Food Finder · Cat and dog
Pet food labels, compared on the same scale
Compare nutrition, ingredients and calories across popular cat and dog foods. Switch between label values and moisture-adjusted estimates, or select up to three foods to compare side by side.
Compare popular cat and dog foods
Nutrition with the water excluded, so wet and dry foods sit on one scale. PawFYI estimate from the label.
Store links go to each retailer’s own product page. PawFYI isn’t paid for them, and a store never changes the numbers. If that changes, anything paid will be labeled “Sponsored”. How we make money
How comparisons work
Where each number comes from
Label Label guarantee. What US labels must print: protein and fat as minimums, fiber and moisture as maximums, all as fed. The food can hold more protein or fat than the minimum, and less fiber or water than the maximum, so a guarantee is a bound, not an exact amount.
Maker typical Manufacturer typical analysis. An average from the maker’s own testing. Not every maker publishes one; most only print the guarantee. Of the foods here, only Hill's Science Diet does (as dry-matter averages), so most rows rest on minimums and maximums.
PawFYI est. Our estimate. Worked out from the numbers above, always shown with “~”. Each food page shows the math step by step.
As-fed vs dry matter
As-fed is the label: percentages of the food with its water. Dry matter is the same nutrients with the water excluded: nutrient ÷ (100 − moisture) × 100 (Merck Veterinary Manual). Use as-fed to compare can with can or bag with bag; use dry matter, or per 100 calories, to compare wet with dry.
Because labels give minimums, a dry-matter protein or fat figure means “at least about”, and a dry-matter fiber figure “at most about”.
Estimates and benchmarks
Carbs aren’t on most labels: we estimate them as 100 − protein − fat − fiber − moisture − ash, assuming 3% ash for canned and 6% for dry when the maker doesn’t say. They inherit the label’s wiggle room.
✓ ≈ ! compare dry-matter protein and fat with the AAFCO minimum for the food’s species and life stage: ✓ at least 15% above, ≈ within 15%, ! below. The thin line on a protein or fat bar marks that minimum. Fiber, water and carbs have no AAFCO minimum (i). Europe’s FEDIAF levels appear in each tip. We don’t give an overall score.
PawFYI method v1.1 (Oct 2026). Sources: AAFCO, FEDIAF 2024, Merck Veterinary Manual, Tufts Petfoodology; full list below.
Showing 10 of 144 foods
Why does water change the numbers?
Labels list nutrients “as fed”, with the water still in. A can is about three-quarters water and a bag about a tenth, so their label numbers aren’t on the same scale. The Merck Veterinary Manual’s rule: compare like with like on the label; compare wet with dry with the water taken out, or by calories. Tufts University’s vet nutritionists put it plainly: label numbers “cannot be used to compare pet foods as they’re written.”
Find the water
Every label lists “moisture (max)”. Whatever isn’t water is the dry matter: the part with the nutrients.
Divide by the dry matter
Merck’s formula: nutrient as fed ÷ dry matter × 100. Now a can and a bag sit on one scale.
Hold it against the benchmark
Check the result against the AAFCO minimum for your pet’s species and life stage, marked by a thin line on each protein and fat bar in the table.
In plain terms: picture a wet sponge and a dry one. Same sponge, very different weight. A label weighs the food with its water, so a can looks “weaker” the way a wet sponge looks heavier. Squeeze the water out, then compare.
Use “As-fed (label)” when…
you’re comparing two cans, or two bags. Their water is about the same, so the label numbers line up (Merck calls these comparisons “generally valid”). It’s also the number you’ll see on the package.
Switch to “Dry matter” when…
you’re weighing a wet food against a dry one, or mixing both in your pet’s bowl. Merck: compare across food types “on a dry-matter or caloric basis”. Tufts’ Petfoodology compares per 100 calories, which works too (a per-calorie view is on our list).
What should the numbers be?
One card per column in the table, with who said it. Only protein and fat have an AAFCO minimum; the rest are context. These are floors and typical ranges, not targets for your pet; your vet sets those.
AAFCO minimum for adult dogs; puppies 22.5%. Europe’s FEDIAF: 18%, or 21% for dogs that eat less (less active).
Merck Vet Manual · S. L. Sanderson, DVM, PhDFEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines 2024AAFCO and FEDIAF agree: 5.5% for adult dogs, 8.5% for puppies. Most adult dog foods run 5% to 15% (Merck).
AAFCO profiles · D. A. Dzanis, DVM, PhD, DACVNFEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines 2024AAFCO does not establish a minimum dietary fiber requirement for adult dogs. Fiber can still affect digestion and stool quality, and different types of fiber behave differently.
Merck Vet Manual · S. L. Sanderson, DVM, PhDDry food is about 10% water. That gap is why a can looks “weaker” on the label.
Merck Vet Manual · S. L. Sanderson, DVM, PhDNot essential for adult, non-breeding dogs; FEDIAF sets no minimum. Puppies and pregnant or nursing dogs do need some.
Merck Vet Manual · S. L. Sanderson, DVM, PhDQuick lists, by the numbers
Built from the table above, so they update as foods are added. Tap a food to jump to its row.
Most protein
Dog foods here, dry matter
- 50%
- 50%
- 48.4%
Fewest carbs
Our estimate, dry matter
- ~2.3%
- ~3.2%
- ~4.5%
Most water
Highest moisture on the label
- 84%
- 82%
- 82%
Best-of lists
Editor picks like “Best wet food for picky cats” or “Best budget dry dog food”, each with a published method. Anything sponsored is labeled “Sponsored” right where it appears.
Ask the maker these six questions
The WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee, a group of veterinary nutritionists, says a label alone isn’t enough to judge a food. Their questions, in plain words:
- Do you employ a qualified nutritionist?
- Who formulates your diets, and what are their credentials?
- How do you check ingredients and finished food for quality?
- What research or feeding studies have you done on your foods?
- Who actually makes the food? (“Made by” is not the same as “made for” or “distributed by”.)
- How many calories are in it, if the label doesn’t say?
If a maker can’t or won’t answer, WSAVA’s advice is to be cautious about that brand. The Pet Nutrition Alliance has put WSAVA-style questions to more than 200 makers and shares the answers in its “Dare to Ask” resource.
Why our numbers are estimates
Protein and fat on a label are minimums, so the real food can hold more. Water and fiber are maximums, so it can hold less. Our dry-matter numbers inherit that wiggle.
Carbohydrates are worked out by subtraction: 100 minus protein, fat, fiber, water and ash. When the label skips ash, we use 3% for canned and 6% for dry, the same shortcut Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM, uses.
Who sets these numbers?
The minimums come from two standards bodies built on the same science. The how-to-choose advice comes from veterinary groups. We quote each one by name.
AAFCO
Association of American Feed Control Officials. Its nutrient profiles are what “complete and balanced” means on a US label. Our ✓ ≈ ! icons use these minimums.
FEDIAF
European Pet Food Industry Federation. Similar floors to AAFCO, plus higher protein for pets that eat less (25% vs 33.3% for adult cats). Shown in each protein and fat tip.
NRC
The US National Research Council’s Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats (2006). Both AAFCO and FEDIAF drew on it, so the three mostly agree.
WSAVA and the Pet Nutrition Alliance
World Small Animal Veterinary Association guidelines for picking a food; the PNA turns them into questions for makers.
Tufts Petfoodology
Board-certified veterinary nutritionists at Tufts University explain labels and math in plain terms.
Merck Veterinary Manual
The dry-matter formula, water ranges and what’s essential, written by a board-certified vet nutritionist.
American Kennel Club
Plain guides to reading a label: ingredient order, the adequacy statement, life stages.
Peer-reviewed studies
Journal papers, often found through PubMed Central (US National Institutes of Health), for questions like what cats eat in the wild.
Quick answers
Is wet food lower in protein than dry food?
Usually not. Wet food only looks lower because it’s mostly water. On a dry-matter basis (water excluded), the 41 wet foods in this table range from 22.2% to 50.0% protein. The 84 dry foods range from 18.7% to 35.6%.
What is the minimum protein and fat for adult cat and dog food?
On a dry-matter basis (water excluded), AAFCO’s minimums are 26% protein and 9% fat for adult cats, and 18% protein and 5.5% fat for adult dogs. Europe’s FEDIAF matches on fat and sets protein at 25% for cats and 18% for dogs, rising to 33.3% and 21% for pets that eat less.
What does “complete and balanced” mean?
It means the food meets an AAFCO nutrient profile for a life stage: growth, adult maintenance, or all life stages. Look for that statement on the bag or can. Foods for “all life stages” are made to cover growth and reproduction (WSAVA). A “senior” food only has to meet the adult maintenance profile (AKC).
Do cats and dogs need carbohydrates?
No. The Merck Veterinary Manual says carbohydrates are not essential nutrients for adult, non-reproducing dogs and cats. Foods still use them for energy and structure. For cats, a study of free-roaming feral cats found they get about 52% of their energy from protein, 46% from fat and only 2% from carbs (Plantinga and others, 2011).
Does a higher protein number mean a better food?
No. Every food here clears the AAFCO protein minimum for its life stage. Past that, the right amount depends on your pet’s age, weight and health, which is a conversation for your vet.
Why do Hill's Science Diet rows look different?
Hill's Science Diet publishes average values with the water already removed, instead of the as-fed guaranteed analysis. We show them as they’re published and mark them “avg”.
Bring two numbers to your next vet visit
Your pet’s food, its dry-matter protein and its calories per cup or can. That’s enough to ask whether it fits.
Sources (20)
- Merck Veterinary Manual, “Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals”. Sherry Lynn Sanderson, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM and Nutrition). Full review Nov 2023, updated Sep 2024. AAFCO protein minimums; carbohydrates not essential for adult dogs and cats.
- Merck Veterinary Manual, “Dog and Cat Foods”. Sherry Lynn Sanderson, DVM, PhD. Updated Jun 2025. Guaranteed analysis is minimums and maximums as fed; dry-matter formula; dry food ~10% water, canned 68%–78%.
- Feline Nutrition, catinfo.org. Lisa A. Pierson, DVM. Updated May 2025. Water in prey (70%–75%), dry (5%–10%) and canned (~78%) food; dry food 35%–50% of calories from carbohydrate.
- WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee, “Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods”. Updated Mar 10, 2021. Questions to ask the manufacturer, including who makes the food and its calorie content; “all life stages” foods are formulated for growth and reproduction.
- “How to Calculate the Carbs in Your Cat’s Food”, PetMD. Jennifer Coates, DVM. Sep 2013. Carbohydrate by difference; 3% (canned) and 6% (dry) ash when the label omits it.
- Manufacturer pages and label PDFs for each food, read on the date shown in its row. Linked in each row.
- AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles, as cited by Merck (source 1). We quote the minimums through Merck rather than paraphrasing AAFCO directly.
- “The revised AAFCO dog and cat food nutrient profiles, part 2”, Petfood Industry. David A. Dzanis, DVM, PhD, DACVN. Apr 2015. Fat minimums (dry matter): dogs 5.5% adult, 8.5% growth; cats 9%.
- AAFCO ingredient definitions (by-products 9.3 and 9.14, poultry by-product meal 9.10, poultry meal 9.71, corn gluten meal 48.14, soybean meal 84.60), as tabled by the Pet Food Institute.
- Ingredient tips (every dotted ingredient, October 2026): each tip names its own source. AAFCO ingredient definitions, feed terms and labeling rules; FDA rules in 21 CFR (Parts 73, 74, 101, 137, 170, 172, 184, 501, 573 and 582) and FDA guidance; USDA (FSIS, AMS, ARS and National Organic Program reviews); NIH (Office of Dietary Supplements, NCCIH, National Toxicology Program); the Library of Congress; the Merck Veterinary Manual; the National Research Council; Tufts Petfoodology; PetMD articles written or reviewed by a DVM; the American Kennel Club; J. Hofve, DVM.
- “Food Labels 101”, IVC Journal. Jean Hofve, DVM. 2013, updated 2019. What “meal” and by-products mean.
- “Guar gum in cat food”, Catster. Karyn Kanowski, BVSc MRCVS. Guar gum as a thickener; sensitive-stomach caveat.
- FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs. European Pet Food Industry Federation, 2024. Minimum protein and fat per 100 g dry matter (Tables III-3a and III-4a): dogs 18% (21% at lower energy intake), cats 25% (33.3%); fat 5.5% adult dogs, 8.5% growth, 9% cats; no minimum for fiber or carbohydrate.
- “Proteins in pet food” fact sheet. UK Pet Food (FEDIAF member), 2018. Describes the lower-energy cat column as neutered or indoor cats.
- National Research Council, Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. National Academies Press, 2006. The research base for AAFCO and FEDIAF.
- “Which petfood nutrient values should you follow?”, Petfood Industry. David A. Dzanis, DVM, PhD, DACVN. Mar 2013. AAFCO and FEDIAF both drew on NRC 2006; meeting all three is the safest bar.
- “What are these numbers? Nutrition Math 101”, Tufts Petfoodology. Deborah E. Linder, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Nutrition). Nov 2016. Guaranteed analysis can’t be compared as written; compare per calories.
- “Asking the Right Questions to Make Informed Decisions about Pet Foods”, Tufts Petfoodology. Lisa M. Freeman, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition). May 2019. The Pet Nutrition Alliance’s “Dare to Ask” resource (the author serves on the PNA board).
- “How to Read a Dog Food Label”, American Kennel Club. Jan Reisen, with Jerry Klein, DVM. Updated Mar 2026. Ingredients listed by weight, heaviest first; the adequacy statement and life stages.
- Plantinga, Bosch and Hendriks, “Estimation of the dietary nutrient profile of free-roaming feral cats”. British Journal of Nutrition 106 (2011): S35–S48. Feral cats: about 52% of energy from protein, 46% from fat, 2% from carbohydrate.
PawFYI method v1.1 (Oct 2026)