Does Purina make healthy cat food
Purina Cat Food Review
Weve taken a close look at Purina and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, product variety, price, ingredient quality, customer experience, and recall history.
The Cats.com StandardRating Purina On What Matters
Weve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness 5/10
- Ingredient Quality 5/10
- Product Variety 8/10
- Price 8/10
- Customer Experience 6/10
- Recall History 4/10
Overall Score: 6/10
In total, we give Purina cat food a 36 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.
About Purina
Purina is one of the largest and oldest companies in the cat food industry. It started in 1894, when a group of three entrepreneurs founded the Robinson-Danforth Commision Company.
Believing that animal feed would sell despite the poor economy, the company started packaging up a mixture of molasses, corn, and oats and called it horse and mule feed.
During the next few years, the company expanded, got a new name, and explored various product offerings.
In 1926, the company, now called Ralston-Purina, established a pet nutrition and care center, where they developed their first pet foods.
Purina Dog Chow was introduced in the 1950s and reached national distribution in 1957. A few years later, cats, too, had a Purina food to chow down on. Purina Cat Chow was introduced in 1963.
The companys growth continued through the 20th century, as they added on multiple brands, including household names like Friskies, Fancy Feast, and Kit & Kaboodle.
In 2001, Purina merged with the Swiss food giant, Nestl. Today, Nestl-Purina is the second-biggest pet food company in the world.
In 2017, Nestl-Purina PetCare generated over twelve billion dollars in revenue. Put together, Mars Petcare, Inc. and Purina Petcare earn about half of the revenue in the global pet food industry.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Purina says that most of their ingredients are sourced from North America, but grants that they will source from other countries when necessary.
For example, their grains are sourced from the United States and Canada. Most of their meat ingredients are sourced 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 food and comply with Purinas standards for ingredient safety and specifications.
Most, but not all, Purina foods are manufactured in company-owned manufacturing facilities. Purina operates dozens of plants in the United States and Canada. In addition to USDA and FDA regulations, the manufacturing process is overseen by onsite quality assurance staff and laboratories.
Has Purina Cat Food Been Recalled?
Purina has issued several recalls during its 90-year history in the pet food industry. Heres a brief overview of Purinas recalls in the last two decades.
2016
In March, 5 varieties of Purina Pro Plan wet dog food were recalled due to inadequate levels of vitamins and minerals.
2015 Beneful Lawsuit
In 2015, California dog guardian Frank Lucido filed a class action lawsuit against Purina, alleging that over 1,400 dogs, including three of his own, became sick or died after eating Purina Beneful dog food.
Analysis of Beneful dog food samples found that the foods contained three toxinspropylene glycol, mycotoxins, and heavy metals. The levels of these toxins, however, didnt exceed the FDAs permitted limits.
Ultimately, the court ruled in Purinas favor. The United States District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the lawsuit failed to prove that Beneful was unsafe.
You can learn more about the lawsuit here.
2013
Purina initiated a United States market withdrawal of their Waggin Train products after the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets found trace amounts of antibiotic residue in the treats. These antibiotics are considered safe in small quantities.
Theyre legal in several countries, including China, where the treats are manufactured, but not in the United States.
Later in 2013, a batch of Purina ONE dog food was recalled due to low levels of thiamine.
2012
A single lot of Purina Veterinary Diets OM Overweight Management Feline Formula was recalled due to inadequate thiamine levels.
2011
Some Purina cat foods were recalled due to possible salmonella contamination.
2007
Purina recalled all sizes and varieties of Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy dog food due to potential melamine contamination.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Purina Offer?
Purina stands behind some of the most easily-recognizable brands in the cat food industry.
Fancy Feast was created in 1982 and is positioned as a gourmet cat food providing delicious, sensory experiences for cats. Fancy Feast includes over 100 recipes, including pats, broths, and morsels in gravy.
Purina ONE is marketed as a top-of-the-line cat food dedicated to the lifelong potential of your pet. The brand includes dry and wet foods.
Friskies is one of the oldest and most popular cat food brands. In 2017, it was the United States leading wet cat food, generating almost 586 million dollars in sales. The Friskies product lineup includes economy-level dry food, wet food, and treats.
Beyond is Purinas natural food line. All Beyond foods are free of corn, wheat, and soy, with no poultry by-product meal or artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Purina Beyond foods are made in US facilities and are covered by Purinas Traceability Guarantee. The brands Simple Origins line is Non-GMO Project verified. The Beyond cat food lineup includes wet cat food, dry cat food, and treats.
Purina Deli-Cat is a low-cost dry food. Its a plant-based, corn-heavy food made with the flavors of turkey, fish, and liver.
Similar to Deli-Cat, Kit & Kaboodle is an inexpensive cat food brand. It offers just two recipes, and both are dry foods.
Purina Muse cat food is available in dry and wet varieties. All Muse cat foods are made with natural ingredients and are covered by the brands Clean Plate Guarantee. This guarantee promises a refund if your cat doesnt love the food.
During Purina co-founder William Danforths experience as YMCA secretary in World War 1, he observed that soldiers got excited when their meals were called chow rather than food. When he got back, Danforth substituted the word chow for 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.
Purina Pro Plan was developed in 1986 and, according to the company, was the first brand of pet food to feature real meat as the first ingredient. There are four lines of Pro Plan cat food.
The Savor line offers a variety of aromas, tastes, and textures. Focus provides nutrition geared towards specific health needs, including hairballs and urinary tract health. The True Nature line emphasizes instinct-satisfying, meat-based foods. The Prime Plus line is developed for senior cats age seven and over.
This is Purinas line of prescription diets for specific health needs. The lineup includes food for dental health, diabetes, GI issues, allergies, and more.
Purina Cat Food Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
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, saying 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 have reported that their cats and dogs got sick after eating Purina food. With a reach as broad as Purinas, its hard to know which of these incidents are coincidences and which are the result of something Purina did wrong.
Positive Reviews
Ive gone through a lot of foods including high end brands searching for something that wouldnt come right back up after eating. Ive tried the other flavors of BEYOND but my cats seem to prefer the Whole Oatmeal formula. Ive noticed with this flavor there is much less heaving and vomiting after meals. I expect that with time it will stop altogether. Hairballs have lessened as well. Focus, reviewing Purina Beyond Simply White Meat Chicken with Oats
My 3 indoor cats just love Purina Indoor Formula cat food. My Callie cat is so healthy and is approaching 13 yrs of age and has eaten this food the whole time. I have to 4 yr old boy cats who are also healthy and they also love this food. NatureLover, reviewing Purina Indoor Complete Cat Chow
Negative Reviews
My cat refuses to eat anything but this food. Ive tried to switch her to grain free foods. High protein foods. Healthy foods. She will starve herself until she gets her junk food back. Im rating it a 1 star because the ingredients are awful (cats dont need corn), her fur isnt healthy and her feces smells awful and is very soft. Im not expecting poo to smell great but this is rancid I will continue to buy this because I cant have her starving herself kitandluna, reviewing Purina Indoor Complete Cat Chow
Junk food for cats, naturally they love it. I will feed occasionally, fed up with serving wholesome natural ingredients that most of mine turn tail and walk away. Farmerjane, reviewing Purina Fancy Feast Chicken Feast Pat
How Much Does Purina Cat Food Cost?
Their products range from ultra-cheap to premium, covering everything from grocery store kibble to veterinary products available by prescription only. Theres a Purina food for every budget.
If youre shopping for wet food, daily feeding costs range from about $1.22 per day for Friskies cat food up to $6.40 a day for Muse grain-free filets in broth.
Purinas dry foods are cheaper than their wet foods. Kit & Kaboodle, for example, will cost about $0.09 per day. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet DM costs about $0.71 per day.
Overall, Is Purina A Good Choice?
Purina cat foods are affordable, easy to find in stores around the world, and cats usually love the way they taste. However, they arent the safest or the most species-appropriate choice.
The company has initiated at least five recalls and one market withdrawal since 2004, and most of their recipes contain at least a few artificial ingredients and plenty of plant matter.
If you choose to buy Purina food, opt for their wet foods, which have higher meat content, lower carbohydrates, and provide the hydration cats need.
Purina Muse stands out as their simplest wet food, while some canned Pro Plan and Beyond recipes may also be a good choice.
If youre on a budget, Purina Friskies and Fancy Feast are good options to consider. While they contain animal by-products and artificial ingredients, these foods are more carnivore-appropriate than most dry foods and some premium wet foods.
Where To Buy Purina Cat Food?
Purina cat food is easy to find in grocery stores, pet specialty retailers, and big box stores around the world. Online, youll find it on Amazon, Chewy, and a variety of other online retailers.
Purina Beyond Cat Food Review in 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons
Review Summary
Our Final Verdict
We give Purina Beyond Cat food a rating of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars.
Purina Beyond is a pet food line from the familiar name Purina. Purina has been making pet food for nearly a hundred years, so their name is not new on the market. Due to pet owners wanting to carefully source their pets food more and more, Purina joined the ring of real food pet food brands with Purina Beyond. Under this name, they have several different recipes, including grain-free options, GMO-free, and wet food inspired by real prey.
This cat food brand is best for owners who want to take the step from the average dry kibble towards more quality food, but dont want to fully commit to a subscription or spend a ton of money. You can find Purina Beyond recipes pretty much anywhere pet food is sold and for a moderate price. The ingredients in the Purina Beyond line are generally high quality and healthfully balanced.
The cat owner who wants the healthiest and best on the market is probably better off looking elsewhere, as there are better options out there. This is by no means that Purina Beyond is bad for your cat. There are many types of recipes to choose from to suit your and your cats needs. Lets find out more.
At a Glance: The Best Purina Beyond Cat Food Recipes:
| Image | Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Value |  | Purina Beyond Simply Grain-Free Ocean Whitefish & Egg Recipe Dry Cat F | CHECK PRICE | |
| Premium Choice |  | Purina Beyond Simply White Meat Chicken & Egg Recipe Grain-Free Dry Ca | CHECK PRICE | |
| Best Overall |  | Purina Beyond Wild Prey-Inspired Grain-Free High Protein Salmon, Liver | CHECK PRICE | |
 | Purina Beyond Grain-Free Wild Salmon Pate Recipe Canned Cat Food | CHECK PRICE | ||
 | Purina Beyond Grain-Free Turkey, Sweet Potato & Spinach Recipe | CHECK PRICE |
Purina Beyond Cat Food Reviewed
Who Makes Purina Beyond and Where Is It Produced?
The company Nestle-Purina has been making reputable Purina products for over 90 years. They also make Purina Beyond out of widespread demand for more nutritional and real food. Purina Beyond is produced within several factories, located in Colorado, Illinois, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
Which Types of Cats Is Purina Beyond Best Suited For?
Purina Beyond is a good choice for all healthy cats. Because they dont use wheat, soy, or corn in most of their products, they are best for cats with allergies to these products or for cats who have mild tummy issues or other sensitivities.
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)
Purina goes beyond the normal expectations for cat food by sourcing most ingredients from the US and keeping wheat, corn, and soy out of most of their food. No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives are found in their Beyond line of foods.
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- WHISKER FRIENDLY - Shallow and wide metal containers with flat bottoms ensure your kitty can enjoy...
- CHEW-SAFE MATERIALS - Kittens and cats love chewing on silicone and soft rubber - but it's a choking...
Feeding your cat a high-quality diet is important for keeping them healthy and happy. But it goes beyond the food you choose; the dishes they use also matter. The Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl is our favorite for its unique, five-star design that protects from whisker fatigue and promotes good posture which also aids in better digestion. As an added bonus, its beautifully crafted and offers a modern take on the traditional cat bowl that fits seamlessly with all home stylings. Learn more about the NomNom by clicking here.
At Catster, weve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Real Sources of Protein
A familiar protein will be listed first in each of the Purina Beyond recipes, and sometimes even a second ingredient. This means that most of that recipe has that first ingredient in it. Cats need protein for energy throughout the day, and you can feel good knowing they are actually eating real chicken or fish.
Organ Meat
The WILD line of recipes sources some of its protein from organ meat, which is rich in iron and other essential nutrients.
Chicken Meal
A good source of protein, chicken meal is present in several of the Purina Beyond dry cat foods. The name is slightly mysterious, and thats purposeful. Chicken meal is ground-up chicken parts, that were otherwise useless, and turned into pet food.
The only problem with the chicken meal is that its handled with much less care than edible chicken meat, which means its susceptible to contamination.
While there is no specific information for the cat food recipes, Purina states that the chicken meal in their dog food is steroid-free and contains no feathers, heads, feet, or intestinal contents.
Pea Starch
Pea starch is added to some of the dry food products within the Purina Beyond brand. Its considered a filler, and fillers usually mean something of insignificant nutritional value. When pet food manufacturers remove grain from their recipes, they usually turn to peas to fill in the gaps. Peas are better than grains, but some argue that too much could be distressing for your cats intestinal tract.
Cassava Root Flour
As another attempt to fill in the gaps with grain-free food, Purina Beyond adds cassava root flour to some of its products. When cassava root flour is prepared carefully in a specific way, it is safe for cat consumption. When it is raw, it is harmful to cats. Ultimately, it is a filler with no significant nutritional value for cats.
Guar Gum
Guar gum is found in some Purina Beyond foods and is a thickening agent, emulsifier, and stabilizer. It is real food and comes from the guar bean. Its an alternative to carrageean, but is considered safer for human consumption. In fact, in humans, it lowers LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and increases glucose tolerance. So what could be wrong with feeding it to cats?
For healthy cats, it may present no issues. But for otherwise GI-compromised cats, it could intensify these problems. This is due to the fact that legumes are difficult for the digestive system to process, and guar gum comes from a legume. The benefits it may give to cats usually do not outweigh the cost in this situation.
Ingredient Sourcing
Purina emphasizes integrity by transparently tracing its ingredients. Most ingredients are sourced from North America, but they have also chosen to source some ingredients from France, New Zealand, Chile, Japan, China, and other countries. There is an interactive map on their website where you can see exactly where the ingredients come from.
Categories Within Beyond
Purina Beyond has four different subcategories of recipes that are crafted for different types of cats.
1. Purina Beyond Grain-Free
Grain-free cat food options are great for cats who have tummy issues. There are no grains, corn, or soy found in this line of recipes.
2. Purina Beyond Indoor
Recipes labeled Indoor contain 10% less fat. Additionally, to help with immune health, they include extra antioxidants and fiber. The Indoor line of cat food has two recipes, one dry and one wet.
3. Purina Beyond Simple Origins
A recipe labeled Simple Origins means that is non-GMO verified by the Non-GMO Project.
4. Purina Beyond WILD
WILD recipes focus on what cats might eat in the wild. There are dry and wet versions, containing mostly protein, and are completely grain-free.
Price & Availability
Purina Beyond is a reasonably priced dry cat food when you look at the daily costs of feeding. When you choose Purina Beyond dry food, you will spend about 3040 cents per day feeding your cat. The wet cat food, having slightly higher-quality ingredients (like organ meat in some cases) will cost upwards of 3 dollars per day to feed your cat.
The Beyond products are widely available on Chewy, Amazon, and most major retailers.
Want to see more cat food reviews? Check out our review page here!
A Quick Look at Purina Beyond Cat Food
Pros
- Grain-free options
- Dry food is reasonably-priced
- High protein content
- Indoor-cat specific formulas
- Transparent ingredient sourcing
Cons
- Some recipes have questionable ingredients
- Some recipes have high plant and carbohydrate content
Recall History
Purina Beyond recipes have never been recalled, but other Purina products have.
Reviews of the 3 Best Purina Beyond Cat Food Recipes
1. Purina Beyond Grain-Free Ocean Whitefish & Egg![]()
The Grain-Free Ocean Whitefish & Egg is one of Purina Beyonds most popular recipes. On Chewy, it comes in 3, 5, and 11-pound bag options. Up to a cup, a day will feed your feline. The first three ingredients are ocean whitefish, chicken meal, and pea protein.
In addition to the protein sources, there are a fair bit of plant products in this recipe, including yeast, canola meal, and dried sweet potatoes. These ingredients drive the carbohydrate content way up. This could be harmful to cats prone to obesity and diabetes.
Cats with known chicken, fish, or egg allergies should steer clear of this recipe. However, if your cat needs a grain-free food thats relatively inexpensive, this could be great for you.
Calorie Breakdown:
Pros
- Good protein source
- Contains 3 sources of protein
- Comes in 3 bag sizes
Cons
- Contains fillers like cassava root flour and pea starch
- Carb-heavy
2. Purina Beyond Simply White Meat Chicken & Egg Grain-Free![]()
This grain-free dry food recipe is very similar to the ocean whitefish kind but with more chicken and no fish products. The first ingredients are chicken (fresh chicken meat), chicken meal (dried chicken by-products), and pea protein. Dried egg product finally makes its appearance as the 4th ingredient on the list.
Chicken is considered a low-allergy food, so many cats will be able to enjoy this product who otherwise would have a reaction to a fish product. We like this recipe more because of its lower carbohydrate content for dry cat food.
Like the ocean whitefish recipe, pea protein, starch, and cassava root powder are present, which isnt necessarily bad for all cats but could contribute to already-present GI issues. Also, cat parents who want to avoid plant products may not be as satisfied with this recipe, as it contains plenty of them.
Calorie Breakdown:
Pros
- Contains real chicken as 1st ingredient
- Cats like the flavor
- Grain-free
- Additive-free
- Includes added probiotics
Cons
- Contains unnecessary fillers like cassava root flour and pea starch
- Plant ingredients
3. Purina Beyond Wild Prey-Inspired Wet Cat Food![]()
Low-carb is the name of this recipes game and is potentially the healthiest of all three. Wild Prey-Inspired Salmon contains top-notch quality ingredients and nutrition. The first six ingredients come from real meat sources: salmon, chicken liver, liver, salmon broth, arctic char, and chicken heart. Your cat will get a nutrient-packed meal every time she eats this food.
While high-protein and low-carb are the shining stars of this recipe, downsides include the use of guar gum. As we learned before, guar gum could be potentially harmful to cats with digestive issues but can be perfectly fine for healthy cats. It also might cost a lot to feed your cat this food as their main diet, as a daily serving will cost around $3.
This recipes only plant ingredients are guar gum and carrot, making it a great low-plant sourced food if that is your preference.
Calorie Breakdown:
Pros
- High protein
- Low carb
- Quality main ingredients
- Lower plant content
Hepper 360 Cat Feeder, Stainless Steel, Anti-Chew...
- NO MESS - The 360 tray on this cat food and water bowl set has a raised design to catch and...
- WHISKER FRIENDLY - Shallow and wide metal containers with flat bottoms ensure your kitty can enjoy...
- CHEW-SAFE MATERIALS - Kittens and cats love chewing on silicone and soft rubber - but it's a choking...
Feeding your cat a high-quality diet is important for keeping them healthy and happy. But it goes beyond the food you choose; the dishes they use also matter. The Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl is our favorite for its unique, five-star design that protects from whisker fatigue and promotes good posture which also aids in better digestion. As an added bonus, its beautifully crafted and offers a modern take on the traditional cat bowl that fits seamlessly with all home stylings. Learn more about the NomNom by clicking here.
At Catster, weve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
What Other Users Are Saying
- AllAboutCats Thanks to its ingredient quality and the absence of potentially harmful additives, Purina Beyond appears to be one of the best brands in the Purina family.
- The Spruce Pets Purina Beyond Grain Free Cat Food is worth trying based on its high-quality ingredients, its reasonable price tag, and the fact that cats seem to enjoy it.
- Amazon As cat owners, we always double-check with Amazon reviews from buyers before we buy something. You can read these by clicking here.
Conclusion
Purina Beyond makes fresh, quality cat food available to all at reasonable prices and availability. Its not the best cat food out there as there are still additives and fillers that are questionable to some cat owners. Overall, Purina Beyond does a great job of maintaining integrity by sourcing most ingredients locally and by including enough of whats important in their recipes.
If you choose Purina Beyond as your next cat food to try, we hope we have informed you fully of its pros and cons. Bon Appetit!
