The Honest Kitchen Cat Food Review
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With a name like The Honest Kitchen, you might assume that this is a cat food brand you can trust. The Honest Kitchen does, in fact, make it a hallmark of their brand to be open and honest with their consumers.
From using human-grade ingredients to preparing their recipes in human food facilities, this brand exhibits its commitment to quality and integrity in everything they do.
If you’re looking for a premium-quality cat food that goes above and beyond the standard set by even the best dry cat food on the market, The Honest Kitchen is a brand worthy of your consideration.
- Premium-quality cat food products
- No history of cat food recalls
- Expensive compared to average cat food
- Some cats dislike the texture of the product
- Premium-quality cat food products
- No history of cat food recalls
- Expensive compared to average cat food
- Some cats dislike the texture of the product
How We Review Cat Food Brands
If you want your cat to live a long and healthy life, the best thing you can do is provide it with a healthy and balanced diet. Cats are obligate carnivores which means that they have a biological requirement for meat in their diet – a high-protein diet is a nutritional necessity.
This being the case, cat foods made with a high percentage of carbohydrates are not ideal. When reviewing cat food brands, we heavily favor those that use high-quality animal-based proteins as the first ingredient in their recipes with a low percentage of plant products (including plant protein).
The best way to determine the quality of a cat food product is to look at the list of ingredients, so that’s what we do.
Because ingredients lists are arranged in descending order by volume, we evaluate the first five ingredients on the list and compare them to the guaranteed analysis.
This helps us determine what percentage of the product comes from high-quality ingredients, particularly premium animal proteins. We also make sure the product doesn’t make use of low-quality fillers, grains, or by-products.
Other factors we consider when reviewing cat food brands include the variety of recipes available, the price per pound, the recall history of the brand, the availability, and customer reviews.
Variety is important because cats tend to be picky – it’s a good thing for cat food brands to offer a variety of options for their customers.
Recall history is a good way to gauge the brand’s quality and safety as a whole, and customer reviews provide added insight into the brand’s quality and popularity.
Overview of The Honest Kitchen Brand
The Honest Kitchen is a premium brand of pet food that focuses on high-quality nutrition as the ultimate recipe for health and wellness.
This brand believes that food is the best medicine, so they focus their recipes on high-quality, natural ingredients to promote better digestion, higher energy levels, healthier skin and coat, increased appetite, and healthy weight control.
Their utilize a wide variety of human-grade ingredients and manufacture their products in human food facilities.
What makes The Honest Kitchen unique is that they do not offer traditional dry cat food or wet cat food products.
They only sell two recipes of cat food, both of which are dehydrated. By dehydrating their products instead of cooking them at high heat, the raw ingredients retain more of their original nutritional value and they are easier for your cat to digest.
Plus, they keep more of the original color and aroma which makes the product more appetizing for your cat.
Not only is The Honest Kitchen committed to quality and integrity with both their products and their practices, but they offer a full guarantee.
If you’re not satisfied with the product, simply contact the brand online to process a return and a refund.
What Kind of Cat Food Products Do They Offer?
At this time, The Honest Kitchen only offers two cat food products. They offer a grain-free chicken recipe and a grain-free turkey recipe, both of which are dehydrated and should be rehydrated with water or broth prior to feeding.
This brand also offers dehydrated whole fish fillets as treats for cats as well as two supplements – an herbal digestive supplement and a probiotic supplement featuring goat’s milk.
Products Included in This Review |
||||
| Name | Type | Protein % | Fat % | Top 5 Ingredients |
| The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Cat Food | Dehydrated | 39% | 28% | Dehydrated chicken, eggs, potatoes, sweet potatoes, flaxseed |
| The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Turkey Recipe Cat Food | Dehydrated | 38.5% | 34.5% | Dehydrated turkey, eggs, pumpkin, potatoes, parsley |
Compare The Honest Kitchen Cat Food
|
Type of Food
Dehydrated |
Type of Food
Dehydrated |
|
First 5 Ingredients
Dehydrated chicken, dehydrated eggs, dehydrated potatoes, dehydrated sweet potatoes, dehydrated flaxseed |
First 5 Ingredients
Dehydrated turkey, dehydrated eggs, dehydrated pumpkin, dehydrated potatoes, dehydrated parsley |
|
Guaranteed Analysis
35% protein, 28% fat, 2.5% fiber, 5% moisture |
Guaranteed Analysis
35% protein, 30% fat, 2.5% fiber, 5% moisture |
|
Calories per Cup
576 calories per cup |
Calories per Cup
629 calories per cup |
|
Price Per Pound
$11.50/pound ($3.83/pound prepared) |
Price Per Pound
$14.00/pound ($4.67/pound prepared) |
The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Chicken Grain-Free Cat Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Dehydrated
- First 5 Ingredients: Dehydrated chicken, dehydrated eggs, dehydrated potatoes, dehydrated sweet potatoes, dehydrated flaxseed
- Guaranteed Analysis: 35% protein, 28% fat, 2.5% fiber, 5% moisture
- Calories per Cup: 576 calories per cup
- Price Per Pound: $11.50/pound ($3.83/pound prepared)
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Dehydrated Chicken, Dehydrated Eggs, Dehydrated Potatoes, Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes, Organic Flaxseed, Dehydrated Pumpkin, Dehydrated Spinach, Dried Cranberries, Minerals [Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite], Taurine, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), D- Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement].
The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Recipe (Prowl) is made with 70% free-range chicken, making it a high-protein recipe packed with real meat flavor.
It is minimally processed, dehydrated rather than cooked, to preserve more of the original flavor, aroma, and nutritional content of the raw ingredients.
This recipe is complete and balanced for adult cats of all breeds, according to AAFCO cat food nutrient profiles. It contains just 8 main ingredients, supplemented with essential vitamins and minerals to ensure balanced nutrition, but is free from fillers, by-products, and artificial additives.
The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Turkey Dehydrated Cat Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Dehydrated
- First 5 Ingredients: Dehydrated turkey, dehydrated eggs, dehydrated pumpkin, dehydrated potatoes, dehydrated parsley
- Guaranteed Analysis: 35% protein, 30% fat, 2.5% fiber, 5% moisture
- Calories per Cup: 629 calories per cup
- Price Per Pound: $14.00/pound ($4.67/pound prepared)
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Dehydrated Turkey, Dehydrated Eggs, Dehydrated Pumpkin, Dehydrated Potatoes, Dried Parsley, Dehydrated Kale, Dried Cranberries, Minerals [Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite], Taurine, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), D- Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement].
The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Turkey Recipe is packed with protein, featuring 70% free-range turkey with a mixture of dehydrated fruits and vegetables.
This recipe contains all-natural, whole-food ingredients fit for human consumption and is prepared in human-grade food facilities. It is completely free from by-products, preservatives, and artificial additives and is minimally processed by being dehydrated rather than cooked at high temperature.
To prepare this food, simply mix it with a little bit of warm water or broth to rehydrate it.
What Do Customers Think of The Honest Kitchen Cat Food?
There is no denying that The Honest Kitchen uses high-quality ingredients in their products, so most customers are thrilled by this fact.
The main challenge with this brand is the fact that the food is dehydrated. This makes it a dry, powdery consistency and it must be rehydrated before feeding. Most of the customers who gave the product a negative review commented on the consistency of the rehydrated product which was unappealing to their cats.
Positive Customer Reviews
“My cat, who is a very picky eater had gotten to the point where she was not eating much. I had a sample of Honest Kitchen cat food and decided to try it with her. She loves it and has been eating a reasonable amount of food now.”
– CatOwner, reviewing The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Recipe
“Healthy food that we can feel good about. Our cat loves it. She has digestion issues and needs high-quality food. This has helped her tummy and improved her stools! Great alternative to raw food and it’s easier to prepare.”
– JHennel, reviewing The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Turkey Recipe
Negative Customer Reviews
“I was thrilled when I saw there was food for picky cats that guaranteed they would love it or your money back. The very first night, I fixed a warm formula and one by one my three cats came by to sniff it and then walked away without tasting it. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.”
– Frustrated, reviewing The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Recipe
“I tried this as a topper for wet food to begin. Then as rehydrated by itself. None of my cats liked this product! I was surprised as my friend’s cats like it. For me it was an expensive trial.”
– Wildfire, reviewing The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Turkey Recipe
Product Recall History
Any cat food company that produces in bulk is subject to making the occasional mistake. Products can be recalled for a wide variety of reasons ranging from serious issues like potential contamination with food-borne pathogens to labeling problems.
In some cases, the recall may only affect a specific product or a limited run of a certain recipe. The Honest Kitchen has only had a single recall in its history, and it was for a limited run of dog food recipes in 2013. There have been no cat food recalls.
How Much Does The Honest Kitchen Cat Food Cost?
The Honest Kitchen currently only offers two dehydrated cat food products, a chicken and a turkey recipe. Both of these recipes are sold in 2-pound and 4-pound boxes. For the larger 4-pound box, prices range from about $45 to $56.
In its dehydrated form, this cat food costs well over $10 per pound. What you need to remember, however, is that the food should be rehydrated before feeding. Each box rehydrates to 12 lbs. of food, making the true price per pound somewhere between $3.75 and $4.60.
Where Can You Buy The Honest Kitchen Cat Food?
If you’re looking for The Honest Kitchen cat food in stores, you’ll probably have to visit a local or specialty pet food store. Smaller regional chains may carry it as well, and you can find it Whole Foods. The best place to shop for this brand, however, is online at major retailers like Chewy and Amazon.
Our Final Thoughts: Is The Honest Kitchen a Good Cat Food?
Overall, The Honest Kitchen is an excellent brand of cat food. Though their product offerings are very limited, it is easy to see that the brand uses only the highest quality ingredients and pays attention to the safety of their manufacturing processes.
If you’re looking for a cat food that offers high-quality nutrition from whole foods that have been minimally processed, consider this brand.
While The Honest Kitchen offers premium-quality products, they come at premium prices. This brand of cat food is very expensive, even compared to top-shelf dry cat foods, and there are some challenges regarding the texture of the product.
Not all cats will like dehydrated food, either dry or rehydrated, so we recommend that you try a sample or purchase the 2-pound size to start.
Every cat food brand has its pros and cons, but we believe that The Honest Kitchen is a brand you can trust and that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Try it for yourself and let us know what you think!
