Cat Person vs. Smalls: See My Cat’s Favorite

Our cat Nova is my husband’s and my baby, and we’re always looking for ways to give her the best nutrition so she can live her healthiest life. When we first got her, we started her out on pretty generic kibble–but it definitely disagreed with her stomach, so we knew it was a sign to start searching for higher-quality options.

Cat Person and Smalls, two cat-only brands started by fellow cat lovers, stood out to me. In the quest for finding the food that won my feline friend’s heart, I compared both, and here’s the one we’re loving.

Cleanest ingredients: Cat Person

Cat Person’s wet food is high-quality and high-protein, which fits our cat’s unique nutritional needs perfectly. It’s got at least 50% more protein than the industry standard for cat food, and is grain-free, low-carbs, and has clean, straightforward ingredients. The dry food has a slightly higher carb count, so I definitely supplement the wet food with the dry food.

Smalls also uses clean ingredients, and there are no preservatives, so it needs to be frozen. In looking at the ingredients breakdown for Cat Person’s Paté chicken recipe and Smalls’ Fresh Ground Bird chicken recipe, Cat Person’s chicken ingredients added up to around 88% chicken and chicken broth, whereas Smalls’ chicken thigh, chicken breast, chicken liver, and chicken heart composition added up to 86.19%. I really appreciate that Cat Person’s ingredients are simplistic and easy to follow.

Smalls has human-grade ingredients, meaning us people can technically eat them safely. They are cooked in a kitchen shortly before shipping. There are no preservatives, which is why they need to be kept frozen.

Taste: Tie

When I opened up a cup of Cat Person’s Mackerel & Bream wet cat food, Nova came running to check it out. With other flavors like Salmon & Tuna and Duck, it’s no surprise that Nova is obsessed with Cat Person’s offerings. Cat Person has 8 different wet cat food options to keep your cat enjoying all types of flavors.

On the other hand, Smalls has just a couple of traditional offerings like Fish, Bird (Chicken), Cow, and Other Bird (Turkey). When I fed Nova Smalls food, she definitely seemed to like these, too.

Convenience: Cat Person

Cat Person comes in individual cups with pull-back lids, and you’ll also receive Serve and Store set which includes spoons, a scoop, and silicone lids to store any remainders (if there are any) in the fridge. The wet food is shelf-stable when unopened, so you’re not crowding the fridge. Conversely, Smalls’ food needs to be stored in the freezer and taken out one pack at a time to thaw for 24 hours before serving. The packaging isn’t resealable which is a bit of a bummer, but they do have an optional container to purchase for storing.

Shipping fees with Cat Person are always free for subscribers, unlike Smalls, where shipping is charged per box. Another fun aspect of Cat Person is that the boxes double as toys or as houses. My most recent box could be converted into a toy with a ball and holes, and Nova LOVED it! This is just such a nice touch for a cat-centric brand!

Variety: Cat Person

Cat Person offers 19 different varieties of flavors and textures in their wet and dry food. They also have treats that double as supplements, various toys, dishes, beds and accessories. Smalls also offers a variety of flavors, though fewer, and a few add-ons including litter, treats and toys.

Overall Winner: Cat Person

While they’re both great brands made by cat lovers, I love the extra variety Cat Person offers, as well as their ease of serving, their fun boxes, transparency in their website and customizable meal plans. Cat Person truly puts heart into their brand, knowing that cats are part of our family, starting at $25 for a sampler.