This is a review of Dave’s Pet food cat food.
As a feline Nutritionist and pet owner, I have bought various types of foods for my cats. My main concern always was how to provide the best nutrition for my pets.
With so many options available on cat food shelves, it is easy to be overwhelmed, which is the best cat food overall.
I have researched Dave’s Pet Food cat food products in-depth to help you determine if this cat food brand is the best diet for your cat.
Dave’s Pet Food offers wet and dry cat food for their customers. Their food combines nutritious, high-quality pet food for owners looking for healthy options for their cats at an affordable price. This pet food comes in a wide range of flavors: turkey, chicken, salmon, tuna, and beef, to name a few.
Dave’s Pet Food was started over twenty years ago as part of the Dave’s Soda and Pet City chain of stores. They are based in Massachusetts, USA.
They aim to provide nutritious and delicious pet food at a reasonable price.
According to their website, Dave’s Pet Food sources its ingredients within the USA.
The cat food cans are BPA-free.
This comprehensive cat food review will analyze this brand’s ingredients and nutritional content. We will also discuss customer reviews, possible recalls, and potential alternatives for this pet food from Dave’s Pet Food.
Keep reading for more details.
Dave’s Pet Food Cat Food Overview.
Dave’s Pet Food cat food makes a dry and wet food product.
This brand assures that its formulas are made without grains, wheat, or anything artificial.
All formulas meet AAFCO Guidelines for pet food.
Here are their most popular options for Dave’s Pet Food cat food:
- Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Grain-Free Chicken Formula Canned Cat Food
- Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Grain-Free Turkey Formula Canned Cat Food
- Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Grain-Free Turkey & Giblets Dinner Canned Cat Food
- Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Grain-Free Tuna & Chicken Dinner in Gravy Canned Cat Food
- Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Adult Dry Cat Food
We select Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Grain-Free Chicken Formula Canned Cat Food for detailed analysis.
This cat food is designed for adult cats.
Also, the Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Grain-Free Chicken Formula Canned Cat Food formula is the most popular option in the Dave’s Pet Food food range for cats.
Label Analysis.
Below we have a detailed analysis of Dave’s Pet Food cat food label.
Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Grain-Free Chicken Formula Canned Cat Food
Ingredients list: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Turkey, Guar Gum, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Agar-Agar, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Minerals (Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothen-Ate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Cranberries, Blueberries, Dried Squash, Taurine, Zucchini, Sodium Carbonate.
Guaranteed Analysis:
| Crude protein | 10.0% min |
| Crude fat | 5.0% min |
| Crude fiber | 1.0% max |
| Moisture | 78.0% max |
Total caloric content:
410 kcal/12.5-oz can, 185 kcal/5.5-oz can, 747 kcal/22-oz can
Ingredients Analysis
Made without grains, this canned food features real chicken as the first ingredient, wholesome fruits and vegetables, and chicken liver and turkey: no wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives.
Chicken:
An excellent quality real meat as the first ingredient provides lean protein for your cat’s balanced nutrition.
Lean meats provide all necessary for a strong heart, good vision, and a healthy reproductive system.
Chicken broth:
Cats are known to be shy water drinkers, so if your cat’s food contains chicken broth, they will get hydrated better while eating.
The broth has excellent benefits for your cat’s body:
- Detoxifies liver– amino acid- glycerine. It helps a cat’s liver to clear toxins from its body.
- Helps the digestive system– gelatine and collagen found in the broth will help strengthen the intestine lining, repair leaky gut, and aid digestion naturally.
- Strong immune system– contains bone marrow to help fight disease better.
- Joint health– contains glucosamine and magnesium for joint health. It might help Senior cats with arthritic symptoms.
Note:
The commercial Chicken broth might not be suitable for cats as it might contain garlic and onion, which are not suitable for cats to eat.
Chicken liver is high in Vitamin B, Potassium, Zinc, Iron, and Phosphorus. It also contains CoQ10 enzymes, which support your cat’s kidney function.
The liver contains Vitamin A to support:
- Eye vision; especially night vision
- Skin and fur health
- Bone formation
- Immune system support
- Overall support from over oxidation.
It is a fat-soluble vitamin that can not be excreted from the body but can accumulate in the kidneys and cause toxicity. Make sure that cat food daily allowance does not contain more than 10% of the liver.
Turkey is a very rich source of protein.
Other benefits include:
- Niacin boosts brain function,
- Vitamin B6 for energy,
- Zinc helps the immune system and metabolism,
- Vitamin B12 keeps blood and nerve cells healthy.
Guar Gum: This prevents the heavier ingredients from settling to the bottom of a can. This means in the factory; one can is not filled only with heavier items. Also, the can doesn’t need to be stirred before serving to mix all ingredients.
Sweet Potatoes:
These are a regular addition to pet foods, mainly if the product is classed as grain-free.
Sweet potatoes are high on carbohydrates, so a cat does not have a great need for them. However, they are a source of many essential nutrients; potatoes provide texture and structure properties in kibble and wet pet foods.
Carrots are added to cat food for fiber content, and they are low in calories. These help cats stay satiated longer and can help with cat obesity.
Agar-agar gives a sensation of fullness. It can also be used as a laxative or as a thickener for foods.
Potassium Chloride is a form of flavorless salt. This enhances the flavor of cat food. Also, potassium is a critical mineral:
- It helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signals,
- Reduces blood pressure and water retention,
- Prevents kidney stones and osteoporosis.
Salt:
Salt is a source of essential minerals needed for maintaining good health and the proper metabolism in cats.
It is composed of sodium and chloride, which are two essential minerals for cats. They maintain the balance of body fluids.
Salt can be added to canned food to make the food taste better. Added salt might increase thirst and water consumption. But not to worry, extra salt is excreted in cats’ urine.
Choline Chloride:
A building block for the nervous system, however too much of it can have adverse effects like vomiting in your cat.
Minerals and Vitamins are essential for your cat’s overall wellbeing and healthy body.
Minerals (Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide).
Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothen-Ate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid).
Cranberries and blueberries:
Full of antioxidants for immune system support and urinary tract health.
Dried Squash:
Acts as an anti-inflammatory, rich in vitamins A and C, and high in carotenoid antioxidants for the immune system and eye health.
Taurine is a critical amino acid for your cat.
Essential for:
- normal vision,
- digestion,
- heart muscle function,
- maintaining normal pregnancy and fetal development,
- healthy immune system.
Zucchini is a safe way to bulk up their food intake with minimal impact on their calorie consumption.
It contains magnesium, manganese, and potassium, which plays a role in bone formation, blood clotting, and reducing inflammation.
Sodium Phosphate:
Sodium phosphate is naturally occurring in many foods. It’s also added to foods to maintain freshness and alter the texture.
Nutrient analysis.
Daves Pet Food cat food is made with quality meat protein as its first ingredient. However, it is low compared to other similar brands.
Additional benefits include Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Pea-Free.
Crude protein 10.0% min
Kittens will need around 30%- 40% crude protein in their diet per day. They are growing fast, so they need as much lean protein as possible to maintain good bone and muscle health. High energy output requires higher protein, minerals, vitamins, and amino acid foods.
Adult cats require 35%- 40% protein in their diet.
But is it possible to feed too much protein to a cat? Generally, if a cat has a shiny coat, is alert, has normal stool and skin, ideal weight. It probably means that the food is okay.
Senior cats
It can be a bit tricky to determine how much protein a senior cat needs. The difficulty is in the fact that elderly cats might develop kidney disease. A high protein diet could harm the kidneys further. On the other hand, a low protein diet will mean muscle mass loss.
The best things to do in this case:
- See your cats veterinarian for a kidney check-up
- Focus on quality rather than quantity in protein.
For example, if your cat’s food label has chicken as the first ingredient. This means that your cat is getting quality lean protein.
- Change your cat’s diet to a lower protein diet.
(do it gradually as cats do not like change in diet).
Crude Fat 5.0% min
Cats get their energy from protein and fat and favor a meal where protein and fat are high.
Some owners might be tempted to feed a cat a low-fat diet to ensure obesity is not a problem. However, cats need more fat content and tend to overeat low-fat food to meet their nutritional needs.
Look for actual animal fat in your cat’s food label. Unfortunately, this is not the case for Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Grain-Free Chicken Formula Canned Cat Food.
Crude Fiber 1.0% max
The fiber in cat food has become somewhat a controversial topic. It might seem that cats in the wild only eat meat, but actually, they eat all the animals with their prey’s skin, hoves, intestines, and stomach contents.
This could mean that our felines do need a bit of fiber content in their meals.
Your veterinarian might prescribe a low or high-fiber diet if your cat is experiencing digestive problems.
For example, a high fiber content can help a diabetic cat, and a low fiber diet can help with small intestine problems.
It is always important to speak to your veterinarian for advice on your cat’s diet if digestive problems occur.
Daves Pet Food Cat Food Reviews
87% of cat owners on Chewy would recommend Dave’s Pet Food Naturally Healthy Grain-Free Chicken Canned Cat Food formula. Over 150 reviews give the product 4.1 out of 5 stars.
Most reviews share that the food is:
- Chicken flavor wet food smells great to cats, so they come running,
- Mixed reviews from cat owners if their cat would eat this brand,
- Value for money when looking at ingredient quality compared to other similar brands
- Had easy food transfer from the old brand to Dave’s Pet Food cat food.
“All 3 of my cats eat this food without issue. Two of my cats are extremely fussy eaters and happily eat Dave’s Chicken. The phosphorus is low enough that I can give this to my early-stage CKD cat. Everyone has sensitive digestion and is prone to vomiting, but that hasn’t been an issue with this food. I couldn’t be happier with this food, especially for the amazing price.”
You can read more on Daves Pet Food here.
Recalls
There is no current recall of this product.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) require that all animal foods, like human foods, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled. In addition, canned pet foods must be processed in conformance with the low acid canned food regulations to ensure the pet food is free of viable microorganisms. (2)
You can find a complete list of FDA recalls here.
Alternatives
Suppose you think that Dave’s Pet Food cat food is not the ideal choice for your cat. There are a few alternatives to consider.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
Blue Buffalo is a High Protein Grain Free, Natural Adult Pate Wet Cat Food.
Quality protein is the first ingredient like chicken, meat, or fish.
Designed for all stages of your cat’s life with specific formulas for kittens and older cats included.
Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food
Stella and Chewy’s freeze-dried raw cat food is one of the favorites among cat owners when commercial freeze-dried raw food is mentioned.
Never contains grains, gluten, fillers, artificial preservatives, or colorings.
Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe
Instinct limited ingredient formula is great if your cat develops sensitivity or food intolerance.
Never contain any grain, dairy, eggs, chicken, beef, fish, sweet potato, potato, chickpeas, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, or preservatives.
In Conclusion
We recommend Dave’s Pet Food for owners looking for a balanced nutrition product for their pets.
This review shows that Dave’s Pet Food is a cat food brand loved by other cat owners and their cats. With real protein as the first ingredient to start with. They also pride themselves on the promise that their recipes are: Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Pea-Free.
It contains omega-3 and 6 fatty acids to nourish skin and fur, with zero grains, wheat, or wheat gluten, so it’s great for cats with sensitivities or food allergies.
Speak with your cat’s veterinarian today to determine if Dave’s Pet Food cat food would be an excellent formula for your cat.
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