Canidae is a pet food brand that has been well received by pet parents who wants to feed their furry friends natural yet affordable foods.
Established in 1996, Canidae was created by young entrepreneurs who listened to what customers are really looking for in pet foods. For an in depth look into their products, we have created this 2025 Canidae cat food review just for you.
Co-founders John Gordon and Scott Whipple recognized that there is indeed a gap between what pet parents want in pet foods and what is available in the market. They teamed up with veterinarians and pet nutritionists and created their first pet food products in 1996.
Canidae opened their Brownwood, Texas facility called Ethos Pet Nutrition in 2012. This is where their products are made in small batches. Prior to establishing their own manufacturing facility, all of the food brand’s products were made by Diamond Pet Food.
The Canidae food brand has 2 dry cat food products lines, and one wet cat food line. To help you pick the right foods for your cat, we have reviewed Canidae’s best-selling products available on Chewy.com.
Canidae Cat Food Reviews
1. PURE Limited Ingredient Salmon Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Salmon, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Potatoes, Peas
Protein: 32.0% min
Fat: 17.0% min
Fiber: 3.0% max
Moisture: 9.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, Adult
Special Diet: Grain-free
This is a dry cat food that offers complete and balanced nutrition for cats of every age.
Highly recommended for households with multiple pets of varying ages, this takes the guess work out of picking which foods to feed your cat.
This dry food offers optimum protein from salmon, salmon meal & menhaden fish meal.
Every kibble has Canidae’s HealthPlus Solutions. HealthPlus Solutions has probiotics, antioxidants, and omega fatty acids for your cat’s overall health.
Pros
- Has probiotics
- Help aid digestion
- Promotes silky soft fur
- Uses just 7 key ingredients
- Zero gluten, grains, soy, wheat and corn
Cons
- Possible recipe change
2. PURE Limited Ingredient Chicken Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Potatoes, Peas
Protein: 35.0% min
Fat: 18.0% min
Fiber: 3.0% max
Moisture: 9.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, Adult
Special Diet: Grain-free
Crafted with real, fresh chicken as the first ingredient, this wholesome formula is designed for cats with sensitive stomachs, using just 8 key ingredients for a simple, clean diet.
Each bite is made with whole foods to support gentle digestion and overall well-being.
Packed with essential vitamins, minerals and a carefully selected probiotics mix, this recipe promotes optimal health from the inside out.
Best of all, it’s completely free from gluten, grains, antibiotics, hormones, corn, wheat and soy—so your cat gets only the good stuff and nothing she doesn’t need.
Pros
- Real chicken
- Reduces hairballs
- Aids gut health
- Gentle on sensitive stomach
Cons
- Inconsistent kibble size
3. Goodness for Digestion Real Chicken
First 5 ingredients:
Chicken, Turkey Meal, Barley, White Rice, Peas
Protein: 29.0% min
Fat: 9.0% min
Fiber: 5.0% max
Moisture: 9.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, Adult
This nourishing recipe is crafted with real, delicious chicken and highly digestible ingredients like white rice, making it gentle on sensitive stomachs.
It’s packed with natural fiber to help support healthy digestion, while guaranteed nutrients ensure your feline gets balanced nutrition for overall wellness.
Developed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, this recipe delivers expert-backed care in every bowl.
Plus, it’s made without any wheat, corn or soy—just wholesome goodness your cat will love.
Pros
- Made by an expert
- Probiotics added
- Loaded with natural fibers
- Uses highly digestible ingredients
Cons
- Kibble pieces are so tiny
4. Balanced Bowl Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe in Gravy
First 5 ingredients:
Fish Broth, Salmon, Water, Chicken, Sweet Potato
Protein: 8.0% min
Fat: 1.5% min
Fiber: 1.5% max
Moisture: 84.0% max
Food Type: Wet, Chunks in Gravy
Best for: All Lifestages, Adult
Inspired by the warmth of home-cooked meals, this flavorful recipe features high-quality salmon, tender vegetables and a savory gravy that’s sure to please even picky eaters.
It’s a complete and balanced meal on its own or can be used as a tasty topper to enhance dry food.
Crafted with nourishing ingredients like salmon, sweet potato, chicken and brown rice, this wet food delivers the nutrition your cat needs without any wheat, corn, soy or carrageenan.
Every bite brings comfort, quality and care to your cat’s bowl.
Pros
- Boosts hydration
- Uses tasty broth
- Good for sensitive cats
- High quality ingredients
- Zero wheat, corn, soy or carrageenan
Cons
- Picky eaters didn't like it
5. Adore Tuna, Chicken & Whitefish in Broth
First 5 ingredients:
Water For Processing, Tuna, Chicken, Whitefish, Sunflower Oil
Protein: 10.0% min
Fat: 1.5% min
Fiber: 1.0% max
Moisture: 85.0% max
Food Type: Wet, Bits in Broth, Shredded
Best for: All Lifestages, Adult
Special Diet: Grain-free
This canned food has tasty sheds of meat that cats just love. It has real tuna, chicken and whitefish served in flavorful broth.
Packed with protein, this food is free from grains, wheat, corn or soy.
This versatile product can be served on its own as a meal or as a meal topper.
Pros
- No grains
- Cats love it
- High in protein
- Ideal for kitties with allergies
- Taurine added for eye and brain health
Cons
- Bit hard to open without spilling some of the food
6. Adore Salmon & Whitefish in Broth
First 5 ingredients:
Fish Broth, Salmon, Tuna, Whitefish, Sweet Potatoes
Protein: 11.0% min
Fat: 1.5% min
Fiber: 1.0% max
Moisture: 83.0% max
Food Type: Wet, Bits in Broth, Stew
Best for: All Lifestages, Adult
Special Diet: Grain-free
This wet food is packed with protein from salmon, tuna and whitefish. This extra tasty wet cat food is perfect for fish and seafood lovers.
It contains no poultry or other meat by-products in its ingredients which makes it safe for kitties allergic to poultry and other animal proteins.
This flavorful meal served in broth contains no grains, wheat, corn, soy or even carrageenan.
Fortified with vitamins and minerals, each can provides complete and balanced nutrition for your cat.
Pros
- Flavorful meal
- Moisture-rich
- No fillers or grains
- With real morsels inside
- Visibly natural ingredients
Cons
- A bit expensive
Takeaway
Canidae is one of the respected brands in the natural pet foods industry. They have a variety of flavors and textures to choose from, and all of them are suitable for cats of all life stages.
This makes it easier for multiple cat households as you can feed the same Canidae food to cats of every age. They have a lot of grain free foods options, as well as grain-inclusive dry cat foods.
They offer a variety of choices to those who want to give their cats healthy, natural foods. They even have the Ancestral line that has raw freeze-dried coated kibbles. This makes it a good introduction into raw foods.
The ingredients of their foods are all high quality meat such as chicken, tuna, salmon, sardines, and other seafood. The pet food brand does use animal protein meals such as chicken meal, lamb meal, and turkey meal.
They do not use by-product meals. No artificial enhancers such as colors, flavors, and preservatives are ever used. Their grain-free options have healthy whole plant-based ingredients such as sweet potatoes, lentils, and peas.
While their Grain-free PURE Limited Ingredient dry cat food does have a shorter list of ingredients compared to their All Life Stages grain-inclusive products, the protein sources are not exactly limited.
Their limited ingredient chicken recipe actually has turkey meal, lamb meal, menhaden fish meal, and salmon oil aside from the chicken ingredients. Limited ingredient foods are typically sought after by owners of sensitive cats. This makes this chicken recipe not recommended for those who are sensitive to fish.
Their wet cat food products on the other hand have some great options for kitties with food sensitivities. Their grain-free canned food offer poultry-free or fish-free options. Many sensitive cats have thrived well on these products. They have grown healthy coats and improved their skin conditions.
Their canned foods have received rave reviews on the quality of the ingredients. The natural ingredients of the products such as real fish, chicken, and seafood are visible in every can. This gives confidence to cat parents that they are giving their pets high quality nutritious food.
All of Canidae’s products seem to be gentle on sensitive stomachs. They have all received good feedback from cat parents about how issues such as vomiting and IBD have been resolved. Even hairballs have been reduced or completely eliminated.
All these benefits do come with a higher price. The pet food brand’s cat foods cost more than the average food. However, they are not as expensive as other premium brands in the natural pet food products market. Numerous cat parents find good value in Canidae’s food products.
Based on ingredient quality, results delivered, reviews from cat parents, and cost, Canidae is overall a good cat food brand. They offer many options for your cat, and the ingredients of the products are without a doubt high in quality. Canidae’s food products are also affordable and have been known to deliver good results to cats’ health.