Cats can be quite funny about their food, particularly about certain flavors or textures, but fortunately, Costco sells a few cat food varieties that could suit your cat, and are available at a good price.
So, are you thinking about switching to the affordable Kirkland Signature brand of cat food? If so, here are 15 things to know before buying Costco cat food!
15 Things To Know Before Buying Costco Cat Food In 2024
1. There Are Four Types of Costco Cat Food
Costco carries cat food for every stage of your feline’s lifespan, from kittenhood to old age.
While the retailer sells 11 different kinds of dog food, there are only four varieties of food for cats, but they’re all well-regarded.
Sold under the store label Kirkland Signature, Costco cat food includes:
- Super Premium Maintenance
- Super Premium Healthy Weight
- Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato
- Nature’s Domain Organic Chicken
2. Meat Is the First Ingredient In Each Costco Cat Food Bag
One of the most important things to look at when buying cat food is the first four or five ingredients, and of those listed, the very first is incredibly significant to the health of your kitties.
In the case of Costco cat food, for all four types, the first ingredient is a meat or meat meal (the latter is a safe and nutritious ground-up version of meat).
When non-meal meat is listed as the first ingredient, that includes both the flesh and the skin (where applicable, but especially chicken or turkey) of the animal.
Note that ingredients are always listed in order of prominence within food, so the meat or meat meal listed first is a very good thing.
In fact, this ingredient list indicates that the largest percentage of the food is made up of healthy protein, fats, and, in the case of chicken, glucosamine.
3. If Your Cat Is a Healthy Weight, Try Super Premium Maintenance Costco Cat Food
If your cat is at a healthy weight for its size and age, then it doesn’t require any special dietary needs and makes it the perfect candidate for Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance cat food.
This cat food, according to the Costco website, is made of high-quality ingredients designed to bolster your cat’s health and give them all the nutrients they need.
The first ingredients in Super Premium Maintenance are chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, ground white rice, chicken fat, and natural chicken flavor.
4. If Your Cat Is Overweight, Try Super Premium Healthy Weight Costco Cat Food
If your cat is a bit overweight and could lose a few pounds, then Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight is a good option to try.
This cat food is specially formulated to help cats “achieve and maintain a lean body condition,” with 285 calories per cup. Additionally, this food is also designed to help reduce hairballs.
5. If You Prefer Grain-Free Costco Cat Food, Try Nature’s Domain
If you are on the grain-free train for your pets, Costco sells cat food under the Kirkland Signature Nature’s domain label that will suit your needs.
Some cats may experience grain sensitivity (symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, itchy skin, excessive grooming, and more) and this food is formulated accordingly.
The first ingredients include salmon meal, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, pea protein, and canola oil.
6. For Organic Costco Cat Food, There Might Be Nature’s Domain Organic Chicken
Finally, we know organics are healthy for humans, but they are also healthy for our feline friends, and under the Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain label, Costco sells organic chicken cat food.
Unfortunately, it appears that the company might be phasing out the organic option, as the product is no longer linked to the company website.
Still, you might be able to find it in your store (perhaps at a discount, as it seems to be discontinued).
7. Costco Cat Food Comes Highly Recommended
FelineLiving.net writes, “Some who were purchasing premium brands have discovered that Kirkland’s cat foods are actually comparable to the more expensive ones.”
The author continues, “The cats love the taste of their Kirkland dry cat foods.”
Consumer Affairs also reviewed the food and concluded, “[Kirkland} developed a food that meets cat’s special nutritional needs using ingredients that cat owners can trust.”
8. Costco Cat Food Comes In Hefty Bags
If you want to buy your cat food at Costco, you’re going to have to get used to the idea that you’re buying a lot all at once.
The Super Premium Maintenance cat food comes in a 25-pound bag, Health Weight comes in a 20-pound bag, and Nature’s Domain Grain-Free in an 18-pound bag.
9. Costco Cat Food Is Great If You Own Multiple Cats
If you live in a multiple-cat household, and most of your cats eat the same food, then Costco’s big bags would be a terrific option. Further, if you are looking to help out a shelter, they can always use cat food.
For only $37, you can not only help to feed those homeless kitties but know that you are donating high-quality, wholesome, and nutritious cat food.
10. Costco Cat Food Is Cheap, But Not Necessarily The Cheapest
One of the reasons Costco customers and cat fanciers alike are so over the moon about Costco cat food is because of the price.
- Super Premium Maintenance comes in a 25-pound bag for 36.99, or $1.47 per pound
- Healthy Weight comes in a 20-pound bag for $32.99, or $1.65 per pound
- Nature’s Domain Grain-Free comes in an 18-pound bag for $36.99 or $2.05 per pound
Objectively, these are low prices for how much cat food you are getting. Additionally, when you start to compare this to the elite cat food brand, Blue Buffalo, the prices look even better.
For example, an 11-pound bag of grain-free dry cat food at Walmart costs $44 per bag or $4 per pound. Compare that to Nature’s Domain, at $2.05 per pound.
However, if you compare Nature’s Domain Grain-Free to another store brand, in this case, Wegmans, Costco cat food doesn’t fare quite as well.
A 12-pound bag of Wegmans Grain Free costs $19.99, or $1.67 per pound. So, it can still pay to shop around and prices may vary depending on your location.
11. Costco Cat Food Is Manufactured By a Recognizable Company
Costco doesn’t have its own cat food factories (though it does manufacture more of its own items than you might think).
Instead, Costco outsources its pet food from the recognizable Diamond pet foods company, selling pet food under its own brand name and supplying other store brands with food as well.
12. There Have Been Recalls on Costco Cat Food (a While Ago)
One of the ways you can find out who the real manufacturers are behind your favorite store brands is to pay attention to recalls.
Unfortunately, Diamond pet food had a recall back in 2012, which also affected Costco’s inventory.
There was a potential for salmonella contamination, which prompted the FDA to look into the South Carolina plant for a week, which you can read more about here.
13. The Company Has Discontinued Its Wet Costco Cat Food
In addition to the maybe-discontinued organic cat food, Costco has definitely discontinued its wet cat food.
According to ExcitedCats, Costco carried two different types, but as of 2021, it’s no longer available on shelves.
14. Costco Cat Food Compares Well Against Blue Buffalo
If you’re used to feeding your cat Blue Buffalo brand food, switching to Costco might seem like a come-down.
However, the latter actually compares very well to the former; if not exactly matching the more expensive brand, Kirkland Signature comes very close.
PawDiet found that Blue Buffalo contained 2.71 percent more protein than Kirkland Signature (the company called the difference small but noticeable).
This is a really good break-down of the two brands, for both dog and cat food. When you see the similarities, you may consider switching brands.
15. Get Your Costco Cat Food Delivered
Did you know that Costco partnered with Instacart to offer its customers grocery delivery?
Not just groceries, though, like almost anything in the store that can fit in a basic vehicle, including cat food, is eligible for delivery.
Instacart and/or the grocer often upcharges for the convenience of the app, so be prepared to see the price look a little different than it does on Costco’s website.
To learn more, you can also see read our related posts about the things to know before buying Costco dog food, fruits & vegetables, and platters.
Conclusion
Costco cat food from Kirkland Signature is a healthy and wholesome option for a cat in any stage of life, and the store sells weight-watcher and grain-free options as well.
Thanks to the nutritious ingredient list of Costco cat food, it compares well against name brand Blue Buffalo, while costing only a fraction of the price.
