![Unbiased Organix [Castor & Pollux] Cat Food Review In 2023](https://unianimal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Ragdoll-Cats-eat.jpg)
Our Review Process
Our reviews are based on extensive research and, when possible, hands-on testing. Each time you make a purchase through one of our independently-chosen links, we’ll receive a percentage of the proceeds. Read more about how we’re supported here.
It’s one of the only USDA-certified cat food brands on the market, but can Organix cat food earn a place in your cat’s bowl? Find out in our unbiased review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Organix on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Organix and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 7/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 5/10
- Price – 5/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 4/10
Overall Score: 6.2/10
We give Organix cat food a 37 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.
About Organix
Castor & Pollux has been in the pet food business since 1999, calling itself the first “branded, premium quality line of natural specialty food and supplies for pets.”
In 2003, the company introduced Organix, a line of USDA-certified organic pet food. In 2012, Merrick Pet Care, Inc. purchased Castor & Pollux. Three years later, Nestlé Purina bought Merrick, making it and all of its brands part of the second-largest pet food company in the world.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Castor & Pollux sources most ingredients from the United States. Some ingredients are sourced outside of the United States, including vitamins from Germany, Canada, and China, venison from New Zealand, and rabbit from France.
Organix products are made in Merrick’s Texas manufacturing facility. This company-owned kitchen is located in Hereford, Texas, and is certified by the USDA National Organic Program.
Has Organix Cat Food Been Recalled?
Castor & Pollux’s Organix brand has never been recalled, but at least one other Castor & Pollux brand has. In 2007, the company’s Natural Ultramix cat food line was recalled due to potential cross-contamination with melamine-tainted wheat gluten.
Merrick, the company that owns and manufactures Organix cat food, has issued several recalls. From 2010 to 2018, the company announced three recalls, with causes including potential salmonella contamination and potentially elevated levels of beef thyroid hormones.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Organix Offer?
As a full line of USDA-certified organic pet food, Organix products are produced without pesticides, artificial preservatives, added growth hormones, or antibiotics. Their ingredients aren’t irradiated, genetically engineered, or grown with synthetic fertilizers.
The Organix lineup includes both dry and wet foods. All of their ingredient lists start with organic free-range chicken or turkey. They don’t contain any corn, wheat, or soy.
Organix Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
Buy on Chewy Buy on Amazon
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
This is your typical grain-free, chicken-based dry cat food. It features chicken and chicken meal as the first ingredients. Pea protein, sweet potatoes, peas, chickpeas, and tapioca give the kibble its cohesiveness and structure. In a market that’s turned against corn, soy, and wheat, these ingredients have an air of superiority, but they’re no better than any other plant ingredient commonly used in cat food.
Organix boasts about the food’s use of superfoods like coconut oil, cranberries, and flaxseed, but these ingredients aren’t superfoods for cats—they’re plant derivatives that carnivores don’t need.
Chicken fat serves as the food’s primary fat source, providing nourishing animal-sourced fatty acids. Later, the food includes chicken liver as a concentrated source of species-appropriate nutrition.
In addition to synthetic vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, the food contains a touch of salmon oil and probiotics, both good inclusions in cat food.
Overall, this food has moderate protein content with low fat and high carbohydrate content.
Aside from its USDA organic status, there’s nothing that sets this food apart from most grain-free kibble products. Its high carbohydrate content and lack of moisture make it a species-inappropriate choice for your carnivore.
The food has 412 calories per cup.
Ingredients
Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Meal, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Sweet Potatoes, Organic Peas, Organic Chickpeas, Organic Tapioca, Organic Sunflower Seed Meal, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Dried Alfalfa Meal, Salt, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Taurine, Salmon Oil, Organic Cranberries, Potassium Chloride, Rosemary Extract, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product.
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein: 32%
Crude Fat: 14%
Crude Fiber: 3.5%
Moisture: 11%
Ash: 8.09%
Dry Matter Basis
Protein: 35.96%
Fat: 15.73%
Fiber: 3.93%
Carbs: 35.29%
Caloric Weight Basis
Protein: 32.85%
Fat: 34.9%
Carbs: 32.25%
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Fat, Chicken Liver, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Pea Protein, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Chickpeas, Tapioca, Sunflower Seed Meal, Flaxseed, Dried Alfalfa Meal
Common Allergens: Chicken, Eggs
Pros
- Features a combination of muscle meat and organs
- Contains animal-sourced fat
- Doesn’t contain animal by-products
- Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
- High carbohydrate content
- No dry food delivers the moisture your cat needs
Buy on Chewy Buy on Amazon
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This grain-free paté features chicken and chicken liver as primary ingredients. Later on the ingredient list, you’ll spot a touch of dried egg product as an additional source of animal protein.
While the crunchy nature of dry food demands high plant content, wet food can easily get away with virtually no plants at all. Instead of leaving out plants, Castor & Pollux opts to incorporate small amounts of peas, coconut flour, pea protein, and other plant ingredients.
The food doesn’t contain any thickeners like guar gum, xanthan gum, or carrageenan. This is a pleasant surprise. Wet foods almost always contain these stabilizers and thickeners.
Overall, this wet food has high protein content with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.
Though it has more plant matter than many other wet foods, this food is still a low-carbohydrate product that honors your cat’s need for meat over starch.
The food has 183 calories per 5.5 ounce can or about 33 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Organic Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Peas, Organic Coconut Flour, Organic Dried Egg Product, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Cranberries, Organic Dried Alfalfa Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid).
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein: 9%
Crude Fat: 5%
Crude Fiber: 1%
Moisture: 78%
Ash: 2.1%
Dry Matter Basis
Protein: 40.91%
Fat: 22.73%
Fiber: 4.55%
Carbs: 22.27%
Caloric Weight Basis
Protein: 34.56%
Fat: 46.63%
Carbs: 18.82%
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Liver
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Coconut Flour, Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Cranberries, Dried Alfalfa Meal
Common Allergens: Chicken, Eggs
Pros
- Contains a mix of chicken muscle meat and organs
- Rich in species-appropriate animal protein
- Made without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Doesn’t contain any stabilizing gums
Cons
- Contains pea protein—animal-sourced protein may be preferable
- Expensive
Buy on Chewy Buy on Amazon
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This food is similar to the last one we reviewed, but there are a couple of differences between the two. Compared to the Chicken & Chicken Liver recipe, this formula has slightly less liver and contains carrots in addition to the other plant ingredients.
The inclusion of carrots increases the food’s overall carbohydrate content. Based on the guaranteed analysis, it appears that the food is about 11% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis.
Overall, this food is high in protein with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.
Despite the inclusion of peas, coconut flour, pea protein, cranberries, carrots, flaxseed, and dried alfalfa meal, this is ultimately a meat-based food and appears to be a carnivore-worthy choice.
The food has 194 calories per 5.5 ounce can or roughly 35 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Organic Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Dried Peas, Organic Coconut Flour, Organic Dried Egg Product, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Carrots, Organic Cranberries, Organic Dried Alfalfa Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid).
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein: 9%
Crude Fat: 5%
Crude Fiber: 1%
Moisture: 78%
Ash: 2.1%
Dry Matter Basis
Protein: 40.91%
Fat: 22.73%
Fiber: 4.55%
Carbs: 22.27%
Caloric Weight Basis
Protein: 34.56%
Fat: 46.63%
Carbs: 18.82%
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Fat, Chicken Liver, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Pea Protein, Sweet Potatoes, Chickpeas, Tapioca, Sunflower Seed Meal, Flaxseed, Dried Alfalfa Meal
Common Allergens: Eggs
Pros
- Made from high-quality meats
- Features a combination of chicken muscle meat and liver
- Made without any thickening gums
- Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
- Expensive compared to other similar foods
What Do Customers Think Of Organix Cat Food?
A lot of people like Organix cat food, but the positive sentiment isn’t unanimous. For example, their popular grain-free Chicken & Sweet Potato dry cat food has a 4.1 out of 5 star rating on Chewy.
Here’s what a few happy and unhappy customers have to say about Organix cat food:
Positive Reviews
“Our Jack Russell has been on the dog version of this food for about a year now and is very healthy and happy. Our cat was on a different food and suddenly developed tummy troubles, so we put her on Castor Pollux grain-free organic chicken and sweet potato cat food and her tummy troubles have cleared up. She’s now a very happy and healthy kitty.” – Mack, reviewing Organix Grai-Free Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe
“I do wish it was less expensive. I love the quality and consistency of the food and my cats love it too (they are not finicky). There’s always the same amount of food in each can and it really does not smell like that typical gross cat food smell.” – nmcrave, reviewing Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken & Chicken Liver Recipe
Negative Reviews
“I used to give Organix a 5 star rating for having USDA organic & non-GMO ingredients. Our 5 cats liked the formula previously, but all of a sudden with the last shipment of 2 10# bags, none of the cats would touch it. The nice Chewy rep sent out 2 replacement bags. Still nobody would eat it. Chewy refunded my money, but I’m now questioning what has changed. Is it the fact that Nestle-Purina bought out Merrick/Castor & Pollux/Organix?? Sadly, I no longer have confidence in this brand.” – Daisy, reviewing Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe
“this is the third product we’ve tried from this brand. since they’re the only ones i’ve found with organic meat, i really want to stick with the brand, but… this one has the smooth paté texture that my cat requires, but unfortunately she keeps throwing it up. her stomach is very sensitive to fiber (indigestible), so i suspect that may be the problem with these products. i hope they will offer a formula with a lot less of the pea, coconut, and veg/fruit etc in it. i will keep feeding it to her for now, but am still looking for better alternatives (we’ve tried nearly every cat food in existence at this point)” – Kitty, reviewing Organix Grain-Free Organic Chicken Recipe
How Much Does Organix Cat Food Cost?
Organix sits on the upper end of the mid-range price zone. It’s slightly more expensive than comparable non-organic brands. If you have a 10-lb cat, Organix dry food will cost about $0.52 per day and Organix wet food will cost closer to $3.06 per day.
Overall, Is Organix A Good Choice?
Organix is a good option for people who want to feed their cat organic food. Their wet foods stand out as a particularly good option with low-carbohydrate recipes featuring USDA-certified meat and no potentially-harmful thickeners.
If you’re not so interested in organic food, you might consider opting for a cheaper brand that offers nutritionally similar or superior food—Wellness comes to mind.
Where To Buy Organix Cat Food?
Organix cat food is sold in PetSmart and Petco stores around the United States and Canada, along with various other stores that stock pet food. Click here to search for a store near you.
If you prefer to shop online, you can find Organix through Petco and PetSmart’s websites, Amazon, Chewy, PetFlow, and Thrive Market.
Click here to shop for Organix cat food on Chewy.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
