Which is better Purina One or Purina Pro Plan cat food

Purina Pro Plan vs Purina One Cat Food: 2024 Comparison

Purina is a company that makes a wide range of pet food products for cats and dogs, and we are going to take a look at two of their most popular cat food lines, Purina Pro Plan and Purina One, to see which one is better. We did the work and compared the two, and well let you know about our results here.

Keep reading while we compare ingredients, cost, varieties, and more to determine which is the best overall.

A Sneak Peek at the Winner: Purina One

We went with Purina One as the winner because it contains higher quality ingredients on average. However, we should point out that the Purina Pro Plan has more than three times the number of recipes, and its more than possible to find a few that are as good as the Purina One. Keep reading while we look at the various ingredients as well as other differences between the two varieties.

About Purina Pro Plan

Purina Pro Plan uses a patented recipe that reduces cat allergens. According to their website, the Purina Pro Plan can reduce the allergens in cat hair and dander by 47% after 3 weeks. Its available in wet and dry food and typically has a high protein level. Most of the dry food stays above 40%, and most of the wet food is above 45%.

All of the recipes we checked had whole meat like chicken, turkey, beef, or fish listed as the first ingredient. Most recipes also had reduced fat content over other brands, helping reduce the risk of heart disease and other problems. Pro Plans recipes were also slightly lower in calories than the average brand, which can help keep weight gain under control.

Some of the recipes are higher than average in carbohydrates. Cats are carnivorous and do not need carbs in their diet, and adding them will only lead to weight gain. Almost every recipe we checked had corn, soy, or both listed in the ingredients. Both corn and soy are often genetically modified, and they are nothing more than empty calories and not part of your cats natural diet.

The corn often leads to digestive troubles in some cats, though many do enjoy it. One other ingredient in many recipes is meat by-products. Meat by-products are dried and ground-up meat that producers add to food to increase the protein level. Its not inherently bad, but much of it comes from countries with lower pet food standards than America, and its lower quality meat than chicken, turkey, or beef.

Pros

• Reduces allergens
• Higher protein level
• Reduced fat content
• Whole meat is the first ingredient

Cons

• Some can be high in carbs
• Contains soy and corn
• Meat by-products

About Purina One

Purina One guarantees you will notice your pet is more energetic with a shinier coat and brighter eyes. Most recipes that we looked at contained less fat than the average brand. The wet food has more fiber than average, while dry food has less.

Fiber is important for a well-balanced digestive system, and if your cat doesnt get enough, it can lead to constipation and other health problems. We found that most of the recipes have fewer calories than typical food, and most recipes have high-quality ingredients like real fruits and vegetables, and few contain corn and soy, though some do.

The downside to Purina One is that it typically doesnt have as much protein as the Purina Pro Plan. These recipes are typically at about 35% for dry food and 45% for wet. We also found several recipes that have corn or other non-meat listed as the top ingredient.

Pros

• Low fat
• Fewer bad ingredients
• Low calories

Cons

• Not as much protein
• Fewer recipes have whole meat as the first ingredient

The 3 Most Popular Purina Pro Plan Cat Food Recipes

1. Purina Pro Plan Indoor Care Hairball Control Adult Dry Cat Food & Wet Cat Food

Purina Pro Plan Indoor Care Hairball Control Adult Dry Cat Food & Wet Cat Food contains turkey as its first ingredient, and it has a unique formula that reduces hairballs. It has a good amount of protein for dry food at 40%, and it has plenty of natural fiber to help support a balanced digestive system.

The downside of Purina Pro Hairball Control is that it contains corn as well as chicken meal. Also, a few of our cats didnt like it.

Pros

• Turkey first ingredient
• Hairball formula
• 40% protein
• Natural fiber

Cons

• Contains corn
• Some cats dont like it

2. Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health, High Protein Adult Dry Cat Food & Wet Cat Food

Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health, High Protein Adult Dry Cat Food & Wet Cat Food is a special formula food that helps protect your cat from urinary tract infections. It has 25 essential vitamins and minerals that will help boost your cats immune system and help them develop properly.

The biggest downside to Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health is that many of our cats didnt like it, and at only 12% protein, it is only suitable for cats with an infection. It also has a meat by-product as its first ingredient.

Pros

• Supports urinary tract health
• Boosts the immune system
• 25 essential vitamins and minerals

Cons

• Meat by-product first ingredient
• Some cats dont like it

3. Purina Pro Plan With Probiotics High Protein Adult Dry Cat Food

Purina Pro Plan With Probiotics High Protein Adult Dry Cat Food is another hard food. This one contains a probiotic fortification to help balance your pets digestive system, which will help relieve diarrhea and constipation. Probiotics can also help build the immune system. It also has healthy omega fats, which help your cat produce a shiny coat, among other benefits, and there are no harmful chemical preservatives.

What we didnt like about Purina Pro Plan with Probiotics was that, like many other recipes, it has meat by-products. It also has a strong odor, and people reported their cats didnt like it.

Pros

• Chicken first ingredient
• Omega fats
• Contains probiotics
• 40% protein
• No chemical preservatives

Cons

• Some cats dont like
• Smells bad
• Contains meat by-product

The 3 Most Popular Purina One Cat Food Recipes

1. Purina ONE True Instinct High Protein, Natural Wet Cat Food in Sauce or Gravy

Purina ONE True Instinct High Protein, Natural Wet Cat Food in Sauce or Gravy features tuna as its first ingredient, and it also has chicken and liver for added protein. Each can will have at least 35% protein, and it also contains taurine, an important nutrient found only in animal proteins.

Unfortunately, Purina One True Instinct contains meat by-products, and the company also seems to change the formula often, which can upset finicky cats.

Pros

• Tuna first ingredient
• Contains chicken and liver
• Contains taurine
• 35% protein

Cons

• Contains meat by-product
• Changing formula

2. Purina ONE Indoor Advantage Hairball Control Dry Cat Food & Wet Cat Food

Purina ONE Indoor Advantage Hairball Control, Natural Adult Dry Cat Food & Wet Cat Food features turkey as its top ingredient. Its low in carbohydrates, promoting a healthy weight, and it also contains anti-hairball ingredients and antioxidants.

What we didnt like about Indoor Advantage is that it contains poultry by-products. Our cats enjoyed this recipe, but it caused bad-smelling gas.

Pros

• Turkey first ingredient
• Promotes a healthy weight
• Hairball formula
• Antioxidants

Cons

• Contains poultry by-product
• Bad smelling stools
• Causes gas

3. Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend Adult Dry Cat Food

Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend Adult Dry Cat Food features salmon as its top ingredient. It also contains tuna and other helpful ingredients that provide your pet with plenty of omega fats and antioxidants to boost the immune system. Crunchy kibble will help scrub tartar and plaque from your pets teeth, while tender morsels will supply extra flavor.

The downside to Tender Selects is that some of our cats liked to pick out the tender morsels and leave the rest, while others would refuse to eat them.

Pros

• Salmon first ingredient
• Omega fats
• Antioxidants
• Crunchy kibble and tender morsels

Cons

• Some cats picked out the bits they liked
• Some cats wouldnt eat it

Recall History of Brand Purina One and Purina Pro Plan

Some Purina cat food recipes were recalled over the years:

• Certain cans of Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Tuna Entre in Sauce Wet Cat Food (3-oz cans) were recalled in July 2021 due to a worry that the cans might contain plastic.
• Purina voluntarily recalled the Purina Pro Plan in March 2016 due to inadequate levels of vitamins and minerals.
• Purina recalled Purina One in 2011 over possible salmonella contamination.

Purina One vs Pro Plan

Ingredients

Despite both brands having plenty of questionable ingredients, Purina One is the winner in this category, if only because none of the recipes contain harmful BHT preservatives found in some Purina Pro Plan recipes.

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Price

Purina Pro Plan wins the price war and averages a few dollars cheaper in wet and dry cat food.

Selection

Purina Pro Plan is the clear winner of selection, with more than three times the recipes Purine One has.

Nutritional Value

Nutritional value is similar between the two brands, with Purina One edging out slightly ahead. Purina Pro Plan has marginally more protein on average. Still, Purina One is more likely to contain beneficial omega fats and other important nutrients not found abundantly in Purina Pro Plan.

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Purina vs Royal Canin cat food: Which one should you pick?

When it comes to Purina vs Royal Canin cat food, you may be wondering if one is better than the other when it comes to providing your feline friend with all the nutrition they need to stay fit and well.

The best cat food arena can feel like a bit of a minefield at times, with so many brands claiming to be number one. But the good news is that when it comes to Purina and Royal Canin, both are good choices they just excel in slightly different areas.

Just like the question of is dry cat food best or is wet food better, there really is no right or wrong decision when it comes to choosing between these two heavyweights. Both offer nutritionally complete and balanced wet and dry food options, however, where they differ somewhat is their ingredient list and their prices.

To help you decide which brand to fill your kittys food bowl with, weve done a deep dive into what Purina and Royal Canin have to offer, examining everything from reputation and variety of products to quality and cost. Lets take a look

Purina vs Royal Canin: Background

Purina is one of the oldest pet food companies in the world, having been founded in 1894, expanding and growing in popularity over the years. Its 2001 merger with Swiss food company Nestl allowed it to expand even further, and to this day it remains at the forefront of the cat food market.

Vets always seem to speak highly of Royal Canin, and its no surprise, considering the company was founded by one. In the 1960s, French vet Jean Cathary started experimenting with his own cat food formulas in response to a number of skin complaints suffered by his customers cats. Such was his success that he created his own cat food line, which continues to this day.

Purina vs Royal Canin: Price

Purina is one of those brands that has something for everyone. Offering a selection of products that span the range from budget buys to more premium picks, Purina has made sure that there's a cat food in their product line that's accessible to all pet owners. Expect to pay around $17 for 24 cans of wet food in the Friskies range up to around $29.00 for a 16 lb bag of Purina ONE kibble.

When it comes to Royal Canin, let's not beat around the bush. This brand is significantly more expensive than Purina and that's potentially going to make it a no-go if you're on a tight budget. To give you an idea of the difference, 24 cans of wet food from Royal Canin will set you back around $45, while a 15 lb bag of kibble is likely to cost around $57.

Some may argue that youre getting food of a higher standard with Royal Canin, but in all honesty, it really depends on what your cats requirements are.

Purina vs Royal Canin: Quality of ingredients

We like that Purina tries to use real meats as its primary ingredient wherever possible. This is the case in its Purina ONE Tender Selects Adult Dry Cat Food (chicken), Purina Cat Chow Gentle Dry Cat Food (chicken), Purina ONE Indoor Advantages Dry Cat Food (turkey), and Purina Beyond Simply Adult Dry Cat Food (white chicken and whole oatmeal).

The benefit of this is that your cat is getting a clean and reliable source of protein, with very little in the way of artificial preservatives. Furthermore, Purina is transparent regarding the sourcing of its ingredients, so youre left with no doubt as to whats in your cats food, and whats gone into creating it.

One of the big issues with Purina is that although they have a good reputation, they tend to be lacking in consistency when it comes to the quality of their products, with some clearly being head and shoulders above others in terms of ingredients.

Take Friskies as an example. Yes, it's super affordable and that's a huge plus if you find that the higher-end lines in the Purina range simply aren't accessible to you due to cost. But what you gain in affordability can be lost when it comes to quality, with Friskies containing animal by-products instead of real meat and with a dose of artificial flavors to top it all off.

When it comes to Royal Canin, part of what makes the brand so appealing is the way that each formula has been specially tailored to meet specific conditions. One such example is the Gastrointestinal Fiber Response Dry Cat Food, which has been proven to help relieve constipation suffered by many cats.

While brands like Purina undoubtedly offer reliable all-round diets, their products can be inconsistent when it comes to the quality of ingredients. Royal Canin tends to be more rigorous about ensuring they use high-quality ingredients across the board, so its line of cat food is well worth considering if you're looking for a brand that offers an unrivaled capacity to concern itself with cats who have specific ailments, something that gets a huge round of applause from us.

That being said, we do have to remove a few points for the high level of carbohydrates that are present in a lot of their products. While this isn't such an issue for active cats, it could cause weight gain and even obesity in those that live a more sedentary lifestyle.

Products where this could be the case include the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Moderate Calorie Dry Cat Food and Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Fiber Response Dry Cat Food (this also has high plant-based content, which isnt the best source of vitamins). While they're great for cats with particular conditions, they may be less ideal as a day-to-day food source.

Purina vs Royal Canin: Choice

First off, there are a number of different imprints within the Purina brand, offering customers a variety of choice. For instance, Purina ONE is its highest quality food, Friskies is aimed at lower budgets, and Beyond focuses on formulas with natural ingredients.

While there's an excellent selection of Purina products available, they're not yet in the league of Royal Canin, which has an extensive catalog of wet and dry cat food to suit every age, stage, breed, and need. It also offers far more flavors than Purina, which is great if you have a fickle fur baby who likes lots of variety.

Purina vs Royal Canin: The verdict

To summarize, Purina has a lot of positive things about it. While it doesn't have as many products as Royal Canin, there is still plenty to choose from, and you can be sure that its food is of high quality. Moreover, Purina has always been transparent when it comes to the source of its ingredients, so you will always know where your money is going.

While Royal Canin has a reputation for quality supported by vets, and comes in a wide variety of forms to suit your cats requirements, some of its products may not be the best all round choice for everyday consumption, and theres also the high price to consider. Still, its long-standing reputation should serve as a confidence booster for any potential customer and, while the levels of carbohydrates and plant-based content are high in some products, it deserves its reputation as a trusted brand of good quality cat food.

Not convinced that a wet or dry food off the shelf is right for your feline? We explore whether homemade cat food is better than store bought to help you make an informed decision.