4.5(1,200)Amazon rating$49.99600+ bought last month
Our verdict
Instinct Original Raw Coated Kibble in the Real Salmon recipe pairs a grain-free, high protein formula with a raw-inspired coating, and its 4.5 star average from 1,200 reviews makes it a dependable everyday option for cats of any life stage.
Owners who want an all-life-stages, grain-free, high protein dry food with a raw-coated kibble format, in a fish-based recipe.
Skip if
Your cat needs a fish-free diet, or you're looking for a single-life-stage formula tailored more narrowly to kittens or seniors.
Form Pellet
Flavor Salmon
Benefits Supports Digestive Health And Skin Nourishment
Best for Dry Cat Food
Breed size All
Weight 10 Pounds
Priced 85% above the category median ($27.08 across 139 tracked models)
Our scorecard
4.5/5overall
Owner rating4.5/5
4.5 average across 1,200 owner ratings
Popularity1.2/5
1,200 owner reviews, fewer than most models here
The overall score is owner satisfaction weighted by how many reviews back it, so a high rating from few reviews counts for less. The bars below show where this model stands against the other dog and cat food, health, gear and grooming we track in this category on price, popularity and size. Context, not marks against it, and our read of the data, not a lab test.
Overview
["This 10 lb bag is built around real salmon as the main protein, with grain-free, gluten-free kibble that's raw-coated for extra raw-inspired nutrition. It's labeled for all life stages, so it can work for a single-cat or multi-cat household with a range of ages.", "Instinct highlights the recipe's support for digestive health and skin nourishment, and it's free of gluten and wheat, which can matter for cats sensitive to those ingredients even outside a full limited-ingredient diet.", "At $49.99 for 10 lb, this sits toward the upper end of dry cat food pricing, but a 4.5 star average from 1,200 reviews and around 600 bags bought in the past month show it's a trusted pick for cats that do well on fish-based recipes."]
Pros
Real salmon recipe with raw-coated, grain-free kibble
Labeled for all life stages, from young cats to seniors
Free of gluten and wheat
Supports digestive health and skin nourishment
Cons
Higher price per bag than standard dry foods
Fish-based recipe may not suit cats with fish sensitivities
Lower monthly purchase volume than some other Instinct recipes
Specifications
Form
Pellet
Flavor
Salmon
Benefits
Supports Digestive Health And Skin Nourishment
Best for
Dry Cat Food
Breed size
All
Weight
10 Pounds
Performance notes
The raw-coated, grain-free kibble built around real salmon is aimed at supporting digestive health and skin nourishment, with the all-life-stages labeling meaning it doesn't need to be swapped out as a cat ages.
What buyers say
A 4.5 star average from 1,200 reviews, with about 600 bags bought in the past month, points to a steady and satisfied following, even if it's a smaller buyer base than some of the brand's other recipes.
We use necessary cookies to keep the site working. With your permission, we also use functional, analytics, and marketing cookies. Read our Cookie Policy.
