The Best Organic Cat Foods for 2022

How Are Organic Cat Food Brands Different?

You want to ensure your cat is eating only the best food.

This includes skipping fillers and all of those questionable, unpronounceable, scary-looking ingredients.

Buying organic means you know exactly what’s in your cat’s food.

After all, you likely don’t want to eat any questionable ingredients, so why would you make your cat eat them? Most commercial cat food is loaded with some extremely controversial ingredients (I’ll be going over some of those later on) as well as ingredients grown in some very hazardous settings.

I know your cat may purr loudly and gobble up some of those grocery store brands – but that sure doesn’t mean those brands are healthy for him!

Feeding your cat only organic food filled with protein and other important nutrients helps your cat live a longer, more energetic life.

What You Need To Know About Allergens In Cat Food

Corn, wheat, dairy, and preservatives are just a few common allergens found in cat foods.

A lot of commercial brands load their products with these inexpensive, easy to source ingredients to bulk out cat food. This means they can skip using more expensive quality ingredients like meat and other important vitamins and minerals.

But it can be dangerous for your cat!

Some common symptoms of allergies in cats include:

• sneezing
• coughing
• itching and scratching
• overgrooming
• runny eyes
• digestion issues

And allergies can come up, seemingly out of the blue, even after years of eating the same food.

So, doesn’t it just make sense to skip cat food containing these common allergens in the first place?

Organic cat food is less likely to contain these fillers, and most common allergens.

What Exactly Does Organic Mean When It Comes To Cat Food?

Much like with human food, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates the term organic when it comes to pet food.

“Organic” food must contain only ingredients grown on a land which has been pesticide free for a minimum of 3 years. Any livestock included in organically certified food must be able to roam outdoors, and be given no antibiotics or hormones.

For more information on the USDA Organic standards click here.

Isn’t Organic Cat Food More Expensive?

Yes, can for can, and bag for bag, you will notice that organic cat food costs a little more than conventional brands.

But since the less expensive brands contain so many fillers your cat will need to eat more food to feel full.

Organic cat food is very nutrient dense, and often contains significantly higher amounts of protein and fiber – so your cat will actually eat less food at each meal.

So, you pay more, but you use less.

And when you factor all that in, the cost isn’t all that different.

Besides, isn’t it worth a little more money to make sure your cat is eating quality food with no questionable ingredients or fillers?

What Should I Look For When I Buy Organic Cat Food?

It’s so important to read your labels!

The official USDA seals tell you exactly how much organic content is in your cat food.

“Organic” means the food must contain at least 95% organic ingredients, not including any added salt or water.

“Made With Organic Ingredients” means the food must contain at least 70% organic ingredients – again not including added salt or water.

FDA guidelines state that any food marked “natural” means none of the ingredients have been chemically altered in any way – but this is not necessarily a highly regulated term.

So, in other words buying “natural” food is good – but buying “organic” is much better.

Sadly, most other terms you see on cat food, such as “holistic”, are widely unregulated and typically don’t mean much.

As with any food, ingredients on cat food are listed in the order of quantity – so if chicken is listed first you know the food contains a large amount of chicken.

You really want to take note of the top 3 ingredients on the list – this is what your cat food is mostly composed of. You want to see mainly protein sources and maybe water.

If any type of fillers or any other questionable ingredients are listed in the top 3 ingredients, you’ll probably want to skip this food.

And speaking of ingredients…

What Ingredients Should You Watch Out For When Buying Cat Food?

You know you want to avoid fillers and preservatives in your cat food.

But what exactly does that mean?

And what else do you need to avoid when buying cat food?

Here are some things commonly found in cat food that you need to know more about.

Artificial Ingredients

There is no need to include artificial color, flavor, or unnatural preservatives in cat food. If you see any of these ingredients listed on your cat food, you’ll likely want to skip it:

• Butylated Hydroxyanisole
• Butylated Hydroxytoluene
• Ethoxyquin
• Propylene Glycol
• MSG
• Red 40
• Blue 2

Unfortunately, this is not an extensive list. Anytime you see an ingredient in your cat food which makes you hesitate it’s probably worth doing a bit more research.

GMO

I’m sure you’ve heard all about GMO’s and their controversial practices. Put simply, GMO foods come from a lab, not nature. Certain strains of bacteria are commonly used to modify organisms, and may pose potential health risks.

When you buy organic you don’t have to worry about GMO.

Grains

Grains aren’t necessarily bad – but they’re often used as filler. They don’t contain much nutritional value to the food, and in cats, much like humans, can cause inflammation and allergic reactions.

Grains can also cause unhealthy weight gain in your cat.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are another type of ingredient that aren’t essentially bad – but are typically just filler.

Protein is a much healthier, more filling, choice for your cat. Cats are carnivores and are a lot healthier, and more energetic, when they eat meat.

Now, you may be confused because some vegetables and fruits are carbohydrates and often added to cat food – and you’re right!

But fruits and vegetables are much healthier carbs than other choices – and contain needed vitamins and minerals.

Meat By-Products

Meat by-products are what’s left over when the more desirable meat is shaved off.

Often, this meat has been unethically raised, fed hormones and given added antibiotics.

Yuck!

Skip this, and look for organic meat only.

Is My Cat Going To Get Bored With Her Organic Food?

I know I would certainly get bored if I had to eat the same food day after day, but luckily your cat may not feel the same.

Most cats are totally fine eating the same meal over and over – but others do get bored and may go on a hunger strike in protest.

In cases like this, it’s lucky that most brands of organic cat food come in a few different flavors to switch between.

There are also certain foods specifically meant to be an occasional treat or mixed in with regular food (see Nummy Tum-Tum Pure Organic Pumpkin Canned Cat Food, reviewed below) which can help end food strikes.

And you can always consider switching back and forth between organic Canned cat food and organic dry cat food.

Speaking of which…

Which Is Better – Organic Dry Cat Food Or Organic Canned Cat Food?

Comparing dry cat food to Canned cat food is akin to comparing apples to oranges.

As long as you’re buying organic, both types are fantastic nutritional choices for your cat.

Here are a few key differences:

• Canned cat food has more moisture content.
• Dry cat food is easier to store.
• Dry cat food is usually cheaper, meal for meal.
• Dry cat food lasts longer once opened.
• Some dry food can actually help with your cat’s dental care.

Most cat parents choose a blend of both kinds. For variety as well as for the benefits.

However, if you choose to just feed dry cat food please make sure your cat has access to even more fresh water than usual, because they won’t be getting as much moisture from their food.

How Should I Introduce Organic Cat Food Into My Cat’s Diet?

Most cats don’t do well if you switch over the food completely from one meal to the next.

They may not like the unexpected change, and they may even experience some digestion issues.

Yes, even when switching to “better” food.

So, it’s best to spend a few days making the transition.

At each meal mix a little of the new food in with the old, until you’re feeding all new.

We are so lucky there is a large variety of organic cat foods readily available in the market these days.

However, it can be very confusing to sort through them all to find the best one for your cat.

Luckily, I’m going to help you out by telling you all about some great organic cat food brands, and listing the pros and cons to help you make the best choice for your cat.