These are my top choices of quality canned food for maintenance in cats (for adult cats). Any of them would form a fine basis for your cat's diet, supplemented small snacks of dry food, as needed. The order is based mostly by my own cats' reaction to these foods, and as we know, cats will sometimes turn up their noses today at yesterday's favorite. The bottom line is that the best food is wasted, if your cat won't eat it, so don't be too focused on the numbers.
1. Natural Balance Canned Cat Foods
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Guaranteed analysis: Crude Protein 9% min, Crude Fat 5% min, Crude Fiber 1% max, Moisture 78% max, Taurine 0.05% min, Ash 1.9% max, Magnesium 0.025% max.
Natural Balance maintains its own testing center for seven known toxins including melamine, for its Buy with Confidence program - a huge plus, in my opinion.
2. Evanger's Organic Braised Chicken Canned Cat Food
Evanger's Cat Food has been in business since 1935, operates its own (kosher-approved) plant, and claims to use the highest in quality, human-grade ingredients, with no additives, preservatives, artificial colors, by-products or salt.Evanger's rates highly among my Cat Forum members who use it. Top named ingredients: Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Broth, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Brown Rice, diCalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Organic Guar Gum, Organic Blueberries. Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein min 45.0%, Crude Fat min 22.7%, Crude Fiber max 6.68%, Moisture max 78.0%, Ash max .136%, Magnesium Max 0.025%
3. Nature's Logic Canned Cat Food
Nature's Logic claims to have no wheat, corn, rice, soy, potato or chemically synthesized vitamins, minerals, or trace nutrients. Ingredients listed for the chicken formula are: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Egg Product, Animal Plasma, Flaxseeds, Montmorillonite, Cottage Cheese, Brewers Yeast, Cod Liver Oil, Egg Shell, Apple, Suncured Alfalfa Meal, Tomato Powder, Parsley, Blueberry, Cranberry, Apricots, Spinach, Artichoke, Broccoli, Carrots, Pumpkin, Kelp, Chicory Root, Rosemary. Guaranteed analysis: Crude Protein (min.): 35.7% Crude Fat (min.): 25.0% Crude Fiber (max.): 10.7% Moisture (max.): 72.0%4. Weruva Paw Lickin' Chicken Canned Cat Food
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Top listed Ingredients: Chicken (boneless, skinless white breast meat), tapioca starch, sunflower seed oil, dicalciuum phosphate, xanthum gum, choline chloride, taurine, vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate heptahydrate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), nicotinic acid, ferrous sulfate monohydrate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, potassium iodide, manganese sulfate monodydrate, vitamin D3, copper sulfate pentahydrate, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), folic acid, vitamins
5. Drs. Foster and Smith Canned Cat Food
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A sample "6-pack" case which contains two cans each of three different formulas is also available.
6. Halo's Spots Stew for Cats - Original Flavor
Spots Stew contains no chemicals, fillers, or by-products. Named ingredients are Chicken, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Celery, Chicken Liver, Carrots, Green Beans, Water, Green Peas, Turkey. One of the original "homemade" cat foods, and still a favorite of many cats.Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 4.5% (Min.), Crude Fat 1.5% (Min.), Crude Fiber 1.5% (Max.), Moisture 90% (Max.)
7. Wellness Chicken Canned Cat Food
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8. Newman's Own Chicken and Brown Rice
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First named ingredients: Organic Chicken, Sufficient Water for Processing, Ocean Whitefish, Brown Rice, Flaxseed, Oat Bran, Guar Gum, Dried Kelp. Although pricer than most other premium foods, Newman's Own is well worth rotating in your cat's diet. Several other formulas are available.
9. Evolve Natural Canned Chicken Formula
My cats' reaction to Evolve is also an enigma. The food smells absolutely wonderful, and is a nice, juicy paté. They loved it when I first introduced it to them, but recently have been spurning it - a shame, because its ingredients are excellent, and the price is very reasonable. Top named ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Turkey, Ocean Fish, Brown Rice, Carrots, Cranberries, Cottage Cheese, and Peas. Guaranteed analysis: Crude protein 45.5%, crude fat 27.27%, fiber 6.82% I alternate this formula with Evolve Seafood Formula for variety.