The label is a marketing document

Flip any bag of cat food and you'll find an ingredients list that reads like a chemistry textbook. "Chicken meal", "by-product meal", "natural flavours" — these phrases are designed to sound wholesome while obscuring what's really inside.

Ingredient lists are ordered by weight before cooking. That impressive-sounding "chicken" in position one? It's 70% water. Once the moisture is removed, it often slips to third or fourth place — behind grains and by-products.

33–46% of UK cats are overweight or have kidney issues linked to filler-heavy diets
95% of brands we reviewed did not meet our protein and ingredient standards
£4.1bn UK pet food market in 2024 — most of it nutritionally mediocre

The big three to look for

When assessing a food, focus on three things:

  • Named protein first — "chicken", "salmon", or "turkey" by name. Not "poultry meal" or "meat and animal derivatives".
  • High moisture or wet format — cats evolved in arid environments and get most of their water through prey. Dry food alone rarely meets their hydration needs.
  • Short ingredient list — the fewer the unrecognisable additives, the better.

What "complete" actually means

In the UK, "complete" on a pet food label means it meets the minimum nutritional requirements set by FEDIAF. That's a floor, not a ceiling. Many complete foods are nutritionally adequate without being nutritionally excellent.

The difference between adequate and optimal is where premium nutrition lives — and where cats with health conditions feel the most benefit.

The preservative question

Synthetic preservatives like BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin have been linked to health concerns in high doses. Most reputable manufacturers now use natural alternatives — mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) and rosemary extract. Check your label.

What we chose: After reviewing dozens of brands, only a handful made it through — Untamed, Scrumbles, and Thrive for wet food. Each lists real meat first, carries no hidden grains, and meets FEDIAF standards. That is the floor we hold every box to.

Our recommendation

Focus on the first five ingredients. If you see a named protein in the top two slots and no vague "derivatives" in the top five, you're likely looking at a quality food. Pair wet food with dry to balance hydration and dental health.