Canidae Cat Food Reviews: The 9 Bestsellers

Updated: May 10, 2021 by Kristen Chapple

Do you sometimes look at kibble or canned food with incredulity and struggle to see it as real food, wondering if it’s good enough for your furry baby?

Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. That’s why it’s so important to read cat food labels, and to do some digging into pet food companies — to make sure that you’re giving your pet something real and good.

In this Canidae cat food review, we’re going to take a closer look at this company that prides itself in using real meat and fish as the first ingredient in each of its cat food options. This alone should be a great relief. Coupled with the fact that behind this brand are real people who really love their pets — that’s really reassuring.

So let’s dig into some good real cat food, shall we?

Our Top Canidae Cat Foods Are:

Product	Details
1. CANIDAE PURE Elements Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food	Top Pick	Limited ingredients For cats with food sensitivities Dry feline food AAFCO-approved formula 100% grain-free No gluten, antibiotics, corn, soy, hormones, and wheat	Check Current Price
2. CANIDAE PURE Sea Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Diet with Salmon Dry Cat Food		Limited ingredients For cats with food sensitivities AAFCO-approved recipe Dry cat food 100% grain-free Free of hormones, wheat, gluten, antibiotics, corn, and soy	Check Current Price
3. CANIDAE All Life Stages Formula Dry Cat Food		Veterinarian formulated For cats of all sizes and life stages AAFCO-approved recipe Dry cat food No soy, wheat, and corn content	Check Current Price
4. CANIDAE PURE Ocean Grain-Free Limited Ingredient with Tuna for Indoor Cats		Limited ingredients For cats with food sensitivities AAFCO-approved recipe 100% grain-free Dry cat food	Check Current Price
5. CANIDAE Life Stages Formula for Indoor Adult Cats		For indoor cats Veterinarian-formulated recipe AAFCO-approved recipe Corn-free, soy-free, and wheat-free Dry cat food	Check Current Price
6. CANIDAE PURE Stream Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Diet with Trout		Limited ingredients For cats with food sensibilities No corn, wheat, or soy AAFCO-approved recipe Dry cat food	Check Current Price
7. CANIDAE Life Stages Chicken Meal & Rice		For cats of all sizes and life stages Veterinarian-formulated recipe AAFCO-approved recipe Corn-free, wheat-free, and soy-free Dry cat food	Check Current Price
8. CANIDAE Adore Tuna, Whitefish, & Chicken in Broth		For cats of all life stages For maintenance of ideal weight Gluten-free AAFCO-approved recipe Wet cat food	Check Current Price
9. CANIDAE Adore Sardine & Mackerel in Broth		For cats with food sensitivities Grain-free AAFCO-approved recipe Wet cat food	Check Current Price

1. CANIDAE PURE Elements Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food

I tried feeding my fur baby this limited ingredient Canidae Pure Elements with chicken, and it was a success! I have confidence in giving it to my pet because it has high-quality protein sources.

I like that it has chicken, and menhaden fish, lamb, turkey, and chicken meals. Moreover, I’m ecstatic that it doesn’t have any bulk-adding fillers or low-quality by-products. These components don’t provide any nutritive value to your felines’ diets.

However, you may want to skip this nourishment if your favorite cat has allergic reactions to lamb and seafood. They’re potential allergens. Fortunately, my feline buddy doesn’t have allergic reactions to any ingredient.

If you’re searching for a limited ingredient cat food, you may want to try the Pure Elements Grain-Free in a chicken recipe from Canidae.

It has less protein but more carbohydrates than average. Moreover, it has less fiber and an average fat amount. You’re confident to give it to your fur baby because it’s AAFCO-approved. Your pet will be gaining 398 calories for every 100 grams.

Moreover, it has high-quality protein sources and includes a blend of vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. This food keeps your favorite feline happy and healthy.

Overall Rating – 4.1

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2. CANIDAE PURE Sea Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Diet with Salmon Dry Cat Food

I like that Canidae Pure Sea Limited Ingredient has salmon, menhaden fish meals, and salmon meals. These ingredients are sources of high-quality protein.

The carbs in this meal mostly come from potatoes and peas, which are wholesome and yummy and bring in a lot of nutrients. No empty carbs here.

This one comes from the same limited ingredient line as our top pick, Pure, which is made up of simple recipes that are high in taste and nutrition.

If you have a pet with food sensitivities, you may want to try Canidae Pure Sea Grain-Free in Salmon recipe. It’s a specialty diet that your veterinarian may prescribe, but it has less protein and more carbohydrates than average.

Moreover, it has less fiber and the average fat amount and 393 calories for every 100 grams. You may like that it has a unique blend of minerals, probiotics, and vitamins for healthy digestion, immune system, and skin and coat. It’s also free of antibiotics, wheat, soy, hormones, corn, and gluten.

Overall Rating – 3.9

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3. CANIDAE All Life Stages Formula Dry Cat Food

I like Canidae All Life Stages for my feline because it has chicken, lamb, and turkey meals as high-quality protein sources. And that it’s formulated so that pet parents with multiple cats can feed them all from this one bag.

However, I notice brown rice is the second ingredient. I’m not too fond of these types of grains, but at least it’s not corn or soy. And they help maintain the kibble shape. Although my cat doesn’t have food sensitivities, some fur babies may have issues with ocean fish meal, egg product, and lamb meal.

You may try Canidae All Life Stages for your lovable fur babies if you prefer more carbohydrates and less protein in their diet. Moreover, it has less fiber and an average amount of fat. It doesn’t contain corn, wheat, and soy.

It also has a unique blend of antioxidants, omega fatty acids, and probiotics to promote healthy digestion and immune system. As for caloric content, it has a high 410 calories for every 100 grams.

If you wish your pets to gain weight, Canidae All Life Stages has more calories than the other brands and formulas.

Overall Rating – 3.8

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4. CANIDAE PURE Ocean Grain-Free Limited Ingredient with Tuna for Indoor Cats

I like the Canidae Pure Ocean because tuna is a great cat pleaser. There are other seafood in here like salmon meal and menhaden fish meal. It also has wholesome veggies — lentils, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, alfalfa — to complement the protein.

Everything comes together really deliciously and kitties generally just love this, even those with sensitive tummies.

If you’re searching for limited-ingredient grain-free nourishment for your fur babies, you may want to try the Canidae Pure Ocean. It has significantly more carbohydrates but less fat than average.

Moreover, it consists of an average amount of protein and fiber. It is an AAFCO-approved recipe that has 361 calories per 100 grams. Its caloric content is average compared with the rest of dry cat foods.

You may want this high-quality kibble for your energetic pets to have the stamina to last throughout the day.

Overall Rating – 3.9

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5. CANIDAE Life Stages Formula for Indoor Adult Cats

Canidae Life Stages Recipe for indoor adult cats has high-quality protein from chicken, lamb, and turkey meals. This is our second pick from the Life Stages line in which one recipe can nourish and please all your family members of the feline variety, and this one in particular caters to the specific needs of indoor cats.

This food is coated with HealthPlus Solutions, a proprietary blend of antioxidants, probiotics and omega fatty acids, for that added immunity boost.

You may like Canidae Life Stages Multi-Protein for your indoor cats. It has significantly more carbohydrates and less protein than average. On the other hand, if you’re searching for less fat in your pet’s diet, this product is an excellent choice.

Moreover, it has an average fiber amount. As for caloric content, this AAFCO-approved recipe has 377 calories for every 100 grams. You may want to feed this kibble to your feline that needs the energy to last the whole day.

Overall Rating – 3.6

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6. CANIDAE PURE Stream Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Diet with Trout

Canidae Pure Stream has high-quality protein from trout, salmon, and menhaden fish meals. The rest of this recipe’s 7 main ingredients are peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and canola oil.

This food from Canidae’s limited ingredient line is gentle on digestion and is nutrient-dense with added vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. It’s also formulated for all life stages, which is just wonderful for multi-cat families.

You may want to try Canidae Pure Stream Grain-Free if your cat has food sensitivities except with seafood. It has less protein but more carbohydrates than average. Additionally, it has less fat and fiber content compared with the other brands and recipes.

However, it’s AAFCO-approved, so you have an assurance that your fur babies are eating healthy. It has 388 calories for every 100 grams. You may feed it to them if your energetic pets need to have the stamina to last throughout the day.

Overall Rating – 3.4

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7. CANIDAE Life Stages Chicken Meal & Rice

I tried Canidae Life Stages in a chicken meal and rice for my huggable fur baby. I like it because it has a chicken meal, a high-quality protein source. But just like the other recipes in this line, it has brown rice, which I consider a bulk-adding filler.

It helps maintain the kibble shape, though. Moreover, it has salmon oil and egg products, albeit in minuscule amounts, as potential allergens. Fortunately, my favorite feline isn’t allergic to eggs and seafood.

You may want to try Canidae Life Stages in Chicken Meal and Rice recipe if you prefer slightly higher carb cat food. Moreover, it has less fiber but has an average fat amount. One great thing about this product is that it’s AAFCO-approved.

However, at 410 calories per 100 grams, it has significantly more calories than the others. This pet food is more suitable for energetic pets who need high levels of carbohydrates to keep them going throughout the day.

Overall Rating – 4.4

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8. CANIDAE Adore Tuna, Whitefish, & Chicken in Broth

I tried Canidae Adore Tuna, Whitefish, and Chicken for variety, and my beloved felines love it. I like that it has high-quality sources of protein, and it’s juicy and meaty and has an amazing texture that even the pickiest eaters would love. It’s practically gourmet!

It’s grain-free and thus less likely to trigger food sensitivities, and has added vitamins and minerals, including taurine, which is great for eyesight, heart health and immunity.

As you know, canned food can weigh heavily on the pocket, so you can just use this one as a topper and reserve full wet meals for special occasions.

If you’re on the lookout for high-quality wet food for your lovely pets, you may try Canidae Adore Tuna, Whitefish, and Chicken. It has more protein and fiber but fewer carbohydrates and fats than the other brands and recipes.

This AAFCO-approved canned food has a low 57 calories for every 100 grams. It has significantly fewer calories than average.

Overall Rating – 4.5

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9. CANIDAE Adore Sardine & Mackerel in Broth

I also tried feeding Canidae Adore Sardine and Mackerel to my lovable felines, and they liked it. Cats do love fish, and they adore this sardine and mackeral combo!

This food is really chunky and meaty, and the broth it comes in is so good my cats just lap it up. Just like the other variants of the Adore line, it is fortified with added nutrients and taurine for complete balanced nutrition.

If you’re looking for a high-protein diet for your cats, you do try CANIDAE Adore Sardine & Mackerel in Broth. It also has more fiber but less fat than average. Moreover, it has a moderate amount of carbohydrates.

This wet feline food is what your pets need to grow healthy. It has fewer calories at 56 per 100 grams compared to many canned cat foods that you’ll find on the market.

You may feed it to your felines if you want them to maintain their ideal weight and develop lean muscles. It’s also an excellent choice if you want your pets to have a healthy digestive system because of its fiber content.

Overall Rating – 4.2

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About Canidae

Canidae is a brand of pet food manufactured from Ethos Pet Nutrition plant in Brownwood, Texas. The family-owned company began concocting great nutrition for our fur babies in 1996.

In 2012, it built a state-of-the-art facility with an on-site laboratory. The lab not only tests the ingredients daily but also researches and develops new recipes.

Scott Whipple and John Gordon founded Canidae as an independent, family-owned pet food company. Currently, they have their headquarters at San Luis Obispo, California.

Many of the ingredients come from independent farmers, ranchers, retailers, and distributors in the US. The company decided to do business with them as a way of helping other small businesses. However, they import lamb from New Zealand and duck meal from France.

Canidae Cat Food

Cats are meat-eating animals, so they need a diet that’s rich in protein. Canidae has its Pure Ancestral Diet recipes with significant amounts of real fish and meats to meet the needs of our feline friends.

Its Multi-Protein formula features real salmon and turkey, while its Fish Formula has real tuna and salmon. The company also has its Indoor Health Formula that includes chicken as its first ingredient.

The freeze-dried kibbles have delectable coatings that felines crave. Canidae’s food has high amounts of protein without grains or soy. Each recipe is suitable for cats of all sizes and life stages.

Cat Food Lines

Limited Ingredient Recipe

Canidae Pure recipes, on the other hand, are for cats with food sensitivities. Each of the diets consists of limited ingredients of around seven to eight easily recognizable components.

However, even non-sensitive felines can eat them because it tastes great. This line has real fish or meat with whole ingredients like chickpeas, peas, and sweet potatoes. It doesn’ have soy, wheat, or corn.

Under The Sun Recipe

Canidae Under the Sun Witty Kitty recipes boast of great nutrition with a playful attitude. It’s suitable for cats of all life stages. It uses tasty combinations like turkey and duck, cod and trout, or a single formula consisting of tuna or chicken.

It includes farm-grown cranberries and peas and is available in 3-ounce cans. Like the other Canidae recipes, Under the Sun is AAFCO-approved for cat’s maintenance and growth.

All Life Stages

Canidae All Life Stages is a line of cat food for households with felines of all sizes and ages. It offers convenience to pet parents because they don’t have to buy several packs of different foods.

HealthPLUS Solutions

Canidae also adds a unique mix of probiotics, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants. These ingredients support healthy digestion, immune system, and skin and coat.

Pet Food Recall History

Since its inception, Canidae has had one history of dog food recall in 2012 because of possible salmonella contamination. Although its products didn’t test positive for it, some brands manufactured in the same facility did.

Diamond Pet Foods manufactured the batches in question. It’s also the pet food maker of popular brands like Blue Buffalo, Diamond, Taste of the Wild, and Solid Gold. Canidae launched its facility in 2012 in Brownwood, Texas, but it still uses other company-owned facilities.

From 2006-2007, Chinese suppliers sold vegetable proteins contaminated with melamine. I remember that many premium pet food brands stopped importing from them since then.

Canidae has an excellent safety record if we base it on its recall history. In its more than 20 years of existence, it only has one pet food recall.

Final Thoughts

Canidae is a pet food manufacturer that offers high-quality cat nourishment in kibbles and a wet form. It doesn’t have any history of cat food recalls.

If it’s the only qualification, we can say that it’s one of the better brands that we find in the market. It has four cat food lines that cater to the various needs of our tabbies.

I reviewed nine quality Canidae cat food products that are also bestsellers. I’m recommending its Pure Elements Grain-Free Limited Ingredient in a chicken recipe. My cat and I prefer it because it has preferred sources of protein.

Moreover, I specifically like that it does not have any low-quality by-products and bulk-adding fillers that do not add any value to my pet’s diet.

However, it has more carbohydrates than other brands and recipes. Therefore, it’s most suitable for active felines that burn energy throughout the day.