Whiskas is an international brand of cat food that is sold globally. Its parent company is American and is called Mars, Incorporated. The company offers cat food varieties, including biscuits, dry meat cans, treats, jelly packages, sauces, gravy meat, etc. It is known for its identifiable packaging of purple and white color on a cat head boundary drawing background.

It was initially known as Kal Kan and was started in 1936 in Los Angeles, California. For the first two decades, it expanded its business in the United States of America. Later on, in 1958, it entered the UK market as well. Later on, in 1968, this company was acquired by Mars Inc. It was then that it became a subsidiary company of Pedigree foods. Kal Kan changed its name in 1989 to Whiskas food.

This was done to make its name over the key and easily pronounceable among the public. The company has been involved in a lot of Marketing projects. The company has always prioritized publicity and new marketing techniques to build a good image in the market. The strategy helped Whiskas food become one of the world’s biggest cat food producers.

Also Read – Whiskas Cat Food Feeding Guide

Is Whiskas cat food discontinued?

By September 2021, around 12 variants of Whiskas cat food were withdrawn from the market. This was done because the ingredients used in the products did not meet the quality requirements. Customers were complaining about the product. The company was accused of using cheap ingredients to make the products, further causing medical issues in cats. All those consumers who had purchased that batch of products were told to discard it.

It was said that the set of cat food was medically unfit for consumption. The company claimed they had not received any complaints from the consumers regarding the product. But still, a decision was taken by the company to withdraw all the available products in the market. Whiskas has been a trailblazer cat food product in the market for a long time. It has had the first-mover advantage in the market, inspiring many new cat food brands.

For years, its products have maintained good quality and nutritional value. Suddenly there was an outrage among the public regarding the bad quality of food they had started producing. It has been believed that as more pets were adopted during the pandemic, Whiskas was more in demand. To keep up with demand, the company started using cheap ingredients for faster production.

Why was Whiskas out of stock?

Whiskas was out of stock for a very long time in the market. Being the staple diet of many cats, it caused massive turmoil in the market. Here are some of the reasons why Whiskas was out of stock in the market-

• An increase in demand during the lockdown led to production-related issues. The company couldn’t keep up with the order in the market, which is why the product was unavailable.
• There were logistic issues that were causing supply chain issues. Even if the production went smoothly, there was a problem delivering the product.
• The quality control in the ingredients used urged the company to withdraw all of its stock. They had to continue with the production again, which caused a shortage in the market.

Also Read – Whiskas Cat Food Review

Here is a list of the products that Whiskas have recalled-

• Meaty Selections 670g
• Meaty Selections 2kg
• Meaty Selections 4kg
• Meaty Selections 9.1kg
• Meaty Selections 11.6kg
• Beef Selections 2kg
• Beef Selections 9.1kg
• Seafood Selections, Natural Salmon and shrimp Flavor 2kg
• Seafood Selections, Natural Salmon and Shrimp Flavor 4kg
• Seafood Selections, Natural Salmon and Shrimp Flavor 9.1kg
• Tuna Selections and Natural Tuna Flavor 9.1kg
• Kitten Dry Cat Food 1.5 kg
• Indoor Dry Cat Food 1.5kg
• Indoor Dry Cat Food 3kg

Ingredients used in Whiskas cat food

Whiskas cat food has always prioritized using ingredients that are good for the well-being of cats. This involves using ingredients such as poultry, beef, and fish chopped and milled. Protein is an essential nutrient for cats. Since they are Carnivore animals, their primary protein source is meat. This is why feeding hearts to cats is necessary. They designed their wet food pouches in such a way that it serves as their daily source of water and protein.

They use many vitamins, minerals, and cereals to make their food. As soon as you remove the food from the can and put it in a pan, the mixture starts melting and sometimes becomes edible. Although each product uses an ingredient list, some essential ingredients are poultry, beef, pork, fish, offal, vegetables, cereals, vitamins, and minerals. The company even claims that its food is also safe for human consumption. However, it is essential to check the ingredient list to ensure that you don’t eat anything you’re allergic to.

Also Read – Is Whiskas Cat Food Being Discontinued?

Is Whiskas dangerous for cat health?

It was reported that there had been mycotoxin contamination. It is a type of compound that is formed from molds. Although there have been no reported illnesses, it is undoubtedly a bit dangerous to health. It has also been claimed that the company uses a minimal amount of animal-based proteins. This makes the whole point of making your pet consume this food worthless. The company also uses a lot of corn and gluten, which can make your cat diabetic.

A lot of customers have linked this food to health issues among cats. Some have even claimed that this causes a shorter lifespan among cats. It has also been reported to contain meat composite rather than actual meat. The recipe also contains cornstarch in huge quantities. There are a lot of harmful dyes and preservatives as well.

This can cause severe nutritional deficiencies among cats. The macronutrients added to this food are not that bad, but what causes the main problem is the additives that have been used. Some ingredients used in the product that are not good for your cats are Soy Oil, Corn Starch-Modified, Wheat Gluten, Guar Gum, Caramel Coloring, and BHA/BHT.

Now it’s up to you what you want to feed your cat. As we have told you already, the preservatives and artificial components used in this product cause the primary concern. Although the company has tried to include all the possible nutrients in the food, the preservation technique used is wrong.