Choosing the right cat food is a crucial decision for any cat owner. With countless brands available, it’s natural to ask: Is Nulo A Good Cat Food? Nulo has positioned itself as a premium pet food brand focused on nutrition and high-quality ingredients. But does it live up to the hype? In this comprehensive review, we’ll delve into Nulo cat food, examining its ingredients, product range, customer reviews, and overall value to help you determine if it’s the right choice for your feline companion.
Evaluating Nulo Cat Food: Our Rating Standards
To answer the question “is Nulo a good cat food?”, we’ve rigorously analyzed Nulo based on the Cats.com standard, which assesses cat food brands across six critical areas: species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. This thorough evaluation ensures an unbiased and informative perspective on the brand.
Our Ratings for Nulo Cat Food:
- Species-Appropriateness: 8/10
- Ingredient Quality: 8/10
- Product Variety: 10/10
- Price: 6/10
- Customer Experience: 5/10
- Recall History: 10/10
Overall Score: 7.8/10
Grade: B+
We rate Nulo cat food with a score of 50 out of 60, which translates to a B+ grade. This solid score suggests that Nulo is indeed a good cat food option, but let’s explore why and in what areas it excels and where it could improve.
Why Our Review of Nulo Cat Food Matters
Our review process is built on trust and firsthand experience. We’ve personally purchased and tested various Nulo recipes with our own cats, observing their reactions and health impacts. Beyond practical testing, we conduct in-depth research into ingredient sourcing, quality control, customer feedback, and any history of recalls. This comprehensive approach allows us to provide a well-rounded assessment of whether Nulo is a good cat food for your beloved pet.
To ensure complete transparency and scientific rigor, we also submit Nulo food samples to an independent food chemistry lab for analytical testing. This lab analysis provides precise data on macronutrient and micronutrient content, as well as checks for microbial contamination, yeast, mold, and heavy metals. This rigorous testing guarantees that our evaluation is based on factual data, helping you confidently decide if Nulo meets your standards for good cat food.
The Story Behind Nulo: A Nutrition-Focused Brand
The Nulo story began with a pet owner’s concern. Michael Landa, founder of Nulo, witnessed the growing number of overweight and diabetic pets requiring insulin injections during his dog-sitting ventures. This sparked his investigation into the link between pet nutrition and health issues.
According to Nulo’s website, Landa’s research revealed the prevalent use of high-glycemic ingredients in many pet foods, which he believed contributed to these health problems. Driven to create a better alternative, he collaborated with animal nutritionists, veterinarians, and food formulators to develop a new pet food brand. Nulo was officially launched in 2009, with a mission to provide truly nutritious and healthy options, answering the call for good cat food in the market.
Nulo’s brand identity is strongly associated with fitness and health. They target pet owners who are health-conscious and want to provide their animal companions with optimal fuel. This is reflected in their brand ambassadors, who include Olympic medalists, CrossFit athletes, and fitness trainers. Nulo even partners with Ironman events, further emphasizing its commitment to performance and well-being, reinforcing the message that Nulo aims to be good cat food for active and healthy pets.
Nulo’s Ingredient Sourcing and Manufacturing Standards
When evaluating is Nulo a good cat food, sourcing and manufacturing practices are paramount. Nulo is headquartered in Austin, Texas, but they source ingredients globally. They prioritize high-quality sources, with most fish, poultry, and meat ingredients coming from North America, France, and New Zealand. Plant-based ingredients and vitamin packs are sourced from North America and other select regions worldwide. Nulo emphasizes traceability and rigorous testing for all ingredients to ensure quality and safety before they are incorporated into their products. This commitment to quality sourcing contributes to Nulo’s reputation as a provider of good cat food.
The majority of Nulo’s product line, including dry kibble, canned food, hearty stews, freeze-dried raw food, dog treats, and water enhancers, are manufactured in the United States. However, certain wet food formats like meaty pouches, Silky Mousse, and Perfect Purees are produced in a facility in Thailand. Regardless of the manufacturing location, Nulo maintains strict quality control protocols, reinforcing their aim to produce consistently good cat food.
Nulo Cat Food Recall History: A Clean Record
For concerned pet owners, recall history is a significant factor when determining is Nulo a good cat food. Reassuringly, it appears that Nulo has never issued a product recall. This spotless recall record speaks volumes about their commitment to safety and quality control in their manufacturing processes. A clean recall history is a strong indicator that Nulo prioritizes pet safety, making it a trustworthy brand in the eyes of many pet owners looking for good cat food.
Exploring Nulo’s Diverse Cat Food Range
Nulo offers an extensive range of grain-free wet and dry cat food options, catering to various dietary needs and preferences. This wide variety is a significant plus when considering is Nulo a good cat food for your specific cat, as you’re more likely to find a formula that suits their individual needs.
Key Nulo Cat Food Lines:
- Nulo Freestyle: This flagship line includes both dry and wet cat food recipes, all grain-free and boasting high meat content. Freestyle dry foods prioritize animal protein sources in the first 3-4 ingredients, while wet foods claim “industry-leading meat levels.” The line also features freeze-dried raw options for minimally processed nutrition.
- Nulo Limited Ingredient Diet: Designed for cats with sensitivities and allergies, this line offers both wet and dry limited ingredient recipes. These formulas contain up to 38% crude protein and are unique for including GanedenBC³⁰ probiotic for digestive health. This line is particularly relevant for cats with dietary restrictions, making Nulo a potential good cat food choice for sensitive cats.
- Nulo Medalseries: Exclusively available at PetSmart, Medalseries mirrors the Freestyle line in its offerings, including grain-free kibble, canned food, and pouches with shredded and flaked meat. Despite the different packaging, it maintains Nulo’s focus on high-quality, grain-free nutrition, continuing the theme of good cat food.
- Nulo Perfect Purées & Pouches: Perfect Purées are lickable cat treats in tubes, while Nulo Pouches offer shredded or flaked meat recipes in convenient pouches, free from gums, tapioca, and potato starch. These pouches are intended as supplemental snacks or food toppers rather than complete meals, providing variety and flavor enhancement to a cat’s diet, further demonstrating Nulo’s comprehensive approach to good cat food offerings.
- Nulo Crunchy Cat Treats: Available in various formulas like Skin and Coat Salmon, Heart Healthy Beef, and Digestive Health Chicken, these high-protein treats support gut health with prebiotics and probiotics. They are low in calories, making them a guilt-free way to reward your cat while supporting their health, adding to the overall impression of Nulo as a brand that produces good cat food options beyond just main meals.
A notable feature across Nulo dry foods is the inclusion of the patented BC30 probiotic. This robust probiotic strain is designed to survive the manufacturing process and stomach acid, delivering beneficial bacteria directly to the intestines for improved digestion, highlighting Nulo’s commitment to not just good cat food, but also cat health.
Real Cats’ Verdict: Palatability and Nutritional Value
Overall, is Nulo a good cat food according to cats? Based on our testing and observations, Nulo generally receives a paws-up from feline testers. Nulo foods are formulated to be rich in meat protein and relatively low in carbohydrates, aligning with a cat’s natural dietary needs. They are also free from artificial additives, and many recipes are enhanced with probiotics, contributing to their appeal as good cat food.
For optimal nutrition and hydration, wet Nulo varieties are particularly recommended. These formulas typically have higher percentages of animal-derived ingredients and provide essential moisture, which is crucial for feline health. The palatability and nutritional profile of Nulo’s wet food further solidify its position as a good cat food option.
Nulo Cat Food Recipe Deep Dive: Top 3 Reviewed
To give you a more concrete understanding of Nulo’s offerings and help answer “is Nulo a good cat food?”, let’s examine three of their top recipes in detail:
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nulo Freestyle Chicken & Cod Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat & Kitten Food | Dry | $4.80 per lb | B |
| Nulo Freestyle Duck & Lentils Grain-Free Indoor Dry Cat Food | Dry | $4.81 per lb | B |
| Nulo Freestyle Turkey & Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat & Kitten Food | Wet | $0.36 per oz | A |
#1 Nulo Freestyle Chicken & Cod Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat & Kitten Food
$51.99 At Chewy $46.79 At Amazon
This dry cat food recipe prioritizes chicken as its primary protein source, a common and well-received protein for cats, contributing to its potential as good cat food.
The ingredient list begins with deboned chicken and chicken meal, followed by turkey meal and deboned cod, ensuring a diverse array of animal protein sources. These ingredients contribute to an impressive 80% animal protein content in the food.
Like many grain-free kibbles, it incorporates peas and lentils, likely for structure and added protein. Chicken fat serves as the primary fat source, alongside pea fiber and flaxseed for fiber content, and dried chicory root as a prebiotic fiber source. It also contains small amounts of beneficial additions like dried kelp, sweet potato, and cranberries. “Natural flavor,” a common palatant derived from hydrolyzed animal tissue, enhances the food’s appeal to cats. The recipe is also supplemented with probiotics for digestive support, further reinforcing its focus on being good cat food.
Overall, this kibble is meat-centric with high protein, moderate fat, and moderate carbohydrate levels, making it a nutritionally sound option in the dry food category and supporting the idea that Nulo is a good cat food brand.
Key Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Deboned Cod, Chicken Fat, Probiotics
Guaranteed Analysis Highlights:
- Crude Protein: 40% (Dry Matter: 44.44%)
- Crude Fat: 20% (Dry Matter: 22.22%)
- Carbs (estimated Dry Matter): 28.89%
Pros: High animal protein, named meat sources, probiotic supplementation.
Cons: Contains plant-based protein sources like peas and lentils.
#2 Nulo Freestyle Duck & Lentils Grain-Free Indoor Dry Cat Food
$12.99 At Chewy $12.99 At Amazon
This recipe uses duck and chicken meal as primary protein sources, offering variety for cats who might be sensitive to common proteins like chicken alone and contributing to the question of is Nulo a good cat food for cats with sensitivities.
Duck, chicken meal, turkey meal, and deboned cod are the top four ingredients, ensuring a high proportion of animal-based protein, accounting for 82% of the total protein content. Plant-based protein sources like peas and lentils are also present. Chicken fat is the main fat source.
Formulated for indoor cats, this recipe includes multiple fiber sources like pea fiber and dried chicory root. It’s supplemented with dried kelp, sweet potato, cranberries, and the BC30 Probiotic. “Natural flavor” is again used to enhance palatability.
This is a meat-based food with moderate protein and fat, but a higher carbohydrate content compared to the Chicken & Cod recipe. While still a good cat food option, the higher carb level is something to consider, especially for diabetic or overweight cats.
Key Ingredients: Deboned Duck, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Deboned Cod, Chicken Fat, Probiotics.
Guaranteed Analysis Highlights:
- Crude Protein: 40% (Dry Matter: 44.44%)
- Crude Fat: 17% (Dry Matter: 18.89%)
- Carbs (estimated Dry Matter): 31.11%
Pros: Primarily animal protein, named meat sources, probiotic inclusion.
Cons: Higher carbohydrate content, includes plant-based protein and sweet potato.
#3 Nulo Freestyle Turkey & Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat & Kitten Food
$54.96 At Chewy $44.28 At Amazon
Turkey is the primary protein source in this wet cat food, a lean and palatable protein option, making it a strong contender for good cat food.
This canned recipe is heavily reliant on animal protein, featuring turkey, chicken, turkey liver, and tuna as primary ingredients. “Natural flavor” is included for enhanced taste.
Guar gum and agar-agar, plant-based gums, act as thickeners. Small amounts of pumpkin, cranberries, and dried kelp are added, marketed as “superfoods.” Menhaden fish oil provides omega-3 fatty acids for skin and coat health.
This wet food is meat-based, high in protein and fat, and low in carbohydrates, aligning perfectly with a cat’s nutritional needs and solidifying its place as a good cat food choice, particularly in the wet food category.
Key Ingredients: Turkey, Chicken, Turkey Liver, Tuna, Menhaden Fish Oil.
Guaranteed Analysis Highlights:
- Crude Protein: 11% (Dry Matter: 50%)
- Crude Fat: 6.5% (Dry Matter: 29.55%)
- Carbs (estimated Dry Matter): 17.05%
Pros: High animal protein, meat-based, low carbohydrate, no artificial additives.
Cons: May be slightly dry pate texture for some cats.
Customer Opinions on Nulo Cat Food: What Are Pet Owners Saying?
To further address “is Nulo a good cat food?”, let’s consider real customer experiences. Nulo generally receives positive reviews. Top recipes on Chewy often have 4 to 5-star ratings. Happy customers frequently praise the food’s quality, palatable taste, and positive impacts on their cats’ health, particularly coat condition. These positive testimonials contribute to the consensus that Nulo is a good cat food option for many cats.
However, like any brand, Nulo also receives negative feedback. The primary complaint is palatability, with some cats refusing to eat certain recipes. A few reviewers also mentioned the small kibble size of the dry food as a potential issue for adult cats. These negative points are important to consider alongside the positives when evaluating is Nulo a good cat food for your individual cat, as palatability can vary from cat to cat.
Examples of Customer Reviews:
Positive Review: “I like the ingredient list, the price point is decent and most of all, my cats love it. My old man has some skin sensitivities and I’ve noticed marked improvement with his coat.” – Amanda, Chewy Reviewer.
Positive Review: “This was one of two brands that was suggested by a friend to try in migrating my kitties over to a better quality kibble and they love it! […] What I especially love is that the kibble size is small which makes it an easy one for my kitten to enjoy along with my older cat.” – Chelby, Chewy Reviewer.
Negative Review: “My kitten was eating Nulo wet and dry food at the breeder so that’s what I got him. It seems like pretty good quality cat kibble but my kitten won’t eat it now that I’ve got him home. […]” – Kerstin, Chewy Reviewer.
Negative Review: “I spent a lot of time researching high quality dry cat food and this product tops a few lists. Unfortunately, my cats won’t touch it. […] My cats aren’t particularly picky […] so this really surprised me.” – James, Chewy Reviewer.
Nulo Cat Food Price Point: Premium Quality Comes at a Cost
Nulo cat food falls into the higher price range compared to many mainstream brands. A 14-pound bag of dry food can range from $45 to $55, and wet food averages around $0.30 to $0.36 per ounce.
For a 10-lb cat, daily feeding costs can range from approximately $0.68 for dry food to $2.98 – $5.97 for wet food, according to Nulo’s feeding guidelines. While the price is higher, it reflects the brand’s focus on high-quality ingredients and nutritional formulations. Whether the cost is justified depends on individual budgets and priorities when considering is Nulo a good cat food for your budget.
Final Verdict: Is Nulo a Good Cat Food Brand?
So, to definitively answer the question: is Nulo a good cat food? Based on our comprehensive review, the answer is yes. Nulo stands out as a high-quality cat food brand. Its recipes are rich in animal protein, relatively low in carbohydrates, and free from artificial additives. The inclusion of probiotics in many formulas further enhances its nutritional value.
While Nulo may be pricier than some alternatives and palatability can vary, its commitment to quality ingredients, species-appropriate nutrition, and a strong safety record make it a good cat food choice for discerning cat owners who prioritize their feline companions’ health and well-being. For optimal feline health, particularly in terms of hydration and higher animal protein intake, Nulo’s wet food options are particularly commendable.
Where to Purchase Nulo Cat Food
Nulo cat food is readily available through various channels. You can find it at independent pet stores, PetSmart, and online retailers like Chewy and Amazon. To locate a physical store near you, Nulo provides a store locator tool on their website: Nulo’s website. This accessibility makes it convenient for pet owners to purchase good cat food like Nulo for their feline friends.
