Published Nov 19, 2021
We’ve taken a close look at Weruva 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 Weruva on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Weruva cat food 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 these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 8/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 8/10
- Recall History – 6/10
Overall Score: 7.5/10
In total, we give Weruva cat food a 41 out of 60 rating or an B- grade.
Weruva offers a variety of wet cat foods that highlight species-appropriate animal protein with minimal plant ingredients. It scores well in species-appropriateness and ingredient quality, but its high price and recent involvement in a serious recall may be cause for concern. Continue reading to learn more about Weruva and whether or not it’s a good choice for your cat.
About Weruva
Weruva was founded in 2006 by David and Stacie Forman. The company’s name is derived from the names of David and Stacie’s three cats, Webster, Rudi, and Vanessa.
Weruva specializes in high-moisture foods made with simple animal ingredients and relatively low plant content. All of their foods are free from artificial ingredients, meat by-products, and carrageenan.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Weruva partners with a pet and human food processing facility located in Thailand.The facility has earned an “A” designation from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) standard for human consumption.
The brand uses chicken and duck sourced near the Thai manufacturing facility, beef and lamb from Australia and New Zealand, and turkey from the United States. Their seafood ingredients are sourced from the Pacific Ocean.
Has Weruva Cat Food Been Recalled?
Weruva cat food has never been recalled, but the company’s B.F.F. brand was recalled in 2017 due to low thiamine levels. Insufficient levels of Vitamin B1 (thiamine) were linked to hundreds of cases of illness and several deaths. The recall involved an Australia-exclusive product line only. The affected products were manufactured in a single facility that doesn’t handle any other Weruva products.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Weruva Offer?
Weruva describes their foods as “fit for human consumption”, “fit for humans”, and specifies that their products are made in “human food facilities”, but steers clear of the “human grade” label. Their foods are primarily made from meat with minimal fruits and vegetables.
Weruva doesn’t offer any dry foods. All of their foods are moisture-rich and available in pouches or cans.
Weruva Cat Original
- Classic Cat – Weruva’s Classic Cat food includes five chicken and seven fish-based recipes. All of them are flaked or finely chopped foods with a meaty texture.
- Weruva Cat Patés – The company explains that these recipes contain the same ingredients used in their Weruva cat recipes, but with a pureed texture for cats who prefer something smoother. The patés are available in six canned flavors and eight flavors in pouches.
- Weruva Cat Stew! – Weruva Cat Stews are extra-juicy with chunks or shreds of meat, including chicken, turkey, and beef. There are six stews in pouches and six in cans.
Cats in the Kitchen
- Originals – Cats in the Kitchen Originals are inspired by home-cooked family meals, with recipe names like Lamb Burger-ini and Chicken Frick ‘A Zee. These foods feature shreds, flakes, and chunks your cat can bite into. Ten of these recipes are packaged in cans and six of them come in pouches.
- Cats in the Kitchen Paté Pouches – Weruva’s Cats in the Kitchen paté foods are packaged in single-serving pouches. All six paté recipes are named after 1980s hit movies, with titles like Meowiss Bueller and Cattyshack.
Truluxe
Truluxe is described as “premium nutrition for the most discriminating pets” and contains expensive meats not found in other Weruva products. There are ten canned foods in this line. Recipes include Peking Chicken, On the Cat Wok, and Meow Me a River with Basa in Gravy.
Weruva Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken | Wet | $0.43 per oz | B+ |
| Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Love Me Tender Chicken & Duck in Gravy | Wet | $0.47 per oz | B+ |
| Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Chicken Frick ‘A Zee Aus Jus | Wet | $0.41 per oz | A |
#1 Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken Review
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This food features boneless, skinless chicken breast as the primary ingredient. The shredded meat is set in chicken broth thickened with potato starch and xanthan gum. Sunflower seed oil is used as the primary fat source. An animal fat would be preferable.
Overall, this is a meat-based cat food with high protein content, low fat, and high carbohydrate content relative to other canned foods.
Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken is 85% water, which means that it’s lower in calories than less moisture-rich foods. Each 5.5 oz can contains 105 calories or 19 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Chicken (Boneless, Skinless Breast), Chicken Broth, Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calcium Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- High protein content
- Made with animal protein sources
- Minimal plant protein
- No artificial ingredients
Cons
- Unnecessarily high carbohydrate content
- Expensive
#2 Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Love Me Tender Chicken & Duck in Gravy Review
Chicken, tuna, and duck appear to be the primary protein sources in this wet cat food.
This food is made primarily from boneless, skinless chicken breast, tuna, and duck. The meat ingredients are shredded and set in a thick broth made with tapioca starch, sunflower seed oil, xanthan gum, and all the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids cats require.
Overall, this meat-based food is exceptionally high in protein, low in fat, and, thanks to the presence of starches and thickeners, relatively high in carbohydrate content.
This is a low-calorie food with 64 calories per 3 oz pouch or about 21 calories per ounce. Since the average cat requires around 200 calories per day, you might need to feed your cat three pouches or more daily. This adds up to a lot of tearing, pouring, and money spent.
Ingredients
Chicken Broth, Chicken (Boneless, Skinless Breast), Tuna, Duck, Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calcium Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Duck
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca Starch
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Rich in nourishing animal protein
- No plant protein fillers
- No artificial ingredients
Cons
- About 20% carbohydrate on a dry matter basis
- Expensive
- It can be difficult to scrape all the food out of the pouch
#3 Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Chicken Frick ‘A Zee Aus Jus Review
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This is a simple chicken-based food with shredded chicken set in a sauce made from chicken broth and thickeners. To thicken and bind the food, the recipe contains multiple gums. Locust bean gum, xanthan gum, and guar gum all make an appearance on the ingredient list.
Unlike most other Weruva foods, this recipe contains fish oil in addition to sunflower seed oil. It’s good to see animal-sourced fats in cat food.
The ingredient list wraps up with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that make the food nutritionally complete.
Overall, this is a meat-based food with high protein content, low fat, and low carbohydrate content. Like most Weruva foods, it’s a low-calorie food with 143 calories per 6-oz can or about 24 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Sunflower Seed Oil, Locust Bean Gum, Calcium Lactate, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Fish Oil, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Copper Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Primarily made from animal protein sources
- Rich in protein
- Fish oil as a source of species-appropriate omega-3 fatty acids
- Low carbohydrate content
- No artificial ingredients
Cons
- Expensive
What Do Customers Think of Weruva Cat Food?
Weruva is a well-respected cat food brand that receives primarily positive reviews on product listings and in online discussions.
To get an idea of what real customers are saying about Weruva, here are a few reviews selected from several popular recipes listed on Amazon and Chewy.
Positive Reviews
“I praise Weruva. They’re an amazing brand, low phosphorus and all natural ingredients. You can tell too, because the food smells real. This is my finnickys boy favorite flavor of the bunch. There is real strips of chicken and a light broth. Purrfect to use as a topper to kibble, or on it’s own. Also if your cat is prone to crystals, feed them this formula. Your kitty will need the moisture and they’ll go crazy for that yummy taste.” – Dana, reviewing Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken
“I swear this stuff is kitty crack. Seriously they need to either make these pouches larger for those of us with more than one or offer this flavor and formula in bigger cans. Healthy and they devour it” – Wobbely, reviewing Weruva Love Me Tender Chicken & Duck
Negative Reviews
“Personally I’m not a big fan of this flavor but my cats seem to love it. It is their current favorite, and we have been trying A LOT of brands and flavors lately. Almost every can has this nasty jelly-like substance on top that I have to scrape off, and the food at the bottom of the can is brownish (which I also have to scrape off). But, my cats don’t seem to mind and it doesn’t seem to be making them sick.” – GuyReviewing, reviewing Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Chicken Frick ‘A Zee
“It looks like shredded chicken but the shreds are so tough only one of my 6 cats would eat it although they all loved the juice. The cat that actually ate it passed a few of the shreds in his poo the next day. That’s one tough bird!” – Hairball, reviewing Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken
How Much Does Weruva Cat Food Cost?
According to Weruva’s feeding instructions of one ounce per pound of bodyweight daily, most of their foods will cost between $3.10 and $3.90 per day to feed the average 10-lb cat. Foods from the super-premium Truluxe line will cost more at around $5.50 per day.
Overall, Is Weruva a Good Choice?
If you’re looking for a high-moisture food made primarily from meat with minimal plant content, Weruva might be a good choice. Many of their products are virtually plant-free and low in carbohydrates, making them species-appropriate for your obligate carnivore.
On the negative side, their foods are expensive and low in calories, meaning that they cost over $3 and up to $5.50 or more per day. Many of their recipes contain starches and thickeners, bringing the carbohydrate content up to around 20% on a dry matter basis.
Where Is Weruva Cat Food Sold?
Weruva sold by the “finest specialty pet retailers across the world.” It’s sold in stores around the United States, Canada, Australia, Kuwait, and South Africa. Click here to find a retailer near you.
You can order it online through Chewy, Amazon, and Petco.com.