Cats can be notoriously picky eaters, and many owners rely on cat food toppers to ramp up their cats’ interest in food. Cat food toppers are also a smart way to hide supplements or medicines cats may otherwise dislike the taste of or flat-out refuse to eat. “Meal toppers can be beneficial for a cat’s health in several ways,” says Dr. Gabrielle Fadl, medical director at Bond Vet in New York City. “They can provide additional nutrients, such as protein and moisture, which can be especially helpful for cats prone to dehydration or those requiring a more protein-rich diet.”

Whether you’re dealing with a frequent fussy eater or just looking for a way to temporarily tempt at mealtime, this three-flavor Fancy Food Classic Broths Variety Pack is a great place to start. Cat-friendly fishy flavors (tuna, shrimp, and whitefish; tuna, anchovies, and whitefish; and salmon and vegetables) can quickly coax even the pickiest of eaters into finishing their bowls.

We also like using it as a clever mix-in for medication and an easy way to add moisture to our cats’ diet. Plus, leftovers can easily be refrigerated in the pouch. 

This topper has a moderate calorie content of 18 calories per pouch. If you’re using it regularly, you’ll need to adjust your cat’s meal portions to account for the extra calories. There are no artificial colors or preservatives.

You can feel good about this topper’s protein-first ingredient list, too. The salmon flavor contains tomato and spinach, while the two tuna-based flavors contain carrots. All flavors contain guar gum and tapioca, which work as a filler and can upset some cat tummies. 

These seafood-flavored pouches do have a fairly strong fish scent—great for cats, but not as loved by owners adverse to fishy smells. Still, it can be a small price to pay for a reliable topper that’s low in fat and high in moisture, especially if your cat has a habit of turning its nose up when it’s time for dinner. 

Adds hydration to diet

Instinct Raw Boost Mixers give your cat the benefits of a raw food diet without having to switch your cat’s usual food. Each pack of this freeze-dried meal topper contains 12 ounces of nutrient-dense whole protein, including organ meat and ground bones.

These soft, chewy pieces of raw kibble can entice even the pickiest of eaters and come with health benefits that range from improved digestion to skin and coat quality. Along with a cage-free chicken variety, we like that it’s also available in farm-raised rabbit (contains pork), making it a go-to pick for pet parents needing a meal topper with alternative proteins. 

Ingredients are free from gluten, soy, potato, and artificial preservatives and colors, but they do include non-GMO fruits and vegetables as fillers. This is a very high-protein and high-fat meal topper with a fair amount of calories, so you’ll want to adjust your cat’s daily meals so as not to overfeed. 

Two flavors: chicken and rabbit

How We Picked

More We Recommend

Best Broth: Open Farm Harvest Chicken Bone Broth uses humanely farmed chickens without hormones, antibiotics, or steroids. Natural collagen and chicken flavor are pulled from chicken bones simmered for 10 hours. Pouring out a portion of this savory chicken bone broth over wet or dry food is an easy, tasty way to add appealing flavor and moisture to your cat’s diet.

Each pouch holds 12 ounces of this liquid gold, and the recommended serving size is two tablespoons per 10 pounds of body weight. We love the resealable, easy-pour spout that makes it easy to dispense and securely store in the fridge between meals. Additional non-GMO ingredients include extras like carrots, pumpkin, and cinnamon, which are unnecessary but have inherent anti-inflammatory and digestive support. 

Three flavors: chicken, turkey, and beef

Best Calming: This meal-topper powder contains a probiotic strain that has been shown to encourage calm behavior. Like humans, a cat’s gut health can sometimes affect its mood. The Purina Pro Plan Calming Care Probiotics serves as a behavioral supplement when sprinkled over your cat’s food for at least six weeks.

It works by helping to tone down the production of cortisol, a stress hormone, which can be the catalyst behind a cat’s aggressive, anxious, or antisocial behavior. According to Purina, there is a guaranteed level of microorganisms in each pouch to help your cat stay calm (though the types and levels are not disclosed). Adding liver flavor helps make it more palatable, though the powder is best mixed up and dished with wet food since it cannot be absorbed by dry kibble. 

Liver-flavored

Best Low-Calorie: Indaba Churu Lickable Treats have a long-standing reputation as a top cat treat, but these squeezable tubes can also double as a sneaky meal topper. At around six calories per tube, we like that using a Churu treat meal topper doesn’t require us to count calories or recalculate regular meal portions.

These low-calorie, high-moisture toppers are an ideal meal topper for the occasional fussy eater, kitties on weight-control diets, and cats that need frequent appetite stimulation. We love that you can dish out partial portions and refrigerate the rest until the next meal—or serve as a between-meal treat.

But be warned: Some cats have been known to just lick up the treat topper and leave their food, so you may want to consider mixing it in before serving. Part of what makes these treats so appealing is their creamy consistency, which, unfortunately, is the result of using tapioca starch.  

Approximately six calories per serving

Best Probiotic: Cat probiotics come in many forms, and our favorite probiotic food topper is Zesty Paws Probiotic Powder for Cats. The pumpkin-flavored powder comes in pre-measured sachets, making it easy to dispense and convenient for travel. Along with inulin and yeast extract (Saccharomyces boulardii), each sachet contains over 400 million CFU of the clinically studied DE111 probiotic strain, known as Bacillus subtilis, which supports gut and immune health in cats.

It mixes easily into kitty’s favorite wet food, though the powder doesn’t quite adhere as well to dry food, making it harder to incorporate evenly. Some pet parents have had better luck mixing it in their cat’s bowl with both wet and dry food. We should note that some finicky cats might be turned off by the pumpkin flavor; however, cats generally find it appealing.

Pre-measured sachets

Why Trust The Spruce Pets?

K. Alex Beaven is a lifelong cat owner and currently in service to her leash-trained cat, @hellomisterbo. Alex has also written stories for The Spruce Pets on The Best Kitten Foods, Best Bone Broth for Cats, and Best Lickable Cat Treats.

For this story, Alex consulted with Dr. Gabrielle Fadl, medical director for Bond Vet, for expert medical advice and tips on how and when to use a cat food topper.

Goat milk for dogs and cats has made quite a splash in recent years. The reason for this alternative milk’s popularity? It’s nutritious and easy for pets to digest. We tested out Brutus Broth’s new shelf-stable goat milk and a few other products. Here are our honest thoughts about this new product.

Who is Brutus Broth? 

Brutus Broth was founded by Sue Delegan—the CEO—and Kim Hehir—the company’s President—back in 2017. The idea for the company started on Thanksgiving Day 2016, when someone asked how Sue’s dog Brutus had lived for so long; He was a 135 lb Greater Swiss Mountain dog who was over 13 years old. She attributed his longevity to both love and adding homemade bone broth to his diet.

Many asked Sue why she made Brutus his broth at home as opposed to purchasing it – at the time finding pet-safe bone broth was challenging and incredibly expensive. After extensive research, Sue and Kim launched Brutus Bone Broth in 2017 in an effort to make bone broth for dogs more accessible and affordable.

The beef and chicken broths have thousands of positive reviews. The bone broth is all natural, human-grade and formulated with both glucosamine and chondroitin, both of which can provide dogs with added hip and joint support. The company has recently launched its goat milk. 

According to its website, Brutus Broth is committed to sustainability efforts like its eco-friendly manufacturing practices and sustainable packaging, enhancing all meal types for animals and giving back via to charities that support animals.

Why Try Goat Milk for Dogs? 

Goat milk for dogs has become more popular for many reasons. For starters, goat’s milk can be easier to digest than cow’s milk. This is due to lower levels of lactose and smaller fat particles. It also has slightly higher levels of certain nutrients than cow’s milk. Goat’s milk tends to be higher in calcium, protein, fat, potassium, phosphorus, niacin and vitamin A, according to the University of California, Berkeley.  

According to a study published in Food Science & Nutrition, “goat milk proteins contain higher levels of certain amino acids such as tryptophan and cysteine.”

In other parts of the world, goat’s milk is consumed more widely than cow’s milk, according to the University of Michigan. Pet owners can use goat milk to increase hydration or mix it with dry food for a healthy boost. 

Brutus Broth Goat Milk for Dogs: A Closer Look 

Brutus Broth’s Goat Milk comes in a 16-ounce container that’s compact and shaped like a classic, mostly square milk container. Pet owners can serve this plain in a bowl or pour it over food as a topper. Using it as a topper can help your pet chew their hard food, especially if they don’t have a lot of teeth. Although some goat’s milk isn’t pasteurized—a process of killing pathogens that can be found in milk, usually through heat—Brutus Broth’s version is pasteurized because it is aseptically packaged.

The color of the goat milk is similar to cow’s milk. Customers screw off the lid and then use a pull tab to open up the container. The packaging states that it’s intended “for dogs and cats of all life stages.” 

The package recommends feeding two ounces of goat milk per 20 pounds of dog body weight. 

My dog—a six-pound long-haired Chihuahua Rocket—loved this goat milk and immediately lapped it up after I poured it into a bowl. If your dog is a picky eater, this could be a good option. Rocket can be picky. I’ve had him reject treats I’ve spent a fair amount on. He also will only eat meat and bread. I can’t get him to eat fruits or veggies. I was happy that he drank it. You simply pour this out for your dog, and it’s easy to serve. 

Highlights

This goat milk doesn’t need to be refrigerated before opening. After opening, the product can last for up to 30 days in the refrigerator.  

The small package—it’s slightly bigger than a traditional milk carton served in elementary school—is easy to store and convenient for daily use. 

This milk contains protein, fat and fiber and is gentle on stomachs. It can be a great way to give your dog extra nutrients. 

Things to Consider 

As with any supplements, it’s best to check with your veterinarian before giving it to your pet. 

Bonus Products: Other Brutus Broth Options

Probiotic Mega Pack (Instant Bone Broth Powder)

Brutus Broth also makes a powdered form of bone broth with added canine-specific microencapsulated probiotics—keeping them potent all the way through the digestive tract until they hit the stomach. You can serve this over top of food or mix it with water. My dog Rocket ate the powder that I put over a small piece of steak I gave him. Yes, my dog is spoiled and well loved. Plus, I loved the little plastic spoon that came in the package. It made it easy to use this product. Once mixed with water, this liquid lasts in the fridge for up to three days.

Pros: Long shelf life, immune support and palatable for picky dogs. Given that this is a powder, it doesn’t weigh as much as liquid bone broth and is easier to store. 

Things to Consider: May require mixing effort. 

At $19.99 per bag, this could be considered a tad pricey at first glance. Although it is worth noting that it makes 130 oz of broth + probiotics, making it an affordable option per-ounce.

Traditional Liquid Bone Broth 

Brutus Broth is very well known for its liquid bone broth. This comes in four flavors, including beef, chicken, pork and salmon flavored vegetable broth. We tested out the beef flavor. Brutus Broth’s is slow-simmered broth made from real beef bones. This bone broth also includes added turmeric, glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health. As this is pre-prepared, all consumers have to do is open and pour this out to serve. My dog Rocket drank his broth, but did not finish his full bowl. However, its primary use is as a topper, which makes sense.

Pros: Great aroma, boosts flavor of kibble and supports joints. 

Things to Consider: Must refrigerate after opening. 

Where to Buy & Pricing 

Brutus Bone Broth is widely available at BrutusBroth.com, Amazon, Chewy, Petco and independent pet stores.

• Price ranges:
  • Goat Milk: $8.99
  • Probiotic Mega Pack: $19.99 (makes 130 oz) 
  • Liquid Broth: $9.99

Final Verdict: Is Brutus Broth a Good Buy? 

Overall, Brutus Broth’s goat milk is a great option for pet parents. Goat milk is versatile and is typically easy for dogs with sensitive stomachs to digest. Brutus Broth’s products are convenient, affordable, made with high quality ingredients and palatable. Brutus Bone Broth also makes it easy to give your pet bone broth as it comes in a liquid and powder form.

Final Recommendation:

Brutus Broth is a wonderful choice for pet owners looking for shelf-stable, health-boosting meal toppers, especially for older dogs, picky eaters or dogs recovering from GI issues.

Meta description: “Is goat milk good for dogs? We reviewed Brutus Broth’s new shelf-stable goat milk, plus their Probiotic Mega Pack and classic bone broth, to help you decide if they’re worth the buy.”

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