Premium cat food at reasonable prices. That’s what Optimeal promises its customers, but how does the product measure up to our standards? Find out in this detailed review.
Our Standard—Measuring Fair Time to What Matters
We analyzed Optimeal and ranked it according to one publication, evaluating the product for species suitability, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it measures up in each of the six key areas.
Measurements
- Animal Eligibility – 7/10
- Ingredient quality – 8/10
- Product Range – 7/10
- Price – 6/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Remember history – 9/10
Overall Score: 7.8/10
We give Optimeal a 44 out of 60 or a B grade.
About Optimal Cat Food
Founded in 2013, Optimeal is an Eastern European brand of cat food that entered the US market in 2021. It was founded by a family-owned Ukrainian company called Kormotech, a global pet food manufacturer with five brands sold in more than 50 countries.
Optimeal is marketed as Kormotech’s premium pet food line. It is described as a natural pet food full of active ingredients, supported by the latest European nutrition science. Every recipe starts with meat, chicken, or fish but also contains herbs, berries, and prebiotics for their antioxidant properties and digestive benefits.
Something that sets Optimeal apart from other brands is its unique approach to liquid nutrition. Optimeal liquid cat food formulas are sold only in bags and the food pieces are shaped like little clouds mixed with lumps of real meat.
Acquisition and Production
Kormotech is headquartered in Ukraine but also has branches in Kedainiai, Lithuania and New York City. Optimeal is produced by Kormotech in Ukraine, using mainly ingredients found in Ukraine. According to the brand, Optimeal also sources ingredients from France, New Zealand, Germany and Poland, but not from China.
The right cat food is formulated with a premium meat philosophy, which includes both muscle meat and nutritious organ meat. Formulas are developed in-house by a research and development team that includes veterinarians, nutritionists, and food scientists.
According to the brand, the timely pet food is formulated to exceed US and European quality standards. All Optimeal products are non-GMO, contain no artificial colors, and are formulated to meet the nutritional standards established by AAFCO for a complete and nutritious diet.
Is Cat Food That Should Be Recalled?
As far as we know, timely cat food has never been recalled. While the brand entered the US market only recently (2021), it has been widely sold around the world for over a decade.
What Kinds of Cat Food Are Properly Offered?
Optimeal offers a wide variety of wet and dry cat food options. For dry food, there are recipes made for kittens and older cats, while wet food at the right time is all for the care of adults.
All Optimeal cat foods contain animal protein as the first ingredient. Although many formulas include novel proteins such as salmon, lamb, or rabbit in the product name, chicken is the main ingredient in most formulas. This also applies to cuisines that focus on seafood.
Optimeal wet cat food is called Tender Morsels and is sold only in 3-ounce bags. They are all high protein mixes packed in gravy, hot sauce, or aspic. Here is a list of current recipes:
- Tender Morsels with Real Shrimp & Salmon in Savory Sauce
- Tender Morsels with Chicken & Turkey in Gravy
- Tender Morsels with Beef & Rabbit in Sweet Sauce
- Tender Morsels with Lamb and Vegetables in Aspic
- Tender Morsels with Chicken & Salmon in Gravy
- Tender Morsels with Tuna & Mackerel in Aspic
- Tender Morsels with Salmon & Tuna in Aspic
- Tender Morsels with Real Shrimp, Herring & Tuna in Sauce
- Tender Morsels with Herring, Mackerel & Cod in Aspic
- Tender Morsels with Real Chicken Breast in Gravy
- Tender Morsels with Real Turkey Breast in Gravy
- Beef and Tender Beef in Gravy Recipe
- Tender Morsels Chicken & Salmon Recipe in Gravy
In its dry food system, Optimeal offers a variety of effective formulas and recipes for home health, skin and digestive support, or cat growth. Optimeal’s marketing of its dry food also focuses on immune support with berries and herbs added as antioxidant sources.
What Do Our Test Cats Think?
To test Optimeal cat food, I purchased two dry food formulas and two packets of the Tender Morsels wet cat food variety. I chose one recipe for dry cat food and one for adults. For wet food, I wanted to test a mix of recipes that contained meat, chicken, and fish.
When I opened the first bag of wet food, I was surprised to find cloud-shaped pieces instead of regular pieces or chunks. It seemed funny to me at first, but my cats didn’t agree. They absolutely loved this meal.
My cats enjoyed both dry food formulas but seemed to prefer wet food in sauce or broth over cooking in aspic (jelly). I appreciate that Optimeal includes other popular flavors like salmon and rabbit in addition to the usual chicken, beef, and tuna.
The Right Cat Food—Top 4 Recipes Reviewed
What Do Customers Think About Proper Cat Food?
Despite entering the US market nearly five years ago, Optimeal still has a small presence in online retailers. There aren’t even any customer reviews on the product website. For Chewy, the highest number of Optimeal product ratings was around 180 but most had less than 30 at the time of this review.
Good Review
Satisfied customers seem to be happy with the quality of Optimeal products and many cats really enjoy the food. A significant number of customers say that the product looks and smells like human food, which makes it slightly more expensive.
“This seems to be good quality food at a decent price. It smells like human food and it looks attractive. They both like it, so it’s a trade-off.” -Dyan reviews Optimal Tender Morsels with Real Shrimp and Salmon on Chewy, March 8, 2026
“My kitten eats every time I open a packet of Optimeal. I love the fact that it helps regulate my 2 senior cat’s digestion.” -Marie reviews Optimal Tender Morsels with Beef and Rabbit on Chewy, February 6, 2026
Negative Reviews
Dissatisfied customers often say that their cats did not like the food, some comment directly on its texture. Some didn’t think the price was worth the quality of the product and others said their cats threw up after eating it.
“I have 5 cats and 2 of my 5 cats have actually eaten this food. Some sniff and go away – not wanting to eat. This may be one of the healthiest cat foods on the market today as this is the reason I paid the $18.00 price for the 12 – 3 ounce pack. I will never buy this food again.” -Anonymous reviewing Optimeal Tender Morsels variety pack on Amazon, March 31, 2026
“Do you have a picky cat who is hard to please with food? However, they may not like this food either. The ingredients in this food look clean and good quality for cats. It smells good. I was hoping they would like it…..but NOPE.” -Jennifer Baranowsky reviews Optimal Tender Morsels and Chicken & Turkey on Amazon, December 4, 2025
How Much Does Timely Cat Food Cost?
When it comes to its wet food offerings, Optimeal is on par with other top brands that offer wet food in pouches such as Tiki Cat and Weruva. Unlike these brands, however, Optimeal prices do not seem to vary by recipe.
All Timely wet food products cost about $0.64 per ounce at Chewy, whether you buy them as a single recipe or in multipacks. Dry food in season ranges from $4–$6 a pound, or about $0.25 to $0.38 per ounce.
To estimate the daily food cost of Optimeal, we will use the average calorie needs of a 10-pound cat. For wet food at the right time, daily feeding costs are around $5 and, for dry food, around $0.44 to $0.67 per day.
Where to Buy the Right Cat Food?
Optimeal is sold in a limited number of local pet stores but is easily available online. You can find most of Optimeal’s wet and dry cat food products at Chewy, although Amazon only seems to carry the wet food products (at the time of this review).
You can also buy Optimeal by shopping on the brand’s website. Here you can make a one-time purchase or save up to 30% on your first order with a monthly subscription. Subsequent orders are usually discounted by 10%.
Overall, Is Proper Cat Food the Right Choice?
When it comes to choosing a type of cat food, the cat’s preferences play an important role. In reading Optimeal customer reviews, however, cats seem to either love it or hate it with little in between. Wet food in sauce or broth is consistently better accepted than those in aspic, but cats that don’t like chicken probably won’t enjoy this type.
Speaking of chicken, since it seems like every Optimeal recipe contains this ingredient, it’s not a good choice for cats with chicken allergies or sensitivities. Product names are a bit misleading as, in most cases, the named flavors are not even in the top three ingredients.
Despite these concerns, the quality of the ingredients of Optimeal seems to be good and the wet food, in particular, is rich in protein and very low in carbs. The food is a little pricey (as wet food that comes in bags often is) but with a variety of packages to choose from, you can see if your cats like it without wasting valuable food.
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