Cat and dog foods

Fat is 8% on the label of this Healthy Weight kibble for adult dogs, and a cup comes to 331 calories, the figures to check if you're watching your dog's weight. Chicken is first, then whole grain corn and chicken by-product meal, and the 25% protein is about 28% with the water out.

You won't find grain on this Heartland Gold ingredient list: beef and pork meat and bone meal come first, then lentils, peas and chickpeas. It's 24% protein on the label, about 27% with the water out, and 378 calories a cup for adult dogs.

Instead of grains, lentils, peas and chickpeas follow beef and pork meat and bone meal in this large-breed adult food. It's 24% protein (about 27% with the water out) and 350 calories a cup, and Fromm says it meets AAFCO's profiles for growth and maintenance, including growth of dogs 70 lb or more as adults.

Beef is the first ingredient after water in this stew, with chicken right behind; the potatoes, carrots and peas named after “with” come ninth to eleventh, and labeling rules set that word's bar at 3%. Nutrish says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's nutrient profile for all life stages, including large-breed growth.

Bison is sixth in this canned dog food, after beef, three broths and pork liver, which a “with bison” name allows: labeling rules only ask for 3%. A 13.2 oz can is 335 calories, and the maker says it meets AAFCO's profiles for growth and maintenance, including growth of large dogs (70 lb or more as adults).

The bison and venison in the name come ninth and tenth in this grain-free dry food for adult dogs; water buffalo, lamb meal and chicken meal lead the list. It's 32% protein on the label, about 36% with the water out, and 422 calories a cup. Taste of the Wild says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

“High protein” here means 27% on the label, about 30% with the water out, but the first three ingredients are whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal and corn protein meal, and the beef sits seventh. A cup is 436 calories, and Purina says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.

Chicken, liver and chicken broth are the first three ingredients in this loaf for small adult dogs, with meat by-products fourth. The 9% protein works out to about 41% once the 78% water is out, and a can is 107 calories. Purina says it meets AAFCO's profile for adult maintenance.

Salmon is fifth in this loaf for small adult dogs, after chicken, broth, liver and meat by-products, which fits a “with salmon” name: labeling rules only ask for 3% of an ingredient named that way. A can is 107 calories, and the 9% protein is about 41% with the 78% water out.

Chicken broth, chicken, wheat gluten and liver all come before the salmon in this food in gravy for small adult dogs, leaving salmon fifth. It's 76% water, so the 11% protein is about 46% with the water taken out, and a can is 86 calories.

Beef is the first ingredient in these small bites for small adult dogs, but whole grain corn, barley, soybean meal and whole grain wheat fill the next four spots. Protein is 26% on the label (about 30% with the water out), and a cup is 376 calories.

These small bites for small adult dogs list chicken first, then whole grain corn, barley and whole grain wheat. It's 26% protein on the label (about 30% with the water out) and 382 calories a cup, and Purina says it meets AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.

Water comes first in these morsels in gravy for indoor adult cats (1 to 7 years), followed by chicken and pork by-products. At 83% water, the label's 8.1% protein works out to about 48% on a dry-matter basis, and a can is 65 calories. Royal Canin says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Fiber can run up to 8% in this indoor cat kibble, and ground Miscanthus grass sits sixth on a list led by chicken meal and chicken. Protein is at least 32% (about 36% with the water out), a cup is 394 calories, and the maker says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Chicken broth, not chicken, is the first ingredient in this canned food for indoor adult cats, and powdered cellulose shows up sixth. Its 10% protein works out to about 45% with the 78% water out, and a 5.5 oz can is 163 calories. The maker says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Chicken comes first, then chicken meal and brown rice, in this dry kitten food with at least 34% protein and 22% fat. A cup is 460 calories, and Diamond Naturals says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, so it isn't limited to kittens.

For kittens up to 12 months, these thin slices in gravy list chicken first after water, then pork liver and chicken liver. They're 80.2% water, so the 10.5% protein on the label is about 53% with the water out, and a can is 76 calories. Royal Canin says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for growth.

Lamb is first, but chicken meal is second, then brewers rice, barley and oatmeal, so this adult kibble has both grains and chicken in it. It's 22% protein on the label (about 24% with the water out) and 345 calories a cup, and Nature's Recipe says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's maintenance profile.

Chicken and chicken meal come first in this kibble for large adult dogs, followed by brown rice, barley and white rice. It's at least 23% protein, about 26% with the water out, and 397 calories a cup. The maker says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

A cup of this large-breed adult kibble is 350 calories, and lamb meal is the first ingredient, ahead of brown rice, barley and oatmeal. Protein is at least 22%, about 24% with the water out, and Diamond Naturals says it meets AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Beef comes first in this large-breed adult kibble, and the chicken meal right behind it is labeled as a source of glucosamine and chondroitin. It's 25% protein on the label (about 28% with the water out) and 385 calories a cup, and Nutrish says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's nutrient profile for adult maintenance.

Chicken leads these refrigerated morsels for large adult dogs, and the label notes it as a source of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate; egg, beef and salmon follow. It's 20% protein, about 48% with the water out, and 348 calories a cup. The maker says it meets AAFCO's adult maintenance profile.

The “Light” in the name shows up on the label as 310 calories a cup, at least 6% fat and up to 8% fiber. Lamb meal comes first, then brown rice, oatmeal and barley, and Diamond Naturals says this adult dog kibble meets AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

The chicken and beef in the name sit eighth and ninth in this small-bite kibble, behind whole grain corn, corn protein meal and meat and bone meal; a “with” name only needs 3% under labeling rules. It's 25% protein (about 28% with the water out) and 390 calories a cup, and Purina says it meets AAFCO's adult maintenance profile.