Is Friskies bad for cats? Friskies, an American pet food, has been on the market since the 1930s. Friskies offer a world of fun that will satisfy your playful curiosity and curiosity with a variety of delicious wet and dry, delightful food and cat food.
Produced and marketed by Nestlé Purina PetCare, a company owned by Nestlé. They provide sustainable, nourishing, and affordable products for our pets.
Now, if you want to know more about “Is Friskies good for cats,” then let’s understand the history behind this brand and how it became one of the leading pet food industries.
Friskies History
This product was first introduced as a dry dog food product in 1934. It was known as “Friskies Cubes” followed by pellets called “Friskies Meal .”Well-known dry dog food became a success in the United States because consumers preferred less expensive products during World War II.
In the late 1950s, Carnation introduced a new Friskies dog food specialties. They focus on their unique recipe for raising puppies and not old dogs, making it suitable not only for puppies but also for adult cats.
But they face the problem that cats do not like their puppy food. Their sales declined, and the concept of Friskies cat food began from then on. Little Friskies started small, but eventually, 60 years later, Friskies became the leading United States in the diet of wet cats, generating about $ 586 million in sales.
The cat food product was named “Little Friskies for cats .”It was named after a cartoon cat and advertised on television, in the newspaper, and Friskies Research Digest, published by veterinarians and animal husbandry posted by Friskies.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Friskie’s food products were introduced in the ‘gourmet’ industry category, such as Bright Eyes and Chef’s Blend. Ralson Purina, in 1985, a major producer of the pet food industry, introduced dry and wet food products to cats. After this, the competition in the pet food industry began to rise in the 1990s.
About Nestlé Purina Friskies
Nestlé Purina acquired the species in 1985 and became one of the world’s leading animal feed producers. Friskies-brand products currently include dry food, canned wet food and treats for cats. According to the Friskies website, more than 50 variations of Friskies cat food. Five dry food flavors are sold in bags, including “Seafood Sensations” and “Grillers.” Wet foods are sold in various flavors, such as chicken or seafood, and vacuum bags or cans. The Tasty Treasures canned wet food has cheese and bacon flavors. SauceSations canned wet food is mixed with sauces. There are also pouches of Friskies Party Mix treats and “Pull ‘n Play” treats with edible tender strings. In 2003, the Friskies brand was re-launched with new packaging. By this time, Friskies was the largest market-share holder in the cat food segment, with a 60 percent share of the wet food market and 49.3 percent share for dry food.
Friskies Recall
The reason for the topic “Is Friskies good for kittens or Is Friskies good for cats “started a while back in June 2011; Friskies brand was voluntarily recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. There were no illnesses of pets around the time of the recall, which involved 870 bags of Friskies Grillers Blend dry cat food.
Some people also claimed their cats have also died due to eating Friskies.
So many reviews have been given, stating that it is a huge problem and petitions were made to recall the batch. An anti- Friskies page on Facebook also noted that this brand is a “toxic waste,” They also tried to claim that the brand is just taking money from the people and making their cats sick.
Separately, another Facebook comment from the company stated:
“Consumers can continue to feed our products to their pets with total confidence. There are no product quality issues with any of our products. All of our products, including Friskies, are completely safe to feed. We value the loyalty and trust pet owners have given Purina for more than 90 years. We’re pet owners, too, and we work hard to maintain that trust, because the quality and safety of our products are our top priorities. We always appreciate hearing from our consumers, and we encourage anyone with a question or comment about our products to call us.”
Is Friskies A successful cat food brand?
By the 1970s, the Friskies had become a staple of cat food: the second best-selling canned cat food after 9Lives and the second best-selling dried cat food after the Purina Cat Chow.
Purina through the years:
- William H. Danforth, in partnership with George Robinson and William Andrews, entered the farm animal feed business by establishing the Robinson-Danforth Commission Company. Names were changed to Ralston Purina in 1902.
- Purina is establishing the first pet food and animal care center at Purina Farms near Grey Summit, Missouri, to ensure the taste and nutrition of its food. It has since moved to the Nestle Purina PetCare Center in northwestern Missouri.
- Purina introduces Purina Cat Chow to help feed a growing population of American housecats.
- Friskies Buffet, sold in cans that have been running simultaneously since 1967
- Friskies Bright Eyes, another delicious cat food, was introduced in the early 1970s.
- Friskies Kitten Formula, a calcium-fortified dry food in a milk carton, was introduced in 1988.
- Grumpy Cat, a popular online cat with a permafrown, became the official “spokescat” of the Friskies breed in 2013.
Analysis of Friskies ingredients
After the water, the first ingredient in this cat food is turkey, which is good. Although the level of each ingredient may vary, turkey is an excellent source of protein for cats. It is also important to note that turkey contains about 70% water, so if it is processed and cooked in cat food, it will be a small part of the perfect recipe.
The second ingredient in this cat food is wheat gluten, which is bad. According to Wikipedia, wheat gluten is “made up of washing of wheat flour dough with water until its starch granules get removed. After that, a sticky insoluble starch as an elastic mass is left, cooked before eating. In vegan diets, it is very popular because it can be used for making high-protein, meat-like food known as Seitan.
This wheat gluten is used to increase the amount of lean protein; without adding extra meat is expensive for producers. It comes out of the grain, and the cats do not eat grain in the wild. We believe this is not the right ingredient.
The third ingredient is Rice which is also bad. It might be slightly better than other ingredients, but as we mention above and is not biologically appropriate. It is used as a filler ingredient. Studies have also shown that it can decrease taurine absorption, and cats might get a taurine deficiency in the last run.
The fourth ingredient is bad meat by-products. Whether you view certain products as safe use of spoiled animals or consider them as a cheap, low-quality ingredient, there is no denying the fact that an unspecified animal product is a bad news. According to AAFCO, processed meat is “the raw material, pure, excluded from meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes but is not limited to the lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, subcutaneous fatty tissue, and the abdomen and intestines released from your contents. It excludes hair, horns, teeth and hooves.” This means that anything leftover from the carcass once the minced meat, human-derived, has been removed, thrown into a vat and processed. It’s a low-quality ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is liver, which is okay but in minimum quantities. Well, the liver provides protein and a lot of other nutrients, which is great! But they didn’t specify the meat source, so we are left with the question of where this comes from.
The sixth ingredient is corn bran, also somewhat bad for cats. This is “the outer covering of a corn cob, which contains a small portion of the starch virus .”It is high in carbohydrates and fiber and contains some protein. Maize is not biologically suitable food for cats. The most commonly used ingredient is inexpensive feed-grade corn, and there are reports of a mixture of mold and mildew. It is not digested like meat; it is not meat protein, which means it is not the perfect protein your cat needs, and it is usually only included as a cheap supplement.
The seventh ingredient is chicken, which is good!! Despite the quality of the ingredient, which can vary, chicken is a great source of protein for cats. But remember that chicken contains 70% water, and after it is cooked, it might get smaller in quantity for the recipe. The recipe includes many things, but once it gets cooked and packed, these ingredients don’t remain the same. Just thought you should know small things too.
Now, let’s talk about Corn Starch; it can be used as a binding agent but remember it is a common allergen. If your cats aren’t allergic to this ingredient, you have no problem.
Also, Soy flour is a soybean product from beans to soy protein foods to flakes to fried soy flour and ground. Soy contains a lot of anti-nutrients that prevent your cat’s body from digesting the nutrients in the other foods it eats. Soy is a bad ingredient in cats, especially soybeans produced in US factories, where soybean protein is used to make other products, compared to Asia, where soy is often fermented, making it better for the body.
This recipe includes additional colors. There is no reason why cat food should be colored unless it attracts cat parents. Your cat does not care what color its food is. As it is a 100% commercial gimmick, it is unnecessary and is usually a sign of cheap cat food. Many color options, such as caramel, are carcinogens, or they may be harmful to your cat.
Friskies Classic Pate Turkey & Giblets Dinner Canned Cat Food Review
We noted that “although these foods are called Turkey & Giblets Dinner, they are mainly made from meat products, the name of any AAFCO-approved blend from beef, pigs, and sheep.
Also, turkey is the second meat ingredient, followed by chicken products such as fish and poultry.
The diet consists of a small amount of Rice followed by additives, artificial flavor and texture and extra color.
The diet is supplemented with guar gum and carrageenan, which are not specified as nutrients.
Some of the most common allergies are Poultry, fish, meat products.
Pros
• Low in carbohydrates
• It is mainly made up of animal protein
• It tastes great
• Affordable
Cons
• Contains many synthetic ingredients
• Contains carrageenan
• The products produced include a large portion of meat.
Friskies Surfin’ & Turfin’ Favorites Dry Cat Food Review
This product was the most popular dry cat food. The recipe contains dark yellow corn and corn gluten foods that lead to a list of ingredients and side products such as extra plant protein; the kibble contains a few traces of animal protein. It also has poultry products followed by a bone meal and meat Salmon is the ultimate source of animal protein.
The product contains some fat sources such as beef and dried cheese powder as an added flavor.
After reviewing the ingredient list, we also found a few dyes: Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40, and Blue 2. These are synthetic colors and may have adverse health effects on humans and animals. All in all, these foods have a high protein content, low fat and high carbohydrate foods.
Common allergens: Chicken, beef, fish, milk.
For the last product review, we’ll analyze Friskies Classic Pate Poultry Platter Canned Cat Food.
The product contains Turkey and poultry by-products as the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
After turkey, this food consists of liver and fish. There is also some amount of Rice, and it is flavored with both artificial and natural flavors. This product has also been thickened by guar gum and carrageenan, which can be harmful to cats. Apart from this, it doesn’t contain any added colors.
Common allergens: Poultry fish and meat by-products.
Is Friskies a good cat food?
There are numerous positive and negative reviews about this topic. A while back, multiple people found plastic in their canned foods, cats also started to refuse to eat the food even though the brand hadn’t changed the recipe.
We found some of the positive reviews from Quora:
The Friskies canned is fine. I think the dry Friskies has a lot of corn- but my cats are nuts for Purina Cat Chow, and I think it has almost as much corn as Friskies- so it’s not a bad food- better than the old junk cheap food like “Alley Cat.”
I have 13 indoor cats that all love this stuff. I just switched from Wellness Canned chicken cat food – which costs three times as much, and so far, the cats are all chowing down on it and don’t seem to know the difference. After trying many pricier brands that only come in small cans, I decided to give Friskies a try, and it seems to me that the ingredients in the expensive stuff probably aren’t any better. Cats don’t care as long as it smells and tastes good to them.” – Fergusboy, reviewing Friskies Classic Paté Turkey & Giblets recipe.
“I feed my kitties Fancy Feast and occasionally Friskies. I also add a powdered supplement I purchased from the vet. They rarely get dried kibble because it causes weight gain and is not all that healthful for their diets. Besides, according to the vet and other authorities, kitties should be eating mostly wet food because they typically do not like to drink that much water. Wet food is the way for them to get it. I am sure your cats will be just fine eating Friskies but do try to add a supplement for better nourishment and limit their dry food intake.” – Bonnadee Phillips
Negative Reviews Regarding this Issue.
· “One of my male cats developed crystals in his urine several years ago, and my vet said that they’d treated several male cats with the same problem, and they were all fed Friskies wet food (mine was too at the time). I switched to Fancy Feast that day, and he and my other male cat never had another problem again.” – Kathy.
· Hi, my cat is diabetic, and there are a few affordable options for wet food. I’ve tried Fancy Feast. Cat loves. Then decided to try the Friskies pack sold at Costco. Cheaper and larger cans. Cats have been puking and not eating much every day. So I’ve stopped. Back to Fancy Feast and no puking. I don’t think this is very good food for cats. I wouldn’t buy it again. – Carla of Windsor
· My cat has eaten Friskies pate canned food without problems over the past two years. Recently she has been vomiting every time she eats it. I wasn’t sure it
was the food until my daughter’s dog came over and ate what was in the cat’s bowl, and he started vomiting. I bought Sheba brand and no vomiting! There has to be contamination or composition change with the recent lots. – Sharon
· Friskies, in their “wisdom,” has made all labels the same color – with a little splotch listing the variety. The reality of this stupidity is all cans in the closet now look identical. I am making opening the “right can” (yes, we all have picky cats) a nightmare. I now hate Friskies for making my mornings miserable. Emailing Friskies was useless!! (oh, but it is the same wonderful product). And will no longer be ordering Friskies. And I have used their products for over 40 years in 2 different countries. This has nothing much to do with Chewy, but you may carry more weight than a ‘mere customer’” – Finnian, reviewing Friskies Classic Paté Poultry Platter Recipe
Why Friskies Is Not Bad cat food?
We won’t recommend their dry recipes; Friskies dry cat food is packed with low-value plant ingredients like corn gluten meal and soybean meal and rely on vaguely-named animal by-products instead of named meats.
Even if you wish to buy Friskies, opt for their wet cat food. Their wet recipes contain undesirable additives, including carrageenan, artificial colors, and artificial flavors, but are meat-rich with minimal carbohydrate content.
Stick to the patés to avoid starchy thickeners. Educate yourself about the ingredients they put up on the box. Also, if you face any problems with your pet with this food, immediately go to your vet to avoid further problems.
All wet food is quite the same; none stand out enough to rate on their own—this is one of the serious questions that have been in the news for a while.
Here are some important points you can keep in mind before trying this brand:
Friskies has about 11 wet product lines with 58 recipes/flavors.
Each recipe below includes its related AAFCO nutrient profile when available on the product’s official webpage or packaging: Growth (G), Maintenance (M), All Life Stages (A), Supplemental (S) or Unspecified (U).
Conclusion
Well, from the top, this brand is a very low-quality one. There are several unnamed types of meat and added by-products. Only 50% protein is present in dry food, followed by unnecessary carbohydrates. This is not an example of well-produced wet cat food. Even though it contains a decent amount of meat, don’t let it fool you that this is good food; this product is cheap for a reason. Keep in mind that this brand is very questionable, and they don’t seem to change their toxic effects even after so many negative reviews. Due to average protein, carbohydrates, fat, and so many harmful additives like artificial coloring and meat by-products.
But keeping good reviews in mind, if this brand has been working for your cat, you can opt for Friskies. Until then, keep educating yourselves about the ingredients and what kind of nutrients they provide.
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