Our Verdict
Diamond Naturals wet cat food receives the Cat Food Advisor rating, 4 stars.
The food is formulated with more than 40% protein in every recipe and contains enhanced superfoods and probiotics. It also has high fat content and added DHA to provide good quality nutrition, supporting a cat’s brain and vision.
Pros
- High in protein and fat
- Good nutritional ingredients
- Beneficial meat sources named in the top 5 ingredients
- High moisture content
- Free from artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
Cons
- Significant number of product recalls
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
The Diamond Naturals product line includes three wet cat foods.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Dinner for Adult Cats & Kittens | 4 | G&M |
| Indoor Cat Hairball Control Dinner for Adult Cats | 4 | M |
| Whitefish Dinner for Adult Cats & Kittens | 3.5 | G&M |
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Recipe and Label Analysis
Diamond Naturals Chicken Dinner for Adult Cats & Kittens 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.
Chicken Dinner for Adult Cats & Kittens
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken liver, chicken broth, carrots, brown rice flour, natural flavor, flaxseed oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), guar gum, agar-agar, salt, potassium chloride, dl-methionine, pumpkin, quinoa, cranberries, blueberries, dried kelp, inulin, taurine, choline chloride, menhaden fish oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), iron amino acid chelate, sodium carbonate, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
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 liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The third 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 fourth ingredient is carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient is brown rice flour, a gluten-free substitute for wheat flour.
The sixth ingredient is natural flavor. Natural flavors doesn’t give us much information about the particular ingredients included in this cat food for flavoring purposes.
We’re pleased that the flavorings used are natural, but more details are required to give any further information about these natural flavoring ingredients. Flavorings are used to make the foods more appealing and tasty for our cats.
The seventh ingredient is flaxseed oil, one of the best non-fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids — essential to a cat’s health.
The eighth ingredient is guar gum, a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product gum.
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, Diamond Naturals Chicken Dinner for Adult Cats & Kittens looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 45.5%, a fat level of 22.7% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 23.8%.
As a group, the brand features an above-average protein content of 44.7% and an above-average fat level of 22%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25.3% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 49%.
This means the Diamond Naturals wet cat food range contains higher than average protein, lower than average carbohydrate and higher than average fat, when compared to typical wet cat food.
Final Word
Diamond Naturals wet cat food is high in both protein and fat and provides a rich source of enhanced superfoods.
It is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO cat food nutrient profiles for growth and maintenance.
Has Diamond cat food been recalled in the past?
Yes, Diamond Pet Foods has had recalls in the past.
The most recent was in March 2013, when they recalled Diamond Naturals cat food due to potentially low levels of thiamine.
In April and May 2012, there was a large recall of Diamond and Diamond Naturals, plus several other brands. Samples of Diamond’s own pet food tested positive for salmonella, which then prompted other brands produced at Diamond’s plant in Gaston, South Carolina, to be recalled including Taste of the Wild and Natural Balance.
In October 2009, Diamond Pet Food recalled two of its cat food brands after cats were reported to have shown neurological symptoms. The foods affected were: Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball Cat with codes of RAF0501A22X (18-lb. bag), RAF0501A2X (6-lb. bag), RAH0501A22X (18-lb. bag) and RAH0501A2X (6-lb. bag).
In December 2005, Diamond Maintenance and Diamond Professional was recalled following a string of pet deaths and illnesses linked to dog and cat food produced in Diamond’s South Carolina plant.
The food was thought to be contaminated with aflatoxin, a toxic byproduct of a mold that attacks corn under certain temperature and moisture conditions.
For more details visit the Dog Food Advisor.
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
Diamond Pet Foods was founded by brothers-in-law Gary Schell and Richard Kampeter in Missouri in April 1970, under the name Meta Feed and Grain.
As of 2020, Diamond Pet Foods was the No. 5 pet food company in the world, with $1.5 billion in annual revenue, according to data provided by Pet Food Industry.
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Article reviewed by
Veterinarian
Dr Georgia Jeremiah has a first class honors degree in comparative pathology with field experience in anatomic and clinical pathology, studying disease processes in a multitude of species.
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