The Honest Kitchen Cat Food Review 2024: An Expert Guide

Cat food recipes by The Honest Kitchen aren’t likely to resemble most commercial cat food in your cupboard. Whole meats are always the first ingredient instead of meat by-products or fillers. You’ll never find soy, wheat, corn, or any animal grade meats in their food, which is produced according to human grade standards. With a variety of meat protein choices, you’re guaranteed to find a recipe to suit your feline’s fancy. We reviewed four pâtés, two minced recipes, and a few different types of treats to help you compare formulas to find the best new dish for your favorite cat.

At a Glance: What We Reviewed

About the Honest Kitchen

Who Makes The Honest Kitchen Cat Food and Where Is It Produced?

The Honest Kitchen cat food is made in California where it began in 2002. Every batch of food at The Honest Kitchen is independently tested for bacteria at a lab before the lot is released for sale. Additionally, their recipes are held to human food standards, which have much stricter safety requirements. These quality control measures likely account for their excellent reputation.

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Which Types of Cats Is The Honest Kitchen Best Suited For? Can I Feed Them to My Kitten?

Most recipes meet the nutritional requirements for adult cats, but not all are suited for the different needs of kittens and seniors. Additionally, not all recipes may meet the specific needs for your individual cat. If your cat has underlying health issues, you should always consult your veterinarian before starting them on a new food.

Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

Every recipe features a whole meat as the first ingredient. Some have more than one protein, and all recipes are followed by fruit and vegetable ingredients, such as savory pumpkin and carrots, as well as blueberries and cranberries. Since cats are obligate carnivores, they really don’t need many plant-based foods, so we’re happy to find that the few fruits and vegetables that are included are very nutritious. The pumpkin in particular is good for your cat’s digestive system.

Furthermore, you’ll never find GMO ingredients, artificial flavors or preservatives, or corn, wheat, soy, or meat-byproducts in their food at all. These are cheap ingredients that companies use to keep costs low, but they offer little nutritional value to your cat and can even be harmful to them.

Is The Honest Kitchen a Healthier Choice than Conventional Cat Food?

All of the recipes by The Honest Kitchen put whole meats at the top of the list, which already sets them apart from most commercial cat foods.

Perhaps the most crucial decision that The Honest Kitchen made in order to produce better food was banning the use of animal feed grade meats. Unless the container of food specifically says, “Human Grade,” you can more or less assume that your kitty’s food contains meat that is judged by shockingly scant animal feed grade standards.

Meat by-products¹ are humanly inedible rendering leftovers that are allowed in animal feed grade foods. These may contain animal parts such as bones and internal organs. A larger concern under these guidelines is the possibility of 4D meats¹. While the FDA banned the use of these ingredients in pet food in 2019, it was a common practice before they repealed a law that previously allowed it, and some fear that the new rule hasn’t been strictly enforced. These taboo 4D meats come from animals that were diseased, dying, found dead, or destroyed. This can include euthanized animals, which can be masked under the nebulous “meat by-products” label.

Since The Honest Kitchen manufactures their pet food under a human grade label, none of these ingredients are allowed by their standards—which reassures us that our cats won’t be eating cow bones in their food.

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Has The Honest Kitchen Ever Been Recalled?

The Honest Kitchen has only had one recall in their 20 years of operation. In 2013¹, they recalled several lots of food over possible salmonella contamination in some parsley which was sourced from a third party supplier. The Honest Kitchen ceased doing business with this company, and there haven’t been any issues since.

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What’s the Difference Between the Minced Broth and Pâté Formulas? Which One Is Better?

Ask your cat to see if they want a pâté (câté) or minced recipe. Most will have a preference between a smooth, dense pâté, or a minced recipe that contains chunks of meat stewed in bone broth gravy.

Pâtés tend to have more calories, but minced types may contain more fat depending on the thickness of the gravy. The Honest Kitchen keeps the nutrition fairly balanced between the two types, so there isn’t a huge difference in this brand.

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Are the Pâtés and Broths Served as Meals or Toppers?

You can serve the pâtés and broths as toppers to make dry food more appealing, but all of them are designed to function as a complete meal. Always check the serving directions to know how much to feed your cat, and to make sure the recipe is appropriate for your cat’s life stage.

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What Are Some Other Products The Honest Kitchen Makes For Cats?

In addition to pâtés and minced meals, The Honest Kitchen also makes dry kibble clusters, dehydrated meal mixes, treats, and dried goat’s milk packets for your kitty’s delight. If you have a dog, check out their extensive line of dry food clusters, dehydrated food, and meal toppers to make their dinners more interesting and wholesome.

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In Summary

Reviews of The Honest Kitchen Cat Food We Tried

1. Grain-free Chicken Câté

Chicken is a classic protein to feed your cat, and most felines we know crave the meat. We like how the first three ingredients are chicken-based ingredients, followed by limited, nutrient-dense vegetables and fruits. Grain-free Chicken Câté is an ideal diet for cats who are allergic to another meat protein, such as beef or fish, since it only contains a single meat source. Containing a moderate amount of protein and fat, this câté is formulated to meet the dietary requirements of cats in every life stage except for seniors.

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2. Grain-free Beef & Chicken Câté

This hearty pâté is formulated for kittens, adults, and active adults that pounce and seize the day more than their nonchalant compadres. Possibly due to the relatively high protein and fat content, Beef & Chicken Câté isn’t recommended for seniors.

We love how beef, chicken, and beef broth are the first ingredients because cats are obligate carnivores that need to eat meat to function. Like all of the cat recipes by The Honest Kitchen, Beef & Chicken Câté features a taurine supplement, an essential nutrient cats can’t survive without.

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3. Grain-free Salmon & Cod Câté

If your cat likes fish, they’ll think the Grain-free Salmon & Cod Câté belongs in their dish! This recipe contains lower amounts of fat than some câtés we’ve reviewed, which makes it a good choice if your kitty needs to lose a few pounds. Even so, it’s only recommended for kittens and moderately active adults. It’s not recommended for seniors, likely due to the high protein content, but doesn’t contain enough fat to sustain an active adult cat. Additionally, you’ll need to feed your cat more of this food than some other recipes. The instructions for Salmon & Cod say to give 1¼ box per 6-8 lbs. of body weight as a daily portion, as opposed to some other recipes that only recommended one full box each day.

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4. Minced Chicken & Salmon Recipe

Out of all the pâté and minced recipes we’ve reviewed, Minced Salmon & Chicken Recipe is the only one formulated for kittens, adults, and seniors. Unless your cat is super active and requires more calories to support their frisky lifestyle, you can feed this formula to them for their entire lives.

Most cats love chicken and fish, so what’s better than a recipe that features both proteins? Like all of The Honest Kitchen wet cat food formulas, Minced Salmon & Chicken also gives your cat a nutritious blend of limited vegetables, berries, vitamins, and taurine.

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5. Smittens White Fish Cat Treats

Show your kitten you’re smitten with them by treating them with these heart-shaped snacks. Containing two simple ingredients—wild-caught whitefish and sea salt—there are no fillers or artificial ingredients to ruin the fun. Wild-caught fish contain more beneficial omega 3 fatty acids than farmed fish because they eat more algae. These treats are ideal for kittens and adults. If you have an older cat, you’ll need to watch their portions, though, since these snacks contain high levels of protein.

Our Experience with The Honest Kitchen Cat Food

Fights broke out in my kitchen over these delectable minces and pâtés. My four cats scrambled to the bowls even before dinner was served to be the first ones to dig in, and frequently pummeled other cats who stood in their way. To say they loved the recipes would be a great understatement. They ate every morsel every time, and even my dog Tuggles tried to steal a few bites.

I like how every pâté recipe contains the same core elements: choice of meat protein + two vegetables + two berries + nutritional supplements. I especially appreciated the taurine supplements because it’s a vital amino acid for cats. Most of the recipes contained a single meat protein, which is a thoughtful consideration for cats who may have allergies to certain meats. A few recipes, such as the Grain-free Salmon & Cod Câté and both of the minced recipes, featured two or more meats, which makes them a good choice for cats who prefer a mix.

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Câtés and Minces

My cats eagerly received all of the câtés and minces, but they were not the easiest to serve. I had some trouble opening the cartons, even though they have a perforated seam near the top, and they’re a bit hard to squeeze. The liquid seems to separate, so it’s honestly best to dig out the câtés with a spoon. If you’re not going to use the full carton at once, you must refrigerate it immediately after opening. This wasn’t a problem for me since my cats ate the câtés and minces as a meal, but I could see how it might be an issue if you’re serving them as meal toppers instead.

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White Fish Cat Treats

My one-year-old cat Rosie was the biggest fan of the Smittens White Fish Cat Treats. She’s not the most sociable cat, and they’re the only thing I can remember her ever eating out of my hand. Unfortunately, Demelza didn’t really care for these treats. They were moderately savored by Satura and Moses, who ate them but not with Rosie’s gusto. I liked the Smittens White Fish Cat Treats because they’re just fish and salt, not filled with potatoes or flour like so many treats I find at the pet store. I’m planning on buying more of them to spoil Rosie.

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Instant Goat’s Milk

Rosie and Moses, the two youngest cats, liked the Cat Blend Instant Goat’s Milk, and the Daily Boosters Goat’s Milk with Probiotics. Satura didn’t care much for it, and Demelza was sleeping while the others sampled. Tuggles the dog stealthily nudged Moses aside, though, and stole a few sips while I wasn’t looking, so he gives this mix a 5-star review as well.

Of all the many brands of wet cat foods we’ve sampled over the past couple years, The Honest Kitchen was definitely my favorite. My cats devoured every recipe and never had any GI issues because of them, to the best of my knowledge, which is more than I can say for other brands. However, I don’t know if I would be able to afford the meals on a daily basis since they’re around $3 a piece and I have 4 cats!

Conclusion

Grain-free Chicken Câté was our favorite choice because it’s a simple formula that cats love. Its single protein source makes it a safe choice for cats who might be allergic to another meat, such as beef or fish. We liked how all of the pâtés and minces always contain whole meat as the first ingredient, and feature pumpkin, carrots, blueberries, and cranberries. Each recipe is fortified with nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals, and taurine.

We also approved of the Smittens White Fish Cat Treats because they were wholesome snacks made from wild-caught white fish, a source of Omega 3 fatty acids. The goat milk mixes were generally received well, and we appreciate how they’re packed with probiotics. Goat’s milk contains less lactose than cow’s milk, so it’s generally a safer choice, but not the best for cats with more severe lactose sensitivities.

We give The Honest Kitchen 4.7 stars overall. The slight human inconvenience of opening and storing the cartons seems trivial when considering the high-quality ingredients and eager reception given by our cats.