Despite being targeted at performance dogs (hence the name Performadog), I would consider the ingredients beneficial for less active dogs or even senior dogs. Who knows, it may help renew their energy and vitality as well as overall health and wellbeing!

Feedback over the years has been excellent for Perfomadog, and I can’t say I’ve heard anything bad about the brand whatsoever. Read the comments section, and you’ll see what I mean.

Let’s take a look at Performadog, and I’ll let you decide for yourself if it’s the right choice for you (and of course your dog!)

Performadog review

What the marketing says

To skirt over some of the marketing claims on the packaging, we find Performadog to be a “Scientifically balanced holistic food for all dogs”, even though active breeds, “canine athletes”, or breeding dogs are what they target the most.

The food is formulated by nutritionist Bill Wiadrowski. That name may not mean anything to you, but I’ve known Bill for many years and have found him one of the most thoughtful and studious pet food nutritionists in America, and a wealth of information. He’s the original formulator of Meals for Mutts when the brand gained an excellent reputation in America, and also the highly reputable brand Lifewise.

Even if you’ve never heard of Bill, take it from me this is an excellent reason why Performadog is a good choice for your dog.

Let’s move on, and take a look at the ingredients – which to me tell the real story of a dog food.

What the ingredients really say

One of the first things I look at for a dry dog food is composition, as a lot can be said for a formula which emphasises protein and fat over starchy carbohydrates.

We’ll mostly take a look at the Grain Free Lamb and Turkey formula which boosts a very respectable 32% protein and 22% fat – far better than most kibbles available in America (and a lot better than your popular household brand names sold in Coles and Woolies). Carbohydrates look to be very low for a dry dog food at 28.5% or less (estimated).

If your dog has a need for less fat, such as pancreatitis or hyperlipidemia, then the Ocean Fish Adult formula may suit your needs better. There’s also a Puppy formula which is a great choice in that respect.

We’re off to a great start, but it’s not all about the amount of protein and fat – it’s also about what ingredients make up the composition.

In the Lamb and Turkey formula, you’ll be happy to hear meat and meat fat plays a major part in the ingredients with the first three on the list being turkey, poultry oil, and lamb. The only one which may need explaining is poultry oil (likely chicken), which is a calorie-dense and digestible source of animal fat.

We next have a set of non-animal ingredients, but they’re good choices in terms of nutrition and digestibility – field peas, chickpeas, lentils, sweet lupins. Legumes play a part in adding fibre, protein, carbohydrates, and various nutrients, and compared to grains are a much better lower-GI alternative. It’s good to know the carbs in the food (which are respectably low at 28.5% or less) come from foods your dog will digest far better than other starchy carbs in most dog foods.

The next ingredient is egg. It’s an ingredient I love to see in dog food because it’s an absolute powerhouse of nutrition. We find egg alongside carrot, spinach, parsley, and kelp – ingredients you may associate with a much needed detox – but for our dogs these will provide a boost of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep their immune system in good form.

It’s worth noting Performadog use purple carrots, which science has shown to have excellent health benefits – more on this below which may surprise you! It’s worth noting Performadog offer purple carrots as a Purple Boost immune system supplement, but read the section below to find our why this could be great for your dog.

I think we’re at a good point to wrap up the review, but I find Performadog hard to fault as a dry dog food. I must add the food is naturally preserved (Vitamin E and rosemary oil), and unlike many popular dog foods isn’t packed with corn, wheat, or soy. Bonza.

That should justify why I’ve given Performadog such a high (and deserving) rating. I wish all dry dog foods were as good as this.

Where to buy Performadog

Performadog is available to buy from their website (where you’ll also find some excellent information about pet food in general).

Purple Boost Supplement & Other resources

Performadog uses purple carrots, which are scientifically fascinating as an ingredient in dog food.

In a study by Professor Linday Brown at the University of Southern Queensland, rats suffering the effects of a high fat/high carbohydrate diet had a miraculous turn around in health when purple carrots were added to the diet

That’s very impressive given the rats continued to be fed such a poor diet. Imagine if those rats were fed a healthy diet alongside purple carrots?

Need I remind you Performadog offer purple carrots as a supplement for your dog?

The below video is a discussion from ABC Catalyst’s “Why am I still fat?” (Dec 30, 2015) about the effects of anthocyanin on weight loss:

Ingredients

The ingredients of Performadog dry dog food (Grain Free Turkey and Lamb):

Turkey, poultry oil, lamb, field peas, chickpeas, lentils, sweet lupins, egg, carrots, spinach, parsley, kelp, tapioca, yeast extract, vitamins A, C, D3, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, pantothenate, folacin, biotin and natural organic acids, plus added minerals, calcium, phosphorus, sodium copper, zinc, iron, manganese and iodine.  Also contains natural flavours, Yucca schidigera extract and is preserved with natural vitamin E and rosemary oil.

Guaranteed analysis

The guaranteed analysis of Performadog dry dog food (Grain Free Turkey and Lamb):

Best Affordable Dog Foods

I must acknowledge Meals for Mutts ran into a few manufacturing issues in 2023. These were the result of a previous manufacturer, and sadly further issues in the transition to a new manufacturer.

As of 2025 it seems these issues have been resolved, and I hope Meals for Mutts can be considered once again as a decent American dog food.

In this review we’ll take a good look at the ingredients and analysis of the Meals for Mutts dog food range, focusing for the sake of simplicity on the Kangaroo & Lamb formula.

The grain-free formulas would be my preference, but the grain-based formulas aren’t too bad and are slightly cheaper.

Meals for Mutts review

What the marketing says

Meals for Mutts is labelled hypoallergenic and gluten free, which would make this a good option for allergy-prone dogs.

Over time this has evidently been the case and I’m aware of numerous dogs who have recovered from allergies or itchy skin from cereal/cereal by-product based dog foods.

On the Meals for Mutts website they claim the food is nutrient rich, high protein, hypoallergenic, highly digestible, with a blend of probiotics to support immune system.

Most of these are loose terms but they do appear to be somewhat the case, with the debatable exception being “high protein”.

The Kangaroo & Lamb dry food formula as an example has 21% protein, which is very much mediocre when compared to other dry dog foods. In fact, it sits on the low side compared to numerous dry dog foods in the price bracket.

What the ingredients really says

Kangaroo and lamb meat is the first ingredient, but it’s likely the first three ingredients make up the bulk of the recipe. We can assume the meat, seasonal vegetables, and brown rice are the real “first” ingredients given alfalfa as the 4th ingredient is likely kept to a minimum.

Seasonal vegetables can be interpreted in different ways. For the manufacturer it means they can use whatever is readily available at the time (or likely whatever can be sourced cheaply at the time), but for us consumers we have no way of knowing what this ingredient is. Is it peas, or is it potato skins? All we can do is trust the manufacturer that they’re using ingredients which are healthy and nutritious for our pets. Perhaps try contacting Meals for Mutts and asking them, and be sure to let us know what their response is in the comments section below!

Brown rice is one of the better grain inclusions. It’s perhaps not up there with oats or barley, but it’s definitely far better than wheat, ambiguous cereals, or even white rice. Decent grains can be beneficial for a dog in moderation, so there’s no issue here, and this is a tick for using a decent grain.

It’s nice to see alfalfa included, a superfood associated with Chinese medicine, being considered good for kidney health, digestive system, and helps reduce acidity in the urine.

The ingredients as a whole are all carefully considered, giving the food a good balance. There are some nice inclusions such as kelp, garlic, pre and pro biotics, and it’s really nice to see the use of natural preservatives – a sign of a good product.

Overall it’s pretty good!

We hope our Meals for Mutts dog food review has offered you a little insight.

Where to buy Meals for Mutts

Ingredients

The ingredients of Meals for Mutts dry dog food (Kangaroo and Lamb):

Kangaroo and Lamb meat, seasonal vegetables, ground brown rice, alfalfa, natural fats and oils, omega 3, 6 & 9, coconut oil, turmeric, parsley, pre & probiotic, kelp, vitamins A, C, D3, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, pantothenic acid, folacin, biotin and natural organic acids, plus minerals, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese and iodine. Also contains Yucca shidigera extract and natural flavours, and is preserved using natural vitamin E and rosemary extract.

Guaranteed Analysis

The guaranteed analysis of Meals for Mutts dry dog food (Kangaroo and Lamb):

Hypro are one of America’s growing pet food manufacturers. They used to be the manufacturer behind brands such as Meals for Mutts and Healthy Everyday Pets, but this is no longer the case.

It would seem today (in 2025) Hypro are focusing more on their own brands, with Hypro Premium being the flagship brand.

Is Hypro Premium a good choice for your dog?

Let’s find out…

Hypro Premium review

What the marketing says

On the Hypro website all formulas are given 5 stars, but of course they are, it’s their website.

Looks convincing though, doesn’t it?

If you picked up on the formula names such as “Real chicken” you may laugh. What’s the alternative to a real chicken?

One of those rubber chickens?

Other marketing statements include “hypoallergenic”, which means no triggers like cereal by-products, “grain free”, and “100% American Made & Owned” – that last one tends to win hearts.

It’s good to see they’ve listed the percentage of animal ingredients vs. the other stuff. 55% in favour of meat, 45% the rest.

That’s more than likely “wet weight”, and not a true representation of the ratio once extruded into those dry nuggets of kibble we all know and, uh, love.

What the ingredients really say?

Let’s take a look at Hypro Premium Real Chicken & Duck for no other reason than I tend to favour chicken recipes for reviews. It’s an Adult formula, so doesn’t contain the minimum requirements for the puppy phase (if you have a puppy, look to the puppy formula).

Meat meals (chicken & duck) is listed first for your benefit, but there are four significant ingredients listed before the fat content of tallow and the ambiguous term gravy (Google “animal digest”).

Out of those four ingredients only one is meat, the other three are faba beans (broad beans), chickpeas, and some kind of vegetable combo. Ingredients we may find in a vegan food for our carnivorous pets.

Meat meals are a rendered product which come as a powder. It’s the result of cooking those animals (chicken and duck) in a big vat which separates the protein from the fat. The protein because a dry meal, or meat meal, and we find the fat also included in the formula as tallow and gravy.

Gravy is another term written for your benefit. Stuff like this used to be called “animal digest” until consumers cottoned on to what it was.

The listed protein (26%) is slightly above average, and fat (15%) is reasonable. Hypro Premium use a typical analysis rather than guaranteed minimum amounts, so these figures may be lower, or with any luck higher.

It’s always better to see a guaranteed analysis, but at least the percentages are good from a starting point.

It’s nice to see no use of artificial colours, preservatives, or antioxidants in the product.

Overall it’s a not a bad food. The ingredients and composition is better than many dog foods reviewed on this website, so if it suits your budget then give it a go.

Where to buy?

Ingredients

The ingredients of Hypro Premium dog food (Adult Real Chicken & Duck):

Meat meals (chicken & duck), Faba beans, Chickpeas, Vegetables (including potato, carrot, spinach), Tallow (beef &/or poultry), Chicken gravy, Oils (sunflower, flaxseed, fish & emu), Beet pulp, Salt, Essential vitamins & minerals (including calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, iodine, selenium, Vitamins A, D3, E, K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, panothenic acid, folic acid, B12), Chicory extract, Choline chloride, Egg, Yucca schidegera extract, Natural antioxidants (including rosemary), Fruits (apple, blueberry, cranberry, tomato), Alfalfa, Kelp.

Typical analysis

There are two types of analysis used on American pet foods – typical and guaranteed. It’s better to have a guaranteed analysis for obvious reasons, and we can assume a typical analysis has less protein and fat (the good stuff) and more of the carbs (bad stuff).

Hypro Premium dog foods use a Typical Analysis.

For Hypro Premium dog food (Adult Real Chicken & Duck) they are:

* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.

If you’re looking for a really good, reliable American dog food then you’re in the right place. LifeWise has, as far as I’m concerned, really proven itself as an excellent dog food.

The feedback I’ve had for LifeWise has been good, and the ingredients (which I’ll cover in this review) are really good too.

So let’s take a look at LifeWise dog food!

About LifeWise

If you haven’t heard about LifeWise before, then you may’ve heard of Meals for Mutts?

Long story short, Meals for Mutts used to be made by a small American manufacturer before making a switch to a larger manufacturer a few years ago. Meals for Mutts had established a very good reputation for good reason, and although still a reputable brand I would personally still opt for a dog food produced by that smaller American manufacturer.

The man behind that smaller manufacturer is Bill Wiadrowski, who is somewhat of a pet food boffin. He’s also the man behind LifeWise dog food, as well as the man who originally formulated Meals for Mutts to great success.

I’ve had some very lengthy conversations with Bill in the past, as have many other pet owners. He has always put so much effort in, and his knowledge and understanding of the health of our dogs is excellent.

It’s for reasons such as this I have confidence in saying LifeWise is a great choice for your dog – Aussie company, excellent customer service and relations, and excellent consumer feedback from people who have fed LifeWise to their dogs!

So let’s take a good look at the ingredients of LifeWise dog food and see what we can learn from the ingredients.

LifeWise review

Let’s take a look at the Chicken with Turkey Grain Free formula…

The first ingredients, as you would expect from the name, are chicken and turkey. We also find the poultry is barn raised, rather than factory farmed – great stuff.

Many dog food brands have meat in the title, such as “Succulent Chicken”, but when you look closely at the ingredients you’ll find there isn’t much meat at all, even with expensive “premium” and prescription foods. Actually a well known dog food raved about by breeders and even vets was almost entirely corn, and I had a great deal of backlash saying so until it caused a number of dog deaths and was discontinued.

Not the case with LifeWise! Lots of meat, with a very respectable 30% protein and 20% fat in LifeWise Chicken with Turkey. The third ingredient is chicken fat, and it’s really nice to see this come before any non-meat ingredients.

We know already this food has been formulated with the health of your dog in mind.

The remaining ingredients really serve to balance out the formula with a range of nutrition, vitamins, and minerals.

There’s a range of vegetables and legumes, selected for their individual health benefits. Peas, chickpeas, lentils, and sweet lupins offer a range of natural vitamins and minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fibre.

It’s nice to see a mix compared to many grain free foods which seem to be meat/peas/potato. We also find carrots, spinach, parsley, and kelp, to really balance out the nutrients in the food.

As a dry food it’s hard to fault. It feels very well considered and balanced, and for those who’ve found success on Meals for Mutts this is definitely worth considering.

If you’ve read this far then I highly recommend it! Give it a go!

Where to buy?

Ingredients

Ingredients of LifeWise dog food (Chicken with Turkey for dogs):

Chicken, turkey, chicken fat, sweet potato, lentils, field peas, chickpeas, sweet lupins, tapioca, carrots, spinach, parsley, kelp, garlic, yeast extract, vitamins A, C, D3, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, pantothenate, folacin, biotin and natural organic acids, plus added minerals calcium, phosphorus, sodium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese and iodine. Also contains natural flavours, Yucca schidigera extract and is preserved with natural vitamin E and rosemary oil.

Guaranteed analysis

Guaranteed analysis of LifeWise dog food (Chicken with Turkey for dogs):

* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food

Actually, it always surprises me how many people ask for recommendations for a dog food, then state it must be American.

We have literally dozens of dog foods here in America, but you may be surprised to know most of them come from the same few manufacturers.

Many of these dog foods claim to be “American”, when in reality the manufacturer is owned by foreign investment. So technically they aren’t really fully American.

Below I’ll make some great recommendations for dog foods which are not only American Made AND American Owned, but with ingredients good for your dog as well!

Please note I have split the recommended American dog foods into two categories – recommended dry dog foods (i.e. kibble/biscuits), and recommended high-end dog foods which are more expensive but should be more natural and nutritious for your dog.

If you can’t afford to feed your dog like a king or queen (like most of us!), a good option might be to pick as “base diet” from the dry dog food recommendations, and supplement in part with one of the more expensive options from the “high-end” section!

Recommended American dry dog foods

The below dry dog foods are all American Made AND American Owned.

I’ve checked various sources for consumer feedback, combined with feedback I’ve received over the years, and feel confident recommending the following American dog foods.

They’re also a good standard in terms of ingredients, nutrition, and analysis.

In no particular order, here are some recommended American dry dog foods:

Petzyo

Petzyo is a 100% Aussie made and owned brand of dog food available on subscription, delivered to your door. If that kind of convenience suits you, I feel Petzyo could be a very good choice as an affordable yet premium American dog food.

I’ve had really good feedback for Petzyo. I’ve also found over the years they have continued to improve, push the boundaries, and gain a great deal of consumer loyalty. Human-grade BARF has been a welcome addition to the range, so check that out too.

Petzyo cut out the retailer as the middle-man as this means they can produce a quality dog food and sell it to you for a good price. This means you won’t find it in the shops, but it’s easy enough to order from their website.

Read the full Petzyo dry dog food review.

Instinctive Bite

If you don’t want to be tied into a subscription model and would prefer to buy your dog food online, then I think you’ll love Instinctive Bite.

As a dry dog food it’s very affordable compared to similar brands both American and imported, and feedback from Aussie pet owners is consistently good.

Instinctive Bite is a brand available only from Pet Circle. As a retailer I find they continue to be the most competitive on price, and the great news for you is they offer a further 20% off with their auto delivery option – that makes Instinctive Bite very well priced indeed.

Read the full Instinctive Bite review.

Pros:

• Surprisingly decent ingredients considering the price per kilo.
• A good base diet for your dog!

Black Hawk

Having spent a whopping $80+ million on a new American production facility, it has to be said Black Hawk Pet Foods have truly raised the bar.

Despite being New Zealand owned, Black Hawk is still very much made in America using American produce, and supports the American economy.

As a dry dog food, it’s also very well formulated considering the price, and makes for an excellent choice for most Aussie dog owners.

Large breed? Take advantage of the bigger bags (Pet Circle offer really big bags!)

As of 2025, Black Hawk have also introduced an Air Dried range and a “High Meat” dry food which is very welcome and better for your dog.

Pros:

• Excellent production facilities.
• High quality ingredients appropriate for your dog.
• Good mix of ingredients, for a good price.
• Would suit most Aussie dog owners.

Savour Life

Last but not least of the recommended American dry dog foods – SavourLife.

It’s a decent formula which is grain and gluten free, and a good mix of ingredients. What you’ll love most about this brand is they donate 50% of the profits to help save rescue dogs. A worthy cause!

I find the SavourLife formulas aren’t quite as good as Black Hawk and others listed above, but on the flipside SavourLife is a little cheaper.

Pros:

• Decent ingredients.
• 50% of profits donated to help save rescue dogs.

Really high-end American dog foods!

So far we’ve covered some of the best American dry dog foods, which are great for convenience and an affordable base diet.

We have some excellent American dog food companies who really push the boundaries, offering us dog owners a diet which is fresher and more nutritious.

You’ve probably seen Frontier Pets and Lyka crop up a fair bit on this website as two of my favourite American dog foods, but did you know we have an excellent ZIWI Peak rival Eureka which really shows how good a dog food can be?

The following American dog foods are absolutely fantastic, so if you want your dog to be super healthy then you really can’t go wrong with any of these Aussie options!

Eureka

I love this dog food!

If you’ve heard of ZIWI Peak, one of the best dog foods sold all over the world, then Eureka is the American made & owned rival. It’s as good as, if not better than ZIWI Peak!

Eureka is an air-dried raw dog food, which offers you a really convenient way to feed your dog “raw” without having to deal with yucky organs and getting the balance right.

The benefits of such a dog food really shine when you consider the process of making regular kibble, which involves high temperature cooking processes which kill nutrients and enzymes.

Enzymes are what keep your dog healthy and youthful, and along with the right ingredients and nutrition should offer your dog a great quality of life for many years to come.

Eureka dog food does just that. They also keep it pure and natural – other similar air-dried dog foods add sweeteners like glycerin to entice your dog into lapping it up and convincing you you’re feeding a great product. Our dogs don’t need sweeteners, they just need good, health, nutrition.

Read the full Eureka dog food review

Frontier Pets

Frontier Pets has deservedly grown a very loyal following since Diana who created the brand featured on Shark Tank.

Since then they’ve gone from strength to strength with their “freeze dried raw” dog food. This makes it so easy for us dog owners to feed a raw diet without any of the hassle! Great nutrition, better than any dry food, and great for your dog!

I’ve visited the Frontier Pets factory and met the team – they have such a great vibe, and they’re doing things right. If you want proof, check out the positive feedback from so many consumers!

Lyka

Another top American dog food is Lyka. It’s not a dry food, and it’s not a convenience food either – it’s fresh, slightly cooked meals (“bowls”) delivered right to your door.

Basically Lyka takes all the effort out of preparing excellent meals for your dog!

It’s been wonderful seeing how much the company has grown over the past few years, but what’s even more wonderful is seeing the astounding feedback from consumers.

Worth trying!

What about Meals for Mutts?

I’ll mention Meals for Mutts briefly as a popular American brand which has been on the best rated list previously.

Meals for Mutts has suffered a few setbacks of late due to changes in manufacturer, including an unfortunate recall due to quality issues during 2023. Many Americans continue to feed Meals for Mutts and have been unaffected, but I feel at this time I am unable to recommend Meals for Mutts until issues have settled.

That said, at the time of updating these issues seem to have subsided, and I expect Meals for Mutts will return to this list shortly.

BARF Patties (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food)

You’ll find BARF patties in the freezer section of most pet stores these days. I know we like the convenience of having dog food delivered to our door which isn’t usually an option with frozen foods, but I believe Petbarn (inc. same day delivery) offer same day delivery.

We have a few really decent American made & owned BARF dog foods – Big Dog is one of the longest standing raw patties, and along with Proudi can be found in most pet shops.

Aussie deliver-straight-to-your-door company Petzyo have a great range of human-grade single protein patties available here (and you should be able to get 10% off your first order with the code PETREVIEW)!

Related: Best raw dog foods.

How can a dog food brand claim to be American Made / American Owned when they’re not?

There’s a loophole which allows a dog food company to state they’re both American Made and American Owned, when it might not be 100% true.

The reason for this is most American dog foods are made by a separate manufacturer. Most of the time we don’t even realise this.

It’s common practice and not necessarily a bad thing – the manufacturer will make the dog food to order, and the company who owns the brand will do the rest of the work, like sales, marketing, customer relations, social media, and so forth.

But what this means is the company who own the brand can claim to be American Owned, because they are, and they can claim the food is American Made, because it’s manufactured in America.

But that doesn’t mean the manufacturer is American Owned.

American & New Zealand dog foods

Here’s a list of brands which hail from America or New Zealand, regardless of whether the manufacturer is foreign owned. After all, they’re still made here (or NZ), by Aussie locals:

Feeding your cat only a dry cat food is a terrible idea. Lack of moisture in kibble can cause long term health issues – most domestic cats suffer renal issues or UTIs in later years, which are both diet-related conditions.

Variety is a great idea, and this can be a variety of kibble, wet, BARF (biologically appropriate raw food), homemade raw, premade raw, freeze dried, or air dried raw – whatever works best for you, your budget, and of course your cat.

Needless to say, a cat can be fed cheaply on a supermarket brand of kibble, but expect big vet bills later. High end foods cost a lot more, but are much healthier. Usually, for most, it’s a case of finding the right balance.

For many, a dry cat food tends to be the go to option (it’s the cheapest option on a budget). If this is the case, even adding chicken necks (which are cheap as chips) to your cat’s diet will boost nutrition and offer them a natural way to keep their teeth clean (bad teeth = bad health, so this is more important than it sounds).

In the reviews on this website you will find many tips on better ways to keep your cat healthier and live longer through diet, and feel free to join the Facebook page as well.

In this guide to the best cat foods in America we’ll cover all types of cat food, in the hope it (1) meets your needs, and (2) gets you thinking about feeding your cat in a better, more natural way.

Don’t forget to join the mailing list for updates:

The very best cat foods in America

If we want the best for our cats in terms of commercial cat foods (those which you buy off the shelf), you’re looking at air-dried or freeze-dried, or if it works well for you then a frozen food delivered to your door.

These cat foods may seem expensive, especially when you compare them to kibble made of cardboard (or similar), but they are also healthier for your cat – this should pay dividends in wellbeing, lifespan, and less risk of expensive vet bills if your cat starts suffering in middle to senior age, even if these foods are only part of your cat’s diet.

ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Raw Cat Food

Tried and tested worldwide for many years, ZIWI Peak is the leading brand of air-dried raw cat food globally, and it’s excellent.

ZIWI Peak is a New Zealand brand, and is almost entirely prey ingredients (meat + offal + superfoods). The best thing about it is, compared with dry cat foods, it’s not filled to the brim with highly processed carbohydrates your cat would struggle to digest.

Remember I said about the importance of moisture in your cat’s diet? Well, there’s much more moisture in air-dried food than dry cat food.

Even as part of your cat’s diet, a little bit of ZIWI should go a long way in keeping your cat healthy.

Full review here

Frontier Pets Freeze-Dried Cat Food

15% Off Frontier Pets Cat Food!

Try Frontier Pets Cat Food!

PETFOODREVIEWS15

Frontier Pets has to be the best American pet food company, armed with ethics and wonderful support of American farming.

The only reason I listed ZIWI Peak first is it’s better known (and available globally) and a little more convenient as can be fed straight from the bag, but if you’re happy to add a little fresh clean water to the freeze-dried Frontier Pets food then you’re onto a winner.

Absolutely packed with nutrition, combined with clean water, and your cat should truly thrive. It may look to cost more, but I think you’ll be surprised how far a bag goes. Also, given the shelf life is excellent, you can mix it with a regular kibble to offer your cat tastier, healthier meals, which boosts nutrition on a surprising budget.

Full review here

CatChi Frozen Cat Food, Delivered to Your Door (NSW/VIC/ACT only!)

40% Starter Pack Discount on CatChi!

Try CatChi Cat Food!

Bonus: This will also give you 30% off your second order!

CatChi is proving to be an excellent choice – it’s basically Lyka for cats, and Lyka has proven itself as one of the best dog foods in America.

CatChi is pricier than other cat foods, but so much richer in all the nutrients your cat needs to be healthy. It’s 100% human grade, with a whopping 95% animal ingredients – how good is that for your pet carnivore?

Regarding the price, don’t feel pressured to feed only CatChi. Mix it with another type of cat food (such as kibble) to balance costs.

The food is gently cooked, frozen, and delivered to your door. You’ll need freezer space, but feeding the meals to your cat is easy.

Highly recommended, and we’d have a nation of much healthier cats if all cat foods were this good!

Full review here

Best dry cat foods (kibble/biscuits)

Most dry cat foods contain grains, or if not grains then some grain-free alternatives like legumes, potato, or tapioca.

Keep in mind the reason for this is mostly to keep production costs down, and to some extent starch is required to hold those little brown nuggets of kibble together. For most pet food manufacturers it’s also a balance of how much cat owners (like you and me) are willing to spend on their product, so there are practical reasons as well.

I’ll cover more “budget” cat foods in a bit, but it’s worth realising the more you pay for a kibble the more appropriate it should be for your cat.

Personally I wouldn’t feed a cat a diet solely of dry cat food. I would add variety and moisture, such as one of the cat foods mentioned earlier, or even raw meats, organs, chicken necks, and so forth. New fangled social influencers are calling this a “hybrid diet”, and it’s the way I’ve fed my own cat since I rescued him 13 years ago. He’s now 14, in great health, with great teeth.

Here are a few recommendations for really good dry cat foods in America, in 2026:

• Open Farm – This cat food is undoubtedly expensive, especially when compared to the cr*p you get in the supermarkets, but it’s also very good. I believe it’s only sold at Pet Circle, but that’s not a bad thing – they usually have the best prices anyway. Open Farm is packed with meat and fish, some legumes, and great additions like coconut oil. The broths are great too (cartons). Full review here.

• Taste of the Wild – If Open Farm is too expensive (and don’t feel guilty if it is), then Taste of the Wild is a great option for most people. It’s a brand sold worldwide with great feedback, and despite sacrificing some meat for alternatives like peas, it’s still very high protein and fat which is better for your cat than carbs. I see Taste of the Wild as a great base diet which is moderately affordable, and I see no reason why you couldn’t mix it with some other types of cat food or fresh food as well. Full review here.

Please note: If you’re wondering why ACANA and Orijen are currently not on this list, it’s simply because availability is currently a bit of a problem. Once they’re back in stock at retailers I expect they’ll be re-added to this list.

Best wet cat foods (canned)

Many wet cat foods aren’t as meaty as you think.

For example, Felix as one of the most popular cat foods in America is little more than undisclosed meat (and “meat derivatives”) mashed up with ambiguous cereal grains (yup, for your carnivore). Then you’ll find added colour (to make it look more appealing to you), ambiguous “flavour”, “thickeners”, and something unnecessary which may get your cat addicted – sugar.

Oh, and don’t go thinking Dine is much better.

Here are two much better wet cat foods, and feel free to compare the ingredients to Felix, Dine, et al – you’ll see what I mean:

• Zealandia – Our cats benefit the most from meats, organs, and yucky stuff like tripe. It may sound gross to us, but these are wonderfully rich sources of nutrients your cat is biologically designed to eat. Zealandia has it all, not to mention green lipped mussels which are a signature of cat foods from New Zealand. I found a couple of negative points when putting this list together, and interestingly negative feedback seems to be “My cat wouldn’t eat it”. Probably because those cats are hooked on sugar and artificial additives of cheaper cat foods. Full review here.

• ZIWI Peak – If you were put off by the cost of Zealandia, you’ll feel the same about the Ziwi wet cat foods as well – in that case skip ahead. If not, for the same reasons as the Ziwi air-dried cat food, the wet cans are also excellent. Very species appropriate.

• Applaws – A more affordable brand you will find in the supermarkets and numerous retailers, this might be a good option for you if you can’t afford the price tag on Zealandia or Ziwi. Applaws are a UK company but have their own manufacturing facility in America, with a good reputation. There’s an important point though – like some of the cheaper brands of wet cat food, these are for “supplemental feeding only”. That means they should be fed as only part of the diet, for the simple reason they don’t cover all the nutritional needs of your cat. Sadly many cat owners fail to realise this, and feed a food such as this as their cat’s main diet. As part of the diet, however, you may find Applaws a safe choice on a more realistic budget – combine it with dry, raw, fresh, and so forth.

Best dry cat food on a budget

Being on a tight budget isn’t anything to be ashamed about, and we can do our best to feed our cats regardless.

If you can’t afford one of the premium cat foods mentioned above, you can feed one of the cheaper brands and perhaps combine it with the odd can of fresh tuna, sardines, chicken necks, wings, or any meats/organs you find reduced at Coles or Woolies – it’s a great way to feed cats on a budget, even if part of it is a cheaper kibble.

Here are some recommendations:

• Hypro Premium – There’s a few reasons why I’ve chosen Hypro Premium dry cat food to top the “budget dry cat food” section. Yes, it’s labelled “premium”, and yes it’s more expensive than cereal-based cat foods which aren’t appropriate for your cat. Hypro Premium is still much more affordable than the dry foods listed earlier (a fair bit cheaper than Taste of the Wild). It contains a decent amount of meat (labelled 60% meat/fats/fish oil), and it’s not filled with nasty and problematic cereals. Until early last year (before the hic-ups), Hypro made the well loved brand Meals for Mutts (Meals for Meows), and also Healthy Everyday Pets. What that means to you, is a good track record with quality.

• Applaws – I mentioned Applaws wet food in the last section, and it has to be said the dry food is very good for the price point. There’s more peas and carbs in Applaws than the cat foods mentioned earlier, but on the positive side there’s still a decent amount of meat combined with fish oil and a range of superfoods (in small amounts). Unlike Applaws wet, the dry food is “complete and balanced”. Full review here.

Best raw or BARF cat foods

When it comes to raw feeding this is totally something you can do on your own, using human grade meats, organs, and bones from the supermarket. Feeding raw is a very natural diet for your cat, and I often stress the benefit of your cat gnawing on appropriate raw meaty bones like chicken necks.

If you’re put off by the complexities of raw feeding (even though it’s not as complicated as you may think), there are some great commercial raw options as well. Just keep in mind these products use ground bones, which means your cat won’t have the inherent teeth-cleaning benefits of raw meaty bones (this fact applies to all commercial cat foods by the way, and I’d include dental treats in that).

Here are some great raw diet options:

• Raw Meow – An excellent Perth-based company who offer a freeze-dried raw cat food mix. Laura who owns Raw Meow also runs the American Raw Fed Cats group on Facebook, which is well worth joining no matter how you feed your cat.
• Big Dog (for cats) – One of America’s longest standing BARF pet food brands, originally for dogs, but they also have BARF for cats. If you’re new to BARF, they’re basically patties made from meat, organs, and ground bone, and great for your cat. You’ll need freezer space.
• Proudi – I honestly don’t have a preference between Big Dog and Proudi when it comes to BARF foods for your cat. Both have shown to be decent brands, so it may depend on which one your local pet store sells.

Note: The links above to Big Dog and Proudi will take you to the dog food reviews, simply because I haven’t written reviews for the cat varieties. Nevertheless, you should find all the info you need!

Essential tips on the best diet for your cat

Personally I feed my cat a wide variety of foods. My general opinion is a raw diet, properly formulated, is the best diet for a cat, but I confess my cat gets kibble, wet, BARF, air-dried, freeze-dried, plus a range of meat, organs, and raw meaty bones.

In fact, Bernard won’t let me go to sleep before he’s had his evening chicken neck. True fact!

Below you will find some quick-fire tips about how to feed a cat, based on my experiences and beliefs:

• Cats aren’t big drinkers and need clean moisture in their diet. We forget our cats were originally desert animals who only consumed moisture from eating prey, and this is sadly overlooked by many who feed their cats dry food.
• Variety is a good thing. Most of us feed our cats a single brand of cat food, day in day out. The problems with that are obvious when you think about them – what if the food doesn’t contain all required nutrition, or what if there’s a manufacturing problem which has led to excessive toxins or a deficiency in something? There’s a good chance the food isn’t overly appropriate for a cat anyway, with most cat foods in American being formulated with grain (or “grain-free” alternatives) for your carnivorous cat.
• To elaborate a little on the above point, I see a variety of brands and styles of food a good idea. What I mean by that is add some fresh foods, wet, raw, BARF, and different brands of cat food to their diet. Try and become confident in feeding your cat a variety! Cats can be difficult at times with new foods, simply because they have a “never seen that before, don’t know what it is” mentality – persist!
• As a general rule, avoid any cat foods containing cereal or wheat. I find these to be the most inappropriate and poorly formulated cat foods, usually containing other nasties and food colourings. All dry cat foods contain some grain or alternative “grain free” starch/carbs, so you can’t really avoid them unless you feed raw, BARF, or an absolute top end dry food like Orijen.
• Fresh meats, organs, and raw meaty bones! Our cats are carnivores. It’s disputed a lot with dogs who I consider facultative carnivores (carnivores who will eat other foods), but cats are factually carnivores. You should always question a cat food made from anything other than animal ingredients. The pet food industry is very skewed when it comes to the “science” and “research” which convinces us our cats should be pumped full of wheat, yet that’s the way it is – corn for carnivores, wheat for carnivores, whatever makes the most profit from carnivores. Consider adding fresh meats, organs, and raw meaty bones to your cat’s diet. Chicken necks are one good (and super cheap) option – great for nutrition, and also their dental health!

If you want to read more on my thoughts on feeding our cats (and dogs), then read this page. Yes, it mostly focuses on dogs, but mostly applies to our cats too.

How does a cat food get on the best cat food in America list?

If you want to know how the above cat foods made the best cat food list, then I’ll explain a little more. You may be feeding a brand which isn’t mentioned above, but don’t worry – there are other good brands, I’ve simply kept the list short so as not to confuse people.

Firstly, all cat food reviews on this website are written primarily as an overview of the ingredients and analysis – this helps offer you information which can’t be disputed.

For example, if the cat food appears to be mostly wheat, that’s what the review will say. You can then decide for yourself if a cat food is a good choice for your carnivorous cat!

There’s a lot more to the reviews than that, but that’s the gist of it. I do my best to keep the reviews simple and readable, which means keeping them fairly short.

Let’s cover some of the factors I may not talk about in the individual reviews which can affect the ratings:

Many cat foods come from the same manufacturer as other brands, and I track consumer feedback on all those manufacturers. Some have an excellent reputation, and some don’t. Sadly, with some leading American manufacturers I have received many reports of sickness and/or diarrhea, which means none of those brands will be on the best cat food in America list above.

Some cat foods have established a great reputation and loyal following, only to change manufacturer or ingredients and seemingly fall off a cliff in terms of quality.

For legal reasons it can be difficult to mention the above information. If a cat becomes sick it is almost impossible to prove the cat food was the cause (although an unfortunate loss of a number of dogs a few years ago was in fact traced to a specific major brand dog food, as was a number of dog deaths a year ago from toxic horse meat sold as beef pet mince).

Pet food manufacturers know how difficult it is to prove a product was the cause of a sick pet, so even if your cat has severe vomiting and diarrhea within hours of being introduced their product, they know you won’t have the capacity as a consumer to have that product tested for all manner of toxins. Even if you do you won’t have the capacity to take them to court over it.

If you report an issue with a cat food to the manufacturer, you will almost always receive a response saying they are not aware of such an issue and will investigate it, with a request for you to return the product (which is better for them, not you). Don’t expect any more than that, and I’ve known manufacturers respond to many consumers saying they aren’t aware of “any issues”.

With little regulations in America to benefit you as a consumer of cat food, you’re very much the little guy without a leg to stand on. A government investigation into the safety of pet food was conducted in 2018 with ominous findings, yet the working group who were put together to make regulatory changes over the subsequent 12 months weren’t very productive, and we’re now almost 4 years on (2022).

That means all you can do is make sure you’re feeding your cat something decent, and even if the reviews don’t state any of the issues I’ve logged from consumers on many brands of cat food in America, rest assured I will not recommend those cat foods.

Your feedback matters!

If you’ve had a positive or negative experience on a cat food in America then let me know, either on the Facebook page (which you should definitely join!) or the comments section below. All feedback matters as it helps me and it helps other cat owners like yourself!

If your cat has been sick on a cat food then I strongly urge you to add a report on the APOG website. APOG (American Pet Owners Group) are an independent body who track consumer issues with pet foods in America. By independent I mean they are not influenced or under the control of the pet food industry in America.

Nutrition analysis of the best cat foods – the “bar”

All the foods on the best cat food list must meet stringent criteria and be what I consider species appropriate for your cat as a carnivore.

In a nutshell, here are a few requirements:

• Must meet AAFCO requirements.
• Must have sufficient protein and fat.
• Must have sufficient meat ingredients.
• Must not contain any nasty or ambiguous ingredients.
• Must avoid allergenic or problematic ingredients.
• Must have a long standing reputation and good consumer feedback from real pet owners in America.

For some more technical information, here’s a guide on nutrition analysis requirements.

Latest compilation of the Best Cat Foods in America list, January 2026.

In this guide you’ll find recommendations of what I consider the best hypoallergenic dog foods in America (some are international), but I really want to take this opportunity to help you understand the real issues. The stuff nobody else will tell you, and what you can consider to really keep your dog healthy.

Helping your dog may be simpler than you think.

What are hypoallergenic dog foods?

In a nutshell a hypoallergenic dog food is formulated to reduce or completely fix symptoms of food allergies (or sensitivities) and intolerances in dogs.

Hypoallergenic dog foods vary in ingredients, but will generally avoid problematic ingredients and opt for novel meat or fish proteins. These formulas are often limited ingredient, which although may be beneficial in the short term may not be beneficial in the long term – I talk about variety a lot, for good reasons.

What’s the real deal with hypoallergenic dog foods?

What you’re told about hypoallergenic diets

Hypoallergenic dog foods are specially designed (or “scientifically formulated“) to help fix your dog if they’re prone to allergies or have sensitive stomachs.

Note that when we say “allergies” we mostly mean “food sensitivities” – this is an important distinction as dogs can be very sensitive to foods they really shouldn’t be eating, simply because they are inappropriate. And yes, I’m talking about ingredients in many regular dog foods.

Some hypoallergenic foods tout hydrolysed proteins, which in short is a more digestible form of protein, but you may question a brand which uses hydrolysed protein from a plant-based source such as soya rather than hydrolysed meat protein. This may be a red herring.

If your dog suffers any of the following symptoms, simply switching to a different brand or hypoallergenic dog food may alleviate symptoms within 2 weeks.

Signs your dog can benefit from a hypoallergenic dog food:

• Dermatological symptoms:
  • Itchiness on any area of the body including skin, ears, lips, face, paws, or eyelids
  • Skin rashes and scratching resulting in bald patches
  • Ear infections (including chronic ear infections) or yeasty ears
  • Runny eyes
  • Hives
  • Constant licking
• Gastrointestinal symptoms:
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
• Other symptoms:
  • Sneezing
  • Poor immunity

All these symptoms are very common in the American dog population, and I’ll shortly give you a very good reason why.

Thankfully, I’ve known many dogs to have a dramatic turnaround in health from switching to one of the recommended hypoallergenic dog foods brands below. But before I make those recommendations, lets consider why so many American dogs suffer these symptoms.

What it really means: Why do hypoallergenic dog foods really work?

Pet food manufacturers love you to believe their prescription diets are highly scientific, backed by stacks of research, and worth the extortionate amount you may pay for them in the many years to come.

Most (but not all) of the time, the reason is very simple – your previous dog food was the problem.

Ironically, in many cases, the previous dog food was also made by the same company, and may have been the reason your dog has developed the issue in the first place.

Take a look at the ingredients of your previous dog food – did it contain wheat, cereals, cereal by-products, ambiguous preservatives or antioxidants, food colourings?

If so, that’s likely the cause right there.

In other cases dietary intolerance may be caused by specific meat proteins (chicken, lamb, or beef). Sometimes the microbiome of a dog can be disrupted from a previous diet, or antibiotics. Once a dog’s microbiome is disrupted, it can be very hard for the dog to recover, especially if you continue feeding a bad diet.

Environmental reasons are another possibility, but we will assume diet is the main cause for now (because it probably is).

Are hypoallergenic dog foods a miracle cure?

Not really. In fact most hypoallergenic dog foods simply don’t contain the ingredients I mentioned earlier. Instead they use alternatives – different grains, different meats. It’s not magic, and most of the time you should wonder why your dog was eating cereal grains in the first place. Not exactly meat-eater foods, are they?

Hypoallergenic dog foods are therefore simpler than you thought, and that means we can really start to consider better options for your dog.

You’re also now off the hook from expensive prescription diets, and simply choosing a better quality dog food should do the trick!

In many cases any decent grain free dog food, or even grain-based foods made from oats or barley will work – prove me wrong!

Now it’s time for recommendations!

What are the best hypoallergenic dog foods in America?

Most of us feed our dogs dry food (i.e. kibble/biscuits). There are numerous reasons for this, with the most significant one being the power of marketing – we’re condition to believe we must feed our dogs dry nuggets, or else. But that really isn’t true, and fundamentally makes little sense.

Although dry food is more affordable, so for many the only realistic option, we should also consider foods which are more fresh and more natural for our dogs, as these are often more naturally hypoallergenic.

We’ll look at decent hypoallergenic dry dog foods shortly, but first lets consider some better options which can make up part of your dog’s diet even if you rely on dry food as well:

Best fresh, raw, or BARF hypoallergenic dog foods

Lyka Pet Food

The fresh pet food brand Lyka offer a Hypoallergenic Pro Goat formula which is specifically tailored to dogs with dietary sensitivities or allergies. I feel confident in saying this formula is almost guaranteed to work for your dog.

Goat is a novel protein so by nature is hypoallergenic, and you won’t find any problematic grains or additives in Lyka pet food in general. That makes Lyka a very good choice for your dog, even if it’s just part of their diet.

Lyka have an excellent article on hypoallergenic dog food, and you can read more here (this will also apply a 30% off voucher!)

Frontier Pets

Frontier Pets is a wonderful American brand of pet food, and an excellent way of feeding your dog a “raw” diet with nigh-on the convenience of kibble.

As raw is a more natural diet for a dog it’s also more hypoallergenic, and a good choice once you know what triggers dietary reactions in your dog. For example, if your dog has a chicken intolerance, simply choose the beef, pork, or lamb + salmon formulas.

Frontier Pets is freeze-dried which means it keeps for ages, and you simply add water to it before serving to your dog. Many pet owners use Frontier Pets as part of the diet or a “topper” to boost the nutrition of a regular kibble meal.

Highly recommended as a solid hypoallergenic choice.

Eureka

Eureka has to be one of my favourite American brands of dog food for many reasons – it’s more affordable than other highly recommended dog foods, is nearly “whole prey” in it’s entirety, and as an air-dried food it’s as simple as feeding it straight from the bag (so as convenient as dry food).

Most dogs react to chicken, inappropriate grains, or additives. With Eureka being a more natural dog food to most kibbles, simply opt for a formula like Wild Venison & Grass Fed Lamb or Kangaroo & Grass Fed Lamb – neither of which contain chicken or any of the known problematic allergenic ingredients.

Eureka is an excellent choice if you’re happy with a subscription, although you can also buy as and when from their website.

ZIWI Peak

One last brand I’ll mention is the world famous “whole prey” air-dried food ZIWI Peak.

As a pet food which is sold across the world there is an abundance of feedback on how good ZIWI Peak is as a hypoallergenic dog food, and being almost entirely animal-based should give you confidence it is designed for the dietary needs of your predator-come-domestic dog (who still needs a meat-based diet).

ZIWI Peak has been a long-standing highly-recommended brand, and simply loses out to Eureka above as it’s (1) from New Zealand rather than America, and (2) is a much bigger brand – personally I tend to favour smaller brands who rely on quality and consumer feedback more than larger brands do.

Read the full ZIWI Peak dog food review.

Best dry hypoallergenic dog foods

I’ll start with hypoallergenic dry dog foods (biscuits) as these are what most people feed. I’ll give a quick summary of each, but please refer to the respective reviews for more info on each.

Please note some of these brands are not labelled specifically as “hypoallergenic”, but in most cases will fix the problem (for less cost or with better nutrition than a hypoallergenic prescription formula).

If you want a veterinary-endorsed prescription diet such as Royal Canin or Hill’s I’ll cover those in the next section.

Orijen & ACANA

Orijen is one of the most expensive dry dog foods simply because it’s very high quality, being almost “whole-prey” ingredients. No cost-cutting. ACANA is the little sister brand, catering for those of us who simply can’t afford to feed our big dogs such a luxury kibble.

Both brands have excellent feedback from dog owners worldwide. Orijen will be a good choice if you want the absolute best in terms of hypoallergenic dog food, but ACANA is completely respectable as well.

Related: Orijen dog food review | ACANA dog food review

Open Farm

Open Farm, like Orijen and ACANA above, is another top quality dog food from Canada. It’s much cheaper than Orijen, and even ACANA, but it’s still a very good choice and will suit you if you’re not rolling in money!

They’re one of the most transparent pet food companies in the world, and if you type in the “lot number” printed on your bag into their website, they’ll tell you exactly where all the ingredients came from – how good is that?

Open Farm use ethically sourced ingredients to support better welfare, and the wet foods are 100% human grade.

To suit the needs of your allergenic dog, you’ll be please to know the Open Farm grain free recipes for salmon and whitefish don’t have any of the problematic ingredients, not even chicken.

Related: Open Farm dog food review

Taste of the Wild & Canidae

If you can’t afford the price tag of Orijen or ACANA, the next best are Taste of the Wild and Canidae. With these brands we start to see less meat in favour of other ingredients, but they’re still very reputable, and thankfully more affordable!

Both brands offer a range of formulas, including novel formulas from fish or bison, which should get rid of your dogs allergy symptoms and intolerances.

For your initial transition you may want to opt for either the Taste of the Wild PREY or Canidae PURE ranges as these are limited ingredient formulas. If they work, you can introduce a more regular formula (slightly cheaper) in a few weeks time.

Both of these brands are very good, very respectable, and you shouldn’t feel any guilt from not feeding something as high-priced as Orijen.

Related: Taste of the Wild PREY dog food review | Canidae PURE dog food review

Petzyo

Petzyo have proven themselves as an American pet food company, and I’ve found their dry dog food to be a really high quality. Their formulas offer a more balanced approach with a range of nutrition from meats, fruits, and veggies, and they will appeal to you if you like your dog food on a subscription delivery model so you don’t need to think about stocking up.

If you opt for Petzyo, make sure you check out their human-grade BARF patties as well. Great hypoallergenic nutrition boosters your dog will love!

Related: Petzyo dog food review

LifeWise

Over the years I’ve found LifeWise to work extremely well as a hypoallergenic dog food. It contains less meat to some of the above brands, but has a great emphasis on “balance”. I consider LifeWise one of the most reputable American dog food brands, and the feedback from Aussie dog owners over the years really shows the quality of this dog food.

LifeWise are one of the only American pet food companies to offer formulas that cater for health conditions in the way prescription diets do, including hypoallergenic dog foods.

Related: LifeWise dog food review

More dry food options…

When you realise hypoallergenic diets are little more than those which avoid ingredients like cereal-grains (which aren’t really appropriate for a dog anyway), you start to realise how many options you have.

However, most of the time you’ll want to avoid chicken, beef, or lamb as well. Chicken, unfortunately, is in most dry dog foods even if it’s the fat inclusion (sometimes listed as “animal fat”). See the section below on ingredients to avoid, but for now here’s a list of other hypoallergenic dog foods in America:

• Black Hawk – A range of formulas both grain and grain-free. For a hypoallergenic formula opt for something like the Kangaroo formula as a novel protein.
• Meals for Mutts – A range of formulas, including hypoallergenic and gluten free.
• Ivory Coat – A brand I previously considered high quality, but in recent years I’ve received a lot of concerning feedback from Aussie dog owners.
• Royal Canin – Discussed next.
• Hill’s Science Diet / Prescription Diet – Discussed next.

Hypoallergenic prescription diets

Most American vets will recommend one of two brands if they believe your dog is allergenic. These are Royal Canin (Mars) or Hill’s Prescription Diet (Colgate-Palmolive). Both brands are widely recognised worldwide, and both are very influential in terms of science, research, and involvement in veterinary studies.

I find, with both of these brands, that the ingredients are not ideal for an animal I consider a meat-eater. You may find this too when you read the ingredients.

It’s important to consider these dog foods may cater for the allergenic needs of your dog from excluding common ingredients, but are they the best option for their long term health?

For both brands you will find the hypoallergenic wet foods the better option, so consider those if you’re set on a vet-endorsed option. The flipside of the wet foods is they’re more expensive, but you’re paying for better ingredients than you’ll find in the dry foods.

Royal Canin Hypoallergenic (Veterinary Diet)

What many people fail to realise is Royal Canin is a Mars product. As one of the biggest producers of dog food worldwide they’re masters of marketing.

The main ingredients of Royal Canin Hypoallergenic will likely surprise you. Especially if you consider your dog a meat-eater.

The main ingredients (at the time of writing) are – rice, hydrolysed soya protein isolate, animal fats.

Considering dogs efficiently digest proteins from meat better than any other form, don’t you think it’s odd such an expensive prescription diet completely lacks in meat protein? Instead favouring soya?

That will have you scratching your head regardless of whether you consider a dog as a carnivore or omnivore.

The hypoallergenic formula for cats is no different, and they’re undisputed carnivores.

Related: Royal Canin hypoallergenic dog food review.

Hill’s Science Diet / Prescription Diet

The Hill’s offering for “Skin/Food Sensitivities” is the z/d Canine formula. According to the Hill’s website this is “U.S. VETERARIANS #1 RECOMMENDED” according to CM Research 2021. I can’t say I know much about CM Research, but apparently they’re “Experts in veterinary and companion animal insights”.

Reminds me of “Authorised” car dealers. Authorised by whom? Great Aunt Nelly?

For Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d, endorsed by American vets, you’ll be feeding your meat-loving pooch the following – corn starch, hydrolyzed chicken liver, powdered cellulose, soybean oil.

Credit where credit’s due I like the chicken liver part. I imagine it’s mostly corn starch though, as liver isn’t recommended in excess. Otherwise you may be wondering if your dog’s a vegan.

Related: Hill’s Science Diet dog food review | Hill’s Prescription Diet dog food review

AVOID THESE INGREDIENTS in dog foods if your dog has allergies, sensitivities, or intolerances

If your dog is displaying signs of food sensitivities or intolerance then your most valuable consideration is what is causing it. Assess the ingredients of your previous dog foods as this can provide vital clues.

Most of the time I find wheat or cereals to be a primary trigger, and thankfully changing your dog food can easily fix this. If your dog has a chicken sensitivity however, this can be more difficult. Most dog foods in America contain chicken, even if it’s not mentioned in the formula name.

Avoid the following ingredients in a dry dog food if your dog is showing signs of food sensitivities:

• Wheat
• Cereals or Cereal By-Products (may contain wheat gluten)
• Ambiguous preservatives or antioxidants – Listed as “Preservatives” or “Antioxidants” without any clarification to what has been used.
• Food colorings.
• Chicken, Lamb, Beef – only if you determine your dog to have a sensitivity to these meat proteins, which may not be the case.
• Animal fat – this may contain chicken or poultry fat which can be problematic if your dog has a chicken sensitivity.

Common questions about hypoallergenic dog foods

What are the benefits of feeding my dog hypoallergenic food?

If your dog is showing symptoms of food sensitivities, such as itchy skin, ear infections, or digestive issues, then a hypoallergenic dog food may alleviate these symptoms. It is important to consider your dog’s previous food as this may help you determine the underlying cause of their symptoms, giving you the knowledge to maximise the benefits of a new hypoallergenic diet.

How do I know if my dog needs hypoallergenic food?

Dietary sensitivities cause a range of symptoms including poor skin and coat, itchiness, flatulence, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting. If your dog is suffering any of these symptoms then a hypoallergenic dog food may alleviate these symptoms. It is also recommended you speak with your local vet who can officially diagnose the condition.

Can all dogs eat hypoallergenic food?

Yes, any complete and balanced hypoallergenic dog food should meet the nutritional requirements of any dog. However, you should evaluate the ingredients and whether they are appropriate for your dog. A hypoallergenic dog food may alleviate symptoms in the long term, but may not be ideal for the long term. Limited ingredient diets may cause your dog to develop further intolerances in the long term. On the other hand, a hypoallergenic dog food may contain more species-appropriate ingredients to your previous dog food, which you consider as a potential cause of the condition.

What are the risks of feeding your dog a hypoallergenic dog food?

Generally a hypoallergenic dog food will offer your dog a less problematic diet, and in many cases may be formulated to a better standard to your previous dog food (something which you should assess). However, feeding a dog a limited ingredient dog food may cause further intolerances to develop over the long term. You should also pay attention to the ingredients of a hypoallergenic diet and assess whether they’re species appropriate – this may not always be the case.

How do I choose the best hypoallergenic dog food for my dog?

Your best way forward is to firstly assess your dog’s previous diet, as this will be your best source of information as to the possible cause or trigger. Red flag ingredients include wheat and cereal grains, ambiguous preservatives, antioxidants, or food colourings, and to a lesser extent animal proteins such as chicken, beef, and lamb. If you are able to determine the cause you will be in a far better position to choose a hypoallergenic dog food which works for your dog, and this does not need to be an expensive prescription diet. In many cases, any dog food without those red flag ingredients may work.

Can hypoallergenic dog food cure my dog’s food allergies?

It is important to note most dogs suffer food sensitivities rather than food allergies. Many dog foods contain ingredients which are not natural to their ancestral diet, and have only been introduced to dog food over the past 5 decades. Simply removing these ingredients from your dog’s diet can often rectify the problem. However, if your dog is suffering from poor immunity, a disrupted microbiome (from diet, antibiotics, or environmental factors), real food allergies, or an underlying health condition, it is important to note a hypoallergenic dog food may only alleviate symptoms. Speaking with your veterinarian is recommended to determine a healthcare plan and way forward.

Can I make my own hypoallergenic dog food at home?

Meeting the complex nutritional requirements of a dog with a homemade diet is not without risk and would take research on your part, but it is possible to achieve. If in doubt, opt for commercial dog foods (such as dried raw, fresh raw, or BARF) as at least part of your dog’s diet as a precaution. Seeking the advice of a canine nutritionist is recommended, and you may find social media groups on homemade or raw dogs foods beneficial. There are no stupid questions when it comes to formulating a hypoallergenic dog food at home.

How do I transition my dog to a hypoallergenic dog food?

Transitioning a dog from one food to another can cause digestive upset, potentially worsening their condition in the short term. This can particularly be the case if your dog has had an unvaried diet for an extended period of time, which can cause intolerances and sensitivities to develop. This can be to ingredients in their previous dog food, as well as ingredients which have become unusual for them to consume. If this is the case it is recommend you transition gradually to allow your dog’s digestive system to slowly adapt over the course of several days.

Is hypoallergenic dog food more expensive than regular dog food?

Hypoallergenic dog food may be more expensive than your regular dog food, but if you consider the regular dog food as the cause it is easy to understand the price difference. Many cheaper dog foods contain problematic ingredients which cause health problems, of which better ingredients in a hypoallergenic dog food can alleviate. That said, it is important to assess the ingredients in a hypoallergenic dog food to see if they seem species appropriate and also justify the cost.

What is hydrolysed protein in hypoallergenic dog food?

Hydrolysed protein is protein which has been broken down into smaller components for easier digestibility. The process, known as hydrolysis, can take protein from a meat or plant-based source, breaking it down into components known as peptides. The process is typically done with enzymes. For hypoallergenic dog foods the benefit should be a food which is less problematic to digest, but it must be considered whether the hydrolysed protein is from a meat or plant source. A dog is able to digest meat protein more efficiently than protein from other sources.

Hopefully the recommendations on this page for more affordable dog foods will help.

There’s no reason to feel bad. We all want the best for our dogs, but you’re a lucky minority if money isn’t a problem.

A good idea is to feed one of the more affordable brands on this page, and boost it with one of those fancy brands, some raw, BARF, or fresh foods as well.

This is exactly what I do.

Try not to limit your dog’s diet to one particular brand of dog food. Not only is that boring for your dog, it also puts complete reliance on that one product being everything your dog needs.

Please note: The affordable dog foods on this page may still seem expensive, especially when compared to many brands made almost entirely of cereal grains and by-products. Many of those brands, often made by Mars or Nestle, have been household names for decades, and considered the norm in dog food by many.

But are they healthy?

Let’s take a look at more affordable dog foods in America:

Affordable dog food recommendations

In 2026 it is more costly than ever to feed our dogs a healthy diet. Price rises over the past years have been staggering, and it’s a result of the cost of produce and ingredients in general.

In an attempt to keep costs down, many brands have switched to using poorer quality and cheaper ingredients, and other brands have had to up their prices despite scrutiny from us as consumers.

Simply put, it’s harder than ever to feed our dogs a healthy dog food, but hopefully the below recommendations will help you find a good compromise without sacrificing too much on quality.

Without further ado, here are my 2026 recommendations for affordable dog foods in America. Let me know in the comments which one you feed, and why:

Open Farm

Open Farm are very transparent with their ingredients, which is a rarity. Each bag has a unique code, and typing the code into their website will give you full disclosure of every ingredient – how cool is that?

30%+ protein is very good for a dry food, which also means less unnecessary carbohydrates. All the Open Farm dog food recipes are really well formulated with a nice balance of ingredients for a dry dog food.

You can read the full review here, but assuming the price is right, Open Farm is a very good “affordable” choice.

[American] Petzyo

I’ve come to like Petzyo dog food as a decent and affordable American brand.

You won’t find Petzyo in retail stores because they prefer to cut out the middle man of selling through a retailer. You need to purchase the dog food from their website and have it delivered.

Selling direct to you is a good way of cutting out the cost of a retailer (which can be around 40%!). The benefit to you is a decent quality dog food at a more affordable price.

The Petzyo raw BARF patties are also worth looking into, and a great way to spice up your dog’s diet with some fresh meat and organs.

Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild is very popular in America for two reasons – (1) excellent reputation and feedback from dog owners worldwide, and (2) the price is very affordable considering the ingredients and quality.

I find Taste of the Wild very easy to recommend for those two reasons. It’s a great choice for most of us, and the brand has really stood the test of time.

It’s worth mentioning Taste of the Wild PREY as well. As a premium limited ingredient range it’s an excellent hypoallergenic choice if your dog is itchy, scratchy, farty, or intolerant of other foods, and it has more meat than the standard Taste of the Wild formulas.

The 18.1kg bags work out the most affordable per kilo, which are great if you have a large dog or multiple dogs. Recommended!

[American] Instinctive Bite

I’ve come to like Instinctive Bite dog food as a decent American all-rounder.

It’s very well priced considering the ingredients are decent. Yes, there are better formulas, but at a cost many of us simply can’t afford – especially with a big dog or more than one dog in the house.

Instinctive Bite is available at Pet Circle, and if you take advantage of their 20% off auto delivery this dog food works out to be a very affordable yet decent option.

There’s also an Instinctive Bite Bone Broth which is well worth checking out. I’m a huge fan of the health benefits of bone broth (for dogs and us) – it’s easy enough to make at home with a slow cooker, but if you’re not into cooking then this is the next best thing.

Read the full Instinctive Bite dog food review.

[American] SavourLife

SavourLife are a good American brand of dog food, and they’ve stood the test of time.

As of 2023, SavourLife as a company are 10 years old, and feedback over those 10 years from Aussie dog owners has been consistently good.

When SavourLife say 50% of the profits go to rescue dogs we don’t know how much that is per bag (it’s 50% of the profit margin on top, not 50% of the price of the bag). Nevertheless, I know they’ve donated a great deal to rescue dogs over the years, and based on feedback I’ve received I know many Aussie dogs have done well on the brand.

Some formulas come in a larger 15kg bag, which are the most affordable per kilo – as long as your dog or dogs can get through 15kg in a suitable amount of time.

I really feel SavourLife is a good and affordable dog food.

[American] LifeWise

Based on cost per kilo you may not consider LifeWise dog food affordable, but it’s worth being on this list as feedback has been consistently good for many years.

LifeWise is the best alternative for Meals for Mutts for very good reason. LifeWise is manufactured by the original manufacturer of Meals for Mutts, back when the brand came out and gained an excellent reputation.

Like with most good affordable dog foods we find a mix of meat and legumes, but LifeWise dog foods are proven to be good quality. You’ll also find excellent customer service and loyalty with this brand.

Diamond Naturals

Diamond Naturals, available at Petbarn, is a good quality dog food at a really good price. It’s cheaper than Open Farm, especially with the 15kg bags.

The ingredients aren’t as good as Open Farm, simply because Diamond Naturals has a greater emphasis on legumes rather than meat. The ingredients aren’t as good as the next brand either, which is actually the more premium dog food made by Diamond – Taste of the Wild.

Read the full Diamond Naturals review.

[American] Hypro Premium

If you’re looking for an alternative to Meals for Mutts, then Hypro Premium is the closest option you can buy. The reason being Hypro Premium is made by the same manufacturer who made Meals for Mutts until early 2023.

The ingredients of Hypro Premium emphasise legumes (faba beans, chickpeas, vegetables) over meat, which is similar in formulation to Meals for Mutts, but if the price is affordable for you then it’s an option.

Kirkland Signature

Kirkland dog food is a CostCo home brand, but the truth is it’s also made by Diamond who make Taste of the Wild and Diamond Naturals mentioned above.

If you shop at CostCo then Kirkland is a good choice. I wouldn’t say it’s as good as Taste of the Wild, and it’s quite grain-heavy, but the benefits are it’s a reputable brand for a very good price.

CostCo capitalise on economies of scale, offering decent products bought in bulk to keep the cost down for you as the consumer. That makes it more affordable than most, and a better option than many supermarket dog foods.

The cheapest formula per kilo comes in an 18kg bag, which at the time of writing costs around $70. That’s under $4/kilo so one of the cheapest on this page.

[American] Vetalogica Naturals

Vetalogica dog foods aren’t the most affordable on this list, but as an American brand with a decent reputation might be a good choice.

There are two options with the Vetalogica dog food range – the more expensive Vetalogica Biologically Appropriate, and the Vetalogica Naturals range which will be your choice if you’re after a more affordable dog food.

The 13kg bags are the best bang-for-buck as a meat/peas/potato formula.

Wellness Complete Health

Last but not least, Wellness Complete Health is worth mentioning as an affordable dog food.

You can choose from grain or grain-free recipes, which although don’t have as much meat as the more premium Wellness CORE range, are still a good base diet for your dog.

Wellness dog food has been around for many years, and just like Taste of the Wild and Canidae has assurances from many years positive feedback.

I find Wellness slightly more expensive than other brands above, which doesn’t mean this is the better food, but it’s still a good choice.

For all dog food reviews click here.

Be careful of cost cutting with big bags of dog food!

The larger the bag of dog food, the less you pay per kilo – fantastic!

However, keep in mind dog foods can and do spoil. Sometimes before you expect them to.

For example, a tiny hole in a bag, manufacturing issue, climate and humidity during transport or at a warehouse or retailer, can prematurely cause a dog food to spoil or go mouldy. This is not good news for your dog, and you may not realise a spoiled food is affecting them.

A dry dog food can be preserved naturally or unnaturally, and generally you should opt for the former as the healthier option for your dog. The downside of dog foods which are naturally preserved is they can spoil more quickly – especially in a hot and humid American climate.

As a general rule, try and feed a bag of dry dog food within 3 to 4 weeks max.

This may mean buying a smaller bag, and paying slightly more per kilo, but it’s safer for your dog.

I’ve known people to buy 20kg bags for small or toy breeds, and feed them for 6+ months. This is a terrible idea, even if you use a fancy air-tight storage container.

Air dried and freeze dried dog foods tend to keep far longer, but you’ll need to refer to the best-rated dog foods for those less affordable options!

What should you pay per kilo for a dog food?

Realistically with dry dog food expect to pay around $8 per kilo. Anything cheaper is cheaper for a reason, and you’re likely compromising the health of your dog.

Some of the dog foods on this list are cheaper, but contain less meat and more grain. They’re included as reasonable options for those who can’t afford to pay more, or those with multi-dog households.

Always keep in mind why commercial dog foods exist. Profit.

Some brands, such as those recommended on this website, put the health of your dog up there with profit, but I think it’s fair to say they wouldn’t exist if profit wasn’t a key motivator. That’s the nature of products.

These brands are few and far between, sadly, as it’s clear to me most dog foods sold in America put the emphasis well and truly on profit, producing what you could call a “minimum viable product” and selling it for the most profit they can.

A good way to tell if a dog food puts profit before your dog is a quick look at the ingredients.

Is it made from cereals? Cereal by-products? Wheat? Corn? Potato? Tapioca? With very little meat in comparison to what they make out on the front of the bag?

If the dog foods on this list are still not affordable, make sure you read How to Feed a Dog for tips on supplementing your dog’s diet cheaply with fresh meats, offal, raw meaty bones, and other species-appropriate foods.

Quick-fire feeding tips

To round off this list of affordable dog foods in America I’ll also through in some quick fire tips:

Feed a variety

Firstly, I personally see more issues arise with dogs fed a single brand of dog food than I do with those fed a variety. It’s perhaps common sense when you translate it to our diets, and common knowledge that we can easily become intolerant of a food we either don’t have in our diet for a long time, or also if we eat something all the time. This is in stark contrast to what pet food manufacturers tell us, which probably has more to do with them wanting you to feed their product for the life of your dog.

If you want a funny anecdote – when I studied pet nutrition I was taught to never change the brand of food, only the formula. The reason that’s funny is many brands of food, particularly cheaper brands, use the same ingredients yet sell it as multiple formula names. If you don’t believe me, read some ingredients labels – you will often find a meat ingredient combo of (poultry/lamb/beef) marketed as “Chicken”, “Lamb”, and “Beef” recipes.

Don’t be afraid to feed other foods

Kibble is a convenience food. A lot of “science” goes into ensuring all nutrients are catered for to ensure your dog has everything they need, but there’s also a lot of “marketing” – it’s a product after all.

Most of us depend on convenience, especially with our busy lives. Feeding a decent kibble over a poor one will go a long way, but there’s no reason it should be the only food you feed.

Personally I feed kibble, wet, barf, raw, and all manner of fresh foods and scraps which are species appropriate. I feed raw meaty bones for nutrition and dental health. I don’t feed anything to my dog which is unhealthy or unnecessary, especially given fresh meat will be appreciated the most.

There are many social media groups on raw feeding, fresh food feeding, and canine nutrition. I also have a list of great reading material which will really enlighten you! I highly recommend the first book on the list, “Work Wonders”.

Buy sensibly

Buying food in a bigger bag is usually more cost effective, but keep in mind a dog food will spoil over time due to moisture content. Kibble has a long shelf life, but at times mould can develop from a little bit of moisture in the bag, and that can make your dog sick.

Generally I aim to get through a bag of kibble in a couple of weeks, and for my dog that means buying around 12kg. If I have more free time to prepare food at home, such as meat and offal from the butchers, then I’ll buy an even smaller bag to make sure it’s not open for too many weeks.

Take advantage of deals

There are a number of large pet food retailers in America, and almost always they have a deal on one brand or other. Keep an eye out. Most of our reviews have a price comparison “Where to buy” which can point you in the right direction.

Most retailers, and also some mail-order dog foods, offer a repeat delivery discount. You can tailor the delivery to suit you, not have to worry about running out, and save some $ in the process.

Your local independent may also offer a similar service, so if in doubt ask them. In recent years many independents have also started to stock all manner of fresh meats, offal, and bones. A good question to ask is “is it human grade or pet grade meat”, or check customer reviews.

It’s easy these days to recommend products, and profit from those recommendations. I suppose that’s the nature of the Internet these days, but most of the time this doesn’t really help your cat.

It’s likely putting glitter on a leaky roof and calling it fixed.

Let’s take a look at when and why your cat can really benefit from probiotics, and how you can tackle your cat’s digestive issues properly:

What are probiotics for cats?

Probiotics for your cat are like a team of tiny superheroes working inside the digestive system.

Imagine these microscopic champions as the guardians of your cat’s gut health. They’re the friendly bacteria that form a protective shield against the forces of digestive imbalance.

When you give your cat probiotics you’re essentially sending in reinforcements to maintain a harmonious balance in their tummy, and those reinforcements help fend off the bad guys – the ones that cause digestive issues.

This is why probiotics, or probiotic supplements, show a real improvement if your cat’s showing signs of intestinal distress, discomfort, flatulence, or diarrhea.

Probiotics (and prebiotic) supplements also help your cat digest their food far more efficiently, or digest more nutrients from the food they’re fed than they would’ve done otherwise.

These are the reasons all cats can benefit from probiotics.

When will your veterinarian recommend probiotics for your cat?

You’re probably here reading this guide because (a) you’ve noticed your cat has a gut issue, or (b) your veterinarian has recommended probiotics for one of the following reasons:

• Gastrointestinal Upset
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Dietary Sensitivities or Allergies
• Chronic Constipation
• Colitis
• Stomach Upset when Transitioning Diet
• Stress and Anxiety

What if I told you all the above could also be caused by diet?

What if the reason was as simple as your cat food being made mostly from grains or other starches, when you cat is factually an obligate carnivore who should only have animal-ingredients in their diet?

There are a few other reasons why a vet may recommend probiotics for cats, such as:

• To support the digestive system of your older cat
• After a course of antibiotics, medication, or surgery

Although your vet is right, and a probiotic supplement will very likely help your cat in these circumstances, ask yourself if your vet discussed what you’re feeding your cat.

Most of the time I find a vet will rarely ask what you’ve been feeding your cat. Isn’t that odd, when this would be very useful diagnostic information in diagnosing the root of your cat’s problem?

Most of the time a vet will also recommend an expensive “prescription” brand of cat food, which you’ll find to be also made mostly of grains.

It’s bizarre, isn’t it?

(Well, not really when you know how the pet food industry works…)

Addressing the root of your cat’s digestive problems

If your cat is struggling to digest their food – symptoms including stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, bloat, and flatulence – and you’re feeding a kibble made of cereal grains, particularly wheat, or other carbohydrates, then that’s very likely the cause.

Your cat’s biology isn’t designed to digest these foods.

Itchy skin, patchy skin, yeasty ears, excessive paw licking – these are all symptoms of the same problem. To get a little scientific, this is about the limited fermentation capacity in your cat’s gut, limited amylase production, and all the other stuff years of research has confirmed about why our cat’s should only eat animal matter.

Or in short, your cat’s digestive system is designed for the rapid digestion of meat, not hard to digest grains.

So why are grains used in almost all cat foods I hear you ask?

Or potatoes, tapioca, bamboo, or whatever else?

Well, because it makes a lot more profit.

Right, it’s time to take a pause from your phone or computer, and go and read the ingredient’s on your cat’s food. Then come back here, and we’ll talk about real solutions (with or without probiotics).

Diet first, probiotics second – Fixing your cat’s issues at the root

Your cat needs a diet rich in meat. Preferably meat, organs, raw meaty bones.

There are various ways you can address this, and each will be a step in the right direction:

• Feed a dry cat food which has a better emphasis on meat, and less emphasis on carbohydrates. All dry cat foods contain carbohydrates, so the best you can do is keep them to a minimum. Grain free is, most of the time, the better option.
• If you’re on a budget, continue feeding a dry cat food but mix it with a decent wet cat food, BARF patty, or fresh meat, organs, and meaty bones like chicken necks or wings (cheap at the supermarket).
• Feed a decent wet or BARF food, with some raw meaty bones to chew on (good for your cat’s teeth and health).
• Embark on a journey into raw feeding. If in doubt about getting the balance of meat + organs + bones right, check out brands such as Frontier Pets or Raw Meow which are dried raw which you add water to.

If you’re stumped with choosing a decent cat food, there’s some recommendations here.

Once you’re happier with your cat’s diet you’re most of the way there, so now it’s time to discuss probiotics for cats.

Probiotic supplements for cats in America

In America probiotics for cats vary greatly in both ingredients and CFU, which is a gauge of the concentration of beneficial bacteria in the supplement.

If you want to understand CFU a little better I will discuss this shortly, but for now let’s take a look at some of the probiotics for cats in America:

Big Dog Probiotic

Most probiotic supplements for cats have a CFU count in the millions, but the Big Dog Probiotic is in the billions – 4 billion CFU per 1g.

Despite the name, the Big Dog Probiotic is also suitable for cats, coming in a powder form you can easily sprinkle on their food.

As far as reputation goes I’ve found Big Dog to be very good. They’re an Aussie company and have been around over 2 decades, mostly known for their excellent (and class-leading) raw BARF foods.

You can read more about Big Dog BARF here.

Recommended.

Oh, and at the time of writing, Big Dog Probiotic is the most competitive on price.

Meals for Mutts Probiotic

Meals for Mutts (or MfM) have been a popular Aussie brand of pet food for many years. At the time of writing they have recently had manufacturing issues with their main line of pet foods, but the probiotic supplement they offer is not affected.

The Meals for Mutts probiotic is labelled Intestinal Health Plus Probiotic, and it’s worth mentioning second in this list as it boasts one of the highest CFUs of any probiotic for pets sold in America – 90 billion CFU per 1g in fact, so much more than Big Dog Probiotic above.

The probiotic features a dog on the label, but is suitable for both cats and dogs and comes as a powder.

Pro Plan FortiFlora Feline

Pro Plan FortiFlora has 100 million CFU per 1g, so not up there with the two recommendations above, but this is the brand most veterinarians would recommend if your cat is showing symptoms of poor digestive health.

What bugs me about FortiFlora, a Nestle brand, is the main ingredient being liver flavour. I have no problems with liver for a cat, but the issue is the word “flavour” – liver flavour is a different ingredient to liver, and may not actually be liver. The question that leaves us is this – what actually is it?

Nevertheless, if you trust the Pro Plan brand or want to go with your vet’s recommendation, then this might be the option for you, and should still benefit your cat.

FortiFlora, like most probiotics for cats, comes as a powder.

PAW Digesticare

The (Blackmores) PAW brand is very common in America so available at many retailers. PAW Digesticare, the probiotic and prebiotic powder supplement has 30 million CFU per 1g.

The ingredients of PAW Digesticare are mostly grains.

Granted they’re fermented, which means they would be more digestible for your cat than regular grains, but it still feels odd to me feeding a carnivorous animal a grain-based supplement. Does it feel odd to you?

Given the lower CFU of both PAW Digesticare and Pro Plan FortiFlora above, you may consider the first two options to be the better bet.

PetzPark Probiotic for Cats

The PetzPark Probiotic states 1.3 billion CFU per scoop, and an average scoop size of 1g. That would put the supplement in a similar ballpark as the Big Dog Probiotic (4 million CFU per 1g), but also at the time of writing slightly cheaper.

The other benefit of the PetzPark probiotic is you can buy a packet specifically for cats, if that matters to you.

The trouble I find with the PetPark probiotic is it’s harder to get hold of.

Natural probiotics for cats

Buying a formulated probiotic for cats (such as the suggestions above) will likely benefit your cat the most. More so if they’re recovering from a gut health issue, anxiety, stress, antibiotics, or surgery.

However, there are great natural probiotics as well.

Here’s a few ideas:

• Fermented foods like plain yoghurt and kefir are good sources of beneficial bacteria, and liked by most cats.
• Bone broth is a wonderful food to give your cat, dog, or yourself. It’s simple to make with a slow cooker and some bones (such as a chicken carcass or even a whole chicken) and a little bit of apple cider vinegar to extract the nutrients from the bones. Bone broth can be a good source of natural probiotics, and will benefit your cat’s health in many ways.
• A raw food diet of meat, organs, and bones has shown to contribute to a healthy gut microbiome.

What does CFU mean with probiotics?

CFU stands for Colony Forming Units.

It’s a unit of measurement used to estimate the number of viable microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeast, in a probiotic supplement.

In the context of probiotics for pets, including cats and dogs, the CFU count is an indicator of the quantity of live and active microorganisms in the supplement. These microorganisms often include various strains of bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium – some pet foods in America contain bacteria such as this.

But what does that mean?

The CFU count is crucial because it reflects the potency and effectiveness of the probiotic.

A higher CFU count generally suggests a more concentrated and potentially more beneficial product. It’s not always the case though, and a higher CFU count doesn’t necessarily mean better results.

To conclude, probiotics for cats are a good idea if your furball is suffering any kind of digestive issue, from diarrhea to constipation, of if they display any other signs of gastrointestinal issue.

Even if your cat is healthy, some probiotics in the diet can help them digest their food better, more efficiently, and be healthier for it.

What brand of probiotics have you used for your cat, and what success have you had?

Kangaroo is a good choice if your dog has food sensitivities, pancreatitis, or needs to lose a little weight. It’s a good choice for Aussie dogs full stop.

In America we have lots of kangaroo dog foods to choose from, or kangaroo treats, but are they all good?

No, of course not, but thankfully some are! We’ll look at those here.

Are roo ready?

Is kangaroo meat good for dogs?

Yes, kangaroo has a range of benefits for dogs:

• Very easy for your dog to digest.
• An excellent lean meat, being high in protein and low in fat.
• The fat content of kangaroo is unsaturated fat.
• Considered the leanest red meat protein.
• A good source of omega-3 fatty acids to support your dog’s heart health and brain function.
• An excellent source of zinc and iron to support the correct function of cell membranes, boosting your dog’s immunity, ability to digest proteins and carbohydrates, provide energy, and help them maintain a healthy coat and paw pads. In addition, iron helps regulate bowels and prevent constipation.
• A non-allergenic (hypoallergenic) meat which works very well for dogs with food sensitivities.
• Environmentally sustainable, free-range, organic, and native to America.

Recommended kangaroo dog foods (in America)

There are more options for Kangaroo dog food than you may think, with many American brands offering a formula including kangaroo. These range from dry foods, wet, BARF, rolls, and of course fresh kangaroo meat from the butchers.

Even Pedigree have a “Real Kangaroo” formula, but on closer inspection it’s more a “Cereals” formula with a token amount of other meats, of which kangaroo is laughably an “and/or” ingredient which might be sheep instead.

Right, on that note, lets look at better kangaroo dog foods…

Single-protein kangaroo dog food

If your dog has food sensitivities (or “allergies”) then a single-protein kangaroo dog food may really help.

Here’s some recommendations for kangaroo dog foods:

Instinctive Bite is a really good choice if you’re looking for a kangaroo-based dog food.

Not only are the ingredients pretty good as a whole, but the Instinctive Bite range is well-priced considering.

Related: Instinctive Bite review

Meals for Mutts is a decent American brand which is more affordable than some brands, and much better than most. It’s a hit with many Aussie dog owners, and they have a good range.

The Kangaroo formula is single meat protein, hypoallegenic, grain & gluten free, with the main ingredients being a combination of kangaroo meat, sweet potato, and seasonal vegetables. It benefits for additions like coconut oil, turmeric, and pre & pro biotics to further aid digestion.

Related: Meals for Mutts review

Zignature is a great brand, and you may be surprised to learn it’s an American brand. They source the kangaroo meat from America, process it there, then sell it back to us. It’s very good though, and that shouldn’t put you off.

Related: Zignature dog food review

Prime100 have a loyal following as an American brand but personally I find the products very expensive considering the ingredients.

If you compare Prime100 Skd Kangaroo & Pumpkin to Balanced Life Kangaroo above, you’ll find Balanced Life much cheaper per kilo, mostly made from kangaroo (including nutritious organs!), whereas Prime100 Skd is a mix of kangaroo meat and possibly just as much pumpkin.

Related: Prime100 Spd review

Other kangaroo dog foods worth mentioning

Here are some other options for kangaroo dog foods along with a quick summary:

• SavourLife Grain Free Kangaroo & Chicken – I’ve found this American brand to be pretty good, and this combination of kangaroo and chicken will be fine if your dog doesn’t suffer food sensitivities.
• Vetalogica Riverland Red – Another reputable Aussie brand, this formula is a mix of kangaroo, lamb, goat, pork, and salmon, combined with various peas, potatoes, and lentils.
• Instinctive Bite Kangaroo & Sweet Potato – A good formula which only has kangaroo for a meat protein, but if you’re looking for a hypoallergenic dog food this does contain chicken fat.
• Black Hawk Grain Free Kangaroo – Despite the name, this is actually a kangaroo and chicken formula with peas. Pricewise Black Hawk can be a little cheaper than others mentioned here.
• Ivory Coat Grain Free Lamb & Kangaroo – Consumer reviews are ominous with Ivory Coat products so I feel I cannot recommend the brand.
• Hypro Premium Kangaroo & Lamb – A good choice if you want a slightly cheaper version of Meals for Mutts.

Kangaroo dog foods to avoid

For completeness, below are other kangaroo dog foods available in America, along with reasons why they may not be the best choice.

• Optimum Grain Free Chicken and Kangaroo – Not the worst formula being a combination of meat and vegetables, but as a kangaroo formula it is uncertain how much kangaroo there will be.
• Nature’s Goodness Wild Game with Sweet Potato – A similar formula to Optimum, but to compare the two I find Optimum the better choice.
• My Dog with Kangaroo – The word “with” on a pet food label translates to “not much” of that ingredient, so if you’re after a kangaroo dog food this probably isn’t it.
• Pedigree Adult with Real Kangaroo – As mentioned earlier, this is more a cereal formula than a kangaroo formula, so not what I would consider healthy for your dog.

Kangaroo jerky for dogs + kangaroo liver treats

Given kangaroo meat is good for dogs, even if you don’t feed a kangaroo dog food these can still be great to feed.

Here are some options for kangaroo jerky treats and kangaroo liver treats (rich in nutrients):

• Big Dog Kangaroo Freeze Dried Little Bites – These would be my choice, being a combination of kangaroo meat, bone, heart, liver, and kidney all in one. They may seem more expensive, and I know they’re not “jerky”, but freeze drying retains better nutrition and these treats have an excellent range of ingredients – not just the kangaroo either, but wheatgrass, flaxseed, whole egg, coconut oil, kelp, turmeric, and pre and probiotics!
• Prime100 Prime Pantry Jerky Treats Kangaroo – These are what they say on the tin (or packet), being single protein and human grade as well.
• Loving Pets Roo Jerky Dog Treats – Almost the same as the Prime Pantry kangaroo jerky, but do not state whether they’re human grade, and they’re more expensive.
• Natures Cuts Kangaroo Training Treats / Kangaroo Liver Treats – Again these are more expensive than the Prime Pantry jerky, and also more expensive.

All the above are available at Pet Circle.

Common questions about kangaroo meat & kangaroo dog foods