Unbiased Hound & Gatos Cat Food Review - Cats.com (original) (raw)

Hound & Gatos cat food is described as a “carnivore’s diet in a can”. The brand’s meat-based recipes are modeled on a feline paleolithic diet and have some of the lowest plant inclusions of any brand in the industry.

But is Hound & Gatos a safe, healthy choice for the carnivore in your life? Find out in our unbiased Hound & Gatos cat food review.

The Cats.com Standard—Rating Hound & Gatos on What Matters

We’ve analyzed Hound & Gatos and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of those six key areas.

Ratings

Overall Score: 8.0/10

We give Hound & Gatos cat food a 48 out of 60 rating or an A- grade.

About Hound & Gatos

Hound & Gatos founder Will Post believes that “cats and dogs were created to eat 100 percent meat – just like in the wild.” That belief is the foundation of Hound & Gatos.

Post entered the pet food industry after years watching his pets get sick, live on drugs, and die young. Frustrated by his pets’ poor health, he started researching animal nutrition and developing his own pet food recipes.

In 2003, Will Post founded LIFE4K9 Pet Foods, which he sold to Hi-Tek in 2010. Post started Hound & Gatos the same year.

In June of 2018, Gott Pet Products, LLC (formerly Charlee Bear Products) announced their acquisition of Hound & Gatos. Gott Pet Products is a Wisconsin-based, family-owned company best known for Charlee Bear natural dog treats.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

Hound & Gatos cat food is made from US-sourced ingredients, with the exception of lamb, which is imported from New Zealand. The company doesn’t manufacture their own products. Instead, they partner with a manufacturer in the midwestern United States.

Has Hound & Gatos Cat Food Been Recalled?

Never. Hound & Gatos hasn’t had any recalls since its creation in 2010.

What Kinds of Cat Food Does Hound & Gatos Offer?

Hound & Gatos offers 13 varieties of paté-style canned cat food.

All of their formulas follow a paleolithic dietary blueprint and are made with 100% animal protein—no plant protein whatsoever.

Their recipes contain meat, water, agar-agar, salmon oil, and synthetic vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. That’s it. They don’t contain any grains, fruits, vegetables, preservatives, or dyes. They’re free of animal by-products, generic liver, carrageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum, and flavor concentrates.

Most Hound & Gatos foods are less than 1% carbohydrate on an as-fed basis with agar agar as the sole carbohydrate source. As a soluble fiber, agar-agar doesn’t break down into sugar molecules or raise your cat’s blood sugar.

All Hound & Gatos foods are packed in BPA-free cans.

Hound & Gatos Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed

What Do Customers Think of Hound & Gatos Cat Food?

While both happy and unhappy customers respect the brand’s commitment to a paleolithic dietary model, some say that their cats didn’t enjoy Hound & Gatos foods or that the foods had a strange texture. Several say the food was covered in a gelatinous substance—presumably thickened broth.

Here are four reviews from Hound & Gatos customers:

Positive Reviews

“I have been pulling my hair out dealing with a food allergy / IBD for 6 months now, ever since I adopted one of my kittens. After multiple vet visits, countless medications, and poopy paw prints all around the house, I am SO happy to say this food has cured his diarrhea within days of switching to this food. Even other limited ingredient diets (grain free, etc.) did not work. I just wish it was a bit cheaper since it seems this is the only food he is able to eat but having a clean home and happy kitty is worth it.” – 2kittymom, reviewing Hound & Gatos Lamb Formula

“No fillers, no carbs, just one natural thickener. My cat loves this food along with the duck and Gamebird, I’m happy to feed her high quality canned meat instead of the other brands that are grain free but have fillers like sweet potato and thickeners like xanthan gum and guar gum.” – Christy, reviewing Hound & Gatos Turkey Formula

Negative Reviews

“The ingredients are the reason I chose this product. Previously my boys did not like Trout flavor or the Lamb, but as one of my cats has been showing signs of allergy to an unknown cause, I was trying to go for simple ingredient grain-free products to isolate the allergy. H&G is one of the more trusted brands out there in the quality food community. Sadly, neither of my cats will touch this flavor either. It has a thick pate consistency, and does not smell strongly either which might be why. I tried adding stuff they like to this as well, but they ended up wasting both foods. Otherwise, good quality product if you can get your cats to eat it.” – AmmyRose, reviewing Hound & Gatos Chicken & Chicken Liver Formula

“Tried giving this to my cat, he loves most meat products, he would not touch this stuff. Also the smell is not very pleasant and there is a lot of a gel like substance covering the meat as well. I now have a full case I wish I could return because my cat will not eat it at all. I would not recommend purchasing this food.” – Nineliveslived, reviewing Hound & Gatos Turkey Formula

How Much Does Hound & Gatos Cat Food Cost?

Hound & Gatos cat food is more expensive than most of the products you’ll find at the grocery store, but low-cost compared to similar foods with named meats, low plant content, and no artificial additives.

If you follow Hound & Gatos’ feeding instructions for a 10-lb cat, the food will cost between 2.18and2.18 and 2.18and3.78 per day. This daily feeding cost is comparable to most Royal Canin foods and some Iams recipes.

The brand is significantly cheaper than high-cost brands like Nom Nom, Ziwi Peak, and Lotus.

Overall, Is Hound & Gatos a Good Choice?

If you’re serious about giving your cat a species-appropriate, low-carbohydrate canned food, Hound & Gatos is a great choice. It’s one of the few brands that combines high meat content with minimal plant inclusions and no artificial ingredients.

Because the brand offers a variety of single-protein foods with simple ingredient lists, Hound & Gatos is a good fit for cats with sensitive digestion or food allergies. It’s a winner for diabetic cats who need a low-glycemic diet and those with IBD who can’t stomach anything else.

Palatability and variety are the brand’s problem areas. Based on Hound & Gatos customer reviews on Chewy, an estimated 15% of cats refused to eat Hound & Gatos food.

Hound & Gatos is strict about a hydrating all-meat diet, which limits their selection to canned foods. All of their recipes are patés. They don’t offer any alternative textures for cats who prefer shreds or chunks of meat.

Where Is Hound & Gatos Cat Food Sold?

Hound & Gatos is sold at pet specialty retailers. You can request Hound & Gatos at your local store or email the company to find an authorized retailer near you.

If you’d prefer to shop online, you can find Hound & Gatos cat food on Chewy and Amazon.