Best Canned Cat Food Brands

When it comes to choosing a commercial cat food product for your cat, you have two main options – dry food or canned food. What you may not realize is that canned food comes in a number of different forms so even this one decision is not so cut and dry. While many cat owners prefer dry cat food, or kibble, there are some advantages to feeding your cat a canned food diet. Before you make your decision either way, you should take the time to learn the details about both options so you can make an informed decision.

Choosing a high-quality canned cat food is just like choosing any other kind of food – you need to evaluate the quality of the product by reading the information on the packaging and compare it to your other options to choose the one that is best. Unfortunately, comparing canned cat foods is not always as straightforward as comparing dry cat foods – especially if you are trying to compare a canned food product to a dry kibble. In this article you will receive all of the information you need to decide whether canned cat food is the right option for your cat and, if it is, you will receive some tips for choosing a high-quality canned food product. You will also receive recommendations for five quality canned cat food brands to help you get started.

How is Canned Cat Food Made?

When you open up a can of cat food you may be able to see bits of different ingredients but they may not look like anything natural. This is because canned cat foods are processed and cooked in such a way that the original ingredients generally do not keep their shape. The process through which canned cat foods are made is very similar to the process for making dry cat food, though the details and the individual stages vary a little bit:

1. The ingredients are gathered and stored separately in preparation for processing – the main ingredients for most canned foods include meat, some dry ingredients, and some kind of liquid (water, broth, or gravy).
2. All of the ingredients are combined in a mixer which creates a blended product in accordance to the specific formula/recipe being used.
3. The mixed product is then used to fill empty containers such as cans, trays, or pouches in precise amounts so as to match the weight shown on the product label.
4. For trays and cans, the lids are applied and then the container (or pouch) is sealed.
5. The sealed containers are all cooked at a specific temperature for a certain period of time in order to prevent spoilage of the product.
6. The sealed and cooked product is cooled to the desired level and then the labels are applied to the container for distribution and sale.

This is the basic order of events for the production of canned cat food but different manufacturers might change the process in some ways. For example, certain formulas may need to be cooked to a different temperature depending on the ingredients used, or the sealing process might be different for cans than for pouches. If you check the manufacturer’s website for any given canned cat food product, you should be able to find some details about the manufacturing process.

Choosing a Quality Canned Cat Food

If you look at the label for a canned cat food product you will see all kinds of information. Not only will you find the name of the manufacturer or brand and the name of the recipe or formula, but you may also see various health claims or benefits. For example, some canned cat foods bear health claims like “high in protein” or “grain-free”. It is important to note that this kind of claim is not closely regulated by the FDA so you need to take them with a grain of salt, comparing the claims to the actual information provided by the food label to determine whether they are true.

When it comes to evaluating the quality of a canned cat food product there are three main things you need to consider:

• AAFCO Statement of Nutritional Adequacy – The American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is responsible for regulating the production and sale of pet food and livestock feed. This organization has determined the minimum nutritional requirements of cats and dogs based on feeding trials and they have created nutrient profiles for animals in different life stages – adult maintenance and growth and reproduction (for kittens and pregnant or lactating females). All pet food products are tested by AAFCO and if they are found to meet the nutrient profiles established for the intended species, the package will carry some kind of statement that generally looks like this, “[Product Name] is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles”. If the product you are looking at doesn’t carry this statement, it will not meet your cat’s nutritional needs as a primary diet. You can still use it as a supplementary diet or as a treat, if you choose.
• Guaranteed Analysis – All pet food labels are required to carry a guaranteed analysis which is simply a breakdown of the minimum or maximum values for four key nutrients – protein, fat, fiber, and moisture – as well as some micronutrients. Different pet food manufacturers include different additional values in their guaranteed analysis but some of the values you might see are for taurine, omega fatty acids, calcium, or other key minerals. The values in the guaranteed analysis are listed as percentages out of 100. The maximum acceptable moisture level for canned food products is 82%, though most products are closer to the 78% range. You want the protein value to be higher than the value for fat and the crude fiber level should be no more than 3%. You will learn more about using the guaranteed analysis to compare cat food products later in this article.
• Ingredients List – Perhaps the most important tool for judging the quality of a canned cat food product is the ingredients list. Ingredients lists on pet food products are organized in descending order by volume – this just means that the ingredients at the top of the list are present in the largest quantity, or volume. A high-quality canned cat food with have at least one source of named animal protein near the beginning of the list along with one or more digestible carbohydrates and some healthy fat from a named animal source. One thing to keep in mind with the ingredients list is that fresh meats (like chicken or turkey) contain up to 80% moisture. When the product is cooked down to a moisture level around 10%, the actual volume of protein from those ingredients will be much lower. This is why meat meals like chicken meal that have already had most of the moisture cooked out are such valuable ingredients – they contain up to 4 times as much protein by volume as fresh meat.

By evaluating these three components of any canned cat food label you should be able to form a decent judgment about the quality of the product. You should start with the AAFCO statement, avoiding any product that doesn’t carry a statement of nutritional adequacy. Next, check the guaranteed analysis to make sure that the product meets the minimum requirements for completed and balanced cat nutrition. Finally, check the ingredients list to make sure that it contains plenty of whole ingredients, especially quality animal proteins and fats as well as digestible carbohydrates.

Some important things you need to keep in mind when reviewing the ingredients list for canned cat food products is that animal sources are always better than plant sources – this applies particularly to proteins and fats. Whole animal proteins like chicken, salmon, or lamb will always be better than plant proteins like alfalfa meal or pea protein. For fats, things like chicken fat may not sound appetizing but they are a valuable source of fatty acids for your cat. Keep in mind that some protein sources (like fish, in particular) provide fatty acids as well as proteins. Plant oils like sunflower oil or canola oil are not inherently bad for your cat but they are not preferable to animal fats. Finally, when it comes to carbohydrates you want to make sure that they are easily digestible and not present in high quantities. Digestible carbohydrates for cats may include cooked whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice or grain-free options like sweet potato and tapioca. Be wary of any canned food product that contains numerous carbohydrates, especially if they outnumber the proteins and fats.

Tips for Comparing Canned Cat Foods

With so many different canned food options to choose from, it can be difficult to make a choice. If you are a brand new cat owner, the choice might be even more overwhelming for you. Using the information provided in the previous section is your best bet for picking a quality canned food product, but if this is too much for you then there are a few simple tricks you can use. The following five tips will help you to weed out the low-quality canned cat foods, increasing your chances of choosing a quality product for your cat:

1. Look for real ingredients from named sources. Give the ingredients list a quick scan, looking for real ingredients like meat that comes from named sources like chicken, salmon, or lamb. You want to avoid products that are made with generic ingredients like poultry meal or low-quality ingredients like chicken by-products.
2. Check for high-quality proteins. Protein is the most important nutritional consideration for cats so you want to make sure that the product you choose is made with high-quality proteins. When looking at the ingredients list you should see a named animal protein source (like salmon, chicken, turkey, or rabbit) in the first or second ingredient slot. If the protein source comes second, the first ingredient should be a source of moisture (like water or broth), not a carbohydrate.
3. Avoid grocery store and dollar store brands. If you follow the two tips above you will probably already eliminate most canned foods that come from grocery store or dollar store brands. Most of these brands are focused more on affordability than quality and many of them use low-quality fillers like corn, wheat, and soy ingredients to bulk up their products while keeping costs down.
4. Check for minimum values. Take a quick look at the guaranteed analysis for the canned food product to see if it meets the minimum requirements for cats. The minimum protein requirement for cats is about 35% and the minimum fat requirement is 8% for kittens and 5% for adults. Cats do not have a minimum requirement for carbohydrate (listed as fiber) but you do want to make sure that this value isn’t too high – values below 3% are generally sufficient.
5. Take health claims with a grain of salt. Many pet food manufacturers use buzz words like “premium” or “gourmet” on their pet food packages to make their products appear to be of higher quality than they actually are. Take these claims with a grain of salt, comparing them to the information provided but the guaranteed analysis and the ingredients list to see if they are founded in truth before you buy the product.

If you don’t have a lot of time to spend comparing canned cat food products, or if you just want to make a quick judgment about a brand in general, the five tips above will help you get started. If the product you are looking at meets all of the requirements above, the chances are good that it is not a low-grade product, though there are always exceptions to the rule.

Comparing Canned Food to Dry Food

If you still aren’t sure whether dry cat food or canned cat food is the best option for your cat, take a moment to consider the advantages and disadvantages of both options. One of the main factors you are likely to consider is the price – canned cat food is generally more expensive than dry food, usually because it has a higher protein content. Many low-grade pet food manufacturers use inexpensive filler ingredients like wheat flour or corn gluten meal to fortify their products – the end result is that the product is bulked up without the addition of any real nutritional value. This is something to keep in mind if you are considering buying a cheap canned cat food.

Another thing you might consider when deciding between canned food and kibble is the shelf life of the product. Both canned foods and dry foods are cooked in such a way as to keep them from spoiling for a certain amount of time. Dry foods can be left out in the open for hours, even days at a time without risk but canned foods will spoil in a matter of hours after opening without refrigeration. This is why canned foods are sold in such small containers while dry foods can come in great big bags. If you want to use canned foods without risk for spoiling, you can find an automatic feeder that covers the bowl when your cat is not eating from it.

In addition to price and convenience, another thing to think about in the debate of canned versus dry food is the health benefits and the appeal of the product. Many pet food manufacturers claim that their dry food products help to preserve the oral health of cats because the crunchy kibbles scrape away plaque and tartar from the surface of the teeth as your cat chews. This shouldn’t be viewed as a substitution for good oral health, but it can help keep your cat’s teeth clean between brushings. In terms of appeal, many cats prefer the flavor and texture of wet foods – if your cat is a picky eater, canned foods might be more appealing than dry food.

These basic points of comparison are helpful in choosing between canned cat food and dry cat food in general, but what happens when you need to compare a specific canned food product to a dry food product? You can check for an AAFCO statement of nutritional adequacy and look over the list of ingredients, but you cannot make a direct comparison of the guaranteed analysis without doing a little bit of math. The guaranteed analysis for canned cat food products are not calculated on a dry matter basis like kibbles so you will have to convert them in order to make a direct comparison. To do so, simply take the total moisture content of the canned food and subtract it from 100% – this will give you the total amount of dry matter. Then, simply divide that percentage (as a whole number) by the percentage of each nutrient (protein, fat, and fiber) to find the dry matter calculation. Here is the whole equation written out for you:

Dry Matter Basis = % Ingredient Value / 100% – % Moisture x 100

Example: 8% Protein / 100% – 78% Moisture x 100 = 36% Dry Matter Protein

Top Recommended Canned Cat Food Brands

Learning how to distinguish between low-quality and high-quality cat food products is very important but it may not be a skill you can develop overnight. Using the information provided above you can learn how to judge the quality of any canned cat food product but it may take some practice. To help you get started in shopping for a quality canned food for your cat, consider some of the top-rated brands below:

Wild Frontier

The Wild Frontier brand of cat food products (formerly EVO) is inspired by cats’ ancestral eating habits. Wild Frontier products are grain-free, high in protein, and low in carbohydrates – they are also a convenient alternative to raw foods but offer many of the same nutritional benefits. The fact that Wild Frontier is an ancestral diet means that its formulas are inspired by the natural diet of wild cats and dogs. All of Wild Frontier’s products are made with fresh, raw meats and grain-free carbohydrates like potatoes. Wild Frontier offers a variety of dry and canned cat foods with recipes that feature proteins such as turkey, duck, and lamb. All recipes are very rich in animal protein and highly digestible for cats.

Wellness CORE

The Wellness brand of pet foods is produced and manufactured by WellPet LLC. Wellness is known for producing high-quality, holistic pet food products that support the whole-body health of cats and dogs. Not only are all Wellness products completely natural, but they are free from fillers and artificial additives to ensure premium quality nutrition. The Wellness pet food company offers two different product lines for cats – the Complete Health line of natural diets and the CORE line of grain-free formulas. Both product lines include both dry foods and wet food products in a number of different flavors and recipes to suit your cat’s individual preferences.

The Wellness CORE line of cat food products was designed based on the nutritional philosophy that cats are carnivores and that they thrive on a diet comprised primarily of fresh meats. Every formula in this line is free from grains and is loaded with high-quality proteins in a balanced recipe. There are two different types of canned cat foods available in the CORE line – one is the new Hearty Cuts line of shredded recipes and the other is the original line of grain-free wet foods. The Hearty Cuts line includes four different flavor options – Indoor Shredded Chicken & Turkey, Shredded Chicken & Tuna, Shredded Chicken and Turkey, and Shredded Whitefish and Salmon. The original line of CORE grain-free wet foods includes flavors like Chicken, Turkey & Chicken Liver; Whitefish, Salmon & Herring; Beef, Venison & Lamb; Turkey & Duck; as well as an Indoor and a Kitten formula. In addition to being loaded with protein, these canned food formulas contain balanced levels of omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat as well as controlled levels of vitamins and minerals for optimal nutrition.

Fromm Four-Star

The Fromm Family Pet Food company was founded all the way back in 1904 by the four Fromm brothers, Walter, Edward, John, and Henry. Today, Fromm Family Foods is a fifth-generation family-owned company based out of Wisconsin. Not only is the Fromm Family for pioneering the cooking process that is still used for dry kibble food today, but they also developed the first canine distemper vaccine. Fromm Family Foods is dedicated to providing high-quality, nutritious diets for cats and dogs in accordance with their family values and their nutritional philosophy. Fromm offers three different lines of pet food products – the Classic line of dog foods, the Gold line of holistic pet foods, and the Four Star line of gourmet pet foods.

The Four-Star line of cat foods from Fromm Family Foods is designed to offer cats a variety of flavors to be used in a rotational-style diet. Rotational feeding for cats and dogs involves feeding different recipes and flavors in a rotation rather than feeding a single flavor every day. This type of feeding helps to ensure greater nutritional balance and it also helps to prevent the development of food allergies or intolerances. The Fromm Four-Star line of cat foods include eight dry food formulas and four canned foods. The canned food flavors are: Chicken, Duck & Salmon Paté; Chicken & Salmon Paté; Duck & Chicken Paté; and Salmon & Tuna Paté. Each of these four formulas is loaded with healthy proteins and is complete and balanced for cats in all life stages.

Halo

The Halo pet food company was recently named America’s Best Loved Holistic Brand and it certainly lives up to the name. Not only is Halo known for producing high-quality, holistic pet food products but they also donate a large portion of their products and profits to shelters around the country. The Halo pet food company was founded in 1986 and, for the past 30 years, has been a leader in the innovation of healthy, natural diets for cats and dogs. The Halo Difference defines the company’s nutritional philosophy, promising no rendered meats and no by-product meals. All of Halo’s products are also made without artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. Halo follows strict standards for quality when it comes to sourcing their ingredients and manufacturing their products, plus they give away more than 1.5 million meals to animals in need each and every year.

The Halo pet food company offers three different types of cat food products: dry food, canned food, and freeze-dried kiblets. Halo offers five different product lines for canned cat food products: Vigor, Impulse, Spot’s Choice, Spot’s Paté, and Spot’s Stew. The Vigor line of canned food products includes three different flavors, all made with gluten-free quinoa as the primary carbohydrate and quality proteins like salmon, venison, turkey, and quail. The Impulse line of canned foods includes four flavor options designed to satisfy your cat’s cravings for natural flavors. Spot’s Choice comes in shredded turkey or shredded chicken, both grain-free, and Spot’s Paté comes in four grain-free recipes made with salmon, turkey, duck, chicken, and whitefish. The most famous of Halo’s product lines is Spot’s Stew – this comes in six canned food formulas made with wholesome proteins like chicken, shrimp, salmon, lamb, and turkey. Every Spot’s Stew recipe is formulated for cats in all life stages.

Canidae

The Canidae pet food company was launched in 1996 out of a Southern California feed store and it is still a family-owned and operated company. All of Canidae’s products are manufactured in the Ethos Pet Nutrition facility in Brownwood, Texas which adheres to the strictest standards for quality and safety. Not only is Canidae a family-owned business, but they also support family-owned farms by locally sourcing their ingredients whenever possible. The Canidae pet food company is committed to making the best pet foods on the planet so they use only the freshest meats, poultry and fish as well as other nutrient-dense ingredients. During the early years, Canidae had two separate product lines – the Canidae line of dog food products and the Felidae line of cat foods. Today, they are all sold under the name Canidae.

Canidae offers a wide selection of cat food products, both dry foods and canned foods. These products are divided into two product lines: the PURE line of grain-free products and the Canidae All Life Stages line. Both lines offer both dry food and canned food products. The PURE line of grain-free canned foods includes two flavors that come in 5.5-ounce and 13-ounce cans – The PURE Sea formula made with salmon and mackerel, plus the PURE Elements formula made with chicken, turkey, and lamb. There are also six flavors that come in 3-ounce cans, made with quality proteins like lobster, trout, chicken, salmon, turkey and rabbit. The All Life Stages product line includes three flavors that come in 5.5-ounce and 13-ounce cans – Chicken, Lamb & Fish; Chicken & Rice; and Indoor Chicken, Lamb & Fish. There are also six flavors that come in 3-ounce cans.

Conclusion

Even if you stay up to date with your cat’s vaccinations and provide routine veterinary care, nothing will keep your cat healthier than a high-quality diet. Many cat owners are overwhelmed by the process of choosing a cat food because there are simply so many options to consider. If you are thinking about buying canned food for your cat, take the information provided above to heart and be intentional about choosing a product that will meet your cat’s nutritional needs. The healthier your cat is, the happier he will be and the happier you will be as well!