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Weruva Cat Food Review 2024
Written by Adam Lee-Smith
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 12/06/2023, edited: 01/09/2024
The Wag! team conducts independent research and consults pet experts to curate our recommendations. This content is supported by our affiliate pet partners and we may receive a commission on the links provided.
Overview
Founded in 2006, Weruva is a family-owned pet food company producing carnivore-focused diets for cats and dogs. Manufactured at "human food" facilities using high-quality cuts of meat, Weruva delivers wet cat foods that are high in protein and low in carbs and fat.
Weruva are made with minimal processing and contain no grains, carrageenan, or gluten. Each paté and gravy-based wet food is hydration-focused to keep your cat happy and healthy.
We think Weruva cat food is pawsome — but is Weruva right for your cat? To make the right choice for your feline friend, scroll down for our 2023 Weruva cat food review, where we examine different ranges, recalls, considerations, and more!
Weruva Cat Food product ranges and flavors
Weruva serves up over 150 cat food variations across 12 ranges. Weruva produces only wet cat food.
All Weruva cat food varieties are '100% complete and balanced' according to Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) guidelines, except Wx Phos Focused recipes, which have lower than recommended phosphorus levels.
Let's look closer at Weruva's cat food ranges and variations.
Weruva Classic Cat Food
Weruva Classic Cat
Weruva Classic Cat is Weruva's standard cat food. It's available in 12 varieties, all of which are canned and feature chunks of real meat or fish. Each variety can be considered high in protein and low in fat, with a quality named meat source as one of top two ingredients.
The secondary ingredient quality of Weruva Classic Cat is good, containing whole vegetables like pumpkins, carrots, and peas. With several recipes using a single meat source and many flavor varieties, Weruva Classic Cat ideal is a good choice for felines with food allergies.
Chicken, mackerel, tuna, tilapia, and red bigeye are a few of the meats used in Weruva Classic Cat.
Weruva Classic Cat Pate Cat Food
Weruva Cat Paté
Weruva Cat Paté is a paté alternative to Weruva Classic Cat, designed to be more palatable and easier to eat for certain cats. There are 15 varieties that come in either pouches or cans.
Weruva Cat Paté is very similar to Weruva Cat Classic except for its consistency and packaging. A premium meat source is one of the top two ingredients, with no meat meal included. Some recipes contain notable amounts of pumpkin.
More Weruva Cat Paté flavors use multiple meat sources than Weruva Cat Classic. Chicken, lamb, beef, and tuna are just a few of the meats used in Weruva Cat Paté.
Weruva Kitten Food
Weruva Kitten
Weruva Kitten is formulated especially for kittens, with easy to digest purée and gravy recipes available. Here's a quick breakdown of the top 5 ingredients for each Weruva Kitten variation:
- Chicken Formula Au Jus: Chicken, chicken broth, natural flavor, dried egg, tricalcium phosphate
- Chicken & Pumpkin Formula in Gravy: Chicken broth, chicken, tuna, pumpkin, natural flavor
- Chicken & Tuna Formula in Gravy: Chicken broth, chicken, tuna, natural flavor, potato starch
- Chicken Breast Formula in a Hydrating Purée: Chicken, chicken broth, natural flavor, potato starch, dried egg
- Tuna & Salmon Formula in a Hydrating Purée: Fish broth, tuna, salmon, sunflower oil, natural flavor
All Weruva Kitten recipes contain only quality meat sources and no meat meal. One potentially controversial ingredient is natural flavors, an ingredient not clearly defined by the FDA concerning pet foods.
Weruva Cat Stew
Weruva Cat Stew!
All Weruva Cat Stew! recipes contain wild-caught salmon with a chunky texture certain cats love. Each variation's tasty gravy will help your feline friend stay hydrated. You'll find 12 varieties of Weruva Cat Stew! which come in either pouches or cans.
All Weruva Cat Stew! recipes list multiple quality meat sources as top ingredients. Weruva uses no meat meals in its Cat Stew! range. Natural flavor is a top ingredient in Weruva Cat Stew! recipes, which is potentially controversial due to a lack of transparency.
Chicken, lamb, duck, beef, and turkey are some of the primary meats used alongside salmon in Weruva Cat Stew! recipes.
Weruva Cats in The Kitchen Cat Food
Cats in the Kitchen
Weruva's Cats in the Kitchen range’s stand-out feature is that it is starch-free with added fish oil that has anti-inflammatory properties and supports skin and coat health. You'll find 16 Cats in the Kitchen recipes, which come in either pouches or cans.
With various flavors and textures across the range, Cats in the Kitchen is marketed as ideal for fussy felines. All Cats in the Kitchen recipes list a quality meat source as the top ingredient and contain no meat meal.
Chicken, tuna, salmon, and beef are some of the primary meats used in Weruva Cats in the Kitchen. Weruva Cats in the Kitchen also features two sub-ranges: Kitten and Paté.
Weruva Truluxe Cat Food
TRULUXE
TRULUXE is Weruva's premium cat food range, made with several high-quality and unusual proteins. There are 10 TRULUXE varieties, all of which are canned.
A quality named meat source is one of the top two ingredients in all TRULUXE recipes. TRULUXE contains no meat meals. One stand-out feature of TRULUXE is it contains visible whole pieces of meat and produce.
Kawakawa tuna, basa, and saba (Japanese tuna) are just some of the primary meats included in TRULUXE recipes.
Weruva B.F.F. Cat Food
Best Feline Friend (B.F.F.)
Weruva B.F.F. range features over 70 products split into three sub-ranges: B.F.F. MINCED!, B.F.F. OMG GRAVY!, B.F.F. PLAY PATÉ!. Each sub-range has a different consistency to cater to fussy felines, with the B.B.F. OMG GRAVY! and B.F.F. PLAY PATÉ! the largest of the ranges with 32 variations each.
Despite being marketed differently, Weruva B.F.F. is similar to Weruva Classic Cat in its primary ingredients. They contain high-quality meat as a top ingredient, with no meat meals. Ingredients like natural flavors, potato starch, and sunflower seed oil commonly appear in both B.F.F. and Classic Cat recipes.
One notable positive feature of Weruva B.F.F. is that all seafood included is dolphin- and sea turtle-safe. Tuna, turkey, lamb, and shrimp are some of the primary meats included in Weruva B.F.F recipes.
Weruva Wx Phos Focus Cat Food
Wx Phos Focused
Wx Phos Focused is Weruva's low phosphorus cat food for supplemental use only. It doesn't meet the AAFCO guidelines to be considered "complete and balanced." It's made with 99% animal ingredients. Here's a breakdown of each of the 5 Wx Phos Focused products with their top 5 ingredients:
- Chicken Formula in Gravy: Chicken broth, chicken, egg white, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), sunflower oil
- Chicken & Tilapia Formula in Gravy: Chicken broth, chicken, tilapia, egg white, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
- Chicken Formula in a Hydrating Purée: Chicken broth, chicken, egg white, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), sunflower oil
- Tilapia & Tuna Formula in a Hydrating Purée: Fish broth, tilapia, tuna, egg white, chicken fat
- Tilapia & Chicken Formula in a Hydrating Purée: Fish broth, tilapia, chicken, egg white, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
Wx Phos Focused may be recommended as a supplement for cats with hyperphosphatemia caused by diseases and conditions like kidney disease. Consult your vet before feeding your cat a supplemental low-phosphorus food.
Why Wag! likes Weruva
Here are a few reasons why we rate Weruva cat food pawsitively!
Recommended by Wag!'s pet nutrition expert and veterinary consultant
One of Wag!'s licensed veterinary consultants, Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, personally recommends Weruva to her clients. Here are her overall thoughts on the brand:
"Weruva...focuses on minimal carbohydrate recipes and human-grade ingredients, incorporating boneless meats that are free from added hormones or antibiotics."
Human-grade ingredients and strict quality standards
Weruva cat food is high quality and made from human-grade meats at FDA- and Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards (BRCGS)-certified facilities. Weruva cat food recipes contain no meat meal. An excellent protein-to-fat ratio and inclusion of small vegetable quantities make Weruva cat foods a purrticularly great choice for your feline friend.
High moisture levels
Cats don't drink much water, often relying on their wet food to keep them hydrated. Weruva produces "hydration-focused" cat food with a moisture content of around 80%, which is pawfect for supporting your cat's kidneys and urinary tract.
Sustainably and transparently sourced meats
Weruva is transparent about where it sources its meat and is focused on sustainable and ethical farming and fishing. For example, Weruva states its chicken comes from Thailand, while its beef and lamb come from Australia and New Zealand. Most fish used by Weruva are wild-caught and come from dolphin and turtle-safe boats.
Money-back guarantee
Weruva's money-back guarantee is fantastic if you have a fussy feline. If your cat doesn't like their food or you're unsatisfied, you can return any unopened products for a refund or credit within 30 days of purchase. Weruva also offers exchanges (but no refunds) on unused products up to 60 days after purchase.
Concerns & considerations
Here are a few things to bear in mind when purchasing Weruva cat food.
Above-average cost
Weruva cat food is more expensive than average due to the quality of its ingredients. At the time of writing, a 3-ounce can of Classic Cat Paw Lickin' Chicken, one of Weruva's most popular cat foods, costs around $1.75 when bought as part of a 24-pack on Chewy.
In comparison, a 3-ounce can of Purina Fancy Feast Classic Paté Chicken costs around $0.80 when purchased as part of a 24-pack on Chewy.
Potentially controversial ingredients
Some Weruva cat food recipes contain a couple of potentially controversial ingredients. "Natural flavors" are commonly listed in many of Weruva's recipes, an ill-defined ingredient that, while generally harmless, is lacking transparency.
Many Weruva cat food recipes also list sunflower seed oil as a primary ingredient. Sunflower seed oil is rich in omega-6 fatty acids but is used as a fat source in these foods. Natural animal fat would be a better fat source than sunflower seed oil.
Needs to be refrigerated after opening
Weruva cat food has a short shelf life once opened. Opened cans and pouches stored in an air-tight container can last in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
What pet parents say about Weruva cat food
"My cat has kidney issues and WILL NOT eat the prescription kidney care food of ANY brand (and has issues with 99% of the food I've tried to feed her). I did some research and discovered this brand and .....she loves it. It may not be exactly what she needs but it has lower phosphorous than other brands, so it may at least extend her life expectancy a bit longer...and she will actually eat it!! Yay!!!"
"I have an orange tabby who will eat anything and a domestic long-hair who won't. Luckily they both love this food and I love that they are getting extra water in their diets."
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Weruva history
Weruva is a family-run business founded in 2006. The company takes its name from founders David and Stacie Forman's 3 rescue cats: Webster, Rudi, and Vanessa.
David and Stacie decided to set up their own company after being frustrated by the quality of pet food on the market. As a result, they decided to start producing pet food for their own at FDA-certified facilities using human-grade meats.
Weruva initially only made cat food. But when rescue dog Baron joined the Forman family, Weruva decided to expand its operations into the dog food market.
Weruva headquarters are located in Natick, MA.
Weruva recalls
At the time of writing, there are no recorded official recalls of Weruva cat food in the U.S.
In 2017, there was a widespread recall of Weruva B.F.F. cat food products that only affected the Australian market. This 2017 recall was due to insufficient thiamine (vitamin B1) levels in B.F.F. products, which caused hundreds of cases of illness and multiple deaths. Weruva temporarily removed all B.F.F. affected products from Australian shelves as a result, and encouraged anyone affected by the recall to contact its insurance team.
All product images sourced from Chewy. Copyright Weruva.
FAQ
Is Weruva cat food made in the U.S.?
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