Verdict: Cats.com rates ZIWI Peak 8.2/10 (49/60, an A-), praising ingredient quality while giving the brand a low price score. Its central trade-off is meat-forward recipes and several feeding formats against premium cost. Whether it suits your cat depends on the specific recipe, its nutrition statement and calories, your cat’s acceptance, and your budget—not the score alone.
What Cats.com’s review says
Mallory Crusta’s review, last updated January 14, 2026, evaluates ZIWI Peak on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. These are Cats.com’s editorial ratings, not a veterinary diagnosis or an official nutrition certification.
| Category | Cats.com score |
|---|---|
| Species-appropriateness | 8/10 |
| Ingredient quality | 10/10 |
| Product variety | 8/10 |
| Price | 4/10 |
| Customer experience | 9/10 |
| Recall history | 10/10 |
| Overall | 8.2/10 (49/60; A-) |
The review’s score reflects its own six-part standard. It is useful as a summary of that reviewer’s assessment, but it cannot establish that a food will improve an individual cat’s health.
What formats does ZIWI Peak offer?
ZIWI’s current cat-food collection lists air-dried, wet canned, and Steam & Dried formats. The review discusses air-dried and canned foods; Steam & Dried is current manufacturer context and should not be taken as a format fully evaluated in that review.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems#1 Best Overall
- HIGH PROTEIN, NUTRIENT DENSE: Featuring 90% cage-free chicken, wild-caught fish, organs, and bone, this grain-free cat food delivers nutrition with a mouth-watering taste for all cats. Our innovative two step process uses gentle steam to lock in the nutrients and then air-dried to preserve the nutrients this food supports indoor cat food needs and is perfect for all life stages, from kitten food to senior or adult cats.
- FRESH FOOD NUTRITION with SHELF STABILITY: Packed with essential Omega 3 fatty acids from wild-caught fish, it's great for all life stages, including kitten food to support digestion, joint health, and healthy shiny coats. The Steam & Dry process provides all the shelf stability of freeze dried pet food with the nutritional benefits of fresh cat food.
- GRAIN FREE RAW ALTERNATIVE: Our innovative two step process delicately steams and gently air-dries raw ingredients for a nutritious, raw alternative dry cat food with a stimulating crunchy texture that cats love. This process preserves the nutrition and flavor needed for healthy indoor cat food needs and is perfect for all life stages, from kitten food to senior cat snacks, with added vitamins and minerals. This formula is free from fillers commonly found in dry cat food.
- MEALS and FOOD TOPPERS: Serve as a complete balanced meal or adds to their bowl as a mixer cat food topper to provide texture stimulation with a supplement boost.
- ETHICALLY SOURCED FROM NEW ZEALAND: ZIWI sources only 100% free-range, grass-fed, grass-finished meats, and wild-caught seafoods, all from New Zealand farms and pristine oceans. Farmed without added hormones, antibiotics, or growth promotants.
Air-dried
Cats.com describes the air-dried recipes it reviewed as meat-heavy, calorie-dense, and lower in carbohydrate than conventional kibble. It also notes that they supply less moisture than canned food. ZIWI says its air-dried recipes can be served as a complete meal, topper, or treat; check the exact recipe’s package for its nutrition statement and feeding directions.
Wet canned
The review covers recipes in ZIWI’s Originals and Provenance canned lines. Canned food offers a higher-moisture format than air-dried food, but calorie content, ingredients, can size, and cost vary by recipe. ZIWI describes its wet recipes as suitable as a meal or topper; confirm the named product’s label rather than assuming every formula has the same nutritional adequacy or composition.
Rank #2
- HIGH PROTEIN, NUTRIENT DENSE, MOISTURE RICH: Featuring free-range, grass-fed meats, cage-free poultry, wild-caught seafoods, and New Zealand Green Mussels, this grain-free pate style cat food delivers premium nutrition with a mouth-watering taste for all cats and life stages. This moisture rich, chunky-loaf canned cat food uniquely support cat hydration.
- GRAIN FREE, NUTRIENT RICH: Blend of premium raw ingredients providing a natural nutrient rich food to meet the needs for both a healthy indoor or outdoor cat with added vitamins and minerals. Perfect for all life stages, from kittens to senior and adult cats. No added grains, potatoes, or peas provides cats digestive support and is ideal for managing weight, allergies, and promoting overall health. This formula is free from fillers and gums commonly found in other wet cat food.
- SUPERFOODS for DIGESTION, JOINT, SKIN, and COAT HEALTH: Z-Boost superfood inclusions promote heart health and general wellness. Highly palatable and delicious cold-washed green tripe is a natural source of enzymes and probiotics for improved digestion. New Zealand Green Mussels contain chondroitin, glucosamine, and omega-3 for joint health and enhanced skin and coat. Organic Kelp is a natural source of minerals and antioxidants known to improve metabolism, reduce inflammation and protect the heart and brain.
- ALL LIFE STAGES & ALL BREEDS: Formulated for kitten, adult, and senior cats – ZIWI’s holistic approach is for all life stages, focused on delivering peak nutrition for your cat’s health and wellbeing. Perfectly fed as a complete meal or topper for a nutritional boost; optimized for both indoor and outdoor cats.
- ETHICAL NEW ZEALAND INGREDIENTS: 100% free-range, grass-fed meats, cage-free poultry, and wild-caught seafoods, all sourced from New Zealand farms and pristine oceans. Raised without added hormones, antibiotics, or growth promotants, these all-natural ingredients provide a taste of life in New Zealand.
Steam & Dried
ZIWI’s current range comparison describes this format as gently steamed and dried and ready to serve. That description is the manufacturer’s, not an independent assessment. The range comparison is available at ZIWI’s product-format comparison.
What is in the recipes—and what the numbers show
Ingredient and analysis figures belong to individual formulas; they should not be generalized across the brand. In its reviewed Lamb canned example, Cats.com praises lamb meat and organs but criticizes chickpeas as contributing to carbohydrate content. Its analysis for that Lamb recipe lists 11% crude protein, 8% crude fat, and 74.5% moisture. Those figures are for the reviewer’s Lamb recipe, not Rabbit & Lamb or every canned food.
Rank #3
- Complete and balanced nutrition for cats of all life stages. Lightly steamed and gently air-dried for a delicious taste your cat will find irresistible. With 90% protein and animal ingredients from New Zealand grass-fed beef, organs, bones and whole fish. Minimally processed for a light, crunchy texture and uncompromised nutrition that makes it a better choice for your cat compared to standard kibble.
- The ZIWI Peak Steam & Dried Difference: Raw ingredients - ethically-sourced ingredients your cat will love Minimally processed - gently steamed for a tasty crunch, lightly air-dried to lock in nutrition Naturally Craved- crafted for exceptional taste your cat will love No compromises - no rendered meats, meals, no artificial ingredients, no potatoes or legumes.
- Protein Packed: 90% premium animal ingredients for a protein-rich, irresistible meal that nourishes cats of all life stages. Highly Digestible: Fiber and prebiotics to support digestive health and a healthy microbiome. Hip & Joint Support: Natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin - particularly valuable for active cats and cats in their senior years. Skin & Coat: A rich source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids to support healthy skin and a shiny coat. Simply Delicious: Irresistible taste and crunchy texture loved by cats. Complete and balanced nutrition for cats of all life stages. Feed as a full meal or mix in with their favorite toppers or wet.
- New Zealand beef is globally acclaimed for its pasture-raised, grass-fed origins where cattle are free to roam, graze, and thrive year-round - producing beef rich in flavor. Perfectly paired with wild-caught Southern Blue Whiting sourced from some of the world's cleanest ocean waters. The result is exceptional taste and nutrition in every bite perfectly crafted for your carnivore.
- Irresistible Taste. Uncompromised Nutrition. For a Peak Life Together.
Rabbit & Lamb canned recipe
ZIWI’s current Rabbit & Lamb product page lists rabbit, water, lamb, lamb lung and liver, chickpeas, hare, lamb tripe and heart, green mussel, lamb bone and cartilage, minerals, taurine, vitamins, kelp, and other nutrients. The manufacturer calls this recipe complete and balanced for any life stage and says it can be used as a meal, topper, or treat. Those are manufacturer representations for this named formula.
ZIWI publishes a guaranteed analysis of 11.0% minimum crude protein, 3.5% minimum crude fat, and 2.0% maximum crude fiber, with 1,000 kcal ME/kg. It lists 85 kcal for an 85 g can and 185 kcal for a 185 g can. These are manufacturer figures for Rabbit & Lamb, accessed in 2026; the page has no displayed publication year. The page says to refrigerate opened food and use it within seven days. Follow the current package and product instructions, which may change.
Rank #4
- HIGH PROTEIN, NUTRIENT DENSE: Featuring 90% cage-free chicken, wild-caught fish, organs, and bone, this grain-free cat food delivers nutrition with a mouth-watering taste for all cats. Our innovative two step process uses gentle steam to lock in the nutrients and then air-dried to preserve the nutrients this food supports indoor cat food needs and is perfect for all life stages, from kitten food to senior or adult cats.
- FRESH FOOD NUTRITION with SHELF STABILITY: Packed with essential Omega 3 fatty acids from wild-caught fish, it's great for all life stages, including kitten food to support digestion, joint health, and healthy shiny coats. The Steam & Dry process provides all the shelf stability of freeze dried pet food with the nutritional benefits of fresh cat food.
- GRAIN FREE RAW ALTERNATIVE: Our innovative two step process delicately steams and gently air-dries raw ingredients for a nutritious, raw alternative dry cat food with a stimulating crunchy texture that cats love. This process preserves the nutrition and flavor needed for healthy indoor cat food needs and is perfect for all life stages, from kitten food to senior cat snacks, with added vitamins and minerals. This formula is free from fillers commonly found in dry cat food.
- MEALS and FOOD TOPPERS: Serve as a complete balanced meal or adds to their bowl as a mixer cat food topper to provide texture stimulation with a supplement boost.
- ETHICALLY SOURCED FROM NEW ZEALAND: ZIWI sources only 100% free-range, grass-fed, grass-finished meats, and wild-caught seafoods, all from New Zealand farms and pristine oceans. Farmed without added hormones, antibiotics, or growth promotants.
Is ZIWI Peak worth the price?
Cats.com assigns price 4/10 and characterizes the brand as expensive. Its recipe prices and daily feeding estimates are from the review’s January 14, 2026 update, not live retail quotes. Prices vary by recipe, format, package size, retailer, and a cat’s calorie needs, so compare the cost of feeding rather than price per ounce alone.
For a fair comparison, use the same calorie basis and consider:
Best Value
- HIGH PROTEIN, NUTRIENT DENSE: Featuring 87% wild-caught fish, free-range chicken, organs, and bone, this grain-free cat food delivers nutrition with a mouth-watering taste for all cats. Our innovative two step process uses gentle steam to lock in the nutrients and then air-dried to preserve the nutrients this food supports indoor cat food needs and is perfect for all life stages, from kitten food to senior or adult cats.
- FRESH FOOD NUTRITION with SHELF STABILITY: Packed with essential Omega 3 fatty acids from wild-caught fish, it's great for all life stages, including kitten food to support digestion, joint health, and healthy shiny coats. The Steam & Dry process provides all the shelf stability of freeze dried pet food with the nutritional benefits of fresh cat food.
- GRAIN FREE RAW ALTERNATIVE: Our innovative two step process delicately steams and gently air-dries raw ingredients for a nutritious, raw alternative dry cat food with a stimulating crunchy texture that cats love. This process preserves the nutrition and flavor needed for healthy indoor cat food needs and is perfect for all life stages, from kitten food to senior cat snacks, with added vitamins and minerals. This formula is free from fillers commonly found in dry cat food.
- MEALS and FOOD TOPPERS: Serve as a complete balanced meal or adds to their bowl as a mixer cat food topper to provide texture stimulation with a supplement boost.
- ETHICALLY SOURCED FROM NEW ZEALAND: ZIWI sources only 100% free-range, grass-fed, grass-finished meats, and wild-caught seafoods, all from New Zealand farms and pristine oceans. Farmed without added hormones, antibiotics, or growth promotants.
- Calories per can, bag, or serving and the amount your cat is fed.
- Format and moisture, since wet and air-dried food are not directly comparable by weight alone.
- The specific protein source, ingredient list, and package nutrition-adequacy and life-stage statements.
- Whether your cat accepts the texture and recipe, and what the resulting daily cost means for your household.
What does the recall score mean?
Cats.com says ZIWI Peak had never been recalled as of its January 14, 2026 review update, and awards recall history 10/10. This is a dated statement from the reviewer, not a guarantee about future events or a current, independently verified recall-database check.
How to decide whether a recipe fits your cat
- Choose the format: Decide whether canned, air-dried, or Steam & Dried best fits your feeding routine and your cat’s texture preferences.
- Check the exact package: Read the nutritional adequacy statement, life-stage wording, feeding instructions, ingredients, and calorie information for the specific recipe.
- Work out feeding cost: Use the recipe’s calories and your cat’s feeding amount to estimate daily cost, then compare with alternatives on the same calorie basis.
- Observe acceptance: A highly rated food is not a practical choice if your cat will not eat it or the feeding format does not suit your household.
A customer comment reproduced by Cats.com says, “It is healthy for my kitty cat, and she loves ziwi peak food.” The reviewer attributes it to Kathryn, commenting on Mackerel and Lamb Air-Dried Cat Food on December 19, 2025. That is one person’s report of preference and perceived experience, not clinical evidence of a health effect.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
