Celebrating National Cat Lady Day: What Our Nutrition Experts Feed Their Cats
Written by Kelly Gredner, RVT, VTS (Nutrition) & Dr. Hannah Godfrey, PhD, Animal Nutrition
It's National Cat Lady Day, and we're leaning all the way in. Because if anyone's going to celebrate our feline fur-iends with the passion they deserve, it's the two people on the Tom&Sawyer® team who spend their days thinking about how to keep cats healthier, longer.
The core of our nutrition team is Dr. Hannah Godfrey, our Lead Animal Nutritionist, and Kelly Gredner, our resident Vet Tech and pet nutrition specialist. Two different backgrounds, two very different paths, and one shared mission: helping cats thrive through better nutrition, one bowl at a time.
In this post, they share their love for cats, their personal feline nutrition journeys, and the Tom&Sawyer® cat meals they reach for in their own homes.
Why Do They Love Cats?
Great cat nutrition starts with truly understanding cats. Here's why Kelly and Hannah are the first to call themselves cat ladies, proudly.
KG - “I have been a self proclaimed cat lady probably since birth. I have photos of me as a child with my cat, Bucky, in a toy dump truck. I come from a family of cat lovers and have fostered, and hand raised, my share of felines. One bottle baby I kept!
The calming properties of a cat purring combined with their soft, warm bodies is truly a healing experience. They can make the stress of the day melt away instantly.
Despite their reputation for being “aloof”, they are silly, empathetic, endearing companions.
They are comical roommates, making every day with them joyful. Cats are complicated animals with their own very specific preferences and interests, which can be charming, but also puzzling!
Cats are often compared to dogs (rude!), which is like comparing apples to tomatoes because they are distinctly very different animals which require very different approaches – in medicine, nutrition, and general husbandry and care. And this uniqueness is a part of why I love cats!”
HG - ”I love cats because they win us over in a way that feels both magical and deeply personal. Anyone who has lived with a cat knows that beneath their reputation for being “independent” or “aloof,” there lies a whole world of personality, affection, and connection.
My love for cats started with my very first childhood companion, Squidward, and only grew as I learned just how unique every cat truly is. Cats don’t give their trust freely, you earn it, and that makes every slow blink, head bump, or quiet moment curled beside you feel incredibly special.
I now have three of my very own cats and they are each so unique: Buckets is the biggest freak I have ever met who constantly needs attention and loves to stretch out his toes.
Linus is perhaps the snuggliest cat I have ever met and also the most psychotic cat I have ever seen around food (we have child proofed our kitchen for this little gremlin). Midna on the other hand is an elegant little lady who only provides, and demands, affection at 3 am.
Beyond their charm, cats are fascinating animals from a biological and nutritional standpoint. They’re obligate carnivores with evolutionary adaptations that make them unlike any other companion animal.
They surprise us constantly, both in how they behave and in how their bodies respond to the world around them. Loving cats means appreciating their mystery, their quirks, and ultimately, their undeniable brilliance.”
How Their Feline Nutrition Journeys Began
Both Kelly and Hannah arrived at cat nutrition through very different doors, but with the same depth of curiosity and commitment.
KG - “My interest specifically in feline nutrition started 20 years ago when I went vegan because there was, and still is, tremendous debate on the ethics and nutrition of feeding carnivorous cats a plant based diet.
I have been to multiple lectures from boarded-certified veterinary nutritionists and feline specialists. I have spent more time on learning about cats, than any other species. I understand their anatomy and physiology.
How crucial aroma, mouth feel, and texture is to them successfully eating a diet. I know how their preferences can be so deeply rooted in their experience, that change sometimes never happens. That eventually led to me becoming the Vet Tech in the clinic that everyone went to for nutrition advice or would send a client to to answer questions about nutrition.
Not to mention the arduous path to becoming a Veterinary Technician Specialist! Over the years I have also become known as “The Cat Whisperer” wherever I go because I understand their special feline needs. That includes nutrition, too.”
HG - “My journey into feline nutrition began long before my career did. It was rooted in simple curiosity about the cats I grew up with.
Once I began studying animal physiology and nutrition more seriously, cats quickly became the species that captured my attention the most. Their physiology is full of unique twists: unusual amino acid requirements, distinct metabolic patterns, and nutrient needs that reflect their evolution as true carnivores.
As I moved through my MSc and PhD work, that curiosity only deepened. Every study, every data set, every metabolic puzzle revealed something new about how cats process nutrients and why they differ so much from other animals. Cats consistently challenge long‑held assumptions in nutrition science, pushing us to think differently and innovate responsibly.
At Tom&Sawyer, this passion has shaped our approach to feline recipes, respecting cats’ biological needs while exploring new ways to support their health, longevity, and well‑being.”
The Tom&Sawyer® Cat Meals They Actually Feed Their Cats
When the experts go home, what do they put in the bowl? Here's what Kelly and Hannah reach for, and why.
What Tom&Sawyer cat meal is your favorite and why?
KG - Chicken Cacciatore - “Its nutritional profile is well balanced between the calorie percentages, with carbohydrates being the lowest, all while keeping with beneficial fiber coming from potatoes and tomatoes.
It includes nutritious by-products like chicken liver and heart, organ meats that are highly regarded from a cat’s palette point of view! I love the skin support from anchovy oil. It’s also a great option for healthy seniors! It is the lowest calorie option we offer, which is great to have to help with the prevention of overfeeding.
Many conventional cat foods on the market are incredibly energy dense (>/= 450 kcal per cup!), making overfeeding (leading to excessive weight gain) very easy. And with 78% moisture, you can’t go wrong with Chicken Cacciatore.”
HG - Bento Box - “My favourite Tom & Sawyer cat meal has to be Bento Box, and not just because I love sushi myself! This recipe was incredibly fun to develop, inspired by the macronutrient ratios cats naturally seek in the wild: high protein, moderate fat, and lower carbohydrate levels.
With multiple high‑quality protein sources, Bento Box provides a robust blend of essential amino acids that obligate carnivores depend on.
The fats come from salmon and canola oil, delivering the full range of essential fatty acids cats require.
We include sweet potato as a source of complex carbohydrates, which support gut health and provide steady, usable energy. And then there’s our secret star ingredient: hydrolyzed soy sauce. This enhances the umami flavour profile that cats instinctively gravitate toward.
At home, Bento Box is a fan favourite! Buckets and Linus absolutely devour it, and I love giving them a meal rooted in both science and deliciousness.”
Those who spend time with cats know that time spent with them is time never wasted. So, if you’re “fresh curious” or looking for a diet change, consider the gently-cooked meals from Tom&Sawyer* - delivered to your door and created through science and a love for the species!
*All our prepared meals for cats are available in Canada only.
What Tom&Sawyer® Means for Your Cat's Bowl
Those who spend time with cats know that time with them is never wasted. And the same is true for the time Kelly and Hannah have dedicated to getting feline nutrition right.
Every Tom&Sawyer® cat recipe is formulated by Dr. Hannah Godfrey and made with whole food, Human Grade ingredients, zero preservatives, and minimal supplementation, prepared in a federally inspected Human Grade facility under the same standards that apply to food made for people. Our gently-cooked meals are available across Canada and delivered straight to your door.
If you're fresh-curious or ready to make a change for your kitty, explore our cat meal collection 🍁 and give them a bowl worth purring about. Happier, healthier, longer lives™ starts at mealtime.
