Our Verdict
President’s Choice Nutrition First dry cat food is made up of six recipes which each receive the Cat Food Advisor rating, 3 stars.
This range lists either animal meat, or fish as the first ingredient and has added supplements and nutrients which provide additional benefits that can support your pet’s overall health.
Pros
- First ingredient listed is animal meat, or fish
- Added vitamins and minerals
- Contains probiotics which can aid digestion
Cons
- Includes more than one controversial ingredient
- Contains plant based protein
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 |
|---|---|---|
| President’s Choice Nutrition First Cat Food, Chicken, Rice & Pea | 3 | M |
| President’s Choice Nutrition First Cat Food, Salmon, Rice & Pea | 3 | M |
| President’s Choice Urinary Health & Sensitive Diet Cat Food, Trout, Duck, Oatmeal & Pea | 3 | M |
| President’s Choice Nutrition First Senior Cat Food, Chicken, Rice & Pea | 3 | M |
| President’s Choice Nutrition First Kitten Food, Chicken, Rice & Pea | 3 | M |
| President’s Choice Nutrition First Weight & Hairball Control Cat Food, Chicken, Rice & Pea Recipe | 3 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
President’s Choice Nutrition First Kitten Food, Chicken, Rice & Pea 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.
President’s Choice Nutrition First Kitten Food, Chicken, Rice & Pea recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken meal, brewer's rice, peas, oatmeal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), whitefish meal, potato protein, natural chicken flavour, whole dried egg, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), flaxseed, beet pulp, dried brewer's yeast, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, phosphoric acid, salt, calcium sulphate, dl-methionine, choline chloride, potassium chloride, pumpkin, cranberries, taurine, chicory root, vitamins [vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), thiamine mononitrate, biotin, vitamin A supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, beta-carotene, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, menadione nicotinamide bisulfite], minerals (zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, calcium carbonate, zinc oxide, iron proteinate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate), dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried trichoderma viridae fermentation extract, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product, yucca schidigera, dried rosemary.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3%
Red denotes any controversial items
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient is chicken, which is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”. 1
Chicken is naturally rich in the 11 essential amino acids required by a cat to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is brewer’s rice, a cereal grain by-product consisting of the small fragments left over after milling whole rice. Aside from the caloric energy it contains, this item is of only modest nutritional value to a cat.
The fourth ingredient is peas, which are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this cat food.
The fifth ingredient is oatmeal, a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, dietary fiber and can be (depending upon its level of purity) gluten-free.
The sixth 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 seventh ingredient is whitefish meal, a marine or freshwater species native to Canada and the California coast. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations. 2
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. Because various fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to have known the source species.
The eighth ingredient is potato protein, the dry residue remaining after removing the starchy part of a potato.
Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this cat food.
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 this recipe contains beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient, a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most cat foods is entirely acceptable.
This food also contains brewer’s dried yeast, which can be a controversial item. Dried yeast contains about 45% protein and is rich in other healthy nutrients. Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system. Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies.
This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular cat is allergic to the yeast itself. In any case, unless your cat is specifically allergic to it, we feel yeast should be considered a positive addition.
This food also contains menadione, a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Since vitamin K isn’t required by AAFCO in its nutrient profiles, we question the use of this item in any feline recipe.
On a more positive note, we note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, President’s Choice Nutrition First Kitten Food, Chicken, Rice & Pea recipe looks like an average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 36.7%, a fat level of 20% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 35.3%.
As a group, the brand features a below average protein content of 34.8% and a mean fat level of 15.9%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 41.3% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 45%.
This means that this President’s Choice Nutrition First dry range contains lower than average protein, higher than average carbohydrate and near-average fat, when compared to typical dry cat food.
Final Word
This range of food contains good sources of protein such as animal meat and fish. With added probiotics, vitamins and minerals, these recipes can aid digestion. However, these formulas include some controversial items which have been considered when we evaluated this food.
Has President's Choice cat food been recalled in the past?
No.
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.
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
President’s Choice cat food is owned by Loblaw companies who introduced this food in 1984.
It is a Canadian based company, although the food is sold in 35 states across the USA.
President’s Choice sources ingredients for its cat food from many countries, but tries to source as much as possible from Europe. They manufacture their foods in Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, Austria, and the UK.
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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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