Science & Research
The science behind every bowl.
From ingredients to cooking processes — every detail is carefully considered.
Build my pet's plan
It all starts with quality ingredients.
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Real Ingredients for Better Nutrition.
The quality of what goes into our food directly affects how many nutrients your pet's body actually absorbs. We use 98–99% whole food ingredients in our dog meals (from restaurant-quality, human grade suppliers) because nutrients from real food sources are more bioavailable. The remaining 1–2% is omega oils and supplements, nothing more.
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Individually Cooked to Preserve Nutrients
Every ingredient is cooked to its own optimal temperature and time. This does two things at once: 1.) It preserves the natural nutritional contribution of each ingredient (rather than cooking everything together and over/undercooking some), and 2.) It eliminates bacteria.
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Built-In Hydration
Fresh, gently-cooked food retains significantly higher moisture than alternatives like kibble or dehydrated food. This supports hydration, and in turn, kidney and urinary health. It's a benefit baked into the food itself — and why many pet parents notice their pet drinking less water after switching. Not because they're less thirsty, but because they're getting more of what they need from their meals.
“What truly sets companies apart is how they handle their ingredients. Tom&Sawyer is unique in how they treat each component with precision and intention.”
Recipe Development
Behind every recipe, a team.
Every Tom&Sawyer recipe is developed by a collaborative team, led by animal nutritionists working alongside veterinarians and culinary-trained chefs.
Identify the need
Every recipe starts with a problem — a common health challenge, a nutritional profile, or a culinary experience we haven't explored... yet. If there's a reason for it, we explore it.
Collaborative development
The nutritionists establish the nutritional framework. The vets bring clinical insight. The chefs handle taste, aroma, texture, and ingredient pairing. No one works in isolation. The recipe earns its place when every part of the team is satisfied.
Testing for efficacy
Before anything reaches a bowl, every recipe is lab-tested to confirm it's nutritionally complete and balanced. We don't move forward until the science checks out.
Testing for enjoyment
A nutritious meal only works if your pet actually eats it. Every recipe goes through palatability testing (through our CTO, Sawyer the Yorkie-Poo), because their enjoyment shouldn't be an afterthought — it's a part of the experience.
Targeted Health Solutions
Meals with Purpose
Some pet foods are made for a single, specific medical purpose; intentionally restricting certain nutrients under veterinary supervision. They're valuable tools. But they're not designed for everyday nutrition. At Tom&Sawyer, we take a different approach: meals that are nutritionally complete and balanced, designed to support the challenges pet parents most commonly encounter.
For pets that need low fat meals
Veterinary nutritionists commonly recommend meals with 25g of fat per 1,000 kcal or less for pets with sensitive digestive systems. Our low fat recipes are formulated to align with that threshold — without compromising on taste or nutritional completeness.
For pets with sensitivities or allergies
We offer a variety of recipes featuring novel proteins, grain-free and gluten-free recipes, and even LID (limited ingredient diet) options, so you can have options that could work for your pet and their unique needs.
For pets who are part-time food critics
A nutritious meal only works if your pet actually eats it. That's why chefs help develop every recipe — considering taste, aroma, and texture alongside the nutritional brief. Palatability isn't a bonus. It's a requirement.
Gently-cooked pet food is still a relatively new category, and new science is emerging all the time.
Members of our nutrition team work beyond Tom&Sawyer — in research & veterinary teaching hospitals and active clinical practice — so what's happening in the broader field informs what ends up in our recipes. The challenges pet parents are navigating in vet clinics today shape the meals we're developing for tomorrow. We don't treat our recipes as finished. As the science evolves, so do we.
Questions about our science
How does Tom&Sawyer align with WSAVA Nutrition Guidelines?
WSAVA (the World Small Animal Veterinary Association) provides global nutrition guidelines to help pet parents and veterinarians assess the quality, safety, and nutritional integrity of pet food. Rather than approving specific brands, WSAVA outlines best practices that responsible pet food companies should follow.
Tom&Sawyer meets the recommendations set fourth by WSAVA in several key ways:
- Qualified nutrition oversight
Our meals are developed and overseen by an in-house PhD animal nutritionist, in consultation with veterinary nutrition professionals and external expert advisors, including leading researchers in animal nutrition. - Carefully formulated, complete & balanced meals
Recipes are formulated using licensed formulation software and designed to meet established AAFCO nutrient profiles for their intended life stage. Nutrition is delivered primarily through whole-food ingredients, with supplementation used only as needed. - Routine testing and quality assurance
We conduct regular third-party laboratory testing to confirm nutritional accuracy, food safety, and consistency over time — helping ensure our meals continue to meet our stated guarantees. - Ingredient sourcing & food safety standards
Ingredients and supplements are sourced from the human food industry and prepared in licensed human food production facilities, following strict safety, handling, and traceability requirements.
WSAVA’s guidelines are meant to support informed decision-making. We welcome these questions and believe Tom&Sawyer reflects the transparency, accountability, and nutritional care the guidelines are designed to promote.
How is this nutritionally different from home-cooking?
Home-cooked meals are often made with great intentions, but it can be difficult to ensure they’re nutritionally complete over time.
Tom&Sawyer meals are developed by our Research & Development team (including an in-house PhD animal nutritionist), to be complete and balanced according to AAFCO guidelines, using high-quality, whole-food ingredients with minimal supplementation.
Unlike most home-cooked diets:
- our recipes are intentionally balanced for long-term feeding
- each ingredient is cooked individually to help preserve its nutritional contribution
- every meal delivers consistent, reliable nutrition in every serving
This gives pet parents the comfort of home-style food, without the guesswork.
Click here to learn more about why homemade dog food might not be enough.