Cat and dog foods

Whole ground corn and corn protein meal take the first two spots in this adult dry cat food, so poultry by-product meal, third, is the first animal ingredient. It's 30% protein, about 33% with the water out, and 355 calories a cup. 9Lives says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's adult maintenance profile for cats.

These chicken filets in gravy are 82% water, so the 10% protein on the label is about 56% once the water's out. Chicken comes right after water, followed by wheat gluten and liver, and a can is 126 calories. Purina says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.

Tuna broth comes before the tuna in this cat paté, with chicken liver third and shrimp fourth. It's 80% water, so the 10% protein on the label is about 50% on a dry-matter basis, and a can is 84 calories. Nulo says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Lamb, the second meat in the name, is fifth in these shreds, behind beef broth, beef, dried egg product and beef liver. At 80% water, the 10% protein works out to about 50% on a dry-matter basis, and a can is 77 calories. Nulo says it meets AAFCO's profile for all life stages of cats.

Salmon broth, salmon and duck open the list in these shreds for cats, with dried egg product fourth. Take out the 82% water and the label's 10% protein is about 56%; a can is 67 calories. Nulo says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Made for kittens, this paté starts with salmon broth and salmon, then chicken, chicken liver and chicken hearts. With 82% water, its 10% protein is about 56% on a dry-matter basis. Nulo says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for growth.

Nulo pitches these shreds at adult cats watching their weight, and a can is 69 calories, with 4% fat and 82% water on the label. Chicken broth comes first, then chicken, dried egg product and whitefish. Nulo says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Nulo aims this paté at cats 12 and older, with salmon broth first, then salmon and tuna. It's 80% water, so its 10% protein is about 50% on a dry-matter basis. Nulo says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Chicken broth leads these shreds for cats 12 and up, followed by chicken, dried egg product and chicken liver. It's 80% water, which puts the 10% protein at about 50% once the water's out, and a can is 82 calories. Nulo says it meets AAFCO's profile for maintenance.

Chicken, chicken broth, duck and chicken liver lead this paté, which Nulo sells as a Sensitive Stomach recipe for adult cats. It's 78% water, so its 10% protein is about 45% on a dry-matter basis, and a can is 92 calories. Nulo says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Three grains lead this dry food for adult Pugs (10 months and older): brewers rice, brown rice and oat groats, with chicken by-product meal fourth. It's 23% protein on the label (about 26% with the water out) and 315 calories a cup. Royal Canin says it meets AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Water leads this puppy chopped ground dinner, then chicken and meat by-products; the lamb from the name is fifth, after dried egg product, with brewers rice sixth and fish oil, listed as a DHA source, eighth. A can is 421 calories, and the 9% protein is about 41% with the 78% water taken out.

For puppies, this chopped ground dinner lists chicken first, then water, meat by-product and animal liver, with beef fifth and fish oil, a DHA source, eighth. It's 78% water, so the 9% protein on the label is about 41% on a dry-matter basis, and a can is 421 calories.

Ground whole grain corn comes first in this puppy kibble, with chicken by-product meal and ground whole grain wheat behind it, and fish oil, listed as a DHA source, further down. It's 27% protein on the label (about 31% with the water out) and 292 calories a cup.

Puppies are the audience, but Nutrish says this dry food is formulated to meet AAFCO's nutrient profile for all life stages, including growth of large dogs (70 lb or more as adults). Chicken and chicken meal lead, and protein is 28% on the label, about 31% with the water out.

Salmon and fish meal take the first two spots in this dry cat food, and salmon meal turns up again at tenth; chicken fat, seventh, is the only chicken ingredient listed. It's 34% protein on the label, about 37% with the water out, and 399 calories a cup.

Beef and beef liver come before the lamb in these refrigerated morsels for adult dogs, and the cranberries and carrots sit eighth and ninth, which labeling rules allow for a “with” ingredient (a 3% bar). It's 12% protein, about 33% with the water out, and the maker says it meets AAFCO's adult maintenance profile.

Chicken, chicken liver and eggs lead these grain-free morsels for adult dogs, with pea protein fourth. The label's 16% protein is about 46% with the water out, and a cup is 266 calories. The maker says it meets AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.

Chicken and chicken liver lead these refrigerated morsels for adult dogs, with ground oats third, so there's grain here, just not at the top. At 64% water, the label's 14% protein is about 39% with the water out, and a cup is 296 calories. Freshpet says it meets AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.

Salmon leads this canned cat food in gravy, but the venison in the name is ninth, behind fish and chicken broths, chicken liver and chicken. A 5.5 oz can is 149 calories, and the maker says it meets AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for growth and maintenance.

Fat stands out in this dry food for adult Rottweilers (18 months and older): it's 18% on the label, and chicken fat is the second ingredient, right after chicken by-product meal. Protein is 24%, about 27% with the water out, and a cup is 366 calories. Royal Canin says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's maintenance profile for dogs.

The bacon here is bacon broth and the steak is natural beef flavor, both near the end of the list; corn, soybean meal and beef and bone meal lead instead. It's 19% protein (about 23% with the water out) and 366 calories a cup, and the maker says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's maintenance profile.

Chicken and chicken meal lead this senior dog kibble, while the egg and oatmeal from the name come sixth and seventh, after brown rice, barley and white rice. It's at least 25% protein, about 28% with the water out, and 347 calories a cup; the maker says it meets AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Made for senior cats, this dry food starts with chicken and chicken meal, then dried peas and brewers rice. Protein is 34% on the label, or about 37% with the water out, and a cup is 370 calories.