Whole Life Cat Food Review

Whole Life Pet is made in the United States using 100 percent human grade ingredients for their freeze-dried treats and toppers. They produce a variety of treats such as single-ingredient, functional, training, organic, digestive, and meal toppers. Learn more about Whole Life in our unbiased review.

The Cats.com Standard –Rating Whole Life Cat Treats and Toppers on What Matters

We have analyzed Whole Life treats and toppers and rated it according to our standards here at Cats.com. Our grades are based on the species-appropriateness of the food, the quality of the ingredients, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. You can read more about our ratings here.

Here are our ratings for Whole Life in these key areas:

We give Whole Life cat food a 47 out of 60 rating (78.33) or a B+/A- grade.

About Whole Life

Whole Life Pet makes treats and toppers for both dogs and cats. As far as we can tell from their web site, they do not make kibble or canned foods at this time though they did make some dog food in the past. Their treats and toppers are made from 100 percent human grade food which is rare among pet products.

The company has headquarters in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded in 2009.

Note that Whole Life Pet is a different company from the Canadian company TLC Pet Food which makes TLC Whole Life dog and cat foods.

According to the Whole Life Pet web site, the company was founded by John Gigliotti who previously had 15 years of experience as a pet industry retailer. He wanted to make his own pet products and have full control over the manufacturing process.

Gigliotti built his own FDA-inspected facility in western Massachusetts which conforms to human-edible standards. The company doesn’t use any co-packers. The staff includes himself and his family.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

Whole Life uses many well-known suppliers. You can see some of their featured suppliers on this page. They also work with local suppliers in Massachusetts such as Red’s Best Seafood in Boston which supplies wild, sustainably-caught fish. They use Tip Top Poultry in Georgia for premium quality chicken and turkey.

Whole Life treats and toppers are minimally processed with clean recipe formulas. The company uses the low, slow process of freeze drying. It removes up to 99 percent moisture yet preserves the treats in their natural state without using any chemicals, additives, or preservatives.

It keeps more nutrients in the food that other food processing methods. This allows the company to use heat-sensitive ingredients such as yogurt for its probiotics. It also concentrates flavor in the treats.

Whole Life exceeds the AAFCO requirements for Human Grade or Human Edible pet food and treat production. The facility is FDA inspected and follows GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Practices) for Human Edible Food 21CFR110. It also follows Global Food Safety Initiatives (GFSI’s) and has achieved a BRC third party audit with AA rating. That is the highest Global Food Safety Certification a facility can have.

Every batch of products is verified for safety before it is shipped. Every day, products are taken out of the freeze dryers, batch coded, and quarantined. Samples are sent to an independent lab so they can be tested for harmful bacteria.

Days later and only after receiving all negative test results and passing strict internal quality control measures, the products are released for packaging and shipping. You can even test the safety process by taking the batch code from your bag and entering it on the web site to view the lab results.ut transparency and trust.

Have Whole Life Cat Products Been Recalled?

We didn’t find any recalls for Whole Life treats and toppers.

What Kinds of Cat Products Does Whole Life Offer?

Whole Life offers several different categories of treats and toppers for cats:

• Single Ingredient Treats
• Functional Treats
• Training Treats (for dogs)
• Meal Toppers
• Digestive Health
• Organic

Most of Whole Life’s products are made in versions for dogs and cats. The Single Ingredient treats come in chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, and cod recipes. With Functional treats, cats have two recipes: chicken and salmon. There are no Training treats for cats. (Amusing.)

With Meal Toppers, cats get chicken breast, salmon fillet, and tuna fillet. (Dogs only get chicken breast.) For Digestive Health, dogs and cats can both have freeze dried pumpkin and freeze dried yogurt. As a single-ingredient Organic treat or meal topper, both cats and dogs can enjoy freeze-dried organic chicken.

Whole Life Cat Food– Top 3 Recipes Reviewed

#1 Whole Life Just One Ingredient Pure Chicken Breast Freeze-Dried Dog & Cat Treats

$59.99 At Chewy

Many people like to give their cats a little extra protein. In fact, some cats demand special treats. There are plenty of treats and toppers available today but not all of them are made from the healthiest ingredients. It looks like Whole Life makes some exceptionally good treats and toppers for cats including Whole Life Organic Chicken Single Ingredient Treat or Topper.

Toppers are also good for cats that are picky eaters, cats with food allergies, and stomach sensitivities.

There is a lot to like with this treat/topper. The chicken breast is organic, USDA free-range chicken. It’s antibiotic-free, from cage-free chickens. It’s hormone-free (all poultry in the United States is free of added hormones). It’s a non-GMO food, human-grade, and it’s minimally processed. Grain-free, gluten-free, and nothing artificial. The company also tracks ingredients and verifies the safety of each batch.

The treats come in a vacuum-sealed, resealable, stay-fresh pouch. It keeps the chicken cubs fresh and protects them from breakage.

You can feed the chicken dry, straight from the bag or you can soak it for a few minutes to restore the soft, meaty texture. Older pets or those that have a hard time with hard treats can enjoy the softer texture.

These treats/toppers are high in protein and low in calories. As a single ingredient formula, it’s also a good choice for cats with allergies (as long as chicken isn’t a problem).

Whole Life Organic Chicken Single Ingredient Treat or Topper appears to be a high quality food that most cats should enjoy.

Calorie Content (ME Calculated): Kcal 162 calories per ounce; 5,700 kcals/kg

Ingredients

Human Grade USDA Approved White Breast Meat Chicken. Meat Sourced In the USA.

Ingredients We Liked: Freeze-dried organic chicken

Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 80%

Crude Fat: 16%

Crude Fiber: 1%

Moisture: 4%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 83.33%

Fat: 16.67%

Fiber: 1.04%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 67.31%

Fat: 32.69%

Pros

• Organic, human-grade chicken
• High in protein, low in calories
• Strong production and safety measures

Cons

• Chicken is an allergen for some cats

#2 Whole Life Freeze-Dried Yogurt Functional Food Topper for Dogs & Cats

$17.44 At Chewy $17.44 At Amazon

For years companies have been making probiotics for canine digestive health. At the same time, similar products for cats have been relatively lacking. Yet cats also have digestive upsets.

Whole Life makes two products that are suitable for both dogs and cats. One product features pumpkin. The other focuses on yogurt. We’re taking a look at Whole Life Freeze-Dried Yogurt functional Food Topper for Dogs & Cats.

If you’re not familiar with probiotics, they are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms that help maintain or improve the “good” bacteria (normal microflora) that is found in the body.

Some 70 percent of the immune system is based in the gut so keeping the “good” bacteria healthy can keep the whole body in good shape.

Whole Life’s freeze-dried yogurt is 100 percent pure, instant yogurt powder. It’s made by freeze-drying Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt. It’s ready as soon as you add warm water and stir. It makes giving your cat daily probiotics very easy. You can make the yogurt as thick or as thin as your cat likes.

Each one teaspoon serving contains 200 million live active cultures. Cultures inculde: L. Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus; active cultures S. Thermophilus and L. Casei. No refrigeration is required. Each 3-ounce package contains 60 servings.

We think Whole Life Freeze-Dried Yogurt Functional Food Topper is a good product to have on hand if your cat is prone to digestive upsets, diarrhea, or after taking antibiotics (which kill off the microflora in the gut). Probiotics such as this are also a good addition to your cat’s regular diet.

Calorie Content (ME Calculated): 5 kcals per serving; 6,200 kcals/kg

Ingredients

Yogurt

Ingredients We Liked: Yogurt

Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 49%

Crude Fat: 23%

Crude Fiber: 1%

Moisture: 1%

Ash: 26%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 49.49%

Fat: 23.23%

Fiber: 1.01%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 46.73%

Fat: 53.27%

Pros

• Probiotics found in yogurt are beneficial for your cat’s digestive health
• Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt (the source of the yogurt used in this product) is a well-known, popular brand
• Whole Life has strong production and safety measures

Cons

• Yogurt is a dairy product and some cats are allergic to dairy

#3 Whole Life Just One Ingredient Pure Salmon Fillet Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Cat Treats

$5.79 At Chewy

One of the benefits of freeze-drying foods that is sometimes overlooked, especially in the case of slowly freeze-drying the food, is the fact that the process can lock in and even intensify flavor.

With up to 90 percent of the moisture removed, the flavor can be highly concentrated. If you have a cat that is finnicky about eating, a meal topper with intense flavor can be a good way to stir his interest.

Whole Life makes several meal toppers just for cats. Called RealFoodie, these toppers come in chicken breast, salmon fillet, and tuna fillet versions. Nearly every cat will probably like at least one of these toppers.

We’re looking at RealFoodie Salmon Fillet. You can break off a small piece for your cat and feed by hand. Or, you can shred it and add it to your cat’s regular cat food (wet or dry).

The topper is portioned, cooked, boneless, skinless, and ready-to-serve wild salmon fillet. It’s high in protein and low in calories. It has no chemicals, preservatives, or anything artificial. It’s freeze-dried to lock in the flavor and nutrients. This is high qualitly protein with intense natural flavor. You can moisten it to give it a softer, chewier texture.

Since it is freeze-dried, you can store it in the bag. No refrigeration is required. And, this is a single ingredient formula so it’s a good choice for cats with allergies. Sourced, processed, produced, and packaged in the USA. Made in-house in small, fresh batches daily.

We think that Whole Life RealFoodie Salmon Fillet for Cats Meal Topper is an excellent choice if you are looking for a topper for your cat’s meals or even a treat. The other RealFoodie toppers also look good.

Calorie Content (ME Calculated): 159 calories per ounce; 5,600 kcals/kg

Ingredients

Salmon

Ingredients We Liked: Salmon

Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 89%

Crude Fat: 2%

Crude Fiber: 1%

Moisture: 4%

Ash: 4%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 92.71%

Fat: 2.08%

Fiber: 1.04%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 94.82%

Fat: 5.18%

Pros

• Freeze-dried salmon makes a great meal topper for most cats
• High in protein and low in calories
• Whole Life has strong production and safety measures

Cons

• Some cats can be allergic to fish

What Do Customers Think of Whole Life Cat Treats and Toppers?

Whole Life cat treats and toppers have over 1000 reviews on Amazon.com. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Some customers did mention that the freeze-dried treats tend to turn to dust in the bag because it is so dry.

Positive Reviews

“So I purchased this the first time by complete accident. I thought I was buying dehydrated salmon (which one of my cats really like) and this was shipped to me instead. Probably jist wasn’t paying good enough attention to my phone. This stuff is like kitty crack. My cats will do ANYTHING to get this stuff. The first picture is what it looks like. It is dry, crumbly, and will leave a powdery dust, but super easy ti vacuum up. The third picture is of my one cat after finding it hidden in a drawer, proceeded ti make a mess all over my floor with it. So then I put it i. A plastic sour cream container. Only to find it dented in, teeth holes in the plastic, and half the contents eaten and some spread out on the floor. I hide the container inside my couch middle compartment and Ive caught them trying to open it to get at these treats. Highly highly recommend these. They are not safe in the bag, and not safe in a plastic container. Next I will try a metal container, lets see them try to chew through that!” – by Brandie Booth reviewing Whole Life Pet Products Healthy Cat Treats on June 10, 2021

“I’ve been at a loss to find any cat treats that are close to ‘We Pity the Kitty’ treats, which are no longer available. If my kitty even hears the word ‘pity’ she comes running and literally salivating. So, I thought I’d give these treats a try because they’re freeze dried and only made with one ingredient. Well, the treats were delivered today and as I was opening the shipping box, my kitty came running and kept pushing my hands away from the box with her head. When I finally got the treats out of the shipping box I decided just to put the entire package (unopened) on the kitchen floor. That was a big mistake, because my kitty slobbered all over the package and kept trying to rip it open with her teeth! I opened the treats and my kitty went nuts! Man alive, she loves these treats maybe even more than her old treats. I’m definitely buying more of these treats!” – by Patti D reviewing Whole Life Pet Products Healthy Cat Treats on January 19, 2019

Negative Reviews

“My cat loves the freeze dried chicken breast but like others have mentioned, the bag is half full of dust. I use the crumbs as toppers for some foods my cat won’t eat easily and it works well but that’s not why I’m buying this product. I’m buying it to give as treats. It came well packaged and was protected well but it’s hit or miss with the amount of crumbs that is in the packages I’ve purchased. The price of this product has almost doubled looking back at my previous purchases from other sources. I like this product, my cat likes this product but please do something to prevent a bag full of dust. I’m not buying dust, I’m buying treats.” – by Patricia A reviewing Whole Life Pet Products Healthy Cat Treats on September 15, 2018

“My cat showed absolutely no interest in this freeze dried chicken. I can guess why, it has no smell, it has no texture, just putting a little pressure on it and it crumbles into dust. Just like a small ball of hard dust….no appeal whatsoever. The salmon version did have some appeal, she did eat it., only after I broke it up for her…it actually had some texture. Part of the problem is the pieces are too big, my cat has a difficult time eating them without me breaking them up for her.” – by JBPENCO reviewing Whole Life Pet Products Healthy Cat Treats on March 30, 2021

How Much Do Whole Life Cat Treats and Topoper Cost?

We found Whole Life Organic Chicken Single Ingredient Treat or Topper for Dogs & Cats for Out of stock on Amazon.

Whole Life Pet RealFoodie USA Sourced and Produced Freeze Dried Whole Boneless, Skinless Wild Salmon Fillet Treat or Meal Mixer for Cats is Out of stock on Amazon.

Whole Life Pet Products Healthy Dog and Cat Food Topper, Human-Grade Yogurt Powder is Out of stock on Amazon.

Overall, Are Whole Life Cat Treats and Toppers a Good Choice?

Yes, it looks like Whole Life’s cat treats and toppers are very good products. We like their human grade certifications as well as their manufacturing and safety measures. They appear to have top quality ingredient suppliers.

Their products also get good reviews from customers. Even most of the customers who don’t like the dustiness of some of the freeze-dried foods seem to have cats that love the treats and toppers.

How Do You Order Whole Life Cat Products?

You can buy Whole Life products on Amazon.com, Chewy.com, through Petco, and through some other retailers.