Purina Fancy Feast Treats are a popular treat option for cat owners looking to spoil their feline companions. As with any pet food, it’s important to look closely at the ingredients to determine if these treats are a nutritious choice for your cat. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at Purina Fancy Feast Treats, including the pros, cons, ingredients, and how they compare to other cat treat options. Whether you’re considering trying these treats for the first time or looking for a second opinion, this guide will provide the key information you need to decide if Purina Fancy Feast Treats are a good option for your cat.
An Overview of Purina Fancy Feast Treats
Purina Fancy Feast Treats come in a variety of flavors and forms, including broths, soft treats, crunchy treats, and lickable treats. The formulas vary, but common proteins include chicken, salmon, turkey, and tuna. These treats are marketed as a way to provide your cat with a taste of the meals served in the regular Fancy Feast wet cat food line.
Here is a quick overview of the Purina Fancy Feast Treats lineup:
– Broths: Available in chicken and tuna flavors. Offer a calorie-free way for cats to enjoy a splash of flavor.
– Soft Treats: Contain 2-3 ingredients like chicken, liver, salmon. Have a soft, chewy texture.
– Crunchy Treats: Oven-baked for a crispy texture. Tend to have more plant-based ingredients.
– Lickable Treats: Creamy puree treats that are lickable right from the container. Offered in flavors like chicken and salmon.
No matter which type of treat you choose, Purina states that the recipes start with high-protein ingredients as the #1 ingredient. They contain no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Pros of Purina Fancy Feast Treats
There are some advantages to choosing Purina Fancy Feast Treats for your cat:
– High-protein recipes: Protein is crucial for cats, and these treats have protein-rich ingredients like chicken, salmon, and liver as the first component. This helps them support lean muscle maintenance.
– Multiple flavor options: With choices like chicken, salmon, tuna, turkey, and more, you can provide your cat with variety. This is important, as cats tend to become bored with the same flavors.
– Soft and crunchy textures available: Depending on your cat’s preferences, you can choose treats with a chewy texture or a crispy, oven-baked crunch. Texture is an important factor for feline palates.
– Broths provide calorie-free flavor: The Fancy Feast broths allow cats to enjoy a splash of taste without any additional calories. This makes them a good choice if you need to limit treats.
– Affordably priced: Purina Fancy Feast Treats offer an easy way to give high-quality treats without breaking the bank. Pricing is on par with many other popular cat treat brands.
– Trusted Purina brand: As one of the largest pet food manufacturers, Purina has a reputation for quality and safety standards. Many cat owners trust the brand to provide good nutrition.
Potential Cons of Purina Fancy Feast Treats
However, there are also some downsides to consider with Purina Fancy Feast Treats:
– Contain vegetable proteins and fillers: While animal proteins are at the top of the ingredients list, these treats also contain plant proteins like wheat gluten and corn gluten meal fairly high up. They act more like fillers than high-quality nutrition.
– High in carbohydrates: The crunchy treats in particular can be high in carbohydrates from ingredients like wheat flour. Cats generally don’t require carbs in the diet.
– May be high in calories: Unless you choose the broths, these treats provide extra calories. This can contribute to weight gain if overfed. Need to limit treats for some cats.
– Could cause allergies: Some key ingredients like chicken and wheat are common feline allergens. May cause issues for cats with food sensitivities.
– Contains artificial preservatives: While Purina states there are no artificial colors or flavors, some preservatives like BHA and BHT are present. These worry some pet owners.
– Too small for large cats: The crunchy treats are very petite in size. Larger cats may find them frustrating. Could potentially pose a choking risk.
Overall, while these treats offer protein-focused nutrition, the vegetable fillers, carbs and preservatives are significant drawbacks for some cat owners seeking optimal nutrition from treats. Need to feed carefully and limit intake.
Ingredient Analysis of Purina Fancy Feast Treats
To gain a deeper understanding of these treats, let’s take a closer look at some key ingredients found in Purina’s Fancy Feast Treats:
Chicken: This is a lean, high-quality protein source that delivers essential amino acids cats need. An excellent ingredient that provides protein and flavor cats crave.
Salmon: Another healthy protein choice that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids for skin and coat health. Most cats enjoy the flavor.
Liver: An organ meat that provides important nutrients like vitamin A and iron. Also contains a very enticing natural flavor for felines.
Wheat gluten: A plant-based protein that helps bind food but provides less nutrition than meat proteins. Can trigger food allergies in some cats.
Corn gluten meal: Another inferior plant-based protein that mostly acts as a filler ingredient. Offers minimal nutritional value.
BHA/BHT: Preservatives that prevent rancidity but are controversial due to potential health risks. Not allowed in human foods.
When examining the ingredients in Purina’s Fancy Feast Treats line, it’s clear that while some great protein sources are present, lower-quality plant proteins and controversial preservatives are also used frequently. This may be a concern for owners who want to minimize these types of ingredients.
Calorie and Macronutrient Breakdown
The calorie and macronutrient content can vary greatly across the wide range of Fancy Feast Treat products. Here is an overview of the nutritional breakdown for a few popular treats:
Fancy Feast Grilled Crunchy Treats with Chicken & Turkey
– Calories: 4 kcal per treat
– Protein: 0.5g per treat
– Fat: 0.1g per treat
– Carbs: 0.4g per treat
Fancy Feast Puree with Salmon
– Calories: 1.5 kcal per 0.5 oz serving
– Protein: 0.13g per 0.5 oz
– Fat: 0.03g per 0.5 oz
– Carbs: 0.23g per 0.5 oz
Fancy Feast Broths with Chicken
– Calories: 0 kcal per pouch
– Protein: 0g per pouch
– Fat: 0g per pouch
– Carbs: 0g per pouch
As shown, calorie, protein, fat and carb content varies significantly based on the specific product. In general, the crunchy treats tend to be higher in carbs while the broths are lowest in calories. Compare options to pick treats aligned with your cat’s needs.
How Purina Fancy Feast Treats Compare to Other Brands
Purina Fancy Feast Treats compete in a crowded cat treat market with many other popular brands. Here is how they stack up against two top competitors:
Vs. TEMPTATIONS Treats
– Both have crunchy and soft texture options.
– TEMPTATIONS has more total flavor variety.
– TEMPTATIONS uses more artificial colors and flavors.
– Fancy Feast has higher-protein recipes.
– TEMPTATIONS is more affordable.
Vs. Greenies Dental Treats
– Greenies are exclusively crunchy treats.
– Greenies promote dental health.
– Fancy Feast offers more flavor choices.
– Greenies contains fewer grains and carbs.
– Fancy Feast Broths provide calorie-free flavor.
– Greenies costs significantly more.
When compared to other leading treats, Purina Fancy Feast holds its own in terms of providing plenty of popular protein-based flavors and different treat formats cats enjoy. However, some competing brands edge them out in areas like dental health benefits, minimizing artificial additives, or reducing carbs and fillers.
Customer Reviews
Overall, Purina Fancy Feast Treats receive fairly positive reviews, with most cats enjoying the taste and pet parents appreciating the convenience. Here are some common themes from customer ratings:
Positive feedback
– Cats love the flavors, especially salmon, chicken and tuna
– Soft treats have a palatable texture for picky cats
– Broths provide odor and flavor cats go crazy for
– Affordable for everyday treating
– No mess compared to refrigerated raw treats
– Convenient dispensers and packaging
Critical feedback
– Crunchy treats are very tiny
– Questionable preservatives worry some owners
– Cats may tire of flavors quickly
– Too high in carbs for some felines
– Occasional quality control issues
– Strong food dye smell in some formulas
Based on customer reviews, it appears most cats enjoy these treats and eat them readily. However, some ingredients and attributes leave a bit to be desired for discerning cat owners seeking optimal nutrition and minimal additives in treats.
Are Purina Fancy Feast Treats a Healthy Choice?
When determining if these treats are a good choice for your cat, here are some key factors to consider:
Benefits
– Deliver exciting flavors cats crave
– Offer variety of textures
– Provide quick bursts of energy
– Can encourage picky cats to eat
– Trusted brand with rigorous standards
Downsides
– Contain artificial preservatives
– Use plant protein fillers
– Often high in carbohydrates
– May trigger allergies in some cats
– Easy to overfeed leading to weight gain
Overall, Purina Fancy Feast Treats can be an acceptable choice as an occasional treat for healthy cats. The protein-focused ingredients provide decent nutrition, and picky cats tend to find the flavors and textures irresistible.
However, they shouldn’t constitute a large portion of your cat’s diet due to some of the questionable additives used. Limit to only a treat-sized amount on occasion for optimal health. Also avoid overfeeding, as even healthy treats add extra calories.
For cats with food sensitivities or allergies, be cautious and check all ingredients carefully before feeding. Only purchase treats made in facilities free of their allergen triggers.
Best Practices When Feeding Purina Fancy Feast Treats
If you do choose to incorporate Purina Fancy Feast Treats into your cat’s diet, follow these tips to use them safely:
– Read labels closely to avoid ingredients your cat is allergic to
– Stick to the recommended daily serving sizes
– Use treats sparingly, not as meal replacements
– Store treats properly to maintain freshness
– Watch your cat’s weight and adjust as needed
– Provide variety between treat flavors and textures
– Avoid giving treats too close to mealtimes
– Supervise your cat when eating to prevent choking
– Discontinue use if you observe any adverse reactions
Following these best practices will allow you to use these treats as an occasional extra while still prioritizing your cat’s regular balanced diet. Moderation and proper storage are key to keeping Purina Fancy Feast Treats safe and healthy.
Conclusion
Purina Fancy Feast Treats can offer tasty variety and high-protein nutrition when used occasionally and in moderation. However, the vegetable fillers, carbs, and preservatives may be concerning for owners seeking wholesome, natural nutrition in cat treats. While these drawbacks don’t necessarily make them a bad choice, they may not be the optimal nutritional option compared to other treats with fewer additives and higher quality ingredients.
As with any pet food, your individual cat’s needs should drive your decision most. For healthy cats that tolerate the ingredients well, Purina Fancy Feast Treats can be a fine choice for an infrequent treat. But cats with sensitivities or allergies may do better with a more strictly protein-based treat with fewer extras. Check all ingredients and feeding guidance carefully before making these treats a regular reward.