Is Human-Grade Cat Food Worth It? Vets Weigh in on Their Favorite Brands

Debating whether to feed your cat a human-grade cat food diet? Consider your options first. Like human-grade dog food, human-grade cat food meets the same rigorous standards that people food must meet. Yet, this doesn’t always mean better quality. Instead, the vets we spoke to suggest looking for cat food that meets guidelines set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, along with identifying whole foods in ingredient lists. To save you some time, we did some digging and determined that Stella & Chewy’s and Open Farm are the best human-grade cat food options for your feline family members.

• Dr. Gary Richter M.S., D.V.M, founder of Ultimate Pet Nutrition, and author of newly released book Longevity for Cats
• Dr. Greg Reinhart, Pet Honesty’s Vice President of Research and Development
• Michael Thompson, Founder & Leading Veterinarian at Pets Food Safety
• Dr. Daisy May, veterinary surgeon and pet care writer for All About Parrots

Pet food labeled as “human-grade” means everything about it—the ingredients, the handling, the shipping—meets all of the regulations required of human food. (We don’t call human food “human-grade,” we just say it’s edible.) 

There are no federal regulations when it comes to pet food. The closest thing we have is The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the organization that determines the criteria pet food should meet. The AAFCO has dog and cat nutrient profiles that pet food manufacturers can adhere to when creating recipes for their products. Note that we said can adhere to, not have to adhere to. The AAFCO doesn’t have an approved list of pet food products. It’s up to brands to tell us whether they’ve followed the AAFCO guidelines. 

Some vets, like Michael Thompson, founder and leading veterinarian at Pets Food Safety, consider the human-grade label a sign of high quality. Others, like Dr. Gary Richter M.S., D.V.M, founder of Ultimate Pet Nutrition, see the phrase as a bit of marketing jargon designed to draw us in. Dr. Richter also acknowledges there can be benefits to human-grade cat food diets.

The alternative to human-grade cat food is feed-grade cat food, which is what makes up most of the cat food market. If a pet food’s ingredients don’t meet every single FDA regulation required of edible human food, it’s considered feed-grade.

One clarification that many cat parents may need is the difference between human-grade and raw food. These are two very different things! Raw cat food has never been cooked; human-grade cat food usually has been cooked (again, it must meet FDA regulations for human consumption).

Dr. Daisy May, a veterinary surgeon and pet care writer for All About Parrots, notes there’s lots of debate over raw food diets for pets. “This is a topic that sparks debate among pet owners and experts alike,” she says. “Some argue that a raw diet can mimic a cat's natural diet in the wild, while others raise concerns about the risk of bacterial contamination and nutritional imbalances.”

When in doubt, ask your vet.

This is where Dr. Richter says the marketing jargon comes into play. “Kibble or canned food can be human grade, as this describes the ingredients, not the method of processing or production,” he says.  

Even the AAFCO says, “Human-grade does not automatically equal nutritional safety for pets.” It all comes down to what your cat needs. Remember, cats have different nutritional requirements than humans. For instance, cherries provide lots of Vitamins and fiber to us, but are toxic to cats.

It’s more than possible to feed your cat high quality feed-grade food. Dr. Greg Reinhart, Pet Honesty’s Vice President of Research and Development, says, “While nutritionally there is minimal difference between feed-grade and human-grade, human-grade foods are made with ingredients that meet FDA standards for humans. So, it all comes down to preference.”

The biggest potential benefit you get when you buy human-grade cat food is quality. Typically, human-grade means the ingredients have gone through more rigorous quality standards. But, that’s not always the case.

Cailin R. Heinze, VMD, writing for Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, says, “The same exact corn going into many [not human-grade] pet foods is also going into the tortilla chips in your kitchen. Therefore, the term ‘human-grade’ doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the quality of the ingredient.” The corn could come from anywhere, be non-organic, covered with pesticides and still be considered human grade.

More important than the human-grade label is the stuff inside the package. Look for ingredient lists and any messaging on where the ingredients were sourced or how they were processed. 

Sometimes, a human-grade diet can improve cat digestion. Many reviewers of brands that are free of extra fillers, grains or preservatives say a human-grade diet was the key to easier (and less smelly) poops for their cats. This is highly dependent on your cat’s specific constitution, so check in with your vet if you think human-grade food could be a solution to health issues. 

Dr. Richter says more than the label, cat parents should identify fresh, whole ingredients in their cat’s foods. By this Dr. Richter means avoiding ingredients like meat meals, which are meat byproducts that have been highly processed.

“Human-grade cat food can certainly be a good choice,” adds Dr. May. “But it's not the only factor to consider. Look for brands that provide transparency about their sourcing and manufacturing processes. Check for certification from reputable bodies like the AAFCO.”

The AAFCO agrees, advising pet parents to check out nutritional adequacy statements on pet food packaging to see if the manufacturer has adhered to AAFCO guidelines.

Marketing words like “natural” and “grain-free” don’t necessarily mean the product is healthier for your cat either. Remember, there aren’t regulations for pet food, so brands don’t have to prove their ingredients are “natural,” whatever that means. “Grain-free” is also often used to indicate the food is low in carbs or higher in protein. However, some cats need high quality whole grains in their diet to give them more fiber.

Dr. May recommends choosing a cat food that meets your specific cat's needs, taking into account their age, activity level, and any health issues they might have. Talk to your vet to determine which ingredients are most important in your kitty’s diet.

Pro tip: It is possible to incorporate human-grade cat food into your pet’s diet as a supplemental form of nutrition. Some wet food options make great toppers, especially if you decide a full human-grade diet isn’t feasible for your cat’s palette or your budget.

There are many human-grade cat food options on the market. While we can’t tell you which one is best for your cat, we can tell you what our experts recommend.

“Owners should look for certified AAFCO brands,” says Thompson. “Stella & Chewy's…or Open Farm are a few brands offering human-grade cat food that also meet AAFCO guidelines.”

We also recommend Smalls, a human-grade cat food that is gently cooked and offers tons of variety (because we know cats can be picky eaters).