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Meow Mix Cat Food Review 2021: Are Their Best the Best for Cats?

Our cats are such picky eaters. That is why it gives us immense satisfaction when we buy new food and they actually like it. A celebration is in order when all your cats like one kind of food.

But just because they all like it, does it mean it’s good? With this in mind, we have created this Meow Mix cat food review of the very popular brand.

Meow Mix has been around for over 40 years. Introduced in 1974, it was then owned by Ralston Purina. It was acquired by JW Childs Associates in 2001 for $160 million. The brand was then acquired by Cypress Group in a $425 million leveraged buyout in 2003.

In 2006, Del Monte Foods bought the company for $705 million. JM Smucker (makers of 9lives, Rachael Ray Nutrish, etc.) acquired Meow Mix’s parent company Big Heart Pet Brands for a whopping $5.8 billion in 2015. Kitty grub truly is big business.

Made popular by their catchy jingle “The Company Theme, the brand is also known for its tagline, “Tastes so good, cats ask for it by name”. How much do cats really ask for their products? Let’s find out in this review of Meow Mix’s best-sellers available on Amazon.com.

Meow Mix Cat Food Review

Reviewed Meow Mix Cat Foods

1. Meow Mix Grain Free Dry Cat Food
2. Meow Mix Tender Centers
3. Meow Mix Kitten Li’l Nibbles
4. Meow Mix Real Tuna and Whitefish in Sauce
5. Meow Mix Simple Servings with Real Tuna, Shrimp & Whitefish in Sauce

Meow Mix Grain Free Dry Cat Food

This grain free dry cat food uses real chicken or fish. It contains no grain such as ground corn or wheat. This grain free line promises to deliver complete nutrition for cats of all ages. This dry cat food is designed to meet nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages.

Meow Mix Grain Free with Wild Salmon

This grain free dry food has real wild salmon that is rich in protein. It contains no fillers or artificial flavors and preservatives. Not only is it very tasty, it is also enriched with vitamins and minerals. Its ingredients also include peas and soy flour which are all sources of protein.

Guaranteed Analysis

Pros

No fillers. This dry cat food is packed with protein sources as it contains no fillers such as grain, corn, or wheat. The main source of protein is chicken by-product meal. It has real salmon which is rich in protein and omega fatty acids.

Affordable. Meow Mix Grain Free with Wild Salmon is a great dry food to try if you’d like to switch your pet to a grain-free diet, but are on a budget. Grain-free cat food can be quite expensive. Meow Mix is known as one of the more affordable cat food brands in the market. This product has no grain fillers, yet still very affordable.

Cons

Could use more real meat. While this product is grain-free, some customers feel that this product’s ingredients has room for improvement. It’s first ingredient is chicken by-product meal, which some consider a subpar ingredient. It contains real salmon, but only as a fifth ingredient.

Conclusion

The Meow Mix Grain Free with Wild Salmon dry food is a good grain-free option for the budget-conscious. It has no corn, wheat or any other grain fillers. However, some think that the ingredients’ quality is inferior to that of other grain free cat food brands. This is most likely the reason for its low cost. Overall, we think this product has adequate nutritional value for its price.

Meow Mix Tender Centers

Tender Centers is a dual-texture type of dry cat food. The kibble is crunchy on the outside, and soft and meaty on the inside. This variety come in 5 flavors.

Meow Mix Tender Centers Salmon and White Meat Chicken Flavors

This salmon and chicken flavored dry cat food is the perfect mix of two of the most well-loved cat food flavors and textures. It is rich in protein sources such as chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, and soybean meal. It also contains animal fat and salmon meal among other ingredients.

Guaranteed Analysis

Pros

A hit with the kitties. Cats do ask for the Tender Centers Salmon and White Meat Chicken by name. This dry cat food is quite popular with a lot of kitties. It is packed with flavors of both chicken and salmon. Kitties seem to love the crunchy kibble with soft, meaty centers. Some owners state their picky pets will not eat any other dry cat food but this.

Easy to chew. The soft centers of the Tender Centers Salmon and White Meat Chicken make it quite easy to chew, as far as kibbles are concerned. Some senior pets or those who have lost a number of teeth often are only able to eat wet cat food. This variant has received great reviews from owners of such cats. According to them, their pets are able to chew the kibbles with ease.

Cons

Packaging. Several buyers prefer the old resealable packaging of the Meow Mix Tender Centers Salmon and White Meat Chicken. As some find the scent of this kibble a bit strong, they prefer a resealable bag to keep the odor from escaping.

Conclusion

Based on our review, this product has great flavor and texture. Cats love the flavor and the combination of crunchy and soft, tender textures. It is easy to chew even for older cats.

However, the ingredients are kind of what you would expect from kibble at this price point. The first ingredient is ground corn, and the main protein sources are chicken by-product, corn gluten meal, and soybean meal. It is important to note that this is not marketed as a grain free product. That being said, ingredients such as corn syrup and artificial colors are not really what most owners prefer to see in their pet’s food.

Meow Mix Kitten Li’l Nibbles

This kibble is made especially for kittens. The kibble size is smaller and easier to chew. It is enriched with protein and essential fatty acids for healthy brain and muscle development. Its first ingredient is chicken by-product meal. It also has brewer’s rice, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, ocean fish meal, animal digest, and salmon meal among other ingredients.

Guaranteed Analysis

Pros

Helps kittens gain weight. According to reviews, this product helped underweight kitties gain a healthy weight. This is essential to growing pets as they are still young and their muscles and bones are still developing. The protein content of this product comes from multiple sources such as ocean fish meal, soybean meal, and salmon meal.

Flavor. Kittens love this kibble! The flavors are of chicken, ocean fish, beef tallow, etc. The tasty kibble motivates young kitties to eat and develop healthy appetites.

Cons

Large Kibble. A few buyers find the Li’l Nibbles not little enough for kittens. The kibble size is not too far from the one for adult cats.

Conclusion

This variety has a much better ingredient composition than its adult cat counterparts. It has more protein from corn gluten meal, soybean meal, ocean fish meal, and salmon meal among others. Many owners observed that their young pets gained a healthy weight when fed with this variant. Like most of Meow Mix varieties, kittens enjoy eating this kibble.

Is it the absolute best that you can feed your young kittens? No. Ingredients such as animal digest are safe for pets, but offer no certainty of the actual parts that go into the product.

Meow Mix Grain Free Wet Cat Food

This wet cat food is made with real meat or fish. It has no corn, wheat, soy, and other fillers. It even has zero meat by-products. This is a great source of high-quality protein served in delicious sauce.

Meow Mix Grain Free Wet Cat Food with Real Tuna and Whitefish in Sauce

This grain-free product is made of high-quality chicken and fish as its main sources of protein. Its first five ingredients are fish broth, chicken, tuna, whitefish, and carrots. It also contains dried egg product and pea protein as additional sources of cats’ much needed protein. The sauce is made extra tasty with fish broth.

Guaranteed Analysis

Pros

Real meat. This grain-free wet cat food has chunks of real chicken and fish. The chunks of tuna and whitefish is quite visible, and cat owners are assured that their fur babies get real nutritious fish.

Gravy. The Meow Mix Grain Free Wet Cat Food with Real Tuna and Whitefish in Sauce comes with a good amount of gravy. The tasty sauce is a great source of hydration for kitties. It is made of nutritious fish broth that kitties love.

Cons

Chunks may be a bit large. While most customers like the visible chunks of fish, a few buyers’ reviews state that the chunks of meat in the Meow Mix Grain Free Wet Cat Food with Real Tuna and Whitefish are slightly too big for their pets to chew.

Conclusion

This Wet Cat Food with Real Tuna and Whitefish in Sauce is a good-quality grain free product that is nutritious and affordable. It is made of high-quality meat that you can see. The chunks of meat are soaked in a good amount of gravy that pets cannot get enough of. It is a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and moisture.

Meow Mix Simple Servings Wet Cat Food

The Meow Mix Simple Servings Wet Cat Food are made with real meat, poultry, fish, or seafood served in yummy gravy. It is enriched with wholesome proteins and vitamins for a complete and balanced nutrition. Tender Favorites comes in 5 flavors.

Meow Mix Simple Servings with Real Tuna and Whole Shrimp in Sauce

This wet cat food combines the flavors of tuna and shrimp that are irresistible to many cats. The scent of this food alone is enough to make kitties meow with excitement. This tasty wet food has tuna, fish broth, sardines, mackerel, and shrimp as its first five ingredients. Now that’s a feast for kitties. Like all other Meow Mix variants, this product is also fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Guaranteed Analysis

Pros

Tasty flavor. With all the fish and shrimp that goes into every container, it is no wonder that cats go crazy over this wet food. Some cat parents even beg Meow Mix to never stop making this variant, as it is the only one their pets eat. Chunks of tuna, sardines, mackerel, and shrimp served in sauce made with fish broth makes for an extra flavorful meal.

Great Value. The Meow Mix Tender Favorites with Real Tuna and Whole Shrimp in Sauce is an affordable product that a lot of cats love. It is protein-packed with shrimp and different kinds of fish. Your kitties get protein, moisture, and a satisfying meal at a low price.

Cons

Too wet. A few reviews state that this Tender Favorites variant has too much water. While many customers like the amount of sauce that comes with it, some prefer to have more meat instead.

Conclusion

The Meow Mix Tender Favorites with Real Tuna and Whole Shrimp in Sauce is an overall great product for kitties. It has tons of protein from fish and shrimp served in nutritious fish broth. This tasty food is not only affordable, but also enjoyed by a lot of feline fans.

Bottomline

Based on our review of this brand's wet and dry cat foods, they are able to offer affordable products that pets enjoy. The quality of the ingredients is not exactly the highest that you can find in the market given its low cost. Ingredients such as animal digest are considered by many as substandard. The kibbles also contain artificial food color, and some variants even have corn syrup.

The price difference between Meow Mix and premium brands is quite huge. While all wet and dry variants contain meat and other sources of protein, only the Tender Favorites with Real Tuna and Whole Shrimp in Sauce lists real meat as the first ingredient among all the products we reviewed.

Chicken by-product meal and corn gluten meal are both high protein ingredients so the cats still get what they need. Most grain-free food are relatively expensive due to the high meat content without any fillers. We find that the Meow Mix Grain Free dry cat food is a good option for those who are on a budget, but requires grain-free food for their pets.

Meow Mix’s wet food variety fare better than their dry counterparts in terms of ingredient quality. It has chunks of real meat, fish, or poultry served in broth.

Is Meow Mix good for cats?

Overall, cats do love Meow Mix and many have grown up eating it since kitten-hood up to their senior years. Numerous cats have never had any issues

 from this product, while some may have had less than pleasant experiences. The same can be said of almost all other pet food brands.

It may be good enough for many finicky felines, but it might not be the right choice for meticulous cat owners, or perhaps cats who have special dietary requirements. As far as pet food is concerned, you do get what you pay for. The reality is, superior quality requires a much higher price tag.

Have Meow Mix cat foods ever been recalled?

Yes. Just this April 9, 2021 the company issued a voluntary recall for possible Salmonella contamination.

What company makes Meow Mix cat food?

Del Monte Foods. The Meow Mix Company operates from a 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m2) facility in Decatur, Alabama and produces Alley Cat brand cat food products. Originally a product of Ralston Purina, Meow Mix was divested for antitrust reasons in the early 2000s. The brand was acquired by Del Monte Foods in May, 2006.

Why is Meow Mix bad for cats?

Meow Mix isn't the best cat food you can buy. Whether wet or dry, Meow Mix cat food contains artificial ingredients, added colors, and other additives that could harm your cat over time. Their dry foods are some of the most grain-laden and carbohydrate-loaded products on the market.

Does Meow Mix make cats sick?

At first, I didn't understand why my cats were throwing up so much, but after doing a little research on Meow Mix's ingredients I realized it was their food. Meow Mix is full of corn, which is not digestible to cats and other ingredients are known to make your kitty sick.