Review Summary
We give Wysong cat food a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Introduction
Wysong was founded in 1979 by Dr. Wysong and is a manufacturer of so-called holistic pet food. It claims that all its food has been developed, designed, and produced by in-house doctorate-level nutritionists and that all of its food is manufactured in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. It makes dry food for cats and dogs, as well as supplemental wet cat food that can be fed to cats, dogs, or ferrets. It also manufactures horse feed.
Although the ingredients in Wysong cat food are generally high quality, some of the food lines do contain controversial ingredients, like garlic, which is considered toxic for cats. There are also reports of the food being too rich and that it causes diarrhea and vomiting in some animals. The company says that this is normal when changing diets, especially to something rich and high in protein.
We take a closer look at the company and the foods that it manufactures and supplies, with reviews of its most popular lines, and investigate the ingredients to see whether this holistic food is all that it claims to be.
At a Glance: The Best Wysong Cat Food Recipes
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Our Favorite
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Wysong Uretic Dry Cat Food |
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Wysong Epigen 90 Starch-Free Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog & Cat Food |
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Wysong Vegan Dry Dog & Cat Food |
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Wysong Uretic With Organic Chicken Canned Cat Food |
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Wysong Optimal Vitality Dry Cat Food |
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Wysong Cat Food Reviewed
Wysong Cat Food is billed as being holistic cat food. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they must eat meat-based proteins to be healthy and satisfied. In the wild, they would typically eat small rodents like rats, mice, and rabbits and some birds. However, they would hunt and kill any animal to get their fill, and they would not consume vegetables or fruit, except for the last meal of their own prey. Part of the reason for this is that while dogs have genes that enable them to break down and digest starch, cats do not have these genes, so they are unable to absorb the nutritional benefits of vegetables.
Despite this, most commercial cat food, especially dry food, is made up of starchy ingredients and has too many vegetable and other non-meat ingredients.
Because cats are obligate carnivores, they would also eat the whole animal in the wild. They would eat every limb of their prey and even the feathers or fur, and it would provide benefit to the cat. Wysong Cat Food aims to replicate as much of this natural diet as possible. It is primarily made of meat ingredients, although it does contain vegetables and other ingredients that are used to provide supplementary vitamins and minerals. Certain foods in the range are made of 50% fresh or frozen and dried meats and organs.
Who Makes Wysong Cat Food and Where Is It Produced?
Wysong is a U.S. company based in Midland, Michigan. Its foods are developed in-house, with dry foods manufactured in Wisconsin and supplements in their Midland base. Its canned wet foods are made by Evanger’s in the U.S. Ingredients are sourced from all over the world, including Europe and Australia, and some of the amino acids used in their foods are sourced from China. Chinese minerals are widely used across the pet food industry, so Wysong is not alone in this respect.
Which Types of Cats Is Wysong Best Suited For?
Wysong has a wide range of different cat foods, including those that are specifically formulated to be starch-free and those that are classed as vegan.
Specialist meals include the uretic range, which is designed for cats with urinary problems and urological issues. This food contains tons of meat content and a selection of vitamins and minerals that are added to improve a cat’s urinary health.
Cat foods are available that are suitable for all stages of life, so you can feed Wysong to kittens and seniors.
Which Types of Cats Might Do Better With a Different Brand?
Although there are various Wysong recipes to choose from, the food has a reputation for being very rich and has been known to cause vomiting and diarrhea in some cats. The company itself says that this is typical when changing a cat’s diet, especially when moving to a protein-rich diet. However, if your cat has a sensitive stomach and struggles with high-protein foods, you should consider a different brand and different food.
Blue Buffalo is a widely regarded and popular cat food. Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Chicken Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food is designed for cats that struggle with rich foods, and it contains LifeSource Bits, which are vitamin and mineral-rich supplements that replicate some of the ingredients that might otherwise be missing from your cat’s diet.
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients
Whether you are feeding dry, wet, or a combination of both foods, you need to ensure the quality of the ingredients. Many commercial cat foods are starchy, grain-filled foods that offer only minimal quality and plenty of filler.
- Grains: Many Wysong foods, especially dry foods, contain grains. Cats would eat little or no grain in the wild. When it is used in cat food, the protein derived from these ingredients is included in the total protein measurement. This is less beneficial for your cat than meat-based protein. What’s more, some cats may have grain sensitivities or intolerance, although this is certainly not the case with all cats. Wysong does offer a grain-free recipe.
- Non-specific Meat: Most Wysong foods contain clearly listed meats and meat ingredients, but some contain “fish meal.” Although meal is considered fine, the fact that the type of fish is not listed means that it could be any species.
- Garlic: Some of the foods contain garlic, which is considered a controversial ingredient. Some people believe that it is fine in small quantities, beneficial, even. However, it is known to be toxic in large quantities, and some studies indicate that it causes damage on a cellular level. If you do not wish to feed your cat garlic, check the ingredients and avoid any food with garlic listed.
95% Meat
Wysong aims to provide cats with a diet that is much closer to what they would normally eat in the wild, where the vast majority of their diet would be meat. Most of the top ingredients in food from this company are meat and meat types. Chicken meal, chicken, and turkey meal are the three most commonly found ingredients.
Protein-Rich Food
There has been controversy surrounding the high-protein, rich foods that Wysong makes.
Many owners have reported that their cats get sick after trying the food. Wysong counters that this is typical when moving a cat to any new diet, especially if it is richer than they are used to. This is true and gradual replacement should prevent this, but even when using this technique, some owners have found that the food is just too rich for their cats.
Want to see more cat food reviews? Check out our review page here!
A Quick Look at Wysong Cat Food
- Products include starch-free and grain-free recipes
- Manufactured in the U.S.A.
- Reasonable price
- Most recipes include meat as top ingredients
- Very rich
- Still contains concentrated plant proteins
Recall History
Wysong has been manufacturing cat and dog food for 40 years and has had one recall in this time. In 2009, some Wysong dry food was recalled because it was found to have very high moisture levels, which caused mold growth in some of the food. There have been no other reports of Wysong food being recalled.
Reviews of the 3 Best Wysong Cat Food Recipes
Wysong Epigen Starch-Free Cat Food
Starch is considered a poor-quality cat food ingredient because it replaces nutritional protein and is more difficult to digest. Wysong Epigen Starch-Free Cat Food is completely starch-free, designed to closely match the diet of cats in the wild. It claims to have 63% protein and 16% fat, which is a rich percentage that your cat may not be accustomed to. Primary ingredients include chicken meal, organic chicken, and meat protein isolate. While these meats are considered breed appropriate, the other ingredients, including vegetables and fruits, are less so.
Calorie Breakdown:
- Starch free
- Primarily meat content
- Manufactured in the U.S.
- Fruit and vegetable ingredients are not breed-appropriate
Wysong Uretic Dry Cat Food
Wysong Uretic Dry Cat Food has been manufactured with the primary ingredients of chicken, chicken meal, and chicken fat. Other ingredients include potato protein, which is starchy, and brown rice, which is considered an unnecessary ingredient that is not species-appropriate for cats.
This formula has a slightly lower, but still higher than average, 42% protein and 15% fat rating. The high levels of fresh and frozen meat, along with the specially selected ingredients, are beneficial for cats with uretic system complaints.
Calorie Breakdown:
- Primary ingredients are meat-based
- Contains prebiotics and probiotics
- May help treat urinary conditions
- Not all ingredients are species-appropriate
Wysong Optimal Vitality Dry Cat Food
Wysong Optimal Vitality Dry Cat Food is 50% protein, and its primary ingredients are chicken meal, organic chicken, and turkey meal, although these are followed by pea protein and potato protein. The formula also includes nutraceuticals, which are food derivatives with claimed health benefits.
Calorie Breakdown:
- Primary ingredients are meat
- Contains probiotics and prebiotics
- Competitive price
- Quite rich
What Other Users Are Saying
Here’s what others are saying about Wysong pet foods:
- AllAboutCats: “A solid and respectable brand in the cat food industry, but it’s not the best.”
- CatPet Club: “Wysong is a decent pick for cats with diabetes or a sensitive urinary system.”
- Amazon: Check what other cat owners and Wysong buyers have said about the food on Amazon here.
Conclusion
Wysong cat food is designed to more closely mimic the diet of cats in the wild. As such, it has high protein levels and consists primarily of meat and meat ingredients, although it does contain a few ingredients that might be considered inappropriate for the breed.
It does have a good selection of food, most of which is competitively priced, including a starch-free formula, which is unusual in the cat food industry. All in all, Wysong can be considered a beneficial cat food, but your cat may find the protein-rich ingredients hard on their stomach, so you will have to introduce them to the new food gradually, and you may have to reconsider a different brand if Wysong causes diarrhea or vomiting in your feline friend.
