Last updated Mar 19, 2026
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Overall, we give Wysong cat food a B- grade. It’s a solid and respectable brand in the cat food industry, but it’s not the best.
Read on to learn more about our evaluation methods and how we reached this conclusion.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Wysong on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Wysong 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.
After evaluating Wysong in each of these areas, we give the brand a total score of 40 out of 60 points or a B- grade, meaning that it’s an acceptable, but not excellent, cat food brand. Here’s how it scores in each of our key areas:
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 6/10
- Ingredient Quality – 7/10
- Product Variety – 8/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 5/10
Overall Score: 6.7/10
Wysong offers a wide variety of dry, canned, and raw diets. They’re made from high-quality ingredients and are sold at a good price. Species-appropriateness, however, isn’t Wysong’s strong point, as the company has a tendency to let a love of nutraceuticals and supplementation override the value of fresh, meaty carnivore nutrition.
About Wysong
Wysong was established in 1979 by Dr. Randy Wysong and is billed as “The Thinking Person’s Pet Food.” The company describes its diets as “scientifically formulated and painstakingly manufactured and packaged for health optimization.” Their foods frequently include nutraceutical‑style ingredients such as yogurt, whey, kelp, coconut oil, and various botanicals. Across their diverse product range, Wysong maintains a consistent emphasis on nutritional enhancement through functional plant, dairy, and supplemental ingredients.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Wysong is a US‑based company headquartered in Midland, Michigan. Their diets are developed by an in‑house team of pet health professionals. While Wysong states that they manufacture their own foods, this is only partially true. According to company representatives, their dry foods are produced in Wisconsin, their supplements are made at their Midland facility, and their canned foods are manufactured in the United States through third‑party co‑packers, including Evanger’s.
Wysong produces foods in small batches and packages them in proprietary Nutri‑Paks™, which are designed to reduce oxygen and light exposure. Their ingredients are sourced from the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, and Japan, with synthetic amino acids sourced from China.
Recall History
Wysong has an excellent safety record, with only one known recall in over four decades. In 2009, several lots of dry food were recalled due to elevated moisture levels that could have led to premature spoilage or mold growth. A few reports of digestive upset were noted, but no confirmed illnesses were linked to the recall. No additional recalls have been reported since.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Wysong Offer?
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Wysong makes and sells a diverse variety of cat foods, including dry, canned, and raw formulations. In addition to a range of product types, Wysong encourages rotational feeding and offers a variety of animal protein sources.
Wysong Optimize Dry Cat Food
These products are primarily made from real chunks of meat and don’t contain the corn, wheat, soy, and other plant ingredients you’d expect to find in a dry food.
- Optimize Beef Heart & Liver
- Optimize Chicken
- Optimize Wild Caught Salmon
Wysong Original Dry Cat Food
Wysong’s Original line includes a wide variety of foods, several of which target special dietary needs. These special diets target issues including urinary tract health, the effects of aging, and allergies.
- Vitality
- Uretic
- Nurture with Quail
- Fundamentals
- Nurture
- Geriatrx
- Anergen
- Vegan
Wysong Optimal Dry Cat Food
According to Wysong, their Optimal Diets™ are the product of “new advanced technology that moves companion animal nutrition closer than ever to archetypal genetic expectation.”
- Optimal Vitality
Wysong Epigen Starch-Free Dry Cat Food
Foods in Wysong’s Epigen line are starch-free and are some of the most species-appropriate kibble foods on the market.
- Epigen
- Epigen 90
Epigen
Epigen is available in six varieties, each with a different single protein source. Like its dry equivalent, Epigen canned food is rich in protein with minimal carbohydrate content.
- Beef
- Chicken
- Duck
- Rabbit
- Salmon
- Turkey
Uretic
This is the canned counterpart to the company’s Uretic dry food. This food is only available in a chicken-based formula.
- Uretic with Chicken
Wysong is adamant about the benefits of minimally-processed foods and offers a selection of raw products for cats. Their raw diets are freeze-dried and never heated above 118 degrees F at any stage of production.
- Archetype
- Dream Treats
- Archetype Burgers
- UnCanny
Wysong Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
According to our research, Wysong’s most popular cat food recipes are Epigen dry cat food, Vitality dry, and Uretic dry. Although the dry recipe is apparently more popular, we’ll be reviewing the canned Uretic food to give you a better understanding of the full range of the Wysong cat food selection.
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Wysong Epigen 90 Starch-Free Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food | Dry | $3.56 per lb | B- |
| Wysong Vitality Cat Food | Dry | $3.43 per lb | C |
| Wysong Uretic Canned Cat Food | Wet | $0.40 per oz | B- |
All nutritional percentages in this table and hereafter are taken from the manufacturer’s guaranteed analysis. Exact nutritional percentages are not available.
All calculated values are determined using these minimum and maximum published values and may differ from actual values. Remember that Wysong is the ultimate authority on their products, so please contact the company for more nutritional information.
#1 Wysong Epigen 90 Starch‑Free Canine/Feline Diet
Wysong Epigen 90 is a starch‑free, ultra‑high‑protein dry food designed for both cats and dogs. The formula features chicken meal, organic chicken, and meat protein isolate as its primary ingredients, creating one of the most protein‑dense kibbles on the market.
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Chicken fat, gelatin, coconut oil, chia seeds, and fish oil contribute additional animal‑derived nutrients and essential fatty acids. The recipe includes a wide array of functional ingredients, such as chicory root, hemicellulose extract, apple pectin, and a robust blend of probiotics and digestive enzymes, reflecting Wysong’s emphasis on biologically appropriate, nutraceutical‑enhanced nutrition. While Epigen 90 is exceptionally high in protein and free of starches, it is also highly concentrated and may be too rich for some cats. Overall, this is one of the most meat‑focused, carbohydrate‑free dry foods available.
Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Organic Chicken, Meat Protein Isolate, Chicken Fat, Gelatin, Natural Flavor, Coconut Oil, Chia Seeds, Taurine, Calcium Propionate, Choline Chloride, Apple Pectin, Fish Oil, Yeast Extract, Citric Acid, Chicory Root, Hemicellulose Extract, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Yeast Culture, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus licheniformis Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, and Dried Lactobacillus lactis Fermentation Product.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Very high protein content
- Truly starch‑free
- Multiple animal‑derived protein sources
- Includes probiotics and digestive enzymes
- One of the most species-appropriate kibbles available
Cons
- Very rich; may cause digestive upset in sensitive cats
- High calorie density
- More expensive than conventional dry foods
#2 Wysong Vitality Adult Feline Formula
Wysong Vitality is a multi‑protein dry food featuring chicken, chicken meal, fish meal, and turkey meal as its primary ingredients. The formula blends animal‑based proteins with brown rice, peas, and flaxseed, creating a moderate‑carbohydrate kibble with a diverse ingredient list.
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Chicken fat provides the main source of added fat, while eggs, whey, and fish oil contribute additional animal‑derived nutrients. The recipe includes a long list of functional ingredients, such as montmorillonite clay, barley grass powder, blueberry, kelp, and a broad spectrum of probiotics and enzymes reflecting Wysong’s nutraceutical‑focused philosophy. While the food offers solid protein and fat levels, it also contains several plant‑based ingredients and fibers that increase its carbohydrate content compared to more meat‑focused dry foods. Overall, Vitality is a moderately high‑protein, moderate‑fat dry diet with a complex ingredient profile and added functional supplements.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Fish Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, Peas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseeds, Beet Pulp, Eggs, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Meal, Sesame Seeds, Natural Chicken and Fish Flavor, Whey, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Tomato Pomace, Calcium Propionate, Taurine, Organic Barley Grass Powder, Blueberry, Kelp, Yogurt, Citric Acid, Apple Protein, Fish Oil, Yeast Extract, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Chicory Root, Hemicellulose Extract, Lettuce, Watercress, Spinach, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Zinc Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Selenium Proteinate), DL‑Methionine, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin K Supplement, Inositol, Choline Chloride, Beta Carotene, L‑Carnitine, Enzymes (Amylase, Protease, Cellulase, Hemicellulase, Lipase), Probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus lactis, Pediococcus acidilactici), Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Product, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Product.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Multiple animal protein sources
- Includes probiotics, enzymes, and functional ingredients
- Good protein and fat levels for a dry food
- No artificial colors or preservatives
Cons
- High carbohydrate content
- Contains brown rice, peas, and beet pulp
- More plant‑heavy than Wysong’s Epigen line
#3 Wysong Uretic With Organic Chicken (Canned)
Wysong Uretic canned food features organic chicken as its primary ingredient, supported by a blend of functional plant ingredients intended to support urinary health. The recipe includes brown rice, blueberry, cranberry extract, and barley grass powder, along with DL‑methionine, an acidifier commonly used in urinary diets.
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
Amy Brown-Towry / Cats.com
While the formula contains several nutraceutical‑style inclusions, it also incorporates carbohydrate‑rich ingredients like brown rice and plant fibers, making it less meat‑focused than many competing wet foods. The food is thickened naturally with hemicellulose extract and includes a full addition of added vitamins and minerals. Overall, this recipe offers moderate protein, moderate fat, and higher‑than‑average carbohydrate content for canned food.
Ingredients
Organic Chicken, Brown Rice, Blueberry, DL‑Methionine, Cranberry Extract, Taurine, Organic Barley Grass Powder, Dried Kelp, Yeast Extract, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Chicory Root, Hemicellulose Extract, Natural Flavor, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins (Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Pepper.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Organic chicken as the first ingredient
- Includes urinary-support ingredients (cranberry, DL‑methionine)
- Contains functional botanicals and supplements
- No artificial colors or preservatives
Cons
- Higher carbohydrate content than typical wet foods
- Contains brown rice and plant fibers
- Less meat‑focused than many urinary‑support canned diets
What Do Customers Think of Wysong Cat Food?
Wysong cat food is divisive.
The brand receives more positive reviews than negative, but according to accounts on Amazon and Consumer Reports, a significant number of cats experience diarrhea, vomiting, and show other symptoms of digestive distress after eating Wysong foods. Wysong maintains that this is a normal reaction to a new food, particularly one that’s rich in comparison to the old diet.
The popular Epigen dry food formula has 383 reviews on Chewy and an overall 4.3 out of 5 star rating. 69% of customers say they’d recommend it. Things aren’t quite so upbeat on Amazon, where the product listing has a 4 out of 5 star rating based on 683 customer reviews.
Let’s take a look at a few of those reviews.
Positive Reviews
“I have 4 dogs, a cat, and a ferret, and it is safe to say ALL of my pets enjoyed this product! Great, quality ingredients and will last you awhile. 1000% recommend!” – by EA, reviewing Wysong Epigen 90 Starch-Free Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog & Cat Food on Feb 16, 2026
“Our cats love their cat food! But best of all they are healthy and have a lot of energy with this brand. We always get compliments on how shiny their fur looks” – by Venuz reviewing Wysong Vitality Adult Feline Formula , on Mar 9, 2026
Negative Reviews
“I bought this for my diabetic cat-he does love it but he has had runny stool ever since we switched him to this food. I put fortiflora on top to try and help but that did not change the outcome! I know ot takes awhile to adjust to a new food but I don’t think I am going to keep feeding him this food.” -by Kristi reviewing Wysong Epigen 90 Starch-Free Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog & Cat Food on Feb 4, 2026
“I so much wanted my diabetic cat who has a uti right now to like this food. He did not like it and will not eat it. I did purchase wysong uretic kibble and both my cats live it !” -by caash, reviewing Wysong Uretic With Organic Chicken (Canned) on Jan 26, 2026
How Much Does Wysong Cat Food Cost?
Wysong is moderately priced overall. Their canned foods tend to cost more than their dry formulas, and recipes with higher meat content are generally more expensive than those with more plant‑based ingredients.
Wysong’s Epigen 90 dry food, one of the only truly starch‑free kibbles on the market, costs about $0.49–$0.58 per ounce. Their Uretic dry formula is more affordable at around $0.27–$0.35 per ounce, while the canned version of Uretic costs roughly $0.40–$0.45 per ounce.
Wysong’s Archetype freeze-dried raw food is the most expensive option, averaging $2.50–$3.00 per ounce, though freeze-dried foods are very lightweight and fed in smaller quantities than kibble or canned food.
Where Can You Buy Wysong Cat Food?
Wysong is available across the United States and Canada. According to a company representative, their products are also distributed in Hong Kong and Singapore. You’ll find it in health food stores, pet specialty retailers, and some hardware stores.
Online, you can find it on Amazon, Chewy, and other retailers. If you’d prefer to buy from Wysong directly, you can also browse their online store.
Overall, Is Wysong a Good Choice?
While you can find cat foods with higher levels of animal‑sourced protein, fewer carbohydrates, and stronger palatability ratings, Wysong remains a unique brand with a strong nutritional philosophy. Their Epigen line, along with most of their canned and raw foods, offers innovative, meat‑focused options that may be an excellent fit for some cats.
If Wysong is not the best- what is??
Patrick, we have an article on our picks for the best cat food on the market here: https://cats.com/best-cat-food
I,m not sure because this food has so many good ingredients and it has always kept my cats from getting urinary tract issues.There are really no other foods like it.So maybe might stick with this food but just not sure what caused my 8 year old cats death.
I have had my cats on Wysong Uretic over 30 years.It has been a good food until now because recently one of my cats died due to digestive problems.She was detoxing too much and getting skinny..Our vets did a complete blood count on her and found nothing wrong
She died at only 8 1/2 years old of undone causes possibly due to the wysong food.My other 6 year old who is eatting the wysong food is having digestive problems as well.I will be changing brands.
This might be due to the peas that are used in the food as a binding agent. Blue Buffalo does the same. Peas are irritants to cats stomachs because it tends to stick to their lining which causes stomach upset. I have never heard of a cat dying from it, but all cats are different and some can be more sensitive to certain things than others and if it was something that was over a long period of time then maybe it could be the cause.
My wife and some friends used to work for Wysong directly.
Wysong lies about the ingredients.
I wouldn’t feed it to ANY animal.
Hi Jacob, can you tell us more about that? Please feel free to email me at [email protected]. Thank you for sharing.
About Epigen 90 Starch Free…
Your review mentioned ingredients that I wasn’t able to locate on the list of ingredients.
“It also contains potato protein, which is far from an ideal protein source for a carnivore like your cat.”
“Ingredients We Didn’t Like- Potato Protein, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Tomato Pomace”
I believe these ingredients are found in Epigen.
So, is Epigen or Epigen 90 the dry food that is being reviewed?
Hi Rebecca, thanks for pointing that out! This was originally a review of Epigen, not Epigen 90, and it looks like someone replaced some of the headings and links so that they would direct users to Epigen 90 (without also changing the review content). I’ve edited the review content so that it describes Epigen 90. I’m sorry about the misleading content and am really glad you made me aware of this.
Where do I find the calorie count for Epigen 90? I moved my 3 boys to a mix 1:1:1 of
all low carb: Epigen 90, Dr Elsey’s, and Young Again when one became diabetic a year ago. They also
eat pate low carb wet food. They are
10,15, 16, 16 yrs of age. The vet thought only the diabetic was too thin. But, I weight them
monthly, and I am concerned. I think they are losing too much weight. But Spring is here, and
they are going outside more, also.I just opened a new bag of Young Again, and am going to
put just that in a bowl, while still allowing them the mix in another. They free feed.
It’s 445 calories per cup and 3,560 calories per kilogram—pretty calorie-dense.
Young Again: 654/calories ;ccccccccccmmcup, nDrElsey’s 545/cup,andWyson Epigen 90 445/c.
I’m confused, this has an insane low amount of carbs and good high protein, like Dr. Elsey’s…yet this is rated below Open Farm that has higher carbs, ingredients you don’t like, but yet it scored higher.
This grading system is just odd. And I sense some paid advertising for the high grad due to comparing the ingredients.
Hi Timoor, good point. I agree that there is some wobbliness in the current version of the Cats.com Standard, with different writers interpreting it in various ways. We are currently re-evaluating ratings sitewide and will take this into consideration.
Thank you for all the information! Quick question, what is it about the Wysong Epigen that is not nutritionally complete? A quick glance has me thinking Taurine. I’m trying to find the best, most reasonably priced wet cat food and want to make sure I fully understand feline nutritional needs.
Hi Zac, thanks for the question. I don’t see anything in the article where we say that the food is not nutritionally complete. It is formulated to be nutritionally complete and balanced for adult cats and dogs in accordance with AAFCO’s nutritional profiles.
Yup that’s correct! I saw that too. It’s listed that way in the Wysong website
I agree with Timoor and others. Something has to be wrong with your standards to give a B- to Wysong generally and to Epigen-90 specifically. Even your own description of the Epigen-90 seems glowing. The one con, that it’s a dry food, is a con shared by every dry food. I t think feeding your cat mostly wet food is extremely important, but in the context of dry foods, being dry is not a con. I think this food belongs above several of the foods on your Best dry foods list–period–but especially when you take price into account. You’ve got to be loaded to buy Open Farm RawMix, but even if you are, why would you pick a food with DMB Protein, fat, and carbs of 42%, 16%, and 39% respectively over a food with 70%, 18%, and 9% respectively. The only dry food I know of with more protein is another Wysong product, Restore. Almost no dry foods (except Restore again) have less than 10% carbs DBE, and Open Farm’s carb percentage is extremely high. In your review of Wysong’s Vitality, which you gave a C (and shouldn’t be confused with Wysong’s Optimal Vitality), you write, “[W]e see that this food is over 40% carbohydrate, including fiber, on a dry matter basis.“ First of all, according to your own data, this is false: 28.33% + 6.11% = 34.44%. Second, why would you include include fiber in your carbohydrate figure when no one else does and fiber has a completely different effect? Third, your #1 choice Open Farm has a significantly higher percentage of carbs than Vitality–even if you include fiber for Vitality but not for OpenFarm! Oh, and Vitality has more protein and arguably a better amount fat! And I’m not quite done yet. For Open Farm, you list three ingredients you don’t like: Peas, Chickpeas, Lentils. For Vitality you also list three ingredients you don’t like: Brown Rice, Peas, Potato Protein, Flaxseeds. Pretty equal on that front. And if we go back to 6 Epigen-90 (with a B- rating), you list ZERO ingredients you don’t like! In light of all these facts, I don’t see how you can justify considering Open Farm the best while giving the Wysong products (one exceptional and the other quite good) a B- and C.