11 Best Dehydrated Cat Foods of 2023: Top Picks & Reviews
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There are a lot of things to consider when choosing food for your cat, though, including your cat’s age, flavor preferences, and existing medical conditions. Using reviews, you can easily find the best starting point to choose a food for your cat. It may take time and trial and error to pick the perfect dehydrated food for your cat, so use this as a guide to help you along the way.
A Quick Comparison of Our 2023 Winners
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall
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Smalls Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food |
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Click to Save 40% Use code: Hepper2023 |
Best Value
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Vital Essentials Pork Dried Cat Food |
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Check Price |
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Purpose Rabbit Raw Cat Food |
|
Check Price |
| Best for Kittens |
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Instinct Raw Chicken Kitten Food |
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Check Price |
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Nulo FreeStyle Chicken & Salmon Raw Cat Food |
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Check Price |
The 11 Best Dehydrated Cat Foods
1. Smalls Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food – Best Overall
| Primary protein: | Chicken, turkey or duck |
| Primary content: | 40% |
| Fat content: | 30% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 5% |
We like how Smalls is a convenient way to give your feline the healthy raw diet they naturally crave. Conventional name brands cook their dried kibbles at extremely high temperatures, which deteriorates the nutrients. Smalls Freeze-Dried cat food retains the nutrition of pure, raw meat, but in a dehydrated form. The food doesn’t make a mess since it’s contained in a nugget and there’s no preparation required.
Smalls Freeze-dried Cat Food is offered in three recipes: Bird (chicken), Other Bird (turkey), and Water Bird (duck). All three of the recipes contain very simple ingredients, which is great for cats who might be sensitive to certain foods. In addition to the prime meat, they’re made with goat’s milk, herring oil, and vitamins and minerals. We like how Smalls also includes taurine, an essential amino acid, in all of their formulas.
If you want to give Smalls a try, go to their website and start a subscription. Keep in mind that you will have to sign up for a fresh food subscription, as the dehydrated food is only available as an add-on. The website will prompt you to answer a few questions about your cat that will help them tailor their meal plan. Place the order and voila! You’ll have fresh, freeze-dried cat food shipped to your door within a few days. The downsides are that it is pricey and not available in stores.
- Available in three recipes
- All natural
- Nutritious raw meat
- Convenient—the food doesn’t make a mess and it ships right to your door
- Expensive
- Not available in stores
- Requires a fresh food subscription
2. VitaCat Freeze Dried Pork Patties Cat Food – Best Value
| Primary protein: | Pork |
| Primary content: | 45% |
| Fat content: | 40% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 7% |
The best dehydrated cat food for the money is the Vital Essentials Pork Dinner Patties, which contains 45% protein, 40% fat, and 7% carbs. Pork, pork liver, and pork spleen make up the first three ingredients of this food. It contains no filler, hormones, or flavorings and is made with limited ingredients. Pork is a novel protein for many cats, which also makes it a good option for elimination diets and for cats with food sensitivities. It can be served dry or rehydrated with cool water to avoid cooking. It’s made and packaged in a US-based kitchen and packing facility to high-quality standards.
- Best value
- Animal proteins are the first three ingredients
- 45% protein
- No filler, hormones, or other additives
- Limited ingredients and novel protein source
- Made with high standards in a US-based kitchen
- Should not be cooked or rehydrated with hot water
3. Purpose Rabbit Raw Dehydrated Cat Food
| Primary protein: | Rabbit |
| Primary content: | 55% |
| Fat content: | 13% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 1% |
- 99% rabbit
- 55% protein
- Nutrient-dense and low in carbs
- Limited ingredients and novel protein source
- No filler or additives
- US-raised rabbit meat
- Premium price
- Harder than most dehydrated foods
4. Instinct Raw Meals Chicken Kitten Food – Best for Kittens
| Primary protein: | Chicken |
| Primary content: | 39% |
| Fat content: | 28% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 4% |
The best dehydrated food for kittens is the Instinct Raw Meals Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Kitten Food, which has 39% protein and 28% fat, making it nutritionally sound for kittens. It has chicken, beef liver, beef spleen, beef kidney, and cod as the first four ingredients. It contains DHA, glucosamine, and chondroitin to support the health and development of your kitten’s brain, eyes, and joints. It contains no fillers, preservatives, or artificial colors. This food sells for a premium price and a bag will only last approximately a week per kitten you’re feeding.
- Top pick for kittens
- 39% protein and 28% fat
- Animal proteins are the first five ingredients
- Contains DHA, glucosamine, and chondroitin
- No fillers, preservatives, or artificial colors
- Premium price
- Small bag size
5. Nulo FreeStyle Chicken & Salmon Dehydrated Raw Cat Food
| Primary protein: | Chicken |
| Primary content: | 46% |
| Fat content: | 23% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 2% |
- 46% protein
- Animal proteins are the first five ingredients
- 98% of the ingredients are animal protein
- Multi-step quality control process to ensure safe food
- Two bag sizes
- Small bag sizes
- Premium price
6. Stella & Chewy’s Duck Goose Cat Morsels
| Primary protein: | Duck |
| Primary content: | 40% |
| Fat content: | 30% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 5% |
Another good dehydrated cat food is Stella & Chewy’s Duck Duck Goose Dinner Morsels. This food is available in three package sizes and features duck with ground bone, turkey with ground bone, turkey liver, goose, and turkey gizzard as the first five ingredients. It has 40% protein, 30% fat, and 5% carbs, making it a rich but nutrient-dense food. It contains probiotics to support digestive health and immunity. All this food is made in Stella & Chewy’s US-based kitchen with high quality ingredients. Since this is a raw food, it should be fed dry or rehydrated with cool water to prevent cooking. Undercooking can lead to food-borne illnesses and cooking through can kill some of the beneficial bacteria in the food.
- Three package sizes
- Animal proteins are the first five ingredients
- 40% protein
- Nutrient-dense
- Contains probiotics to support digestive health
- Made with high standards in a US-based kitchen
- Should not be cooked or rehydrated with hot water
7. New Zealand Natural Meow Chicken & King Salmon Cat Food
| Primary protein: | Chicken |
| Primary content: | 43% |
| Fat content: | 41% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 1% |
- 43% protein
- Animal proteins are six of the first seven ingredients
- Over 90% of the ingredients are animal proteins
- Sustainable and ethical protein sources
- Small batch preparation
- Premium price
- May not be palatable enough for picky cats
8. Primal Chicken & Salmon Freeze-Dried Nuggets Cat Food
| Primary protein: | Chicken |
| Primary content: | 49% |
| Fat content: | 26% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 2% |
The Primal Chicken & Salmon Freeze-Dried Nuggets are 49% protein and 26% fat. They contain chicken with ground bone, chicken livers, and salmon as the first three ingredients. It’s a nutrient-dense diet that contains natural vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes for a healthy cat. It’s prepared and packaged in the US with high-quality standards, ensuring your cat’s food is safe and healthy. It should be rehydrated prior to feeding, so make sure you clean all bowls well after feeding and don’t leave uneaten food out. This food does sell for a premium price, so it may be out of the budget for many people.
- 49% protein
- Animal proteins are the first three ingredients
- Nutrient-dense formula with natural enzymes and antioxidants
- Prepared and packaged in the US
- Good option for cats that prefer wet food
- Should be rehydrated before feeding
- Cannot be left out long once rehydrated since it is raw food
- Premium price
9. Ziwi Peak Air-Dried Mackerel & Lamb Dehydrated Cat Food
| Primary protein: | Mackerel |
| Primary content: | 43% |
| Fat content: | 25% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 2% |
The Ziwi Peak Air-Dried Mackerel & Lamb Recipe contains 43% protein and has animal protein sources as the first nine ingredients, including mackerel, lamb, lamb tripe, and New Zealand green mussels. The twin-stage air-drying process eliminates pathogens while retaining the healthful properties of the raw food. It has no added carbs or fillers and contains 10% superfoods, like organic kelp. The proteins are ethically and sustainably sourced and the food is made in small batches. This food is premium priced, and some people report their cats not finding it palatable. Even without rehydrating, it isn’t recommended to leave this food out for free feeding since it may grow mold if exposed to moisture.
- 43% protein
- First nine ingredients are animal proteins and contains added superfoods
- Twin-stage air-drying process retains nutrients and eliminates pathogens
- Ethically and sustainably sourced proteins
- Made in small batches for top quality control
- Premium price
- May not be palatable to picky cats
- Not recommended to be left out for free feeding
10. Zeal Canada Salmon & Turkey Air-Dried Cat Food
| Primary protein: | Salmon |
| Primary content: | 34% |
| Fat content: | 22% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 4% |
The Zeal Canada Salmon & Turkey Recipe Gently Air-Dried Cat Food contains 34% protein and has animal proteins as the first four ingredients. It’s a limited-ingredient food, and since it contains semi-novel proteins, it may be a good pick for cats with food sensitivities. It’s nutritionally enhanced to ensure it meets all daily dietary guidelines for cats. The jerky texture is appealing to many cats and may be an easier transition than drier dehydrated foods. Approximately 96% of this food consists of animal protein sources but it does have a lower protein to fat ratio than many other dehydrated foods. It must be used within 8 weeks of opening to ensure freshness, although you will go through a bag of this per cat every 1–2 weeks if fed as directed as the primary diet.
- 34% protein
- First four ingredients are animal proteins
- Limited-ingredient food with semi-novel proteins
- Nutritionally enhanced
- Jerky-like texture
- Lower protein to fat ratio than most dehydrated foods
- Must be used within 8 weeks of opening
- Small bag size
11. The Honest Kitchen Chicken Dehydrated Cat Food
| Primary protein: | Chicken |
| Primary content: | 40% |
| Fat content: | 26% |
| Carbohydrate content: | 4% |
The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dehydrated Cat Food is a nice option if you need something more shelf-stable than most dehydrated or freeze-dried cat food options. This food requires reconstitution but what you reconstitute it with and how much moisture you use can be adjusted based on your cat’s needs and preferences. A 2-pound package of this food makes approximately 6 pounds of food when prepared, making it one of the more affordable options. Dehydrated chicken and dehydrated eggs are the first two ingredients, and this food contains 40% protein. It’s easy to prepare but some reviewers say their cats wouldn’t eat it.
- 40% protein
- Shelf-stable longer than most dehydrated or freeze-dried foods
- 2-pound box makes around 6 pounds of food
- Animal proteins are the first two ingredients
- Must be reconstituted
- May not be palatable to picky cats
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Dehydrated Cat Food
Dehydration vs Freeze-Drying: What’s the Difference?
Unsure of the difference between dehydrated and freeze-dried cat foods? Both are foods that have had moisture removed from them, making the food safer and more shelf-stable than raw foods. There are minor differences between dehydration and freeze-drying, though, and they do result in different nutrient levels in your cat’s food. This video does a great job of explaining the difference between the two processes and precautions to taken when feeding either type.
Conclusion
The best overall dehydrated cat food is the Smalls Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food, which are palatable and available in three package sizes. The most budget-friendly option is the Vital Essentials Pork Dinner Patties, which are a great option for a limited-ingredient, novel protein diet. For kittens, the Instinct Raw Meals Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Kitten Food is the best option because it’s made specifically for the needs of developing kittens.
Featured Image Credit: Roman Samsonov, Shutterstock
