I don’t know about you, but my cats are practically my world. My little ones are the absolute best of companions and deserve everything amazing that their 9 lives have to offer - especially when it comes to their food! I recently decided it was time to step up my cat food game and ensure that I was giving them the best food possible. However, it turns out that, like most cat owners, I was in fact NOT giving them the food they deserve… until I introduced them to Smalls.
Smalls has been an absolute game-changer for my sweet cat-children as I no longer have to worry about what they’re eating and can finally trust that the food I’m giving them is indeed real and clean (and perhaps even better than the food I eat). I wanted to provide you with my honest review of Smalls and explain how their food has made a world of difference for my cats' health.
What Made Me Change To Using Smalls Over Conventional Cat Food
In complete honesty, I knew I could be doing better for my cats with respect to their food and should have made this a priority a long time ago (i.e. the day I brought them home). However, I gave into the cost-effective solution of buying supposedly natural cat food in bulk at my local grocery store so that 1) I would always have plenty on hand and 2) it was one less trip to the store each week.
While my cats never complained about the food and scarfed down each and every bite, I started to wonder if the food I was giving them was in fact natural. So, I finally took a closer look at the ingredient label on their food bag and discovered it included ingredients like corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, and natural liver flavor.
Although it may not seem like a huge deal, these ingredients are certainly not best suited for cats as they should be fed a high protein diet that’s focused on animal (NOT plant) protein and contain minimal carbohydrates to ensure better digestion. In fact, the food we give to our cats should mimic as best as possible what they would normally eat in nature if they were hunting - animals like rodents and birds.
After experiencing major cat-parent guilt, I immediately started researching cat food labels and sought out the best ingredients possible. I typically had relied on purchasing cat food from my local grocery or pet store, but I realized quickly that most of these stores did not actually carry what I was looking for. So, I took a deep dive into the world of cat food subscriptions and quickly found Smalls.
Signing Up For My Trial Period With Smalls
The process of signing up for Smalls was quite simple. All I had to do was go to their homepage and select the “Start Now” button. This led me to a 5-minute online quiz that required me to answer a few questions about my cats’ preferences for foods and specific dietary needs they may have.
Here are the questions I had to answer as a part of the online quiz:
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After I had completed the quiz, I was then asked whether or not I wanted to add in any toys, extra treats, or litter. I declined for this time, but as a reviewer for MSA they actually sent me an adorable toy along with my subscription box for free - you guys rock!
I was provided with my Smalls trail subscription box a few days later after providing all of my information.
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What My Cats Thought Of Smalls
Moment of truth - what did the cats think???
I’ll admit that R.J. and Holly were a bit hesitant to try Smalls at first, and understandably so as it’s pretty much like making someone addicted to fast food switch completely to meal prep involving chicken breast, rice, and veggies - it’s gonna take some time and the transition may not be as smooth you as you want it to be.
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Slinky, however, took to Smalls immediately, which isn’t surprising because I actually just welcomed her into my home right before starting Smalls. Slinky was the neighborhood cat that decided to move in with us and wasn’t used to eating the cat food I provided R.J. and Holly with (BTW, I promise I didn’t steal her..she just found her forever home). Slinky didn’t turn her nose up to any of the food and was extremely appreciative of each and every meal she tried (PTL, I wish my other two would be as agreeable about their food at times).
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At first, R.J. liked the freeze-dried turkey (i.e. the Other Bird blend) as it was similar in consistency to his normal cat food but much richer in protein and natural flavor. Eventually, he and Holly decided that they liked Human-Grade Fresh Other Bird and Ground Cow the best after I had alternated free-dried with fresh food for about a week.
In the end, it only took me about a week of swapping out my cats’ meals for them to get hooked. Now, my kitties flock to the kitchen whenever they hear me opening a fresh bag of Smalls and won’t stop meowing until I give in to their demands.
I’ve noticed major improvements in their digestion, better stools (sounds gross I know, but one of those things you always check as a cat parent), almost no hairballs, and higher energy. I didn’t think it would be possible for them to experience health benefits this quickly but it’s truly amazing the problems that real food can solve, or at least mitigate.
My Final Thoughts On Smalls
Smalls was totally worth trying out and I’m so glad I took the time to read up more about the ingredients my cats actually needed in their diets vs. the ones I should’ve avoided a long time ago. While it wasn't an immediate transition for Holly and R.J., they did eventually give into the food and now eat it up. Slinky, on the other hand, loved Smalls from the start and will hop over the fence from our neighbor’s yard as soon as she smells it. As a cat parent, I’m incredibly relieved that I no longer have to worry about the potentially harmful ingredients that may be in their cat food and enjoy feeding them human-grade, real food each day.
Try Smalls here starting at $35 for your first box! You can also read our Smalls details and reviews.
