Best Organic Cat Foods 2022 – Buyer’s Guide

We all want the best for our pets. They depend on us to provide them with shelter, water, and food. And that’s where it starts to get tricky.  What kind of food should you feed your cat?

There are so many cat food options out there, it’s hard to know where to start. But as we’ve researched, we’ve discovered the best food, and the food best matching a cats natural diet, is organic cat food.

Organic cat foods are those made without pesticides, additives, or other chemicals that could be harmful to the health of your cat. And finding the right organic cat food is the perfect start for ensuring the best nutrition for your pet.

In this article, we’ll look at the best wet and dry organic cat foods, as well as go over some questions you might have about organic cat food.

What does ‘organic’ really mean?

Before we get in to our top organic cat food picks, we should probably give you a definition of our standards.

For a product to be considered organic, it must meet specific certification criteria. In order for a cat food to be certified organic, the ingredients must have been grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Also, these ingredients cannot be genetically modified.

And organic doesn’t just apply to farmed ingredients. The animals used for meat in organic cat foods must have been raised without the routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones. They must also have been fed an organic diet.

“The ingredients in cat foods don’t have to be a long list and they should contain foods that you recognize. Of course, avoid foods that your cat is allergic to and any brand that seems to have more preservatives than other ingredients.”

Dr. Chyrle Bonk, DVM

Now let’s get to our top organic cat foods!

Jump to a section

Our top picks
Benefits of organic cat food
How we chose
Determing the best serving size for your cat
Dry cat food vs. wet cat food
What ingredients to avoid in cat food

Our top picks

We’ve scoured different cat foods, their ingredients, and preparation processes to create this list of our top 7 dry and wet organic cat foods.

Castor and Pollux Organix Organic Dry Cat Food

Best Overall Dry Food

Our top pick includes all the nutrition your cat needs to thrive, from its rich amino acids to its healthy free-range chicken.

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Castor Pollux Organix Dry Cat Food hits all the marks for us, making it our number one choice. To start, the dry cat food complies with the USDA National Organic Program’s regulations. This is a big deal because to get USDA certified organic, the company needs to follow the same regulations as those used in organic human foods. The result is Castor and Pollux Organix has made a high-quality, organic food that is safe and nutritious.

The number one ingredient in this grain-free cat food is organic, free-range chicken. Protein is of the upmost importance when it comes to the nutritional needs of cats. So, having clean, pesticide-free chicken being the main ingredient is the sign of a truly premium organic cat food. With its sweet potato for carbs and superfood mixture – flaxseed, cranberries, and coconut oil – the ingredients in this food are top notch.

While looking for our top pick, we didn’t just look at the quality of the ingredients, we also looked at their purposes. Castor and Pollux Organix recipes have balanced, nutritional recipes we love. As we mentioned above, there the organic chicken for protein, the superfood mixture, and even a blend of omega-3 fatty acids to support healthy skin and fur.

Castor and Pollux Organix is above and beyond other cat foods and easily made the top of our organic cat foods list. Unfortunately, as is the nature of quality products, this dry mixture is a bit expensive. But very worth the cost!

Purina Beyond High Protein Adult Dry Cat Food

Best for second choice

Our runner-up is protein and antioxidant rich, supporting the muscles, skin, and coat of cats.

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Purina has been in the pet food business for decades, so it’s no wonder they’ve created one of the top organic cat foods on the market. The Purina Beyond High Protein Dry Cat Food meets all the requirements of USDA organic standards, giving you the peace of mind that you’re taking the best care of your cat.

Like our top choice on this list, Purina’s primary ingredient is organic, free-range chicken, meaning your cat won’t be eating meat with antibiotics or growth hormones. The chicken is combined with egg and sweet potato to create a balanced protein and carb mixture. As a result, your cat will stay fuller for longer.

Like always, it’s not just about the ingredients that matter to us, but what nutrition those ingredients provide. We love Purina Beyond High Protein because, as the name suggests, the ingredients are high in protein, matching a cat’s natural diet. Protein-rich cat foods also support muscle and bone health in your cat.

Because Purina Beyond High Protein includes all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you cat needs, there’s no need for extra supplements when using this dry food. Unfortunately, Purina only sells this food in large bags, so you’re stuck with excess food if your cat doesn’t like it.

Tender & True Organic Chicken and Liver Cat Food

Budget Pick for Dry Cat Food

Tender & True provides a grain-free, protein-rich, organic cat food at a fraction of the cost.

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When you go organic, especially with food for your cat, you have to accept you’ll be spending more money than normal. However, the benefits often outweigh the cost. Tender & True Organic Chicken and Liver Cat Food proves you can have a premium organic cat food at an affordable price.

As is the case with all the options on our list, Tender & True Chicken and Liver is made with certified USDA Organic chicken. With humanely raised and ethically sourced ingredients, the Chicken and Liver mixture offers a balanced diet for your cat, at any age!

We especially love that Tender & True Chicken and Liver is a grain-free mixture, since grain is not part of a cat’s natural diet. With no corn, wheat, or soy, you’re getting fewer fillers with this bargain cat food.

Tender & True Organic Turkey and Liver Cat Food

Also great

Another triumph by the brand Tender and True, the Turkey and Liver mix may be a little more expensive than our budget choice, but still keeps clean, natural protein as the foundation of its recipe.

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Turkey and liver make the foundation of this protein-rich organic cat food. Like all the other options on our list, Tender & True is USDA organic. However, what makes this dry food even better is it’s also Animal Welfare Certified.

The ingredients in this version of Tender & True’s mix are designed to provide your cat with balanced nutrition. As already mentioned, turkey and liver make up the bulk of the ingredients, perfectly matching a carnivorous diet. Plus, there are added antioxidants and amino acids to support healthy skin and fur. With no grains, which can irritate a cat’s digestive system, Tender & True Organic Turkey and Liver cat food is a quality, safe, and balanced organic food option.

Castor & Pollux Organix Grain Free Chicken and Liver Recipe

Best Overall Wet Food

With chicken and chicken liver serving as the base for this wet cat food recipe, you know your fur baby will get the protein and hydration needed to thrive.

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Castor & Pollux Organix aren’t just our top choice for organic dry cat food, but also for wet food. And with good reason! Their wet cat food is perfectly blended to meet your cats nutritional needs in the form most like what cats eat in the wild.

The Castor & Pollux Organix Chicken and Chicken Liver Recipe is USDA Certified Organic and Non GMO Project verified, meaning only the best of the best ingredients have gone into each little tin. Because the chicken used in this recipe is organic and free range, it’s much easier for your cat to digest, decreasing the likelihood of allergies or skin and digestive problems.

Also included in this organic cat food recipe is a combination of natural, superfood ingredients. From flaxseed and coconut flour to dried eggs and cranberries, these superfoods are packed full of nutrients to improve the shine of your cat’s coat, the strength of its muscles and bones, and the quality of its digestion.

There are many great wet cat foods available on the market today, but the thing that put this Castor & Pollux recipe over the top was its addition of fiber. We all know cats struggle with digestion, so with this extra digestive support, and the balanced portions of each tin, you know you’re protecting your cat’s tummy.

Purina Beyond Organic Wet Cat Food Pate

Best for second choice

With no fillers and chicken as its first ingredient, Purina Beyond Organic proves why it has been at the forefront of pet nutrition for over 100 years.

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It was a tight race between Purina Beyond Organic Wet Cat Food Pate and our top choice. Long story short: Both are fantastic options to support the health and wellness of your pet.

Purina’s Beyond Organic is a USDA Organic certified wet cat food that includes all the nutrients your cat needs to thrive. The first ingredient used in this pate is organic, free-range chicken raised with no antibiotics. The result is a cat food with a safe protein to support the natural diet of your cat.

In addition to using such a fantastic protein source, our runner-up contains no corn, wheat, or soy, ingredients known to irritate a cat’s digestive system. These common fillers are avoided in this recipe to better mimic a cat’s dietary preferences. Finally, Purina Beyond Organic comes in just the right serving size for the average adult cat, meaning mealtime is easier for you!

Tender & True Organic Turkey and Liver Canned Cat Food

Budget Pick for Wet Cat Food

You get 24 tins of our budget choice for only $0.30/ounce, proving once and for all going organic doesn’t have to break the bank.

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Tender & True is on our list yet again, offering a fantastic organic cat pate at a lower cost. And cheaper doesn’t mean low-quality, as this USDA Organic certified wet cat food proves. The main ingredient for this grain-free recipe is cage-free, organic turkey. With so much protein packed into each tin, you know your cat will be getting all the nutritional support needed to stay energized and healthy.

To protect the digestive health of your cat, Tender & True stays away from artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors, keeping natural ingredients and protein at the center of its recipes. We’re big fans of how the nutritional balance of this organic cat food makes it ideal for a wide range of cat breeds and ages.

Benefits of organic cat food

As you look at the price tags on organic cat food, you might be wondering if it is really all it’s hyped up to be. Can going organic make such a big difference in the health and wellness of your cat?

Short answer? Yes! Organic cat food has a number of benefits that make it the best choice for your cat.

No chemicals or additives

The biggest emphasis in organic cat food is natural, wholesome ingredients that just happen to be organic. As a result, organic cat food is made without any harmful chemicals or additives. This means that it’s packed with nutrients that are essential for your cat’s health.

There are no additives, fillers, or low-quality by-products in these organic cat foods.

Improves digestion

Due to the balance of natural ingredients found in the majority of quality organic cat foods (in other words, all the options on our list!), these foods have been found to improve digestion in cats. Organic cat foods are, in general, less likely to cause stomach irritation and upset your cat’s stomach, making them the golden standard in cat nutrition.

Balances weight

Going hand-in-hand with improved digestion, another benefit of organic cat food is it will help keep your cat at a healthy weight. Many of the fillers used in generic cat foods are fattening, which can trigger weight gain in cats.  Organic cat foods, on the other hand, use balanced, nutritionally-rich ingredients to provide energy without all the extra fat.

So while you’ll still want to keep those portions under control, your cat is less likely to gain unwanted weight on a balanced, organic diet.

Safer for the environment

When you purchase organic cat food, you’re not just doing something good for your cat, you’re doing something good for the environment too. Organic foods are grown without the use of harmful pesticides and chemicals. This means that they’re safer for the planet, and also for the animals who live on it.

How we chose

When narrowing down the endless list of organic cat foods on the market to just a handful of our favorites, there were a few key factors we considered. To give you a better idea of how we chose, and what you should look at when purchasing organic cat foods, here’s a peek at what we considered.

Organic certification

The first (and most important!) thing we looked for when choosing organic cat foods was organic certification. Organic certification is given to products that meet specific standards set by the USDA.

These standards ensure that the food is made without any harmful chemicals or additives, and that it meets a high standard of quality.

All of the organic cat foods on our list have been certified organic by the USDA.

Balanced nutrition

The next thing we looked for was a balance of nutrients. Cats are carnivores, so they need a diet rich in protein and fat. However, they also need some carbohydrates for energy.

The best organic cat foods will have a balance of all three macronutrients, along with essential vitamins and minerals. This ensures your cat is getting everything they need to stay healthy and happy.

Natural ingredients

As we mentioned before, organic foods are made without any chemicals or additives. This means they’re packed with natural, wholesome ingredients.

The best organic cat foods will have a short ingredient list that includes mostly recognizable items. The fewer ingredients, and the more natural they are, the better. We looked for a specific balance between protein, fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals. And for heart, vision, and digestive support, we looked for taurine, an essential amino acid for cat health.

What ingredients to avoid in cat food

At The Pets Master, we don’t just want to make recommendations, we want to give you the why behind those recommendations. To know we’ve recommended the best organic cat foods and why they’re the best, here are a few ingredients cats shouldn’t eat.

Meat by-products

The AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) calls meat byproducts “parts of animals not intended for human consumption”. This can include organs, bones, blood, and even feathers. While not all meat by-products are bad, it’s important to know what you’re feeding your cat and where the ingredients come from.

“No matter what type of cat food you choose, whether it’s organic or not, should be nutritionally complete and balanced. Look for the AAFCO seal and high-quality ingredients, especially whole meat, to ensure that your cat is getting the nutrients they need and deserve.”

Dr. Chyrle Bonk, DVM

The ambiguity of any by-product ingredient automatically makes us question their safety, so we don’t recommend them being in your cat food.

Fillers

Fillers are ingredients that have no nutritional value but are used to bulk up cat food. Wheat, corn, and soy are all common fillers found in cat food. Because these fillers are often poorly processed, they can be filled with mold. They are also harder to digest, causing digestive issues or allergies in cats.

Artificial flavors and colors

Artificial flavors and colors are added to cat food to make it more appealing to pet parents. However, these ingredients have no nutritional value and can even be harmful to your cat.

Sugar

Sugar is another ingredient that has no nutritional value and can even be harmful to your cat. In high amounts, sugar can lead to diabetes and obesity in cats.

The best way to make sure your cat is getting needed nutrition is to confirm you recognize the ingredients. This is why we’ve picked organic cat foods with simple, easy-to-understand ingredient lists, ones that keep the health and wellness of your cat as their focus.

Determining the best serving size for your cat

While we will always recommend checking with your vet to determine the best food and serving sizes for your cat, there are a few general guidelines to help you make an informed choice.

How much you feed your cat depends on their age, weight, and dietary needs. We love the weight and food amount guideline created by PetMD.

Of course, your cat will need different types of food depending on their age. Kittens will need foods higher in fat and protein to help build strong bones and to replace all the calories they burn exploring and playing.

As cats get older, their caloric intake will change. Senior cats will eat less than young or adult cats simply because they aren’t as active. Vitamin and mineral rich foods will also be more important in foods for senior cats.

Your cat’s weight is also an important consideration. Overweight cats need foods that are lower in calories and fat, while underweight cats need foods that are high in protein and more calorie- and fat-dense.

Knowing your cat’s dietary needs will help you determine how much of each food to feed them at each meal. As a general rule of thumb, a 3-ounce can of wet food is equivalent to about 1/3 cup of dry food. Of course, this will vary depending on the brand and type of food you’re feeding.

You should also always consult your veterinarian before making any changes to your cat’s diet, as they will be able to give you specific recommendations based on your specific cat.

Dry cat food vs. wet cat food – Which is the best for your cat?

In our list the best organic cat foods, we’ve included both dry and wet options. But which is the best for your cat?

Once again, your decision will depend on several factors, from your cat’s age, weight, health, and dietary needs.

Dry organic cat food is less expensive than wet food. Dry food is also more convenient since it can be left out for your cat to eat throughout the day. However, something to keep in mind is dry food is also generally higher in carbohydrates than wet food.

Wet food typically costs more than dry food and makes up for the price hike by being high in protein and moisture. Wet food can’t be left out for your cat to eat throughout the day, as it will spoil quickly, and some even need to be refrigerated.

If you have a healthy adult cat, either dry or wet food will be fine. If your cat struggles with weight, diabetes, or digestion, you should opt for wet cat food. Wet cat food is lower in calories, has fewer carbohydrates, and is an easy way to introduce more water or moisture to your cat’s diet.

Always consult your veterinarian before making any changes to your cat’s diet, as they will be able to give you specific recommendations based on your individual cat.