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When life hands you the opportunity to test out one of the best cat food options on the market, the only acceptable answer is, “Yes, please!” Like all cat parents, I want the food I feed my cats to be the healthiest, highest-quality fare possible. Oh, and picky eater-proof. And don’t forget convenience. Could Smalls human-grade cat food live up to the hype? I was eager to find out (along with my feline taste testers) and share our Smalls cat food review with the world.

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The rise of pet food delivery services in recent years has made life easier for plenty of pet parents. But it’s the increase in healthier cat food alternatives, like human-grade fresh cat food and freeze-dried raw cat food, that has improved life most for our feline friends.

According to industry statistics, the fresh pet food market is rising in demand in the U.S., particularly for healthy pet food with high-quality ingredients that aid digestion and boost immunity. Buying trends indicate the fresh pet food market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 30 percent by 2028, one report reveals. (1)

Thanks to the rise of fresh cat food delivery services like Smalls, it’s easier than ever to feed your cat the kind of healthy, human-grade diet they deserve…one that’s free of the fillers and additives found in some inexpensive commercial cat foods.

What is Smalls Cat Food?

small cat eating her food from a bowl

Smalls is a subscription meal service for cats that delivers the best food for cats right to your door. Like premium meal services for people, Smalls cat food is made with high-quality, human-grade ingredients you’d find in your own kitchen. The recipes are high in protein and filler-free, including only USDA-certified, humanely harvested, sustainably sourced foods cats love, like chicken, turkey, salmon, cod, green beans, pumpkin, spinach, and more.

Unlike meal kits for humans, Smalls recipes require no cooking or prep. Smalls vet-formulated meals are carefully prepped and gently cooked to deliver all the benefits of fresh cat food without fuss or frustration. While other brands pack their cat food with preservatives to ensure a lengthy shelf life, Smalls crafts fresh frozen recipes to preserve the vital nutrients your cat needs to live a happy, healthy life.

Smalls Fresh Cat Food Varieties

It’s one thing to read “Smalls believes that cats deserve better” on the Smalls website. But their menu of meal options definitely delivers on the company credo.

Every Smalls recipe contains at least 80 percent animal proteins. The balance is simply moisture to ensure your cat stays fully hydrated and a few healthy veggies to supply important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients naturally. (No added supplements required!)

Best of all, the recipes come in a variety of cat palate-pleasing flavors and two textures — “smooth” (a velvety pâté) and “ground” (a chunkier minced formula cats can really sink their teeth into).

Choices include:

  • Human-Grade Fresh Smooth or Ground Bird – with chicken and chicken liver
  • Human-Grade Fresh Smooth or Ground Other Bird – with turkey and turkey liver
  • Human-Grade Fresh Smooth Fish – with salmon and cod
  • Human-Grade Fresh Smooth Pig – with pork and pork liver
  • Human-Grade Fresh Smooth Bird & Fish Dish – Smalls’ first-ever land and sea option, made with chicken, chicken liver, and salmon

Too hard to choose? Don’t worry. Smalls offers a sampler so your cat can taste different options and figure out their faves. Plus, there’s a money-back guarantee. Best of all, if you click below to get started, you’ll get free treats for life when you subscribe.

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Smalls Cat Food Taste Test

My two middle-aged cats, Franklin and Eleanor, recently had the pleasure of sampling Smalls cat food, and I am happy to report back our findings.

Upon serving the first Smalls human-grade fresh meal to my cats, the smell definitely attracted them. As each cat smelled the offering, they licked and sampled as expected. While Franklin scarfed it up right away, Eleanor was a little skeptical. She walked away, but later returned to eat it.

After sampling different flavors, Franklin and Eleanor both seemed to love the fish variety, while the bird variety took a little convincing. Keep in mind that you can heat up Smalls human-grade fresh meals slightly to bring out the yummy aroma. This may help entice your cat if he or she shows any hesitation. 

Things We Like About Smalls

We like Smalls and we think your cat will, too. Aside from the brand promise to give your cat only the healthiest of cat meals around, here are other reasons why we think Smalls is a great option for your cat:

  • The food is fresh and sourced from the finest ingredients 
  • They offer a variety of recipes
  • They have a user-friendly website where you can answer a handful of questions and find out the best plan for you and your cat
  • It’s essentially a meal subscription service for cats, so you can get the products automatically shipped to you, eliminating the need to run to the pet store
  • Smalls crafts its recipes in the USA
  • Packaging is 100 percent recyclable 
  • Smalls will offer a full refund of your sampler order if your cat doesn’t enjoy any of the flavors or textures

Things to Consider About Smalls

While we love Smalls and all it has to offer, there are some key factors to consider before making a decision to switch your cat over to this new way of healthy eating:

  • The human-grade fresh food is not pre-portioned like canned cat food and its packaging is not re-sealable, though Smalls does sell a custom storage container you can add on to your order.
  • One package will last your cat roughly five meals whether served with kibble or not.
  • Some cats may just be picky, and getting used to Smalls may take them a couple of weeks to adjust.
  • Any time you switch your cat’s diet, it’s a good idea to talk to your vet to ensure the food meets your cat’s individual needs. For example, Smalls food may not be suitable for some cats in the later stages of kidney disease.
  • The price will vary depending on the plan you’ve selected, but it can cost around $2.50-$3.50 per cat/per day.
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Smalls Cat Food: Our Verdict

Sweet feline sniffs a bag of Smalls cat food

So here’s the bottom line… 

After researching how Smalls sources ingredients and crafts recipes, without question, it is one of the healthiest cat food options around. While you will have limited options compared to other cat food brands with several flavors, you just can’t beat the fresh, all-natural ingredients and preservative- and filler-free recipes.

While Smalls costs more than the typical canned cat food variety, the fact that it’s delivered to your door is a definite plus and may also be worth the budget. Just be aware that if you switch cat food to Smalls (or any other brand for that matter), there will be a transition period where your cat may eat very little of it. Trust me, they’ll come around.

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32% off + free treats for life with code VETSTREET5

Resources

  1. https://www.technavio.com/report/fresh-pet-food-market-size-in-us-industry-analysis