Stella and Chewy cat food is known for high quality frozen and freeze-dried raw cat food. Over the years, the brand has expanded beyond raw pet diets to include various other recipes that accommodate different needs and budgets of pet parents.
In this article, we’ll cover Stella and Chewy’s company story as well several of their food lines to help you decide if they would make a healthy choice for your cat.
The Stella and Chewy’s story
The company’s story dates back to 1997 when Stella and Chewy’s founder Marie Moody adopted a dog named Stella from a local animal shelter. Shortly after, she adopted another puppy named Chewy, who was diagnosed with distemper.
In an effort to alleviate Chewy’s health issues, Moody started feeding both of her pets homemade raw food. After witnessing the benefits of raw food on the overall health of their pups, she decided to start her own business – Stella and Chewy and she began delivering her dog food around New York.
Stella and Chewy’s dog food rose to prominence quickly, enabling Moody to expand her business and start making different types of dog and cat food, building a loyal customer base along the way.
Our top 6 cat food picks from Stella and Chewy’s:
- Stella and Chewy Yummy Licken’ Salmon & Chicken Dinner Morsels
- Stella and Chewy Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels
- Stella and Chewy Raw Rabbit Dinner Morsels
- Stella and Chewy Raw Duck Duck Goose Dinner Morsels
- Stella and Chewy Digestive Boost
- Marie’s Magical Dinner Dust
What kind of cat food does Stella and Chewy’s offer?
Stell and Chewy currently offer four types of cat food:
- Stella and Chewy frozen raw cat food: Dinner Morsels and Stella’s Selects
- Stella and Chewy freeze-dried cat food: Dinner Morsels, Stella’s Solutions, and Marie’s Magical Dinner Dust
- Stella and Chewy wet cat food: Carnivore Cravings Savory Shreds & Purrfect Pate, Marvelous Morsels, and Purrfect Pate
- Stella and Chewy dry kibble: Raw Coated and Raw Blend
1. Stella and Chewy Yummy Licken’ Salmon & Chicken Dinner Morsels
Stella and Chewy’s freeze-dried raw recipe with salmon and chicken contains 98 percent wild-caught fish and cage-free chicken, organs, and bone, making it an excellent source of protein for your cat. The formula also has taurine, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals to support healthy digestion and improve your cat’s immune system.
The food is manufactured in the USA in small batches to ensure quality nutrition. Also, there are no grains, fillers, hormones or antibiotics added.
Pros
- 98 percent meat and organs
- Formulated with taurine and probiotics
- Added vitamins and minerals
- Free of grains and fillers
- Made in the USA with responsibly sourced ingredients
Cons
- Texture may be too hard for cats with sensitive teeth
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2. Stella and Chewy Chick’ Chick’ Chicken Dinner Morsels
Stella and Chewy’s mixer of freeze-dried snacks is rich in animal protein as 98 percent of the recipe is made up of meat, organs, and bones. The food is minimally processed to retain nutrients and it doesn’t contain grains, which could cause digestion issues. It’s also free of fillers, hormones, antibiotics, and animal by-products.
The food is made in the USA and it’s suitable for all life stages. You can serve it either wet or dry or use it as a topper on wet food.
Pros
- 98 percent muscle meat, organs, and bones
- Free of grains and fillers
- No animal by-products, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Made in the USA
Cons
- The food may crumble easily
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3. Stella and Chewy Raw Rabbit Dinner Morsels
This freeze-dried dinner morsel recipe contains 98 percent farm-raised rabbit, organs, and bone, which makes it a great alternative for cats with food intolerance to common proteins like chicken or fish.
It contains taurine and probiotics, and it’s fortified with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to support proper digestion, healthy skin and coat, and boost your cat’s immune system.
The formula is free of grains, fillers, hormones, or antibiotics. Like all other Stella and Chewy recipes, this product is made in their USA kitchen and produced in small batches to preserve the nutrients. All ingredients are responsibly sourced.
Pros
- 98 percent farm-raised rabbit, organs, and bone
- Formulated with taurine, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals
- No grains or fillers
- Made in the USA with responsibly sourced ingredients
Cons
- May have too much bone
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4. Stella and Chewy Raw Duck Duck Goose Dinner Morsels
Another meat-based, freeze-dried recipe by Stella and Chewy consists of 98 percent muscle meat, organs, and bone. While duck meat is the primary source of protein, the product also contains turkey meat and bones and goose.
This food is a great option for cats that need a novel protein source as a result of being allergic to some common protein sources, such as chicken or beef.
The formula also has taurine, probiotics, and antioxidants, as well as vitamins and minerals. There are no grains or fillers. All ingredients are responsibly sourced and the food is manufactured in the USA.
Pros
- 98 percent muscle meat, organs, and bone
- Duck is the primary source of protein
- Made with taurine, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals
- No grains or fillers
- Made in the USA with responsibly sourced ingredients
Cons
- May contain too much bone content
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5. Stella and Chewy Digestive Boost
Stella and Chewy’s freeze-dried dinner mixers for cats are intended to be used as kibble toppers. Cage-free chicken is the primary ingredient, and the formula also contains natural sources of fiber, such as pineapple and pineapple stems, probiotics, and prebiotics to support digestion and intestinal health.
Probiotics help good intestinal bacteria thrive and by doing so they improve cats’ immune system, as strong immunity depends on the proper functioning of the digestive system.
The recipe also includes taurine and it’s free of grains, peas, lentils, and potatoes, which reduces the risk of digestive issues. Additionally, it doesn’t contain eggs and it’s free of artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Pros
- Chicken as the primary ingredients
- Convenient kibble toppers
- Contain natural sources of fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics
- No grains, peas, lentils, potatoes, or eggs
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Contains fish oil, which can be an issue for cats with inflammatory bowel disease
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6. Marie’s Magical Dinner Dust
Marie’s Magical Dinner Dust is another meal topper that you can add to dry food or kibble. It’s a convenient way to incorporate raw food into your cat’s diet and provide them with an excellent source of protein – the recipe contains 98 percent meat, organs, and bone. Primary ingredients include salmon with ground bone and chicken with ground bone.
The formula is free of grains, gluten, and binders and it’s intended to improve digestion and overall immunity. The product comes in small batches, which were manufactured in the USA using responsibly sourced ingredients.
Pros
- 98 percent meat, organs, and bone
- Wild-caught salmon and cage-free chicken
- Free of grains, gluten, and binders
- Made in the USA with responsibly sourced ingredients
Cons
- Contains pumpkin seed
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Who makes Stella and Chewy’s?
Stella and Chewy’s was founded by Marie Moody, a Wisconsin native. According to the company, Stella and Chewy’s products are formulated by an animal nutritionist and reviewed by a veterinarian to assure they meet appropriate AAFCO guidelines for complete and balanced nutrition.
Where is Stella and Chewy’s cat food manufactured?
Stella and Chewy’s was founded in New York in 2003. Moody moved the company to Wisconsin in 2006. All of their pet food is currently manufactured in their facility in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.
Where do Stella and Chewy’s ingredients come from?
Stella and Chewy’s sources ingredients from several countries, and they’re committed to transparency when it comes to the ingredients they use. Apart from North America, Stella and Chewy company sources ingredients from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Europe.
Has Stella and Chewy’s had any recalls?
In 2015 Stella and Chewy’s was recalled twice. B/obligate-carnivore/oth times because of potential listeria contamination, which affected both dog and cat food.
In July 2015, Stella and Chewy’s voluntarily recalled a limited amount of dog and cat food due to possible listeria contamination. There were no reported pet or human illnesses associated with the recall.
In December 2015, Stella and Chewy’s initiated another voluntary recall of selected dog and cat food products because of potential listeria contamination. There were no reported pet or human illnesses associated with this recall either.
Is Stella and Chewy’s cat food grain free?
All Stella and Chewy’s cat food is grain-free. In addition to being formulated without the use of grains, all of their frozen and freeze-dried raw recipes and the majority of their wet cat food products are free of peas, potatoes, and lentils as well.
A grain-free diet is closer to a cat’s natural diet, as cats are obligate carnivores and require animal protein to survive. Grains are unlikely to be available in the wild, so felines don’t need them in their diet. Furthermore, a grain-free diet is necessary if your cat has an intolerance or allergy to grains.
If you want to review more grain-free cat food options, take a look at our article about the best grain-free cat food brands for 2021.
Is Stella and Chewy’s healthy cat food?
In addition to being grain-free, all Stella and Chewy cat food products contain 98 percent muscle meat, organs, and bone, making them rich in animal protein, which is essential for cats. Also, their formulas are free of potentially harmful ingredients, such as hormones, antibiotics, fillers, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Many of their recipes are also free of lentils, peas, and potatoes, which contributes to healthy digestion. Both peas and lentils can cause digestive issues – peas tamper with absorption of nutrients, while lentils contain high amounts of carbs and fiber, which may cause stomach upsets.
Stella and Chewy’s cat food products are made of cage-free and wild-caught animals and they are minimally processed to retain nutrients. Also, their products contain added taurine, vitamins, and minerals to support overall immunity.
Alternatives to Stella and Chewy’s
RAWZ
RAWZ is a pet food brand that produces both dog and cat food. Their cat food line of products is divided into three groups: dehydrated dry food, canned wet food, and toppers.
Dehydrated cat food offers a fish-based recipe and a chicken and turkey recipe, while canned food consists of gum-free and meal-free pates and shredded meat recipes. Toppers are formulated with only four ingredients – there are chicken and fish recipes available, with savory broth added.
RAWZ manufactures food in small batches to retain the nutrients, and they don’t add water to their products, relying instead on the natural moisture of the poultry and fish they use.
I And Love And You
I and Love and You manufacture wet and dry cat food. Wet cat food is grain-free and it offers various recipes, with meat or fish as the primary ingredient. Dry food selection has three lines: Naked Essentials, Nude Food, and Lovingly Simple.
Naked Essentials is kibble that’s free of grains and formulated with probiotics and prebiotics to support digestion. Nude Food also features a grain-free formula intended to help with digestion issues, and in addition to probiotics and prebiotics, it contains digestive enzymes. Lovingly Simple is a limited-ingredient kibble that doesn’t contain grains and poultry.
Weruva
Weruva produces wet food only and it offers a rich selection of recipes available in cans and pouches. There are three major food lines: Weruva Cat Original, Cats in the Kitchen, and Truluxe.
Weruva Cat Original includes various meat and fish-based recipes, ranging from finely chopped pieces to pates and stews. Cats in the Kitchen are inspired by home-cooked meals and feature meat and fish recipes in the form of chunks, shreds, and pates.
Truluxe contains ten canned food products, available in various flavors, such as Australian grass-fed beef, wild-caught pink salmon, and cage-free chicken. All Weruva cat food is free of grains, gluten, and carrageenan.
Key takeaways on Stella and Chewy’s cat food
Stella and Chewy’s cat food contains high amounts of animal-based protein, and the preparation in small batches helps preserve the nutrients, so it’s an option worth considering when it comes to your pet’s diet.
Despite being voluntarily recalled a couple of times, Stella and Chewy uses high-quality ingredients in their formulas and manufactures pet food locally. Their cat food is grain-free, and it’s made without the use of potentially harmful substances, such as hormones, antibiotics, and artificial ingredients.
To be sure you’re feeding your furry friend with the best food for them, it’s always a good idea to consult the vet.
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