Is Purina good or bad for cats
Purina One Cat Food Review
How does Purina ONE compare to other Purina brands and could it be a good choice for your cat? Find out in our unbiased Purina ONE cat food review.
The Cats.com StandardRating Purina ONE on What Matters
Weve analyzed Purina ONE and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Heres how it rates in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness 7/10
- Ingredient Quality 6/10
- Product Variety 8/10
- Price 8/10
- Customer Experience 7/10
- Recall History 4/10
Overall Score: 6.7/10
We give Purina ONE cat food a 40 out of 60 rating or a B- grade.
About Purina ONE
Purina ONE was introduced in 1986 and was Purinas first venture into the world of super-premium pet food. Its marketed as a natural brand and features what Purina calls high-quality ingredients, claiming that these better ingredients can lead to better health.
With so many other Purina brands to choose from, how is Purina ONE different and how does it compare to its siblings in the Purina family?
Compared to other Purina brands, ONE is closest to Pro Plan and Beyond. Purina ONE is the cheapest of the bunch and on average, appears to have the highest protein content. Compared to Beyond, it has more controversial ingredients like artificial colors, corn gluten meal, and animal by-products.
Compared to Pro Plan, it has fewer artificial ingredients and its marketing expert formulation and veterinarian-approved foods.
Ultimately, the differences between Purina ONE and other brands are subtle, varied, and best evaluated on a product-by-product basis.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Like virtually all Purina foods, Purina ONE is primarily manufactured in the United States in Purina-owned facilities. Most Purina ingredients are sourced from North America, but depending on availability and manufacturing location, the company may obtain ingredients from other countries.
Has Purina ONE Cat Food Been Recalled?
Purina ONE cat food was recalled twice in 2011 due to potential salmonella contamination. Other Purina brands have been recalled multiple times since the company started making pet food in the 1950s. You can learn about Purinas full recall history on Petful.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Purina ONE Offer?
Purina ONE has a wide variety of wet and dry foods in grain-free and grain-inclusive varieties. You can choose from the standard Purina ONE or Purina ONE True Instinct, a line of dry and wet foods that are rich in protein without any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Purina ONE Cat Food Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
$32.37 At Chewy
$30.75 At Amazon
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
Each bag of this food contains a combination of crunchy kibble and meaty tender morsels.
The food features chicken as the first ingredient, but with rice flour and corn gluten meal the next two ingredients, this doesnt look like a meat-based food at all.
As an additional source of animal protein, the food contains chicken by-product meal. There are plenty of unknowns here. Whats the chicken by-product meal primarily composed of? Organs? Bones? Connective tissue? Digestibility, nutritional value, and ingredient handling are all in question.
Beef fat is the foods primary fat source. Its a good one. Animal fat is rich in the fatty acids that cats need.
The ingredient list goes on to include a series of carbohydrate-heavy plant ingredients, including various forms of soy, wheat, and corn.
Though Purina ONE is touted as a natural brand, this product contains caramel color, that infamous brown dye known to sometimes contain a carcinogenic chemical called 4-MEI.
Overall, this food is low in protein with low fat and high carbohydrate content.
Theres not much about this food that stands out from other kibble products. Its a corny, wheaty, crunchy food with caramel color and plenty of soy. Cats love the way it tastes and some customers say their cat is thriving on it, but we cant recommend it as a nutritionally excellent choice.
The food has 366 calories per cup.
Chicken, Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal (Source Of Glucosamine), Beef Fat Naturally Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Wheat Flour, Liver Flavor, Soy Protein Isolate, Soy Protein Concentrate, Glycerin, Phosphoric Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Caramel Color, Dried Carrots, Dried Peas, Choline Chloride, Sodium Bisulfate, VITAMINS [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K)], Taurine, MINERALS [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], L-Cysteine, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, DL-Methionine.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Beef Fat
Ingredients We Didnt Like: Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Wheat Flour, Soy Protein Isolate, Soy Protein Concentrate, Caramel Color
Crude Protein: 34%
Crude Fat: 13%
Crude Fiber: 2%
Moisture: 12%
Protein: 38.64%
Fat: 14.77%
Fiber: 2.27%
Carbs: 44.32%
Protein: 32.51%
Fat: 30.19%
Carbs: 37.3%
Pros
- Contains animal-sourced fat
Cons
- Very high carbohydrate content
- Contains caramel color
- No dry food delivers the moisture your cat needs
$9.74 At Chewy
$31.09 At Amazon
Turkey and chicken by-product meal appear to be the primary protein sources in this dry cat food.
This Purina ONE food is sold as a solution for cats with sensitive skin and stomachs, claiming that its omega fatty acids help to keep the coat lustrous.
Purina says the food is highly-digestible for sensitive systems, though its not clear how its any more digestible than other Purina ONE dry foods. Nonetheless, it seems to work for the people who feed it. Five-star reviews represent 88% of the feedback on Chewy and numerous customers believe the food is responsible for solving their cats digestive issues.
But whats this food really made of? The foods first ingredient is turkey, followed by chicken by-product meal. Considering that chicken by-product meal is a dense, dehydrated ingredient, it appears that this is a meat-based food.
In addition to all that meat, the food contains rice flour, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, oat meal, and ground corn. At 33% carbohydrate on a dry matter basis, this food is definitely on the high-carbohydrate side.
Beef fat serves as the foods primary fat source. Later on the ingredient list is a touch of soybean oil.
The food is fortified with synthetic vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, along with a smidge of dried carrots and peas. It contains caramel colorthe same dye so common in cola drinks and so often contaminated with a carcinogenic chemical.
Overall, this dry food has moderate protein content with moderate fat and high carbohydrate content.
Though customers seem to agree that this Purina ONE food is a solution for digestive issues and skin problems, this recipe looks similar to most other grain-inclusive dry foods. With chicken and eggs appearing on the ingredient list, its not a limited-ingredient food and probably not a good choice for cats with allergies and food intolerances.
The food has 430 calories per cup.
Turkey, Chicken By-Product Meal, Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Oat Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved With Vitamin E, ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS AND OTHER INGREDIENTS: Minerals (Phosphoric Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Dried Egg Product, Liver Flavor, Soybean Oil, Caramel Color, Vitamins (Choline, Vitamin E, Vitamin B-3, Vitamin A, Vitamin B-5, Vitamin B-1, Vitamin B-2, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B-6, Folic Acid, Vitamin D-3, Vitamin B-7, Vitamin K), Dried Carrots, Dried Peas, Taurine, Amino Acids (L-Lysine Monohydrochloride).
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Beef Fat
Ingredients We Didnt Like: Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Oat Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Caramel Color
Crude Protein: 34%
Crude Fat: 13%
Crude Fiber: 4%
Moisture: 12%
Protein: 38.64%
Fat: 14.77%
Fiber: 4.55%
Carbs: 42.05%
Protein: 33.15%
Fat: 30.78%
Carbs: 36.07%
Pros
- Made with animal-sourced fat
Cons
- High carbohydrate content
- Contains caramel color
- Contains multiple common food allergens
- No dry food delivers the moisture your cat needs
What Do Customers Think Of Purina ONE Cat Food?
On Amazon and Chewy, Purina ONE product listings receive primarily positive reviews. For example, Purina ONEs popular Tender Selects Blend with Real Chicken dry food has over 500 reviews on Chewy and 97% of reviewers say theyd recommended it to a friend.
What are customers saying about Purina ONE? Lets take a look at a few positive and critical reviews to see what people are saying about this brand.
Positive Reviews
I have always fed my cats Purina which they love! My senior male has always had digestion issues but up until recently he had been throwing up 1-2x per week. Hes a picky eater but after reading the reviews on this formula I decided to make the switch. After few weeks the problem is COMPLETELY gone and my cat really enjoys the food. Both cats are actually really excited to eat now. This has been a life saver! Didnt have to go to the vet! DannyCat, reviewing Purina ONE Sensitive Skin & Stomach
I like that chicken is the first ingredient listed. Not sure if grain free is all that important but I try to offer this as an alternative to their ProPlan chunky chicken entree. I will never understand why cat food manufacturers insist on mixing vegetables into food for carnivores but my kitties are staying with real meat products. Rosemary, reviewing Purina ONE Chicken Recipe Pat Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
Negative Reviews
Thought this would be soft but it is hard. It says tender,to me that would mean soft. It wasnt my one cat is 18 yrs old and I needed soft food cause his teeth are almost gone. He cant eat hard food. He eats can with gravy and that has to have a lot of gravy or sauce. My other one is a kitten and his is all soft and milk. Broth, reviewing Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend with Real Chicken Dry Cat Food
Cats dont like canned food that doesnt have a fair amount of Juice, auspice or broth/gelatin. This is a huge fail for many grain free types.I shake the can to before I consider buying it for an idea of liquid ratio. My cats wont eat chunky meat or carrot bits or peas, but it they are blended to pate & theres plenty of broth I know it will be a hit. kdale, reviewing Purina ONE Chicken Recipe Pat Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
How Much Does Purina ONE Cat Food Cost?
Among Purina brands targeting the super-premium market, Purina ONE is the most economical.
Looking at it in terms of daily feeding costs, it would cost about $2.30 per day to feed a 10-lb cat Purina ONE wet cat food. If you chose a Purina ONE dry formula, your daily costs would be significantly lower at around $0.18 per day.
Overall, Is Purina ONE A Good Choice?
Purina ONE has some great recipesthink the canned chicken pat reviewed aboveand some that are little better than the colorful kibble on the grocery store shelf.
If you want to get the best Purina ONE has to offer, opt for their canned food and skip the True Instinct lineTrue Instinct canned recipes use wheat gluten to plump up the protein content. Not exactly true to the cats instinct to eat meat.
Where To Buy Purina ONE Cat Food?
Purina ONE is widely-distributed and sold in groceries, big box stores, and pet specialty retailers. If youd prefer to buy it online, you can order Purina ONE through retailers including Amazon, Chewy, PetSmart, Walmart, and Target.
Also Read:
Felix Cat Food Review
Weve rated Felix on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Felix cat food review to learn how this brand stacks up.
The Cats.com StandardRating Felix on What Matters
Weve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality. Heres how it rates in each of these six crucial areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness 6/10
- Ingredient Quality 4/10
- Product Variety 6/10
- Price 7/10
- Customer Experience 5/10
- Recall History 9/10
Overall Score: 6.17/10
In total, we give Felix cat food a 37 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.
About Felix
If youre a cat owner in the UK, youve heard of Felix. A European cat food brand owned by Nestle Purina PetCare, Felix is part of the diet of more than one-third of all cats in the UK (according to Purinas website). Though originally a dry cat food brand, Felix now exclusively offers wet cat food varieties.
While Felix may be one of the most popular cat food brands in the UK now, that wasnt always the case. In fact, it was almost delisted by major retailers for poor sales in the 1980s. Felix was relaunched in 1989 with a new mascot a black and white cat named Felix. By 1996, Felix had overtaken the prior brand leader in the UK (Whiskas) and remains one of the biggest brands in the UK.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Originally produced in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, the Felix cat food company has changed manufacturers several times over the years. Most recently, the brand was sold to Nestle in 1997. We werent able to determine exactly where Felix products are made, but most Purina products seem to be manufactured in the US and Canada.
Purina states that the quality and safety of their products is their number-one priority. They carry out 300 tests on their raw materials and packaging materials every day along with 1,100 checks per day across the production process and on finished products. Theyve also employed a third-party lab to analyze samples of Felix products for heavy metals, mycotoxins, and other contaminants with no issues.
Recall History
While the Purina company is no stranger to product recalls, we werent able to find any information to suggest the Felix brand has ever been recalled.
There have been customer concerns over the past year about cats refusing Felix products or becoming sick after eating them, but no recall has been issued.
In fact, Purina has published a statement titled, Keeping Pets Safe The Facts About Felix Cat Food, which addresses these concerns. In it, Purina comments, There is no evidence to support a link to our foods and no quality or food safety issues have been found with our Felix products. Any claims to the contrary are not based on fact.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Felix Offer?
Felix is a wet food-only brand in the UK. As of 2018, all wet foods made for the UK market are sold in pouches rather than tins. Most of their wet foods are packaged in jelly or gravy, featuring flavors like chicken, beef, lamb, and fish. Felix offers a variety of recipes for all life stages and several kitten foods.
What Do Customers Think Of Felix Cat Food?
Customer reviews for Felix cat food have taken a dive over the past year or so. While Purina admits to changing their formula recently, they claim that the only change they made was to the products appearance. They removed the colorants, but otherwise made no changes to the recipe.
Whether this is true or not is difficult to discern, though its clear that many customers are dissatisfied with the brand right now.
Purinas rating on TrustPilot in the UK has tanked to 1.1 out of 5 with just under 350 reviews over 90% of reviewers have given the brand a 1-star or bad rating.
That being said, some customers are perfectly happy with the brand and have been feeding it to their cat for years with no issues.
Lets take a look at a few reviews from TrustPilot for Felix.
Positive Reviews
My cat wont eat anything else!!!! My cat loves it! Tried her on other products before and she would just turn her nose up. Considering she was a stray I would have thought she would have ate anything! No! It has to be anything Purina! Sge loves as good as it looks. Felix GoodyBag. Purina One Bifensis. Doubly Delicious. Her coat is so soft and she now looks wonderful! I would not give her anything else! Well she wouldnt eat it anyway!- Joy Childs, January 2021
Seems to be some scaremongering going on here. Both my cats are zooming around the house at the speed of light on Felix as good as it looks? Not one that follows scary things on Facebook, rather the facts.- Sarah, August 2021
Negative Reviews
Two cats was vomiting daily, scratching daily and had diarrhoea after eating Felix cat food. Switched to another brand (after carefully looking at the ingredients) and this has stopped. I understand there was an ingredient change that caused this, ie. sugar. I fail to understand why you would add an ingredient that is ok for humans but to add to feline food that has caused a catastrophic and possibly fatal consequences.- Choy Lai Cheung, October 2021
Ive been feeding my cat Felix Doubly Delicious for the past four years with no problems, suddenly once she had started on the new recipe which claims only colourants have been taken out she started to leave most of the food and was being sick most days. I just thought she unwell, took her to the vets who did blood work and could find nothing wrong with her. They suggested a bland food so for a few days I fed her home cooked and she was fine within a day. I then started to feed her the Felix again and within 2 days she became sickly again.- Angela, October 2021
Felix Cat Food Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
How Much Does Felix Cat Food Cost?
Felix is an affordable cat food brand similar to discount and grocery store brands like Whiskas and Meow Mix. For a 20-pack of 100g pouches, youll pay about 10, or about 0.50 per pouch.
Overall, Is Felix Cat Food a Good Choice?
Though Felix appears to offer a modest variety of product choices, they are all nearly identical when you break them down to the list of ingredients.
They do offer several different textures and some products come in gravy versus jelly, but they are all made with the same vaguely named meat and fish ingredients with a smattering of vegetable protein extract, fats and oils, and added sugars.
Felix may be an affordable brand of cat food that some cats seem to like, but recent customer concerns cause us to question whether the low price tag is worth the risk. The only good things we have to say about the brand are related to the low carb content and high moisture content of their recipes. Overall, you can do a lot better than Felix cat food and probably for a similar price point.
Where Is Felix Cat Food Sold?
Because Felix is a UK brand, the best place to buy it is in local pet stores in the UK or from UK-based online retailers. You can shop for Felix online at The Pet Express, PetShop.co.uk, or VetShop.co.uk.
