Our Verdict
pawTree dry cat food is made up of five recipes with ratings which vary from 5 to 4.5 stars. The average rating of the whole product line is 4.5 stars.
Developed by veterinarians and PhDs in animal science and pet nutrition, this range is free from artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. It’s highly digestible and nutritionally-dense to support your pet’s health and development from a kitten to a geriatric cat.
Pros
- High in protein
- Contains animal meat and fish
- Added vitamins and minerals
Cons
- Contains some plant-based proteins
The table below shows each recipe in the range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| pawTree Real Chicken Recipe | 5 | A |
| pawTree Real Chicken & Potato Recipe (Fish Free) | 4.5 | A |
| pawTree Real Salmon & Potato Recipe | 4.5 | A |
| pawTree Real Turkey & Oatmeal Recipe (Fish Free) | 4.5 | A |
| pawTree Real Whitefish & Brown Rice Recipe | 4.5 | A |
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Recipe and Label Analysis
pawTree Real Chicken Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
PawTree Real Chicken Recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken meal, dried potato, turkey meal, salmon meal, dried egg product, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural flavor, tomato pomace, flaxseed, sea salt, fructooligosaccharides, choline chloride, salmon oil, dried cranberries, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid), minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, calcium carbonate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, iron amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, cobalt carbonate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide), calcium chloride, dried blueberries, dried apples, dried kale, dried carrots, mixed tocopherols, taurine, l-carnitine, dried saccharomyces cerevisiae, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried aspergillus niger fermentation extract, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtillis fermentation extract, rosemary extract.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%
Red denotes any controversial items
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1 It is naturally rich in the 11 essential amino acids required by a cat to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken meal, a meat concentrate which contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is dried potato, a dehydrated item usually made from the by-products of potato processing. In most cases, dried potato can contain about 10% dry matter protein which can have a slight effect on our estimate of the total protein content of this recipe.
The fourth and fifth ingredients are turkey meal and salmon meal.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations. 2
The sixth ingredient is dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg products can even come from commercial hatcheries – from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The seventh ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The eighth ingredient is natural flavor. Natural flavors doesn’t give us much information about the particular ingredients included in this cat food for flavoring purposes.
We’re pleased that the flavorings used are natural, but more details are required to give any further information about these natural flavoring ingredients. Flavorings are used to make the foods more appealing and tasty for our cats.
From here the list goes on to include a number of other items. But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of the product.
However, there are two notable exceptions. . .
This food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better cat foods.
We also note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.
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Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, pawTree Real Chicken Recipe looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 45.5%, a fat level of 20.5% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 26.1%.
As a group, the brand features an above-average protein content of 41.8% and an above-average fat level of 19.1%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 31.1% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 46%.
This means this pawTree dry range contains higher than average protein, near-average carbohydrate and higher than average fat, when compared to typical dry cat food.
Final Word
This range of food includes a two grain and three grain-free recipes and two of the formulas are fish free for cats that prefer meaty meals.
Has pawTree Real Dry Food cat food been recalled in the past?
No. pawTree has not had any product recalls.
You can view a complete list of all cat food recalls since 2021 here.
To stay on top of any cat food product recalls, sign up for our free email alerts, here.
About
pawTree is an online company which was founded by Roger Morgan in 2012.
The company’s headquarters is in Southlake, Texas. The foods are all made in the USA and formulated with a team of expert veterinarians and nutritionist to ensure quality.
Sources
Best cat foods
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Article reviewed by
Pet Nutritionist
Laura studied BSc (Hons) Animal Science with an accreditation in Nutrition at the University of Nottingham, before working for eight years in the pet food and nutrition industry.
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