Other Cat Food Brands

WholeHearted Logo

WholeHearted Cat Food Ingredients

According to our research, WholeHearted manufactures 42 cat food recipes using 147 unique ingredients. To evaluate the quality of ingredients used by WholeHearted, we've studied all 147 ingredients. In this article, we'll share our findings on WholeHearted ingredients.

Cat Food Recipes42
Unique Ingredients147
Artificial Colors0
Animal By-Products0
Anonymous Meats1
Controversial4
Harmful1

First 5 Ingredients

Cat food ingredients in the United States are listed in descending order of pre-cooked weight. The first 5 ingredients typically constitute a significant portion of the recipe.

For WholeHearted, these are the most common ingredients found within the first 5 cat food ingredients.

  1. chicken
  2. chicken broth
  3. pea
  4. chickpea
  5. tapioca starch

As you can see, the most common first ingredient in WholeHearted is chicken. The most common 2nd ingredient is chicken broth, followed by pea, chickpea, and tapioca starch.

Artificial Food Coloring Dyes

WholeHearted does not use any artificial food coloring dyes. According to our records, none of the 42 WholeHearted cat foods contain artificial food dyes.

Artificial food coloring dyes are unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients. In general, we not not recommend feeding any pet foods that contain artificial dyes.

In 2010, the CSPI raised serious concerns regarding the safety of many artificial dyes. Most of the studies referenced by the CSPI involved prolonged or excessive consumption. Since most cats consume the same foods throughout their lives, concerns raised by the CSPI are alarming to say the least.

To read more about Artificial Food Dyes, click here.

Animal By-Products

According to our records, WholeHearted does not contain any animal by-products.

Animal by-products are basically the leftover parts of the the carcass after its been processed for meat. AAFCO defines by-products as the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals.

Although by-products are still fairly nutritious ingredients, consumers have equated them with slaughterhouse waste. Therefore, most premium brands, including WholeHearted have decided to remove by-products and instead use named organ meats (beef liver, chicken gizzards).

For further reading on the controversy over animal by-products, click here.

Anonymous Meat Ingredients

Anonymous meats are animal-based ingredients which do not provide the source animal's name. These ingredients are controversial because they can come from almost any animal.

In addition, anonymous animal-based ingredients are very inexpensive and often the lowest quality meats that are still allowed to be used in pet food.

In general, we do not recommend feeding any products which contain anonymous meats. When in doubt, always contact the brand's customer service desk for further clarification.

Unfortunately, we've identified 1 anonymous meat ingredient used by WholeHearted.

fish
3 Recipes

Fish is typically an excellent protein and fat source. However, the specific type of fish is not mentioned and therefore we cannot discuss any specific qualities of this ingredient. In general, anonymous ingredients are low quality inclusions when compared to ingredients such as mackerel, cod, salmon, etc.

The following recipes contain fish:

Cereal Grains

For cats, we typically recommend choosing a grain-free recipe. Cats are obligate carnivores and therefore grains are not species appropriate.

According to our data, WholeHearted cat food recipes do not contain grains. In other words, all recipes are grain-free.

Please note, kibble production requires a binding agent. Grains are commonly used for this purpose in cat food. When purchasing grain-free cat food, grains are often replaced with another starchy source. This is also not ideal.

To avoid grains and other starchy additions, consider feeding wet or frozen recipes.

Controversial Ingredients

In most cases, ingredients which are given the controversial classification can be substituted with higher-quality alternatives. You should evaluate each controversial ingredient independently to see if there is truly a valid cause for concern.

Keep in mind, certain sacrifices often must be made to produce cat foods at a reasonable price. In general, the more expensive the product, the fewer controversial ingredients you'll find.

In our analysis, we've identified 4 controversial ingredients inside WholeHearted products. These controversial ingredients are listed below. Click on each ingredient for more information.

dried tomato pomace
1 Recipes

Dried tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato manufacturing. It's considered a controversial ingredient because many people believe it is an inexpensive low quality filler. However, tomato pomace provides a notable amount of dietary fiber, B vitamins, Lycopene, and vitamin A. Although it is a very inexpensive ingredient, it is not nutritionally empty.

The following recipes contain dried tomato pomace:

powdered cellulose
5 Recipes
pea protein
5 Recipes

Pea protein is produced by removing the starchy parts of peas. Pea protein is considered controversial because it provides a substantial plant based protein boost. This boost is undesirable because plant based protein is typically lower in biological value when compared to meat based proteins.

The following recipes contain pea protein:

canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
2 Recipes

Canola oil is a plant-derived oil from the seeds of canola plants. Although fat is an essential component of any diet, canola oil is controversial in pet food. Proponents claim that canola oil provides a better fat profile in comparison to other plant based oils. However, opponents claim that canola oil is typically produced with genetically modified rapeseed and that rapeseed oil has multiple adverse health affects.

The following recipes contain canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols):

Potentially Harmful Ingredients

Harmful ingredients are those which have been linked to adverse health effects. In general, we do not recommend feeding any product which contains any harmful ingredients.

There are certain situations where these ingredients may be necessary. We always recommend contacting WholeHearted for further clarification regarding any harmful or controversial ingredient.

We have identified 1 harmful ingredient used in certain WholeHearted recipes. To learn more, click on the ingredient's name.

WholeHearted Cat Food Ingredient Lists

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Cat Food
Beef & Pea Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Cat Food Beef & Pea Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef meal
pea
lentil
pea flour

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Cat Food
Chicken Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Cat Food Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
pea
chickpea
pea flour

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Cat Food
Chicken Recipe For Kittens
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Cat Food Chicken Recipe For Kittens
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
pea
chickpea
chicken fat

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Cat Food
Chicken Recipe Senior Formula For Ages 7+
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Cat Food Chicken Recipe Senior Formula For Ages 7+
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
pea
chickpea
chicken fat

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Cat Food
Salmon Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Cat Food Salmon Recipe
First Five Ingredients
salmon
salmon meal
pea
chickpea
pea flour

WholeHearted

Grain Free Dry Cat Food
Turkey Recipe
WholeHearted
Grain Free Dry Cat Food Turkey Recipe
First Five Ingredients
turkey
turkey meal
pea
chickpea
pea flour

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Easy Digestion Chicken & Egg Product Recipe For Cats
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Easy Digestion Chicken & Egg Product Recipe For Cats
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
pea
pea flour
chicken fat

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Weight Control Chicken & Pea Recipe For Cats
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Weight Control Chicken & Pea Recipe For Cats
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
pea
chickpea
powdered cellulose

WholeHearted

Limited Ingredient
Chicken Recipe For Cats
WholeHearted
Limited Ingredient Chicken Recipe For Cats
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
lentil
chickpea
chicken fat

WholeHearted

Limited Ingredient
Duck Recipe For Cats
WholeHearted
Limited Ingredient Duck Recipe For Cats
First Five Ingredients
duck
duck meal
lentil
chickpea
canola oil

WholeHearted

Limited Ingredient
Salmon Recipe For Cats
WholeHearted
Limited Ingredient Salmon Recipe For Cats
First Five Ingredients
salmon
salmon meal
lentil
chickpea
canola oil

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Beef Recipe Flaked In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Beef Recipe Flaked In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
beef broth
beef
chicken
tapioca starch
salt

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Chicken & Pumpkin Recipe Flaked In Broth
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Chicken & Pumpkin Recipe Flaked In Broth
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
water sufficient for processing
pumpkin
sunflower oil

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Chicken Recipe Flaked In Broth
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Chicken Recipe Flaked In Broth
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
water sufficient for processing
sunflower oil
tapioca starch

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Chicken Recipe Flaked In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Chicken Recipe Flaked In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
water sufficient for processing
tapioca starch
sunflower oil

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Chicken Recipe Pate Senior Formula Ages 7+
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Chicken Recipe Pate Senior Formula Ages 7+
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
chicken liver
fish
dried ground pea

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Chicken & Tuna Recipe Flaked In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Chicken & Tuna Recipe Flaked In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
chicken
tuna
tapioca starch
sunflower oil

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Salmon Recipe Pate Senior Formula Ages 7+
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Salmon Recipe Pate Senior Formula Ages 7+
First Five Ingredients
salmon
salmon broth
chicken
chicken liver
chicken broth

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Tuna Recipe Flaked In Broth
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Tuna Recipe Flaked In Broth
First Five Ingredients
tuna
tuna broth
water sufficient for processing
sunflower oil
tapioca starch

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Tuna Recipe Flaked In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Tuna Recipe Flaked In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
tuna
tuna broth
sunflower oil
tapioca starch
tricalcium phosphate

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Tuna & Shrimp Recipe Flaked In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Tuna & Shrimp Recipe Flaked In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
tuna
tuna broth
shrimp
sunflower oil
tapioca starch

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Chicken & Tuna Recipe Flaked In Broth
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Chicken & Tuna Recipe Flaked In Broth
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
water sufficient for processing
tuna
sunflower oil

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Tuna Recipe Flaked In Broth For Kittens
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Tuna Recipe Flaked In Broth For Kittens
First Five Ingredients
tuna
tuna broth
sunflower oil
chicken
tapioca starch

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Tuna Recipe Flaked In Gravy For Kittens
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Tuna Recipe Flaked In Gravy For Kittens
First Five Ingredients
tuna
tuna broth
sunflower oil
chicken
tapioca starch

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Tuna & Salmon Recipe Flaked In Gravy
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Tuna & Salmon Recipe Flaked In Gravy
First Five Ingredients
tuna
tuna broth
water sufficient for processing
salmon
tapioca starch

WholeHearted

Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Tuna & Sardine Recipe Flaked In Broth
WholeHearted
Grain Free Wet Cat Food Tuna & Sardine Recipe Flaked In Broth
First Five Ingredients
tuna
tuna broth
water sufficient for processing
sardine
sunflower oil

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Easy Digestion Chicken Recipe For Adult Cats
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Easy Digestion Chicken Recipe For Adult Cats
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
chicken liver
fish
turkey

WholeHearted

Healthy Benefits
Weight Control Chicken Recipe
WholeHearted
Healthy Benefits Weight Control Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken broth
chicken liver
turkey broth
fish

WholeHearted

Flaked Treats
Wild Tuna
WholeHearted
Flaked Treats Wild Tuna
First Five Ingredients
tuna

WholeHearted

Soft Nibbles
Chicken Flavor
WholeHearted
Soft Nibbles Chicken Flavor
First Five Ingredients
chicken
potato
oatmeal
maple syrup
vegetable glycerin

WholeHearted

Soft Nibblets
Salmon Flavor
WholeHearted
Soft Nibblets Salmon Flavor
First Five Ingredients
salmon
potato
oatmeal
maple syrup
vegetable glycerin

WholeHearted

Soft Nibbles
Turkey Flavor
WholeHearted
Soft Nibbles Turkey Flavor
First Five Ingredients
turkey
potato
oatmeal
maple syrup
vegetable glycerin

WholeHearted

Soft Nibblets
Whitefish Flavor
WholeHearted
Soft Nibblets Whitefish Flavor
First Five Ingredients
whitefish
potato
oatmeal
maple syrup
vegetable glycerin

WholeHearted

Soft-Filled Bites
Chicken Flavor
WholeHearted
Soft-Filled Bites Chicken Flavor
First Five Ingredients
chicken meal
tapioca starch
barley flour
chicken fat
rice flour

WholeHearted

Soft Center Crunchy Treats
Chicken & Liver Flavor
WholeHearted
Soft Center Crunchy Treats Chicken & Liver Flavor
First Five Ingredients
chicken meal
tapioca starch
barley flour
chicken fat
rice flour

WholeHearted

Soft-Filled Bites
Salmon Flavor
WholeHearted
Soft-Filled Bites Salmon Flavor
First Five Ingredients
chicken meal
tapioca starch
barley flour
chicken fat
rice flour

WholeHearted

Soft Center Crunchy Treats
Tuna Flavor
WholeHearted
Soft Center Crunchy Treats Tuna Flavor
First Five Ingredients
chicken meal
tapioca starch
barley flour
chicken fat
rice flour

WholeHearted

Flaked Treats
Tuna Recipe In Broth
WholeHearted
Flaked Treats Tuna Recipe In Broth
First Five Ingredients
fish broth
tuna
sunflower oil
tapioca starch
salt

WholeHearted

Shredded Treats
Chicken Recipe In Broth
WholeHearted
Shredded Treats Chicken Recipe In Broth
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
chicken
sunflower oil
tapioca starch
salt

WholeHearted

Whole Filet Treats
Chicken Filet
WholeHearted
Whole Filet Treats Chicken Filet
First Five Ingredients
chicken
water sufficient for processing
tapioca starch
salt
celery powder

WholeHearted

Whole Filet Treats
Salmon Filet
WholeHearted
Whole Filet Treats Salmon Filet
First Five Ingredients
salmon

WholeHearted

Whole Filet Treats
Tuna Filet
WholeHearted
Whole Filet Treats Tuna Filet
First Five Ingredients
tuna