Our Verdict
Wysong Original Diets dry cat food receives the Cat Food Advisor rating, 3.5 stars
This range of food offers a variety of recipes which cater for a number of specific diet requirements such as vegan, or hypoallergenic. There are also some recipes which are formulated for both dogs and cats.
Pros
- Good protein levels
- Animal protein sources included
- Good range to choose from
Cons
- Includes plant based protein
- High carbohydrate content
- At least three controversial ingredients used
- Some recipes are for dogs and cats - i.e. not cat specific
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Wysong Original Diets product line includes eight dry cat foods.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Wysong Vitality | 4 | M |
| Wysong Uretic | 3.5 | M |
| Wysong Geriatrx | 3.5 | M |
| Wysong Nurture | 3.5 | G |
| Wysong Nurture with Quail | 4 | G |
| Wysong Fundamentals (Dogs & Cats) | 3.5 | M |
| Wysong Anergen (Dogs and Cats) | 3.5 | M |
| Wysong Vegan (Dogs and Cats) | 3 | M |
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Recipe and Label Analysis
Wysong Uretic 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.
Wysong Uretic
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, brown rice, peas, flaxseeds, meat protein isolate, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavor, sesame seeds, dried cheese, dried whey protein concentrate, dried natural meat broth, dl-methionine, salt, dried tomato pomace, taurine, calcium carbonate, cranberry extract, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, coconut oil, organic barley grass powder, dried blueberry powder, dried kelp, dried yogurt, citric acid (a preservative), dried kale, dried spinach, dried carrots, dried apple fiber, fish oil, yeast extract, mixed tocopherols (a preservative), rosemary extract, inulin, yeast culture, (potassium chloride, zinc proteinate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate), (ascorbic acid [source of vitamin C], vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride [source of vitamin B6 ], riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid), dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried lactobacillus lactis fermentation product, pepper.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 10%
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 meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The fourth ingredient is potato protein, the dry residue remaining after removing the starchy part of a potato.
Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this cat food.
The fifth ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a cat.
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 flaxseeds, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this cat food.
The eighth ingredient is meat protein isolate, a product made by “separating meat protein from fresh, clean, unadulterated bones by heat processing followed by low temperature drying to preserve function and nutrition. This product is characterized by a fresh meaty aroma, a 90% minimum protein level, 1% maximum fat and 2% maximum ash”. 2
Contrary to what the name would normally imply, this item is not generic. According to Wysong (on its website), this ingredient is derived exclusively from pork meat.
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.
There are five notable exceptions, we need to draw your attention to.
Firstly the inclusion of dried fermentation products. These are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.
Secondly 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 also contains two further controversial ingredients: dried plain beet pulp and dried tomato pomace.
Beet pulp is a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing. Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most cat foods is entirely acceptable.
Tomato pomace is a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there is probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Wysong Uretic recipe looks like an average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 42.1%, a fat level of 15% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 34.9%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 39.6% and a mean fat level of 15.8%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 36.6% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 40%.
This means this Wysong Original Diets range contains near-average protein, above-average carbohydrate and near-average fat, when compared to typical dry cat food.
Final Word
This Wysong product range has a variety of recipes with quality protein. However, it has been scored down due to the recipes containing quite a few controversial ingredients.
Has Wysong cat food been recalled in the past?
No, Wysong has never had a cat food recall. However, in 2009, the company did recall some of its dog foods, due to possible mold exposure. The senior recipe, maintenance recipe, and synorgon product were all affected. You can read more about it on 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
Wysong corporation is a family run business that was established in 1979 by Dr. Randy Wysong.
Wysong is a US company based in Midland, Michigan. Their ingredients are sourced from the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, and Japan, with synthetic amino acids sourced from China.
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Article reviewed by
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Julia Ogden, is a former journalist with more than 10 years’ experience in content marketing; specializing in writing for people as well as a Google algorithm.
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