Pet food rankings you can actually verify.
PetFoodRankings scores every dog and cat food on a published 100-point methodology — protein quality, ingredient transparency, AAFCO standards, recall history, value and owner feedback. No sponsored placements, ever.
Find the right food for your pet's situation
Life stage, form and health needs matter more than any single “best overall” badge. Start with the category that matches your pet.
→ 🥣 Best Dry Dog Food
→ 🍲 Best Wet Dog Food
→ 🐶 Best Dog Food for Puppies
→ 🐕🦺 Best Dog Food for Seniors
→ 🩺 Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs
→ 🐈 Best Cat Food
→ 🐱 Best Dry Cat Food
→ 🥫 Best Wet Cat Food
→ 🐈⬛ Best Cat Food for Kittens
→ 🐈⬛ Best Cat Food for Seniors
→ 💚 Best Cat Food for Sensitive Stomachs
→
The highest-scoring foods we've tested
Scores are computed from published weights — see the full rankings for the complete list and the reasoning behind every pick.
Top 5 dog foods
| # | Product | Score | Form | Protein (DMB) | $/1k kcal | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orijen Original Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Orijen (Champion Petfoods) |
91/ 100 | Dry | 43.2% | $2.55 | $4.55/lb |
| 2 | 85/ 100 | Dry | 37.8% | $1.75 | $2.88/lb | |
| 3 | 84/ 100 | Dry | 28.9% | $1.83 | $2.92/lb | |
| 4 | Hill's Science Diet Adult 1-6 Chicken & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food Hill's Pet Nutrition |
84/ 100 | Dry | 22.2% | $1.49 | $2.49/lb |
| 5 | Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canine Recipe with Roasted Bison & Roasted Venison Taste of the Wild (Diamond Pet Foods) |
83/ 100 | Dry | 35.6% | $1.25 | $2.11/lb |
Top 5 cat foods
| # | Product | Score | Form | Protein (DMB) | $/1k kcal | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orijen Six Fish Grain-Free Dry Cat Food Orijen (Champion Petfoods) |
91/ 100 | Dry | 44.4% | $3.57 | $6.67/lb |
| 2 | 85/ 100 | Dry | 35.2% | $1.83 | $3.13/lb | |
| 3 | Wellness Complete Health Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal & Rice Recipe Wellness Pet Food |
85/ 100 | Dry | 42.2% | $2.12 | $3.80/lb |
| 4 | Hill's Science Diet Adult Indoor Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food Hill's Pet Nutrition |
83/ 100 | Dry | 33.7% | $2.61 | $4.13/lb |
| 5 | 83/ 100 | Dry | 32.6% | $2.39 | $4.39/lb |
How we score — six weighted dimensions
A food's overall score is a weighted sum of six dimensions. The weights are public, the rubric is public, and every product page shows its full breakdown.
Named meat first, species-appropriate protein levels
Named ingredients, published guaranteed analysis, no hidden blends
AAFCO adequacy statement, feeding trials, WSAVA alignment
Recall record over the past 10 years and company response
Fair price for the quality delivered, per 1,000 kcal
Aggregate owner ratings and reported palatability issues
Why publish the rubric? Because a score without a method is just an opinion with a number attached. If you disagree with a weighting, you can re-derive any product's score yourself from the breakdown on its page.
Frequently asked questions
How does PetFoodRankings score pet food?
Every product gets a 0–100 score from six weighted dimensions: protein quality and source (30%), ingredient transparency (20%), nutritional standards such as AAFCO feeding-trial validation (18%), recall history (14%), value for money (10%) and owner feedback (8%). The full rubric, including exactly what earns and loses points, is published on our methodology page.
Does PetFoodRankings accept payment from pet food brands?
No. Rankings and scores are never for sale. We earn commissions when readers buy through affiliate links, but commission rates are identical across products and no brand can pay for placement or a higher score.
Is PetFoodRankings's advice a substitute for veterinary care?
No. We provide general information to help you shortlist products. Individual animals have individual needs — always confirm diet decisions with your veterinarian, especially for puppies, kittens, seniors and pets with diagnosed conditions.
How often are the rankings updated?
At least every six months, and immediately after any major recall, reformulation or label change. Every page shows its last-updated date.