Published Apr 30, 2019
We’ve taken a close look at Taste of the Wild and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, product variety, price, ingredient quality, customer experience, and recall history.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Taste of the Wild 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.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 7/10
- Ingredient Quality – 7/10
- Product Variety – 5/10
- Price – 8/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 4/10
Overall Score: 6.3/10
In total, we give Taste of the Wild cat food a 38 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.
Taste of the Wild describes its food as “the balanced diet nature intended”.
According to the company, Taste of the Wild offers affordable, high-quality, grain-free foods inspired by your cat’s natural diet. Every formula features real meat, fish, or fowl as the first ingredient, along with unexpected proteins like wild boar, bison, smoked trout, roasted duck, venison, and Angus beef.
The brand is well-priced and receives average to slightly above-average marks in species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, and product variety. Read on to learn more about Taste of the Wild and whether or not it’s a good choice for your cat.
About Taste of the Wild Cat Food
Taste of the Wild is owned by Diamond Pet Food, a US company founded in 1970 by brothers-in-law Gary Schell and Richard Kampeter.
Diamond’s brand family includes Taste of the Wild, NutraGold, Nutra-Nuggets, and several varieties of Diamond brand food. In addition to making and selling their own pet foods, Diamond is one of the United States’ leading manufacturers and acts as a co-packer for numerous pet food companies.
Diamond Pet Food is headquartered in Meta, Missouri.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Taste of the Wild is manufactured in company-owned facilities. All five of their manufacturing facilities are located in the United States. They’re located in California, Missouri, South Carolina, and Arkansas.
Their ingredients are sourced from various countries around the world. Taste of the Wild sources lamb from New Zealand, lamb meal and venison from Australia, duck meal from France, potato protein from Germany, and dried chicory root from Belgium. The company sources some or all of their vitamins, minerals, and amino acids from China.
Recall History
Taste of the Wild was recalled in 2012 when foods tested positive for salmonella. Thousands of units were pulled.
Diamond, Taste of the Wild’s parent company and manufacturer, has had several recalls since its creation in 1970. In 2013, the company issued a cat food recall due to low levels of thiamine, twice in 2012 due to potential salmonella contamination, and in 2005 due to possible aflatoxin mold contamination.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Taste of the Wild Offer?
All Taste of the Wild cat foods are grain-free and feature meat as the first ingredient. In addition to the standard variety of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, they’re supplemented with proprietary Viables® probiotics. The company says the probiotic blend is developed specifically for cats and added after the cooking process to ensure viability.
Taste of the Wild has two lines—the original line, which contains a variety of protein sources and long ingredient lists, and Taste of the Wild Prey, which is a line of limited-ingredient foods with four or fewer key ingredients.
Taste of the Wild
The original Taste of the Wild line includes four recipes for cats. These are Rocky Mountain, available in wet or dry form, and Canyon River wet or dry food.
Taste of the Wild Prey
Taste of the Wild describes the Prey line as “a simplified approach to pet food based on the animal’s native diet”. All of the foods in this line contain no more than four key ingredients—these include one animal protein source, along with lentils, tomato pomace, and sunflower oil. This line includes only two formulas for cats, and both of them are dry foods.
Taste of the Wild Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Dry Cat Food | Dry | $3.43 per lb | C+ |
| Canyon River Grain-Free Dry Cat Food | Dry | $3.75 per lb | C |
| Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Canned Cat Food | Wet | $0.33 per oz | B |
#1 Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Chicken meal appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
The Rocky Mountain recipe stays true to Taste of the Wild’s “meat is the first ingredient” rule by including protein-dense chicken meal as the first ingredient. The food also contains roasted venison, smoked salmon, and ocean fish meal. In addition to these meat ingredients, the food contains both pea and potato protein, which are concentrated plant protein sources.
Overall, the food is high in protein with moderate fat and relatively low carbohydrate content when compared to other dry foods. It has moderate calorie content at 390 calories per cup.
Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Protein, Potato Protein, Roasted Venison, Smoked Salmon, Natural Flavor, Ocean Fish Meal, Dl-Methionine, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Raspberries, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried BiFidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, RiboFlavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken Fat, Roasted Venison, Probiotics
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Pea Protein, Potato Protein
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Contains probiotics to support digestive health
- Low carbohydrate content compared to other dry foods
- Made with several sources of animal protein
- Low price
- No artificial ingredients
Cons
- Contains multiple sources of plant protein
- High carbohydrate content compared to cat dietary requirements
- Doesn’t provide adequate hydration
#2 Taste of the Wild Canyon River Grain-Free Dry Cat Food Review
Trout and ocean fish meal appear to be the primary protein sources in this dry cat food.
Taste of the Wild’s Canyon River food is a fish-centric recipe featuring trout and ocean fish meal as the first two ingredients. These animal protein sources are followed by multiple plant ingredients, including sweet potatoes, potatoes, pea protein, and potato protein.
In addition to standard vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, the food contains traces of berries, tomatoes along with dried chicory root for prebiotic fiber. Like other Taste of the Wild foods, this dry diet is enhanced with Viable® probiotics.
Overall, this is dry food has moderate protein and fat content and high carbohydrate matter. It’s 350 calories per cup.
Ingredients
Trout, Ocean Fish Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Pea Protein, Potato Protein, Canola Oil, Smoked Salmon, Natural Flavor, Choline Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, Dried Chicory Root, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Raspberries, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid.
Ingredients We Liked: Trout, Smoked Salmon
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Pea Protein, Potato Protein
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Made with several sources of animal protein
- No artificial ingredients
- Contains probiotics to support digestive health
Cons
- Contains concentrated plant protein
- High carbohydrate content
- Dry food isn’t adequately hydrating
#3 Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Canned Cat Food Review
Salmon appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This is a fish-based food made with a combination of salmon, chicken liver, chicken, and dried egg whites as animal protein sources. It also includes small amounts of smoked salmon, roasted venison, and ocean fish.
Like all Taste of the Wild canned foods, this product has a stew-style consistency.
While it’s lower in carbohydrates than most dry foods, Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain canned food is one of the most carbohydrate-dense wet foods on the market. Potato starch, pea flour, peas, and guar gum contribute to the food’s approximately 32% carbohydrate content on a dry matter basis.
Overall, the food is a meat-rich product with high protein content, moderate fat, and high carbohydrate content. It’s approximately 27 calories per ounce or 149 calories per 5.5oz can.
Ingredients
Salmon, Fish Broth, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Chicken, Dried Egg Whites, Potato Starch, Pea Flour, Smoked Salmon, Roasted Venison, Peas, Ocean Fish, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Inulin, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Raspberries, Taurine, Dl-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Yucca Schidigera Extract, 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: Chicken Liver, Chicken, Dried Egg Whites, Roasted Venison
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Potato Starch, Peas
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Primarily made from animal protein sources
- No concentrated plant proteins
- High moisture food
- No artificial ingredients
Cons
- Excessive carbohydrate content
What Do Customers Think of Taste of the Wild Cat Food?
To get an idea of what real customers are saying about Taste of the Wild, here are a few reviews selected from several popular recipes listed on Amazon and Chewy.
Positive Reviews
“All 3 of my cats are on this food and they aren’t throwing up like they were on previous food. They love it,and scream for more when the bowl even starts to get close to bottom. Way less shedding also! Very pleased with this product.” – SpecialK, reviewing Taste of the Wild Canyon River Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
“I was frustrated with another brand of cat food when I bought this particular cat food. I thought that I’d mixed it with the other cat food that they didn’t like for them to eat and me not having to waste any money on cat food. They like this particular cat food so much that they picked on it. I decided to end my cat’s suffering and to donate the other bag of cat food they didn’t like and just feed them this. they devour their food now and their coats are shinier now. I definitely recommend Taste of the Wild cat food and would continue to purchase this for my cats.” – ChanceBaker, reviewing Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Negative Reviews
“The food is pressed into small cubes that seems almost clay like and very unnatural. Both our cats did not touch it at all (aside from licking some of the gravy) and we had to feed to the strays and give to the neighbors cat. Two stars since our neighbors cat didn’t seem to mind the strange texture or flavor and ate it all up. Still wasted money on a full tray.” – lizzz, reviewing Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
“Be advised before purchasing that even though this sounds like a perfect cat food–high protein, grain free–it may not be perfect for your cat. My cat barely picks at the food, and what she does eat comes out the other end as runny diarrhea. Switching dry foods asap. I reccomend strongly that you try one of the smaller bags before taking a big plunge on this product.” – Sharp, reviewing Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
How Much Does Taste of the Wild Cat Food Cost?
Taste of the Wild cat food is inexpensive compared to other grain-free foods made without meat by-products. The brand’s canned formulas cost about about $1.84 per day, while the Rocky Mountain and Canyon River dry foods cost about $0.78 per day.
Overall, Is Taste of the Wild a Good Choice?
Taste of the Wild is a slightly above-average cat food brand.
If you’re looking for an affordable brand that offers meat-centric, grain-free foods, then Taste of the Wild might be a good choice for you. Taste of the Wild will primarily appeal to dry food consumers. Their canned food selection is small and limited to stew-style products.
Though their foods emphasize meat ingredients, they tend to have high carbohydrate content and aren’t a good choice for people who have a passion for species-appropriate, carnivore-focused feeding.
Where Is Taste of the Wild Cat Food Sold?
You can buy Taste of the Wild cat food in pet retail chains, independent pet specialty retailers, health food stores, and other stores around the world. To find out if it’s sold in your country, click here for a list of global distributors.
Various retailers sell Taste of the Wild online. Online retailers include Amazon, Chewy, Petco, and Tractor Supply Co.
There is currently a lawsuit on the dry dog food claiming high lead levels. It makes me concerned about the cat food too.
Donna, thanks for mentioning this and you’re right to be concerned.
There’s still a lot we don’t know about this situation, like which foods were tested, how many lots were tested, whether or not any animals have been affected, and the source of the lead. So far, only the Southwest Canyon Canine Recipe with Wild Boar dog food was found to have unusually high (12,200 mcg per kg) lead content. Its lead content was at least three times higher than any of the other Taste of the Wild dog food recipes tested, so it does appear to be an anomaly, but is nevertheless cause for concern.
You may be able to get more information from the law firm handling the suit.
Best,
Mallory
Thank you Mallory. We use dry food for our cats and have always used their smoked trout blend. Can you recommend a better dry food?
Hi Catherine,
For cats who’ve been eating Taste of the Wild for a long time, I’d recommend Solid Gold or Tiki Cat kibble. Both have excellent reputations and, while wet food is always ideal, they have relatively species-appropriate formulations compared to other dry foods.
If you want more ideas, you might read our article on the top 10 best dry foods on the market.
https://cats.com/best-dry-cat-food
Hope this helps!
Mallory
I will be contacting the law firm – I noticed that the size of the kibble and shape changed when I bought a new bag earlier this summer. After two days of being on that changed food, my cat got deathly ill and the vet said she had pancreatitis. As soon as we switched her food she was back to normal. I may take the kibble to a university for testing myself to see what is in it, and if it contains the lead that was found in the dog food. I will not be feeding my cat this brand anymore.
Hi All ~
PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES EVERYONE HERE….PLEASE….FOR OUR BABIES!
In particular Kelly and any others experiencing issues w/ their kitties on taste of the wild dry kibble (canyon river) …what had you found out about the lawsuit?
Are there also issues w/ the dry cat food by taste of the wild?
Approx 1 year ago, I was forced to change my 2 Himi’s food (both approx 13 – 13.5 yrs young and very healthy at the time) after being on Premium Edge dry kibble for the past 5+ years approx which was D/C’d back a couple years ago and taste of the wild canyon river dry kibble was the next best (grain free, no by-products, no fillers, gluten free, no brewer’s yeast, etc) and first 2 – 4 ingredients meats…which is what is best for our Precious kitties.
Was even happy that the Taste of the Wild Canyon River dry cat food had 32% less protein vs. the 45% the Premium Edge had since my babies are now in their senior years and I know that too much protein could become taxing on their liver and kidneys.
It was approx 6 months later after switching my babies to taste of the wild dry kibble for cats that I noticed they both drink a TON more water and urinate a TON more. I have 4 automatic multi cat littermaid boxes for 2 cats and suddenly I had to change the heavy clumping litter from scoop away complete, what I’ve used for the past 10 plus years w/ no issues, to even heavier clumping arm & hammer Double Duty cat litter.
Even that extra heavy clumping cat litter can’t keep up.
That said and everything I’ve read…this new food diet may have something to do w/ their urinary issues and may possibly be leading to liver / kidney issues. Most recently, starting at the end of November 2019, my one baby, of 14.5 now, has a very limited appetite now after being on this taste of the wild canyon river dry cat food and is even starting to show signs of pancreatitis and live/kidney failure.
I am currently having her examined by my vet thoroughly and it’s been very costly and emotionally devastating.
Both of my babies were so healthy before this switch w/ no urinary issues or anything for the 5+ years prior to this new diet approx 1 year ago.
AGAIN…PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES EVERYONE HERE….PLEASE….FOR OUR BABIES!
Thank you,
Pam
Hi Pam,
Thank you for commenting. I’m sorry to hear that your cats’ health has declined in the last year. It makes perfect sense that you’re upset and wondering if the Taste of the Wild food is to blame. While more information may come out over time, I haven’t seen any indication that Taste of the Wild food is connected to organ failure in cats. It is possible that your cats are showing symptoms of chronic kidney disease, which is common among seniors regardless of what they eat.
If your veterinarian concludes that your cats have kidney disease, you might consider the foods on this list of the best cat foods for kidney disease:
https://cats.com/best-cat-food-for-kidney-disease
Otherwise, consider the foods on this list of the best cat food for seniors:
https://cats.com/best-cat-food-for-senior-cats
Thank you again for commenting and encouraging others to share their experiences. I hope you find some resolution soon.
Best,
Mallory
My cat has been on this food for years and she loves both the kibble and wet food. She prefers the trout and salmon. Her coat is really glossy, like velvet and she has no tartar on her teeth and she is 14 years old. Our vet is amazed at how healthy she is. I really think this food is higher quality than other brands. I don’t dare change it because she is so fussy.
I have two Himalayan”s and they won’t eat anything but taste of the wild venison dry kibble. They will not even eat home cooked cooked chicken or fish .
I wanted to try to give them variety, but they refuse any other food .
When one knows better they do better. I used to free graze dry food before I educated MYSELF away from mass media advertising. While I try to detox our cat’s from so called “Treats” and family members from giving “Treats” (the humans are more addicted to their needs to feel “wanted” or “loved by the cats than to actually think about the cats well being, but that’s another story) I use small amounts of Canyon River Dry with hot water added. I don’t free roam or graze feed anymore. I feed the cats wet food by Tiki and Weruva 2 x daily. As I learn more. The probiotics in Taste of should be a good thing. This is my first time here, if anyone can suggest an effective strategy to get people off the store brand Main stream emotionally driven idea they must give the cat dry treats please share, ( besides a psychologist) because facts don’t seem to be working around here. Thank you.
I have been buying your dry cat food and the CanyonRiver 5.5oz cans, then also your Rocky Mountain wet cat foods, cats will only eat it if I crush up those square pieces of food in the cans. Well, recently the food has become mostly gravy and the Canyon River did not need more of that. Now the other has more gravy.
So please go back to the meeting and say, our customers noticed. And will look else where.
Hi Mallory,
I have been feeding my cat a mix of wet and dry food (Cat Person for wet and Dr Elsey’s for dry) for pretty much her entire life (she’s a little over two). I am living in Colombia where neither of those foods are available and most of the foods on the market are garbage. Of the brands that are available which you’ve reviewed, the best seemed to be Dr Clauder’s and Taste of the Wild. As I don’t like to feed my cat fish, I am gravitating towards the Taste of the Wild limited ingredient turkey formula. They have a guaranteed analysis on their website but they don’t say how high in carbohydrates it is. I was wondering if you could take a look and tell me if it looks to be an okay substitute for Dr Elsey’s.
Thank you,
Talia
Hey Talia, Taste of the Wild cat food is much higher in carbohydrates than Dr. Elsey’s dry cat food, but it’s better than Dr. Clauder’s in that respect. As long as it’s fed in rotation with low-carb wet food, it should be okay, but it’s not perfect. Hope that helps.
Could you do a review of the Lowland Creek Dry food they have for cats? I don’t know how new it is, but I noticed this page only mentions the two original formulas, and I was just curious how the new formula compares (which is the one my cat’s are on, along with switching between their canned wet food).
And thank you for your thoroughness! I always come to this site when looking at potential new treats and litter for my fur babies!
Hi Kitsy, thanks for the comment! We’ll consider adding it!
So I’m pretty convinced this brand of food made my cat pretty sick. I got my cat the dry food and a couple cans of canned food. After a day of him eating the dry food he showed extreme signs of pancreatitis and the poor thing has been so clingy and nauseous while throwing up non stop almost. I didn’t correlate it to the food but I switched him back to his old food to be safe. After a few days of constant care, I got him better and then realized I still had the canned food. So I gave him the canned food ONE TIME, HALF A CAN and he regressed sooooo badly within hours of eating it! It’s definitely this brand of food. Something about this brand is making my cat so sick. I will be calling the company to complain. Also, just to rule other things out, there were no other changes made to my cat other than this food. It’s like he was poisoned and I’m super concerned.
Our two cats did not do well when we switched them to Taste of the Wild. Our male cat started having urinary issues and ended up getting blocked twice! Our female cat did not get blocked but got two successive urinary infections, peeing blood everywhere. After we switched them to the expensive urinary diet, ALL their problems went away, even our male cat’s severe allergies subsided. I’m pretty certain that it was the food they were on that caused crystals in their urine.