Choosing the right cat food can be a daunting task for any pet owner. With countless brands and formulas available, it’s essential to find a product that aligns with your cat’s nutritional needs and overall well-being. Purina Pro Plan is a popular choice, but Is Purina Pro Plan Cat Food Good enough to justify its reputation? This comprehensive review breaks down the brand, its ingredients, product variety, and customer opinions to help you make an informed decision.
Evaluating Purina Pro Plan: Our Cats.com Standard
We’ve assessed Purina Pro Plan based on the Cats.com standard, focusing on key factors like species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
- Species-Appropriateness – 6/10
- Ingredient Quality – 5/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 5/10
- Customer Experience – 8/10
- Recall History – 5/10
Overall Score: 5.8/10
This translates to a C+ grade, or 36 out of 60. Let’s explore why.
Purina Pro Plan: A Brand Overview
Purina Pro Plan was launched sixty years after Purina started creating pet food. It aims to offer premium nutrition backed by scientific expertise. Purina claims each Pro Plan formula is developed with input from over 400 scientists, including pet nutritionists, veterinarians, and animal behaviorists. This article examines if Pro Plan lives up to its claims.
Where is Purina Pro Plan Made?
Purina Pro Plan is manufactured in Purina-owned facilities located in the United States. The ingredients are sourced from around the globe.
Purina Pro Plan Recall History
In 2016, Purina Pro Plan wet dog food tubs were recalled due to insufficient vitamin and mineral levels. While this recall didn’t directly affect cat food, other Purina brands have faced multiple recalls.
Exploring the Purina Pro Plan Cat Food Product Range
Purina Pro Plan offers a variety of wet and dry cat food options, categorized into five distinct lines:
- Savor: Emphasizes diverse aromas, flavors, and textures to appeal to picky eaters.
- Focus: Formulated to address specific health concerns, such as hairball control and urinary tract health.
- Veterinary Diets: Prescription-only formulas designed for cats with allergies, gastrointestinal issues, diabetes, and urinary tract problems.
- True Nature: Highlights meat-based recipes designed to satisfy a cat’s natural instincts.
- Prime Plus: Tailored nutrition for senior cats aged seven and older.
Top 3 Purina Pro Plan Cat Food Recipes: A Closer Look
Let’s examine three popular Purina Pro Plan recipes to assess their ingredients, nutritional value, and overall quality.
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Urinary Tract Health Formula Chicken Entree in Gravy | Wet | $0.51 per oz | B- |
| Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult White Meat Chicken & Vegetable Entree in Gravy | Wet | $0.47 per oz | B- |
| Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Chicken & Rice Formula | Dry | $3.70 per lb | C+ |
1. Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Urinary Tract Health Formula Chicken Entree in Gravy Canned Cat Food
This wet food targets urinary tract health, utilizing acidifiers to maintain low urinary pH and limited dietary magnesium to minimize urinary crystal formation. Meat by-products are the primary protein source, combined with chicken, wheat gluten, artificial flavors, and colors.
Pros: Some reviewers report improvements in their cats’ urinary tract health.
Cons: High in carbohydrates and contains artificial colors and flavors.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Wheat Gluten, Corn Starch-Modified, Artificial Flavors, Soy Flour, Added Color
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Crude Protein: 12%
- Crude Fat: 3.5%
- Crude Fiber: 0.2%
- Moisture: 78%
- Ash: 1.5%
2. Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult White Meat Chicken & Vegetable Entree in Gravy Canned Cat Food
This Savor recipe features chicken, wheat gluten, liver, and meat by-products in a vegetable gravy. While it contains muscle meat, the inclusion of anonymous meat by-products raises concerns about ingredient quality and digestibility.
Pros: Many cats find this food palatable.
Cons: High in carbohydrates and contains artificial flavors and colors.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Turkey
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Wheat Gluten, Tomatoes, Carrots, Corn Starch-Modified, Artificial Flavors, Added Color
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Crude Protein: 10%
- Crude Fat: 2%
- Crude Fiber: 1.5%
- Moisture: 82%
- Ash: 3%
3. Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Cat Food
This dry food lists chicken as the first ingredient, followed by brewers rice and corn gluten meal. Poultry by-product meal, dried egg product, and beef fat are also included. The recipe contains artificial flavors and colors.
Pros: Contains added probiotics and relies on animal-sourced fat. Its carbohydrate content is slightly lower than other dry foods.
Cons: Contains artificial colors and flavors, and has high carbohydrate content.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Beef Fat
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Flour, Soy Protein Isolate, Added Color
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Crude Protein: 40%
- Crude Fat: 16%
- Crude Fiber: 2%
- Moisture: 12%
What are Customers Saying About Purina Pro Plan?
Purina Pro Plan is generally considered a higher-quality brand within the Purina family, with many customers reporting positive experiences.
Most Purina Pro Plan products receive favorable ratings and feedback. However, Consumer Affairs features a mix of positive and negative reviews. Negative reviews often cite cats becoming ill after consuming the food, although a direct link hasn’t been established.
Positive Review Example
One reviewer on Chewy noted that all six of their cats love the food, and they receive compliments from their vet about their cats’ health and coat.
Negative Review Example
Another reviewer expressed disappointment that their cat refused to eat the urinary tract health formula, deeming it a waste of money.
Purina Pro Plan: Cost Considerations
Purina Pro Plan is more expensive than many other Purina brands. It costs roughly $3.55 daily to feed a 10-lb cat a Purina Pro Plan wet food and about $0.58 per day for a dry food recipe.
So, Is Purina Pro Plan a Good Choice for Your Cat?
Although marketed as a premium option, Purina Pro Plan contains similar ingredients to more affordable Purina brands like Purina Cat Chow and Fancy Feast.
Certain Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet formulas might benefit cats with specific health issues. However, for most cat owners, Purina Pro Plan may not be the best choice overall, especially when considering the availability of higher-quality options.
Where Can You Buy Purina Pro Plan Cat Food?
Purina Pro Plan is available at major pet retail chains and independent pet stores. You can also purchase it online through retailers like Amazon, Chewy, and PetSmart.
