Whiskas Cat Food Review

About Whiskas

All cat-lovers are united by their care and concern for their cat/kitten. So is Whiskas. Whiskas is one such cat food brand that is formed by people who love cats and are there with you throughout your cat’s life. It is pretty evident from their claim, “We love cats just as much as you do.” The brand began with the promise to curate drool-worthy and nutritious food products for cats. Since 1958, the brand has evolved into a general health and happiness brand for cats and kittens. By 1988, the brand was ready to touch the sky and become a staple in pet food pantries around the world. The recipes and food products delivered by Whiskas are backed up by proper research and guidance from animal nutritionists and experts. They closely work with WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition to keep the quality in check.  

Is Whiskas Cat Food actually good for cats?

If we go by the contents of Whiskas Cat Food, be it for kittens or adult cats, the cat foods are enriched with protein. Protein is an essential component in cat foods, so it is good. The fat content is moderated to help with the management of weight in all ages. Carbohydrates are also menially provided, just enough to fulfil the energy requirements. Overall, cat food seems to surpass the average benchmark of cat food. Having said that, the cat food is not perfect either. It provides a good dose of fats slightly more than what would suffice for weight management. Besides, the formula leaves out the most tangible carbohydrate sources and uses the lesser reliable ones. All in all, the brand has done a good deal within the range of other economic brands.

Do vets recommend Whiskas?

Whiskas Cat Food does offer a good macronutrient distribution in all the recipes. The proteins are primarily dominant, about 5.9% more than what other brands like Royal Canin offer. Fats are moderated to suit a cat’s dietary requirements and help with the management of weight. Carbohydrates are also provided as energy requirements. However, the ingredient sources and quality have not been the best. Carbs are not sourced from common sources. There are some questionable additives and flavours that are also used. The formula also comprises wheat gluten. All such factors against animal protein tend to weigh it to be a lesser ideal choice for cat food. 

Nonetheless, many cat parents have observed their cats adjust well to the brand and consequently make it a positively reviewed cat food option. So, do whatever works for your cat.

Why is Whiskas cat food Unavailable?

Whiskas Cat Food is unavailable in Canada after its voluntary recall post mycotoxin contamination issues. Besides that, it is still available in other countries. Any other instances of unavailability might be due to products being out of stock or some other supply chain issue. Otherwise, there should not be any unavailability issues as such. 

Is Whiskas being discontinued?

Whiskas Cat Food had announced its primary voluntary recall/discontinuation in Canada. This step was taken for a large variety of dry cat food. The discontinuation was attributed to the failure of raw ingredients not meeting the quality standards as set by the country. It was especially due to the potential for mycotoxin contamination. These compounds are considered toxic and are basically certain types of moulds. It has been known to develop on raw corn, rice, and other grains that were being used in the production. 

Other than Canada, Whiskas cat food is still available worldwide and has not been discontinued elsewhere. 

What are the ingredients in Whiskas cat food?

Besides the differentiating flavours, there are some ingredients that are largely present in all the varieties. Animal protein source (mainly Chicken/Fish), Soy oil, Corn-starch, Wheat gluten, Taurine, Vitamins (Vit A Acetate, Vit E, Vit  B1, Vit B6, Vit B2), Folic Acid, Caramel Coloring, Sodium Nitrite, Guar Gum, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, BHT/BHA (preservatives).

Ingredients and recipes for Whiskas

As evident from the ingredients, the macronutrient distribution of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats falls in the appropriate zone of requirements of a carnivore. The recipes are not loaded with starchy elements and other plant-sourced ingredients. Plant-based ingredients are tougher on a cat’s gut because cats are obligate carnivores and do not have enzymes to help with plant-based ingredients. 

There are some things that we did not like about the ingredients that are being used. 

Out of the above-mentioned condiments…

Soy Oil, Wheat Gluten, Guar Gum, Coloring, and BHT/BHA are some elements that are not considered naturally healthy for cats. The colourants are potentially harmful as they are 100% artificial dyes. Caramel colours are also known to possibly be carcinogenic. So, they should be avoided as much as possible.

Moreover, all the varieties contain meat by-products/composites and not actual shredded meat. This is another factor that is unappealing. Although Whiskas argues that the by-products/meat complexes that are used in the recipes are rightfully derived from pigs, cows and sheep. Sometimes, these by-products may contain menially-nutritious animal parts like ribs, skin, etc. They may as well contain highly-nutritional parts a well. So the element of uncertainty about which portion of the animal source has been used in the by-product brings doubt. If cats are sensitive to certain foods, the uncertain elements from by-products bring several unknown compliments that might cause issues. 

Also Read – Farmina Cat Food Review

What are the benefits of Whiskas Cat Food?

Some of the main takeaways from all the positives that we could find in Whiskas Cat Food options are:

  1. The food provides just the required amount of animal-based protein sourced from reliable sources.
  2. There are hardly any plant-based ingredients to cause stress on the cat’s digestive system to digest the food.
  3. The cat food is not loaded with calories and does not contain starchy elements. 
  4. The cat food is flavourful. A lot of cats seem to develop a taste for Whiskas cat food.
  5. When it comes to species-appropriateness, Whiskas cat food scores pretty good on the scale. The food has been designed keeping the obligate carnivore dietary requirements in mind.

How to Feed Whiskas cat food

It is relatively easy to feed dry foods. You just need to provide the kibble ( in appropriate amounts) in the bowl and let your cat munch on it. If you have a younger cat, you may choose to soak the dry cat food in a bit of water to make it easier to eat and digest. The wet cat food is of course mushy and makes more mess when you feed it to your cat. All you still need to do is pour out a pouch of wet food and let your cat have it. You may need to do a bit of cleaning after your cat has eaten.

Top Whiskas Products

Wet Cat Food

1. Whiskas Adult Dry Pellet Cat Food – Mackerel Flavour

This is a crunchy and flavoursome chunky cat food that has been flavoured like Mackerel. Cats love fish flavours and hence it is one of the best-selling varieties. The food is made with high-grade ingredients and an appropriate macro nutritional distributional. It provides the cat with a lustrous coat, healthier skin, better eyesight, and a better gut. It is recommended for almost all cat breeds like Persian, British, Siamese, etc.

Whiskas Adult Mix Wet Cat Food - Tuna, Chicken, And Carrot In Gravy

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  • Ingredients :

Wholegrain Cereal (Corn, Wheat), Poultry and by-products, Corn Gluten Meal, Soy Bean Meal, Vegetables Oil (Palm Stearine, Soy Oil), Ocean Fish, Wheat Flour Minerals, Iodised Salt, Vitamins, Taurine, Methionine, Food Colouring, Preservatives, Flavour. 

  • Nutrition by composition:

  1. Min. Protein: 30%
  2. Min. Fat: 10%
  3. Max. Moisture: 12%
  4. Max. Fibre: 5%

  • PROS:

  1. Mackerel flavour is loved by cats and kittens.
  2. The food is high in protein, and balanced in carbohydrates and fats.

  • CONS:

  1. By-products are not as good as actual meat.
  2. Soy Oil, Corn Gluten Meal are not exactly healthy for cats.

Dry Cat Food

1. Whiskas Adult Mix Wet Cat Food – Tuna, Chicken, And Carrot In Gravy

Whiskas Adult Mix Wet Cat Food - Tuna, Chicken, And Carrot In Gravy (2)

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This wet cat food is made with real fish and chicken. It has been made tempting to lure cats into a habit of tasty yet healthy eating. The food is enriched with Tuna, Chicken, and veggies like Carrots to provide essential vitamins and antioxidants besides protein. All these ingredients come together to deliver nutrition and flavour!

  • Ingredients:

Water, Chicken by-products, Chicken Meat, Tuna, Wheat Gluten, Carrots, Thickening agents, Tuna by-products, Flavour, Minerals, Soy Bean Oil, Vitamins, Amino Acid, Citric Acid, EDTA, Colourant, Sodium Nitrate (for colour retention), Antioxidants.

  • PROS:

  1. It is high in protein and balanced in carbohydrates and fats.
  2. It contains a blend of vegetables in gravy form to provide antioxidants and vitamins.
  3. Real fish and chicken are used.
  4. Appealing texture and flavour.
  5. Contains enough moisture.

  • CONS:

  1. It also contains by-products.
  2. It contains food colourants that are 100% artificial dyes and are possibly carcinogenic.
  3. Soy Oil, Gluten are not very healthy for cats.

What do customers think of Whiskas Cat Food?

Based on consumer experience, Whiskas has been performing reasonably in the market of economical cat foods online. Not all cat parents indulge in an in-depth study of where each and every ingredient has been sourced from. More than often, people tend to just go through the nutritional distribution, look for the key ingredients, and make the call to test it out with their pets. If it all settle with the cat, the food is good to go. Along similar lines, Whiskas cat food has been liked by many due to its flavour and high protein content.

Some cat parents have insisted that their cats have gotten crazy over the food. For others, Whiskas cat food has helped in correcting their cat’s appetite and bowel issues. Many cats have now landed into the appropriate weight range after being put on Whiskas cat food. 

However, consumers who are bothered by the use of by-products, additives, or colouring agents being present even menially, did not review the cat food nicely. Some have even complained of their cats having a disturbed gut after consuming Whiskas. Others have insisted that the food reeks and is not appealing to the cat. The meat and gravy have a dark tint to them. Many cat parents have expressed their wish to do something about the appearance because the cats do not find it attractive and the food is wasted.  There have also been instances of the food seeming to be stale. 

As you can see, there have been mixed reviews regarding Whiskas cat food and consumers’ experiences with it. You can only know after trying it with your cat.

How much does Whiskas Cat Food cost?

When it comes to the charges, Whiskas is probably the most economical cat food brand available in the market. The dry food costs around Rs30.67/100g if you go for smaller sized food packets like 3kg. If you switch to heavier ones around 7kg packs, the average price falls down to Rs26.36/100g. 

Moving on to the wet food pouches, each pouch weighs around 85g and a bunch of 12 such pouches costs about Rs390, giving an average cost of Rs38.24/100g. As it is evident, Whiskas has priced its food products very reasonably. You may say that being economical is an important factor behind Whiskas’ rendition in the category. 

FAQs

Has Whiskas been discontinued?

Whiskas has discontinued its production and sales only in Canada after some feud over mycotoxin contamination in certain food products. However, there is no physical evidence of it causing or resulting in any harm to the cats/kittens. Elsewhere, the brand has been performing well.

Why is Whiskas cat food unavailable?

Whiskas is available worldwide, except in Canada. Any instance of unavailability might be due to some supply chain issue or the product simply being out of stock. Otherwise, you can easily find it on MyPetz website. 

How to feed Whiskas cat food?

It is very convenient to feed Whiskas to your cat. If you are using the dry kibble, just pour it into the food bowl. If your cat is younger, you may soak it in a little bit of water/milk to make it easier for your kitten to eat. While using the wet food pouches, you can simply give them to your cat. If it’s a little lumpy and thick as per your cat’s preference, you can dilute it.

Conclusion

Whiskas seems to be a promising brand when it comes to cat food supplies. Broadly, it also offers species-appropriate nutrition with a good focus on protein. Additionally, the food is richly flavoured and is generally devoured by cats/kittens. When it comes to the price, Whiskas is very economical and continuing with it would not burden your pocket. Though, there are some drawbacks like preservatives, colourants, meat by-products. If you are too conscious about them, then you may want to explore further and look for more natural/organic cat food options. But, as per our research, the food still surpasses the nutritional standards and is safe for consumption. If your cat gets a hang of it, feel free to feed it with Whiskas.