Taste of the Wild Cat Food Review
Disclaimer: As a Chewy, Pet Circle and Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not impact our reviews and comparisons.
Score: 7/10
Bottom Line
Our cat didn’t approve, but the lower carb content is nice.
PROS
CONS
We’ve done this Taste of the Wild cat food review with the help of our cat taste tester Toby.
Taste of the Wild are a grain-free US based cat food brand. I reviewed it with the help of our cat Toby.
Their cat foods have names like Rocky Mountain and Canyon River, inspiring a feel of being natural.
Here’s a short review summary:
The good?
Taste of the Wild is affordable and widely available. Their customer approval is high.
Their products are grain-free, which is helpful for food intolerance. The carb content is ~20% (dry matter) which is lower than most.
The bad?
Our cat Toby didn’t enjoy Taste of the Wild.
Their package is a little hard to read. They could offer more small size options.
The ugly?
It’s high in pea and pea protein.
This is a lower quality protein that may cause digestive upset and put off fussy cats.
In short:
Taste of the Wild is a ‘sometimes’ choice for cats of any life stage.
It’s high in protein (albeit including pea protein), and lower in carbs than most. It could use more meat though.
Steer clear if your cat is picky. They’ll sniff out those sneaky peas and run away.
>> Check out Taste of the Wild cat food here.
In the rest of this Taste of the Wild cat food review I’ll share results from our cat Toby.
I’ll also take a deep dive into the nutrition of this cat food to find which cats benefit most.
Finally, I’ll go through frequently asked questions on Taste of the Wild.
Let’s go.
Taste of the Wild Cat Food Review
Who Are Taste of the Wild?
A US based company, owned by Diamond Pet Foods.
They make dog and cat food.
Taste of the Wild is USA made according to their FAQ. The package states that ingredients are globally sourced.
Any Taste of the Wild Recalls?
Yes.
A major recall of this brand occurred in 2012 due to salmonella contamination.
A 2019 FDA probe found Taste of the Wild (among other brands) linked to dilated cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart).
Possible causes:
- Anti-nutrients (e.g. phytate)
- B-Vitamin deficiency
- Poor manufacturing processes
Taste of the Wild use a lot of peas, which contain anti-nutrients. A possible problem?
They also use heat treated meat. This offers lower quality protein and fewer micronutrients.
Taste of the Wild First Impressions
The packaging stands out.
It’s got bright colorful natural imagery. A wild cat hunts an antelope suggesting a prey based natural food.
The font on the bottom doesn’t contrast, so it’s a little hard to read.
The label:
Rocky Mountain Feline Formula With Roasted Venison & Smoked Salmon
Keep in mind the use of the ‘with’ descriptor, an important labelling word (more later).
In short:
- Colorful wild imagery
- Lacks font contrast
- Looks intriguing
Taste of the Wild Ingredients
Here’s the list of ingredients for Rocky Mountain (first 10).
Ingredients listed on the label are highlighted in bold.
Chicken Meal, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Protein, Potato Protein, Roasted Venison, Smoke-Flavored Salmon, Natural Flavor, Ocean Fish Meal, Dl-Methionine
As mentioned, this cat food uses the ‘with’ descriptor. This means there’s 3-25% of the named ingredients (roasted venison and smoked salmon).
What that also means, is there’s 75% of anything else listed.
Positioned above these ingredients are:
- Chicken meal
- Peas
- Sweet potato
- Chicken fat
- Pea protein
- Potato protein
The sum of these ingredients adds to at least 75%. Misleading label.
The good?
The first ingredient is chicken meal.
It’s heat treated and lower quality than fresh meat. However, it’s still a good source of protein to keep your cat strong and healthy.
The bad?
The added peas and potato sandwiched in the mix.
Peas contain anti-nutrients and aren’t preferred by cats. Potato increases the carb content, a nutrient cats don’t need.
In short:
- Misleading labelling
- High in chicken meal
- Too much peas & protein
Ingredient Score: 6/10
Taste of the Wild Nutrition
Taste of the Wild includes a statement of nutritional adequacy.
It’s suitable for all life stages.
Taste of the Wild includes a comprehensive nutrition panel.
The only missing nutrients of interest are calcium and phosphate. This is useful to know for cats with kidney disease.
Nutrition breakdown:
The good?
Protein is high.
Exceeds the 30% protein recommended target for cats of all life stages. Cats also prefer high protein diets.
The bad?
Carb content is moderately high.
This is lower than other popular dry cat food brands, but still. For top health, researchers suggest less than 12% carbs (dry matter).
Overall:
A good nutrition panel.
Compared to most dry cat foods, this is better than average. Could be lower in carbs.
In short:
- High protein
- Moderate carb
- Lower fat
Nutrition Score: 7.5/10
What Did Our Cat Think of Taste of the Wild?
Our cat hated Taste of the Wild.
He turned his nose up and walked off. A very grumpy cat.
Reviews online are favorable. Most customers report better results with picky cats.
Other notes:
- Small size
- Mild smell
- Round disc shape
Taste Score: 6/10
Taste of the Wild Cost
Taste of the Wild is very affordable compared to the average cat food.
They offer bulk buy options to save on costs.
Similar brands include:
Affordability: 9/10
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taste of Wild Good for Cats?
It’s average.
Positives are affordability, high protein content, and bulk buy options.
Negatives are the moderate high carb content, and high pea content.
What Are the Top 5 Healthiest Cat Foods?
Depends on your needs.
We’ve ranked the best for a range of situations.
See below:
Do Cats Like Taste of the Wild?
Mixed.
Some cats like it, but others don’t. Our cat Toby didn’t approve of the taste.
Can I Feed Taste of the Wild to My Kitten?
Yes.
It’s a complete meal for all life stages (that includes kittens).
Where Is Taste of the Wild Made?
USA.
Ingredients are sourced globally.
What Kind of Cat Food Do Cats Prefer?
High protein food.
Cats are carnivores. They eat prey including mice and birds.
Cat food high in these ingredients are great for picky cats.
Related:
Conclusion
Taste of the Wild is a ‘sometimes’ choice for cats of any age.
It’s affordable, popular, and easy to find. Most cats enjoy the taste.
Picky cats won’t appreciate the pea content and or cats with diarrhea problems.
Where to find Taste of the Wild cat food?
- Amazon
- Chewy
- Pet Circle (Australia)
