The scores
Nulo Freestyle Adult Cat Salmon & Lentils Grain-Free: B (78/100) — Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Salmon Oil.
Nulo FreeStyle Freeze-Dried Raw Chicken & Salmon Recipe Cat Food: B (78/100) — Chicken, Salmon, Chicken Necks, Chicken Liver, Chicken Hearts.
How the formats compare
The top-five ingredients reveal the formulation split between these two format expressions of the same brand:
Nulo Freestyle Cat (kibble): Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Salmon Oil
Nulo Freeze-Dried (freeze-dried raw): Chicken, Salmon, Chicken Necks, Chicken Liver, Chicken Hearts
Both products earn the same v15 rubric score because Nulo applies the same animal-source-first ingredient philosophy across both formats — deboned named-species proteins, no unnamed protein sources, no by-product meals, GanedenBC30 probiotic strain across both formats (Nulo’s signature gut-microbiome support layer). The format split is fundamentally about processing method (kibble extrusion vs sublimation freeze-drying) and the resulting hydration / nutrient-retention profile. For cats specifically, the prey-model freeze-dried structure carries some hydration-supportive value when rehydrated, though it remains a dry-format storage product.
Where Nulo Freestyle Cat pulls ahead
Deboned chicken + chicken meal dual-protein opening + salmon oil omega-3 supplementation — structural supplement depth on the dry rubric: Nulo Freestyle Adult Cat kibble leads with deboned chicken + chicken meal in positions one and two — the stacked muscle-meat-plus-meat-meal structure delivers stacked protein density before any plant ingredient appears. Salmon oil at panel position five delivers EPA + DHA omega-3 supplementation (supports skin + coat condition, anti-inflammatory cytokine modulation, cardiovascular function). The dry rubric registers this dual-protein-opening + omega-3-supplement structure as a high signal stack. The freeze-dried raw does not separately call out salmon oil as a supplement layer because its salmon inclusion at panel position two delivers the omega-3 profile through whole-food sourcing rather than oil supplementation — both legitimate approaches but structurally different rubric paths. Shop on Amazon →
Dry-format scoop-and-serve convenience + everyday sole-diet feeding economics for multi-cat households: Nulo Freestyle Adult Cat kibble retails approximately $4-6 per pound depending on bag size and retailer, with shelf-stable kibble bags lasting weeks to months. Nulo Freestyle Freeze-Dried Raw retails approximately $25-40 per pound — the sublimation processing is significantly more expensive than extrusion. For sole-diet feeding economics, the per-pound cost difference compounds significantly. A 10-pound cat feeding approximately 1/3 cup daily would cost ~$15-25/month on the kibble vs ~$80-120/month on the freeze-dried sole diet. For multi-cat households or owners running everyday sole-diet feeding without the per-pound cost premium of the freeze-dried line, the kibble format makes Nulo-tier high-protein nutrition accessible at scale.
Sweet potato + peas carbohydrate structure + GanedenBC30 probiotic — structural fiber + microbiome-support architecture: Nulo Freestyle Adult Cat kibble includes sweet potatoes at panel position four (provides complex carbohydrate + dietary fiber + vitamin A precursor beta-carotene + potassium) and peas at panel position three (provides additional protein-and-fiber contribution). The kibble carries GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans strain GBI-30 6086) as a live-probiotic layer supporting GI microbiome diversity, which Nulo includes across multiple SKUs in the brand line. The structural fiber from sweet potato + peas plus the probiotic supplementation produces a microbiome-support architecture that supports senior cats, cats with mild GI sensitivities, or cats recovering from antibiotic courses (probiotic supplementation supports microbiome recovery). For owners specifically valuing structural fiber inclusion + probiotic GI support, the kibble’s explicit supplement architecture is structurally aligned.
Where Nulo Freeze-Dried holds its own
Prey-model formulation with chicken + salmon dual-species protein + named-organ-meat inclusions — maximum animal-source ingredient density: Nulo Freestyle Freeze-Dried Raw leads with chicken + salmon + chicken necks + chicken liver + chicken hearts — a prey-model formulation operating approximately 90%+ animal-source ingredient density with dual-named-species protein structure (chicken + salmon) and explicit named-organ-meat inclusions in positions three through five (chicken necks contribute bone-source calcium + collagen + chondroitin; chicken liver contributes vitamin A, B12, copper, iron; chicken hearts contribute taurine + CoQ10 + B-vitamins). For cats specifically — obligate carnivores requiring meaningful taurine intake to prevent dilated cardiomyopathy and retinal degeneration — the explicit named-organ-meat taurine sourcing is structurally aligned. The kibble relies more on synthetic taurine supplementation in the vitamin / mineral premix — nutritionally adequate but structurally different from prey-model taurine delivery. Shop on Amazon →
Sublimation processing preserves raw-state nutrition + dual-named-protein chicken + salmon delivers omega-3 through whole-food rather than oil-supplementation: The Freeze-Dried Raw uses freeze-drying (sublimation under vacuum) to remove water from frozen ingredients without thermal degradation. The format preserves enzymes, heat-sensitive B-vitamins (thiamine especially), bioactive amino-acid forms, and raw-state nutrient density. Salmon at panel position two delivers EPA + DHA omega-3 through whole-fish-source rather than oil-supplementation — the salmon body matrix supplies the omega-3 alongside complete-protein + bioactive lipids + vitamin D + selenium in animal-bioavailable forms. For owners specifically valuing whole-food nutrient sourcing over synthetic vitamin / mineral supplementation, or wanting raw-state omega-3 delivery through fish-tissue rather than fish-oil supplementation, the freeze-dried format is structurally aligned.
Rehydration flexibility supports senior cats, cats with dental issues, or picky-eater contexts — format adapts to feeding-context needs: The freeze-dried raw can be fed dry (less common because palatability and digestibility both benefit from rehydration), partially rehydrated (softer texture for cats transitioning from kibble), or fully rehydrated (broth-like consistency for senior cats with reduced jaw strength, cats recovering from dental procedures, or cats with picky-eating patterns where rehydrated palatability beats dry-kibble palatability). For cats specifically, rehydrating the freeze-dried with warm water also adds structural hydration to the meal that the dry kibble format cannot match — closing some of the obligate-carnivore hydration gap. For owners managing senior cats, cats in dental-procedure recovery, or cats with picky-eater patterns, the freeze-dried format’s rehydration adaptability is structurally aligned. The kibble is single-format dry kibble without the rehydration flexibility.
The bottom line
Nulo Freestyle Adult Cat kibble and Nulo Freestyle Freeze-Dried Raw tie at B/78 — an honest tie reflecting consistent Nulo high-animal-protein-density philosophy across two structurally different formats. Pick Nulo Freestyle Adult Cat kibble when dry-format scoop-and-serve convenience matters, multi-cat household feeding economics support sole-diet kibble feeding, the salmon-oil omega-3 supplementation + GanedenBC30 probiotic structural support architecture is the value-add you want, or you want Nulo high-protein nutrition at everyday-feeding affordability. Pick Nulo Freestyle Freeze-Dried Raw when prey-model formulation with dual-named-species protein (chicken + salmon) + named-organ-meat inclusions matters, sublimation-preserved raw-state nutrient retention aligns with your feeding philosophy, whole-food taurine + omega-3 sourcing through chicken hearts + salmon (rather than synthetic supplementation) is the structural value-add you want, or rehydration flexibility supports senior or dental-recovery cat feeding contexts. Both products deliver B/78 Nulo-tier high-protein nutrition — the pick is fundamentally about format-context fit and per-pound feeding economics rather than rubric ranking.