Published Dec 9, 2024
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Known primarily for crunchy cat treats, Temptations now offers an assortment of wet and dry cat food products. Learn more in this detailed review and find out whether Temptations cat food is worth considering for your cat.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Temptations on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Temptations and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of those six key areas:
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 7/10
- Ingredient Quality – 4/10
- Product Variety – 5/10
- Price – 9/10
- Customer Experience – 9/10
- Recall History – 10/10
Overall Score: 7.3/10
We give Temptations a 44 out of 60 rating or a B grade.
Why Trust Cats.com
Having spent countless hours researching the cat food industry and testing hundreds of cat food products, our experts are equipped to conduct in-depth, unbiased analyses of brands like Temptations. Our testing process starts with a history of the brand, a deep dive into customer reviews, and a review of the brand’s website and ordering process.
After selecting products for testing, we purchase them at full retail price and try them at home with our own feline product testers. Our cats offer their opinions on metrics such as flavor, aroma, and general appeal for each product. Our human testers evaluate individual products based on their nutritional breakdown, ingredients lists, and other information on the label. We also make observations about packaging, cost, and customer satisfaction.
About Temptations
The Temptations brand is owned and operated by the pet food division of Mars, Inc., a global corporation and one of the largest privately held companies in the United States. The company got its start in 1911 when Franklin Clarence Mars opened a candy factory in Tacoma, Washington. The factory eventually failed, prompting Mars to return to his home state of Minnesota in 1920 where he started another company that was later incorporated.
Today, Mars, Inc. is ranked as the fourth-largest privately held company in the United States, with more than $45 billion a year in annual sales. Mars Petcare is the pet food division of Mars, Inc. and the owner and manufacturer of well-known brands like Acana, Crave, Iams, Orijen, Sheba, Whiskas, and Temptations.
The Temptations line was launched in the 2000s with a collection of crunchy cat treats and soft, cream-filled treats. Although Temptations crunchy treats are nutritionally complete according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials’ (AAFCO) nutrient profiles for cats, the brand didn’t officially launch a dry cat food line until March of 2023. Temptations further expanded its cat food collection to include wet cat food later that same year.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
As a global corporation, Mars Petcare owns and operates manufacturing facilities around the world. There are nearly two dozen plants in the United States alone with several more in Canada and throughout the United Kingdom.
Mars Petcare doesn’t offer much information about the sourcing of ingredients in Temptations cat food and treats. Just about the only thing we do know is that the food is manufactured by Mars, Inc. in company-owned facilities. All Temptations products appear to be made in either the United States or Canada.
Recall History
We didn’t find any evidence of product recalls affecting the Temptations brand. Temptations cat food is still very new, however, so it’s worth taking this fact with a grain of salt.
Temptations cat treats, which have been around for more than two decades, have never been recalled either, though there have been a few customer complaints, some of which are serious. None of the allegations against Temptations have been proven.
What Kind of Cat Food Does Temptations Offer?
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
The Temptations brand is widely known for cat treats, which come in a wide array of textures and flavors. Having only been launched in 2023, Temptations complete and balanced cat food recipes are less plentiful.
As of late 2024, Temptations offers four dry cat food and four wet cat food products. Temptations wet foods are limited to a chicken recipe and a seafood medley, available as a pate or bites in gravy. The same recipes are available as dry foods with two additional flavors.
Here’s a list of Temptations cat food products:
- Tasty Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food
- Tempting Tuna & Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food
- Seafood Medley Flavor Dry Cat Food
- Block Party BBQ Flavor Dry Cat Food
- Seafood Medley Flavor Paté in Gravy
- Seafood Medley Flavor Bites in Gravy
- Tasty Chicken Flavor Paté in Gravy
- Tasty Chicken Flavor Bites in Gravy
Though some of the product names suggest otherwise, all Temptations cat food formulas appear to be chicken-based. Some products contain whole proteins like chicken or salmon but most also contain some kind of animal by-product. Temptations doesn’t offer any grain-free formulas and all the recipes appear to contain processed grains like wheat and corn.
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
To test Temptations cat food I ordered the Tasty Chicken Flavor Dry Food and two wet foods: Seafood Medley Flavor Paté and Tasty Chicken Flavor Bites in Gravy.
The dry food included pockets (hollow kibbles with creamy centers, just like the original Temptations treats), mixed in with small crunchy kibbles for an extra tasty surprise in each bite. That seemed to keep my cat Loki enthusiastically coming back for more.
The seafood paté was smooth and soft. The chicken bites were soft and covered in a soupy gravy that wasn’t too watery. The container has a foil peel top for easily resealing of leftovers.
My Temptations Food—Top Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein | Calories Per Ounce | Price | Our Grade |
| Tasty Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food | Dry | Chicken | 103 kcal/oz. | $0.09 per oz | C |
| Seafood Medley Flavor Paté in Gravy | Wet | Chicken | 34 kcal/oz. | $0.28 per oz | B- |
| Tasty Chicken Flavor Bites in Gravy | Wet | Chicken | 29 kcal/oz. | $0.21 per oz | B- |
#1 Temptations Tasty Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food
Like Temptations crunchy cat treats, this dry food recipe relies heavily on animal by-products and highly processed grains. Animal by-products aren’t necessarily bad for cats, but the composition and nutritional makeup of the ingredient can vary from one batch to another. Though chicken by-product meal is the main source of protein in this recipe, it also contains chicken muscle meat as a whole source of animal protein.
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
The more concerning entries on this ingredients list are the highly processed grains and artificial colors. Processing strips whole grains of the limited nutritional value your cat might get from them. There are also a few plant-based proteins (like corn gluten meal and dried peas), which make it hard to say how much of the recipe’s 33% dry matter protein content comes from animal sources.
Overall, this dry cat food offers moderate protein and fat content with a high concentration of carbohydrates. It might appeal to cats with its flavor and crunchy texture, but it’s not a biologically appropriate source of nutrition for cats.
Ingredients
Chicken By-Product Meal, Wheat, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Soybean Meal, Brewers Rice, Animal Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Meat And Bone Meal, Natural Flavor, Chicken, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Flour, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Peas, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Yellow #6, Dried Carrots, Yellow #5, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Blue #2, Red #40, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Citric Acid (Preservative), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Wheat, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Flour, Yellow #6, Yellow #5, Blue #2, Red #40
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Exceeds AAFCO minimums for protein and fat
- Only source of added fat is animal-based
- Seems to be popular with picky cats
What We Didn’t Like:
- No dry food provides the moisture cats need
- Relies heavily on by-products and processed grains
- Contains artificial color
#2 Temptations Seafood Medley Flavor Paté in Gravy
One of Temptations two wet food formulas, this seafood medley comes in a smooth paté texture as well as chunks in gravy. Despite the word “seafood” in the product name, chicken and poultry by-products are the top two protein sources. Salmon is the fourth ingredient, and the only other main ingredient aside from wheat flour.
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Compared to Temptations dry cat foods, this wet food formula has a shorter list of ingredients, fewer carb-heavy inclusions, and no food dyes. It contains about 42.1% protein measured as dry matter and less than 10% carbohydrate. It’s also rich in hydrating moisture.
Though we’d prefer to see named proteins over poultry by-products and a nutritious whole grain in place of wheat flour, this Temptations wet cat food looks pretty good—especially for a product in its price range.
Ingredients
Chicken, Water, Poultry By-Products, Salmon, Wheat Flour, Glycine, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Flavor, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Tapioca Starch, Taurine, Salt, Natural Shrimp Flavor, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Oxide Color, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Salmon
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Wheat Flour
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Top three ingredients (besides water) are animal proteins
- Rich in hydrating moisture
- Contains under 10% dry matter carbohydrate
- Relatively short list of ingredients
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains some vaguely named animal by-products
- Contains highly processed grains (wheat flour)
#3 Temptations Tasty Chicken Flavor Bites in Gravy
Also available as a pate, this Tasty Chicken Flavor wet food has a chunky consistency and comes in gravy. Chicken muscle meat is the primary protein, supplemented by poultry by-products. Wheat gluten also contributes to the food’s protein content, though it’s hard to tell how significantly.
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Again, we’d prefer to see named, whole proteins rather than by-products, but poultry by-products aren’t necessarily a red-flag ingredient. Animal plasma is used to improve the taste and texture of wet cat food and tapioca starch is typically used as a binder and thickener for gravy-style foods.
Overall, this recipe is high in dry-matter protein and fat—50% and 19.4%, respectively—and low in carbohydrates. It’s pretty nutritionally sound, though swapping out a few of the ingredients could significantly increase the quality. The price is hard to beat, however, at less than $0.25 per ounce.
Ingredients
Water, Chicken, Poultry By-Products, Animal Plasma, Wheat Gluten, Tapioca Starch, Glycine, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Natural Flavor, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Taurine, Thiamine Mononitrate, Caramel Color, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Wheat Gluten, Tapioca Starch
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Main ingredient is a whole protein
- Rich in hydrating moisture
- Contains less than 10% dry matter carbohydrate
- Relatively short list of ingredients
What We Didn’t Like:
- Contains some vaguely named animal by-products
- Some protein is plant-based (wheat gluten)
What Do Customers Think of Temptations Cat Food?
Temptations is one of the most recognizable brands of cat treats, with some products on Chewy boasting more than 12,000 customer ratings. The brand’s nutritionally complete cat foods are less well-known, ranging from about 130 to less than 800 ratings. Though Temptations cat foods don’t have as many ratings as the treats, the products seem universally well-liked—the lowest average rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Positive Reviews
Many positive reviews for Temptations cat food mention that the dry food is a hit with picky eaters—especially among cats used to eating Temptations treats or other budget-brand products. Customers also love the price point for the brand as a whole.
“This is actually a pate’ that is low carb and he gobbles down. Any other pate’ he just picks over and walks away. He actually enjoys this one and it’s more affordable than the rest and low carb so it’s a win-win for us.”—Angel reviewing Temptations Seafood Medley Flavor Wet Cat Food on Chewy.com, September 1, 2024
“Our cat is very picky. He does not like the expensive foods, he does not like the store brands or the vet brands, but he love loves this food. It is worth every penny to keep him happy. He does not have or get stomach issues from this either.”—George reviewing Temptations Tasty Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food on Chewy.com, October 10, 2024
Negative Reviews
Reviews for Temptations cat food are overwhelmingly positive but some customers report their cats refusing the food, even some that enjoy Temptations treats. A few customers also complained about the texture of the wet food or the amount of gravy.
“I thought this dry food would be great for cats. None of my cats like it much. They still love the treats by Temptations.”—Pamela reviewing Temptations Tasty Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food on Chewy.com, September 28, 2024
“When I see “in gravy”, I expect gravy to be in the package. Not in this food. There is at best about an eighth of a tsp of “juice”. Which with a very very old cat, is not helpful.”—Phyls56 reviewing Temptations Seafood Medley Flavor Wet Cat Food on Chewy.com, September 24, 2024
How Much Does Temptations Cat Food Cost?
Temptations is a budget-friendly brand like Friskies and Fancy Feast with dry foods priced under $0.10 per ounce and wet foods as low as $0.22 per ounce. All Temptations wet foods are sold in 3.5-ounce trays while bags of dry food range in volume from 3.15 to 27 pounds.
The estimated daily cost to feed a 10-pound cat Temptations dry food is less than $0.25 per day. A wet food-only diet from Temptations would cost between $1.50 and $1.75.
Where Is Temptations Cat Food Sold?
While Temptations cat treats are widely available in grocery stores, the nutritionally complete and balanced cat food products seem to be more easily found in pet supply chains (like PetSmart) and discount stores (like Walmart and Target). Temptations does offer a store locator on the brand website, but it appears to be focused on stores that stock Temptations cat treats.
Online, you can find the whole Temptations produce lineup on Chewy.com. Temptations cat foods are also sold online by the retailers mentioned above. While Temptations cat treats are widely available on Amazon, the wet and dry cat food products aren’t.
Overall, Is Temptations Cat Food a Good Choice?
Temptations cat food is likely very appealing to cat owners looking for a budget-friendly option. It might also be an easy choice for owners of picky cats that already enjoy Temptations cat treats. Temptations cat food might not be appropriate for cats with food allergies or sensitivities because all the recipes contain chicken and animal by-products (which could contain protein from multiple animal sources).
If you’re going to give Temptations cat food a try, the wet food formulas are nutritionally superior to the dry food. They contain fewer ingredients (especially processed grains and artificial additives) and are very low in carbs which helps further improve their digestibility. For cats that only accept dry food, consider using Temptations wet cat food as a meal topper or mixer to boost your cat’s nutrition a little bit.
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Looking for other cat food brands similar to Temptations? Check out some of our other brand reviews.
I always use temptation with my treats but not food