Choosing high-quality cat food is a hugely important decision when it comes to the health of your beloved pet. You might have been trying to shop more locally for food supplies for your own family, and it makes total sense to do the same for your cat.
Many cat foods use ingredients sourced from other countries, where it can be harder to control the quality of the ingredients.
With so many different brands of cat food out there, it can be a hard task to narrow down your selection to only those that are made in the U.S.A. That’s where our reviews come in! We’ve scoured the market to find 10 of the best-quality options for cat foods made right here in the U.S.A. We’re sure that there’ll be one to suit your cat perfectly!
The Smalls Fresh Cat Food is overall the best cat food made in the USA. All Smalls cat food varieties are made in the USA, sourced from the USA, and even cooked in USDA-certified kitchens. In other words, every aspect of Smalls Fresh Cat Food takes place in the US. The fresh human-grade foods are all prepared in Chicago, Illinois. Meanwhile, the add-on freeze-dried raw foods are made in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the kibble is made in Brainerd, Minnesota.
Better yet, the Smalls cat food even meets the USDA requirements for human consumption. What this means is that your precious feline gets food that is such high quality that even you can eat it. The same cannot be said about most other cat food brands.
All Smalls cat foods are made primarily from animal protein sources and are free of any fillers, by-products, and artificial additives. You have your choice between chicken, turkey, and beef recipes, as well as two textures. The only potential downside of this food is that it is more expensive than other varieties, but it is well worth the price. Because every step of the making of the food happens in the US, you can trust this food is safe for your furry friend.
Pros
Entirely sourced and made in the US
Meets USDA requirements for human consumption
Several flavors and textures to choose from
Free from additives and preservatives
Cons
Expensive
2. 9 Lives Daily Essentials Dry Cat Food — Best Value
Do you want a dry cat food that’s made in the U.S.A., but you’re on a budget? The best cat food made in the U.S.A. for the money that we found during our extensive review process is the 9 Lives Daily Essentials Dry Cat food. Coming in at well under half the price of our best overall choice for an equivalent-sized bag, this is a great choice that still provides everything that your cat needs to stay healthy.
The only reason this missed out on our top spot is that the ingredients aren’t premium quality. That means this contains chicken by-product meal, and the first ingredient is whole ground corn, not meat. But as the best value dry cat food made in the U.S.A., this is definitely your best bet.
Another great cat food made in the U.S.A. is the American Journey Grain-Free Dry Cat Food. This dry food features real turkey as the first ingredient, but it also includes real chicken and a blend of fruits and vegetables designed to provide all the nutrients that your cat needs to thrive. This kibble contains a high level of protein that will help your cat build lean muscle.
If your cat likes variety, the good news is that this American Journey dry cat food is also available in other flavors, including salmon, chicken, and duck. The only thing we don’t like about this food is that some of the ingredients are imported from other countries. Of course, these are from trusted suppliers and of great quality, but it’s something to bear in mind.
Pros
Choose from two bag sizes
Grain-free
40% protein
No meat by-products
Contains antioxidants and amino acids
Also available in other flavors
Cons
Uses some ingredients from outside the U.S.A.
4. Royal Canin American Shorthair Adult Dry Cat Food
The Royal Canin American Shorthair Adult Dry Cat Food is also another great cat food. While this recipe is formulated specifically for the American Shorthair breed, it will also suit almost any other shorthaired cat breed too! This feed has a moderate amount of fat at 14%, making it a good choice for cats who need help maintaining a healthy weight.
This is packed full of essential nutrients like omega fatty acids, vitamins, and amino acids. These work together to provide balanced nutrition for your cat. The only thing that made this kibble miss out on a place at the top of the list is that it contains corn as the first ingredient, and it has chicken by-product meal as the second ingredient, which is something that some cat owners prefer to avoid.
Pros
29% protein
Tailor-made nutrition
Unique kibble shape
Helps maintain a healthy weight
Cons
Corn is the first ingredient
Contains chicken by-product meal
5. Iams ProActive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Care
If you’re looking for cat food that’s made in the U.S.A. but is also specifically formulated for indoor cats, you’re in luck! The Iams ProActive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Care Dry Cat Food is going to suit your cat perfectly. Indoor cats can end up overweight due to a lack of activity, so this kibble contains 10% less fat than Iams Original formula to help your cat maintain a healthy weight.
Indoor cats can also struggle with hairballs, but thanks to the blend of natural fiber within this kibble, you should find that the number of hairballs your cat suffers from is reduced. The fiber comes from a blend of grains, rice, and beets. One thing to watch out for is the fact that this kibble does contain eggs, which can trigger allergies in some cats.
Pros
Available in four bag sizes
30% protein
Specifically formulated for indoor cats
Helps control hairballs
Cons
Contains chicken by-product meal
Contains eggs
6. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Blue Buffalo has a great reputation for producing high-quality cat food, and its Wilderness Grain-Free Dry Cat Food is no exception. Containing real chicken as the first ingredient and an impressive 40% protein, this is the perfect choice for active cats. The chicken within this kibble is supplemented by a blend of carbohydrates, including peas and sweet potatoes, to help your cat feel energetic all day long.
While we can’t fault this kibble in terms of ingredients, it’s not a cheap option. Your food bill will be quite large if you have multiple cats eating this food. It’s still a great choice if you can afford it, though. It’s worth noting that this feed contains peas, which can cause allergies in some cats.
Pros
Contains 40% protein
Real chicken is the first ingredient
Contains healthy carbohydrates
Cons
Contains peas
Expensive
7. Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Adult Dry Cat Food
The Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Adult Dry Cat Food is a great option if your cat is prone to digestive issues and needs a little extra nutritional support. This kibble contains prebiotics, antioxidants, and a carefully selected blend of vitamins and minerals, all designed to work in harmony to help your cat look and feel its best.
While this dry kibble is designed for cats with sensitive stomachs, be aware that it contains both peas and eggs. Both of these can cause allergies in some cats. It’s also not suitable for kittens, so if you have a multi-cat household with a mixture of cat ages, you’ll need to find an alternative for your kittens.
The Meow Mix Original Choice Dry Cat Food is a great budget choice of kibble that is proudly made in the U.S.A. This food includes four different shaped and flavored pieces: turkey, salmon, ocean fish, and chicken. This can be great if you have a fussy eater or a cat who loves variety at dinner times!
As with many budget options, this kibble contains corn as the first ingredient and uses a blend of different meat by-product meals rather than including any real meat. The protein content, sitting at 31%, is also on the lower end of what we like to see, but it’s still within the range that will provide all the nutrition that your cat needs to stay healthy and happy.
If you’d prefer to feed your cat wet food that’s made in the U.S.A., the Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Cat Food Trays are absolutely ideal. This multipack contains 12 roasted chicken trays, six gourmet salmon, and six tender turkeys. It’s easy to snap the twin-pack trays apart and feed the whole tray without worrying about storing any leftovers.
While the plastic twin trays are convenient, they do create a great deal of waste. One cat will eat one twin-pack per day, but if you have multiple cats, you’ll find this soon creates tons of packaging to dispose of. This food also has added colors and xanthan gum as a thickener, both of which are ingredients that some cat owners prefer to avoid.
Pros
Great value for money
Contains 7% protein
Contain real meat
Cons
Contain added color
Contains xanthan gum
Packaging is wasteful
10. Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Natural Dry Cat Food
As a good choice of complete feed for indoor cats, The Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Natural Dry Cat Food is worth a try. This doesn’t contain any meat by-product meals, and the fact that it has real chicken as the first ingredient is always a promising sign. It also contains plenty of other beneficial ingredients, including salmon and lentils.
What we don’t like so much about this kibble is that it can’t be considered GMO-free due to the corn it contains, and it also has peas, which can cause allergies in some cats. Some cats don’t like the flavor of this kibble, although there’s nothing in the ingredients list we can see to cause that. You’ll just have to give it a go and see if your cat likes it!
Pros
Real chicken is the first ingredient
Contains 34% protein
Cons
Contains peas
Not GMO-free
Some cats don’t like the flavor
Not suitable for kittens
Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Cat Food Made in the USA
If you take time and effort trying to source locally produced food for your family, it makes total sense to extend the same logic to the food you feed your cat! But what does it mean when a cat food says that it’s made in the U.S.A.? Let’s find out in our buying guide.
Read the label
The Federal Trade Commission is in charge of regulating which manufacturers can state that their pet food is “made in the U.S.A.” For a cat food to show this claim, it must be made either totally or almost entirely from ingredients sourced in the U.S.A.
This includes the packaging and production of the cat food, not just where the ingredients come from. So, if you see a “made in the U.S.A.” label on cat food, you can be confident that the entire production is carried out right here.
Some brands use ingredients that are mostly from the U.S.A. but will source specific ingredients elsewhere. These brands can still state “made in the U.S.A.” on their labels, but they will have to include an additional disclaimer to show the origin of these other ingredients. For instance, a brand could state, “made in the U.S.A.,” but underneath, it must include the text, “using lamb sourced from New Zealand.”
Many cat owners are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of confirming the quality and source of the ingredients used in their cat’s food. Corn listed on the ingredients list can easily be from a GMO crop based in China. Choosing to find a cat food that’s made in the U.S.A. doesn’t necessarily mean having to buy a premium brand. There are plenty of options in all price brackets, from budget to premium and everything in between.
Our Favorite Cat Bowl:
Giving your cat the highest quality nutrition is a top priority as a pet parent, so why not give them a food and water dish to match? We think the Hepper Nom Nom Bowl is too good not to share.
Made from food-safe stainless steel, you can ensure that your cat is consuming the best nutrition out of the finest bowls on the market. Click here to get yours.
At Excited Cats, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
As the best cat food made in the U.S.A. overall, we selected Smalls Fresh Human-Grade Cat Food. Combining real meat with a blend of other beneficial ingredients, this high-quality cat food is a popular option for a wide range of cats.
As the best value option, you can’t go wrong with the 9 Lives Daily Essentials Dry Cat Food. This is a fabulous bargain choice that provides all the nutrition that your cat needs to stay happy and healthy. As you might expect for a budget option, most of the protein content comes from meat by-product meal, rather than real meat.
We hope that you found our reviews useful, and we’ve made it easier for you to find a few different options to feed your cat. Sometimes where food is manufactured can be an important factor when it comes to deciding which cat food to choose, and we’re sure that one of our top picks will suit your cat.
Christian is the Editor-in-Chief of Excited Cats and one of its original and primary contributors. A lifelong cat lover, now based in South East Asia, Christian and his wife are the proud parents of an 11-year-old son and four rescue cats: Trixie, Chloe, Sparky, and Chopper.
