Rachael Ray Nutrish may be a reasonable budget option for some cats, but its recipes are not all alike. Cats.com gives the brand 6.8/10 overall, praising its price and named animal ingredients while raising concerns about plant-heavy formulas. That score is Cats.com’s editorial assessment—not a veterinary grade or a clinical test. Check the specific recipe, life-stage statement and feeding directions before choosing a food.
Is Rachael Ray Nutrish cat food good?
It depends on the recipe and your cat. Cats.com’s 2026 review assigns Nutrish an overall 6.8/10 (41/60, or a B- on its grading scale). Its category scores are shown below. The rating is the review’s judgment of the brand, not an objective veterinary standard.
| Review category | Cats.com score |
|---|---|
| Species-appropriateness | 5/10 |
| Ingredient quality | 5/10 |
| Variety | 7/10 |
| Price | 8/10 |
| Customer experience | 7/10 |
| Recall history | 9/10 |
The review sees Nutrish as a budget-friendly brand with identifiable animal ingredients, but criticizes the plant content in many recipes. It also notes that products span dry and wet foods, grain-inclusive and grain-free dry recipes, and different wet-food textures. A brand-wide score cannot tell you whether a particular recipe suits your cat; compare the actual package label and intended life stage.
Cats.com’s brand history says Nutrish launched in 2008 with Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, was acquired by J.M. Smucker in 2018, and moved to Post Brands Pet Care, LLC in 2023. It reports dry foods and treats made in facilities in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and Lawrence, Kansas, and wet foods made in Thailand. The review says it could not find specific ingredient-sourcing details; that is a limit on what it could report, not evidence about any particular supplier. See the Cats.com Rachael Ray Nutrish review for its full assessment.
#1 Best Overall
- REAL CHICKEN DRY CAT FOOD RECIPE: Chicken is the #1 ingredient in this home chef-inspired adult cat food recipe. Get their tails swishing and their whiskers twitching at every meal
- CRAFTED FOR INDOOR CATS: Our delicious indoor dry cat food helps your best friend maintain a healthy weight without compromising taste. Made for adult indoor cats
- VETERINARIAN-REVIEWED FORMULA: This specially crafted indoor cat food recipe is veterinarian reviewed
- NATURAL CAT FOOD: Natural cat food with added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients helps your cat thrive. High-quality ingredients are used in every complete and balanced bowl
- RACHAEL RAY FOUNDATION: Each bag of dry cat food is made with purpose — ensuring nourishing meals while helping support animals in need through The Rachael Ray Foundation
Is Rachael Ray cat food healthy?
A food’s suitability depends on its complete recipe, nutritional-adequacy statement, and the needs of the individual cat. The reviewed dry recipe illustrates why the ingredient list and the numbers need context: chicken and chicken meal are followed by plant ingredients, including corn gluten meal, brown rice, brewer’s rice and dried peas.
For that Real Chicken & Brown Rice analysis, Cats.com’s chart estimates 37.36% protein and 42.86% carbohydrate on a dry-matter basis. Cats.com cautions that its calculated chart values may not represent typical values. Separately, Nutrish lists a 33% minimum crude protein on the current product page; that is the manufacturer’s guaranteed-analysis minimum, not the same measurement as Cats.com’s dry-matter estimate. Nutrish also says the recipe has been reformulated, so the review’s ingredient analysis may not exactly match every current bag. The manufacturer describes the reformulation as intended “to support your cat’s active mind, healthy body, and playful energy”; that is marketing language, not independent evidence of a health effect. Check the current label and product details at the Nutrish Real Chicken & Brown Rice page.
Rank #2
- REAL CHICKEN CAT FOOD: Chicken is the #1 ingredient in this home chef-inspired cat food recipe. An everyday chicken and brown rice recipe for pet parents who want veterinarian-reviewed nutrition
- COMPLETE AND BALANCED FOR ALL LIFE STAGES: Best for cats across all life stages providing daily nourishment with a chicken-first dry cat food
- VETERINARIAN-REVIEWED FORMULA: This specially crafted dry cat food recipe has been reviewed by a veterinarian
- NATURAL CAT FOOD: Natural cat food with added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to help your cat thrive during all life stages. High-quality ingredients are used in every complete and balanced bowl
- RACHAEL RAY FOUNDATION: Each bag of dry cat food is made with purpose — ensuring nourishing meals while helping support animals in need through The Rachael Ray Foundation
Ingredient lists alone do not determine whether a food is appropriate for an individual cat. Nutrish notes that some dry recipes meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, while others may be for adult maintenance. The package’s nutritional-adequacy statement identifies the intended life stage, so verify it rather than assuming every Nutrish recipe is suitable for kittens. Cats.com also observes that some recipes contain multiple protein sources and may share processing equipment, a potential consideration for cats with food sensitivities; discuss a suspected sensitivity with a veterinarian.
What ingredients are in Rachael Ray Nutrish cat food?
Ingredients vary by recipe and format. In the Cats.com analysis of Real Chicken & Brown Rice dry food, the first ingredients are chicken and chicken meal, followed by corn gluten meal, brown rice, brewer’s rice and dried peas, among other ingredients. This combination includes named animal ingredients as well as plant ingredients; their order and proportions are recipe-specific.
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Rank #3
- REAL CHICKEN DRY CAT FOOD RECIPE: Chicken is the #1 ingredient in this home chef-inspired adult cat food recipe. Get their tails swishing and their whiskers twitching at every meal
- CRAFTED FOR INDOOR CATS: Our delicious indoor dry cat food helps your best friend maintain a healthy weight without compromising taste. Made for adult indoor cats
- VETERINARIAN-REVIEWED FORMULA: This specially crafted indoor cat food recipe is veterinarian reviewed
- NATURAL CAT FOOD: Natural cat food with added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients helps your cat thrive. High-quality ingredients are used in every complete and balanced bowl
- RACHAEL RAY FOUNDATION: Each bag of dry cat food is made with purpose — ensuring nourishing meals while helping support animals in need through The Rachael Ray Foundation
Nutrish also sells wet recipes with different textures, so the dry-food ingredient list should not be treated as representative of the whole brand. Read the exact can or pouch label if you are comparing a wet recipe, and check its nutritional-adequacy statement to determine whether it is a complete meal or intended for supplemental feeding.
Is Nutrish suitable for kittens?
Only choose a recipe whose package nutritional-adequacy statement covers the cat’s life stage. Nutrish says some dry foods are formulated to meet AAFCO profiles for all life stages, while others are labeled for adult maintenance. Do not infer kitten suitability from the brand name or from another recipe’s label.
Rank #4
- REAL CHICKEN DRY CAT FOOD RECIPE: Chicken is the #1 ingredient in this home chef-inspired adult cat food recipe. Get their tails swishing and their whiskers twitching at every meal
- CRAFTED FOR INDOOR CATS: Our delicious indoor dry cat food helps your best friend maintain a healthy weight without compromising taste. Made for adult indoor cats
- VETERINARIAN-REVIEWED FORMULA: This specially crafted indoor cat food recipe is veterinarian reviewed
- NATURAL CAT FOOD: Natural cat food with added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients helps your cat thrive. High-quality ingredients are used in every complete and balanced bowl
- RACHAEL RAY FOUNDATION: Each bag of dry cat food is made with purpose — ensuring nourishing meals while helping support animals in need through The Rachael Ray Foundation
When changing to Nutrish dry food, the manufacturer recommends mixing it gradually with the current food over five to ten days, until the cat is eating only Nutrish. Follow the package’s directions and ask a veterinarian for guidance if your cat has health or feeding concerns. The brand’s official FAQ provides its transition guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do Nutrish wet food and Purrfect Broths differ?
Nutrish sells wet foods as well as dry recipes, but feeding amounts are product-specific. For example, the official Chicken Purrcata page recommends 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 containers of 2.8 ounces each per 8 pounds of adult body weight per day, depending on activity. That instruction applies to Chicken Purrcata; follow the package for the product you buy and adjust feeding with veterinary guidance. See the Chicken Purrcata product page.
Best Value
- GRAIN FREE CHICKEN WET CAT FOOD VARIETY PACK: Contains twelve (12) 2.8 oz cups of grain free wet cat food in a variety pack with real chicken and liver or fish
- REAL CHICKEN & REAL FISH: Made with real chicken or fish as the #1 ingredient and helps support healthy organs and maintain lean muscle mass
- IDEAL FOR ADULT CATS OF ALL AGES: Provides essential nutrients and delicious flavor that cats love, perfect for daily feeding
- COMPLETE & BALANCED NUTRITION: Natural cat food with added vitamins, minerals and nutrients, along with omega-3 fatty acids and taurine to support your cat's holistic health
- SUPPORTING ANIMALS IN NEED: Every purchase helps animals in need through The Rachael Ray Foundation, making a difference with every meal
Purrfect Broths are different from complete wet-food meals: Nutrish labels them for intermittent or supplemental feeding only. They should not be used as a cat’s sole diet. Check the manufacturer’s Purrfect Broths page and package directions.
Has Nutrish cat food been recalled?
Cats.com’s review, updated in 2026, reports one voluntary recall in 2015 involving several wet-food varieties because of excessive vitamin D. This is a historical account reported by Cats.com; it is not a current regulator-database check, so it does not establish whether there have been any later recalls. For a current concern, check the exact product and lot information against relevant official recall notices and contact the manufacturer or your veterinarian.
Quick Recap
What to check before choosing a Nutrish recipe
- Exact recipe and format: Dry and wet foods have different ingredients and feeding directions; do not generalize one review analysis to every product.
- Life stage: Read the package’s nutritional-adequacy statement to see whether it is for all life stages or adult maintenance.
- Complete food or supplement: Confirm whether the product is a complete meal or, as with Purrfect Broths, supplemental only.
- Current label: Formulas can change. Nutrish says Real Chicken & Brown Rice was reformulated, so compare the current package with any older ingredient analysis.
- Individual needs: For a cat with a health condition, food sensitivity or special nutritional requirement, consult a veterinarian rather than relying on a brand-wide rating.
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.
