is an excellent product, some cats do not seem to like its taste.
Calorie Breakdown:
- Uses organic rabbit meat as the primary ingredient
- Provides a well-balanced meal
- Ideal for cats of all life stages
- High-quality protein
- Some cats might not like it
What Other Users Are Saying About Primal Cat Food
It is always a good idea to seek out the opinions of those who have already used a product you are considering buying, as they have first-hand experience with it.
We scoured the internet to see what users have to say about Primal Cat Food. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Many cat owners credit Primal Cat Food for healthier coats, weight regulation, and higher energy levels in cats.
Moreover, cats with sensitive stomachs or food allergies do not seem to have any problem with this cat food, which has been a tremendous relief for owners of such cats.
Numerous users also praise Primal Cat Food for its lack of filler products or artificial enhancers. However, some stated that their cats do not enjoy Primal Cat Food. Not all cats like raw food.
You can check out the reviews for yourself here.
Conclusion
We genuinely believe that Primal Cat Food is one of the best cat food brands in the game today. This manufacturer does not cut any corners in the production of their various recipes.
This is evidenced by the fact that they only use 100% USDA human-grade ingredients in their formulas while steering clear of cheap fillers, animal by-products, and artificial additives. Moreover, their meat is sourced from organically reared animals.
Cats thrive on a diet that mimics that of their wild cousins, which is why a raw diet is arguably the best kind of diet to feed your cat. When it comes to commercial freeze-dried raw cat food, Primal Cat Food is as premium as it gets.
