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WellPet LLC is a cat and dog food company formed by the combination of Eagle Pack Pet Foods and Old Mother Hubbard, after both had been purchased by the investment firm Berwind Corporation. In October 2007, Eagle Pack was sold to Berwind Corporation for an undisclosed amount. Between 2008 and 2009, Eagle and OMH were merged into a single entity called Wellpet LLC.
Wellness has a fairly good reputation and the only recent recall was in October of 2012. That recall was not serious and no illnesses or deaths were reported. They focus on high meat-based products and offer a number of grain-free products. Since grain free pet foods are becoming more popular, so is this brand.
In the article below, you will see a full list of ingredients for this product and a full breakdown of the top 10 ingredients in this food. Please let us know what you think by rating this cat food and also posting your thoughts about this product below in the commenting section.
List Of Ingredients In This Cat Food
Turkey, Chicken Liver, Whitefish, Chicken Broth, Salmon, Carrots, Natural Chicken Flavor, Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Zucchini, Guar Gum, Cranberries, Blueberries, Carrageenan, Ground Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Calcium Carbonate, Iron Proteinate (a source of Chelated Iron), Beta-Carotene, Zinc Proteinate (a source of Chelated Zinc), Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Cobalt Proteinate (a source of Chelated Cobalt), Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate (a source of Chelated Copper), Folic Acid, Manganese Proteinate (a source of Chelated Manganese), Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Biotin.
Top 5 Ingredients Analysis
Turkey
As a whole meat ingredient, turkey is a fantastic source of very healthy animal based proteins. We are extremely pleased to see this ingredient listed. Unfortunately, in dry kibbles, there is not as much of this ingredient included as you might initially think. Ingredients are listed by weight prior to the cooking process and since whole turkey is about 70% moisture, the vast majority is cooked off. So while we think this is an excellent and nutritional ingredient, it does need to be complimented by other high quality meat protein ingredients when used in dry kibbles. In wet cat foods, however, this is not nearly as much of a concern.
Chicken Liver
Here is another ingredient you probably wouldn’t want to see on your own dinner plate, but most cats seem to enjoy the taste of liver. Uncooked liver, or liver in very high quantities, can actually be toxic to cats. However, in this food, it is clearly provided well within safe limits. In fact, this ingredient is a pretty high quality ingredient overall. It provides a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other nutrients your cat can benefit from.
Whitefish
Whitefish is a species of tilefish native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. This ingredient is likely included for its protein content as well as very healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. While this ingredient probably isn’t something most cats would eat in a natural or wild environment, the ingredient does contain some very essential nutrient sources. Some cat owners worry about the mercury content in fish since all fish contains some level of mercury, but the health risk is considered to be pretty low.
Chicken Broth
While chicken broth does not add much nutritional value to the food, it does add flavor and is considered to be a better alternative to water. The main reason for adding this ingredient is simply to add moisture.
Salmon
Salmon is an excellent source of high quality proteins for cats and is extremely rich in healthy Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. Some people worry about mercury levels in fish. It’s true that all fish contains some degree of mercury, the level in salmon is much lower than other types of fish and the FDA doesn’t believe it is cause for concern. Most salmon in cat food is farmed salmon, but higher end cat food (especially those labeled “natural”) can often times be fished from natural lakes and streams. The biggest problem with fish ingredients, including salmon, is if the fish includes an antioxidant called ethoxyquin (EMQ). It is believe that ethoxyquin could be very harmful to cats and other animals. Always make sure you are using “Ethoxyquin free” cat food blends when they include fish ingredients. When in doubt, call the customer service number and ask.
Additional Ingredients Of Interest
Carrots
A good source of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, carrots are becoming more common in pet foods. This ingredient is also known to boost the immune system and help promote healthy eyes in cats as well as providing a good source of fiber.
Natural Chicken Flavor
As you might expect, this ingredient is simply the extracted flavoring of chicken. We usually don’t like “flavor” ingredients, but in this case, the animal is named. This ingredient isn’t going to add any nutritional value to the food, but it may make the food taste better.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes provide a great source of potassium, vitamin B, and beta-carotene. This ingredient also provides antioxidant agents that specifically help to fight against cancer causing agents. This is a higher quality ingredient with no known negative side-effects.
Squash
Squash is not an ingredient your cat will gain any nutritional value from, but it is a preferred “filler ingredient” that will help make your cat feel more full. Many cat foods will use grains for this purpose, but many cat owners have been shying away from grains in pet food, so ingredients like squash are becoming more common. In the end, this ingredient may help the food taste better and might help to make your cat feel more satisfied after eating a meal.
Zucchini
Zucchini is a food that many cats seem to enjoy the taste of. Unfortunately, there will not be many nutritional benefits, if any, from a cat consuming zucchini, but it is a much better alternative than many other flavor enhancers or filler ingredients.
