Catster is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

Wysong Cat Food Review of 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Written by: Christian Adams

Last Updated on February 2, 2024 by Catster Editorial Team

wysong cat food review

Wysong Cat Food Review of 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Review Summary

Our Final Verdict

We give Wysong cat food a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Wysong was founded in 1979 by Dr. Wysong and manufactures holistic pet food. It claims that all its food has been developed, designed, and produced by in-house doctorate-level nutritionists and is manufactured in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. It makes dry food for cats and dogs and supplemental wet cat food that can be fed to cats, dogs, or ferrets. It also manufactures horse feed.

Although the ingredients in Wysong cat food are generally high quality, some formulas contain controversial ingredients, like garlic, which is considered toxic for cats. There are also reports of the food being too rich and that it causes diarrhea and vomiting in some animals. The company says that is normal when changing diets, especially to something rich and high in protein.

We’ll take a closer look at the company and the foods that it manufactures and supplies, with reviews of its most popular lines, and investigate the ingredients to see whether Wysong is all that it claims to be.

cat + line divider

At a Glance: The Best Wysong Cat Food Recipes

Image Product Details
Our Favorite
Winner
Wysong Uretic Dry Cat Food Wysong Uretic Dry Cat Food
  • Primary ingredients are meat-based
  • Contains prebiotics and probiotics
  • May help treat urinary conditions
  • Second place
    Wysong Epigen 90 Starch-Free Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog & Cat Food Wysong Epigen 90 Starch-Free Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog & Cat Food
  • Starch free
  • Primarily meat content
  • Manufactured in the U.S.
  • Third place
    Wysong Vegan Dry Dog & Cat Food Wysong Vegan Dry Dog & Cat Food
  • Coated with probiotic and enzyme
  • All natural vegetarian formula
  • Suitable for all life stages cats and dogs
  • Wysong Uretic With Organic Chicken Canned Cat Food Wysong Uretic With Organic Chicken Canned Cat Food
  • Designed by a veterinarian
  • High meat, low carbohydrate recipe
  • Helps improve energy levels, health and overall quality of life
  • Wysong Optimal Vitality Dry Cat Food Wysong Optimal Vitality Dry Cat Food
  • Primary ingredients are meat
  • Contains probiotics and prebiotics
  • Competitive price
  • Wysong Cat Food Reviewed

    Wysong Cat Food is billed as being holistic cat food. Cats are strict carnivores and must eat meat-based proteins to be healthy and satisfied. In the wild, they typically eat small rodents like rats, mice, rabbits, and birds. However, they don’t consume vegetables or fruit except when they eat animals with stomachs full of plant material.

    Although dogs have enzymes that enable them to break down and digest starch, cats do not have them, so they are unable to absorb the nutritional benefits of vegetables. Despite that, most commercial cat food, especially dry food, is made up of starchy ingredients and has too many vegetable and other non-meat ingredients.

    Wysong Cat Food tries to replicate as much of a feline’s natural diet as possible. It is primarily made of meat ingredients, but it contains vegetables and other ingredients that provide supplementary vitamins and minerals. Some formulas have 50% fresh or frozen ingredients and dried meats and organs.

    feline cat eating on a metal bowl_Krakenimages.com_shutterstock
    Image Credit: Krakenimages.com, Shutterstock

    Who Makes Wysong Cat Food & Where Is It Produced?

    Wysong is a U.S. company based in Midland, Michigan. Its foods are developed in-house, with dry foods manufactured in Wisconsin and supplements in their Midland base. Its canned wet foods are made by Evanger’s in the U.S.

    Ingredients are sourced from all over the world, including Europe and Australia, and some of the amino acids used in their foods are sourced from China. Chinese minerals are widely used across the pet food industry, so Wysong is not alone in this respect.

    Which Types of Cats Is Wysong Best Suited For?

    Wysong has a wide range of cat foods. Specialist meals include the uretic range, which is designed for cats with urinary problems and urological issues. It has plenty of meat and a selection of vitamins and minerals that are added to improve a cat’s urinary health.

    Cat foods are available that are suitable for all stages of life, and you can feed Wysong to kittens and seniors. Although there are various Wysong recipes to choose from, the food has a reputation for being very rich and has been known to cause vomiting and diarrhea in some cats.

    The company says this is typical when changing a cat’s diet, especially when moving to a protein-rich diet. However, if your cat has a sensitive stomach and struggles with high-protein foods, you should consider a different brand.

    Wysong Vegan Dry Dog & Cat Food

    Blue Buffalo is a widely regarded and popular cat food. Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Chicken Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food is designed for cats that struggle with rich foods, and it contains LifeSource Bits, which are vitamin and mineral-rich supplements that replicate some of the ingredients that might otherwise be missing from your cat’s diet.

    Discussion of the Primary Ingredients

    Whether you are feeding dry, wet, or a combination of both foods, you need to ensure the quality of the ingredients. Many commercial cat foods are starchy, grain-filled foods that offer only minimal quality and plenty of fillers.

    • Grains: Many Wysong foods, especially dry foods, contain grains. Cats eat little or no grains in the wild. The protein derived from the ingredients is included in the total protein measurement when used in cat food. This is less beneficial for your cat than meat-based protein. Moreover, some cats may have grain sensitivities or intolerance, but that is certainly not the case with all cats. Wysong produces a grain-free recipe for sensitive cats.
    • Non-specific Meat: Most Wysong foods contain healthy ingredients, but some contain “fish meal.” Although the meal is considered fine, the fact that the type of fish is not listed means that it could be any species.
    • Garlic: Some of the Wysong formulas contain garlic, which is considered a controversial ingredient. Some people believe it is fine in small quantities. However, it is known to be toxic in large quantities, and some studies indicate that it causes damage on a cellular level. If you do not wish to feed your cat garlic, check the ingredients and avoid any food with garlic listed.

    95% Meat

    Wysong aims to provide cats with a diet much closer to what they would typically eat in the wild, where most of their diet would be meat. Most of Wysong’s top ingredients in food are meats and meat meals. Chicken meal, chicken, and turkey meal are the three most common ingredients.

    Protein-Rich Food

    There has been controversy surrounding the high-protein, rich foods that Wysong makes.

    Many owners have reported that their cats get sick after trying the food. Wysong counters that it is typical when moving a cat to any new diet, especially if it is richer than they are used to. This is true, and a gradual replacement should prevent it, but even when using this technique, some owners have found that the food is just too rich for their cats.

    Hepper 360 Cat Feeder, Stainless Steel, Anti-Chew...
    • NO MESS - The 360° tray on this cat food and water bowl set has a raised design to catch and...
    • WHISKER FRIENDLY - Shallow and wide metal containers with flat bottoms ensure your kitty can enjoy...
    • CHEW-SAFE MATERIALS - Kittens and cats love chewing on silicone and soft rubber - but it's a choking...

    Feeding your cat a high-quality diet is important for keeping them healthy and happy. But it goes beyond the food you choose; the dishes they use also matter. The Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl is our favorite for its unique, five-star design that protects from whisker fatigue and promotes good posture which also aids in better digestion. As an added bonus, it’s beautifully crafted and offers a modern take on the traditional cat bowl that fits seamlessly with all home stylings. Learn more about the NomNom by clicking here.

    At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

     

     

    divider-catclaw1

    A Quick Look at Wysong Cat Food

    Pros
    • Products include starch-free and grain-free recipes
    • Manufactured in the U.S.A.
    • Reasonable price
    • Most recipes include meat as the top ingredients
    Cons
    • Very rich
    • Still contains concentrated plant proteins

    Recall History

    Wysong has been manufacturing cat and dog food for 40 years and has had one recall. In 2009, some Wysong dry food was recalled because it had high moisture levels, which caused mold growth in some of the food. There have been no other reports of Wysong food being recalled.

    3 cat face divider

    Reviews of the 3 Best Wysong Cat Food Recipes

    Wysong Epigen Starch-Free Cat Food

    Wysong Epigen 90 Starch-Free Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog & Cat Food

    Starch is considered a poor-quality cat food ingredient because it replaces nutritional protein and is more difficult to digest. Wysong Epigen Starch-Free Cat Food is starch-free and designed to match the diet of cats in the wild.

    It claims to have 63% protein and 16% fat, which is a high percentage that your cat may not be accustomed to. Primary ingredients include chicken meal, organic chicken, and meat protein isolate. While these meats are considered breed-appropriate, the other ingredients, including vegetables and fruits, are less so.

    Calorie Breakdown:

    wysong epigen 90

    Pros
    • Starch-free
    • Primarily meat content
    • Manufactured in the U.S.
    Cons
    • Fruit and vegetable ingredients are not breed-appropriate

    Wysong Uretic Dry Cat Food

    Wysong Uretic Dry Cat Food

    Wysong Uretic Dry Cat Food has been manufactured with chicken, chicken meal, and chicken fat. Other ingredients include potato protein, which is starchy, and brown rice, which is considered an unnecessary ingredient that is not species-appropriate for cats.

    This formula has a slightly lower, but still higher than average, 42% protein and 15% fat rating. The high levels of fresh and frozen meat benefit cats with uretic system issues.

    Calorie Breakdown:

    wysong ueritic

    Pros
    • Primary ingredients are meat-based
    • Contains prebiotics and probiotics
    • May help treat urinary conditions
    Cons
    • Not all ingredients are species-appropriate

    Wysong Optimal Vitality Dry Cat Food

    Wysong Optimal Vitality Dry Cat Food

    Wysong Optimal Vitality Dry Cat Food has 50% protein, and its primary ingredients are chicken meal, organic chicken, and turkey meal, followed by pea protein and potato protein. The formula also includes nutraceuticals, which are food derivatives with claimed health benefits.

    Calorie Breakdown:

    wysong optimal

    Pros
    • The primary ingredients are meat
    • Contains probiotics and prebiotics
    • Competitive price
    Cons
    • Quite rich

    cat + line divider

    What Other Users Are Saying

    Here’s what others are saying about Wysong pet foods:

    • AllAboutCats: “A solid and respectable brand in the cat food industry, but it’s not the best.”
    • CatPet Club: “Wysong is a decent pick for cats with diabetes or a sensitive urinary system.”
    • Amazon: Check what other cat owners and Wysong buyers have said about the food on Amazon here.

    3 cat divider

    Conclusion

    Wysong cat food is designed to mimic the diet of cats in the wild. It has high protein levels and consists primarily of meat and meat ingredients, but it has a few ingredients that might be considered inappropriate for felines. It has a good selection of food, most of which is competitively priced, including a starch-free formula, which is unusual in the cat food industry.

    Ultimately, Wysong is a beneficial cat food, but your cat may find the protein-rich ingredients hard on their stomach. You may have to try a different brand if Wysong causes diarrhea or vomiting in your feline friend.

    Get Catster in your inbox!

    Stay informed! Get tips and exclusive deals.
    Catster Editors Choice Badge
    Shopping Cart

    Pangolia

    © Pangolia Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved.