Unbiased Purina Cat Food Review 2023 - Cats.com (2023)

We researched Purina and rated it against the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand for species-friendliness, product variety, price, ingredient quality, customer experience, and recall history.

The Cats.com Standard - Purina's assessment of what matters

We evaluated the brand based on six key quality criteria.

Overall, we rate Purina cat food with 36 out of 60 points or with a grade of C+.

About Purina

Purina is one of the largest and oldest companies in the cat food industry. It began in 1894 when a group of three entrepreneurs formed the Robinson-Danforth Commission Company.

Believing that animal feed would sell despite the poor economy, the company began packaging a mixture of molasses, corn and oats and called it horse and mule feed.

Over the next few years, the company expanded, got a new name, and explored different product offerings.

In 1926 the company, now called Ralston-Purina, established an animal nutrition and care center where it developed its first pet food.

Purina Dog Chow was introduced in the 1950s and achieved national distribution in 1957. A few years later, cats also had a Purina food to eat. Purina Cat Chow was introduced in 1963.

The company's growth continued into the 20th century as it added several brands, including household names like Friskies, Fancy Feast and Kit & Kaboodle.

In 2001, Purina merged with Swiss food giant Nestlè. Today, Nestlè-Purina is the second largest pet food company in the world.

In 2017, Nestlè-Purina PetCare generated sales of over $12 billion. Together, Mars Petcare, Inc. and Purina Petcare generate approximately half of the revenue in the global pet care industry.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

Purina says most of its ingredients are sourced from North America, but concedes that they will source from other countries if needed.

For example, their grains hail from the United States and Canada. Most of their meat ingredients are from the United States, with the exception of New Zealand lamb. Their vitamin packs are sourced from suppliers around the world.

All of their ingredients must meet or exceed FDA, USDA, or AAFCO standards for pet foods and comply with Purina's standards for ingredient safety and specifications.

Most, but not all, Purina foods are manufactured in-house. Purina operates dozens of plants throughout the United States and Canada. In addition to USDA and FDA regulations, the manufacturing process is monitored by on-site quality assurance personnel and laboratories.

Has Purina cat food been recalled?

Purina issuedmultiple callbacksthroughout its 90 year history in the pet food industry. Here is a brief overview of Purina's recalls over the past two decades.

2016

In March, 5 types of Purina Pro Plan wet dog food were recalled due to insufficient vitamin and mineral levels.

2015 Charitable Lawsuit

In 2015, California dog handler Frank Lucido filed a class action lawsuit against Purina alleging that over 1,400 dogs, including three of his own, became ill or died after consuming Purina Beneful dog food.

Analysis of Beneful dog food samples revealed that the food contained three toxins - propylene glycol, mycotoxins and heavy metals. However, levels of these toxins did not exceed FDA-approved limits.

Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of Purina. The US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the lawsuit failed to prove Beneful was unsafe.

You can learn more about the lawsuit here.

2013

Purina initiateda US market withdrawal of their Waggin' Train products after the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets found traces of antibiotic residues in the treats. These antibiotics are considered safe in small amounts.

They're legal in several countries, including China, where the treats are made, but not in the United States.

Later in 2013, a batch of Purina ONE dog food was recalled due to low thiamine levels.

2012

A single lot of Purina Veterinary Diets OM Overweight Management Feline Formula was recalled due to insufficient thiamine levels.

2011

Some Purina cat foods have been recalled for possible Salmonella contamination.

2007

Purina has recalled all sizes and varieties of Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy dog ​​food due to possible melamine contamination.

What types of cat food does Purina offer?

Purina is behind some of the most recognizable brands in the cat food industry.

Unusual festival

Created in 1982, Fancy Feast is positioned as a gourmet cat food that offers delicious, sensory experiences for cats. Fancy Feast has over 100 recipes including pies, broths and gravy bites.

SAME

Purina ONE is marketed as a premium cat food that is "dedicated to your pet's lifelong potential." The brand includes dry and wet food.

Friskies

Friskies is one of the oldest and most popular brands of cat food.In 2017, it was the leading wet cat food in the United States, grossing nearly $586 million. The Friskies range includes dry food, wet food and treats at an economy level.

Outside of

Beyond is Purina's natural food line. All Beyond foods are free from corn, wheat and soy, with no poultry by-product meal or artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

Purina Beyond foods are manufactured in US facilities and are backed by Purina's traceability guarantee. The brand's Simple Origins line is verified by a Non-GMO project. The Beyond cat food range includes wet cat food, dry cat food and treats.

Delicatessen cat

Purina Deli-Cat is an affordable dry food. It's a plant-based, corn-heavy food made with the flavors of turkey, fish, and liver.

Kit & Kaboodle

Similar to Deli-Cat, Kit & Kaboodle is a great value cat food brand. It only offers two recipes, and both are dry food.

Muse

Purina Muse cat food is available as dry and wet food. All Muse cat foods are made from natural ingredients and are backed by the brand's Clean Plate Guarantee. This guarantee promises a refund if your cat doesn't love the food.

cat food

During Purina co-founder William Danforth's experience as YMCA secretary in World War I, he observed that soldiers were excited when their meals were called "chow" rather than "food." When he came back, Danforth replaced the word "chow" with "feed" in the names of all their products.

When Purina started making cat food in the 1960s, they called it Cat Chow. Today, Purina Cat Chow is available in a variety of formulations for unique needs, including life stage and lifestyle.

Pro-Plan

Purina Pro Plan was created in 1986 and, according to the company, was the first pet food brand to include real meat as the first ingredient. There are four lines of Pro Plan cat food.

The Savor line offers a variety of aromas, flavors and textures. Focus offers nutrition that targets specific health needs, including hairball and urinary tract health. The True Nature line emphasizes instinct-satisfying meat-based foods. The Prime Plus line was developed for older cats from the age of seven.

Pro Plan Veterinary Diets

This is Purina's line of prescription diets for specific health needs. The range includes foods for dental health, diabetes, GI issues, allergies and more.

Purina cat food - The 3 best recipes in the test

What do customers think of Purina cat food?

Millions of people buy and feed their cats Purina cat food every day. Most customer reviews are positive, stating that Purina food is affordable and appetizing.

At the same time, Purina gets its share of negative comments.

As we saw in the 2015 Beneful lawsuit, thousands of people reported that their cats and dogs became ill after consuming Purina food. With a reach as wide as Purina's, it's hard to tell which of these incidents are coincidences and which are the result of something Purina did wrong.

positive reviews

“I've looked through a lot of groceries, including high-end brands, looking for something that doesn't come back immediately after eating. I've tried the other flavors of BEYOND but my cats seem to prefer the Whole Oatmeal formula. I have found that with this taste there is a lot less gagging and vomiting after eating. I assume that with time it will stop completely. The hairballs have also decreased.” –Focus, Review of Purina Beyond Simply White Meat Chicken with Oats

My 3 house cats love Purina Indoor Formula cat food. My Callie cat is so healthy and is almost 13 years old and has been eating this food all of the time. I have two 4 year old kittens who are also healthy and love this food too.” –NatureLover, Review of Purina Indoor Complete Cat Chow

Negative reviews

"My cat refuses to eat anything but this food. I've tried switching her to a grain free diet. Foods high in protein. Healthy food. She will starve herself until she gets her junk food back. I'm giving it 1 star because the ingredients are awful (cats don't need corn), their fur isn't healthy, and their poop smells awful and is very soft. I don't expect feces to smell nice, but this is rancid. I'll keep buying it because I can't let them starve myself.–kitandluna, Review of Purina Indoor Complete Cat Chow

“Junk food for cats, of course they love it. I will feed occasionally because I'm tired of serving healthy natural ingredients that most of me turn my back on and walk away from.” –Farmerjane, Review of Purina Fancy Feast Chicken Feast Paté

How much does Purina cat food cost?

Their products range from ultra-cheap to premium, covering everything from grocery store kibble to prescription veterinary products. There's a Purina meal for every budget.

If you buy wet food, the daily feeding cost is around $1.22 per dayFriskiesCat food up to $6.40 a day for grain-free muse fillets in broth.

Purina dry food is cheaper than wet food.Kit & Kaboodlecosts about $0.09 per day, for example.Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet DMcosts about $0.71 per day.

Overall, is Purina a good choice?

Purina cat food is affordable, easy to find in stores around the world, andCats usually love the way they taste. However, they are not the safest or most species-appropriate choice.

The company has had at least five recalls and one withdrawal since 2004, and most of its recipes contain at least a few artificial ingredients and lots of plant material.

When you decide to buy Purina foods, you are opting for their wet food, which has a higher meat content, lower carbohydrates, and all the hydration cats need.

Purina Muse stands out as the easiest wet food, while some canned recipes from Pro Plan and Beyond can also be good choices.

If you are on a budget,Purina FriskiesAndUnusual festivalare good options to consider. Although they contain animal by-products and artificial ingredients, these foods are more carnivore-friendly than most dry foods and some premium wet foods.

Where can you buy Purina cat food?

Purina cat food is easy to find in grocery, pet supply, and major department stores around the world. Find it online atAmazonas,Tough, and a variety of other online retailers.

Click here to buy Purina cat food on Chewy