Lisa
Good food(?), but lousy experience
First off: I do not have a problem with the food. I bought a trial pack to try with my two cats, and they seemed to be taking to it well. Their coats look healthier. That's the positive. The negative: I went through the account portal to "skip" my first full shipment, as my cats had not yet eaten most of the packets from the trial package. That was successfully skipped. When I did receive my first full order, I was happy with how it arrived (all still solidly frozen) but less happy about the company processing payments, and orders, a week before it was even sent out. (And it was sent out just one day before it was scheduled to be delivered, after I reached out to them about the order still "being processed.") The food is not cheap. For the following shipment, I again "skipped" it via the account portal, as I have a freezer full of food not yet eaten. I did this a full week before the deadline to do to. I received a pop-up window to let me know my next shipment would be skipped. I then went to confirm that my account portal itself had been updated and went to refresh the page, but received instead a message that the website was now down for maintenance. Considering the pop-up I'd seen and the fact that there was still a week before the deadline, I thought my job was done. More than a week after that, I received an email that my order was being processed and delivery was expected in a week. Except that: this is the delivery I had skipped. I reached out to the company, and they are insisting I made the change just three (3) days earlier, and one day *after* the deadline, and so I was out of luck. The back-and-forth texts didn't solve anything -- oh, they did suggest that if I don't need the ($170 worth of cat food) I can donate it. They later said they would even make an exception and, if I obtained a donation receipt, they would refund me the money afterwards...but of course I'd still be charged the $170 in the first place for the shipment I timely skipped. I have no complaints about their product. But this leaves a very very bad taste in my mouth about the integrity of the business. Incidentally, I posted a BBB review (Smalls in not BBB accredited) and while there were just a few other reviews for Smalls posted there, they were for issues with cancelling subscriptions and with being charged for things they believed to have been cancelled or skipped and a general shadiness of the business, so far as I could tell. It saddens me because there are few good options for cats, and I believe it's a good product. But, if they think I need a $170 shipment of food every three weeks and then don't acknowledge when I say "whoa, I don't need it so often!" I'll take my business elsewhere. And I advise others to do the same or at least to proceed with caution.
Response from SmallsSep 24, 2025
Thank you for sharing your detailed experience — we truly appreciate the honest feedback. We’re thrilled to hear that your cats are enjoying the food and that you’ve noticed improvements in their coats. That’s always our goal. We understand how frustrating subscription management can feel, especially when the timing doesn’t line up. Our subscription system is designed to ensure cats never run out of fresh food, which is why orders operate on a delivery frequency with strict deadlines, as our food is perishable. That said, we know that when tech issues occur — or maintenance interrupts the confirmation process — it can create confusion and stress. We do our best to offer solutions in these situations, such as donation options or exception-based refunds, though we understand these are not the same as avoiding the initial charge. Your feedback is helpful, and we’ll continue working to make the skipping, rescheduling, and communication processes clearer and more user-friendly. Smalls is committed to providing high-quality, human-grade cat food and to being transparent and fair with our customers. While the subscription model ensures consistent delivery for your kitties, we are actively looking at ways to make account management easier and more flexible for situations like yours. We’re grateful for your support of our product and your willingness to share your experience, and we hope your cats continue to thrive on Smalls.