Evolve Cat Food Review
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When shopping for cat food, it’s tough to choose when there are so many brands out there.
The best thing you can do is look for a recipe made with whole-food ingredients including real animal proteins and wholesome fruits and veggies. Evolve offers several recipes that meet that description.
Evolve comes from a pet food manufacturer with more than 50 years of experience in the industry and their goal is to feed “the world’s love of their pets.” By providing healthy, high-quality pet food products, Evolve is helping pets live long and happy lives right beside their owners.
Read on to see what we think of the Evolve brand and to see our reviews for their top products.
- Affordable price
- Made with real animal protein
- High quality ingredients
- High carbohydrate content in dry foods
- Wet food contains carrageenan (may cause gastrointestinal upset)
- Affordable price
- Made with real animal protein
- High quality ingredients
- High carbohydrate content in dry foods
- Wet food contains carrageenan (may cause gastrointestinal upset)
How We Review Cat Food Brands
Before you take our word in any of our recommendations, you probably want to know how we come by our decisions. The first thing you need to know is that we’d never recommend something we wouldn’t feed our own cats.
We know how much you love your furry friends and we love ours too!
When it comes to cat food, it all comes down to the ingredients and what’s going to be the best for your cat’s health and nutrition.
We recommend cat foods made with wholesome, natural ingredients that are founded on high-quality sources of animal protein like meat, poultry, and fish. Cats are obligate carnivores, after all, so their ability to digest plant matter is extremely limited.
In addition to being high in protein, we look for recipes that are easy to digest and balanced in terms of nutrition.
Carbs aren’t ideal in cat food, but digestible sources like whole grains and fresh veggies can be beneficial to provide fiber and essential nutrients. Just make sure they don’t outweigh the protein.
Here are some of the things we look for in a good cat food brand:
- High-quality animal protein as the first ingredient
- Rich in healthy animal fats (ex: chicken fat or salmon oil)
- Few to no carbohydrate ingredients (especially within the top 5)
- Limited number of main ingredients plus supplements
- No low-quality fillers, grains, or by-products
We take our jobs seriously, so we don’t expect you to simply take our word for it on the cat food brands we recommend.
We do our best to evaluate each brand thoroughly, taking into account the quality of the ingredients they use but also additional factors like recipe variety, recall history, availability, and customer reviews.
We want to paint a complete picture to help you make a smart choice for your cat.
Overview of the Evolve Cat Food Brand
Evolve Cat food is owned and manufactured by Sunshine Mills. This company was founded in 1949 and continues to be family-owned and -operated with its headquarters in Red Bay, Alabama. Though it got its start as an animal feed company, Sunshine Mills added a pet food line in the 1960s.
Today, Evolve is known for offering “scientifically blended & balanced” super-premium pet food. According to the brand’s website, Sunshine Mills does everything they can to “craft carefully designed food and treats to help you maintain your pet’s health and happiness for many years to come.”
All of Sunshine Mills’ pet food products are made in the USA. The company states they own and operate several facilities throughout the USA so they are able to control the quality of their products start to finish. Every batch is tested to ensure perfection and safety.
What Kind of Cat Food Products Do They Offer?
Evolve recently reformulated some of their recipes, so we found the offerings on Chewy to be different from the recipes listed on the brand website.
According to Chewy, Evolve currently offers four dry food and four wet food recipes. Though the number of recipes is the same as the brand website, the names and formulations are different. In addition to adult cat food recipes, Evolve also offers a dry food and a wet food formula for kittens.
Here is the nutritional information for some of the most popular cat food recipes:
Dry Food Recipes |
|||||
| Recipe | Protein % | Fat % | Fiber % | Moisture % | Calories/Cup |
| Classic Deboned Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Food | 32 | 13 | 3 | 11 | 366 |
| Classic Deboned Salmon, Rice & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Food | 32 | 15 | 4.5 | 10 | 367 |
| Chicken, Pea & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Kitten Food | 36 | 18 | 4 | 10 | 378 |
| Grain-Free Ocean Whitefish & Egg Recipe Dry Food | 35 | 14 | 4 | 12 | 376 |
Wet Food Recipes |
|||||
| Recipe | Protein % | Fat % | Fiber % | Moisture % | Calories/Can |
| Classic Kitten Turkey Recipe Canned Cat Food | 11 | 7 | 1 | 78 | 205 (5.5 oz.) |
| Classic Seafood and Brown Rice Recipe Canned Cat Food | 10 | 6 | 1 | 78 | 192 (5.5 oz.) |
| Classic Chicken Recipe Canned Cat Food | 10 | 6 | 1 | 78 | 175 (5.5 oz.) |
| Classic Turkey & Brown Rice Recipe Canned Food | 10 | 6 | 1 | 78 | 188 (5.5 oz.) |
Product Recall History
When evaluating a brand for quality, it’s always a good idea to check for recalls. Having a recall or two doesn’t necessarily indicate a poor-quality brand, but a long list of recalls is certainly a red flag.
Sunshine Mills, the company that produces Evolve cat food, owns and operates their own facilities which helps reduce the risk for recalls.
Though it isn’t exclusively true, many cat food manufacturers that outsource production experience a higher risk for recalls. So do companies that use Chinese ingredients.
Here is an overview of Evolve pet food recalls:
- March 2007 (potential melamine contamination) – The FDA issued a recall for a single lot of kitten food due to potential melamine concerns.
Though Evolve has one recall in the brand’s history, it happened more than 12 years ago. The recipe in question has been reformulated since then and the brand hasn’t had any recalls since.
Products Included in This Review |
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| Name | Type | Protein % | Fat % | Top 5 Ingredients |
| Classic Deboned Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Food | Dry | 32 | 13 | Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, brown rice flour, peas |
| Classic Deboned Salmon, Rice & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Food | Dry | 32 | 15 | Deboned salmon, chicken meal, oatmeal, whole ground brown rice, turkey meal |
| Chicken, Pea & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Kitten Food | Dry | 36 | 18 | Deboned chicken, chicken meal, peas, chickpeas, fish meal |
| Classic Seafood and Brown Rice Recipe Canned Cat Food | Wet | 10 | 6 | Chicken, ocean whitefish, salmon broth, chicken liver, dried egg product |
| Classic Kitten Turkey Recipe Canned Cat Food | Wet | 11 | 7 | Turkey, turkey broth, turkey liver, chicken, ocean whitefish |
Compare Evolve Cat Food
|
Type of Food
Dry |
Type of Food
Dry |
Type of Food
Dry |
Type of Food
Wet |
Type of Food
Wet |
|
First 5 Ingredients
Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, brown rice flour, peas |
First 5 Ingredients
Deboned salmon, chicken meal, oatmeal, whole ground brown rice, turkey meal |
First 5 Ingredients
Deboned chicken, chicken meal, peas, chickpeas, fish meal |
First 5 Ingredients
Chicken, ocean whitefish, salmon broth, chicken liver, dried egg product |
First 5 Ingredients
Turkey, turkey broth, turkey liver, chicken, ocean whitefish |
|
Guaranteed Analysis
32% Protein Min, 13% Fat Min, 3% Fiber Max, 11% Moisture Max |
Guaranteed Analysis
32% Protein Min, 15% Fat Min, 4.5% Fiber Max, 10% Moisture Max |
Guaranteed Analysis
36% Protein Min, 18% Fat Min, 4% Fiber Max, 10% Moisture Max |
Guaranteed Analysis
10% Protein Min, 6% Fat Min, 1% Fiber Max, 78% Moisture Max |
Guaranteed Analysis
11% Protein Min, 7% Fat Min, 1% Fiber Max, 78% Moisture Max |
|
Calories per Cup
366 kcal/cup |
Calories per Cup
367 kcal/cup |
Calories per Cup
378 kcal/cup |
Calories per Cup
192 kcal/cup |
Calories per Cup
205 kcal/can |
|
Price Per Pound/Ounce
$1.68/pound |
Price Per Pound/Ounce
$1.88 |
Price Per Pound/Ounce
$2.50 |
Price Per Pound/Ounce
$0.35/ounce |
Price Per Pound/Ounce
$0.20/ounce |
EVOLVE Classic Deboned Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Dry
- First 5 Ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, brown rice flour, peas
- Guaranteed Analysis: 32% Protein Min, 13% Fat Min, 3% Fiber Max, 11% Moisture Max
- Calories per Cup: 366 kcal/cup
- Price Per Pound/Ounce: $1.68/pound
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice Flour, Peas, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Fish Meal, Dried Egg Product, Taurine, Calcium Sulfate, Salt, Dl-Methionine, Dried Kelp, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Thermophilum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Polysaccharide Complex, Iron Polysaccharide Complex, Manganese Polysaccharide Complex And Copper Polysaccharide Complex, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite).
This classic dry food formula features deboned chicken and chicken meal as the top two ingredients. Deboned chicken is simply fresh chicken while chicken meal has been cooked, making it a concentrated source of animal protein.
This recipe also contains turkey meal and fish meal.
In addition to the proteins, this formula contains digestible whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal. Peas are included as well, which may contribute some plant protein, but not likely a significant amount.
The estimated carbohydrate content of this dry food formula is over 35% which is a little concerning.
Generally, we like to see a maximum of 10% carbohydrate content but that is more common in wet food than in dry food. Most of the carbs in this recipe are digestible sources, but we’d like to see less.
We do, however, like the inclusion of dried cranberries and blueberries as natural sources for key nutrients. These supplement the synthetic vitamins and minerals used to ensure nutritional balance.
EVOLVE Classic Deboned Salmon, Rice & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Dry
- First 5 Ingredients: Deboned salmon, chicken meal, oatmeal, whole ground brown rice, turkey meal
- Guaranteed Analysis: 32% Protein Min, 15% Fat Min, 4.5% Fiber Max, 10% Moisture Max
- Calories per Cup: 367 kcal/cup
- Price Per Pound/Ounce: $1.88
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Deboned Salmon, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Turkey Meal, Whole Ground Barley, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Peas, Potatoes, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Natural Salmon Flavor, Powdered Cellulose, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Flaxseed Meal, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Salt, Fish Oil, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-Lysine, Dried Chicory Root, Beta Carotene, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, etc…
This salmon recipe features fresh salmon as the first ingredient, but the next ingredient is chicken meal.
This isn’t an issue unless your cat is allergic or sensitive to chicken, but the fact that it is chicken meal rather than fresh chicken means that once the product is cooked to remove moisture, it may contain a higher volume of chicken than salmon. This recipe also contains turkey meal.
Like the previous formula, this recipe contains oatmeal and brown rice. The key difference is the brown rice is whole ground – it isn’t listed as brown rice flour. It’s unclear whether they are actually two different ingredients. It’s also worth noting this recipe includes whole ground barley as well.
In addition to whole grains, this recipe is supplemented with dried fruits and veggies to provide fiber as well as natural sources of key nutrients. The estimated carbohydrate content of this recipe is still fairly high around 30% but not quite as high as the previous recipe.
EVOLVE Chicken, Pea & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Kitten Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Dry
- First 5 Ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, peas, chickpeas, fish meal
- Guaranteed Analysis: 36% Protein Min, 18% Fat Min, 4% Fiber Max, 10% Moisture Max
- Calories per Cup: 378 kcal/cup
- Price Per Pound/Ounce: $2.50
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Chickpeas, Fish Meal, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Starch, Turkey Meal, Flaxseed Meal, Natural Chicken Flavor, Sweet Potato, Dried Egg Product, Fish Oil (Source Of Dha), Taurine, Calcium Sulfate, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Blueberries, Dried Cranberries, Dried Carrots, Dl-Methionine, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Source Of Vitamin B6], Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin), Minerals (Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Reuteri Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product.
All cats require a high-protein diet, but protein is especially important for growing kittens. This kitten recipe dry food features both fresh chicken and chicken meal as the top two ingredients with supplemental protein from fish meal and turkey meal.
This grain-free formula contains peas and chickpeas as the primary carbohydrates with pea starch and flaxseed meal for additional sources of fiber. You’ll also find sweet potatoes and a small assortment of dried fruits and veggies on the list.
The estimated carbohydrate content of this recipe is the lowest yet, under 25%. This recipe seems fairly digestible and it doesn’t contain any red flag ingredients.
EVOLVE Classic Seafood and Brown Rice Recipe Canned Cat Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Wet
- First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, ocean whitefish, salmon broth, chicken liver, dried egg product
- Guaranteed Analysis: 10% Protein Min, 6% Fat Min, 1% Fiber Max, 78% Moisture Max
- Calories per Cup: 192 kcal/cup
- Price Per Pound/Ounce: $0.35/ounce
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Chicken, Ocean Whitefish, Salmon Broth, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Product, Brown Rice, Cranberries, Peas, Carrots, Guar Gum, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Taurine ,Ground Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Magnesium Sulfate, Inulin, Carrageenan, Brewers Dried Yeast, Yucca Schidigera Extract.
Though this Classic Seafood recipe is listed as such, the first ingredient is actually chicken. Keep this in mind if you’re looking for a recipe to feed a cat with food allergies or sensitivities.
After the chicken comes ocean white fish followed by salmon broth, chicken liver, and dried egg. Brown rice is the primary source of carbohydrate with cranberries, peas, and carrots as additions. It’s worth noting that these are fresh ingredients, not dried like the previous recipes.
We also like to see the inclusion of chelated minerals in this formula that were absent from the dry foods. Chelated minerals are simply minerals that have been chemically bound to protein molecules which helps enhance their absorption.
Generally speaking, wet cat food tends to be higher in protein and lower in carbohydrate than dry food. The estimated carbohydrate content of this wet food recipe is under 3% which is highly preferable to the high carb content of the dry food recipes we’ve already reviewed.
EVOLVE Classic Kitten Turkey Recipe Canned Cat Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Wet
- First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, turkey broth, turkey liver, chicken, ocean whitefish
- Guaranteed Analysis: 11% Protein Min, 7% Fat Min, 1% Fiber Max, 78% Moisture Max
- Calories per Cup: 205 kcal/can
- Price Per Pound/Ounce: $0.20/ounce
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Turkey, Turkey Broth, Turkey Liver, Chicken, Ocean Whitefish, Dried Egg Product, Brown Rice, Cranberries, Peas, Carrots, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Ground Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Salt, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Vitamins (Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Magnesium Sulfate, Inulin, Carrageenan, Brewers Dried Yeast, Yucca Schidigera Extract.
Formulated for growing kittens, this recipe features fresh turkey, turkey broth, and turkey liver as the top three ingredients. These are followed by three additional sources of animal protein – fresh chicken, fresh ocean whitefish, and dried egg.
Brown rice provides the primary source of carbohydrate, supplemented by cranberries, peas, and carrots. Overall, this recipe is very similar to the previous one.
One thing to note with Evolve’s wet food formulas is that they are thickened with carrageenan. Though carrageenan is naturally derived from seaweed, it has been correlated with gastrointestinal upset. Keep this in mind and watch for issues with your cat’s digestion, just in case.
What Do Customers Think of Evolve Cat Food?
Evolve doesn’t seem to be one of the most popular brands on the market, simply based on the number of reviews on Chewy. That being said, while most products have fewer than 50 customer reviews, the ratings for Evolve cat foods average about 4 stars.
In reading some customer reviews of Evolve cat food, we found many comments about the quality and affordability. As is always the case, however, there were also some cat owners whose cats simply didn’t like the food. There seemed to be more issues with the chicken recipe than the salmon.
How Much Does Evolve Cat Food Cost?
Generally speaking, Evolve is a fairly affordable cat food brand. Their two classic dry food formulas are priced between $1.50 and $2.00 per pound.
The kitten recipe is more expensive, but primarily because it is only sold in smaller bags. Wet cat food is under $0.50 per ounce which makes it very affordable.
To give you a better idea how Chicken Soup for the Soul stacks up against other cat food brands, here is a quick chart to show you some average prices:
| Brand/Recipe | Type | Quality | Price/Ounce | Price/Pound |
| Meow Mix Original Choice Dry Food | Dry | Low | X | $0.90/pound |
| Friskies Classic Pate Mixed Grill Canned Food | Wet | Low | $0.07/ounce | $1.16/pound |
| Blue Buffalo Indoor Health Chicken & Brown Rice Adult Dry Cat Food | Dry | Moderate | X | $2.53/pound |
| Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Chicken Pate Recipe Canned Cat Food | Wet | Moderate | $0.36/ounce | X |
| Instinct by Nature’s Variety Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken | Dry | High | X | $3.45/pound |
| Ziwi Peak New Zealand Venison Recipe Canned Cat Food | Wet | High | $1.21/ounce | X |
Where Can You Buy Evolve Cat Food?
Sunshine Mills products like Evolve cat food can be found in a variety of major retailers throughout the country. You can find Evolve pet products at grocery stores and discount clubs as well as some feed stores, hardware stores, and pet specialty stores.
Evolve is also sold online at Chewy and Amazon as well as online pet stores like PetSmart. You can purchase through the Sunshine Mills online shop as well.
Our Final Thoughts: Is Evolve a Good Brand?
Overall, we think Evolve is a decent brand, especially considering the affordable price. We like that every recipe starts with a source of real animal protein and most recipes contain several sources.
You won’t be able to feed Evolve to cats with allergies to common proteins like chicken, for the most part, but that may not be an issue for all cat owners.
The quality of the ingredients seems to be fairly high, though the wet food does contain carrageenan and other thickeners. Evolve’s dry foods didn’t contain chelated minerals, though the wet foods do.
The primary concern is the high carbohydrate content of Evolve’s dry foods. If you’re looking for a protein-rich recipe for your cat, we’d recommend Evolve wet foods over their dry food formulas.
