AvoDerm Canned (Wet) Review

AvoDerm canned wet product range is made of ten recipes which all receive the Cat Food Advisor rating, 4 stars.

The AvoDerm canned food product line is a wet cat food made with premium proteins.  It provides balanced nutrition and  high-quality meat sources and ingredients.  Of particular note is the inclusion of avocados which are omega-rich

The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

AvoDerm Chicken Recipe Paté was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is chicken.  Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.¹

Chicken is naturally rich in the 11 essential amino acids required by a cat to sustain life.

The second ingredient is chicken broth.  Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a cat food, they are a common component in many wet products.

The third ingredient is chicken liver.  This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The fourth ingredient is ocean fish.  This item is typically sourced from clean, undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.²

Unfortunately, the phrase “ocean fish” is vague and does little to adequately describe this ingredient. Since some fish are higher in omega-3 fats than others, it’s impossible for us to judge the quality of this item.  In any case, fish meat is naturally rich in the 11 essential amino acids required by a cat to sustain life.

The fifth ingredient is turkey.  Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.³

Turkey is naturally rich in the 11 essential amino acids required by a cat to sustain life.

The sixth ingredient is oat bran, a nutritious by-product obtained from milling whole grain oats. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain containing starch, protein, vitamins and minerals. 

The seventh ingredient is rice.  Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.

The eighth ingredient is avocado oil. Avocado products can be somewhat controversial. Supporters claim the ingredient to be nutrient rich and beneficial to a cat’s skin and coat — while others worry over what are mostly unsubstantiated concerns over potential poisoning. 

These fears appear to originate from a 1984 study in which goats consumed the leaves (not the fruit) of the Guatemalan (not the Mexican) avocado and became ill.⁴

Toxicity is based upon the presence of persin in avocado. Cats are rarely affected by persin [Pet Poison Helpline], and therefore consuming products of the avocado flesh are generally safe. Based upon our own review of the literature, it is our opinion that the anxiety over avocado ingredients in cat food appears to be unjustified.

From here the list goes on to include a number of other items. But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of the product.

Recipe star rating: 4

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, AvoDerm Chicken Recipe Paté looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 45.5%, a fat level of 31.8% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 14.7%.

As a group, the brand features an above- average protein content of 53.4% and a near average fat level of 16.8%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 21.8% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 34%.

This means the AvoDerm canned product line contains higher than average protein, lower than average carbohydrate and near average fat, when compared to typical wet cat food.

Has AvoDerm cat food been recalled in the past?

Yes, AvoDerm has issued recalls in the past. 

For full details, visit the Dog Food Advisor, but in summary:

In September 2012 – there was reported potential salmonella contamination which affected AvoDerm’s Natural Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Adult Dog Food Recipe.

You can view a complete list of all cat food recalls since 2021 here.

To stay on top of any cat food product recalls, sign up for our free email alerts, here.

About

AvoDerm was founded in 1982 and is well known for the inclusion of avocado in its ingredient list, due to the founders wanting to offer recipes that targeted better skin and coat quality in pets. 

Since its founding, AvoDerm has significantly expanded its offerings to include cat food and a wide range of dog food.

AvoDerm is owned and operated by Breeders Choice, which is based in Irwindale, California.