Laura Ward

Written by Laura Ward

Georgia Jeremiah

Reviewed by Georgia Jeremiah

Updated: April 15, 2024

Stella & Chewy’s Morsels Wet Cat Food Review

Updated: April 15, 2024

Our Verdict

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Recommended

Stella & Chewy’s Morsels wet cat food receives the Cat Food Advisor rating, 4.5-stars.

It is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO cat food nutrient profiles for all life stages.

Pros
  • Rich in animal protein
  • Responsibly sourced
  • No corn, wheat or soy
  • No by products
  • Contains taurine
Cons
  • Quite expensive

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

The Stella & Chewy’s Morsels product line includes 12 cat foods.

Product line Rating AAFCO
Marvelous Morsels Cage-Free Chicken 4.5 M
Marvelous Morsels Chicken & Salmon Medley 4.5 M
Marvelous Morsels Cage-Free Turkey 4.5 M
Carnivore Cravings Minced Morsels Chicken & Tuna Recipe 4.5 A
Carnivore Cravings Minced Morsels Duck & Chicken Recipe 4.5 A
Carnivore Cravings Minced Morsels Chicken Recipe 4.5 A
Carnivore Cravings Minced Morsels Tuna Recipe 4.5 A
Carnivore Cravings Morsels'N'Gravy Salmon & Mackerel Recipe 4.5 A
Carnivore Cravings Morsels'N'Gravy Chicken & Salmon Recipe 4.5 A
Carnivore Cravings Morsels'N'Gravy Salmon & Tuna Recipe 4.5 A
Carnivore Cravings Morsels'N'Gravy Chicken & Chicken Liver Recipe 4.5 A
Carnivore Cravings Morsels'N'Gravy Chicken & Beef Recipe 4.5 A

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Recipe and Label Analysis

Stella & Chewy’s Grain-Free Marvelous Morsels Cage-Free Chicken 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.

Marvelous Morsels Cage-Free Chicken

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

50%

Protein

16.7%

Fat

25.3%

CarbsCarbohydrates

Cage-free chicken, chicken bone broth, pumpkin, natural chicken flavor, agar-agar, organic carrots, parsley, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, choline chloride, dandelion, taurine, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, magnesium proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, salt


Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1.5%

Red denotes any controversial items

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is cage-free 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 bone 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 pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

The fourth ingredient is natural chicken flavor. Natural chicken flavor doesn’t give us much information about the particular ingredients included in this cat food for flavoring purposes. We’re pleased that the flavorings are natural, but more details are required to give any further information about this natural chicken flavor ingredient.

The fifth ingredient is agar agar, a natural vegetable gelatin derived from the cell walls of certain species of red algae. Agar is rich in fiber and is used in wet pet foods as a gelling agent.

The sixth ingredient is organic carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

The seventh ingredient is parsley. Due to its exceptional vitamin and mineral content, parsley exhibits a remarkably high nutrient completeness Score 2 of 91.

The eighth ingredient is calcium carbonate, likely used here as a dietary mineral supplement.

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.

However this recipe contains taurine, an essential amino acid for cats associated with the healthy function of heart muscle and eye sight, and is crucial for maintaining good health in cats.

We view the presence of taurine in this recipe as a positive addition.

This recipe receives a 4.5-star rating.

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Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Stella & Chewy’s Marvelous Morsels Cage-Free Chicken recipe looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 50%, a fat level of 16.7% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 25.3%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 48% and a mean fat level of 26.3%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 23.5% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 43%.

This means the Stella & Chewy’s Morsels product line contains above-average protein, below-average carbs and above-average fat when compared to typical wet cat food.

Final Word

Stella & Chewy’s Morsels range always contains responsibly sourced quality animal proteins. Complete and balanced appropriate levels of vitamins and minerals with added Taurine.

Has Stella & Chewy's cat food been recalled in the past?

Yes, Stella & Chewy’s has had two recalls in 2015. One in July, the other in December. Both for potential listeria links.

The products affected in July were:

  • Freeze-Dried Chewy’s Chicken Dinner for Dogs, 15 oz., Lot #111-15, Best by April 23, 2016 or April 26, 2016
  • Freeze-Dried Chick, Chick, Chicken Dinner for Cats, 12 oz., Lot #111-15, Best by April 29, 2016 or May 3, 2016
  • Freeze-Dried Chick, Chick, Chicken Dinner for Cats, 12 oz., Lot #104-15, Best by April 23, 2016
  • Freeze-Dried Chick, Chick, Chicken Dinner for Cats, 12 oz., Lot #109-15, Best by April 29, 2016 or May 3, 2016
  • Carnivore Crunch – Turkey Recipe, 3.25 oz., Lot #111-15, Best by May 3, 2016 or May 4, 2016
  • Carnivore Crunch – Chicken Recipe, 3.25 oz., Lot #110-15, Best by May 3
  • Frozen Duck Duck Goose Dinner Morsels for Dogs, 4 lb., Lot #111-15, Best by April 21, 2016
  • Frozen Chewy’s Chicken Dinner Morsels for Dogs, 4 lb., Lot #111-15, Best by April 21, 2016
  • Frozen Surf ‘N Turf Dinner Patties for Dogs, 6 lb., Lot #111-15, Best by April 21, 2016
  • Frozen Chewy’s Chicken Dinner Patties for Dogs, 3 lb. or 6 lb., Lot #111-15, Best by April 21, 2016
  • Freeze-Dried Tantalizing Turkey Meal Mixers, 9 oz. or 18 oz., Lot #105-15, Best by May 3, 2016
  • Freeze-Dried Tantalizing Turkey Meal Mixers, 18 oz., Lot #113-15, Best by May 3, 2016
  • Freeze-Dried Chewy’s Chicken Dinners for Dogs, 15 oz., Lot #114-15, Best by April 26, 2016
  • Freeze-Dried Tummy Ticklin’ Turkey Dinner for Cats, 12 oz., Lot #114-15 or #115-15, Best by May 4, 2016
  • Freeze-Dried Salmon & Chicken Dinner for Cats, 12 oz., Lot #107-15, Best by April 23, 2016

And the products affected in December were:

  • 8 oz. packages of Frozen Stella’s Super Beef Dinner Morsels for Dogs, Lot #165-15, “Best by” June 25, 2016
  • 4 lb. packages of Frozen Stella’s Super Beef Dinner Morsels for Dogs, Lot #165-15, “Best by” June 25, 2016 or June 26, 2016
  • 1.25 lb. packages of Frozen Duck Duck Goose Dinner Morsels for Cats, Lot #165-15, “Best by” June 25, 2016
  • 1.25 lb. packages of Frozen Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels for Cats, Lots #160-15 or 152-15, “Best by” July 2, 2016

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

Stella & Chewy’s was founded by Marie Moody after adopting two dogs named Stella & Chewy, this led to Marie pursuing her passion for pet nutrition and starting her own business.

The privately held business is based in Oak Creek and foods are manufactured at a plant in Wisconsin.

Sources

1: Association of American Feed Control Officials

2: Completeness Score is a measure of a food’s relative nutrient content and is computed by NutritionData.com from the USDA’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

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