Purina Beyond Grain Free Cat Food Review

We purchased Purina Beyond Grain-Free Cat Food so our reviewer could put it to the test. Keep reading for our full product review.

All cats are different, and many have specific dietary concerns, but Purina Beyond claims that its Grain Free Cat Food is a healthy, well-balanced option. Its formula, which contains premium ingredients (like real ocean white fish) and essential minerals, is even overseen by in-house nutritionists. To see if this food lived up to the brand’s claims, we sent it home with one of our testers, who fed it to her 3-year-old cat for several weeks. Read on to find out what she (and her furry friend) really thought.

Ingredients: Balanced nutrition

This dry cat food is produced in Purina Beyond’s own facilities and overseen by in-house cat nutritionists. In this particular flavor, ocean whitefish, which provides amino acids, is the primary ingredient, while eggs contribute additional protein. The food is also completely free of corn, wheat, soy, poultry by-product meal, added artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. For alternative sources of carbohydrates in this grain-free formula, Purina Beyond incorporates ingredients like cassava root flour, dried sweet potatoes, pea fiber, and pea starch. Also, this formula uses naturally preserved beef fat, which, in addition to being an energy source, is meant to help the food taste better.

Benefits: Made for good digestion and overall health

This food’s ingredient list has a number of health benefits. The ocean whitefish is an excellent source of protein that helps cats build and maintain muscle. Cassava root flour, pea fiber, and pea starch all help with healthy digestion as well as provide energy. The formula also includes a variety of essential minerals that support everything from nerve and muscle function to strong teeth and bones.

Our tester agreed: “Overall, it does seem good for my cat’s weight and health,” she said, although she didn’t notice any major differences or changes in her cat. Still, she had nothing negative to say; her cat didn’t experience any digestion issues when switching over to this food and also maintained a healthy weight.

Taste and Texture: Cat-approved but has a strong smell

When it comes to what food your cat will actually like, there are no guarantees. So what did our tester’s cat think? “She seemed to enjoy eating it,” she said. Our reviewer, however, didn’t love the smell of the food: “This product also has a strong odor that I found a little off-putting,” she revealed, “although my cat seemed to really like it.” Our tester also thought that the food’s texture was unpleasant, reporting that it “felt sort of icky in the way that wet food can feel icky.”

Want to take a look at some other options? See our guide to the best frozen and freeze-dried raw cat food available.

Design: Standard packaging

The food comes in your choice of a 3-, 5-, or 11-pound plastic bag. The 11-pound bag measures 3.8 x 7.8 x 11 inches, and it’s suggested you store it in a dry place at room temperature. Our tester felt that the packaging was standard for cat food and had no complaints or suggestions.

Price: Fairly reasonable

You can usually find this food for around $30 for an 11-pound bag, which makes it neither a major bargain nor super expensive. Our tester felt the price point was “reasonable” and also that it was more than justified based on the food’s healthy properties. “I would definitely pay a little more to feel like the dry food we feed her is healthier,” our reviewer said of her cat.

Purina Beyond Natural Grain Free Ocean Whitefish and Egg Recipe vs. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food

Both Purina Beyond and Natural Balance tout nutrient-rich formulas with a commitment to real, high-quality ingredients. Both of these recipes are also grain-free, which is supposed to support healthy digestion in your cat. It’s tough to rate taste because that’s going to come down to which your cat prefers, but the biggest area of comparison here is price—which happens to also be similar between these two brands. Purina Beyond, though, is slightly cheaper at about $30 for an 11-pound bag, whereas Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food is about the same price for a 10-pound bag. However, while our Purina Beyond tester felt the smell was off-putting enough to dissuade her from purchasing it, our tester for Natural Balance had no similar complaints.

Need some more help finding what you're looking for? Read through our best premium dry foods for cats article.