Vital Essentials

Freeze-Dried Minnows

Grade D, 63 out of 100, ranked 8 of 8 cat treats we graded. 1 brand-line recall since 2016. Owners give it 4.4 out of 5 across 7,100 ratings.

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63Grade D
out of 100

Grade analysis

Overall
63 / 100
Safety and recall record
37.6 / 40
Owner consensus
21.8 / 40
Value
4 / 20
Confidence
High

Plenty of ratings behind this grade. Data checked October 2026.

Safety and recall record

We found 1 recall for this brand line since 2016. Older and less related recalls count for less.

  • 2016Serious. Vital Essentials frozen raw pet food (one lot): possible Salmonella. Source−2.4

What owners say

Rated 4.4 out of 5 across 7,100 ratings on Amazon. Ratings from a small number of shoppers get pulled toward the average, so for scoring this counts as 4.40.

Value

At $11.59 for 1 oz, this costs $11.59 per oz, one of the priciest cat treats we graded.

Details

Size priced1 oz
Price checked$11.59 at Amazon, October 2026
Unit cost$11.59 per oz

Grades compare products within the same category only. We don't test products ourselves or judge individual recipes, and every food here is sold as complete and balanced. Nutrition standards rate the maker against WSAVA's questions, using answers collected by the Pet Nutrition Alliance in 2022. How we grade.