Scanned by Randall Saunders · April 12, 2026
Friskies Friskies Tasty Treasures Prime Filets with Ocean Fish & Tuna in Sauce with Scallop Flavor
49/100
Grade F — Avoid at All Costs
📦 Product Overview
BrandFriskies
TypeCat Food - Wet/Soft
Life Stageadult
Size5.5 oz (156g) can
AAFCO Compliant✅ Yes
Label states this food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance of adult cats. Complete and balanced for adult cats.
☠ Rendering / 4D Animal Warning
The second ingredient — 'Meat By-Products' — is completely unspecified. No species is named. Under AAFCO definitions, this can legally include organs, blood, bone, and tissue from any slaughtered mammal. Without species identification, there is no way to verify the source. Unspecified by-products from rendering plants carry a higher risk of including 4D animal material (dead, dying, diseased, disabled animals). While Purina is a large manufacturer with more supply chain controls than many, the decision to use unspecified by-products instead of named sources is a transparency failure.
🧪 Ingredient Breakdown
✅Water
Sufficient for broth/sauce wet food. Expected as first ingredient in canned food.
❌Meat By-Products
Completely unspecified. No species named. These are the lowest-grade scraps from unknown animals — could legally include 4D animals (dead, dying, diseased, disabled). This is the primary protein source in this food, which is a structural quality failure.
−3 pts
✅Chicken
Named whole meat. Good protein source.
🟡Wheat Gluten
Cheap plant protein that inflates the crude protein number on the guaranteed analysis without providing the amino acid profile cats need as obligate carnivores. Also a common allergen.
−1 pts
❌Soy Flour
Highly processed soy. Common allergen. Used as cheap filler and protein inflator. Has no place in quality cat food.
−3 pts
❌Corn Starch-Modified
Modified corn starch — a lab-altered thickener with zero nutritional value. Pure filler.
−3 pts
✅Ocean Fish
Named protein but 'ocean fish' is semi-vague — no specific species identified. Acceptable for this analysis but species disclosure would be better. Mercury/heavy metal risk.
✅Tuna
Named fish protein. Mercury accumulation risk with heavy consumption but acceptable as an ingredient.
❌Artificial and Natural Flavors
Artificial flavor is a chemical mimic with undisclosed composition. There is zero reason for artificial flavor in cat food — cats don't care about brand taste engineering.
−3 pts
⚠Natural Flavors
Already penalized as part of 'Artificial and Natural Flavors' above. Natural flavors alone would warrant a ⚠ for undisclosed sourcing.
❌Corn Starch-Modified (second occurrence)
Appears again as a separate listing. Modified food starch counted again — same zero-nutrition filler.
−3 pts
🟡Sodium Caseinate
Milk-derived protein. Lactose concern for cats. Used as emulsifier/binder.
−1 pts
✅Tricalcium Phosphate
Mineral supplement for calcium and phosphorus.
❌Vegetable Oil
Completely unspecified. Could be any cheap oil blend. No transparency. No omega-3 benefit.
−3 pts
✅Corn Starch-Modified (third occurrence if separate listing)
Reviewing label more carefully — this appears to be the same modified corn starch already counted. Not penalizing a third time unless confirmed separate.
✅Salt
Sodium source. Expected in pet food at appropriate levels.
🟡Dried Whey
Dairy by-product. Lactose content may cause digestive upset in lactose-intolerant cats.
−1 pts
✅Sodium Phosphate
Mineral supplement and emulsifier.
🟡Non-Fat Milk
Dairy. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant. Unnecessary ingredient.
−1 pts
✅Potassium Chloride
Potassium supplement. Standard.
✅Taurine
Essential amino acid for cats — mandatory. Its supplementation here confirms the base ingredients alone don't provide enough taurine, which tells you about the meat quality.
✅Choline Chloride
B-vitamin supplement. Standard.
⚠Natural Scallop Flavor
Undisclosed natural flavor source. Marketing trick — the 'scallop flavor' in the product name comes from a flavoring, not actual scallop meat.
−2 pts
✅Zinc Sulfate
Zinc mineral supplement.
✅Ferrous Sulfate
Iron supplement.
✅Manganese Sulfate
Manganese supplement.
✅Copper Sulfate
Copper supplement.
✅Potassium Iodide
Iodine supplement.
⚠Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K)
Synthetic Vitamin K3. Banned in human supplements in many countries due to toxicity. Linked to liver damage and allergic reactions. A manufacturer that uses this instead of natural Vitamin K is cutting costs at the cat's expense.
−2 pts
✅Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1)
Essential B vitamin. Critical for cats — deficiency causes neurological damage.
✅Vitamin E Supplement
Antioxidant vitamin.
✅Niacin (Vitamin B-3)
B vitamin supplement.
✅Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5)
B vitamin supplement.
✅Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2)
B vitamin supplement.
✅Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6)
B vitamin supplement.
✅Vitamin A Supplement
Essential for cats since they cannot convert beta-carotene.
✅Biotin (Vitamin B-7)
B vitamin supplement.
✅Vitamin D-3 Supplement
Vitamin D supplement.
✅Folic Acid
B vitamin supplement.
✅Vitamin B-12 Supplement
B vitamin supplement.
⚖ What's Good / What's Bad
Good
✅ Contains named whole meats — chicken, ocean fish, tuna
✅ Taurine supplemented (mandatory for cats)
✅ Complete vitamin and mineral package
✅ High moisture content (80%) which is beneficial for cats' hydration and urinary health
✅ AAFCO compliant for adult cat maintenance
✅ No artificial colors or artificial preservatives (as stated on label)
✅ Manufactured by a WSAVA-compliant company with veterinary nutritionists on staff
Bad
❌ Meat By-Products (unspecified) as the FIRST protein ingredient — unknown species, 4D animal risk
❌ Soy flour — cheap filler, common allergen, has no business in cat food
❌ Modified corn starch — zero-nutrition filler appearing at least twice
❌ Wheat gluten — cheap protein inflator, allergen
❌ Vegetable oil (unspecified) — zero transparency on fat source
❌ Artificial flavors — chemical taste engineering for a cat
❌ Menadione (synthetic Vitamin K3) — toxic form banned in human supplements
❌ Multiple dairy ingredients (sodium caseinate, dried whey, non-fat milk) — most adult cats are lactose intolerant
❌ No named whole meat in the top 2 ingredients (water + unspecified by-products)
🧬 Potential Cancer-Linked Ingredients
✅ None found.
📊 Score Breakdown
Start score100 pts
Ingredient penalties−26 pts
❌ No named whole-meat protein in top 3 ingredients (Water, Meat By-Products, Chicken — Water is #1 and Meat By-Products is #2, but Chicken IS #3, so this does NOT apply)−0 pts
❌ Primary protein source is a by-product or unspecified — Meat By-Products is the first protein-containing ingredient−15 pts
❌ Three or more filler starches/refined carbs present (Soy Flour, Modified Corn Starch x2, Wheat Gluten)−10 pts
Final score49/100
💬 The Verdict
Budget wet cat food built on unspecified meat by-products, soy flour, modified corn starch, and wheat gluten. The named meats (chicken, ocean fish, tuna) are buried behind a wall of cheap fillers and protein inflators. Purina has the resources and veterinary nutritionists to make much better food than this — Friskies is their bottom-shelf economy line and it shows in every ingredient decision.
🧨 Final Verdict
Friskies Tasty Treasures scores an F at 49 points. This is what happens when a billion-dollar corporation decides to build cat food from the cheapest possible ingredients. The #1 protein source is unspecified meat by-products — no species named, no transparency, maximum cost savings for Nestlé. Then they pad it with soy flour, modified corn starch, wheat gluten, and unspecified vegetable oil. The named meats (chicken, ocean fish, tuna) are present but clearly in small quantities, given they appear after by-products, gluten, and soy on the ingredient list. The artificial flavor is inexcusable. The menadione (synthetic Vitamin K3) is a known toxicity risk that safer alternatives exist for. The high ash content (15% DM) raises urinary crystal concerns. This food technically meets AAFCO minimums — that's the absolute floor of acceptability. Cats are obligate carnivores. They deserve identifiable meat as their primary nutrition source, not mystery by-products and soy. Purina makes this food because the margin is enormous and the price point sells. There are significantly better options at every price tier.