Last updated Sep 14, 2026
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
WholeHearted is a private label pet food brand sold exclusively by Petco. It’s marketed for its affordability and protein-forward formulas, but is it worth buying for your cat? Find out in this detailed brand review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating WholeHearted on What Matters
We’ve analyzed WholeHearted 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. Here’s how it rates in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 7/10
- Ingredient Quality – 7/10
- Product Variety – 8/10
- Price – 8/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 10/10
Overall Score: 7.8/10
We give WholeHearted a 47 out of 60 or a B+ grade.
About WholeHearted Cat Food
Sold exclusively by Petco, WholeHearted is a private label cat food brand. It first hit Petco shelves in 2016, when it was introduced as an affordable line of dog food. The brand expanded to include cat food formulas the following year and has been a staple in Petco stores ever since.
The WholeHearted brand’s marketing centers on the promise of high-quality nutrition at an affordable price. Every recipe features real animal protein as the top ingredient, and the food is made without corn, wheat, and artificial colors or flavors. All of WholeHearted’s recipes also appear to be grain-free, and many contain functional ingredients like probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.
By offering a generous selection of products in a wide range of package sizes, WholeHearted makes it easy for cat owners to find a formula that fits both their needs and their budget. Customers don’t have to worry about paying for (or carrying) giant bags of dry food, and the wet food is sold individually and in convenient variety packs.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Because WholeHearted is a private label brand, there’s not much information available about its production or ingredient sourcing. Private label pet foods are made by third-party manufacturers (also known as co-packers) who, in many cases, produce pet food for multiple brands.
Petco doesn’t disclose exactly where or how WholeHearted pet food is made. The packaging simply states that the food is made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients and distributed by International Pet Supplies and Distribution, Inc. This is the name of the corporate operating entity of Petco and is based in San Diego, CA.
Has WholeHearted Cat Food Been Recalled?
No, WholeHearted cat food has never been recalled. Because we weren’t able to identify the third-party manufacturer of this brand, however, we don’t know if the company that makes the food has had prior recalls.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does WholeHearted Offer?
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
WholeHearted offers a diverse selection of wet and dry cat foods as well as meal toppers and treats. The recipes mainly feature poultry and fish flavors, with chicken, salmon, and tuna being the most common. All the recipes appear to be grain-free and they’re made without any artificial colors or flavors.
While many of WholeHearted’s recipes are formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition for cats of all life stages, there are several recipes specifically for kittens or senior cats. A few of the foods (both dry and canned) are formulated to target common concerns like skin and coat health, weight management, and sensitive digestion.
WholeHearted wet cat food is mainly sold in 2.8-ounce and 5.5-ounce cans, though there are a few specialty formulas that come in cups or pouches. Here’s a quick overview of the different textures for WholeHearted wet cat food:
- Pleasing Pate
- Flavorful Flakes
- Mouthwatering Morsels
- Masterfully Minced
Most of WholeHearted’s dry cat food is sold in small bags, either 3 or 5 pounds, but a few come in bigger 12-pound bags. The wet food is sold by the can or in variety packs. The variety packs are generally divided by food texture, flavor category (poultry or fish), or life stage. WholeHearted also offers a handful of split cup wet cat foods and an assortment of cat treats.
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
My two cats, Biscuit and Munchkin, have always been fans of WholeHearted cat food. When my previous cat, Bagel, was nearing the end of her life, this brand was the only one she consistently showed any interest in eating. I appreciate the variety of flavors and textures, but particularly the fact that so many feature only chicken or fish (rather than mixed proteins).
Biscuit loves all the fish flavors but the tuna recipe Pleasing Pate seems to be her favorite. Munchkin prefers her food pretty wet and soft, so I have to add a little water to WholeHearted pates but she loves licking up the gravy from the flaked and minced recipes.
WholeHearted Cat Food—Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Primary Protein | Calories Per Ounce | Price | Our Grade |
| WholeHearted Flavorful Flakes Chicken Recipe in Gravy Wet Cat Food | Wet | Chicken | 26 | $0.17 per ounce | B+ |
| WholeHearted Pleasing Paté Salmon Recipe in Gravy Wet Cat Food | Wet | Salmon | 37 | $0.17 per ounce | A- |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Turkey & Pea Recipe Dry Cat Food | Dry | Turkey | 98 | $0.18 per ounce | C |
#1 WholeHearted Flavorful Flakes Chicken Recipe in Gravy Wet Cat Food
This is a soup-style shredded food that features chicken set in gravy. Sunflower oil and tuna oil serve as sources of fat, while tapioca starch and xanthan gum thicken and stabilize the food.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
With chicken as the only source of animal protein, this could be considered a limited-ingredient recipe. There’s little to it besides the ingredients already named and a list of nutritional supplements, so it could be a good option for cats with sensitivities to common proteins like beef or pork. Keep in mind, however, that it’s likely processed on shared equipment with fish.
Overall, this food has high protein content, moderate fat, and moderate carbohydrate content. It has about 26 calories per ounce. If you’re on a budget and looking for a relatively species-appropriate food without animal by-products or artificial colors, this WholeHearted formula might be a good option.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Water Sufficient For Processing, Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Salt, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Tuna Oil, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Fructooligosaccharide, Taurine, Zinc Oxide, Reduced Iron, Vitamin E Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Glycine Complex, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source Of Vitamin K Activity).
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Tuna Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Rich in animal-sourced protein from chicken
- Contains tuna oil as a nourishing source of omega-3 fatty acids
- Doesn’t contain carrageenan, artificial colors, or artificial flavors
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains xanthan gum, a thickening agent that may irritate some cats
- Contains high-carbohydrate tapioca starch
#2 WholeHearted Pleasing Paté Salmon Recipe in Gravy Wet Cat Food
Featuring salmon as the primary ingredient with tuna and dried egg for supplemental protein, this wet cat food has a smooth pate texture. It contains about 50% protein and 20% fat (measured as dry matter), and it’s pretty calorie-dense at about 37 calories per ounce.
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Aside from the proteins and fat (sunflower oil and fish oil), there’s little else in this formula other than the nutritional supplements. The food is thickened with tapioca starch and contains several gum binders, but the estimated carbohydrate content is still low (about 10%).
Both my cats really enjoy all the Wholehearted fish flavors, and both seem to prefer the pates over the minced and flaked formulas. I find the texture of the pate a little bit sticky but the consistency is smooth and it mixes well with water.
Ingredients
Fish Broth, Salmon, Tuna, Dried Egg Product, Tapioca Starch, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Guar Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Taurine, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Beta Carotene, Celery Powder, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex.
Ingredients We Liked: Salmon, Tuna, Dried Egg Product, Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil, Guar Gum
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Contains 50% protein measured as dry matter
- Good source of hydrating moisture for cats
- Low in dry matter carbohydrates
- Calorie-dense recipe formulated for all life stages
What We Didn’t Like:
- Some cats may be sensitive to gum thickeners
- Main source of added fat is plant-based (sunflower oil)
#3 WholeHearted Grain-Free Turkey & Pea Recipe Dry Cat Food
This WholeHearted dry cat food focuses on three ingredients: turkey, turkey meal, and peas. Turkey is the only source of animal protein but there’s a potentially significant amount of plant protein from the peas, chickpeas, and pea protein. Fortunately, the main sources of added fat are animal-based (chicken fat and salmon oil).
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Like many grain-free cat foods, this formula relies heavily on legumes which are pretty carb-heavy and aren’t the most biologically appropriate source of protein for cats. We prefer the nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits that appear a little later on the list, things like kale, blueberries, and pumpkin. We also appreciate the addition of probiotics which help support your cat’s digestion.
My cats enjoyed this recipe and had no trouble eating the small, round kibbles. The food is moderately calorie-dense at about 98 calories per ounce. Measured as dry matter, the protein content is only about 35.5% and the fat around 13%, both of which we’d prefer to see higher.
Ingredients
Turkey, Turkey Meal, Peas, Chickpeas, Pea Flour, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Protein, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Salmon Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Calcium Sulfate, Dried Chicory Root, Kale, Chia Seed, Pumpkin, Blueberries, Citrus Pulp, Dried Kelp, Coconut, Spinach, Carrots, Papaya, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium animalis Fermentation Product, Minerals [Calcium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B5 (Calcium Pantothenate), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin Supplement), Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Vitamin B7 (Biotin), Vitamin B12 Supplement].
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Fat, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Chickpeas, Pea Flour, Pea Protein
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made with turkey as a single source of animal protein
- Relies primarily on animal-sourced fat (chicken fat and salmon oil)
- Enriched with probiotics to support healthy digestion
What We Didn’t Like:
- Relies heavily on legumes
- No dry food provides the moisture your cat needs
What Do Customers Think of WholeHearted Cat Food?
WholeHearted food gets mostly positive reviews, with most products having an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars or higher. However, these positive reviews are interspersed with a few recurring complaints.
Happy customers like WholeHearted’s combination of quality and price, and many say it’s a favorite among their picky eaters. Disappointed buyers say that WholeHearted’s canned foods are hard to open, that the wet foods tend to be watery, and some say that WholeHearted food gave their cat digestive upset.
Let’s take a look at some positive and negative reviews for popular WholeHearted recipes.
Positive Reviews
“One of the only foods my cats will eat! Mine are so picky and have allergies so it’s super hard finding something they love and can tolerate.” – Rubarb reviewing WholeHearted Salmon Recipe Pate in August, 2026
“My two cats are very fussy and one can only have fish . They went to town as soon as I put the food out next to their regular food and I thought after they tried it well maybe they won’t go back to it. Now that is the only food that they are eating. It’s grain free and limited ingredients – I’m changing over to this food.” – Amon reviewing WholeHearted Sensitive Skin & Stomach Alaskan Pollock Recipe in May, 2026
Negative Reviews
“I have been feeding my cats this food for years and have seen a drastic decrease in quality- some cans not even half full and weight is not 5.5oz and the density is clear they are doing something new to fill the volume of product. added H20 perhaps. My cat never use to throw up and now I have to find a new food that doesn’t make her SICK!” – OliveJo reviewing WholeHearted Pleasing Pate Savory Favorites Variety Pack in July, 2026
“Bought the minced beef online once and thought the soupiness was just a fluke. After several more orders I realized that it wasn’t. My cat likes the flavor but I hate feeding her soupy slop. I won’t buy this again until I know it won’t be a watery mess.” – md6777 reviewing WholeHearted Beef Recipe Minced in Gravy
How Much Does WholeHearted Cat Food Cost?
The WholeHearted brand is marketed as budget-friendly, and it lives up to this promise. Cans of WholeHearted wet food (2.8 ounces) start at $0.99 when you buy them individually but you’ll get a better price buying the 5.5-ounce cans by the case. This drops the average per-ounce price to about $0.17, which is similar to other store brands like PetSmart’s Authority and mass-produced brands like Diamond.
WholeHearted dry food is sold in 3-, 5-, and 12-pound bags, averaging about $0.18 per ounce when you buy the biggest bag. Using the estimated calorie requirements of a healthy 10-pound cat, it would cost about $0.40 per day to feed WholeHearted dry cat food. A wet food-only diet would cost an estimated $1.00 to $1.50 per day.
Where is WholeHearted Cat Food Sold?
WholeHearted is Petco’s private label pet food brand, so Petco is the best place to buy it. You can order it online or shop in Petco stores.
Though Petco is the best place to find WholeHearted cat food, you can sometimes find it in other stores like Walmart or even home improvement stores like Lowe’s. Amazon has a Petco store page as well, so you can often find WholeHearted cat foods on Amazon.
Overall, Is WholeHearted Cat Food a Good Choice?
If you’re on a tight budget but want to avoid refined grains and artificial additives, WholeHearted could be a good choice. The foods average under $0.20 per ounce (both dry food and wet food), and there’s a big variety of flavors to choose from. Plus, because you can buy small bags of dry food or individual cans of wet food, you can find out whether your cat likes it without making a significant investment.
Many cat owners find that even their picky eaters enjoy WholeHearted recipes, and the food seems to be generally well tolerated. Carbohydrate levels vary from one formula to another, but the pate-style recipes seem to be pretty low across the board. Like most dry cat foods, WholeHearted kibble is high in carbs and it also tends to be very legume-heavy.
For these reasons, we prefer WholeHearted wet cat food over the dry food. It is, however, made without the artificial colors or flavors and animal by-products you’ll find in many dry foods at a similar price point.
Similar Brands
Looking for other cat food brands similar to WholeHearted? Check out some of our other brand reviews.
The liver and chicken flakes is the only food my cat will eat but there is always stock issues at my local store. Do you know of any comparable foods? Price is not a factor for me.
Hi so you might consider Fancy Feast Classic Pate Chicken & Liver and Friskies Pate Chicken & Liver as two solid options that emphasize liver and chicken flavors. One more premium option with a similar texture could be Tiki Cat Luau Lean
My cat does not like it’s dry food much. But will NOT eat the Soft Nibbles at all. I rate it a zero.
I wanted to mention that since this article came out the Whole Hearted grain free cat food chicken pea recipe for all stages has different ingredients. One of them is they added Menadione sodium bisulfite complex known as a synthetic vitamin K This is in their kitten dry food and now it’s in the adult food too. I do not like this as it is known to cause liver issues in cats if this is not strictly regulated. Better to use spinach for vitamin K and not this substitute.
I have more of a question no that a review. My cat has hyperthyroidism and she absolutely HATES the Hill’s Y/d formula. I tried several brands of other foods and she really took a liking to this Wholehearted Chicken wet food. I tried calling Petco’s customer service line to find out the potassium iodide content but no one there was able to help me. Is there some other way to find this information?
Hi Jamie,
Did you try to contact WholeHearted directly?
Try this number 888-824-7257 Supposedly these are experts with Whole Hearted.
Is there a link or resource to a calculator that can calculate the caloric weight basis data based on the guaranteed analysis found on the can?
Try this:
https://petfoodsherpa.com/dry-matter-basis-calculator
I like the price. I thought it looked and smelled great compared to other brands. Almost like a sandwich spread, haha. But my cat has been consistently making regurgitation sounds on occasion. We’re on 24 pack number two, and so far no puke. Still, something about the sunflower oil being in there bugs me. Would prefer fish oils only. Other comments online have me worrying about the calcium/phosphorus ratio. I don’t know enough about these things. I’m interested in the dry food, but I don’t see how so many odd food combos belong in any one food product. Especially for cats. There’s a pea protein powder concern out there, and I don’t know if it has merit, but I hesitate to feed my cat legumes. Again, idk about these things.
My cat loved first few cans. Bought three cases and he don’t touch..almost like he will starve instead. Replaced with blue buffalo tasteful which my vet loves
Cats sure can be picky, can’t they? Glad you found something both your cat and your vet approve of!
I was recently given a case of Whole hearted Ocean Fish Recipe wet food which I started adding to my 4 feral outdoor cats other food, Fancy Feast and Friskies wet food. They love it! Even the one that usually threw up stopped throwing up. I don’t know about other flavors but they definitely love the Ocean fish recipe food. And They now have thicker, softer fur.
Thanks for this. My cats range in age from 6 to 11 1/2 and I’m finally going all wet – had been doing partial kibble and “souping it up” with lots of water, but when my local pet store couldn’t get the kibble in stock I took it as impetus to just give it up entirely. I’m still adjusting and so are the cats, and this brand is something I can afford to feed four cats. One of my cats does not digest chicken well, lots of vomiting, so I wish that I could find an appropriate food for senior cat with chicken issues – chicken is insidious! It’s everywhere. She seems to be doing okay with this as long as I don’t feed it exclusively, so I do a mix. Going to start ordering online, though, as I look like a bona fide cat lady buying in store. LOL.
Chicken is just about everywhere, isn’t it? We recently published an article on the best chicken-free cat food, so you might find that helpful. Good luck!
I am looking for a urinary food for cats, and would love to read a review on Wholehearted urinary dry food. It does make sense that individual cats will respond better to different foods, (just as humans do; we have different preferences, and sometimes different food allergies from each other) .
Barb, Wholehearted foods has only been produced since 2016, (6 years) so your 18 and 20 year old cats have not been eating it their whole lives.
I fed both my cats 18 yrs old and 20 yrs old Wholehearted their entire lives. I think that says enough about the quality of Wholehearted cat food. Started my new kitten on the kitten food. Looking forward to many years with a healthy cat.
…don’t know how you have fed them Wholehearted for “their entire lives” when the brand was created in 2016, but okay.
Yeah, this is not true. I agree with Michelle, this brand has only been around for about 6-7 years. If your cats were 18 and 20 in 2022 they were not eating this food their entire lives. I’m not sure if you’re a company shill or just somehow mistaken about what you fed your cats for at least 12 years before 2016, but please be more careful about spreading false information.
It amazes me that NO ONE KNOWS A THING ABOUT CATS. Cats are in fact CARNIVORES. They need meat in their diets, kibble is the absolute worst thing you can feed them. I have done my research, wet food is the best for cats. I for one am in the process of transitioning my cats to a wet food diet and then to a raw diet!!!! Do your research on Felines!!! Whole hearted is a decent brand, I do like the costs, although I have purchased higher brands such as Tiki cat but as of now I have two cats which is fine. I only want the best I can give my cats, their diet is important to me. Ideally cats are best on a raw diet but it’s a process to transition them fully onto that. I’m just blown away with little research people have done on cats. Wow!!!! Cats are hunters, they have some relations to the big cats but of course our minis are domesticated. I water down my wet cat food because cats are stubborn when it comes to their moisture intake unless you have a fountain. Kibble has 0 moisture and cats depend on their food to receive that water intake. Although every cat is different, do your research on what their diets Ideally should be. Wet is just the best to go!
Samantha, anyone who has read Mallory’s articles or watched her videos certainly “knows a thing about cats” [sic]. She’s adamant about species appropriate diet but is also sympathetic to whatever constraints are on consumers.
Canned cat food (in the US) has become more difficult and expensive to come by… I guess it’s because a lot of it is manufactured in Thailand or other places overseas and there are supply chain issues. Who knows how long this is going to go on? It may get even worse.
Not everyone could afford the higher priced, higher quality brands even before the shortages, job situations, etc.. I think many people are looking for the best given whatever variables people find themselves in.
Sure… I’d love to raise my own small prey animals and turn them loose for my cat to hunt and eat on their own. Or even raise my own rabbits, chickens, or fish to make the best raw food for my cats. How feasible is this though? For me… not very.
Wholehearted seems like a viable option atm under the current situation. They’re budget priced and appear well-stocked at Petco vs. Petsmart’s Authority brand (which has been out of stock at my location for a couple of months now). All other brands at the next jump in quality appear to have their prices significantly on the rise lately.
To Mallory and the AllAboutCats team… thank you for the common sense approach to your reviews.
Thanks for the thoughtful and supportive comment, Jason.
Hi Mallory. For the wet food, you stated it’s low carb at less than 10%, but in the charts you made it says 18.75% on a dry matter basis. Can you please let me know which is accurate? Is this a low carb wet food? Thanks!!
Amanda, the charts and the percentages given in the article were calculated using different methods. In addition to removing moisture, I removed fiber and ash from the equation as well. This made my percentages slightly lower than those shown in the chart. However, both of these values were calculated based on the guaranteed analysis, which means that they’re prone to inaccuracy. According to the company, the food is 3% carbohydrates on an as-fed basis, which translates to about 17% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis. I’m about to update the article now that I’ve found this information. Apologies for the confusion.
This particular food does not indicate made in the us on the label as stated here. It says product of THAILAND
Thank you for letting us know!
First time cat owner and this brand seemed like the best on the shelf at my local retail store. My cat loves it and has experienced no problem whatsoever so far. Good to know what I’m feeding her is a bit better than the other options I could have chosen. Thank you for the detailed review and the information breakdowns!
We adopted a ferrel to friendly kitten in September and according to the rescuers she only liked dry food. One day we ran out of the dry food and had a few cans of wet food for emergencies. The salmon & tuna wet food recipe from WholeHearted was a HIT. She enjoys the food so much. We do a mix of wet food and dry food. Her coat is soft and she does not throw up. She looks forward to feeding time and us as kitten parents enjoy the price. We also got her the salmon filet treats and I’ve never seen a kitten open their jaw so wide and bite down so ferociously. We also have two 90lb German Shepherd pups that eat dry food/ wet food mixes and they love WholeHearted’s chicken & salmon with peas wet food recipe, even the kitty tries to sneak a bite of their food in. Our kitty (and pups) loves WholeHearted foods & treats<3
Do you know if this brand is discontinuing any of its lines? I’m asking because the employees I have talked to don’t see. To know. The limited ingredient diet duck line has been out of stock for months, and so I switched to another LID brand – the only 1 available by a brand I trust. Now my cat is having an allergy response to it so I really need to switch back. Or start another search, *sigh*
Hi Nina, that’s a great question. Unfortunately, I don’t have a conclusive answer for you. It does seem that the LID recipe you’re referring to has been unavailable to many customers for several months and there are rumors about it being discontinued. It’s possible that the company is being affected by supply issues or that the recipe has been discontinued.
I just got a new cat Saturday and we bought Whole Hearted Turkey flavor kibble for him cause we’re on a budget. He ate it well, but he had diarrhea since then and I was very concerned it was about the food or if he was still adjusting. It’s been four days and he threw up all the kibble Tuesday Night and has been throwing all today, Wednesday. I changed the kibble to Purina Cat Chow which the shelter fed him, though I was also skeptical from reading the review of it and he hasn’t eaten anything. I didn’t give him any kibble this morning cause I wasn’t risking him getting more sick and now that I was able to buy the cat chow he hasn’t eaten or drank all day, or he’s only had little licks of water. He sits over the water bowl and but doesn’t drink. I can’t tell if it’s the food but I feel like it is cause he was given to us as a healthy cat. He’s thrown up 5-6 times, the first time it was all of the kibble and the rest is all just fluids. I’m taking him to the vet tomorrow to get him checked. I think it’s more than just stress and adjusting to his new home that’s causing this.
You can’t just switch a cats food like that. It definitely will make them sick.sorry your cat is sick but you should of just fed it what they were feeding it to begin with at the shelter.
To add to Sally’s reply. She is correct that you can’t just switch a cat food HOWEVER that doesn’t mean you have to just keep feeding them the same food forever. What you need to do is start by mixing just a little new food with the old food. Gradually increase the percentage of new food over WEEKS until they have fully switched to the new food.
My 7 month old kitty loves this. We usually feed him the chicken hard food for kittens and the pate cans or the veggie ones. He hates the gravy cans, as do I. His coat is extremely soft since we made the switch. I decided to do some research to make sure it’s a good, healthy brand. I’m satisfied with it as it’s seems to be alright and it’s not too pricey. Thanks for your research!
I bought some of your wet cat food at the petco in Attleboro Massachusetts on Washington st.rte.1. The next day I gave my cat Taterz some of your chicken recipe I looked down and noticed something it was a piece of bone there was pieces of bone going all through the food I have the other half can in the fridge I’m taking the other cans I have back for a refund I think it’s disgusting to ground bones up and put them in any pet food you shouldn’t be able to get away with this it was all through the food its awful.
Hello Eugene, thank you for sharing your experience with us and other readers. I’d recommend contacting the number on the back of your cans and telling WholeHearted about your experience. Wishing you and Taterz all the best.
This food is making my cat throw up. She has never puked like that before. It’s horrible. Never buying it again. I was giving her cheap food from the supermarket and honestly that supermarket one is better. She never throws up with the cheap one.
Hi Katherine
Have you read the ingredients label in the back of the Wholehearted Liver & Chicken Pate?? ~ hmmm doesn’t seem so natural, tons of preservatives, is that what all those ingredients are? ~ doesn’t seem right nutrition-wise! I’m feeling skeptical about this brand’s Wet food cans, I like the ingredients in the dry food – ie Salmon Recipe ~ but cats need wet food ~ a balance between the two, ~ so I am still shopping for wet food and can’t seem to find one that is decent!
Sheilah
Some cats are just finicky and some foods are just not acceptable to dog or cats but there is no need to slam a company as a whole. I found Wholehearted a very good food (Duck and Turkey flavor.) After running out of options for several of my cats who ate and puked and no medical reason found Wholehearted resolved the issue. Dry and canned both are good.
Sure the customer service has it’s challenges but a lot of places do.
I agree 100% with the above post about cats throwing up the Whole Hearted canned food. Mine did the same and ultimately would not eat it. WHO COULD BLAME THEM! Worst food EVER! the flaked in gravy made ME puke when I opened the cans! It is HORRID and I’m so done with Petco (their lousy customer service) and all their food! It’s been nothing short of a nightmare and even called the coroporate office only to be told by him that he couldn’t hear me and would call me right back. NEVER DID!
What are you talking about? There is no review saying their cats threw up. Maybe you misread.
I never feed my cats fish, red meat or pork as in the wild cats don’t hunt, kill and eat these animals. My cats don’t like turkey so that leaves chicken. Due to recent financial change, for the worse, i had to stop buying Dave’s Chicken pate food which my cats had eaten for years. I researched the best quality wet pate chicken food which i could afford and only Wholehearted qualified on all counts. I won’t feed them Friskies as it contains meat by-products. I almost threw up when i researched and learned what that meant. So Wholehearted Liver & Chicken Pate is very good. No gravy at all. The 5.5 oz cans are packed solid, full, food only, no gravy. You should really adjust your report on this website. No gravy at all, only a solid full can of decent, reasonably priced Cat food and you can get it from Petco.
Hi Katherine,
Thanks for your comment! I’m glad you found WholeHearted as a cheaper alternative to your cat’s old food. It definitely appears to be one of the best budget brands you can buy.
We choose the top 3 foods to review based on their popularity rather than quality, so the two dry recipes and the “flaked in gravy” canned food made it onto the list but their paté-style foods didn’t. While the Wholehearted Chicken & Liver paté wasn’t directly reviewed in the article, it’s a solid option for cats.
Thanks again for sharing your experience!
Best,
Mallory
Fact: Cats are not wild. Cats are domesticated. They have been for hundreds of thousands of years, thanks to us humans interfering. Cats dont hunt for their food. They dont need to. They rely on us for their food and water. They cant fend for themselves on the streets or in the wild. They would die if it wasint for ppl feeding them. Most commonly, dry , commercialized, domesticated cat food. Are you an expert in feline nutrition? Ae you a vet? Are you a specialist? Have you ever consulted with any? I dont think you have. Get the facts first before you go about posting blaent bs. Just saying.
No Linda, cats are not entirely domesticated. In fact, they have been domesticated 20,000 years less than dogs, which have been domesticated by humans for around 30,000 years. So cats have not been domesticated for hundreds of thousands of years, that’s just flat-out wrong, they’ve only been domesticated since around 7500 b.c. from the time of the Egyptian empire.
So the one posting blatant BS here isn’t Katherine. Stop mistaking your opinions for facts.
To be clear, Heywood is correct about the estimated timeline for feline domestication, and it is true that feline dietary needs have not evolved since they came into human societies. However, we do recommend that you refer to your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist to get expert guidance on your cat’s nutritional requirements.
Wow such confidence for being incredibly wrong. Funny you tell others to check facts and then spout nothing but incorrect information. Hundred of thousands of years. lol Come on Linda, do better.