Why Retailers Rely on Variety in Natural Cat Food and Treats – PetProductNews.com

For many of today’s cat owners, it’s not a question of whether they should feed natural food and treats, but which formats and flavors. Fortunately, the ever-expanding category seems to offer something for every shopper’s needs, whether they prefer to feed wet, dry, or freeze-dried or frozen raw, with as many treat offerings to match.
Wet food, in particular, is in demand, and pet owners have a large assortment of textures to choose from.
Increased awareness of the importance of moisture has helped grow the wet food category with more formats such as minced, pâté, shredded, flaked and foods with lots of gravy—all of which are popular—said Adrian Pettyan, CEO and co-founder of Caru Pet Food Co., a manufacturer in Vero Beach, Fla.
Cat owners are paying attention to wet foods, agreed Kathryn Mitcham, training and development manager for Nulo, a manufacturer in Austin, Texas.
“Current trends in the marketplace show an increased focus on the hydration needs of cats,” Mitcham said. “Cats have evolved from ancestors who had very little access to water sources, so our cats have a low thirst drive and are metabolically oriented to obtain water from their food sources. Providing moisture during mealtime through offering canned food, a topper or broth will increase your cat’s water intake in a way that’s in sync with their natural tendencies. Nulo continues to innovate in the cat hydration space with a variety of wet foods and toppers, including added offerings in the form of pâté canned foods, stews and meaty broths.”
Some owners do prefer to feed dry food. According to Bub Sjostrom, general manager of Long Dog Fat Cat, a retailer with stores in Nebraska, kibble and canned food remain the dominant choices for cat owners for everyday food, either due to perceived convenience or a familiarization with those formats that can be hard to break.
“We always encourage cat owners to introduce as much variety as possible, especially with kittens,” Sjostrom said. “This helps prevent cats from ‘imprinting’ on one particular format. Imprinting can be difficult to disrupt, and in the case of dry food, damaging to cats’ health and longevity since they require  moisture in their diets for long-term health.”
Mitcham noted that, more than ever, cat owners are seeking nutrient-dense and solution-focused options in their cats’ food and treats.
“Pet parents spending more time at home are more likely to notice how dietary choices affect their pets each day, which drives the demand for a greater variety of high-quality options,” she said.
According to industry insiders, more cat owners desire natural cat food and treats, and retailers can help by asking owners what their expectations are.
Tabitha McKinney, senior category manager for dog and cat food at Feeders Pet Supply and Chow Hound Pet Supplies, a retail chain with locations in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, said that when cat owners ask for natural choices, they are typically looking for those that are free from dyes and byproducts. But because each person’s exact definition of “natural” can vary, she said it’s important to ask questions to find out exactly what they are seeking.
Aidan Gannon, owner of Petzlove Food ’n Stuffz, a retailer in Lone Tree, Colo., cautioned that packaging can mislead shoppers who are seeking natural products.
“The consumer has an idea in their head of what natural should be,” Gannon said. “That interpretation is closely aligned with how I define natural. The difficulty for the consumer is that pictures and text on food and treats packaging can often give the impression that a product meets their idea of natural when it’s anything but. Our job as retailers is to educate and guide the consumer to those brands that are producing foods in the proper manner.”
Sjostrom said he thinks when most cat owners say “natural,” they are looking for foods that their pet’s wild ancestors would have eaten or, at least, something that is minimally processed. He added that “biologically appropriate” might be a better term—and it’s a trend he’s happy to see.
For many shoppers, whether a food is natural is just the beginning.
“Cat-owning consumers are going beyond ‘natural,’ with many looking for transparency with ingredients they know and understand the benefits of, certified organic cat foods, foods with made in the USA ingredients, and foods that are also affordable—especially with cat owners that are feeding multiple cats within the home,” said Holly Sher, president and owner of Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Co. and Against the Grain Pet Foods in Markham, Ill.
Pet owners today are interested in how a food or treat is made, noted Rob Cadenhead, general manager of Gott Pet Products, parent company of Hound & Gatos in St. Francis, Wis.
“They’re scanning labels for clues about quality, safety, great taste and ingredient benefits, such as ‘traceable ingredients,’ ‘highly digestible,’ ‘with superfoods or greens’ or ‘high protein,’” Cadenhead said. “They’re also potentially searching for products that are responsibly or sustainably sourced.”
Whether cats prefer flaked, freeze-dried, wet, soft or crunchy treats, the category is expansive enough to include options for all.
“In recent years, there is a greater variety of the types of treats now available for cats,” Pettyan said. “Some of the most popular treats include baked meaty soft treats, lickable treats, freeze-dried treats, crunchy treats and even dental treats to help remove the tartar, clean teeth and freshen breath. That said, many consumers are still asking for a soft meaty treat to give to their cats.
“The increase in types of treats may be attributed to cat owners who feel that their cats deserve as good a selection of treats as dog owners have and so they have been demanding that manufacturers provide a greater variety and a better quality of treats for their furry friends,” Pettyan added.
Cadenhead said that freeze-dried treats are seeing a lot of interest because they appeal to shoppers looking for a “pure, simple” snack.
“But because cats are notoriously picky, some prefer a product that is softer in texture, while others opt for a crunchier treat,” Cadenhead added.
Sjostrom said one of the most popular cat treat formats right now is the small “slider packet” that is essentially just wet food in a tiny, convenient package.
“Happily, we are also seeing freeze-dried single-ingredient meat treats grow in popularity as well,” he said. “If there is one rule for cats, it’s that nothing is popular with all cats—so every treat format has a place depending on each cat’s particular preferences.”
As no two cats are the same, curating an optimal assortment of natural food and treats will help to meet an array of wants and needs. For retailers, this means filling shelves with a good selection of formats, flavors and protein sources.
“While it is almost impossible to please everyone, it is very important that retailers carry a wide assortment of not only formats of cat foods like pâté, kibble, freeze-dried, etc., but also offer cat-loving customers a variety of main protein sources,” said Holly Sher, president and owner of Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Co. and Against the Grain Pet Foods, manufacturers based in Markham, Ill. “Moisture and proteins are so important for optimal feline diets.”
Tabitha McKinney, senior category manager for dog and cat food at Feeders Pet Supply and Chow Hound Pet Supplies, a retail chain with locations in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, said that even though customers do tend to stick with the same food and treat formats, they can be influenced by new items. Keeping a robust assortment is key.
What shoppers want can vary from store to store.
“Every store has to cater to a different mix of customers,” said Rob Cadenhead, general manager of Gott Pet Products, parent company of Hound & Gatos in St. Francis, Wis. “We’d suggest devoting the majority of the aisle to more conventional food and treat lines and the remainder to alternative formats, such as freeze-dried products, that are on-trend. Retailers should also stock an assortment of proteins, ranging from beef and poultry to fish and other novel options, like rabbit.”
Jon Wooner, pet products director of Boston-based North Coast Seafoods, maker of Simply Naked Pet Food, noted that it’s imperative for retailers to research the foods they bring into their stores.
“It is also important to know their pet parents’ needs and find foods that meet those requests,” he said. “All forms of food should be made available. Even if a retailer has a preferred type of food they are using themselves, it is an injustice to not offer a variety of choices for the customer.”
Several new natural food and treat options for cats are hitting the market, making it easier for retailers to both meet consumer demand and entice shoppers to try something new.
At press time, Austin, Texas-based Nulo reported it was in the process of launching new Functional Crunchy Treats for Cats with solution-focused varieties. These treats will feature natural ingredients such as sweet potato, coconut oil and flaxseed.
Against the Grain Pet Foods in Markham, Ill., now offers LicKitty Mousse for Cats with Catnip. The chicken-flavored creamy treat comes in convenient squeeze pouches and can be fed directly from the tube, squeezed onto a dish or used as a topper. In addition, sister company Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Co., also based in Markham, Ill., has introduced Organic Dinners for Cats, holistic dinners that are naturally cooked in their own juices. Options include Beef, Braised Chicken and Turkey & Butternut Squash.
Boston-based seafood company North Coast Seafoods recently launched Simply Naked Pet Food. The fish-based pet foods offer dogs and cats fish as the first and main ingredient in every recipe, and they’re prepared with wild-caught fish from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable fisheries. The foods are rich in omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, which promote healthy skin and coats while supporting the immune system, heart health, brain development and digestion, according to the company.
Caru Pet Food Co. in Vero Beach, Fla., is preparing to launch two new cat stews—Classics Chicken & Wild Cod Stew and Classics Wild Pollock & Turkey Stew.
“These are high-protein diets that have a texture that is a cross between a pâté and a mousse for better palatability,” said CEO and co-founder Adrian Pettyan. “These diets also have a rich gravy to help with hydration. They will be launching in 2023. We believe that these meals meet consumer demands as they look for healthy, highly palatable and moisture-rich diets.”
Erica Vogt, senior marketing manager at Whitebridge Pet Brands in St. Louis
Why is buying natural cat food and treats important to consumers, and what additional key features do cat owners look for in these types of products?
Consumers themselves are concerned with eating healthy foods without artificial ingredients, and they want the same type of natural wholesome foods and treats for their cats. Just as with their own diets, cat owners are looking for clean labels with recognizable food ingredients, no fillers, and no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. They also want food and treats that are low in carbs and calories and high in meat content.
Beyond the humanization trend, the term “natural” has taken on an expanded meaning for cat owners, as they become more knowledgeable about their pets’ specialized nutritional needs. Many now realize that a “natural” animal protein diet, like the one felines eat in the wild, is essential for obligate carnivore cats, who are unable to derive nutrients from plant-based proteins. Tiki Cat replicates this natural-prey diet with protein-rich formulations from high-quality animal sources like chicken, salmon, duck, tuna and whole prawns. Cats in nature must also get hydration from their animal prey, so Tiki Cat wet foods are high in supplemental moisture. Meal toppers like Tiki Cat Complements, which are made with chicken in a hearty broth, offer another solution for adding protein and hydration and are especially ideal for use with a dry diet.
Cat owners are also starting to look for more specific benefits from foods and treats, such as customized formulations for their pet’s life stage, and products that proactively enhance wellness. We have introduced innovations like the Tiki Cat Baby range, which offers life-stage nutrition for kittens newborn-12 months, and Tiki Cat Silver, formulated for geriatric cats 11-plus. Our Tiki Cat Special mousse food is available in functional formulas developed to support healthy skin and coat, good digestion, or maintain a healthy weight.
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