Cat and dog foods

Chicken broth leads this stew for cats 7 and older, with tuna as the first meat, then chicken and turkey giblets. Hill's publishes dry-matter averages, so the 38.9% protein already has the water out, but it doesn't publish a calorie count for this one.

Chicken by-product meal and chicken fat take the first two spots in this dry food for adult cats with sensitive digestion, and fat runs 20% on the label. Protein is 33%, about 36% with the water out, and a cup is 469 calories. Royal Canin says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profile for maintenance.

Salmon leads the list in this kibble for large adult dogs with sensitive skin or stomachs, followed by rice, barley and oat meal. It's 26% protein on the label (about 30% with the water out) and 404 calories a cup, and Purina says AAFCO feeding tests show it's complete and balanced for adult maintenance.

Salmon, rice and barley are the first three ingredients in this dry food for adult dogs with sensitive skin or stomachs, with fish meal and salmon meal further down. Fat is 16% on the label, protein 26% (about 30% with the water out), and a cup is 449 calories. Purina cites AAFCO feeding tests for adult maintenance.

Freshpet pitches this chicken roll at adult dogs with sensitive stomachs and skin. Chicken, chicken liver and eggs lead, with the pumpkin and brown rice from the name sixth and seventh. With 78% water, its 10% protein is about 45% on a dry-matter basis, and the maker says it meets AAFCO's adult maintenance profile.

Chicken comes right after water in these shreds for adult cats, but the salmon in the name waits until ninth, behind wheat gluten, meat by-products, liver and turkey. At 82% water, the 9% protein on the label is about 50% on a dry-matter basis, and Purina says it meets AAFCO's profile for adult maintenance.

Meat by-products come before the turkey in this Turkey & Cheese Dinner, and that's allowed: for a “dinner”, labeling rules only require the named ingredients together to make up 25% of the food, not counting added water. It's 82% water and 129 calories a can, and Purina says it meets AAFCO's profile for adult cats.

“With beef” is a modest promise: labeling rules only require 3% of an ingredient named with “with”, and here beef comes fourth, after water, liver and chicken. The 9% protein is about 50% once the 82% water is out, and Purina says these shreds meet AAFCO's profile for adult maintenance.

Lamb leads, but lamb broth, beef broth and vegetable broth come next, so much of this canned dog food is liquid: up to 82% water. Take the water out and the 8% protein is about 44%, and a 13.2 oz can is 385 calories.

The maker says this grain-free kibble meets AAFCO's profiles for all life stages, including growth of large dogs (70 lb or more as adults). Lamb and lamb meal lead, sweet potatoes come third, and the 25% protein is about 28% with the water out, at 410 calories a cup.

Instead of rice or barley, this salmon kibble leans on potatoes, lentils and peas, which follow salmon and fish meal at the top. It's at least 25% protein, about 28% with the water out, and 408 calories a cup. Diamond Naturals says it meets AAFCO's profile for all life stages, including the growth of large dogs.

Made for small and medium breed puppies, this kibble packs at least 32% protein and 22% fat, and 453 calories a cup. Chicken and chicken meal come first. Diamond Naturals says it meets AAFCO's profile for all life stages except the growth of large dogs (70 lb or more as adults), which matches the sizes on the bag.

Chicken and chicken meal take the first two spots in this kibble for small adult dogs, with barley, white rice and grain sorghum after them. Protein is at least 27%, about 30% with the water out, and a cup is 418 calories; the maker says it meets AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Real lamb comes first in this kibble for small adult dogs, then lamb meal, white rice and barley. It's at least 25% protein, about 28% once the water's out, and 414 calories a cup. Diamond Naturals says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

Small-breed adult dogs get chicken and chicken meal at the top of this kibble, followed by soybean meal and whole corn. Protein is 26% on the label, about 29% with the water out, and a cup is 395 calories. Nutrish says it's formulated to meet AAFCO's nutrient profile for adult maintenance.

Beef comes first and chicken second in this small-dog recipe, so the beef-and-egg name doesn't make it chicken-free; eggs are fourth, behind beef liver. It's 15% protein (about 41% with the water out) and 271 calories a cup. Freshpet says it meets AAFCO's profile for all life stages except the growth of large dogs.

Bite-size pieces are the point of this refrigerated chicken recipe for small dogs. It's 16% protein, about 43% with the water out, and Freshpet says it meets AAFCO's profile for all life stages except the growth of large dogs (70 lb or more as adults), which only matters for a big-breed puppy.

Sized for small adult dogs, this kibble with soft bites puts ground whole grain corn first and chicken by-product meal second, with meat and bone meal sixth. Protein is 21% on the label, about 24% once the water's out, and a cup is 335 calories.

Beef comes first in this canned dog food, but beef, lamb and vegetable broths fill the next three spots, which fits its up-to-82% water. The 9% protein is about 50% with the water out, a 13.2 oz can is 334 calories, and the maker says it meets AAFCO's profiles for growth and maintenance, including large-breed growth.

The wild boar in the name is seventh on the list; beef is first, followed by peas, garbanzo beans and lamb meal. That's within labeling rules, which only ask for 3% of an ingredient named with “with”. It's 29% protein, about 32% with the water out, and 408 calories a cup.

Meat by-products and wheat gluten both come before the chicken in this adult cat food in scallop-flavored gravy, and tuna sits seventh. With 80% water, the 10% protein on the label is about 50% on a dry-matter basis, and a can is 135 calories. Purina says it meets AAFCO's profile for adult maintenance.

Chicken and liver come right after water in this adult cat food in gravy, in the same order as the name, with wheat gluten fourth. It's 80% water, so the 10% protein on the label is about 50% with the water out, and a can is 134 calories. Purina says it meets AAFCO's profile for adult maintenance.

Meat by-products and chicken come before any fish in this adult cat food in sauce: ocean fish is seventh, tuna eighth, and the scallop is a flavor. It's 80% water, so the 10% protein is about 50% on a dry-matter basis, and a can is 136 calories. Purina says it meets AAFCO's profile for adult maintenance.

Chicken comes first in this refrigerated roll for adult dogs, but carrots edge out chicken broth for second place, and brown rice sits seventh. It's 78% water, so the label's 9.5% protein is about 43% on a dry-matter basis, and half a pound is 316 calories. The maker says it meets AAFCO's profile for adult maintenance.