9 Lives Cat Food Review

9 Lives Cat Food Review

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Why Should You Trust This Review?

• I’ve been a cat mom of for 30 plus years
• I have volunteered at cat shelters for over 15 years
• I frequently confirm information with veterinarians
• I did 12 hours of research on this cat food

About 9 Lives Cat Food

9 Lives Cat Food is owned by Big Heart Pet Brands, a subsidiary of the J.M. Smucker company. 9 Lives cat food was first produced in 1959 but it did not get real recognition until the late 1960’s when Morris, an orange tabby cat, became the spokes-cat for the brand.

9 Lives is based in San Francisco, California and offers both dry food and canned food options, divided among several different product lines. Their website states that their wet food products give cats a diverse selection of tender and meaty morsels simmered in rich gravy with savory shreds or flakes of fish that create a flavor and an aroma cats won’t be able to resist. 9 Lives also offers five different product lines of dry cat food and each formula is uniquely tailored to meet the nutritional needs of cats in different life stages.

9 Lives Sourcing And Manufacturing

Recall History

2017 –  9 Lives Meaty Pate canned food was recalled due to low thiamine levels in several varieties.

2018 – 9 Lives Protein Plus With Tuna & Chicken and 9 Lives Protein Plus With Tuna & Liver canned food was recalled due to low levels of thiamine.

Top 6 Recipes Reviewed And Analyzed

#1 9 Lives Daily Essentials with Chicken, Beef & Salmon Flavor Dry Cat Food

Ingredients

Whole Ground Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Whole Wheat, Beef Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Meat and Bone Meal, Animal Digest, Salmon Meal, Salt, Phosphoric Acid, Choline Chloride, Titanium Dioxide (Color), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, BHA (Used As A Preservative), Blue 1, Blue 2, Rosemary Extract.

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To better understand the 9 Lives Daily Essentials with Chicken, Beef & Salmon Flavor Dry Cat Food recipe, we analyzed the first 5 ingredients.

Whole Ground Corn may provide some beneficial nutrients to cats, but is not biologically appropriate. Corn is difficult to digest and pales in comparison to animal protein. Corn used as the primary ingredient in cat food is an inexpensive source of calories.

Chicken By-Product Meal is made up of the clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines which has been ground or otherwise reduced in particle size. This is a cheap way for pet food companies to keep the protein levels up and the production costs down. This is considered a “suitable” source of protein for pet food.

Corn Gluten Meal does contain protein but not the kind of protein that cats digest very well. Cats have to eat twice as much corn to get the same amount of protein that they would from animal proteins.

Soybean Meal is a common source of protein in many cat foods because it is less expensive than meat proteins. Soy contains enzyme inhibitors that have been known to produce serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake in cats.

Whole Wheat is a good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. Currently there is no conclusive evidence that shows whole grains are harmful to the general cat population. However a small percentage of cats may have sensitivities to grains.

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#2 9 Lives Protein Plus with Chicken & Tuna Flavors Dry Cat Food

Ingredients

Whole Ground Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Whole Wheat, Animal Digest, Tuna Meal, Phosphoric Acid, Salt, Caramel Color, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin a Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K Activity), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Titanium Dioxide (Color), Yellow 5, Taurine, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Red 40, BHA (used as preservative), Rosemary Extract.

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To get a better understanding of this 9 Lives Protein Plus with Chicken & Tuna Flavors Dry Cat Food recipe, we analyzed the first 5 ingredients.

Whole Ground Corn may provide some beneficial nutrients to cats, but is not biologically appropriate. Corn is difficult to digest and pales in comparison to animal protein. Corn used as the primary ingredient in cat food is an inexpensive source of calories.

Chicken By-Product Meal is made up of the clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines which has been ground or otherwise reduced in particle size. This is a cheap way for pet food companies to keep the protein levels up and the production costs down. This is considered a “suitable” source of protein for pet food.

Soybean Meal is a common source of protein in many cat foods because it is less expensive than meat proteins. Soy contains enzyme inhibitors that have been known to produce serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake in cats.

Corn Gluten Meal does contain protein but not the kind of protein that cats digest very well. Cats have to eat twice as much corn to get the same amount of protein that they would from animal proteins.

Animal Fat is a broad term and not specific to any animal protein source, making it hard to analyze. It claims to be preserved with mixed Tocopherols which are compounds that make up vitamin E and can help strengthen the immune system.

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#3 9 Lives Meaty Pate Super Supper Canned Cat Food

Ingredients

Meat By-Products, Water Sufficient for Processing, Poultry By-Products, Fish, Chicken, Brewer’s Rice, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Guar Gum, Dried Whey Product, Titanium Dioxide (Color), Choline Chloride, Carrageenan, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Taurine, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Sodium Nitrite (To Promote Color Retention).

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Here we analyzed the first five ingredients to get a better understanding of what is included in this 9 Lives Meaty Pate Super Supper Canned Cat Food.

Meat By-Products include clean and nutrient-rich organ meats such as lungs, brain, spleen, liver, kidneys, stomach, and intestines. They can provide a good source of animal protein and fat in your cat’s diet depending on the quality.

Water Sufficient for Processing means water was necessary for the complete processing of the product and is required to be listed by the FDA. Basically it means there was no more water added (as filler) than was necessary.

Poultry By-Products enrich cat food and provide a healthy animal-based protein depending on the exact composition of tissues used as well as the quality of the product.

Fish has a lot of heart-healthy Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and is part of a balanced diet for cats. Unfortunately we do not know what type of fish is used in this recipe.

Chicken is a good source of protein, low in fat, low in sodium and is a low-carb food.

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#4 9 Lives Plus Care with Tuna & Egg Flavor Dry Cat Food

Ingredients

Whole Ground Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Poultry By-Product Meal, Whole Wheat, Animal Digest, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Meat and Bone Meal, Phosphoric Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Yeast Culture, Titanium Dioxide, Tuna Meal, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Lysine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Egg Product, Dl-Methionine, Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, BHA (Used As A Preservative), Natural and Artificial Flavor (Source of Grilled Flavor), Blue 1, Rosemary Extract.

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To get a better understanding of this 9 Lives Plus Care with Tuna & Egg Flavor Dry Cat Food recipe, we analyzed the first 5 ingredients.

Whole Ground Corn may provide some beneficial nutrients to cats, but is not biologically appropriate. Corn is difficult to digest and pales in comparison to animal protein. Corn used as the primary ingredient in cat food is an inexpensive source of calories.

Corn Gluten Meal does contain protein but not the kind of protein that cats digest very well. Cats have to eat twice as much corn to get the same amount of protein that they would from animal proteins.

Poultry By-Product Meal is made up of the clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered fowl like duck, chicken, geese and duck. This includes parts such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines which has been ground or otherwise reduced in particle size. This is a cheap way to keep the protein levels up and the production costs down. This is considered a “suitable” source of protein for pet food.

Whole Wheat is a good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. Currently there is no conclusive evidence that shows whole grains are harmful to the general cat population. However a small percentage of cats may have sensitivities to grains.

Animal Digest refers to the digestive process used in production not the actual digest from animals. It is used in small amounts to enhance the taste of dry pet foods and is an excellent source of high-quality protein.

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#5 9 Lives Tender Morsels with Real Flaked Tuna & Egg Bits in Sauce Canned Cat Food

Ingredients

Tuna, Water Sufficient for Processing, Wheat Flour, Soy Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Soybean Oil, Chicken Fat, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex [Source of Vitamin K Activity], Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Dried Egg Product, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Potassium Sorbate (a Preservative), Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate), Glycerol Monostearate, Sodium Nitrite (To Promote Color Retention), Beta Carotene (Color), Caramel Color, Red 3.

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Here we analyzed the first five ingredients to get a better understanding of what is included in this 9 Lives Meaty Pate Super Supper Canned Cat Food.

Tuna is a great source of protein and safe for cats when not fed consistently. Its great for immunity boosting, muscle growth and tissue growth.

Water Sufficient for Processing means water was necessary for the complete processing of the product and is required to be listed by the FDA. Basically it means there was no more water added (as filler) than was necessary.

Wheat Flour is standard white flour, and has no place in the diet of a cat. While it may contain some fiber, its not enough to outweigh the complications it may cause. This is used as a filler in pet food.

Soy Flour is considered a source of protein in cat foods that can contribute to protein levels in addition to meat proteins. Soy has been known to produce serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake in cats.

Calcium Carbonate is also known as limestone, calcite, aragonite, and chalk. It is an inexpensive source of calcium, and used as a preservative, as well as used as a color retention agent.

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#6 9 Lives Meaty Pate with Real Chicken & Tuna Canned Cat Food

Ingredients

Meat By-Products, Water Sufficient for Processing, Chicken, Poultry By-Products, Fish, Tuna, Brewer’s Rice, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Guar Gum, Titanium Dioxide (Color), Choline Chloride, Carrageenan, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Taurine, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Sodium Nitrite (To Promote Color Retention).

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Here we analyzed the first five ingredients to get a better understanding of what is included in this 9 Lives Meaty Pate with Real Chicken & Tuna Canned Cat Food.

Meat By-Products include clean and nutrient-rich organ meats such as lungs, brain, spleen, liver, kidneys, stomach, and intestines. They can provide a good source of animal protein and fat in your cat’s diet depending on the quality.

Water Sufficient for Processing means water was necessary for the complete processing of the product and is required to be listed by the FDA. Basically it means there was no more water added (as filler) than was necessary.

Chicken is a good source of protein, low in fat, low in sodium and is a low-carb food.

Poultry By-Products enrich cat food and provide a healthy animal-based protein depending on the exact composition of tissues used as well as the quality of the product.

Fish has a lot of heart-healthy Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and is part of a balanced diet for cats. Unfortunately we do not know what type of fish is used in this recipe.

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Is 9 Lives A Good Cat Food?

With the use of low-quality ingredients, mystery protein sources, questionable fillers, artificial colors & flavors, and animal by-products, I would have to say no.

When considering the 9 Lives dry food ingredients there are several fillers within the first 5 ingredients, which offer a cat little to nothing nutritionally. In addition to that there many low-quality grains, low animal protein content, inclusion of wheat, by-products, and meals too high on list.

While the canned or wet food recipes are better than the dry food, they are not great. When compared to other wet and canned cat food brands the protein is a bit lower. Also, there are by-products, unspecified fish, wheat flour, soy, rice and other fillers high on the ingredient list of most recipes.

Where Is 9 Lives Cat Food Sold?

9 Lives Cat Foods are available in most grocery store chains and big box stores, although varieties may vary. You can also purchase 9 Lives online through Amazon, Chewy, and various pet food retailers.