Smalls

Smalls

 4.4/5 (87 reviews)
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4.4(87)
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Overall Rating4.4 out of 5
See all 87 reviews

About Smalls

Smalls cat food provides your cat with high-quality food through a subscription plan. Cats receive fresh, human-grade food packed with dry ice to keep it cool. Wet food is available in three recipes: chicken, turkey and beef with consistency choices of minced or pate. If your cat isn’t fond of wet food, Smalls also offers freeze-dried raw protein as a kibble alternative. It’s available in chicken, turkey and duck and includes the meat, bones and organs. Smalls also offers healthy treats and food-toppers to entice your cat.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Recipes backed by science
  • Several plans to choose from
  • Human-grade ingredients
  • Plans are customizable

Cons

  • More expensive than kibble
  • Food isn’t pre-portioned

Bottom Line

Smalls is a meal delivery service for your cat. A sampler helps you determine what products your pet likes. The plans allow for regular shipments of your cat’s favorite food at a pace and cost that fits your budget.

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Smalls cat food plans

Your Smalls cat food plan starts with a sampler that lets you find products your cat prefers before committing to a larger purchase. To get your sampler, simply answer some questions about your cat and your budget. From there, you can choose a plan that suits your needs. Smalls then sends you a two-weeks supply of the food chosen at a reduced cost.

The Monday after you receive the sampler, a "cat concierge" contacts you to check in. You can tell them what your cat likes or dislikes and whether there are any products they haven't tried.

In the second week, you schedule your first full order based on your chosen plan and feedback from the check-in. You can make changes until the Thursday before the box ships. Shipments continue every two, four or eight weeks, depending on your needs. Available plans include:

  • Complete Balance: 50% essential kibble, 50% fresh food
  • Healthiest Balance: 75% essential and raw kibbles, 25% fresh food
  • Fresh Food Starter: 75% essential kibble, 25% fresh food
  • Total Moisture: 100% fresh food
  • Balanced Moisture: 75% fresh food, 25% essential kibble
  • Healthiest + Convenience: 75% fresh food, 25% raw kibble
  • Essential Kibble: 100% essential kibble
  • Essential + Raw Kibble: 75% essential kibble, 25% raw kibble
  • Balanced Convenience: 50% fresh food, 50% raw kibble

According to the website, the plans are customizable to fit your cat’s needs and your budget. You can change up flavors, textures or quantities as needed. Each shipment is packed in dry ice to keep it fresh.

Smalls cat food price

Smalls' website lists several prices for each plan. Prices are based on whether you’re ordering for one or multiple cats. Overall, Smalls cat food cost varies greatly depending on the meal plan you choose.

The cheapest plan is Essential Kibble — an order for one cat every four weeks costs $28. The most expensive plan is Balanced Convenience, which costs $120 under the same for one cat every four weeks. Five of the nine plans cost less than $100, while the remaining four cost more than $100.

Smalls cat food FAQ

Does Smalls cat food have a minimum order amount?
Smalls requires a minimum order of six packets of wet food. This is to ensure the dry ice is effective and to reduce packaging.
Can Smalls help my cat lose weight?
Smalls can help improve your cat’s diet, which in turn helps them lose weight. Smalls' food focuses on several important factors: high moisture content, high-quality animal protein and low carbohydrates.
Is Smalls cat food grain-free?
Yes, Smalls cat food is grain free. It’s human-grade and contains no fillers.
How long does it take Smalls cat food to ship?
Since wet food shipments contain dry ice, packages are shipped quickly. Expect to receive your order within two or three days.

Is Smalls cat food good?

Smalls cat food provides a high-quality option for your cat. This can have a profound effect on their overall health and wellness. Since cats are biologically wired to be carnivores, they don’t get hydration and nutrients the same way humans do. Smalls understands that and goes a step above by manufacturing its food using human-grade ingredients. You get top quality protein, moisture for hydration and essential nutrients. If Smalls cat food fits your budget, it's a good option for your cat.

Smalls Reviews

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Page 1 Reviews 0 - 5
Verified Reviewer
Original review: Oct. 18, 2022

We have 10 cats and they have been eating dry food all of their life. I've been wanting to feed them raw food for quite some time now because I know that's the most healthiest food for them. Something that is species-appropriate. However, I wasn't sure how to transition them or exactly what to do as far as making it myself. I figured I would give this company a try and wean our cats off of the dry kibble. So far it has been working out great and they all seem to really really love it!

I'm really quite surprised because having that many cats oh, and being finicky at that, you would think they wouldn't have taken to it at all but they have! There is only one cat that hasn't taken to it but he's coming around LOL because it's not good to feed them the wet raw food cold, I am trying to supplement canned food in the morning for everyone and then taking out the raw food in the afternoon to thaw and get a little bit on the warm side 4 evening feeding. It is quite nice to only be feeding twice a day but I'm telling you what, they are going nuts with this food and it's almost like they are jonesing for it more than the dry food! So although it is great as far as helping them to be healthier and live longer, it sure is a challenge when they are all screaming at you for more!

The only other drawback that I would really see with this, is if you do have a lot of cats, you'd be better off making your own at home. 1 pack of the food costs about $9 and we go through 2 packs for all of our cats a day!! So as you can see it will be very expensive and not very cost-effective unless you can make it at home. The company is really great as well. If you have any issues they take care of them as quickly as possible! Very very good at responding and very happy overall with the quality of the food from what I can tell.

5 people found this review helpful
Verified Reviewer Verified Buyer
Original review: Sept. 30, 2022

Smalls is great. The quality of the cat food is great and my cats actually enjoy it. I love knowing that my cats are getting quality food. I know it’s better for them because their poops aren’t as smelly and their fur is a lot softer and their breaths don’t smell as bad. When I used to feed them canned and dry food, they would have diarrhea constantly and the poops smelled so bad. I feel like they are healthier now and have more energy and they are all at a good weight for their size. I first started getting Smalls three years ago when I only had one cat but now I have two more and I did not have any issues with starting the other two on it either. Their favorite flavors are the turkey and chicken. They don’t really like the beef that much but they’ll still eat it when they’re hungry.

I like that I can customize my order and only get the flavors that they like and will eat. They also really enjoy the freeze dried food and I like giving it to them as a snack and I prefer to give them that over the terrible quality kibble they sell at stores. I have never had issues with the packaging or the food coming thawed. Once you get used to dealing with the dry ice and the really cool dissolvable corn packaging, it’s actually really easy to handle. Straight from the box into the freezer. Their customer service reps are great too and are usually pretty quick to reply.

I highly recommend Smalls for your cat's overall health. It is pricey but to me I would rather pay more for good quality food rather than feeding them low quality food that is cheaper and then spending more in vet bills because their health isn’t good. Cats can be picky so if they don’t take to it right away, give them some time. Of course if they had to choose between something healthy and the smelly canned food they would choose the canned because it’s more enticing. If you really care about your cat's health, go with Smalls.

3 people found this review helpful

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    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Sept. 30, 2022

    I'll keep this brief. Customer for over 2 years now, and I wouldn't change back to any other option. Before finding Smalls, I went through a bunch of different trials of pretty much every decently-reviewed brand on the market—all the big ones like Blue Buffalo, Nulo, Stella & Chewy's, Open Farm, Honest Kitchen, etc. But I always had an issue with either the fact that the food came in cans (would like to avoid as much as possible), was ridiculously stinky (if you're using mostly chicken and vitamin blends, your food shouldn't release a noxious cloud the second it's opened), or was too heavily processed for my likes.

    After deciding to give Smalls a go, I was happy to see that the chicken was so minimally processed that it still looked and smelled like chicken and not some undeterminable "cat food" smell. There was a bit of an adjustment period to get my cats used to it, but they are quite happy with it now, I supplement with a bit of Smalls Freeze-Dried, too, and have had no issues. That line they use in their ads—"less stinky poops"—is not just a line, btw.

    On the business side of things, their website can be a little glitchy sometimes, but if I want to change something and having an issue with the site, it's always very easy to just text them and have them take care of it. Never had any issues with charges, shipments, etc. So, the bottom line is: yes, it's pricey, but it's definitely worth it in my opinion.

    7 people found this review helpful
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Sept. 30, 2022

    I have been ordering Smalls cat food for my 9 year old kitty since February this year (that's 9 orders so far). I will discuss 3 things in my review: the quality of the food; the packaging; and the customer service. First, the food. My cat has had digestive issues including loose stools and frequent hairballs. Her phosphorus levels were low and her carbohydrate levels were high (pre-diabetic) so my vet recommended switching her to a raw food diet and eliminating the dry food that I had been feeding her. She recommended Smalls. I was nervous to commit to the high price but decided to try it for a year and see if it helps her digestive issues and phosphorus/carb levels at her next wellness exam.

    That exam hasn't come yet but my cat now has healthy stool with less odor, and very infrequent hairballs. She prefers the pulled chicken recipe, but will also eat the smooth chicken and smooth beef. For whatever reason, she will not eat the turkey (she ate it the first few times but then decided she didn't like it I guess). I am very happy with the quality of the food and am confident that it is improving my cat's quality of life.

    Next, the packaging. Smalls using a cornstarch foam as an insulator which dissolves in water and can be rinsed down the drain. We have not had any problems with clogging while dissolving it. I really love that the packaging is mostly sustainable, as I was afraid it would come in styrofoam which is incredibly wasteful and not biodegradable. I had one problem with some of the food packages being cracked because the dry ice keeps the food so cold the plastic becomes brittle. I was assured by customer service that the food was safe to serve provided it was fully frozen upon arrival. My cat ate the food and didn't have any health problems. They seem to be switching to a 'sausage' style packing which should eliminate this kind of brittle cracking I had that time. All other orders have come perfectly packaged, and I have never had the food arrive thawed even throughout the hot summer we had this year.

    Finally, customer service. I have had all positive experiences with the customer service team. They are quick to respond and always find a solution within one or two emails. I once had an order missing some items, so I contact customer service via email and asked them if they could replace the missing items. They informed me that they cannot just send 2 packs of food, but they would refund the missing food and move my next order up a week so that I would not run out of food. While I would love it if they had an 'a la carte' option so that you could just get one or two items outside of the subscription I understand that from a shipping standpoint it is much more efficient to send out full boxes. I think that there is room for improvement but I appreciate the quality products and customer service that this company offers. If you have a cat that needs a special diet, or simply want to give your cat 'the best' Smalls is for you.

    7 people found this review helpful
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Sept. 30, 2022

    I found Smalls online after a year + of dealing with chronic diarrhea and vomiting in my male cat who was 15 years old at the time. I took him to the vet to diagnose his illness and they wanted to run a full slate of tests - of which I felt was unnecessary. This is an indoor cat who was fed a prescription diet from the age of 1 year onward. Out of the blue he got sick. I systematically began switching out brands of cat food. He could handle it for a month, then the diarrhea and vomiting would return. He was also pooping outside of the litter box. Every brand, the same thing happened. I came to determine that the dry kibble he was eating made him very thirsty, then he would drink large amounts of water, and throw up due to food expanding with water. Changed him to a wet diet. Still the same story, less vomiting though.

    I decided to try a traditional human chicken breast and rice, and of course it worked! But I did not want to commit to making my cat a from scratch, homemade diet for life! That's when I found Smalls and my cat is healthier than he's ever been. He loves the food, the litter box is greatly improved, and he went from 20lbs to 15 lbs. I still have no idea where my cat's health crisis came from, but am overjoyed it's been solved by Smalls! I highly recommend them and their customer service. Very responsive and thorough in their communication.

    6 people found this review helpful
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: April 4, 2023

    I have 4 cats and none of them like this food. I have noticed no differences in their health or the look of their coats. One throws it up like he does all his food. They only eat it because they aren't getting anything else. There is a long time from placing your order to receiving your order. Very disappointed in this experience.

    2 people found this review helpful
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Feb. 25, 2023

    I have been a customer of Smalls since adopting my first rescue this past June. While the food is good, the customer service and delivery overshadow any good at this company. There is always a problem when it comes to delivery (although they have no problem with charging my card $128 each order) and their customer service is HORRIBLE. They do not try to resolve issues nor do they have a way to reach a live human. Only emails and texts from unhelpful representatives named "Lola" and "Hailey" who send happy emails providing no help, offering no solutions. When you respond to try and resolve you go back in the queue and another 24 hours of waiting ensues.

    They have shipped me wrong orders frequently because they were out of stock and I was never alerted beforehand. Other times they ship less than the 12 packets due to shortages - again no advanced notice and you have to contact them to be credited for the shortage. They never forget to charge your card. Almost every order has had an issue. They changed their formula around November adding Canola Oil which is NOT good for cats - again no one gave advanced notice or notified me. When I emailed to investigate I was told it was such a small amount it would have no impact which appears to be true.

    My current order is lost. The previous box was not marked to be refrigerated (as it had always been in the past) so instead of my front desk storing it in the refrigerator it sat at room temperature until I could pick it up, defrosted and had to be thrown out. It took 3 emails and 2 texts over the course of 3 days to get a refund and they insisted on issuing it as a credit refusing to overnight a replacement so I had to wait a full week. Thankfully I had stocked up and had some packets in the freezer but the next box never arrived.

    I was charged $128 last Thursday, 2/16. Small tracking said it shipped on Wednesday, 2/22 (almost a week after they charged me) and when I checked delivery status it said GLS (whoever they are - equally awful in my opinion) was on track to deliver it on 2/23. As of today, 2/25, it is still lost. Because of the problem with Smalls not marking the previous box, am out of food.

    When I contacted Smalls they said to contact the shipper, GLS. When I contacted GLS they said it was lost and to contact Smalls. I contacted Smalls via email and texts 6 times to have a replacement order expedited and shipped overnight. "Hailey" from Smalls informed me on Friday, 2/24, this was not possible and that I needed to wait until Saturday because sometimes the lost order just "shows up". She suggested that in the meantime I could buy and feed my poor cats Weruva.

    I sent another email again today requesting a full refund. As usual, I received an automated message that they will contact me. My cats are currently eating Weruva, thanks to Smalls, their complete lack of customer service and failure to deliver what they promised. Both have diarrhea and there is no resolution in sight.

    Sadly, the food, when made and delivered properly (which is the exception not the normal) is good, but the times the food arrives normally and without issue are rare. I would urge anyone who loves and cares about their cats to find a better solution and AVOID Smalls at all costs. The only thing Smalls seems to do well and consistently is charge my card and refuse to provide solutions when they make mistakes which are numerous. In my experience, SMALLS SIMPLY DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMER OR THEIR CATS.

    15 people found this review helpful
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Oct. 6, 2022

    Smalls has incredibly poor operations and ineffective customer service. Smalls screwed up order and after 5 weeks of excuses has still not shipped the product that was ordered and paid for. Based off my experience this is a poorly managed company incapable of providing quality service.

    24 people found this review helpful
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Oct. 4, 2022

    I'm so happy to feed Smalls to my cat. He has tested out a number of food brands but Smalls works the best. He has lots of healthy energy, soft fur, and is a happy cat. He knows the sound of me cutting open the package before feeding time and it's so cute. My cat Leaf primarily eats the pulled bird but also really likes the kibble. As far as the ordering process goes I am unsure of the difference between the kibble bags but that could just me a personal confusion with the layout/image icons for the selections. My one critique is that I always run out of food before my next order and wish I could get food sent more frequently.

    Be the first one to find this review helpful
    Verified Reviewer
    Original review: Oct. 4, 2022

    I've tried several brands and types of cat food and nothing makes me feel like I'm feeding my cat the best like Smalls. It's grain free and human grade ingredients that nourishes my cat and has actually helped with his stomach issues. My cat enjoys what he eats and I know I'm feeding him the best option.

    2 people found this review helpful
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    Smalls Company Information

    Company Name:
    Smalls
    Website:
    www.smalls.com