Sheba Cat Food Reviews
This recipe is a top one in the Sheba cat food Perfect Portions series. Whitefish is a primary source of protein here, and it doesn’t contain any grains or starches. Besides whitefish and tuna, ingredients include chicken (liver and broth). What’s good about this recipe? It’s meat-based, high in protein, and low in carbohydrate. Here are the ingredients I like:
- Chicken – one of the most common ingredients in cat food; it includes meat, bones, and chicken’s insides.
- Chicken broth – it contains many nutrients, which can be a great alternative to water.
- Whitefish – this is fish with relatively lesser fatty contents, rich in omega-6 fatty acids for your cat’s healthy skin and fur.
- Tuna – one of the best protein sources for a cat, with vitamins to support metabolism.
Please note that whitefish in the recipe is not about any specific species. This term includes fish such as haddock, pollack, cod, hake, and other fish with fins. It’s yummy, but a cat doesn’t get enough protein from such fish alone. Serve it for occasional feeding, and treat your feline with other recipes as well. What’s controversial about this recipe?
- Poultry liver – while it’s fine to feed from time to time, this ingredient may be toxic to a cat’s health if fed daily.
- Guar gum – a binder used in most of the cat food. It’s unnatural for felines to eat, but it’s still safe for health. Also, guar gum interferes with protein absorption a bit.
- Added color – this vaguely-named ingredient is artificial and may refer to any FDA-approved dye.
The recipe contains natural flavor, an additive made from hydrolyzed animal tissue. It makes the cat food smell more delicious. How to feed: For a 5-pound cat, 3 servings of Delicate Whitefish & Tuna twice daily is enough. If you feed a kitten, use up to 5 servings twice a day. If your cat is pregnant or nursing, feed 2-3 times her normal amount.
- Calories: 32 kcal ME/serving
- Size: 1.3 oz / 37.5 g
This Sheba wet cat food recipe is rich in protein because it’s primarily made from animal protein sources. Also, there’s fish oil in it, giving your cat omega-3 fatty acids. What’s good about this recipe? Top three ingredients:
- Chicken – one of the most common ingredients in cat food; it includes meat, bones, and chicken’s insides.
- Chicken broth – it contains many nutrients, which can be a great alternative to water.
- Chicken liver – while it’s fine to feed from time to time, most cat owners remain wary of this ingredient: it may be toxic for health if fed too often.
What’s controversial about this recipe?
- Poultry by-products – while it’s fine to feed from time to time, this ingredient may be toxic to a cat’s health if fed daily.
- Meat by-products – another sticky component in the recipe. The problem is, pet owners don’t know whose meat and what by-products are there exactly.
- Tapioca starch – it’s a binder used to thicken the gravy. It’s unnatural for felines to eat, and it interferes with protein absorption a bit, but it’s still safe for health.
- Added color – this vaguely-named ingredient is artificial and may refer to any FDA-approved dye.
How to feed: For an adult cat, feed 3 portions per 5 pounds of her weight twice a day. If you have a kitten, give her up to 5 portions twice daily. For a pregnant or nursing cat, use 2-3 times her normal amount.
- Calories: 32 kcal ME/serving
- Size: 1.3 oz / 37.5 g
Turkey is a primary source of protein here. Together with chicken, it makes this Sheba wet cat food digestible. What’s good about this recipe? Top ingredients:
- Turkey broth – it contains many nutrients, which can be a great alternative to water.
- Turkey – including meat, bones, and turkey insides.
- Chicken – one of the most common ingredients in cat food, it includes meat, bones, and chicken’s insides.
- Chicken liver – while it’s fine to feed from time to time, it may be toxic for health if given extensively.
What’s controversial about this recipe?
- Meat by-products – another sticky component in the recipe, because you don’t know whose meat and what by-products are there exactly.
- Tapioca starch – it’s a binder used to thicken the gravy. Unnatural for felines to eat and interfering with protein absorption a bit, it’s still safe for health.
- Poultry by-products – while it’s fine to feed from time to time, this ingredient may be toxic to a cat’s health if fed daily.
- Added color – this vaguely-named ingredient is artificial and may refer to any FDA-approved dye.
How to feed: Feed your cat 3 portions twice daily, given that she is 5-pound. If you have a kitten, give her up to 5 portions twice a day. For pregnant and nursing cats, make sure to feed 2-3 times their normal amount.
- Calories: 32 kcal ME/serving
- Size: 1.3 oz / 37.5 g
Both chicken and beef make this recipe highly digestible for a cat. And while cats don’t need vegetables on a regular basis, carrots and beans here will be a great addition to break the monotony of your feline’s diet. What’s good about this recipe?
- Chicken – one of the most common ingredients in cat food; it includes meat, bones, and chicken’s insides.
- Chicken broth – it contains many nutrients, which can be a great alternative to water.
- Chicken liver – it’s fine to feed from time to time, though it may be toxic for health if fed extensively.
- Beef – rich in animal protein, it’s good for a cat’s muscles and energy.
- Vegetables – carrots and green beans, in particular.
While cats are carnivores, not omnivores like humans or dogs, it’s fine to feed them with vegetables if you want to replace high-calorie treats with something fresh. These are steamed vegetables for a cat to eat: broccoli, green beans, asparagus, and squash. It’s also fine to feed cats with carrots, spinach, and celery. What’s controversial about this recipe?
- Meat by-products – the problem is, pet owners don’t know whose meat and what by-products are there exactly.
- Tapioca starch – it’s a binder used to thicken the gravy. Unnatural for felines to eat, it’s still safe for health.
- Added color – this is an artificial ingredient, and it may refer to any FDA-approved dye.
How to feed: Your adult cat of 6 pounds needs 4 servings daily. Kittens need up to 7 servings of this food daily. As for pregnant or nursing cats, give them 2-3 times their normal amount.
- Calories: 37 kcal ME/serving
- Size: 1.3 oz / 37.5 g
With salmon as a primary source of protein, this recipe is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, delicious and super useful for your cat’s health and (who knows?) mood. What’s good about this recipe?
- Chicken – one of the most common ingredients in cat food; it includes meat, bones, and chicken’s insides.
- Chicken broth – it contains nutrients, which can be a great alternative to water.
- Chicken liver – it’s fine to feed from time to time, but may be toxic for health if fed extensively.
- Salmon – rich in animal protein and omega-3 fatty acids, it’s good for a cat’s muscles and energy.
- Vegetables – carrots and green beans are here.
What’s controversial about this recipe?
- Meat by-products – another sticky component because pet owners don’t know whose meat and what by-products are there exactly.
- Tapioca starch – it’s a binder used to thicken the gravy. It’s unnatural for felines to eat but still safe for their health.
- Added color – it’s an artificial component, and it may refer to any FDA-approved dye.
How to feed: 4 servings daily for your 5-pound adult cat. Give about 8 servings daily to a kitten, and 2-3 times their normal amount for pregnant and nursing cats.
- Calories: 32 kcal ME/serving.
- Size: 1.3 oz / 37.5 g
This one is from the Sheba pate cat food series, with beef as a primary protein source for a cat’s energy, strong heart, and vision. Made from beef in meat broth, it contains a mix of other meats and by-products. What’s good about this recipe?
- Beef – rich in animal protein, it’s good for a cat’s muscles.
- Chicken – one of the most common ingredients in cat food; it includes meat, bones, and chicken’s insides.
- Chicken broth – it contains many nutrients, which can be a great alternative to water.
Like all other cat food from Sheba, this one contains natural flavor to make it smell more delicious. What’s controversial about this recipe?
- Poultry liver – while it’s fine to feed from time to time, this ingredient may be toxic to a cat’s health if fed daily.
- Guar gum – it’s a binder used in most of the cat food. Unnatural for felines to eat, but it’s still safe for health. Also, guar gum interferes with protein absorption a bit.
- Added color – an artificial component that may refer to any FDA-approved dye.
- Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex – it’s a synthetic version of vitamin K, which is toxic to a cat in large numbers.
With so many types of meat, vaguely-named by-products, and nameless proteins in ingredients, this recipe may be risky for cats who have allergies or food sensitivities. How to feed: Adult cats need 3-4 servings daily (per 5 pounds of their body weight), and kittens will be happy to have 4-7 servings daily. Feed pregnant and nursing cats 2-3 times their normal ration.
- Calories: 40 kcal ME/serving
- Size: 1.3 oz / 37.5 g
This Sheba pate cat food is full of chicken meat and insides to support your cat’s lean muscles. What’s good about this recipe?
- Chicken – one of the most common ingredients in cat food, it includes meat, bones, and chicken’s insides.
- Chicken broth – it contains many nutrients, which can be a great alternative to water.
What’s also good about this Sheba canned cat food is that it contains fish oil, giving omega-3 fatty acids for your cat’s strong teeth and bones. What’s controversial about this recipe?
- Poultry liver – it’s fine to feed from time to time, but it may be toxic to a cat’s health if fed daily. Considered a by-product, it’s still not easy to avoid in cat food.
- Guar gum – it’s a binder used in most of the cat food. It’s safe for health but interferes with protein absorption a bit.
- Added color – this vaguely-named ingredient is artificial and may refer to any FDA-approved dye.
- Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex – it’s a synthetic version of vitamin K, which is toxic to a cat if in large numbers.
How to feed: Adult cats of 5 pounds body weight will eat 3-4 servings per day. Kittens ask for 4-7 servings daily. If your cat is pregnant or nursing, make sure she eats 2-3 times their normal amount.
- Calories: 41 kcal ME/serving
- Size: 1.3 oz / 37.5 g
With whitefish as the main component, this Sheba canned cat food is rich in omega-6 fatty acids for your cat’s healthy skin and fur. What’s good about this recipe?
- Chicken – it includes meat, bones, and chicken’s insides.
- Chicken broth – it contains many nutrients, which can be a great alternative to water.
- Whitefish – this is fish with relatively lesser fatty contents. It may include species such as haddock, pollack, cod, hake, and other fish with fins.
What’s controversial about this recipe?
- Poultry liver – considered a by-product, it may be toxic to a cat if fed extensively.
- Guar gum – it’s a binder, safe for health but interfering with protein absorption a bit.
- Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex – it’s a synthetic version of vitamin K, which is toxic to a cat if in large numbers.
How to feed: Give your adult 5-pound cat 3-4 servings of Signature Seafood daily. For kittens, consider 4-7 servings daily. Pregnant and nursing felines need 2-3 times their usual amount.
- Calories: 38 kcal ME/serving
- Size: 1.3 oz / 37.5 g
Is Sheba Food Good-Quality?
Most Sheba cat food reviews agree that it’s not ideal but relatively good for felines. I consider it one of the best brands in its budget segment.
Unlike some other cat food manufacturers, Sheba doesn’t hide the origins of their ingredients. So even with by-products and other controversial elements in recipes, the manufacturer gives you freedom of choice to decide if you are ready to feed a cat with them.
Many pet owners ask if Sheba contains taurine. Based on the information from the official website, most Sheba recipes include this ingredient. Your cat needs taurine in order to stay healthy.
Taurine is a type of amino acid that can be exclusively found in animal-based proteins and is critical for a cat’s normal vision, muscle function, digestion, and overall immune system.
About Sheba Company
Sheba is a product of Mars, Inc., an American global manufacturer of pet food and a provider of animal care services. The world knows this company for products such as Whiskas, Pedigree, Royal Canin, Iams, Eukanuba, and others.
With headquarters in McLean, Virginia, Mars, Inc. has manufacturing facilities all over the United States.
Thus, the Sheba cat food Perfect Portions line is made in the USA; Signature Broths line is from Thailand; as for Meaty Tender Sticks, their manufacturing is in Austria. For all that, most of the ingredients for Sheba cat food are from North America.
Despite many positive reviews of Sheba wet cat food on unbiased sources, none calls Sheba the best and only choice for your cat to eat. As well as any other manufacturer, the food has questionable ingredients inside but is yet of relatively high quality to add to your feline’s ration.
Types of Sheba Cat Food
Sheba wet cat food offers three lines of their products.
- Perfect Portions. This one is a primary line, with three types of food inside: Premium Pates, Cuts in Gravy, and Garden Medleys. Thanks to Sheba’s focus on wet food, all the recipes in the line are meat-heavy, include minimal starches, and have next to none plant ingredients. Packaged in plastic twin-pack trays, Perfect Portions recipes go in two servings and, therefore, may be more expensive than other Sheba canned cat food.
- Meaty Tender Sticks. This line offers meat-based treats for cats, available in three recipes: chicken, salmon, and tuna. Each treat has 5 sticks inside, and the manufacturer recommends you to give one stick per day to a cat.
- Signature Broths. With 9 different recipes inside, this product line features them in creamy or clear broths. Available both separately and in multi-packs, with 12 single servings inside. Feed it as a treat, one pouch per day.
What Are the Ingredients in Sheba Cat Food?
Most pet owners wonder how much meat is in Sheba wet cat food (if any). Given that Sheba manufactures 30+ different products, promising to introduce a unique set of ingredients for each recipe so it would have enough components for a cat, the meat should be present somewhere, right?
Top five ingredients in Sheba’s recipes are as follows:
- Chicken broth.
- Tuna.
- Chicken.
- Chicken liver.
- Meat by-products.
As we know, cat food recipes list ingredients in descending order, with the first five constituting a significant portion of a recipe. With that in mind, it seems that Sheba is quite meaty to satisfy your feline’s taste.
And yet, some ingredients in Sheba recipes may leave you asking questions. Most of them contain animal by-products, which is not that healthy for a cat to eat. Also, some contain artificial food coloring dyes: classified as GRAS (which means “safe”) by the FDA, it’s still worth avoiding them in a cat’s diet whenever possible.
Animal by-products in Sheba cat food:
- Meat by-products: found in 22 recipes.
- Poultry by-products: found in 18 recipes.
- Tuna, salmon, and whitefish by-products: found in 1 recipe each.
AAFCO defines by-products as “non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat” of slaughtered mammals. In other words, it’s something we wouldn’t eat: blood, lungs, intestine, skin, etc. It’s up to you to decide whether your cat needs such ingredients in her diet. The only recommendation: choose recipes specifying what exact by-products are inside.
The thing is, many recipes of Sheba wet cat food contain so-called anonymous meat ingredients. They don’t specify them but use general definitions such as “meat by-products,” “poultry by-products,” or “animal plasma.” It means that nobody knows what exact animal ingredients they used.
I would recommend you to choose Sheba cat food recipes specifying the names of organ ingredients: chicken liver, tuna heart, etc.
Sheba cat food doesn’t contain grain, which is good for your cat who’s a carnivore. So, for so long as you choose recipes with no controversial ingredients (unknown by-products) or potentially harmful ingredients (added color or synthetic vitamins), there’s no need to worry about your feline’s well-being.
The ingredient in Sheba wet cat food to avoid: menadione sodium bisulfite complex (found in 22 recipes). It’s a synthetic version of vitamin K, and it’s toxic to a cat’s liver, kidneys, and lungs when taken in large numbers.
Long story short, Sheba cat food 70+ different ingredients in recipes, with only a few controversial:
- 5 of which are ingredients of animal by-products;
- 3 of which are anonymous meat ingredients;
- and 2 of which are harmful ingredients (added color and synthetic vitamin K).
Has Sheba Cat Food Been Recalled?
As a responsible cat owner, feel free to check the Petful.com website for the most complete and regularly updated list of cat food recalls.
As for December 2019, there were no recalls of Sheba cat food on the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) database.
Back in 2011, the manufacturer stopped selling Sheba food in the United States, explaining this decision by economic factors. They came back in 2012 with redesigned cans (pull-tab as opposed to plastic), but then returned to plastic trays when introduced the Perfect Portions line in 2014. And it’s up to you to decide whether it was sincere care about customers and their pets or not.
The FAQ from Customers About Sheba Cat Food
Sheba’s official website has a quite shabby FAQ page, with vague answers to just five general questions. So we’ve gathered the most popular questions from customers and done our best to answer them here.
Is Sheba or Fancy Feast better?
Based on the comparison of their controversial and even harmful ingredients in wet food recipes, Sheba is healthier for your cat than Fancy Feast.
Is Sheba cat food being discontinued?
After their disappearance in 2011 and further return in 2014, Sheba cat food isn’t being discontinued anymore, except their experiments with recipes when they may discontinue one recipe for the sake of another.
Do I need to refrigerate this food?
Keep Sheba wet cat food at 40 °F (4 °C) in the refrigerator up to 5 days if airtight. If you haven’t fed your cat with it within 5 days, throw out the food.
Is Sheba cat food made in the USA?
Yes, most of the ingredients for Sheba cat food and its Perfect Portions line are made in the US. The Signature Broths line is made in Thailand but from the US ingredients. And Meaty Tender Sticks are manufactured in Austria.
Does Sheba contain taurine?
According to the information on the official website, most of Sheba’s recipes contain taurine. Please check the ingredients of individual products for more details.
How many calories are in a Sheba cat food packet?
It depends on the recipe. Those with beef are more fattening than recipes with fish, for example. On average, one Sheba cat food serving contains from 32 to 40 kcal.
What is a serving size in Sheba cat food, and how often to feed?
It depends on your cat’s age, weight, and condition. For adult cats, 3-4 servings per 5 pounds of body weight are okay to eat twice daily. Kittens need 5-7 servings twice daily. If your cat is pregnant or nursing, feed her 2-3 times their normal amount.
Conclusion
Sheba cat food has primarily positive reviews from customers; it hasn’t been recalled, and it seems reliable, safe brand to feed your cat.
Sheba wet cat food is meat-heavy and full of vitamins. And yet, most of its recipes contain by-products, food binders, added color, and other controversial ingredients that confuse cat owners. So, if your feline has special health needs, make sure to double-check all the recipes and avoid Sheba’s products that may hurt your cat.
Feel free to check other cat food reviews on our website to choose the best one for your feline. For cats, “healthy” means “active and ready to play” to satisfy their carnivore instincts. So, help your cat live a healthy and happy life: feed it right.
2 Comments
Janey
My cats are new to wet food. I have fed them blue dry, and needed to incorporate wet food in their diet, as they don’t drink enough water. They really like Sheba. However, today I opened a container and it had black bugs in it. The cats probably wouldn’t have minded, but it was extremely disgusting to me and I threw it away!
Jimmie O'Chutt
Hey Janey,
Looks like the pouch was damaged. Did you check it?