PetPal Gear Score

How cleanly the recipe limits its animal-protein sources. We also weigh whether that protein is genuinely novel for most cats. Rabbit, duck, and venison are uncommon. Chicken, beef, and fish are common triggers. The Mueller review names beef, fish, and chicken as the top reported cat allergens. One named protein with no hidden meat meals scores highest. Fewer and less familiar proteins shrink the field of possible triggers. That is why the duck and rabbit picks lead and the chicken and salmon picks rank lower.

The length and honesty of the full ingredient deck beyond protein. We look for one clearly named carbohydrate. We want no corn, wheat, soy, or artificial colors. We check for a real AAFCO complete-and-balanced statement. Shorter, fully disclosed labels score higher. A shorter list means fewer co-ingredients that could provoke or confuse a sensitive cat.

The functional extras that help the cats sending owners shopping. Those are the cats with loose stool, vomiting, or itchy skin. We reward guaranteed live probiotics or prebiotic fiber. We reward an omega balance for coat and high digestibility. We weight published maker data and vet-nutrition coverage over marketing. We also treat wet formats kindly for the water they add to urinary-prone cats.

Whether the food is genuinely buyable over the counter on Amazon, not prescription-gated. We judge price per pound across bag sizes. We reward formats finicky cats will actually eat. We reward a stable, widely stocked product line. Prescription hydrolyzed diets are left out of this score. We cover them separately as vet-directed options.