The scores
Smalls Smooth Bird Fresh Chicken Recipe Pate Cat Food: A (90/100) — Cooked-fresh. Human-grade. Chicken at one, chicken liver at two. 73% moisture. Zero grains/peas/potatoes. Adult maintenance AAFCO formulation.
The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Whole Food Clusters Cat Food: A (90/100) — Dehydrated. Human-grade. Chicken at one, peas at two, eggs at three, chicken liver at four. 8% moisture (dry). MadeHonest cold-press-roast-dehydrate process.
Both sit at A/90 under Fresh Food Rubric v1.0. Human-grade is the shared backbone; format is the primary differentiator.
How the ingredients compare
Smalls (Smooth Bird Chicken): Chicken, chicken liver, green beans, water sufficient for processing, dried yeast, tricalcium phosphate, kale, magnesium proteinate, potassium chloride, choline chloride, dandelion greens, dried kelp, taurine, proteinate-form trace minerals, cod liver oil, salt, full vitamin tail.
The Honest Kitchen (Grain-Free Chicken Clusters): Chicken, peas, eggs, chicken liver, lentils, potatoes, tricalcium phosphate, natural chicken flavor, flaxseed, salmon oil, sodium chloride, full vitamin tail, fenugreek seed, taurine, choline chloride, dried organic kelp, amino-acid-chelate trace minerals, pumpkin, blueberries, cranberries, carrots, organic barley grass, yucca schidigera extract, mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract, turmeric, l-carnitine, dried bacillus coagulans.
Smalls is structurally spare (chicken + liver + small vegetable component + supplementation); The Honest Kitchen has a broader supporting cast including eggs, flaxseed, and phytonutrient/antioxidant layer (turmeric, yucca, rosemary). The Honest Kitchen has peas at position two and lentils at position five, which Smalls avoids entirely.
Where Smalls pulls ahead
Moisture content. 73% native vs 8% dry. For cats with Feline Idiopathic Cystitis, urinary crystals, chronic kidney disease, or simple chronic under-drinking, Smalls delivers hydration out of the container. The Honest Kitchen delivers its moisture benefit only if the owner rehydrates with water before serving.
Zero legumes. No peas, no lentils, no chickpeas. For cats with known legume sensitivities, or owners with concerns about the pea/lentil density flagged in the FDA DCM investigation (even though cats are less susceptible than dogs), Smalls is the cleaner panel.
No rehydration step. Spoon, serve, done. The Honest Kitchen takes 3-4 minutes of warm-water rehydration if you’re serving it moist (which is recommended for hydration benefit).
Subscription convenience. Smalls ships pre-portioned, monthly, with the shipping schedule handled. No ordering, no remembering, no running out between grocery runs. The Honest Kitchen requires owner-managed reordering (though available on Chewy auto-ship). Shop on Amazon →
Where The Honest Kitchen holds its own
Pantry-stable storage. Shelf-stable in sealed bags until opened; no refrigerator or freezer space required. For apartments, smaller kitchens, or owners with limited cold storage, this is a meaningful practical advantage. Smalls requires freezer space plus thawing prep.
Eggs at position three. Whole eggs are nutritionally one of the most complete dietary proteins available (PDCAAS score of 1.0). Egg inclusion adds amino-acid completeness and choline (important for hepatic function) on top of the chicken-plus-liver base.
Dry-or-rehydrated flexibility. The clusters can be served dry for cats who prefer crunch or rehydrated for the moisture benefit. Smalls is one texture only.
Lower per-day cost. Roughly $2.50–5 per day vs Smalls’s $3–7. For owners who want a premium A-tier cat food without the cooked-fresh subscription price tag, The Honest Kitchen is a meaningful savings.
Phytonutrient and antioxidant layer. Turmeric, rosemary extract, organic barley grass, yucca, and l-carnitine add a broader supporting cast of nutraceutical ingredients. Yucca schidigera specifically reduces ammonia in urine and feces — a relevant quality-of-life benefit for indoor cats and their owners. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
Both cat foods earned an A (90/100) under the Fresh Food Rubric v1.0 — a measurable tie. The decision is logistics and diet philosophy. Cats with urinary history, medically-vulnerable households, no-legume needs, or owners who want cooked-fresh subscription convenience should pick Smalls. Owners wanting pantry-stable premium cat food, flexible dry-or-rehydrated serving, legumes-are-fine context, or the lower per-day cost of the dehydrated category should pick The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Clusters Cat.
Compare Smalls & The Honest Kitchen Cat →