Nov. 13, 2024
Top 5 Ingredients* |
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Artificial Ingredients | No |
Contains By-products | No |
Price Range | $ |
*Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance Cat Formula was selected as the recipe for this ingredient list
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Kirkland Cat Food gets great reviews from cat owners. Cats seem to like the taste of the products, and owners like the fact that their cats seem to be happier and healthier after eating the food.
Many owners comment that their cats have shinier coats and renewed energy after eating Kirkland Cat Food. The lack of fillers, high levels of protein, and addition of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are great selling points for many owners who choose their cat food carefully based on ingredients and nutritional value.
In addition, the food is very affordable, which is another great feature for cat owners on a budget. The only downside of this food is the size. It comes in 25-pound bags, which many customers believe is a bit much. Pet owners who have just one cat comment that the 25-pound bag takes a long time to get through, and that it can be quite difficult to carry and transport the giant bag home.
Many people are familiar with the Kirkland brand, as it’s used to market everything from hair products to pasta sauce. Since Kirkland is a store brand, what type of quality can you expect from Kirkland cat food formulas? Is Kirkland cat food a good choice for your cat? What are some other cat owners saying about Kirkland cat food? Learn more about Kirkland brand cat food here!
Kirkland Cat Food is marketed by Costco Wholesale Corporation and is manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. Costco is one of the largest wholesale retail chains in the United States. The Kirkland brand represents the “store” brand of Costco, and is marketed as a less expensive option to conventional brands. The Kirkland brand is named after the town where Costco previously had its headquarters, Kirkland, Washington.
Kirkland cat food formula was recalled in 2007, and is still listed on the FDA’s website. In order to make sure that your cat’s food is safe, it’s always highly recommended that you check the FDA’s pet food recall website. This will help you to stay updated on the latest pet food recall information.
Update 5/5/12 Diamond Pet Foods is expanding their recall to include some Kirkland dry cat food formulas. Please check out our blog post dealing with this issue.
In most Kirkland formulas, a whole meat is the first ingredient, followed by a meat meal. Chicken is the most commonly used source of protein in Kirkland cat food. The carbohydrates in Kirkland cat food primarily come from brown rice. Some Kirkland formulas do have added salt. There do not seem to be any artificial preservatives in Kirkland cat food, and the formulas are also free of chemical colorings.
There don’t appear to be any corn, wheat or soy ingredients in Kirkland cat food formulas. However, some cats do have a sensitivity to grain, and may not do well on formulas that contain rice. If your cat has a known allergy to a specific ingredient, you should always read the ingredients list of any cat food formula.
Where can I buy Kirkland?
You may be wondering, “Where can I buy Kirkland Cat Food?”. To assist you, we have included links on the specific Kirkland formula pages to purchase Kirkland cat food.
How much Kirkland should I feed my cat?
A common question that many pet owners have, is “How much Kirkland cat food should I feed my cat?”. Since the answer is dependent on several factors (such as your cat’s age, weight, activity level, etc) always follow the specific instructions on your formula’s packaging.
Kirkland Cat Food Coupons
Sometimes, pet food manufacturing companies will offer us coupons to share on our site. Are you searching for Kirkland cat food printable coupons? We will let you know when they are available!
Please check back soon for Kirkland cat food coupons!
Kirkland Cat Food Ingredient List
Best cat food available at its price range. Have been using for 2+ years without any problems. Highly recommended!
I have been feeding my cats Kirkland Maintenance for around 8 years, never had any health issues. They love it and have healthy, shiny coats. I usually take it out of the bag and store it in smaller well sealed plastic containers to keep it fresh. (The big containers that cheese balls and pretzels come in work great!)
I was thinking to try Kirkland cat premium food but after read all this review I think we will stay away from Costco cat food.
I can’t afford premium cat food cuz I owned 3 cats and feed a feral colony of 42 so my budget only give to get cat chow.
And keep close care to ferals so I prefer keep healthy with cat chow.
Thank for all reviews
One of the things I am not seeing in ANY of the posts is not all animals can handle a protein rich diet. Diarehha and vomiting are signs of too much protein and you made need to change to a lower protein food. Personally had an dog and a cat like this and the only food that they could digest was a low protein / ‘crap’ food. But they were healthy and happy. Read labels. Investigate sites and do your due diligence. What works for you may not work for your pet. Kirkland was too rich for my dogs before but our ‘vet recommended’ food no longer meets the needs of my pets. We are switching back to it.
We have been using Kirkland’s Super Premium Maintenance Cat Formula for almost a year now and have a happy, healthy, energetic kitty that won’t eat anything else. LOL
It’s easy to blame a cat food when you don’t know why your kitty became ill or even worse. I can see by various posts that there are a lot of other factors you need to consider as well, that could be affecting your kitties negatively before you blame it on the cat food.
I believe our friends at Costco are doing their very best to provide good affordable healthy products for people and pets. I am sure they must be checking into the quality of their pet foods when people return bags with complaints. I know our Costco store does.
I’ve lost two cats in a months time on this Food. They got liver and kidney failure out of nowhere. After racking up vet bills they were unable to find the cause of their illness. We bought the food between the months of January and March. We had two other cats that got mouth sores and some type of internal infection. I have filed a complaint with Kirkland and the FDA. DO NOT FEED YOUR CATS THIS FOOD.
Dry food in general can cause these issues with cats, Its not specifically due to any brand, More so the fact that cats don’t drink enough and NEED canned/raw food to prevent kidney issues. I’m sorry for your loss!
Do you have Lillies in your garden or did you have a bouquet of Oriental Lillies in your home prior to the onset of their kidney/liver failure? If so … mystery solved …. COntact with any part of a Lily will cause Kidney Failure in Cats … they should come with a Warning Label ….
I have fed my cat Kirkland brand cat food for years and have never had a problem…my last cat lived to the ripe old age of 19 and I’m reasonably sure he died from old age. All of my cats have had long healthy lives and all have lived on Kirkland cat food.
I have a 4 year old male cat I have fed Kirkland cat food to all his life. Over the last few months he has lost over 7 lbs and has kidney failure. I first noticed blood in his urine and treated him for urinary tract infections twice. Right now he is touch and go. I am worried it was this food. I have two other younger cats that seem fine now. I am scared to feed them this food now. The vet has no idea why a young cat would have the kidney failure. I will be calling Costco to return the food.
I wish I would have put the two together sooner. We have two kitties and as soon as they turned six months old we decided it was time to take them off kitten food and bought the kirkland cat food. When we first bought the food we mixed it 3/4 old food 1/4 new food for about a week than gradually increased new food ammount to old food ammount til the food was 100% kirkland brand cat food. The first couple weeks both cats did great but now one cat has diarrhe. After a week I started talking to my friends and found that others have had issues with kirkland cat food too. I will be going today to buy a different brand of cat food! plus I’ll be calling and putting in a complaint with kirkland cat food. So sad cause I LOVE costco!
I contacted Costco (Seattle) and directly to Kirkland pet food distribution (1-800-797-9607 #on bag) to register a complaint and express my concerns. I conversed with their in house veterinarian and was told the batch number is to be checked; however the actual food in the bags I have will not. I cannot encourage enough for anyone with a questionable issue with their pets well being linked to Kirkland pet food to call and register their concerns. If not contaminated or tainted ingredients, I question the “nutritional” recipe formula. I will no longer be purchasing pet food from Costco.
I have a 14 year old cat. Is this food for her?
A few members of the cat rescue group I work with have said they’ve had problems with the Kirkland cat food just recently. The cats had serious urinary problems and crystals after about a month of feeding either a new formulation or contaminated batch in January 2015. The problems were severe enough to cause several thousand dollars in vet bills. For years many rescuers have used Kirkland cat food (purple bag) for years but be aware that it may not be the same formulation as it was in the past.
Just today, one member lost 2 of 4 kitties that suddenly became extremely ill after eating from a new bag of this cat food. It doesn’t look good for the survival of the other two at this time. Niko makes an excellent point about where the ingredients may have come from. Just wish this food could be tested by a third party to see IF one of the ingredients is contaminated so that the FDA could warn consumers before anyone else loses a beloved pet. As of today, BUYER BEWARE!
Symptoms seem to vary up to my cats refusing to eat. Long story short something is definitely amiss. I contacted Costco distribution and was told there are random tests preformed but could not tell me the frequency or notification process if foods are tainted. I was directed to return the remaining food, express my concerns and/or complaint to Customer Service at my local Costco. They are suppose to return the bag(s) for testing. Who knows where the ingredients come from; however, I was told the pet foods are manufactured on the east coast. If you have any pet related issues, please do the same.
I switched my three cats to the Kirkland brand food about a year ago after feeding them the vet-recommended Hills Science Diet for their entire lives. I thought that the more expensive food was better. I was wrong. I no longer have to clean up vomit every day and all cats are more energetic and in great health. This was a much better choice for my beloved cats and is also less expensive. A total win all around!
Where does the ingredients come form what county is the cat food made?
Fed kirkland food for over a year July of 2014 my 9 cats started with severe diarrhea. Vet bill over 4,000. The odd thing is they where gaining weight but the diarrhea was bad. In November 2014 switched the food. I still can’t find cat food that works for all 9 cats. However, after I stopped kirkland cat food no more diarrhea. Beside the diarrhea kirkland was great. No hair ball. Beautiful fur. Now I cant seem to find food that will work for all of them.
The one piece of information I am not seeing, and should be included with anyone switching brands of food for their pets is are they remembering to gradually introduce the food, mixing with the food they have been getting. I know that if you just switch food, it can cause diarrhea, and other problems with a pet’s digestion. I used to use the Kirkland Maintenance Cat Food, and have been thinking of going back to it. I need more information from the commentors… Appreciate all your help.
There are folks I know of who’ve fed Kirkland cat food for years no problem but who NOW are seeing problems feeding it! Company claims no formula changes which may be true but perhaps ingredients themselves are faulty (ie mold or other pathogen contaminating the food). When animals who’ve eaten & enjoyed a food for several years suddenly don’t want to eat it anymore & also get very sick to the point of some dying even, then something has definitely gone awry in that food:-(
We have a rescue with about 30 indoor cats. We have used Kirkland food for years. In the past two months, we have had serious problem with diarrhea. After reading this, we switched food and it has cleared up. Kirkland food has a different shape, size, and odor than it used to. We took back the unopened bags and explained the issue and tried to show them this site and others, but the store staff was rude and didn’t care. I wish they’d at least look into it.
This food came highly recommended by my vet. Just made the switch… I guess we will see. Do remember to take into consideration when reading this reviews that people very rarely take the time to write positive reviews about a product they love. You usually only ever see the negative ones. I have spent days online researching cat food and there are pages of negative reviews on every cat food out there!! This includes some of the best foods on the market. If you believe everything you read, there is literally no safe food out there!
I started to feed my 40 rescue cats Kirkland on the recommendation of our rescue’s president after I became suspicious of some donated food. Several cats had lost hair and specialty (expensive) food had not helped. The Kirkland has no fish and many cats are allergic to fish. Once I started feeding the Kirkland all the hair issues cleared up and I was thrilled to have a good, inexpensive food to give our cats. However, this last year has seen 4 cats die of intestinal lymphoma, another of kidney failure and another of congestive heart failure. Another one has just been diagnosed with lymphoma. The oldest of these was only 12 years old with most of them just 8 or 9 years. I’m not saying it’s the Kirkland food but it’s suspicious that young animals are all coming down with the same thing in a short period of time, especially in light of things I’ve been hearing on posts like this. My dog also eats Kirkland and has had no issues.
I have fed my cat this for years….. Had one die of lymphoma 15 months ago. Another cat was diagnosed with it just today. A third cat died of an unknown cancer about 4 months ago. You have me really thinking about this food……
I am a die-hard Costco fan and thought I would investigate their cat food…..lots of mixed reviews! I am adopting my first cat this week and trying to figure out if I should feed her soft or hard food, and the best kind of food. Since I am at Costco a lot, I thought it would be convenient to buy the food there….if it’s good. Now I don’t know what to do. I also would appreciate any advice on cat litter, cat box, etc. This will be an indoor cat. thank you!
Beware of Kirklands pet food!!
I bought this for my healthy four year old cat. He normally eats meow mix and has gotten pretty fat so I thought I’d slowly switch up his food a little. Within four days he was violently throwing up and visibly dehydrated and wouldn’t eat or drink. After three days of this I took him to the vet. Vet said without running expensive tests there was no way to know for sure what was wrong but he agreed it was most likely the food. Vet gave him intravenous fluids and a shot of ant-nausea medicine. He said to watch him for 24 hours and if he didn’t start to show interest in food or water to bring him back in to be admitted. Luckily he improved and is fine.
I called Costco to let them know the food could be bad, they couldn’t have cared less. Told me I could bring the unused in for a refund…nice. I directly emailed kirklands and never heard back. I’m not looking for them to pay my vet bill just wanted them to know their food could very likely be bad.
I have been feeding my cats for the last 8 years with kirkland cat food and they never had any problems whatsoever. My cats are aged 10 and 15 years old. The problem was something else with your cat or this is a fake review from a competitor.
I have fed my cats this food for the past 5 years and had a problem with my last bag I bought. They were throwing up and had diarrhea from it. They are indoor cats and didn’t get into anything. I brought it back and switched them to a different brand and they got better. It is not right of you to tell someone else that “The problem was something else with your cat or this is a fake review from a competitor.” Maybe you work for Diamond and are trying to convince people that there isn’t a problem. There have been many complaints about these same symptoms happening. Maybe Diamond should truly look into this issue and not just tell people they haven’t had any complaints about this before. There are many people telling Costco and Diamond about the problem and they continue to tell people that they haven’t heard of any issues with the food. Something is not right and they need to actually look into the issue. These are people’s family members that are getting really sick! I loved the kirkland food and I recommend it to others. My mothers cat had the same issue and she had to switch to a different food.i just want them to take this seriously so other cats don’t have to go through the same problems!
I’ve been reading that cats can develop ”allergy” symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea if they eat the same thing for too long. I have yet to see the science on it, so I’m posting this merely for people to see as something to look into. My 6 year old cat started throwing up, added some wet food into his diet for the first time in a year and he is fine again.
Personally I’m going to stick with the Kirkland as it ”cured” my oldest cats chronic UI issues. Will continue to add in canned food a few times/week.
It is much more likely your cat ate something other than pet food to become as ill as you claim.
If your cat was outside, he could have eaten anything from rotten garbage to a poisoned mouse.
As far as Kirkland pet food goes, our cat loves and thrives on the stuff and I have no problem recommending it to cat lovers everywhere
I’m surprised the vet didn’t tell you that some cats can react like that when you suddenly change their food. It’s better on their bodies if you switch it gradually and increase the new food/ decrease the old food over the course of a week or 2 so their system can adjust. It could have been something else but a lot of animals will start vomiting or diarrhea with change in their food.
I don’t understand why anyone would be dumb enough to buy a food that is made by a third party. A third party like Diamond Pet Food that brokers it’s ingredients out to the lowest bidder. So they get tainted grain from China that kills some cats and sickens dogs – finally recalled by the FDA. WHY buy from them when so many more reputable companies are out there?
I used to feed my cats Kirkland brand but found that I had more health complications and my vet bills were higher because of it. I originally bought it because I had 45 rescue cats to feed and it was easy on the budget. BIG MISTAKE. I found that after I switched to Medi-Cal which I bought through my vet…I wasn’t taking the cats in to the vet for health problems as often as I had when I fed them the cheaper Kirkland brand food. So it ended up that I spent more on food.. less at the Vets and my cats were way healthier. So anybody that wants to feed their cats cheap cat food.. just remember that even though you think you are saving money now.. in the long run .. your pets health will suffer and you will be spending what you didn’t on their food.. but at the vet. When on Kirkland brand my cats suffered from hair loss, bald spots, lethargic, dull hair, pooped more because of the poor ingredients that they weren’t digesting, etc.. It wasn’t just one or two cats that had an adverse reaction to it..it was all 45 of them. So that right there tells me they need to do a bit more research and come up with a better quality of food. Please do not feed your cats this food!
My
I used this food for almost 3 years after switching from Wellness. The cats used to get diarrhea and I never attributed it to this food, since we also gave them wet good on occasion. Since we have three cats and even the least picky one started to not eat it, I thought there was a problem with the bag of food – maybe it was stale or something, Yet since it continued after two bags, I switched to Natural Balance which is more expensive and I give them wet food (Friskies) also. I don’t see diarrhea anymore. I wish I could give them Kirkland because the price is better, but I doubt I will go back to it unless I mix it with something else. I see here that Kirkland has the same rating as Natural Balance. However, the cats eat Natural Balance much better than Kirkland. Natural Balance is almost twice as expensive. On both foods he cats maintained a healthy weight on the slender side and very active different ages, 3, 6 and 13. I would like to find something better than Natural Balance since their reviews are average.
My siamese liked it, we have no complaints, so far.
I have been using this for a few years and I’ve never had a problem. We recently opened a new bag and no cat will touch it. We feed a stray cat that occasionally comes around and the cat had no problem eating the food but with the new bag it will not touch the food. I must need to take the food back to Costco and exchange it.
I have also been using this for years with all of my cats, but – as other comments also state – recently my cats have also been getting diarrhea from this food. Its very strange. Costco needs to make this right with the manufacturer.
Our Maine Coon has been eating Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance Chicken and Rice Formula Cat Food for the last 9 years. He loves it. Recently, however, we opened a new bag and our cat wouldn’t touch the food. I finally took the new bag back to Costco and exchanged it for a newer bag and now he’s eating fine again. We actually ran a test where we put out a dish with some kibble from the questionable bag first and he wouldn’t touch it. Then minutes later we put out a dish with food from the newer bag and he scarfed it down. ???
That’s scary. There’s obviously something wrong with the food. Costco needs to be made aware of this. Some dry kibble is recalled after animals end up sick from it and they found out it has too much of some ingredient like melanin or something like that.
Or it could be that it’s stale. I have read that they put something in the food to make the smell appealing – cats rely on their scent for appetite. Maybe one bag lacked that.
It seems Costco cat food is inconsistent and they should be informed of this. It could be stale, or there could be an ingredient imbalance. I have read that some kibble of other brands were recalled because of an excess additive that made cats sick. Maybe your cat can smell that. Or if it’s stale, maybe your cat can’t smell it. I’ve read that the odor is very important for their appetite.
I have read they have had the same issues with their dog food.
Been feeding this to my babies for years with no problems. Now both have diarrhea when I started to fed from the new bag. DONT FEED THIS TO YOUR PETS!! Something in it has changed. Vet bills are adding up quickly!
My 20 lb tabby is 9 yrs old, and has ALWAYS had dry flaky skin, and ,at times, even hair breakage. His female litter mate ,the opposite: acne. I’m a cosmetologist, so my first thought was : ” it’s the food”, which was frustrating because I had been feeding them one high quality expensive dry food or another since they were kittens.
The last ” super premium “food was also super expensive, and my big boy was eating me outta house and home and I figured he could stand to drop some lbs. Coincidentally, my 6 lb chihuahua, also on the same grain free brand was itching so badly that the dr put him on prednisone. BUT we assumed it was seasonal allergies,and very well could have been.
SO THERE I WAS AT COSTCO….
Hard to pass up that great big bag of Kirkland adult weight maintenance Cat food. Super great deal. Had been recommended to me by my clients who used both Kirkland cat and dog food.
Of course, I mixed it half and half w the remainder of food they were currently on, til it was gone….
They’ve been on the straight Kirkland brand about one month.
Yesterday, I noticed the females acne is just about cleared up. Still hadn’t made a connection. But today, noticed that my tabby felt so soft, and his coat had a nice sheen to it! FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!
Also he looked “bright -eyed” . Never knew what that even meant before.
So I figure it’s GOTTA BE THAT KIRKLAND FOOD.
Yes my cats all had healthy skin and hair on Kirkland. They seem to be doing fine on Natural Balance now….
With eight cats ranging in age from 17 to 8, Kirkland cat food is a godsend. It’s got good ingredients and the beasts love it. We’ve had no issues with puking or anything. Buy with confidence!
We have 4 cats of our own and 2 fosters. We foster a lot of kittens and cats for a good friend of mine that runs Animal World Rescue. We have been feeding them the Kirkland brand signature cat food for years and have never had any problems although I will tell you that your cats should be eating out of metal or glass bowls. Just like the BPA chemicals in sippy cups also can affect cats if they are eating and/or drinking out of plastic bowls. Just a head up, I know a lot of people don’t know that. I didn’t know until about a year ago.
I’ve been using Costco’s Super Premium Maintenance Cat Formula and the Adult Cat Healthy Weight and Hairball Control blends of dry cat food for almost 20 years.
But I feed, water and exercise my cats with a little more intelligence than the average animal care taker.
1. Checked manufacturer of Kirkland cat food, Diamond Pet Foods with my vet and got his approval. No artificial coloring nor flavoring, But when I checked powdered cellulose, the type was not listed. Will check all the ingredients. Dry cat food keeps the teeth clean.
I remove most of the air in the bag of food and seal it tightly after filling three 3/4 gallon containers with lids. I use one 20lb bag per each month. The “use by date” is about 10 months after purchase. Bag purchased around Aug 12, 2014 has use by date of 12 Jun 2015 which give syou 10 months to use food. The mixed tocopherols preserve the chicken fat, but I also assumed there are preservatives in the packaging that do not have to be listed
2. I sometimes sprinkle some nutritional yeast on the dry food. My female cat often demands the yeast.
3. I have dishes of reverse osmosis filtered water at three location in my home. Dry cat food must include lots of good water! Unfiltered tap water is harmful to both humans and animals. My cats won’t drink the smelly tap water.
4. EXERCISE: I walk and run my cats for a quarter of a mile 3 to 7 times weekly using a silent dog whistle. I have a cat door that allows them out anytime. Sometimes they go out even in the rain.
If humans and animals don’t exercise they often get fat, lazy, depressed, sick and die early. My cats run around the house and often run up the stairs to their dishes of food.. They’re so full of energy.
5. I give them orally 4 or 5cc of a solution of one activated drop of mms diluted in 60cc of filtered water(0.07 or 0.08 of a mms drop). This keeps them very healthy.
6. The cats received their initial shots but none after the first year.
One of my 3 cats that is outdoors most of the time, climbing trees and jumping onto the roof ended up with arthritis. With tapping, massage and glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, l-cysteine and food concentrate of vitamin c I have reduced his arthritic pain. I’m going to add tart cherry concentrate, but have not yet determined amount, probably 0.07 of amount for 150 lb human.
I would like to hear more about how you walk and run your cats!
I let mine out somewhat freely but since we have coyotes around here, I must time when they can go out and when they must come in. I know I would never be able to run and walk them….
We purchased the Kirkland Maintenance food on Saturday for our 2 cats (Persian and Maine Coon). By Wednesday, our big-eater cat (Maine Coon) had acute diarrhea and has vomited 4 times. In addition, the stool and vomit have occasional traces of blood.
However, the light eater (Persian) has shown no signs of illness.
For safety, we checked for recalls and saw these reviews and have since removed the cat food to see if the big guy improves.
you need to slowly transition most cats from one food to a new food. Maine Coons can be tricky so suggest you go back to the old food & mix 75% old food with 25% new food (Kirkland) & feed for 3-4 days. If no issues, then go to 50/50 mix. Feed for 3-4 days & if no issues, go to 25% old food to 75% new food etc. Depending on the cat, you might have to start with 90/10 ratio if the 75/25 still causes the runs. It should work out ok. Also – don’t discount your Maine Coon’s “hunting” ability. Ours loves catching & eating house centipedes which cause runs, vomiting with tinges of blood….Took me a bit to figure it out until I watched & saw the results the following day. I almost blamed food until this happened a 2nd time. Good luck!
Great information….maybe that’s why my cat had diarrhea…she used to catch those too.
My 2 cats have been eating this food for about a month & 1/2 and the youngest one has had nothing but diarrhea. My maine coon has been vomiting but more than usual. After seeing so many awful reviews from another site, I’m discontinuing use of this food as well.
I feed my cats Maintenance Cat Food and have for the past year. My cats love it and have never had any problems.
I just bought and opened a Kirkland Super Premium Maintenance Chicken & Rice cat food this past Thursday, August 14th, fed my cat and kitten late afternoon, and on Friday morning the kitten had really pudding like stool. It’s now Saturday and they both still have very soft stool which prompted me to check if there were any issues reported. Thank goodness, I found all your feedback!
Our bag’s production code is: best by 23 Jul 2015. 4204 DL KFC0712CIS SXS 03:16
For a Chicken & Rice formula, the bag smells fishy to me and my girl does look and feels chunkier.
Kirkland cat food buyers – BEWARE!
JL – was this the first time you fed the Kirkland? If yes, then you need to slowly transition. See my earlier post to someone with same issue. If not, then very strange as no issues in my house. Tks for posting bag info as very important for all to share this info as it’s the only way to sort out a possible issue ahead of a recall….if there’s an issue..
I have fed this cat food to my cats for years. I will NEVER feed it to them again. They have changed the formula without informing consumers. My cats have had diarrhea from it and were so sick. One of my cats passed away from complications and I am devastated. I don’t want anyone’s cat to have to experience the pain that my cat had to go through. He was like a child to me and we did everything we could to make him better but he was in so much pain and there was nothing left to do. It was the most horrible thing to have to experience. I don’t want anyone else have to go through this so please be careful.
I am so sorry for your loss. It’s like losing a child for sure…Could you please give more details when you are feeling up to it? It would help those of us who feed this kibble & make a more informed decision. What was changed in the formula and when? What was the date of your bag? Thank you
May I ask what happened. My cats just switched 2 months ago to this. One is vomiting and the other is in animal hospital fighting for her life.
I have been purchasing Kirkland Super Premium Maintenance Cat for sometime now with no problems. Recently I purchased two bags. We have 6 indoor cats and they would not touch the food. I then tried feeding it to 7 feral cats that we take care of. They would not eat as well. I then mixed it 50-50 with another brand of cat food. The feral cats ate 100% of the other brand and left the Kirkland brand in the bowl.
The final test was to feed it to a group of raccoons that live under our deck. THEY WOULD NOT EAT IT!!. They sniffed it and took a couple of bites and walked away. Raccoons eat anything or so I thought.
I just threw out about 50 lbs of this product. dO NOT BUY THIS CAT FOOD.
Wow obviously another fake review. Pathetic.
My cat has been eating the food for over a year. Recently he had been getting diarrhea daily. We took Odie to the vet and tried a few things and finally figured out it was the food. So we switched from the Kirkland brand and he has been doing so much better. Be aware!! Diarrhea can lead to dehydration which can lead to several other severe complications. I guess because the formula changed he did not take well to it. I researched but didn’t find anything about my batch dated march 2015 so please be careful!!
What was the change in the formula? I’m hoping to find someone who actually saved this info after comparing and old bag to a changed one.
I have used the dry main fence food for my 6 cats. Two have become obese, while eating the same amount. One of these has developed food allergy. She is a Maine Coon and has pulled out her fur on back over her hips. Has Costco changed its formula?
Yes, the formula has changed and my cat became ill. I have done much research on internet and discovered at batched with an expiry of May 2015 have sickened both cats and dogs. The Kirkland foods are made by Diamond Pet Foods. Diamond has changed their ingredients recently. I think they have also been bought out by Proctor and Gamble so the quality may have been compromised as well. I stopped feeding Kirkland as soon as my cats look ill and after a month they seem much better, no longer losing fur and listless! Sadly, Costco does not seem concerned about the problem.
Thanks for replying! I have been struggling looking for hypoallergenic cat food, which is not truly available. Looking at the blog with recalls here, I am glad my cats and dogs have not died from the company’s problems! I make try making my own pet food. I hope my meat grinder is up for it!
Hypoallergenic? Sounds like your cat may be allergic to grains. Try Blue Buffalo “Freedom” Grain free – great food but very expensive.
Rice is the only grain in this food, and it’s highly non-allergenic so I doubt that is the issue here. Blue Buffalo is a horrible choice – it’s loaded with items that are toxic to cats. (think all herbs, vegetables, fruits)
Blue Buffalo is terrible food. Wonder why they are advertising so much lately and their food is on sale so frequently now? Their food was making pets sick within the past year vomiting and bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and they never recalled even though pets were dying. Take a look online to see all the posts from pet owners. I fed Blue Buffalo for several years and will NEVER buy them again. I make my own food now out of ground turkey, wheat bran, nutritional yeast, kelp and lecithin–Google how. It seemed like a lot to do at first, but once you mix up a bag of the dry stuff to mix in to turkey it’s no problem (mix in some ground psyllium, 1/8 tsp in 2 Tbsp water if gets constipated) but it’s definitely worth the peace of mind. Coats shiny and feel like silk–I was amazed how much healthier they are compared to what they were like on Blue Buffalo, and the turkey isn’t even organic! Sure tells you that the supposedly premium cat foods are still crap.
Where did you get your recipe? I am interested.
I buy a bag of Maintenance Cat food here in Mexico City 2 months ago and all of my 4 cats loves it, since the switch (I used to feeding them with Purina Cat Chow) they never have any health problem and they look so happy and energetic. I will buy a new bag and I definitely recommend it! The price is good and the quality is better!
I just returned a bag of Maintenance Cat food. No questions asked.. ( really no questions asked). I talked to the clerk and the manager.. I think they should have the analyzed , there is something wrong with this bag of food, they wouldn’t eat it after a partial bag was gone, it smelled strange. They got sick lost weight before I realized they were not eating it.. I changed to a new bag and they went nuts.. Simply this went bad part way through the bag ( 3 cats here) so it doesn’t last tong.. I’d like to know what and why this happened.. I’ve used the food for at least 2 years now, this was the first time .. But once is too many.. The cats seem fine now.. I did say seemed.. I asked Costco to follow up, but I got the impression it will just end up in the dumpster or maybe shipped back so they get a refund .. But no investigation..
If I were you I would divide a new bag into thirds or quarters and freeze them ( I have a chest freezer), taking out one amount at a time. Any dry food can spoil over time.
I’ve been feeding Kirkland cat kibble for 3 years, along with 2 other kibbles to give my cats 3 daily choices. (yes, seems silly but works very well actually). I change the bowls out daily. I find that the Kirkland, more than the other bags of kibble, is usually rejected after it’s been opened for a month! (I seal it very well & the bag is already nicely lined with a waxy paper so it should stay fresh, but I don’t think it does.) I can afford to toss the bag when it gets half empty (a waste) & buy a new one. My cats are fussier than most & I feel the Kirkland is cheap enough to replace when they refuse it. They like fresh…
I have been wondering if the formula has changed. It has a LOT of rice. This is high carbs, makes cats fat and high carbs can cause diabetes. I have been feeding this Kirkland cat food for years, but something is different, Cats scratching a lot. The Healthy Weight is even higher in carbs. Too many carbs!! I love the price, but I am going to have to change foods.
Matt – the Adult Maintenance is the only “good” choice for cat kibble at Costco. Pls don’t switch to Healthy Weight as it’s horrible. Cats need high protein kibble and there really isn’t anything that isn’t full of toxic junk (herbs/fruit/veggies) to cats. Avoid kibble with those. You might want to try PetSmart’s Authority Sensitive Systems Real Turkey – it doesn’t have harmful herbs, fruits or veggies. But like the Kirkland, it’s too low in protein at 32% (ideal is 40% or higher) so you need to supplement with another source of (muscle meat) protein. An excellent supplement is Whole Life single ingredient freeze dried turkey. This is only for supplement as expensive & lacks nutrients so only as a treat/supplement. They are dog treats but less expensive than the tiny cat pouch & you can break them up easily. They only need one strip daily & cats adore this food. They also make chicken & salmon. You can always cook up a chicken or turkey etc and use that to supplement. High protein = healthy cat. Most important: the source of the protein MUST be a meat (and not a by-product). SO in a good kibble, this will be the first ingredient and stated as either chicken or chicken meal (chicken meal is just finely ground & dried chicken).Good luck!
I have been using Kirkland for my two cats (15 & 17) for a couple of years now. Recently I purchased IAMS for senior cats and mixed it in, half & half. Lately, my younger cat is eating only dry food and has chronic diarrhea. They both have been diagnosed with CRF. I bought the IAMS hoping the younger one would eat more but she is the one with all the problems. I want to go back to the Kirkland but it is such a big bag. Is there another brand similar that I can buy in smaller quantity? I’m also considering the Nature’s Variety Medallions (frozen raw meat mixture). Vet says feed her whatever she will eat.
If you read all the information about Kirkland Cat Food on the left side of this page, you will see that this Costco brand product is manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. I would check to see if the same product is sold under two different brand. Diamond offers smaller bags.
I saw your article and thought I would give you my experience with my cat, Alice, who almost died a few years ago. She couldn’t eat anything commercial, dry or wet, without getting this horrible gas and diarrhea. I took her to vets; they did every test imaginable and couldn’t find the problem. The only thing I could figure was that she had some sort of irritable bowel syndrome or malabsorption. The vet suggested putting her down, but I just couldn’t until I had tried everything. I finally found a website that sold a raw diet powder that you could mix in with ground turkey or chicken. I literally had to lie on the floor with it in my hand so that she could lick it out she was so weak. Lo and behold she recovered and now a few years later she weighs probably 9 pounds and no longer has bowel problems. It is pretty expensive to order the raw diet, so I found a local place that sells Rad Cat, and she has been on that turkey formula for a long time. It is expensive, too, but if you only have the one eating it it isn’t too bad. Search it online, and it will list where you can buy it. Good luck! The raw diet definitely saved my little Alice.
where can I get it? I cant find it anywhere!
If your cats have CRF, they need to be fed food that is low in phosphorus. (None of the foods you mentioned are suitable for a CRF cat. The Nature’s Variety Medallions are extremely high in phos; I’ve researched them for my own CRF cat.) Controlling phos levels is the #1 most important thing to do in managing CRF. See felinecrf.org
Both of my cats, 5 year old Cookie and 2 year old Roxie are both on Kirkland Maintenance now. About a year ago had them on Taste of The Wild Salmon but they started getting hairballs. Switched to Science Diet Hairball Control which I mixed with Natures Domain Salmon/Sweet Potato with no problems. About November, Cookie started missing the litter box and getting bad gas. Took her to the vet who said stool sample was normal and suggested I feed either one or the other. I tried that with and still she has gas and loose stools but is maintaining her weight with normal energy. I switched both to Kirkland Maintenance which they both like. NO hairballs, but Cookie still has the flatulence/loose stool problem. Her coat is good, she plays daily and weight is normal for this time of year. Today I bought Acana Wild Prairie on a store owners advice and will mix and try to convert to this. Any help out there? Could this be IBS, colon problem? I considered switching her to wet food but isolating the two will be a problem. Any similar issues?
I totally recommend trying wet food. best is grain free. Avoderm has a salmon + chicken grain free that has a little gravy. I would say to try putting a few grains of the kibble they are used to on top. I feed my cat 80% wet and 20% dry. they need the meat/protein. dry, I have used canyon creek but will have to switch to 1 of the science diets formula. my goal is to keep wheat, corn and soy away from my cats. I also try to minimize salt which I really don’t understand why so many vendors use salt. good luck.
Weruva Mack And Jack With Mackerel and Grilled Skipjack Canned is a great one and look at other flavors
My cat almost died from the same bowel problems; vet couldn’t diagnose any problem and wanted to put her down. As a last resort I started her on a raw diet online and due to the shipping cost ended up buying RAD CAT Turkey. You can search online and find out where you can buy it. It literally saved my cat, Alice, and now she weighs 9 lbs and is as active as a kitten. Good luck!It’s worth a try. (she only gets ill again when she gets into my other cats’ commercial food!)
White breed of cat is Alice? I have one fluffy ginger cat who is the most sensitive and the most active..she is small and weights about 7 lbs. I have two others, a 10lb muscular Torte who was feral and an older 10 lbs American Tabby. The Torte and American Tabby never seem to have any digestive problems. They’re all females.
Dave K: Your post is 5mos old now but here is some feedback. I have several cats. Some yrs ago, I had switched from Eagle Pack Holistic (cats were healthy, coats good, etc) to Acana + occasionally Orijen, a slightly “higher end” formula…both made by Champion. These are considered highest commercial foods and closest to cats’ natural diet. Company very conscientious and particular about sourcing of their raw materials. The cats went from healthy by anyone’s standards to amazing. Their coats became even more sleek and lustrous, eyes bright, energy picked up and they actually lost weight (not obese to start with). Then I had financial changes and was forced to find a less expensive food. I tried several (still pet store brands, not grocery store and no corn formulas) and finally tried Kirkland Maintenance Chicken and Rice. While it is not my first choice and I will go back to Acana when finances improve, this has worked ok. This was a relief as 2 cats are white and prone to skin issues and a couple are sensitive and more particular. Their coats are not as shiny and they seem somewhat less energetic but I have not had any major problems or UTI symptoms. Occasional looser stools in one litter box; not a general reaction from all the cats. It is a better quality formula than some that many people unfortunately still consider to be good like Iams (used to be years ago before company sold) and Science Diet. Kirklands Maintenance Chicken and Rice is an especially good value $17.99 for 25lb bag. I did also try the Taste of the Wild Salmon from Costco and several of the cats hated it. They have used the Acana Pacific (fish) as well as the Acana Praire (chicken) so do not think it is an aversion to fish in general. I returned the bag for a refund with no problem.
Does anyone have a cat that developed diabetes after eating Kirkland Healthy Weight food? One of my cats ate a great deal of it (there are reasons I have to free feed in my house), but since I stopped buying it, his blood glucose has gone back to almost normal. He’s down from 5 units 2x/day to one unit 2x/day.
No but me cat died by eated Kirkland cat food
My male cat had the same problem with kirkland cat food, I started giving him canned cat food with no grains (vet advised) I no longer needed to give him shots and he lived for 5 more years he died at age 20
My lovely kitty,
he really love it. Always Kirkland is alright.
I have to say, very impressed with the ingredient listing, my cat has had ear issues for the last 3 years and w/n a week of feeding my kitty Kirkland, the ear issues have just about cleared 100%. Am delighted w/this resoloution.In addition, I also researched calorie count so my kitty will lose some weight, Kirkland seemed reasonable, we’ll see how that works.Our animals are special members of the family and I’m grateful to Kirkland for putting out a quality product.
Most people don’t know that cat ear issues and generalized body itching can be caused by food allergies, and often the allergy is to corn, wheat or soy. Since Kirkland does not have corn, wheat or soy, your cats are probably allergic to one or more of those grains. If you are careful not to give them any of those in treats or in wet food (any of the wet foods that have slices, pieces, gravy, cuts etc. have wheat gluten in them!), the ear problems may be behind them.
since kirkland is a costco only lable it can only be gotten there. however diamond brands does make the kirkland food and they do make their own brand that is very similar to the kirkland and it can be bought at many pet outlets at least here in california. I used to buy it at discount pet store among others. look around for it it is very good especially for the cost usually around $13.00 per 25 pound bag.
Kirkland Cat Food is manufactured by Diamond Pet Food.
I was just wondering if you have heard of any cats becoming ill, of late. I just switched my 6 1/2 yr old dsh Male, to Super Premium Healthy Weight Cat Formula. He has since changed over night. My other female cat is fine. He went from a happy bright green eyed frisky kitty to a black eyed dying cat! He has been to the vet, and we are just trying to figure things out. He will be seeing the vet again tomorrow evening. Don’t get me wrong, Kirkland is my favorite brand name. Just trying to cover everything.
Sincerely
Jeannette LeBlanc
Did you mux the Kirkland food slowly with the old food? I know if you switch food without a gradual mixing it can cause GI problems. Hope your kitty is better.
I’m so glad that you posted this. My cat has become ill and I thought there may be a recall or problems with this batch of food. The cats have been on this food for two years now and this batch has made my one cat very sick. We go back to the Vet today.
Did you find anything out about the cat food? I have 2 cats who have only ever eaten the Costco food (in the purple bag). For the last month plus, they have thrown up SO much. Pretty much everyday. I thought maybe it was hairballs, but now i’m thinking it’s the food??
Let me know if you got any info.
Has anyone determined this batch of food is bad? I too have two youngish, healthy Siamese cats that recently have gotten sick. So weird that it’s happening to both of them at the same time. They eat Kirkland only. They are not barfers, but lately they’re barfing a couple times a week.
I put my cats on Kirkland in November and in February bought a new bag and all of a sudden all three cats took sick! I immediately took them off the food and did an immediate switch to Fromm (I usually do a gradual switch). Fromm is a high end organic cat food that is very expensive. They recovered so I started mixing in the Kirkland again and they took sick again. The rest of the bag (95%) ended up in the trash. I had read good reviews about the Kirkland brand and the first bag seemed fine but the lot that I bought in February scared me.
I need to find a more economical source of food for my trio but am now worried about using Kirkland brand.
I fed my 3 housecats only Kirkland dry food. One lived a very healthy 18 years and one lived a very healthy 19 years. Our current cat is over 10 years old and going strong. I fully expect with our track record that he will make it to 20! The vets have always remarked how very healthy they are. Strong bodies, beautiful coats, bright eyes and never sick. All 3 were all rescues. I leave food out for them at all times and they eat when hungry . Not one has been overweight. They don’t have to over eat because they know their food is always right there when they want it.
This is the only food all of my 5 cats will eat and enjoy! I feel no guilt because there are no by-products or grains. They are all healthy. My Manx used to have problems with diarrhea, but not since feeding the Kirkland. Another had weight issues, but stabilized on the Kirkland. I urge anyone ho uses Hill’s products (Iams, Eukaneuba, Science Diet) to READ THE INGREDIENT LIST and then decide if it is the bet based on the ingredient list, not the vet office recommendation. Vets have very little training in nutrition and Hills sponsors the classes all vet techs take. I know it is controversial, but that’s just my take on it.
Just wondering where I can buy Super Premium maintenance cat food? Our Petsmart does not carry it.Thank you .
Only CostCo carries this brand. Kirkland is the COSTCO store brand
I have several cats and they all love Kirkland Brand cat food. I’m so glad that it is so affordable and I’m so glad to know it’s great quality as well!!
I feed my cats and dogs (3 dogs, 4 cats) Kirkland brand foods and they are all happy with it. I just wish that Kirkland also offered canned cat food. The dogs love the canned dog food as well as the dry kibble.
We have been feeding our dog and two cats Kirkland dog and cat food for over 7 years. Never any problems. They love their food.
We almost lost our cat (saved thanks to a $1600 vet bill) due to Kirkland brand cat food. Zeus ended up with crystals in his urinary track because of the food. 6 years on Iams and never a problem, 6 months on this and he almost died. Not worth the risk!
That’s funny, because my cat had the same problem years back before I researched pet food. They put him on Hill’s and he died half a year later.
To me, Hill’s products aren’t worth the risk. Look at the ingredient list!
Cut out the dry food or use mainly wet. Raw diet is best for this problem. Keep cats ell hydrated.
How was it deterimined the crystals came from the kirkland and not by mere age. Thank you for the post, just trying to do the research. thanks
Trust me its the kirkland dry food causing the crystals. My cat has only been fed this up until recently when we started noticing him crying out in pain everytime he would try to pee. His bladder was so full and after many attempts and up all night I took him to the vet. Vet had to force his bladder to release and blood literally spewed out all over the exam table. They took urine samples and gave me clavamox and a $350 vet bill. The vet called a few days later and said I needed to change his food as that what is causing the crystals. After doing some research online I immediately took away the Kirkland dry food and only started to feed him Organic wet canned food mixed with a 1/2 TBS of organic apple cider vinegar. After a day or two he finally was able to slowly start peeing normal. After about a week of him being fine, my boyfriend started to feed him the dry kirkland food only on days when I wasn’t there and once again his UTI is back in full force and my cat is in excruciating pain, lethargic and dry heaving.
All cats are different if your cat is pulling out it’s hair and leaving bald patches it’s probably an allergy which means it’s allergic to something in the cat food probably so it’s not the right choice for you. That does not mean it’s a bad cat food it’s just not right for you. If your cat has crystals then it’s getting built-up minerals and its system that could be from any number of things only your vet can tell you exactly what’s causing it look at the guaranteed analysis part of the cat food it will tell you different things about what’s in there besides the ingredient list, The guaranteed analysis can tell you if there is something in that food that would cause Crystal buildup in your cat. But the vet is the one that can tell you the rest if there is something else that could be causing the Crystal build up
We’ve been feeding our cats this food for 2 years. They like it just fine and both cats have maintained very healthy weights. We are very pleased with this product and the cost savings that come with a Kirkland brand product.
I fed both my cat (Siamese) and my dog (Husky/Shepherd mix) Kirkland pet food. I love that it is nutrient dense- they were both lean and healthy with beautiful coats. Unfortunately, mt efforts were wasted as neither of them were excited when I rang the dinner bell. It got so bad that my dog stopped eating the food altogether. I eventually switched back to Purina, but even during the transition, both animals would pick around the Kirkland to eat the poorer product. Naturally, they have both gotten a little chubby since I switched them a couple months ago. I will likely try and convince them via wet food combo and parmesan cheese (my dog goes crazy for it!) to eat the Kirkland again.
I bought this brand based on the reviews on this site. Until then, I was feeding my new rescue kittens Royal Canin, a costly alternative, recommended because all kittens from the feral colony they came from had worms and stomach issues.
The kittens LOVE this food, often preferring it to the canned food I give them. There have been no stomach issues whatever, and they have now been eating it for close to two months. I love that food this tasty and good for them fits my budget. As they grow bigger, I’m feeling better about future purchasing of this huge bag (which I store carefully), knowing it will be finished in a shorter time than I thought. I wish they made wet food as well!
I have been feeding my 2 cats this Kirkland brand cat food weight formula for about 6 months and both of my cats have had the worst reaction. Scratching/chewing, it got so bad that they started ripping out the fur on their backs i thought it was a skin bug or an infection but they were treated and nothing got better. I eventually did some intense research and decided to switch their food just in case it was that and oh my how they have improved, no more scratching or biting and their fur/skin has gotten so much better. They had a reaction to the Kirkland food !!!- my cats don’t have allergies, i will never go back to this brand and to top it all off my dog had the same reaction so im now switching her off Kirkland natures domain as well. This is the worst cheapest food ever !!
Hey Charlotte,
My cat is having the exact same problem with the scratching and biting his fur off and after a little research, It seems to be from the cheap cat food I’ve been feeding him. Even though it wasn’t the Kirkland brand I was feeding him, I’m still curious to try switching my cat to the brand that you have since switched to and seen improvement with. Can you please let me know what brand you’ve switched to and about how long it was until you saw improvements so I know about how long to try it out with him? You can email me at skarony2@gmail.com
Thanks for your help!
While this is surprising (I’ve used the Kirkland food for over 6 years now) I know that CostCo has an incredible return policy, and would not doubt that they would refund your money. If there is an issue with that batch, or even with where or how the food was stored, they would want to know about it.
I have fed Costco Dog and Cat food for many years and have never had a problem with any of my animals. In fact on a couple of occasions I have adopted puppies with dull dry hair due to poor nutrition.After feeding Costco brand dog food their black hair became full, and shinny black. I am a firm believer of the Costco brand food for both dogs and cats.
I adopted 2 four month old “rescue” kittens that had been eating Iams Dry Kitten food for a while. Young kittens can have digestive issues with many foods until they are older and more developed. And my kittens did. For my personal reasons, and kittens health, I switched them over to Kirkland Brand and they have done very well. I believe it to contain better ingredients. Kittens are putting on weight, growth and development is as good as can be expected, and they really enjoy this food. It’s been almost 2 months that they have been eating this brand so time will tell. I have no problem sticking w/ the Kirkland brand. Per ingredients, it is good quality. Just a suggestion for others indicating their cats having problems w/ allergies, UTI’s & crystals, kidneys – yes, it can happen but it usually develops over time, not after one meal (unless tainted food). I lost 2 other cats to kidney failure @ 10 yrs of age – both males. They were exclusively fed 2 other name brand premium foods; mostly dry. The issue I have learned is that any diet that is mostly or all dry food could be the problem. Not enough moisture in the diet to keep kidneys, bladder and rest of plumbing healthy. And w/ dry food only, cats won’t drink enough water – not in their nature. Add canned food – I do 50/50 canned & dry. They get better hydration this way. And keep several fresh water bowls around. Make it easy for them to get a drink. As for brands, check ingredients and your wallet – then go with what you feel is best. You can always change brands. Do the best you can and enjoy your feline friends. Regular Vet checkups are good, too.
We have been feeding this food to our 3 cats for a long time now and have been very pleased with it.
However, I am wondering if the recipe has been changed as all 3 cats have been gaining weight yet we haven’t changed anything about how we feed them.
We did try the Premium weight one once and they liked it too but we could never find it again.
I recently switched my cat to Kirkland brand, due to the fact that it is much more cost effective. However, he has contracted a UTI within two weeks of the switch. We switched very gradually, adding the Kirkland brand little by little. I have read that dehydration due to feeding dry food can cause UTIs as well. I’m not sure if it was caused directly by consuming the food or if it is because he isn’t getting enough water. Either way, I probably will be sticking to a mixture of wet and dry or home made and dry in order to ensure he doesn’t get dehydrated.
I’m impressed with the quality of this food despite it being a store brand. I worked for Global Pet Foods ( natural pet food store) and learned a lot about dog and cat nutrition as well as ingredients. As much as I’d love to feed my cat a high quality food such as Orijen, it was just too costly.
This is a great alternative to the big name brands while still giving good quality ingredients at a great price.
I heard good things about the Kirkland cat food so have been buying it for the past few months. 4 of my 8 cats have developed skin allergies and one is now at the vet with a blockage for crystals in the bladder. I waiting to hear if he will survive. It has cost me over $1000 so far. I would not feed my cat this food
You truly believe that cat food, regardless of brand, is responsible for your cats’ troubles? This product would be pulled off the shelf so quick if this were the case, so obviously 1) there are other factors involved that you are not telling us or don’t know (most likely) or 2) you don’t know the difference between causation and correlation. At any rate, making a blanket statement that this cat food is the cause of all your problems is ignorant and uneducated. Hell, I got a puncture in my Firestone tire, by your attitude, I should ban all Firestone products and tell others that Firestone sucks.
There is absolutely no reason for you to be so nasty to someone.
I agree with Barack….half her cats are sick? She is doing something wrong….
Barack, my cat also developed a skin allergy after being on this food. I did process of elimination to figure out if it really was the food… I went back to a bag of his old food, and the allergy subsided. I tried a different food, allergy subsided more. His kitty acne has now cleared up almost 100%. I guess what I could do now is put my cat back on the Costco food to see if the allergy comes back, but it was hard to get rid of it without expensive antibiotics, and he has permanent scars on his chin. It’s too bad b/c he liked the food and the price is right.
Have been feeding all four of my cats the Kirkland for almost two years now. My 17 year old with digestive issues regained his healthy weight and coat and stopped vomiting as he had before. All 4 love it. They love it so much in fact that we switched to the lower calorie version. When I used to feed them Meow Mix dry they vomited regularly – I thought it was normal – now they almost never vomit and when they do it’s almost totally hair and not undigested food. Sorry for those who’ve had troubles on this food, but it’s been great for us. My cats also get canned food 1x/day and have a water fountain (which greatly increased their water consumption).
I can understand how frustrating and saddening it is to see your cat have an allergic reaction to this food. However, I would not jump to the idea of telling people to boycott this brand or not use it. Just like people have allergies to some foods, cats could have the same. My cat could also react to an extremely high quality, expensive food sold at the pet store. As far as the crystals in the urine, this is probably a problem that stretches farther than the switch to Kirkland brand food. There are special brands of food formulated to avoid these problems in cats, but they are not recommended until the cat actually shows symptoms of it. I’d be curious to hear what you were feeding your cat before, and compare the ingredients to the Kirkland brand.
cat food can and does directly cause crystals.
Dry food can. Feed a raw diet.
I have 5 cats, and none have had such problems. Neither have my mom’s 3 cats. Nor my dog. I’ve fed it for 5 years.
Would love notification for Kirkland coupons for cat food.thanks! Also love all of the great info on your site.
Beware.. Fed my cat this for 5 years and he developed a feline urethral obstruction. Having working for a vet during my high school years, I knew that the cheap cat foods can cause this. I expected more from this “premium” product. WRONG.. Don’t use this stuff if you have male cats.
Ross
I just took my cat to the vet today after hearing him in pain growling beside his litter box for two days. When the vet took an x-ray she said his bladder was about to explode and they had to give him a catheter due to a build up in his urethra. I am waiting on the results now, but thanks to this cat food I am now left with a sick cat and out $1300. She asked me what kind of food I was giving him and I told her Kirkland chicken and rice formula. She didn’t look surprised that this particular cat food had caused this. I am going to write them a letter and ask them to pay my $1300 vet bill! This is ridiculous.
Thanks for sharing your story as well
After 5 years any male cat could have developed bladder problems.
I bet your vet was trying to make you feel better.
I have been using Kirkland Brand Cat Food for a couple of years now and I find the cost, quality and attractiveness to my cats superb. They love it. I feel good that I am feeding them a great dry food along with the wet food that I provide them. I am most grateful to Kirkland for this superior product.
I have been buying Kirklands Sugnature Dry Cat food from Cosco for just over a year. It is the only reason I go to Cosco and I buy 3 or 4 bags each time. My cats love it and from reading the ingredients it is good quality with chicken being the firat ingredient. It also has a more greasy feel than the cheaper dry cat foods from the supermarket. I used to buy Royal Canin and it had the same greasy feel. My cats never vomit after eating Kirklands Signature. It is good quality, at a good price. Please note that my cats get a variety of food as well as this, fresh beef, plus tins but dry food is always available.
In reply to the fellow with a cat with liver cancer. Cancer is common in cats especially if they have FeLv. However, I would not feed a cat dry and nothing else.
I switched to this brand about 2 months ago and my almost 14 year old cat has crazy energy now!! She runs, jumps & plays as if she was a kitten. Her coat is thicker & shinier.
I would like to try the Healthy Weight Cat Formula, but would like to know where I can get a sample to see if my kitty likes it before I purchase 25lbs!
Diana, Costco is great about their returns. If your kitty does not like it, you can take it back-no questions asked.
You can buy a bag at Costco and return it if the cat doesn’t like it. I did that with dog food because she developed an allergy. I didn’t even have a receipt. They gladly took it back.
Hi,
I’ve used Healthy weight for many years [4+] and my 9-year olds are great!
km
Hi there!
I’m looking to switch my cats food and was considering Kirkland. My only real concern, however, is that it doesn’t say how much ash is in their cat food. Does anyone know? Other than that, it looks good but I won’t do the switch until I know for sure.
Thanks for any and all help:)
As a consumer, you can always submit an issue with pet food at the link below – they investigate each instance. I urge any pet owner with vomitting issue to report it. Currently there doesnt appear to be any new (2013) recalls from Kirkland animal foods.
The link to report an issue is below:
https://www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov/fpsr/FpsrRoutingPage.aspx
http://www.brooklynbark.com/bbblogs/?Tag=kirkland%20recall
this is a recall of the formula you were feeding. diamond produces many other brand names, even natural balance. I switched from kirkland to blue longevity (now blue wilderness adult) and have had a remarkable improvement in cats health, coat, energy and digestion with minimal fecal waste that has nearly no odor.
so sorry to hear about your kitty
m
Can you tell me what color it is supposed to be? And which specific type of cat food you are experiencing the issues? Also, what state are you located? Thanks.
Kirkland 1 ingredient is rice because they got 2 rice in 4 first ingredients
1 chicken
2 chicken meal
3 brown rice
4 ground white rice
ingredients in descending order means more chicken than rice
What he means is that 3 and 4 are separated out so that they appear as small ingredients. If they were combined as “rice” alone it’s very possible that rice would be the largest component of the food and not chicken. I read about this labeling trick somewhere.
The sum weight of 1 and 2 ingredients is greater than the combined weight of 3 and 4. Where is the trick?
I think Costco might change the cat food while keeping the packaging the same. We have been buying the Costco catfood for about a year and it was fine. This last time I opened the bag and it was a different color and slightly different shape. My cat has been throwing up for two days and the only thing that has changed is this new bag of cat food. I will be taking it back to Costco and asking them if they change the formula without telling anyone.
Did you get a response from Costco? I had the same thing happen, as did my mom! All of our cats were sick.
I just switched from Natural Balance to Costco. My cat likes the taste of the Costco, but her stools have become harder and very light in color. She does not seem to be uncomfortable, but should I be concerned?
My 6 yr old cat is dying of liver failure and I think it is because of the Kirkland Maintenance dry cat food. What’s going on? Anyone else having problems with their cats? My cat has ate nothing but this food for her entire life.
Liver and kidney failure are very common in cats. Have you been giving your cat any canned food along with the dry? Whenever you feed an animal the same thing every day for years it is not healthy. You should rotate proteins and brands every now and then to get maximum benefit from foods. Also very important to give your cats canned or wet food. Cats are carnivores and they need the extra protein and moisture in their food to keep their system running smoothly. I really hope your cat gets better. I feel your pain. I have learned the hard way as well. Take Care.
I just had to put my three year old cat down due to liver failure! The only thing that changed in his lifestyle was switching him to the Kirkland weight management food. I believe it was the food too! He was perfectly healthy and happy before and now I have lost my sweet boy.
Amber, Sorry to hear you lost your cat at only 3 yrs old. Was your cat an indoor only? I lost 2 older cats because of kidney failure. I believe that diet can have a long term effect on kitty health. I have also learned that since mine were indoor/outdoor cats, I will never know what they may have consumed in the outside world that could have caused their problem.
Kirklands first ingredient on the back of the package is corn meal. Origin is an organic full protein and grass berry mix. It’s costly however corn is not a staple diet for any cat or dog not to mention GMO corn, the largest crop manipulated.
The first 5 ingredients listed on the bag are chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, ground white rice, and chicken fat. There is no corn product listed as an ingredient.
What has happened to the Adult Cat Healthy Weight version??? I have been unable to find it, was referred to one Costco and bought a lot of it, but now there is nothing. Costco says it has been discontinued.
Are there any other folks out there that really want this version? If so, can we join and press for a return???
Catchall13@gmail.com
Yes, I would like to see the Kirkland Healthy Weight version available again.
I need to know the protein content in the Kirkland super Premium Maintenance Cat food and I do not have the bag it came in.
Where can I get this info?
Thanks!!!
Had been feeing my cats Purina One for years and stopped after vomiting was happeing. Switched to the Kirkland dry cat and they did very well for about a month. Since then same experience as others foul smelling diarrhea, runny switcted back to Purina and this stopped. Tried the Kirkland again and diarrhea came back all over again. Thank you to everyone who put these comments up!
I have 15 cats, at present, and I have been using Kirkland High Maintenance for about 5 years.
All of the cats love it. They prefer it to the moist food I also feed them. There are a few cats that have developed diarrhea and I have to feed them the moist only (they may have developed a grain allergy present in the Kirkland food). The cost if very reasonable (14.99) for a twenty five pound bag @ Cosco.
It is also a hit with the feral cats I also feed. It stores easily in my garage and it less subject to freeze in the winter time as moist food surely would.
I don’t seem to have the problems that some of the other reviewers have. I would give it 4.5 stars.
My cat was unable to eat any normal store brand foods until I found Kirkland Signature cat food. My kitty is allergic to corn, wheat, and soy, and almost all name brand foods have these ingredients, which are not good for kitties. Kirkland cat food rocks! My kitty’s coat is shiny and healthy rather than coarse and falling out. Thanks, Kirkland!
Oh no Svetlana, your cat requires a gluten-free diet, by the way a common allergy in many cats is chicken.
As with any kibble, you want to be aware of the quality of each batch. If something seems off or your pet doesn’t seem as interested, assume that YOUR PET KNOWS BEST and return the food. There’s always a few stories of pet owners being unsatisfied with any brand of food. If you’re looking for perfection and 100% safety, you will only achieve that in cooking for your own pet. There’s always a slight risk when buying kibble because you don’t know how long a bag might be out in the sun while waiting to be delivered, and heat makes the food go bad faster. Since expiration dates on these things last so long, it could be months ago when the bag is exposed to hot conditions that could ruin ANY type of brand of kibble.
This is really high quality food. You can’t get much higher unless you choose a grain free diet (which I highly recommend) or choose to cook for your cat. For the price and the quality and the list of ingredients, I give this food 5/5! Very excellent! And I would recommend it.
I just opened a brand new bag and was placing the food in clean containers for the foster cats, ferals and colonies I feed. I found white hard chunks, and another chunk of stuff with bugs in it and not even the same food (kibble) that should be in the bag. I have pictures, and I will say, I think they are putting in a “calculated” amount of the recall food into their new foods, so they will not have to loose too much money. I have been finding red pieces in it, heart shape kibble and other colors and shapes and rock type pieces too. I am very upset with DIAMOND foods, who produces this, and they have lost my respect.
None of the Kirkland Signature Diamond pet foods were ever recalled. Costco is a great company and wouldn’t allow these kind of practices
Hi…yes, there was a recall..
http://diamondpetrecall.com/diamond-expands-voluntary-recall/
Costco even called all its customers and announced the recall. I answered the phone and got it directly, but if no answer they left a message.
I just bought new food there today…will make sure I check it well to see if anything is different.
Another cat rescue here. Own (ha ha ha), foster, and manage multiple feral colonies. Could not do this without Kirkland’s quality and the low cost!
Always cracks me up when I am at Costco and see someone loading 4 or 5 bags into a cart – obvious sign of a rescue or colony manager!
I’ve fed my feral cats Kirkland cat food for years and used it sparingly (2-3 bits) as treats for my indoor cats. With the last bag I noticed the indoor cats were getting diarrhea so I stopped giving it to them. Shame on me, I didn’t even think of it affecting the ferals since they’ll eat anything with no problems. Those poor cats have horrible diarrhea, nasty smelling and running down their tails. I can’t find anything on line about recent recalls but this bag of food is going back to Costco ASAP.
Don’t Give UP!! I am trying to wean my cats off of corn based food, and currently the mixture of 1 scoop Pro Plan, 1 scoop Wellness, and 1/2 scoop of Krikland HealthyWeight is working. No nasty soft-serve poops and/or the stinky poops when I attempted this before. Will keep up this mixture for a month, and step up the Krikland, and down with the Pro Plan. They love the Wellness Salmon, which I will continue in the mix, ultimately at lesser amounts.
Be very careful when switching food! We switched to the maintenance food because of the cost and improved nutritional value, but one of our cats would not eat it. Because of this he developed hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease). This only shows up in cats and is a result of not eating. If your cat does not eat for three days or more pleas take them to the vet. Our cat is doing better, but he had to have an esophageal feeding tube placed and we have to feed him through it 4 or more times a day.
My cat has been eating Kirkland for 6 years. Just got a new bag and noticed that the kibble is smaller. Further, my cat is not eating the food with the same relish he’s showed for the last 6 years. Have others had the same experience.
Hi.
Wanted to try this food out for my four cats and also the dog brand for my lab and toy poodle.
After all the comments and recall I think I’ll just keep spending the money on origen and taste of the wild for my pets.
I was just wondering if anyone has found white hard pieces in the cat food? They seem to look like little white bones, i sliced a paper with one of the kibbles…..not the first time this has happened either. I’ve even brought a few kibbles to costco but they never got back to me.
Bought Kirkland cat food about week ago and opened it a couple of days ago. They won’t eat it. Filled their bowls yesterday morning and the bowls were still full tonight. Smells bad. This bag is the second one that smells bad. Thats two bags in a row that has to be replaced after a couple of days. Went to Target and bought small bag of Purina One natural or something. Going to Costco in the am to see about a refund or two. Been feeding my four cats Kirkland brand for over a year. Now what?
Same thing here. I have 5 cats, feeding them Kirkland cat food for years now. Bought a new bag few days ago and they won’t eat it. Did they change the ingredients?
Noticed one of our cat’s was puking today and had diarrhea. Now another one just puked up. Then I read all your comments.
I’ve taken away their food and am going to go buy something cheap to get them through the night since petsmart is closed for the night.
Puke was whitish and chunky
Diarrhea SMELLED and the one that has it was unwilling to bury it and it ran down his tail, poor guy.
I’ve also taken away the dog food from our dog since he is showing the same symptoms and I’ve read similar reviews over there.
What stores in Austin, TX sell your Kirkland’s Maintenance for cats ?
Thank you .
I noticed the smaller pellets with my December purchase, indicating a change. Did not think it was a change in the formula. Now two of my cats are having diarrhea and one has been throwing up. I recently bought a bag of Nutro to gradually get them off Kirkland Maintenance. I previously removed them from Purina One products because I thought the corn was a problem with digestive disorders. I am very disappointed that Kirkland’s supplier made this change. Thought I had found a solution to the over priced cat foods and now I must go back to an expensive alternative. I have four cats. Recently lost an 8 year-old Siamese and I am wondering if the food was the problem.
Nutro rep said corn gluten is ok, but not ground corn. I agree because cats do not need corn. I will be returning my last bag of Kirkland Maintenance. Should have checked these reviews six months ago, instead of the ingredients on the label.
When did your cat start vomiting? Mine started to about a week ago after I opened up a new bag of food. I am wondering if it is because of the change in ingredient??
Corn Gluten – I can’t find this listed as an ingredient in the Kirkland Maintenance Cat food…..
My friend feeds her Siamese cat the hairball control formula. The cat loves it and just gobbles it up. She’s very active so I guess her metabolism is always kicking.
Diamond Pet Foods is expanding their recall to include some Kirkland dry cat food formulas. Please check out our blog post dealing with this issue: http://petfoodtalk.com/blogs/diamond-expands-recall/
Kirkland pet kibbles are NOT manufactured by Costco Wholesale Corporation; they made by DIAMOND PET FOODS, but to a formula specified by Costco.
The kibble is one of the least toxic to cats BUT the protein is too low (under 40%) , so one must supplement with meat.
Cats are obligate carnivores, and for optimum health, they need to be fed kibble with over 40% protein – the higher the better.
You can have the best of both worlds by feeding this kibble and offering additional chicken or turkey daily to get the protein level up to optimum.
There is no such thing as too much animal-based protein in a cat’s diet. (but avoid plant based proteins as that will raise the urinary PH and ultimately cause urinary issues or even renal failure! Cats need their urine to be acidic for good urinary health)
We adopted 2 cats from Happy Cat Haven in C/S Colorado. They are about 1 year old. They fed them Kirkland Costco’s brand so we kept them on it. They both seem to like it and all the reviews say the ingredients are good. I did find that Diamond Pet Foods makes this product. So far so good!
LET ME KNOW WHAT TYPE OF ANIMAL TESTING YOU DO ON CAT AND DOG FOOD AND WHAT LIVING CONDITIONS ARE FOR THE ANIMALS AND ARE THEY EVER ADOPTED AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF TESTING. I LIKE ALL THE OTHER KIRKLAND BRANDS AND LOOKING FOR CRUELTY FREE ANIMAL FOOD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER, MARTHA.
Our three orange tabbies are 5-months old and seem totally healthy, energetic and eat a lot of the Kirkland cat food. We mix it with IAMS Proactive for kittens but eventually we’ll stop. My wife is convinced they prefer IAMS. I don’t think that’s relevant since I agreed to have 3 cats in our home and the regular costs for litter and food are mounting. Unless health problems arise, I’m in agreement with the reviewer that the Kirkland ingredients a totally comparable to much more expensive foods.
Also, I noticed today on the Kirkland Maintenance bag that they have labelled it something like “new bag color, same great formula.” Not sure if that’s updated from some of the other reviewers.
I came home to a huge mess in my house. My cat had diarrhea everywhere. It coincides with a new bag of the Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance Cat food. I did notice the pellets in the new bag were smaller but did not realize they had changed the formula. Very disappointed in Costco! It should be required to put on the bag there is a new formula!
Also noticed the Kirkland Maintenance Cat food has changed. Smaller pellets. I have two cats and now with the new formula they are constantly hungry, even our tiny cat who hardly ever eats. Not sure if it’s because it tastes better to them or if it’s not as filling. They also seem to be drinking alot more water.
I’ve bought this Kirkland food for my cats since they were a year old – noticed they’ve changed the pellet size and formula. Both cats have diarrahea – – little blobs of it everywhere!!! I’m going to take it back and get a refund…..which in and of itself is another pain in the neck!!!!!!!
Kirkland cat food is actually manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. I had my two Maine Coons on this cat food a couple of years ago. They puked it up regularly, then my female started having bladder issues. I switched to Blue Buffalo and the puking and bladder issues ended but their coats began to look bad. I then started them on Taste of the Wild beleiving this was a better cat food for them and the puking and bladder problems returned. I found out Taste of the Wild is also manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. I firmly believe there is some connection as both Kirkland and Taste of the Wild are made by the same manufacturer. I now have them Natures Abundance dry, the puking and bladder issues have ended and their coats are looking gorgeous.
Our Maine Coon has been eating this for the last six years. He can be finicky about his canned food but has always loved this dry food. We only have one cat so buying 25 lbs of dry food can be a little much. Fortunately, our little Jakob is 22 lbs with a voracious appetite. The contents of this premium food is comparable to foods costing 3-4 times more.
The formula changed at the beginning of 2012. BOth of my cats have been puking since we started giving them the new formula. It would save some grief if there could be a sticker saying ‘New Formula’ to give owner’s a head’s up. I noticed it looked different – like satl granuals on the outside of the pellet and a different size pellet. One cat couldn’t stop puking and is in th hospital. Be careful to watch for changes in your pets! The girl at Costco was super nice and told me to take it back for a full refund even though I don’t have the bag anymore (we keep it in a bin and throw the bags out). Thankfully they admitted the formula changed so I could call the vet right away! I hope no one else gets a sick cat!
Thank you for your post, Kate. Same thing here — just got bag of “new formula” unbeknownst to me and cats are throwing up like crazy — I thought my husband had mistakenly picked up dog food — but thanks to your post I now know Costoc/Kirkland changed food — unfortunately cats must have new food introduced gradually or else they have hard time tolerating new food — and they throw up a lot!! Costco really blew this — I’m going to call co. and speak to manager at store…again thank your for posting this info!!!!!!!!!!!
Liz
I just purchased Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance Cat food today for the first time. I heard it is equal to Iams. I would be grateful to hear any success stories about K.S.S.P.M.C.F .
Kari from Wa.
I am looking at other cat food (only because my husband thinks I should be buying the food at COSTCO. I want A “real” protein as 1st ingredient. Kirkland Premium seems to have too much fat; Kirkland Maintenance 1st ingredient is chicken meal. (I am doing this from memory and may have them mixed up?)
I am using IAMS Maintenance – 32% Protein, 15% Crude Fat, 3% Fiber and 10% moisture. Do any Kirkland Cat foods meet similar percentages and have 1st ingredient chicken/fish/etc.? ps MY cat is doing great on what she is currently eating…. I will only switch if I can get nutrients equivalent to what she currently gets and/or I learn that I am incorrect regarding the value of her current feedings? Any comments?
I would take another look at Costco’s cat food. High protein is not good for all breeds.I own Birmans and high protein will kill them.
Your statement is not true and you need to be very careful making unverified claims as such. HIGH PROTEIN is very much required for all felines, no matter the breed.
Low protein fed, below 40%, will ultimately harm a cat.
Cats are obligate carnivores & require high protein in their food, and the source of protein needs to always be animal-based. Avoid plant-based proteins as those will eventually cause CRF – kidney failure!
Shame on you for spreading potentially fatal info! ps most vets are clueless about feline nutrition; they get all their info from the major pet food companies, and then sell their products from their clinics. Buyer beware as those brands are the worst offenders! Do you research and make sure it is cited with research studies!
We recently switched our cats to the indoor formula because several of them were overweight.
Last week one of them ended up in the vet hospital and now the vet says we are losing him due to a severely damaged bladder and kidnesy. He got kidney stones.
Can you believe it I havent heard of kidney stones in 30 years.
He’s been at the vets a week and she just called to say she doesnt think he’s going to make it.
Ive lost my eleven year old cat because of his cat food.
I am a cat rescue guy in Arizona and I have found nothing better in value than the Kirkland cat food. It is made by Diamond who also makes the excellent Taste of the Wild cat and dog foods. I will often mix it in with the Kirkland from Costco to get an above average cat food. I have had my cats on it for years with no problems. I would recommend however that if you can afford it to give your cats wet food at least once a day, even if a very small amount to prevent kidney issues. Dry food all the time is hard on a cats kidneys. Kirkland now makes the kibble half-sized with allows it to be enjoyed by kittens. This food is not junk as previously mentioned. Much better (and cheaper) than supermarket brands and not all the foo foo designer ingredients that may not be so good for cats anyway. Costco is also a company that is good to their employees which is hard to find in this country today. That alone is reason to join up. The Kirkland Pet Food is a plus!
I believe Costco’s Kirkland dry adult cat healthy weight and hairball control is horrible food and I’d not recommend it to anyone. My husband, being cheap, bought the lavender 20 lb bag and shortly after, one of my cats had to be put to sleep due to a horrible bladder problem. He was healthy and happy and never had a problem until I started that food. It was about 2 weeks after starting it. Him and my other cats all refused the food and we basically did what most owners/parents do which is ‘you get, what you get’ mentality. I threw it away with 15 lbs left. It’s so dry that I can’t imagine what it does to a cat’s tummy. Stick to the brands that have been already working for you is my advice.
Janelle,
Having been into cat rescue and having had 27 cats of my own over the years……with nearly all of them living 15 to 21 years…………..I’ve learned that these issues don’t occur overnight. Thus it is very unlikely that a short time feeding of Kirkland weight matainence cat food had anything to do with you beloved cat’s illness. Cats, like people, can develope kidney, liver, and bladder problems but it doesn’t happen that quickly unless they have gotten into a poison of some sort. The chances that a poison came from the food is VERY unlikely.
I have 6 cats. A long time ago one of them had UTI. At the time I was using IAMS. Then I learned that IAMS has a high ash content and is not good for cats with UTI issues. So I switched o Purina One in the blue bags. I would mix weight manegment with the urinary care version. Worked fine, but for years my cats had ‘yacking’ problems. Some hair ball, some eating to fast, some digestive issues. I’d constantly have little pukie gifts all over my house to clean up. About 8 months ago a friend told me about CostCo brand. She swore by their dog food and dog biscuits, so I figured trying the cat food was worth a shot. I use the Kirkland Weight Management dry kibble in the 20 pound lavender colored bags. All 6 cats took to it very quickly. Almost like it was kitty chocolate. The presents haven’t entirely stopped, but have improved by 90%! No exaggeration! However, within the last 3 to 4 months one cat has developed a fur issue on their belly due to excessive licking. She has a gigantic bald spot. Vet thinks its anxiety, but pheromones are not helping. So we are currently trying to figure out the culpret, but I understand that excessive licking can be caused by a food allergy which, in turn, causes itchy skin. Not much to be allergic to in Kirkland… but I may have to switch to something else for a while just to rule it out.
Watch out for that licking. Mine was doing it too producing a bald belly. The vet said she was probably allergic to the detergent or other cleaning product used, or the food we were giving her. Some time later we had her castrated by the same vet. During the procedure he found out she had a cyst in her uterus.
Don’t mean to panic you. Just to give you a heads up if that is the case
I have been using Kirkland food for my senior dog and all my cats for years. I do not think there is a better food out there for health, quality, and value. My pets thrive on this. I switched the dog to it about 4 years ago, and noticed a change in his coat, mobility and general health, then have had the cats on it since too. Would recommend to anyone, particulary those with pets that are senior, arthritic, prone to respiratory conditions or other recurring health problems.
I agree, Bonnie. Kirkland is an excellent food at a very reasonable price.
I have been using Kirkland cat food for two years now. I have used foods that has cost up to 50.00 a bag that my cats would not touch
or they loved it for a few weeks then stopped eating it.
I show my cats so they must have good coats and be in top condition at all times. They maintain a good weight and stay with shinny full coats. I think that this is a good food for most to try. I do wish that kirkland would put out a kitten food as the protein is to low for kittens.
Been using Kirkland cat food since 1990. Checked it out with my vet who said it’s formula is good. I sprinkle a little nutritional yeast and add a pinch of psyllium husk when one of my cats starts getting fat, meaning feeling their ribs starts decreasing. Their stools become thicker, larger. (WOR) Wheat, oat and rice brans are not healthy for humans and animals since they pull traces of vitamins and minerals.
When you talk to your cats or babies, always included visualizing in your mind what your saying. Mental telepathy is a fact with babies up to about the age of 6 and with most animals,
have fun, john
I first bought the Kirkland dry maintenance cat food in the dark purple bags. My cats became very constipated after a few weeks later. They strained to BM and their 3rd eyelid began to show. I also feed canned food and give lots of fresh water. I soon realized that the Kirkland Maintenance food was causing this when I soaked some of the dry food in a fresh pot of chicken broth and the kibble never broke up to an expected mush.
So I switched to the Kirkland Weight Management dry kibble in the 20 pound lavender colored bags and after a month or two my cats are now having healthy BMs. It costs a little more, but so so worth it. I still feed canned food as well.
The same thing is happening to my cats on the Kirkland dry maintenance cat food in the dark purple bags. My father has a Costco membership and we had used the kind in the lavender colored bag with great success, and then he picked up the dark purple bag by mistake and I thought I would give it a try. It has made them constipated and I am going to switch back to the Kirkland Weight Management. I had a feeling that was what was causing the constipation, but when I read your post it just confirmed it for me, so thank you for posting!
Please let us know if switching back solved the problem for you. Thanks.
Switching back to the weight management took care of the problem. Within a few days everything seemed back on track for my kitties.
Contrary to what’s stated above, Costco does NOT manufacture Kirkland Signature cat or dog food themselves. They contract to a well-known pet food producer to make it for them. Currently that company is Diamond Naturals. It is mid-grade food. I.E, better than most grocery store brands, but not as good as top-shelf pet store brands. If you’re feeding your cat Purina or Meow mix they’d probably do better on Kirkland Signature, it’s better that that junk. Remember to switch them slowly.
I love costco brands but wish we could get them where we live, on the west coast of newfoundland. There is an outlet in St. Johns, on the east coast but it is a 3 day trip there and back – when are you coming to Cornerbrook?
My cats love Kirkland Maintenance Cat Food…I used to buy it all the time, but the price kept going up and I can no longer afford it. I have 25 or more cats that I feed and take care of, and on social security that is not easy. I love the fact that it is a 25lb bag instead of the 16 or 18lb bags at other stores.
Those that can afford it I would applaud the Kirkland brand, my cats thrived on it and it is great for 1 or 2 cats in a family, but I go through one 25lb bag every week which is not cost effective for me..
Millicent,
I feel your pain, but 25 cats will eat 25 pounds of food in a week regardless of the brand. At least with Kirkland you only need to go to the store once a week, and it’s cheaper than buying smaller bags at the grocery shop.
I feed 10 cats and one bag gets me through the month. I recycle cans and bottles from my workplace and the money I get pays for the food.