We all want nothing more than to keep these magnificent creatures happy, healthy, and well-fed. However, not all cat food is created equal, and there are quite a few brands on the market, particularly those attending to wet cat food, that truly leave a lot to be desired.
Whether you’re a well-trained cat parent, a new kitten caretaker, or someone surprised by adopting a feral or homeless cat, one common question we ask ourselves is – “What exactly am I feeding my cat?” Most of us know that cats have different nutritional needs than humans, but it may shock you how many of the most common commercially available cat foods disregard those needs, particularly the ones offering wet cat food.
1. Whiskas Wet Cat Food
This popular brand tends to be lucrative due to its affordability, but caution is needed. Whiskas uses low-quality fillers such as corn and wheat. These are not easily digestible for cats and don’t contribute substantially to their nutritional needs. Moreover, it includes artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors that can be harmful in the long run.
2. Friskies Canned Wet Cat Food
While Friskies has a wide range of canned wet food that cats seem to relish, unfortunately, the brand uses artificial preservatives and colors. The ingredient list is also packed with unnamed meat by-products, making it impossible to recognize the origin of the protein source. This ambiguity is a red flag when it comes to pet food quality.
3. Purina Fancy Feast
Even though Fancy Feast is renowned for satisfying feline taste buds, it’s dismaying to note that this brand uses by-products and artificial flavors as well. The lack of specific animal protein sources is a significant drawback, making it difficult to ensure what your cat is consuming.
4. Meow Mix Tender Favorites Wet Cat Food
While cats may love the taste, Meow Mix lacks adequate nutrition. It incorporates animal by-products and artificial colors, indicating a poor-quality product. It also contains a high volume of wheat gluten, which can produce allergies in some cats, and isn’t a high-quality protein source.
5. 9Lives Meaty Pate Wet Cat Food
Again, this brand attracts consumers due to its low price point. However, it also includes by-products instead of identifiable meat sources. It contains added color and carrageenan, a thickening agent that can irritate a cat’s digestive system.
6. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Wet Cat Food
Despite its impressive name, Hill’s Science Diet gets its protein sourcing wrong by using meat by-products as a significant ingredient, instead of providing higher-quality meat sources. Moreover, it also contains artificial flavors and high carbohydrate content, far from a balanced meal for your feline friend.
7. Royal Canin Feline Health Wet Cat Food
Depressingly, Royal Canin lists corn, wheat, and soy as their top ingredients — all of which are not beneficial for cats and can lead to allergies. Also, it uses by-products instead of a specific meat source, as well as artificial coloring and flavoring, making it less than ideal for your cat’s health.
8. Nutro Max Adult Wet Cat Food
While Nutro Max doesn’t use artificial preservatives and colors, it uses anonymous meat sources, which isn’t a good sign. It also includes wheat gluten and a considerable amount of water for processing, leading to doubts about its nutritional value.
9. IAMS Pate Wet Cat Food
Beloved by many, IAMS disappointingly uses meat by-products as a primary ingredient and includes artificial flavors in its item list. For a brand that’s often recommended, this level of laxness towards quality, identifiable meat sources is disappointing.
10. Purina ONE Grain-Free Formula
Although grain-free sounds are healthy, this brand includes artificial colors and by-products. Despite having a high protein content, the vague source of those proteins and the use of potentially harmful additives make it a poor choice for your feline family member.