Last updated Dec 19, 2024
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
One of several brands belonging to the Purina family, Purina ONE is marketed as premium pet food. But how does it stand up against other premium brands and other Purina product lines? Find out in this detailed review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Purina ONE on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Purina ONE and graded it according to the Cats.com standard. Here’s how it rates in each of six key areas:
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 7/10
- Ingredient Quality – 6/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 8/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 7/10
Overall Score: 6.8/10
We give Purina ONE cat food a 41 out of 60 rating or a B- grade.
Why Trust Cats.com
All of our detailed brand reviews are the product of in-depth brand and market research combined with expert experience and in-home product testing. Each review is written by cat food experts and supplemented with input from vets, animal nutritionists, and cat behaviorists. To complete these reviews, our experts spend hours delving into the company’s history, reading customer reviews, analyzing product labels, and testing the products at home with our own cats.
Before testing, we make observations about brand details like recall history, average customer experience, manufacturing processes, and product packaging. Our testing process involves in-depth analysis of each product’s nutritional information balanced against expert insights and the opinions of our feline testers.
About Purina ONE
Owned by Nestlè-Purina PetCare, Purina ONE was introduced in 1986 as the company’s first venture into the world of premium pet food. It’s marketed as a natural brand and promises “a difference from day ONE,” claiming that better ingredients can lead to better health.
Compared to other Purina brands, ONE is closest to Pro Plan and Beyond. Purina ONE is the cheapest of the three and on average, appears to have the highest protein content. Compared to Beyond, it has more controversial ingredients like artificial colors, corn gluten meal, and animal by-products. Compared to Pro Plan, however, ONE has fewer artificial ingredients.
Ultimately, the differences between Purina ONE and other Nestlè-Purina PetCare brands are subtle, varied, and best evaluated on a product-by-product basis.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Like virtually all Purina foods, Purina ONE is primarily manufactured in the United States in company-owned facilities. Most Purina ingredients are sourced from North America, but depending on availability and manufacturing location, the company may obtain ingredients from other countries.
Purina doesn’t provide specific details about the sourcing of ingredients, simply reiterating in the brand’s FAQ’s that “all Purina ONE natural dog food and cat food formulas use high-quality ingredients for nutrition that can lead to visible differences in your pet’s health.” Purina offers an ingredient glossary, but it only explains the nutritional benefits of various ingredients, not their sources.
Recall History
Purina has been a major player in the pet food industry for decades. This longevity, combined with having numerous brands under the Purina umbrella, makes it unsurprising that Purina brands have accumulated more than a dozen product recalls over the years.
That said, Purina ONE’s recall history is limited to two lots of a single product. In 2011, two lots of Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ dry cat food were recalled due to possible salmonella risk.
What Kind of Cat Food Does Purina ONE Offer?
Purina ONE is marketed as a premium line of pet foods featuring so-called natural ingredients with added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to improve pet health. The cat food selection includes a wide variety of wet and dry cat foods, both grain-free and grain-inclusive varieties. Purina ONE cat foods are divided into various product lines, each focused on a specific nutritional feature or health benefit.
True Instinct, for example, is a grain-free line of high-protein cat foods made with a whole animal protein as the first ingredient. Purina ONE +Plus includes recipes for kittens, indoor cats, senior cats, urinary health, and weight management. The LiveClear line is formulated to decrease levels of active Fel d1 (the protein primarily responsible for cat allergies) in cats.
Here is a complete list of Purina ONE’s product lines include the following:
- Purina ONE Healthy Kitten
- Purina ONE True Instinct
- Purina ONE Grain-Free
- Purina ONE LiveClear
- Purina ONE +Plus
- Purina ONE Ideal Weight
- Purina ONE Urinary Tract Health
- Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend
Purina invites pet parents to “Find Your Formula” using a tool on the website that uses the answers to a short series of questions to provide product recommendations and a custom feeding guide. You can also participate in the 28-Day Challenge to track the visible improvements in your cat’s health during their first month on Purina ONE foods. You’ll receive a $3 coupon for registering and another $2 coupon when you complete the challenge.
Purina ONE Cat Food—Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein | Calories Per Ounce | Price | Our Grade |
| ONE Tender Selects Blend with Real Chicken Dry Cat Food | Dry | Chicken | 107 kcal/oz. | $2.02 per lb | C- |
| ONE +Plus Sensitive Skin & Stomach Adult Dry Cat Food | Dry | Chicken | 108 kcal/oz. | $2.05 per lb | C |
| ONE Chicken Recipe Paté Natural Grain-Free Canned Cat Food | Wet | Chicken | 32 | $0.33 per oz | A- |
#1 Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend with Real Chicken Dry Cat Food
Easily one of Purina ONE’s most popular dry food recipes, this product consists of crunchy kibbles mixed with tender morsels. Chicken is the first ingredient and appears to be the primary source of protein. However, the formula includes half a dozen different plant-sourced proteins like corn gluten meal, soybean meal, and soy protein isolate.
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
There’s not much about this food that stands out from other kibble products other than the affordable price. It’s a corny, wheaty, crunchy food with artificial color and flavor. Cats seem to love the way it tastes and some customers say their cat is thriving on it, but we can’t recommend it as a nutritionally excellent choice.
Ingredients
Chicken, Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal (Source Of Glucosamine), Beef Fat (Naturally Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols), Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Wheat Flour, Liver Flavor, Soy Protein Isolate, Soy Protein Concentrate, Glycerin, Phosphoric Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Caramel Color, Dried Carrots, Dried Peas, Choline Chloride, Sodium Bisulfate, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K)], Taurine, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], L-Cysteine, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Dl-Methionine.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Beef Fat
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Wheat Flour, Liver Flavor, Soy Protein Isolate, Soy Protein Concentrate, Caramel Color, Dried Peas
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Chicken is the top ingredient
- Relies primarily on animal-sourced fat
- Contains nearly 40% dry matter protein
- Cats seem to like the flavor
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains numerous plant-based proteins
- High in carbohydrates
- No dry food provides the moisture cats need
#2 Purina ONE +Plus Sensitive Skin & Stomach Adult Dry Cat Food
Similar to the previous recipe, this dry food starts off strong with a whole source of animal protein as the first ingredient. Again, chicken by-product meal provides supplemental protein, but it appears in the second slot instead of lower down the list. There are still a few plant proteins listed, but this recipe is less soy-heavy and it’s free from artificial flavors or preservatives.
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Purina says the food is highly-digestible for sensitive systems, though it’s not clear how it’s any more digestible than other Purina ONE dry foods. Nonetheless, it seems to work for the people who feed it. Five-star reviews represent over 80% of the feedback on Chewy and numerous customers believe the food is responsible for solving their cats’ digestive issues.
Overall, it’s still a high-carbohydrate formula that’s low in moisture. It does, however, offer a moderate amount of dry matter protein and fat (38.6% and 15.9%, respectively).
Ingredients
Turkey, Chicken By-Product Meal, Rice, Corn Protein Meal, Soybean Meal, Oat Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Beef Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Egg Product, Natural Flavor, Dried Chicory Root, Soybean Oil, Phosphoric Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Glycerin, Dried Carrots, Dried Peas, Vegetable Juice (Color), Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, MINERALS [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Taurine, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, VITAMINS [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K)].
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Beef Fat, Dried Egg Product
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Corn Protein Meal, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Soybean Oil, Dried Peas
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Top two ingredients are animal proteins
- Relies primarily on animal-sourced fat
- Free from artificial flavor and preservatives
- Customers say it works for sensitive digestion
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains numerous plant-based proteins
- High in carbohydrates
- No dry food provides the moisture cats need
#3 Purina ONE Chicken Recipe Paté Natural Grain-Free Canned Cat Food
One of Purina ONE’s most popular wet formulas, this product is a chicken-based paté. It’s primarily made from animal ingredients, with chicken meat, liver of unspecified origins, pork lungs, and unspecified fish leading the ingredient list.
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Aside from guar gum as a stabilizer and thickener, this food doesn’t contain any starchy plant ingredients or plant protein concentrates. The food contains “natural flavors,” an ingredient usually made from hydrolyzed animal tissues, but that’s the last ingredient before a long list of synthetic vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that make each meal nutritionally complete.
Overall, this food has almost everything we look for in canned cat food—low carbohydrate content, plenty of protein from animal sources, a mix of muscle meat and organs for maximal animal-sourced nutrition, and lots of hydrating moisture.
Ingredients
Chicken, Liver, Chicken Broth, Pork Lungs, Fish, Natural Flavors, MINERALS [Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide], Guar Gum, Taurine, VITAMINS [Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Vitamin A Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Vitamin D-3 Supplement], Choline Chloride, Salt.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Liver, Chicken Broth, Pork Lungs, Fish
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Guar Gum
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Contains 50% dry matter protein
- Short list of easily digestible ingredients
- Rich in hydrating moisture for cats
- Under 10% dry matter carbohydrate
What We Didn’t Like:
- Guar gum might trigger loose stools in some cats
- Contains some vaguely named animal proteins
What Do Customers Think of Purina ONE Cat Food?
On Amazon and Chewy, Purina ONE product listings receive primarily positive reviews. For example, Purina ONE’s popular Tender Selects Blend with Real Chicken dry food has more than 3,900 reviews on Chewy and a 4.7 out of 5-star average rating. Purina ONE canned foods have fewer reviews overall but the majority maintain an average rating above 4 stars.
Dissatisfied Purina ONE customers often mention that their picky cats simply didn’t like the food or they had a problem with delivery. Some customers report their cats’ opinions on the food changing over time or that some batches are less well tolerated than others.
Positive Reviews
“The pate is exactly the right consistency and there’s enough juice in the can to drizzle over the food to make it more palatable. My cats prefer their dry food, so it’s been a struggle to find wet food that they will eat.”—Araby reviewing Purina ONE Chicken Recipe Paté on Chewy, September 30, 2024
“Makes her coat shiny and soft, and she likes the taste. I sometimes get her the lamb flavor of the sensitive skin and stomach formula just to vary it up, but this purina formula is definitely the way to go.”—Brenda reviewing Purina ONE +Plus Sensitive Skin dry cat food on Chewy, November 9, 2024
Negative Reviews
“I switched my cats over from the tender selects formula to this since they were starting to throw the food up. but they aren’t crazy for it. I have thrown out multiple bowls of leftover stale food when they usually clear them. It definitely depends on the cat but my 3 aren’t too fond of the switch.”—Morgan reviewing Purina ONE +Plus Sensitive Skin dry cat food on Chewy, October 29, 2024
“My cats did not like the puffy “tender” bits at all (of which there were too much) and picked out only the crunchier ones that smelled and tasted better. It is very greasy and attracts bugs, especially if you feed indoor/outdoor cats. Neither my cats nor I liked it. Will not buy again.”—Kathy reviewing Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend dry cat food on Chewy, September 13, 2024
How Much Does Purina ONE Cat Food Cost?
Among Purina brands targeting the super-premium market, Purina ONE is the most economical. Depending on the size of the bag, Purina ONE dry cat foods cost less than $0.15 per ounce (less than $2.50 per pound). The estimated daily cost to feed a 10-pound cat Purina ONE dry food would be about $0.25. This puts Purina ONE dry foods in a similar price range to Rachael Ray and Diamond.
Purina ONE’s wet cat foods are a little more expensive but still priced at or below market average, between $0.35 and $0.45 per ounce. The estimated daily cost to feed a 10-pound cat Purina ONE wet food is about $2 to $3. This puts Purina ONE wet food in a similar price range to brands like Blue Buffalo Wilderness and Nulo.
Where Is Purina ONE Cat Food Sold?
Purina ONE cat food is readily available in pet retail chains, big box stores, and some independent pet retailers. Though Purina doesn’t sell products directly through its company website, you can browse the product selection and find links to buy from various retailers on each individual product page.
You can also find the full range of Purina ONE products on popular online pet retailer sites like Amazon and Chewy, and a variety of other online retailers. The products may also be available online from retail chains like Walmart, Target, and various national pet store chains.
Overall, Is Purina ONE Cat Food a Good Choice?
Purina ONE has some great recipes—for instance, the canned chicken paté reviewed above—and some that are little better than the colorful kibble on the grocery store shelf. If you want to get the best Purina ONE has to offer, opt for their canned food but skip the products that rely on ingredients like wheat gluten to plump up the protein content.
While dry food isn’t always ideal for cats due to the low moisture content, some of Purina ONE’s recipes from the +Plus line seem to be effective. If you’re looking for an affordably priced product to help address common health concerns like sensitive digestion or weight management, Purina ONE could be a good choice.
Similar Brands
Looking for other cat food brands similar to Purina ONE? Check out some of our other brand reviews.
It’s the only food my cats will eat! I have two rescue cats. They are both tortoiseshell cats. One is normal weight And the other is very small. I’ve tried other cat food, and this is the only one they will eat.
My cat prefers this as opposed to the connaisseur range but only comes in box of 40 or 8. Could they do box of 12
I see there is fish on the ingridients, what type of fish? If the flavor is chicken or turkey… why is there fish on the ingredients?
Good question. Many ingredients can appear in a cat food without showing up in its name, and “fish” is a very common one. This is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of fish species. Because we don’t know much about the type or quality of fish included, this vaguely-labeled ingredient is really not an ideal inclusion in cat food.
Thanks for your answer!
I’ve been looking at all your reviews of wet and dry cat food and appreciate your research.
But to make life easier,
What do you feed YOUR cats?
If it’s good enough for you. It’s good enough for me
Hey Bob, thanks for the comment and support. My answer to this question is complicated by the fact that my cats are 15 and ~11 years old, and one of them has been diagnosed with kidney disease. Therefore, their diet will be different than that of a younger cat. I feed them a mix of fresh and canned foods, including Weruva’s Wx line, Smalls fresh cat food, My Perfect Pet low-phosphorus fresh food, and a few different lower-phosphorus recipes from Weruva’s BFF line. Hope this helps in some way!
The best low carb food I can find costs money. There is no budget cat food now. Poor babies. It’s Dr. Elsey’s dry cat food. I think Instinct limited ingredients is pretty good and cheaper but still costs money. You will save a ton of money on vet bills if you get better food. I have learned that over the past 50 years as an adult through experience. Since I upgraded their food I have not had a vet bill in 10 years…knock on wood….praying that holds. Other cats have died at 2 years, 6 years, 8 years and so forth. Canned food is way better for cats due to moisture content and good to feed at least one cat per day maybe at night since that is their natural hunting time and then leave out high quality dry food for them to eat whenever they want to eat. Best wishes for healthy cats with long happy lives. I feed Fancy Feast canned food the pate is better and appropriate for cats with diabetes. I found if you don’t feed cats dry food with corn they will not get diabetes even if obese. Corn is in so many cat foods and especially prescription which I do not understand since it is expensive.
Can you please review purina one indoor senior wet cat food. I need low carb and low phosphorus wet cat food.
Hi there! That’s a good request, and we’ll consider it. In the meantime, you might like our article on the best senior cat food.
As of March 2023, Purina has reformulated ONE Salmon. It smells like grain and my cats won’t eat it. As of this evening I am desperate to get away from all Purina brands.
They must have changed it back because mine wouldn’t eat the new formula either, back in March, but they do now. In fact I had 2 cats who vomited after eating the new formula, which, looked like the turkey variety in color and texture. I stopped buying the stuff for about 3 months after that.
Hello. I need to find the lowest carb budget fry food possible. I’ve tried to locate one myself but I haven’t had much luck. I’ve seen that Purina One kitten had approx 24% carbs on a dry matter basis. That may work for us. Do you have any other suggestions? My delima is my amazing veterinarian said it would be fine to mix 25% of the lower budget dry foods with our Dr. Elseys. Dr. Elseys is almost carb free. We need to mix so the bag will last an entire month. Our vet said that is only acceptable if we find a food & stick to it so that if any recall or any problem occurs we can narrow it down to those two foods. I did the math & about 25% of a cheap food is what we would need to get the bag to last a whole month. Don’t worry, we feed low carb canned food & zero carb homemade as well so Junior & Sophia are hopefully getting proper hydration from the moistened kibble, water bowl, water fountain & canned. We unfortunately can’t afford Dr.? Elseys without splitting it a tad bit. 🙁 I would still prefer to find the lowest carb ultra budget food for that….something in the 20’s or lower. Some have up to 50%!! Big difference! So far we’re looking at Purina One Kitten. Our cats are perfectly healthy but we did find out both of their parents were very overweight & one had diabetes so we definitely want to prevent that with our cats. Thank you in advance & your hard work is very much appreciated!! 🐱
And btw, it does not have to be a kitten food. In my limited research & my terrible math skills it’s the lowest I have found thus far. Thank you!
We’ve been buying the Purina One Dry cat food for years now, our cats loved it & it was an affordable price. Sadly I can’t say that anymore, for a 7.2 kg bag it’s now almost $50 at Wal-Mart and 33.99 at PetSmart :s Now due to our cats enjoying it so much & it being one of the better foods out there paying out $33.99 isn’t too bad but there’s no way in h*ll I’d pay nearly $50 for it, that’s a lii’ steep for Purina. I thought one of the draws of this brand was it’s affordability for everyone, has that changed for some reason??
Hi Kelly! Unfortunately pet food manufacturers reformulate their products from time to time and that sometimes leads to price increases. If you’re looking for something more affordable, there are several things I’d recommend. They may even be higher quality than Purina, given the C grade we gave to Purina dry foods in our review (their canned foods are decent).
We have a post on affordable cat food here:
https://cats.com/best-cheap-cat-food
If you’re looking to buy something in bulk like the Purina, you could try something like Diamond Naturals which is about $30 for an 8kg (15lbs) bag. It’s very high in carbs, but has animal-based proteins and fats.
https://prf.hn/l/pRex9xk
Some of the Purina Beyond Simply Grain Free dry foods are affordable as well. This whitefish and egg recipe is $32 for 11lbs (5kg).
https://prf.hn/l/Gq45W5O
Hope that helps!