Feeding your cat can sometimes be frustrating since cats are well-known to be finicky creatures. Of course, finicky or not, it’s your job as a pet parent to purchase suitable food for your cat, and organic cat foods are among the very best. Using organic ingredients and, in most cases, whole, organic proteins, most organic cat food is an excellent choice for your furry friend.
We’ve compiled a list of the best organic cat foods for this year! Before you head to your local pet store or make a purchase online, check out our reviews and buyer’s guide.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
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Best Overall | Evanger's Organics Braised Chicken Dinner Canned Cat Food |
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Best Value | Purina Beyond High Protein Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Pate |
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Premium Choice | Open Farm RawMix Prairie Recipe |
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Tender & True Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Fr |
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Tiki Cat After Dark Variety Pack |
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The 9 Best Organic Cat Foods
1. Evanger’s Organics Braised Chicken Dinner Canned Cat Food – Best Overall
Main ingredients: | Organic chicken, organic chicken broth, organic chicken liver, organic guar gum |
Protein content: | 10% |
Fat content: | 5% |
Calories: | 237 kCal per can |
Evanger’s Organics Braised Chicken Dinner Canned Cat Food, our best overall organic cat food, is so good that you might be tempted to eat it yourself! It’s an all-organic wet food with high protein content, and it’s also kosher-certified and free of gluten and preservatives.
One factor we like a lot about Evanger’s Organics is that it’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It’s also a holistic formula made so that all the ingredients work together to provide excellent nutrition for all your felines.
It’s worth noting that grain-free cat food has not been proven to benefit a cat without allergies, so check with your vet if you’re unsure.
- Organic chicken #1 ingredient
- Many antioxidants
- Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids
- Made in the USA
- No fillers or preservatives
- Relatively expensive
2. Purina Beyond High Protein Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Pate Wet Cat Food – Best Value
Main ingredients: | Organic chicken, organic chicken broth, organic chicken livers, organic sweet potatoes, minerals |
Protein content: | 7% |
Fat content: | 5% |
Calories: | 109 kCal er can |
If you need to stick to a budget but still want to purchase excellent cat kibble for your cat, Purina Beyond High Protein Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe is our pick for the best organic food for the money. Considering the quality ingredients, including organic chicken, the cost of Purina Beyond is quite reasonable. It uses only organic ingredients and is loaded with vitamins and minerals, including taurine, to help your cat’s heart and eyes stay healthy and strong.
Like most cat foods on our list, Purina Beyond uses nothing artificial, has no soy or gluten, and has no preservatives or other chemicals. What it does have are omega-3 and 6 fatty acids to ensure your cat’s fur and skin stay healthy and a wide range of minerals for strong bones and teeth. The only real drawback we could find was that several customers mentioned the food was rather dry and needed extra water to make it more palatable.
- 100% complete & balanced
- Non-GMO
- Organic chicken #1 ingredient
- Real ingredients
- Loaded with vitamins & minerals
- Overly dry
3. Open Farm RawMix Prairie Recipe
Main ingredients: | Chicken, Turkey, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas, Chickpeas |
Protein content: | 38% |
Fat content: | 14% |
Calories: | 445 kCal per cup |
Open Farm is one of the top organic and non-GMO pet food brands out there, which is why we have it listed as our #3 choice. This Prairie Recipe contains a mix of kibble covered in bone broth and then freeze dried and freeze-dried raw chicken and turkey. The chicken and turkey used in the recipe are humane-raised and 100% animal welfare certified.
The protein content of this food is 38%, which is much higher than most other cat foods and is suitable for most cats. Perhaps our favorite thing about Open Farm is that all of their ingredients are 100% traceable, which means you can go on the website and select a certain recipe, and figure out where all the ingredients came from. However, this food is pricey, but if you can afford it, it really is one of the best cat food choices out there.
- High in protein
- All of the ingredients are traceable
- Chicken and turkey are humane-raised
- Pricey
4. Tender & True Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Main ingredients: | Salmon, whitefish meal, dried sweet potato, tapioca starch, dried potato |
Protein content: | 30% |
Fat content: | 16% |
Calories: | 470 kCal per cup |
Kittens need a lot more protein than adult cats because their bodies are growing and developing and have enormous amounts of energy. Tender & True Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food is a great choice for your little kitty since it has 30% protein, one of the highest levels on our list. Your kitten will enjoy the delicious wild-caught salmon, while you’ll enjoy the fact that there are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Tender and True is grain-free, with no wheat, corn, or soy. It also has no chicken, which is a common allergen for cats.
- Organic turkey #1 ingredient
- Certified organic
- All life stages
- No artificial colors or flavors
- 100% complete & balanced
- Grain-free might not be necessary
- Dry food
5. Tiki Cat After Dark Variety Pack
Main ingredients: | Chicken, Chicken & Beef, Chicken & Pork, Chicken & Duck, Chicken & Lamb, Chicken & Quail |
Protein content: | Varies |
Fat content: | Varies |
Calories: | Varies |
The Tiki Cat After Dark Variety Pack comes with five different flavors, so your cat can try them all and figure out which one they like best, or you can mix up their food regularly so they don’t get bored. Each of these foods is made with non-GMO ingredients and has a protein content of around 12-13%, depending on the recipe.
These foods also don’t contain carrageenan or artificial preservatives, and include no fruits and vegetables to ensure that your cat only gets the protein content they need to thrive. However, these foods aren’t suitable for cats with a chicken allergy, and cats may not like all of the flavors.
- No GMO ingredients
- Five different flavors add variety
- Free of preservatives
- Not for cats with a chicken allergy
- Some cats may not like all the flavors
6. Beyond Purina Organic Wet Cat Food Pate, Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Adult Recipe
Main ingredients: | Organic chicken, organic chicken broth, organic chicken liver, organic sweet potatoes, minerals |
Protein content: | 7% |
Fat content: | 5% |
Calories: | 98 kCal per can |
Although not the best on our list, Beyond Purina Organic Wet Cat Food Pate, Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Adult Recipe is still a high-quality cat food worth considering. It is a non-GMO, verified organic cat food with no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, so you can be sure none of those nasty chemicals will harm your cat.
Beyond Purina Organic comes as a pate, which some cats love. Organic chicken and chicken liver are the top ingredients and are fantastic sources of clean protein. However, the level of protein is still a bit low, so keep that in mind if you’re feeding this to a younger cat that needs as much protein as it can get. You might also want to check out their customer reviews. While most are stellar, some cats disliked the flavor.
- Organic free-range chicken #1 ingredient
- Non-GMO
- No by-product meal
- No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Affordable
- Low in protein
- Some cats disliked the formula
7. Gather Free Acres Organic Free-Run Chicken Dry Cat Food
Main ingredients: | Organic Chicken, Organic Dehydrated Chicken, Organic Peas, Lentils, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols) |
Protein content: | 30% |
Fat content: | 16% |
Calories: | 403 kCal per cup |
Wet cat food is excellent for cats as it more closely mimics the food they eat in the wild. Still, with many high-quality ingredients, including organic chicken, Gather Free Acres Organic Free-Run Chicken Dry Cat Food is a fine choice. It has no artificial ingredients, free-range organic chicken is the #1 ingredient, and they include taurine for your cat’s eye and heart health.
We like that Gather Free Acres includes blueberries and cranberries, both excellent sources of antioxidants. It’s also fortified with many other essential vitamins and minerals. However, peas are one of the first five ingredients. Peas are still being investigated for concerns that they may be related to heart disease in cats. If yours is an older, heavier cat, you may want to try another brand with no peas.
- Non-GMO
- Fortified with vitamins
- No artificial ingredients
- Organic chicken #1 ingredient
- Dry food
- Peas are the #4 ingredient
8. Purina Beyond High Protein Organic Chicken & Carrot Recipe Wet Cat Food
Main ingredients: | Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Broth, Organic Chicken Livers, Organic Carrots, Minerals |
Protein content: | 7% |
Fat content: | 5% |
Calories: | 109 kCal per can |
Purina is one of the most recognized pet food brands in America, and Purina Beyond High Protein Organic Chicken & Carrot Recipe Wet Cat Food shows why. It features beneficial ingredients like organic chicken and carrots and is packed with minerals and vitamins. The chicken is free-range and raised with no hormones or antibiotics, which concerns many cat parents. It’s 100% nutritionally complete, and there are no corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, preservatives, or artificial flavors.
Purina Beyond is more expensive than some of its competitors, and some cats don’t like the taste.
- 100% complete & balanced
- Made in the USA
- No by-product meal
- Organic chicken #1 ingredient
- Expensive
- Some cats dislike the taste
9. Evanger’s Organics Turkey & Butternut Squash Dinner Canned Cat Food
Main ingredients: | Organic Turkey, Organic Chicken Broth, Organic Butternut Squash, Organic Guar Gum, Taurine |
Protein content: | 10% |
Fat content: | 5% |
Calories: | 274 kCal per can |
We’ve seen Evanger’s on our list already, and this 2nd recipe is worth adding to your list of good choices. Yes, it’s grain-free, which might not be needed if your cat doesn’t have allergies. Besides that one possible drawback, the ingredients are excellent, including organic turkey and butternut squash, which is loaded with antioxidants.
Evanger’s is also kosher and gluten-free, and it has omega-3 and 6 fatty acids to keep your cat’s fur and skin fine and dandy. It contains well-balanced minerals, including phosphorous and calcium, in a healthy ratio. Throw in the fact that there are no fillers and preservatives, and what you get is kibble that you can feel good about feeding your feline. However, some customers complained about quality issues with the packaging.
- Kosher Certified
- Made in the USA
- No fillers or preservatives
- Many antioxidants
- Grain-free not always needed
- Quality issues reported
Buyer’s Guide: How To Choose the Best Organic Cat Food
When it comes to keeping your cat healthy, feeding it high-quality cat food is by far the best method. Yes, love, cat toys, exercise, and several other factors play into the mix, but genuinely healthy cat food cannot be overlooked. All of the cat foods on our list are some of the best you’ll find because they use quality ingredients, and most are organic-certified. If you have questions about what that means, however, for both you and your cat, the information below will help you make the best choice.
What Makes a Cat Food Organic?
While some cat foods use organic ingredients, not all of them can claim to be 100% organic because of rules and regulations set by the USDA’s National Organic Program. This program, as stated on its website, enforces consistent national standards for agricultural products that are grown in the United States. One of those standards is that, for a cat food to claim that it is 100% organic, everything on its ingredient list must be organic. If not, the cat food will fall into one of 4 other categories. The four categories of organic cat food include the following:
- 100% organic: Every ingredient in the recipe must be organic.
- Organic: Less than 5% of the ingredients can be non-organic. The other 95% must be organic.
- Made with Organic: These cat foods will have between 75% and 95% organic ingredients.
- Organic Ingredients Included: It’s the least favorable since no specific percentage of organic ingredients is required. It may be as few as one ingredient.
Do Cats Need Organic Cat Food?
Feeding your cat organic cat food isn’t a requirement to be an excellent pet parent. Frankly, there’s very little scientific evidence pointing towards organic cat food as being truly better or healthier for cats, but keeping pesticides, preservatives, food coloring, and GMOs out of their food is certainly a good thing.
One of the best reasons to choose organic cat food is when your cat is susceptible to allergies or is sensitive to non-natural ingredients. That’s because many organic cat foods use so-called hypoallergenic proteins in their recipes and keep chemicals and preservatives out of them. Organic cat food can often be a better choice for cats prone to upset stomachs, allergic reactions, and other unwanted health issues.
Which Ingredients Do Cats Need in Their Kibble?
You might have noticed that many of the cat foods on our list contained vegetables and carbohydrates. While these ingredients often have vitamins and minerals that benefit a cat, their health depends more on nutrients found in meat protein. The truth is, in the wild, cats rarely, if ever, eat fruits and vegetables. Their diet consists mainly of other wild animals because they’re carnivores, and for that reason, the following nutrients should be in any cat food you purchase for your kitty, whether organic or not.
- Protein for energy and muscle building
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for their eyes and heart
- Water to stay hydrated
- Arginine and taurine (amino acids) for heart health
- Vitamin A for healthy coats, eyes, and bones
- B vitamins for various reasons
- Vitamin C for immunity and healing
- Vitamin D for strong teeth and bones
- Vitamin E for healthy eyes, hearts, and skin
Many minerals are essential for your cat as well, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, potassium, copper, and iodine, among several others.
Which Is Better – Dry or Wet Cat Food?
There is more than a little debate between proponents of dry and wet cat food and which is the best choice for your cat. As with many discussions like this, you’ll find people on both sides of the fence, including veterinarians and feline experts. Some will tell you that wet food is the best because it’s closer to what a cat eats in the wild, while others will say that dry food has certain benefits that make it a better choice. The Pros and Cons of both, below, will (hopefully) help you decide for yourself.
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Dry Cat Food
- More convenient and faster to serve
- Can be left out for grazing cats
- Won’t go bad if left out for several days
- Usually contain 50% carbohydrates, far too many for cats
- Low water content
- Can cause obesity
Wet Cat Food
- Contains plenty of water
- Far fewer carbohydrates
- Higher level of animal protein
- More variety
- Closer to a cat’s natural diet
- Messy
- More time is needed to serve
- Goes bad quicker once opened
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for organic cat food to feed your favorite feline, our best overall choice, Evanger’s Organics Braised Chicken Dinner Canned Cat Food, is an excellent formula with quality ingredients and high levels of protein. Our best value cat food, Purina Beyond High Protein Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Pate Wet Cat Food, is packed with fantastic ingredients but won’t break your budget.
Speaking of budgets, our premium choice cat food, Castor & Pollux Organix Organic Chicken Recipe, is simply fantastic and will keep your cat healthy and happy. For kittens, Tender & True Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food is a great choice and has a lot of protein for their growing bodies. Lastly, our vet’s choice is Castor & Pollux Pristine Grain-Free Wild-Caught Salmon Recipe Morsels in Gravy.
The other organic cat foods list are excellent and would make a good choice for most cats. Whatever you choose, we hope we’ve provided you with the information needed to make an educated choice and help you purchase a delicious kibble that keeps your feline friend healthy and happy throughout their life.
Featured Image Credit: Pixel Shot, Shutterstock
Contents
- A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
- The 9 Best Organic Cat Foods
- 1. Evanger’s Organics Braised Chicken Dinner Canned Cat Food – Best Overall
- 2. Purina Beyond High Protein Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Pate Wet Cat Food – Best Value
- 3. Open Farm RawMix Prairie Recipe
- 4. Tender & True Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
- 5. Tiki Cat After Dark Variety Pack
- 6. Beyond Purina Organic Wet Cat Food Pate, Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Adult Recipe
- 7. Gather Free Acres Organic Free-Run Chicken Dry Cat Food
- 8. Purina Beyond High Protein Organic Chicken & Carrot Recipe Wet Cat Food
- 9. Evanger’s Organics Turkey & Butternut Squash Dinner Canned Cat Food
- Buyer’s Guide: How To Choose the Best Organic Cat Food
- What Makes a Cat Food Organic?
- Do Cats Need Organic Cat Food?
- Which Ingredients Do Cats Need in Their Kibble?
- Which Is Better – Dry or Wet Cat Food?
- Final Thoughts