John Seeberg

Written by John Seeberg

Laura Ward

Reviewed by Laura Ward

Updated: May 30, 2024

PawTree Real (Wet) Review

Updated: May 30, 2024

Our Verdict

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Highly Recommended

PawTree wet product range is made up of five recipes each receiving the Cat Food Advisor highest rating, 5 stars.

This range of food includes recipes in both pate and gravy form.  All list the first ingredient as animal or fish protein and have multiple sources of protein.  This range has added vitamins and minerals and offers a good diet option.

Pros
  • High in protein
  • Contains animal meat and fish
  • Low in carbohydrate
  • Rich in fat and moisture
Cons
  • Limited range
  • Contains some plant based protein

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

Product line Rating AAFCO
PawTree Real Chicken & Turkey Entreé - Pâté 5 A
PawTree Real Salmon & Oceanfish Entreé - Pâté 5 A
PawTree Real Turkey & Chicken Entreé - Morsels in Gravy 5 A
PawTree Real Whitefish, Salmon & Herring Entreé - Morsels in Gravy 5 A

Recipe and Label Analysis

PawTree Real Salmon & Oceanfish Entreé – Pâté recipe 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.

PawTree Real Salmon & Oceanfish Entreé - Pâté recipe

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

50%

Protein

38.6%

Fat

3.4%

CarbsCarbohydrates

Salmon, fish broth, ocean fish, chicken, chicken liver, peas, natural flavor, alfalfa meal, calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate, agar-agar, parsley, salmon oil, choline chloride, salt, taurine, potassium chloride, dandelion greens, sweet potatoes, cranberries, blueberries, pumpkin, dried yucca schidigera extract, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, niacin supplement, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide, folic acid.


Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1.5%

Red denotes any controversial items

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is salmon. Salmon is an oily marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every cat to sustain life.

The second ingredient is fish broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add both flavor and moisture to a cat food they are a common addition component in many canned products.

The third ingredient is ocean fish. This item is typically sourced from clean, undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations. 1

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

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

The sixth ingredient is peas which are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this cat food.

The seventh 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 eighth ingredient is alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and fiber (25%), it can be less common to find it in a cat food recipe.

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.

This food also contains chelated minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better cat foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, PawTree Real Salmon & Oceanfish Entreé – Pâté recipe looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 50%, a fat level of 38.6% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 3.4%.

As a group, the brand features an above-average protein content of 48.9% and an above-average fat level of 34%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 9.1% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 70%.

This means this PawTree wet range contains higher than average protein, lower than average carbohydrate and higher than average fat, when compared to typical wet cat food.

Final Word

This range of food is high in protein derived from animal meat and fish.  Each recipe is rich in fat and moisture and low in carbohydrates.

The Cat Food Advisor recommends this food.

Has pawTree Real Wet Food cat food been recalled in the past?

No.  Pawtree has not had any product recalls.

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

PawTree is an online company which was founded by Roger Morgan in 2012.

The companyPawTree is headquarters areed in Southlake, Texas. The  foods are and based on information from the product packaging, PawTree products are made in the USA and distributed by the PawTreem too.

Sources

1: [1. Adapted by The Cat Food Advisor from the official definition of other fish ingredients as published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials].[fn]

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 fourth ingredient is chicken.  Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”. [fn][1. Association of American Feed Control Officials].


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