Cesar vs. Merrick
In this comparison article for Cesar vs Merrick, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Cesar and Merrick, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.
Throughout this Merrick vs Cesar comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Cesar Review Page or Merrick Review Page.
Guaranteed Analysis: Merrick vs. Cesar
According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.
All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.
Cesar Dog Food vs. Merrick Dog Food
| Dry Dog Food | Cesar | Merrick |
| Crude Protein | 29.5% | 37.2% |
| Crude Fat | 14.8% | 17.0% |
| Crude Fiber | 5.1% | 4.3% |
| Wet/Canned Dog Food | Cesar | Merrick |
| Crude Protein | 45.6% | 43.8% |
| Crude Fat | 21.2% | 20.9% |
| Crude Fiber | 5.6% | 8.6% |
Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food
Protein is an extremely important part of your dog's diet. Without sufficient protein, dogs can develop a wide-range of serious health problems.
Cesar dry recipes contain 7.67% less protein than Merrick dry recipes. This difference in protein content is a notable difference between Merrick and Cesar. For wet dog foods, Cesar and Merrick provide roughly the same amount of protein.
Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food
Dietary fats serves a multitude of roles in the proper development and function of our canine companions. Here are some of the benefits (not exhaustive):
- Help produce prostaglandins, which reduce inflammation among other critical functions.
- Aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
- Improve skin and coat health
- Improve the palatially of your dog's food
According to our average data, Cesar typically provides less fat than Merrick. However, this difference is relatively small and doesn't represent a significant difference between the two brands. For wet dog foods, Cesar and Merrick provide roughly the same amount of fat.
Both brands provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber. For wet dog foods, Merrick typically provides a little more fiber (about 3.03% more).
Cesar Pet Food Ingredients vs. Merrick Pet Food Ingredients
Cesar and Merrick both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Cesar.
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Merrick.
We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.
Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Cesar.
Product Safety: Recall History of Cesar & Merrick?
Cesar has been recalled once.
- Oct. 7, 2016: small pieces of plastic
Merrick has been recalled 6 times.
- Jan. 28, 2011: Salmonella
- Aug. 8, 2011: Salmonella
- July 2, 2010: Salmonella
- Aug. 3, 2010: Salmonella
- Aug. 13, 2010: Salmonella
- May 23, 2018: elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone
Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?
| Dry Dog Food | Cesar | Merrick |
| Per Pound | $1.74 | $4.84 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0011 | $0.0028 |
| Wet Dog Food | Cesar | Merrick |
| Per Pound | $3.61 | $4.63 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0083 | $0.0106 |
The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.
If you'd like to calculate the average cost-per-day or cost-pet-year of feeding Cesar or Merrick, input your pet's weight into our cost analyzer widget.
Averages price data can identify whether or not there exists a significant price difference between two brands. However, the actual price that you'll pay for Cesar or Merrick will depend on your shopping habits.
Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Cesar and Merrick. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.
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Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!
Where To Buy Cesar Pet Foods
You can purchase Cesar pet foods from the following stores:
Where To Buy Merrick Pet Foods
You can purchase Merrick pet food products from these retailers:
Type Of Pet Foods Available
| Product | Cesar | Merrick |
| Dry Dog Food | 3 Recipes | 38 Recipes |
| Wet Dog Food | 41 Recipes | 51 Recipes |
| Dog Treats | 8 Treats | 29 Treats |
| Dry Cat Food | 17 Recipes | |
| Wet Cat Food | 45 Recipes | |
| Cat Treats |
