What’s Cooking at Global Pet Expo: Top 5 Cat Foods.

Find out who made our 2016 Global Top 10 Cat Products List!

At the recent Global Pet Expo, I visited hundreds of cat product booths over three jam-packed days. There were actually a record number of 3300 booths but mercifully they included products for dogs, aquatics, birds and other critters which I could skip. Miles of aisles and booths from basic to mind-boggling beckoned.

In terms of cat food, there were the usual half dozen big brands we all know, some small, new ones, but I wanted to find something new but with history, integrity and simply good, really good quality. These are my top 5. This post is not sponsored in any way and all views are 100% my own. By lovely serendipity, 4 out of the 5 brands are founded by women.

1) I is for Innovation

Inaba

I’m a huge fan of Japanese art and culture and we all know what how Japan is a cat-culture crazy. Cat cafes, anyone? You may not be familiar with the name, Inaba, but the venerable Japanese brand was founded in 1834. The Inaba family were in the tuna and seafood business and branched into the pet food business in 1958. In 1989, the Ciao brand was born. Finally, now in 2016, Japan’s most popular feline treats from Inaba are now available in the U.S. The Ciao™ premium, grain-and preservative-free natural cat treats made with the highest quality ingredients and exceptional texture, aroma and taste. I had the honor of attending a small, private party at Global and met the CEO, Mr. Atsuhiro Inaba who is the 8th generation family member to run the company. I was also thrilled to learn Inaba will be building a factory in the U.S. Expect more purrfect cat food and innovation soon!

INABA’S Ciao Churu Purée treat line of premium, all-natural options for cats comes in five varieties: Churu Tuna Recipe, Churu Chicken Recipe, Churu Chicken With Scallop Recipe, Churu Tuna With Chicken Recipe and Churu Tuna With Scallop Recipe. The creamy treats never include grains, preservatives, artificial colors or any ingredients from China. It’s a whole new way to think about cat treats. You can squeeze out a little to be licked straight out of the tube, add the entire pouch into a bowl, or dab a dollop on top of a meal as a topper. I’m always looking for ways to make giving meds easier, and the Ciao puree is a purrfect. Most meds, especially antibiotics are very bitter and it’s no wonder most cats balk at med time. A little dab of Ciao brings out the happy meow.

Inaba’s grilled tuna & chicken fillets Made from hand-cut portions of responsibly harvested tuna and farm-raised chicken, these grain free fillets are lightly grilled and packed in a savory seafood or poultry broth. Available in eight enticing varieties, they’re high in moisture felines need for health. The imaginative combos are unlike anything I’ve seen before like Grilled Tuna in Crab Flavor Broth. This is a generous-sized chunk of tuna or chicken which can be shared with several cats. Our Odin did not want to share. For piggy cats, break to fillet into smaller pieces for sharing.

To find out more about the treats or the company, visit Inaba. Follow them on social to find out their latest news and where you can find a store near you.

2) E is for Excellent

Evangers

Evangers is family-owned by women since 1935. We’re a multi-brand cat food family and we feed Evangers on a regular basis. We like the organic chicken dinner. It’s always great to see Evanger owner, Holly Sher still hands-on at shows with her family working beside her. They have a full line of cat and dog foods with human grade ingredients sourced locally. Their new organic turkey with butternut squash sounds enticing. There was some recent brouhaha about their new vegetarian food. Cats are obligate carnivores and thrive on a meat diet. A veggie formula could be used briefly if testing for allergies but I would not recommend it on a regular basis. Even Vegan Cats have changed their stance re: non-meat diets

3) G is for Great

Solid Gold

Solid Gold is another woman-founded holistic pet food brand launched in 1974 in Greenville, South Carolina with a great history. The company is still based there as is their lovely PR agency. The company has a small town feel despite the colorful new packaging. At the core is a passionate pet-loving team, great cat food ingredients, ethically sourced. Visit their easy interactive website to find more about the their holistic cat food. I also love their supplement and PH strips to monitor the pH levels in you pet’s urine. These are especially useful with animals who have chronic bladder or urinary tract infections. These are a few of their recipes. I’m intrigued by July Morning with chicken, turkey, fish and liver!

4) N is for Nature’s Nutrition

Natura Petz Meal Toppers

While not cat food or treats, Natura Petz Meal Toppers is an exciting new line of super foods to add to meals as supplemental toppers. This is not a new company. Natura Petz Organic’s founder, Heidi Nevala the herbal guru founded her holistic brand in 2008.

Not everyone can afford super premium cat food. Adding nutritional supplements is a way to boost any cat food. For multiple cat homes with different health concerns, having a choice of appropriate toppers for each cat is a healthy and tasty for added support. Visit NaturaPetz to explore all their toppers and supplements.

With flea/tick and allergy season starting right meow, I’m especially interested to try the Flea/Tick Defense and Life’s an Itch.

5) B is for Beneficial

Bravo Pet Foods

I was so excited to meet the co-founder Bette Schubert at Global. We feed a mix of Bravo raw and premium wet food and when I learned Bravo was launching a new canned food line, I had to learn more. She and her partner David Bogner founded pioneered the raw pet food category by introducing our Bravo Blends line in 2002. The parent company has been providing high quality meats throughout New England since 1942. Bette told me before creating the new canned food, ” I hadn’t opened a can since 1977.”

Feeding raw is not for everyone. The new Bravo canned dinners are the next best thing with 95% meat!