Petguard Cat Food Review – Discontinued

Kate Barrington / Cats.com

We’ve rated PetGuard cat food on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our PetGuard cat food review to learn how this brand stacks up.

The Cats.com Standard—PetGuard On What Matters

We’ve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality. Here’s how it rates in each of these six crucial areas.

In total, we give PetGuard cat food a 47 out of 60 rating or an B+ grade.

About PetGuard

The PetGuard brand is marked as a premium pet food brand and some of their recipes are labeled organic. On the brand’s Amazon landing page, they make the following claim:

“Since 1979, PetGuard has been committed to guarding the health and happiness of cats and dogs by nourishing them with the finest quality, wholesome, all-natural food.”

PetGuard products are made with a healthy balance of clean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats. Their products are free from corn, animal by-products, and artificial preservatives as well as rendered animal fats and artificial color and flavor. PetGuard products are specifically formulated with the optimal ratio of essential nutrients including added vitamins and minerals.

Each package or can of PetGuard pet food carries the phrase, “Your pet deserves the best,” and PetGuard seeks to delivery on that claim with their vet-approved recipes.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

Because PetGuard’s website was under construction at the time of review, we weren’t able to find a lot of detailed information about the brand’s sourcing of ingredients or manufacturing processes. What little information we did find came mostly from the product packaging itself.

PetGuard is advertised as a family-owned business (since 1979) that is recommended by veterinarians and made in the USA. Their product labels list PetGuard Holdings, LLC as the distributor along with an address in Sewickley, PA. The label also carries the claim, “Made in the USA with the finest globally sourced ingredients.”

We couldn’t find any specific information about where PetGuard sources their ingredients or how their products are manufactured. This information may be available on the brand website once it’s back up and running.

PetGuard offers one recipe for dry cat food and an assortment of canned foods in 3-ounce and 5.5-ounce cans. Kate Barrington / Cats.com

Recall History

When shopping around for a new pet food brand, it’s important to do your research. Take a look at the recipes they offer and review the list of ingredients to verify their quality. You may also want to dig into the company’s recall history for good measure.

Product recalls happen for a variety of reason and even some of the top-quality brands on the market have a recall or two in their history. It’s always a good thing if a company doesn’t have any recalls, but it isn’t necessarily an indication of poor overall quality if they have one or two.

Fortunately, PetGuard is a brand that hasn’t had a product recall in its history.

What Kinds Of Cat Food Does PetGuard Offer?

Because the PetGuard website wasn’t up and running at the time of review, we weren’t able to view the brand’s full spectrum of products. Certain products were available on major retailers like Amazon and Chewy while others were only in stock with online grocers like VitaCost.

In terms of their cat food offerings, PetGuard seems to primarily be a wet food brand. They offer one dry food formula and a moderate selection of canned food products.

Here’s a quick list of the products we were able to find:

• PetGuard LifeSpan Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe with Vegetables Dry Food
• PetGuard Beef & Barley Dinner Canned Food
• PetGuard Chicken & Beef Dinner Canned Food
• PetGuard Premium Feast Dinner Canned Food
• PetGuard Savory Seafood Dinner Canned Food
• PetGuard Chicken & Wheat Germ Dinner Canned Food
• PetGuard Fish, Chicken & Liver Dinner Canned Food
• PetGuard Organic Chicken & Vegetable Canned Food

PetGuard canned foods come in three different sizes, depending on the recipe: 3 ounces, 5.5 ounces, and 13.2 ounces. Most products were sold individually instead of in variety packs or multi-packs.

What Do Customers Think Of PetGuard Cat Food?

Cats have a reputation for being picky eaters, so it’s difficult to predict what your cats will and won’t like. Before switching to a new brand, we always recommend doing your research, including reading what current customers of the brand have to say about how their cats like the product.

PetGuard doesn’t seem to be a major mainstream brand, so we had some trouble finding reviews outside of Amazon. We found a few reviews on Consumer Affairs as well.

A running theme we noticed among reviews on Amazon had to do with a change in recipe. Many cat owners claimed their cats used to love the product but have recently started to turn up their noses, potentially due to a change in recipe. Some customers commented on the high carb content as well.

Let’s take a look at a few customer reviews from some of the most popular recipes from PetGuard.

Positive Reviews

“At first I was concerned they had changed the recipe somehow, but I compared the ingredients and nutrition info and this is essentially the same food. A few minor changes were made to the descriptions (like dried egg whites instead of whole eggs) but I suspect that they’re just more accurate now. My pet likes it fine like nothing ever happened to his food!” – by Superstar reviewing PetGuard LifeSpan Chicken & Brown Rice with Vegetables via Amazon

“I’ve been on the hunt for high quality cat food that doesn’t cost a fortune. After a lot of research at various sites Petguard was one on my list to try, so I ordered a case from amazon and couldn’t be happier. Be warned though, this stuff smells terrible, opening a can and dishing it out is like being slapped in the face with a week old mackerel, but that’s how cats like it.” – by X reviewing PetGuard Premium Feast Dinner via Amazon

Negative Reviews

“She has been enjoying Premium Feast for many months. For the past 2 months, she totally ignores it. She and I don’t smell any beef odor any longer. Cats are sensitive and their nose tells them everything. Dogs, on the other hand eat what’s in front of them. I’m very disappointed in this development.” by – of New York, NY via Consumer Affairs

“My cats will not eat this food. I think it has too much rice in it and it is too dry. I bought a whole case of it and I’m very disappointed. I bought it because it was organic and I thought it would be healthier for my cats but they won’t eat it.” – by  SHS reviewing Petguard Fish, Chicken & Liver Recipe via Amazon

PetGuard cat food is rich in real animal protein with whole grains, fresh fruits, and veggies in most recipes. Kate Barrington / Cats.com

What Did Our Test Cats Think?

To test PetGuard cat food, we ordered a bag of their LifeSpan Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe with Vegetables dry food and an assortment of canned foods.

Our first impression of PetGuard cat food when we received our order was that it had the look of a grocery store brand. We were a little wary of the canned food products given the word “dinner” being included in the name, but upon reviewing the ingredients lists we didn’t find as many red flags as expected. In fact, all of the PetGuard recipes held up well in a review of their ingredients.

When it came time to test the products, our test cats were more than happy to oblige. They took to both the canned food and dry food recipes. This was a little surprising given most of the canned foods had a pate-like texture and our cats tend to prefer recipes with broth or gravy.

Overall, we were pleasantly surprised by our experience and review of PetGuard cat food.

PetGuard Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed

All nutritional percentages in this table and hereafter are taken from the manufacturer’s guaranteed analysis. Exact nutritional percentages are not available.

All calculated values are determined using these minimum and maximum published values and may differ from actual values. PetGuard is the ultimate authority on their products, so please contact the company for more nutritional information.

#1 PetGuard LifeSpan Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe with Vegetables

Kate Barrington / Cats.com

This chicken & brown rice recipe appears to be PetGuard’s only dry food formula available at the moment. It features fresh chicken as the first ingredient with chicken meal as a concentrated source of supplemental protein in the second slot.

Aside from the chicken, this recipe contains several supplementary sources of protein including white fish meal, dried egg, and pea protein. We prefer recipes that omit plant-based protein concentrates, of course, but we’re glad to see that, in this case, it isn’t within the top 10 ingredients.

Though this recipe contains several sources of animal-based protein, it is still higher in carbohydrates than we’d like. We appreciate that the carb sources are primarily whole grains, but the estimated carb content is over 30% (we prefer something closer to 10%).

The other criticism we have of this recipe is the long list of synthetic supplements at the end. Most commercial cat foods include synthetic supplements but having such a long list suggests that the primary ingredients aren’t nutrient-dense or that their nutritional integrity is compromised in processing.

Ingredients

Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oat Groats, White Fish Meal, Millet, Dried Egg Product, Chickpeas, Chicken Fat, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Pea Protein, Flaxseeds, Dried Kelp, Menhaden Fish Oil, Sunflower Oil, Potassium Chloride, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Monosodium Phosphate, L-lysine, Dl-methionine, Dried Carrots, Dried Spinach, Dried Apple Pomace, Dried Beets, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Ascorbic Acid, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, D-calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Citric Acid, Folic Acid, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate

Ingredients We Liked	Ingredients We Didn’t Like	Common Allergens
Chicken Chicken meal Brown rice Oat groats White fish meal Chicken fat	Pea protein Dehydrated alfalfa meal	Chicken Egg Fish

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 32%

Crude Fat: 14%

Crude Fiber: 3%

Moisture: 10%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 35.56%

Fat: 15.56%

Fiber: 3.33%

Carbs: 45.56%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 29.91%

Fat: 31.78%

Carbs: 38.32%

Pros

• Real chicken as the first (and second) ingredient
• Made with wholesome whole grains
• Rich in real animal protein sources

Cons

• Includes some plant-based protein (pea protein)
• Long list of synthetic nutrient supplements

#2 PetGuard Savory Seafood Dinner Canned Food

This Savory Seafood Dinner is one of several canned food recipes PetGuard has to offer. The first ingredient and primary source of protein is salmon, though you’ll see several supplementary proteins as well such as mackerel, ocean fish, chicken liver, and shrimp.

Not only do we love the high protein content of this formula, but it has very low carbohydrate content estimated under 3%. The only added carbohydrates are rice flour and guar gum which are likely added primarily as thickening agents.

Again, we see a fairly long list of synthetic supplements which we’d prefer be replaced by natural sources for key nutrients.

Ingredients

Salmon, Mackerel, Water Sufficient For Processing, Ocean Fish, Chicken Liver, Rice Flour, Shrimp, Brewers Dried Yeast, Guar Gum, Sunflower Oil, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Dried Kelp, Dl-methionine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zine Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, D-calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid

Ingredients We Liked	Ingredients We Didn’t Like	Common Allergens
Salmon Mackerel Ocean fish Chicken liver Shrimp	Rice flour Brewers dried yeast Guar gum	Fish Chicken

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 11%

Crude Fat: 4.5%

Crude Fiber: 1%

Moisture: 78%

Ash: 2.8%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 50%

Fat: 20.45%

Fiber: 4.55%

Carbs: 12.27%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 44.66%

Fat: 44.37%

Carbs: 10.96%

Pros

• Multiple whole sources of animal protein
• High in protein, low in carbohydrates
• Rich in moisture, highly digestible for cats

Cons

• Primary source of added fat is plant-based
• Contains several thickening agents

#3 PetGuard Organic Chicken & Vegetable Formula

Perhaps the only PetGuard recipe to be USDA organic certified, this formula features organic chicken and organic turkey as the primary sources of protein and two of the top three ingredients. You’ll also find organic whole grains like brown rice and oats in this formula.

Aside from being organic, what sets this recipe apart from other PetGuard canned foods is the use of fresh fruits and veggies as natural sources for key nutrients. That being said, the product still has a long list of synthetic supplements like the others.

This recipe is packed with real animal protein and, though it contains several grains, the estimated carbohydrate content is only around 4%.

Ingredients

Organic Chicken, Water Sufficient For Processing, Organic Turkey, Organic Brown Rice, Organic Oats, Organic Carrots, Organic Cranberries, Organic Apples, Organic Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Organic Olive Oil, Choline Chloride, Salt, Taurine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, D-calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Ingredients We Liked	Ingredients We Didn’t Like	Common Allergens
Organic chicken Organic turkey Organic brown rice Organic oats	Guar gum	Chicken

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 8%

Crude Fat: 7%

Crude Fiber: 1%

Moisture: 78%

Ash: 2.3%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 36.36%

Fat: 31.82%

Fiber: 4.55%

Carbs: 16.82%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 27.87%

Fat: 59.23%

Carbs: 12.89%

Pros

• High in protein, low in carbohydrates
• Real organic chicken as the first ingredient
• Whole grains and fresh fruits/vegetables

Cons

• Still contains a long list of synthetic supplements
• Contains some thickening agents

PetGuard utilizes a whole source of real animal protein as the first ingredient in every recipe and doesn’t include artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Kate Barrington / Cats.com

How Much Does PetGuard Cat Food Cost?

It’s a little tricky to comment on the cost of PetGuard cat food since the brand’s website isn’t currently running and different retailers offer different products. Based on the products we reviewed above, PetGuard dry food is priced around $4 per pound and their wet food ranges from $0.30 to $0.50 per ounce. Understandably, their organic canned food is more expensive than their traditional recipes.

Overall, Is PetGuard Cat Food a Good Choice?

For the most part, PetGuard seems to be an above-average brand in terms of ingredient quality and they are surprisingly affordable for the level of quality. We did have a fair bit of difficulty finding the products, but that could change once the brand’s website is back up and running again.

The one thing we’ll note about PetGuard products is that, despite using high-quality sources of proteins and whole grains in most of their recipes, they make heavy use of synthetic supplements.

Most commercial pet food brands use synthetic vitamins and minerals to meet AAFCO standards for nutritional adequacy. When the list is as long as it is for PetGuard foods, however, it leads us to wonder about the quality of the ingredients and whether their nutritional integrity might have been compromised during cooking.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to verify the quality of PetGuard ingredients because the website was unavailable. We don’t have any major issues with this brand, but it might be worth finding a brand that delivers similar quality at a comparable price but provides a little more information about their products.

Where Is PetGuard Cat Food Sold?

You can find PetGuard cat food in a number of different places, primarily online. For the biggest selection of products, we recommend Amazon or another pet-specific online retailer. You’ll find a few products on Chewy, but at the time of review only the Chicken and Brown Rice dry food was in stock.

We’ll also note that, at the time of review, the PetGuard website seemed to be under construction or had gone defunct. It may return in the future, offering another option to shop for this brand.

Also Read: Vital Essentials Cat Food Review