15 Best Cat Foods From Wellness
- May 27, 2023
- By Dr. Deborah Fletcher
Wellness Pet Food, founded in 1997 by a group of animal wellness specialists comprising nutritionists, veterinarians, and food scientists, is the largest holistic pet food available in independent retailers today.
Whenever feasible, the company aims to use natural substances meant to extend your cat's life and maintain their overall health.
They feel that any healthy cat food should focus on five essential areas: energy, digestive health, skin and coat health, immunological function, and eyes, teeth, and gums.
There is no maize, wheat, or soy in any of their recipes. These are low-cost fillers used by many low-quality feeds to cut expenses, but they can wreak havoc on your cat's digestive tract.
As a result, you should expect to pay more for Wellness-brand foods, but the benefits to your cat's health should outweigh the cost.
Instead of additives, the first component is actual meat. The remaining components are typically peas, potatoes, and flaxseed.
Although the overall protein levels in this brand's meals are usually always high, the fat and fiber levels can be deficient.
Here are BestForPets' (bestforpets.org) top recommendations for best cat foods from Wellness.
Table of contents
Wellness Cat Food Evaluation A Brief Examination of Wellness Cat Food Reviews What Other Users Have to Say FAQs ConclusionWellness Cat Food Evaluation
Who manufactures Wellness and where is it manufactured?
WellPet LLC, a division of the Berwind Corporation, manufactures Wellness Cat Foods. Berwind Corporation is a Philadelphia-based private investment management firm.
The food is produced at the company’s Indiana manufacturing unit. It manufactures all of its dry food in the United States and never uses artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or other chemicals.
Wellness is best suited to which types of cats?
Wellness is a premium brand, so it’s an excellent option for anyone prepared to pay whatever it takes to keep their cat healthy and happy.
If you take your cat’s food seriously and want them to consume only natural, chemical-free ingredients, Wellness is likely to be a suitable choice.
It’s also a wonderful option for cats who have trouble eating low-quality food.
If your cat has digestive difficulties caused by substances such as corn or soy, switching to Wellness may help clear them up quickly.
A Brief Examination of Wellness Cat Food
Pros
- As many natural substances as possible are used.
- The first ingredient is real beef.
- There are no artificial flavors, colors, fillers, or byproducts in this product.
Cons
- Fairly costly
- Will not reveal where wet food is manufactured.
- Some foods may be deficient in nutrients.
History of Recalls
Since its beginning in 1997, Wellness has had multiple recalls.
However, not all of them have been significant; some have simply affected dog food, while others were made out of extreme caution rather than genuine risk.
The largest recall happened in 2011, when 21.6 million cans of cat food were recalled owing to low thiamine levels.
That’s significant since thiamine shortage can lead to heart problems in cats, but it’s unclear how low the thiamine levels in the meal were.
It also recalled numerous varieties of canned cat food in 2017 after tiny quantities of metal were discovered in one of the items manufactured at the plant. Although no metal was discovered in any Wellness products, the company recalled them anyhow, just to be safe.
It’s worth noting that, while this last entry makes the corporation appear responsible (and we applaud it for being proactive), it fails to mention the location of the production plant in question. Furthermore, the fact that several pet food companies use the plant suggests that Wellness has little control over its standards.
Reviews
Wellness CORE Indoor Grain-Free Formula
Wellness CORE is a grain-free dry food aimed at indoor cats. It contains a lot of fish, including salmon, herring, and fish meal, so it’s likely to be devoured without hesitation.
All of that seafood increases the amount of omega fatty acids in the body. This is beneficial for a variety of reasons, ranging from coat health to immunological function, therefore the more the better.
However, it is high in plant-based components. Peas are listed second on the label, followed by potatoes. Those ingredients are unquestionably superior to maize, but we’d prefer to see them rank a few points lower than the various meat sources.
As a result, protein levels are lower than we’d like at 34%. That’s not a dangerously low amount, but we’d expect more from food this expensive.
But there’s still a lot to admire about this food. It contains taurine, which is necessary for heart health, as well as probiotics for digestive health.
Wellness CORE isn’t a perfect dry food, but it has nearly everything your cat requires to keep healthy and happy, especially when combined with high-quality wet cat food.
Pros
- Recipe without grains
- Cats appear to appreciate the taste.
- Contains omega fatty acids
- Taurine for cardiovascular health
- Probiotics improve intestinal function.
Cons
- We have less protein than we would want.
- Plant-based components predominate.
Pâté Chicken Entree Wellness Complete Health
Unlike many canned cat meals, which come in 3.5-ounce containers, Wellness Complete Health Pâté comes in a 12.5-ounce can, similar to a can of wet dog food.
This is both good and terrible since it allows you to feed your cat as much as you want — yet it may lead to overfeeding. Take care not to overfeed your cat on this food.
Fortunately, it shouldn’t be too tough, considering the first three ingredients on the ingredients list are chicken, chicken liver, and turkey. That means your cat will get sufficient of protein to keep him or her healthy.
Of course, the overall protein, fat, and fiber levels are modest (10.5%/7%/1%, respectively), as with most canned meals. This should be combined with appropriate dry food, which will raise your pet’s food expenditures.
However, you shouldn’t have to deal with a lot of wasted food because most cats will devour it. The fourth component is chicken broth, which adds moisture and a tempting scent to the dish.
However, one of the reasons the food is so attractive is because it is heavy in salt. You must keep an eye on your cat to ensure that he or she is drinking adequate water (but not too much, as that can be a sign of diabetes).
Wellness Complete Health Pâté is about as good as you’re going to find in this price range for wet foods.
Pros
- It comes in a large can.
- The first four components are all real meat.
- Cats will enjoy the taste of chicken broth.
- Has a delectable scent
Cons
- A lot of salt
- It’s difficult to divide up appropriate portion sizes.
- Should be served with high-quality dry food.
Flaked Skipjack Tuna & Shrimp Entree from Wellness CORE
Wellness CORE Signature Selects comes in a significantly larger can than the entry above. It’s also a grain-free formula, however not all of their Signature Selects products are.
This meal is loaded with seafood, including tuna, mackerel, and shrimp. It should be a tasty treat for your cat, as well as a good source of omega fatty acids.
It has the same concerns as the wet food above, but its fat content is lower at 3%. It makes up for it in part by being moist, making it an excellent alternative for cats who don’t drink enough water.
We also appreciate how many essential vitamins and minerals they contain, such as taurine, magnesium, folic acid, and biotin. While you should still combine this with dry kibble, it should provide your cat with a well-rounded nutritional profile.
It is, however, an expensive food, and some owners may object to paying so much for a canned food that must be coupled with kibble. If you’re ready to spend the extra money, your cat will undoubtedly appreciate it.
Pros
- Omega fatty acids in abundance
- Moisture content is high.
- Contains essential vitamins and minerals
- The majority of cats enjoy seafood flavors.
Cons
- It must be combined with dry kibble.
- Quite costly
- Protein, fat, and fiber levels are all low.
Grain-Free Wellness CORE Signature Selects Flaked Skipjack Tuna & Wild Salmon Entree in Broth Canned Cat Food
The principal protein source in this canned cat food appears to be tuna.
Fish is not a highly recommended cat food ingredient because it is prone to heavy metal and toxin contamination. This dish is mostly composed of tuna, mackerel, and salmon marinated in sauce.
While the product is marketed as “flaked,” buyers discovered something more like to stew within the can. “Where is the Flaked Fish?” pleaded one client. and described the dish as just “fine gravy.”
Tapioca starch is used to thicken the gravy, while guar gum is used as a binding agent in the dish. The broth also contains sunflower oil.
This is a low-calorie canned meal, like many fish-based dishes. It has a calorie count of 25 per ounce or 70 calories per 2.8 oz can.
Pros
- Mostly made from animal protein sources
- There are no artificial ingredients.
- Cats enjoy the flavor.
Cons
- Some customers were dissatisfied with the food’s consistency.
Natural Hairball Control by Wellness Dry Cat Food Chicken Meal & Rice Recipe
- Food Type: Dry
- Chicken meal, brewers rice, deboned chicken, pea fiber, turkey meal are the first five ingredients.
- 36% protein, 16% fat, 5.75% fiber, and 10% moisture are guaranteed.
- Calories in a Cup: 434 calories per cup
- Price per pound or ounce: $3.83
This is the one to try if you’re looking for a high-quality cat chow that also treats hairball difficulties. This Wellness Natural Hairball Control Chicken Meal & Rice Recipe is made with actual chicken as the first component and is very digestible.
It also has prebiotics, probiotics, and natural fibers to help your cat’s digestion and decrease hairballs.
This meal combines complex carbohydrates for healthful energy, as well as flaxseed for an omega-6 fatty acid boost.
It is also high in antioxidants and important vitamins and minerals, ensuring complete and balanced nourishment.
Overall, it contains 36% protein, 16% fat, and roughly 6% fiber.
What Other Users Have to Say
“Wellness Cat Food, particularly canned foods in the CORE line, are rich in species-appropriate animal protein and produced from high-quality ingredients,” according to All About Cats.
“Overall, Wellness Core Signature Selects Skipjack Tuna & Shrimp is a slightly above-average cat food,” according to the Cat Food Database.
Amazon – As pet owners, we constantly double-check Amazon buyer reviews before making a purchase. These can be found by clicking here.
FAQs
What is the price of Wellness Cat Food?
Wellness cat meals range in price from extremely cheap to very costly, in part because the company offers everything from grain-free kibble to canned goods with 95% animal protein.
Wellness wet meals, for example, range from roughly $0.19 per ounce for the Complete Health line to $0.57 per ounce for Divine Duos, implying that your average daily feeding expenditures will be between $1.14 and $3.42.
Complete Wellness Indoor dry cat food costs approximately $0.17 per ounce, whereas CORE Grain-Free dry meals cost approximately $0.23 per ounce.
If you choose the brand’s air-dried formulas, your daily feeding expenditures will range from $1.02 to $1.38, and possibly more.
Is Wellness a Good Investment?
Wellness cat food is one of the best products available. The Wellness CORE line stands out for its excellent assortment of high-protein foods derived mostly from animal sources.
Their Complete Health line is also an excellent choice, especially if you choose for canned meals rather than dry ingredients.
Despite the fact that Wellness has been recalled multiple times in the past, the firm has always responded quickly to reports of concerns, and very few customers have complained about the food getting their pets sick. Overall, the brand is well-liked by both cats and people.
Where Can I Buy Wellness Cat Food?
It is available through independent pet merchants, chains, and certain big box stores. It’s also available online from retailers such as Amazon and Chewy.
In the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia, Wellness is offered.
Conclusion
Wellness Cat Food is a specialized pet food line that emphasizes the use of natural ingredients whenever possible. Every recipe begins with real meat and never contains artificial flavors, cheap fillers, or animal byproducts.
Based on BestForPets‘ (bestforpets.org) investigation and testing of the aforementioned best cat foods from Wellness, Wellness CORE Indoor Grain-Free Formula and Pâté Chicken Entree Wellness Complete Health are the two most dependable and well-known products.
As you can anticipate, this raises the price of their meal, making it unsuitable for bargain hunters. Most of their items contain less fat and protein than we’d like to see (particularly at this price point), but they’re still within healthy limits.
If you care profoundly about what your cat eats — and are prepared to spend a premium to ensure that they get the best — the Wellness brand is a nice option, but it isn’t quite as high-quality as some of its premium counterparts.
Dr. Deborah Fletcher
Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.
Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher
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