Feeding your cat high-quality food is one of the most important things you can do for its health. Good food will give your pet the necessary protein and vitamins to live a healthy life and help prevent health issues in the future. Making sure you know where the ingredients in their food come from is an important part of that. We did the research to find the brands that are producing cat food right here in the USA. Below are our findings.
Complete List of Cat Food Brands Made in the USA
Brand name: Health Extension
Headquarters: Hauppauge, NY
States manufacturing in: AR, CA, IL, LA, MA, MI, MO, ND, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TX, VA, WV,
Health Extension is incredibly transparent about its supply chain and has a great line of cat food. They tell you where every ingredient is sourced from, and the large majority are from US farms and sources. They have wet and dry food, and special recipes for specific health conditions. Make sure to use the code ALLAMERICANORG for 5% off your order.
The Honest Kitchen makes human-grade cat food and sources 97% of their Whole Food Clusters ingredients and 70% of their dehydrated recipes ingredients from North America.
Wysong manufactures dry and canned pet food for cats and dogs and is often recommended by veterinarians. They have a super high protein percentage is pretty much all of their recipes, and that’s often all they are – pure meat. Of course, make sure to consult your veterinarian for recommendations on the diet that is best for your cat.
Based in California, Taste of the Wild is known for producing high-quality cat food. Their Rocky Mountain Feline recipe is rich in protein and other healthy additives like antioxidants, taurine, probiotics, and more. For a meaty flavor, there is 42% protein in the blend of food, mainly from salmon, venison, and chicken. This food is grain-free and uses just enough vegetables, fruits, and legumes to get a good blend of antioxidants. Dedication to quality is an important factor for the Taste of the Wild organization. “Our family keeps our promise to our customers – to provide high-quality recipes, made in the USA, at an affordable cost,” says Director of Marketing John Kampeter. “We don’t make anything we wouldn’t feed to our own pets – it’s the standard to which all TOTW products are held, and we are happy to share it with you and your family.”
Merrick makes dry and wet cat food for kittens and adults. They offer grain-free and healthy grain recipes, and all of them have a nice mix of protein and crude fat in them. Their food relies on simple, whole ingredients and very few preservatives. They source most of their ingredients from US farms and suppliers, but do source a few ingredients from other countries.
Natural Balance is an American cat food manufacturer specializing in foods that are easier on feline stomachs. Their “Limited Ingredient Diets” series is ideal for cats with sensitive digestive systems. This food is grain-free and made from just a few important ingredients that are all recognizable. The food comes in 3 oz. or 5.5 oz. cans for large and small cats alike. The food is made from quality protein sources, and it’s proven to be a good source of both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. This is a blander food that’s made for cats with sensitive stomachs as well.
Most of their cat food is made in the USA, however they recently shifted (temporarily) some production to Thailand for their canned recipes. That is shifting back to the US shortly. Click the “Natural Balance” link above to visit their directory listing where we included a ton more manufacturing details and how to find out what’s made here.
Solid Gold is a great cat food manufacturer that makes dry and wet food for felines. They are also very transparent about their supply chain, and list the source of every ingredient on their website. They source a few ingredients from other countries, but most are domestically sourced.
How To Find Cat Food Made in the USA
Beyond simply providing an extensive list of American-made cat food, we aim to equip you with the knowledge to conduct your own research and make smarter shopping choices. In this section, we delve into the cat food manufacturing industry, covering aspects like ingredient sourcing, labeling, and strategies for identifying high-quality cat food brands made in the USA. Let’s begin by exploring the “made in the USA” terminology and how to accurately understand it.
What Does “Made in the USA” Mean?
When a product is labeled as “made in the USA,” it means that all or virtually all components and labor used to create the product are from the United States. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a product can only be labeled “made in the USA” if it meets this requirement.
It means that the product should contain no — or only a negligible amount of — foreign content. So, when you’re looking for cat food made in America, check the label carefully to ensure that the food meets these standards.
For more information on the FTC’s standards, check out our research on how to find “made in the USA.”
Ingredients
The first thing to look for when searching for American-made cat food is the ingredients. Ideally, you want to find food that is made with ingredients that are sourced from the USA. For example, many cat foods contain chicken as an ingredient.
Chicken and fish are easily sourced from America, so you can feel good about feeding your cat food that contains these ingredients – as long as you double-check the country of origin.
On the other hand, some ingredients, like lamb, are not as commonly sourced from the USA and are often exported from New Zealand or Australia. So, if you’re looking for genuinely American-made cat food, check the ingredients list to ensure that all ingredients are sourced from the USA.
Vitamins and Minerals
In addition to checking the ingredient list, you’ll also want to look at the food’s vitamin and mineral content. Many brands fortify their cat food with vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C, taurine, and iron, to ensure that cats get the nutrients they need.
Unfortunately, these vitamins and minerals are not made in the USA and must be imported. The trick to finding nutritious cat food made in the USA that has the necessary vitamins and minerals is to find companies that use good quality meat that already has the vitamins included. The main reason companies fortify their food with added vitamins and minerals is because they use cheaper cuts of meat with fewer nutrients to begin with.
Labeling
Labeling on the products is a huge help when looking for American-made cat food. As mentioned previously, according to FTC guidelines, a product can only be labeled “made in the USA” if it is all or virtually all made domestically. Title 19 Chapter 4 Section 1304 of the United States Code is also a huge help in weeding out foreign-made products. This legislation states that all products made abroad must be appropriately labeled as such.
Although the labeling should make it easier to find US-made products, it is more complex than it seems. As a consumer, you should beware of language that tries to trick you into thinking a product is made in the USA when it’s not. For example, a product may be labeled “manufactured in the USA” or “packaged in the USA.” These phrases are not the same as “made in the USA” and do not actually indicate that the product is entirely made in the United States.
Another thing to watch out for is the usage of the American flag. Just because you see the American flag on a product’s packaging does not automatically mean it is made in the USA.
Finally, be sure to check the fine print. A cat food bag may have a “made in the USA” label on the front, but if you flip it over and read the back, you may find that some ingredients are not from America. So, always check the label carefully before assuming that a product is made in the USA.
Other Tips
In addition to checking the label, there are a few other things you can do to ensure you’re buying American-made cat food.
Check the Company’s Website
Check out the company’s website to learn more about its products. Specifically, check out their “About Us,” “Our Story” page, or the product page. “Made in the USA” is a huge selling point, so companies will likely advertise this fact loudly on their website. On the other hand, since labeling with the country of origin is not a requirement on online or promotional materials, beware if you can’t find any information about where their products are made. If you can’t find this information, it’s likely made abroad with foreign ingredients.
Check Their Social Media
Social media is also a great way to determine if a company’s products are made in the USA. Companies may post this information on their social media pages. So, if you’re unsure about a company, check its social media before buying its products.
Contact the Company
If you can’t find the information you’re looking for on the label or the company’s website, you can always contact the company directly. Many companies are happy to answer questions about their products and where they are made.
Cat Food Not Made in the USA
When doing our research, we came across several popular cat food brands that are not making their product in the USA. Take a look at the full list below which we’ll continue updating as we find more.
Made in the USA using globally-sourced ingredients:
- Hill’s Science Diet – Made in the USA with global ingredients from North America, Europe, and New Zealand.
- Nature’s Logic – Made in the USA using globally sourced ingredients (states where sourced on their site)
- Blue Buffalo – Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.
- Castor & Pollux – Made in the USA (by Merrick) with some ingredients sourced globally.
- Orijen – Made in the USA using globally-sourced ingredients.
- Made by Nacho – Made in the USA using globally-sourced ingredients.
Not made in the USA:
- Farmina – Made in Italy using globally-sourced ingredients.
- Rachael Ray wet food – made in Thailand. (Dry food made in the USA).
- Instinct wet food – Made in the USA and Thailand using global ingredients.
- Tiki Cat – Made in Thailand.
- Weruva – Made in Thailand.
- Reveal wet food – Made in Thailand with suppliers across the UK, France, Austria, Spain, Thailand, Australia, and the USA.
- Nutro Wholesome SIMPLE Trays – Made in Thailand (everything else made in the USA).
- Wellness Divine Duos, Signature Selects, and Pouches – made in Thailand. All other food is made in the USA.
