Scanned by Randall Saunders · April 12, 2026
Friskies Friskies Indoor Flaked Ocean Whitefish Dinner with Garden Greens in Sauce
63/100
Grade C− — Minimum Recommended
📦 Product Overview
BrandFriskies
TypeCat Food - Wet/Soft
Life Stageadult
Size5.5 oz (156 g)
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. Formulation method only — no feeding trial claim.
☠ Rendering / 4D Animal Warning
This food contains 'Meat By-Products' (unspecified) and 'Poultry By-Products' (unspecified species) and unspecified 'Liver.' Unspecified meat by-products can legally contain rendered material from 4D animals — dead, dying, diseased, or disabled animals that never passed USDA inspection. The FDA has confirmed pentobarbital (euthanasia drug) in pet foods containing these types of unspecified rendered ingredients. While Purina is a major manufacturer with more oversight than most, these ingredient choices reflect cost-cutting, not quality commitment.
🧪 Ingredient Breakdown
✅Water
Sufficient for wet food; expected as first ingredient in canned cat food.
✅Ocean Whitefish
Named whole fish protein. Good. However, 'ocean whitefish' is a somewhat broad term — could be multiple whitefish species. Still acceptable as a named protein.
🟡Wheat Gluten
Plant protein that inflates crude protein numbers cheaply. Common allergen. Not ideal for obligate carnivores.
−1 pts
❌Poultry By-Products
Unspecified 'poultry' — which bird? Could be any species. By-products are heads, feet, intestines, undeveloped eggs of unknown birds. Zero transparency from Purina here.
−3 pts
❌Liver
Unspecified liver — what animal? This is a deliberately vague ingredient. Could be from any rendered source. Named liver (chicken liver, beef liver) would be acceptable; unnamed liver is a red flag.
−3 pts
✅Spinach
Garden green for fiber and micronutrients. Fine in small amounts.
❌Artificial and Natural Flavors
Artificial flavor has zero place in cat food. Natural flavors are also undisclosed — could be animal digest under a friendlier name. Double problem here.
−3 pts
❌Soy Flour
Common allergen, highly processed soy filler. Used to bulk up the food cheaply. Cats are obligate carnivores — they do not need soy.
−3 pts
✅Tricalcium Phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus supplement. Standard.
❌Corn Starch-Modified
Modified corn starch — a lab-altered thickener/binder with zero nutritional value. Listed as 'corn starch-modified' which is the same as modified food starch.
−3 pts
❌Meat By-Products
Completely unspecified 'meat' by-products. This is bottom-tier rendering. Could legally contain 4D animals — dead, dying, diseased, disabled. Unknown species, unknown source, unknown quality.
−3 pts
❌Powdered Cellulose
Literal wood pulp/sawdust used as a fiber filler. Indigestible. Purina uses this to claim 'indoor hairball control.' Cheap filler masquerading as a feature.
−3 pts
❌Corn Starch
Pure starch, zero nutrition, high glycemic. Second corn starch derivative in this formula — padding the food with cheap carbs.
−3 pts
✅Poultry Rice
Difficult to read on label — this appears to be where the label continues. If this is 'rice' as a standalone ingredient, it would be reviewed separately. Based on label reading this may be part of the minerals section.
✅Salt
Sodium source. Acceptable in moderation.
✅Potassium Chloride
Potassium supplement. Standard.
✅Taurine
Essential amino acid for cats. Mandatory. Good that it's supplemented — means the meat content alone isn't providing enough, which is telling about protein quality.
✅Choline Chloride
B-vitamin supplement. Standard.
✅Ferrous Sulfate
Iron supplement. Standard.
✅Manganese Sulfate
Manganese supplement. Standard.
✅Copper Sulfate
Copper supplement. Standard.
✅Zinc Sulfate
Zinc supplement. Standard.
✅Potassium Iodide
Iodine supplement. Standard.
✅Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5)
B-vitamin. Standard.
✅Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1)
Essential for cats. Deficiency causes fatal neurological disease. Standard supplement.
✅Vitamin E Supplement
Antioxidant vitamin. Standard.
✅Niacin (Vitamin B-3)
B-vitamin. Standard.
✅Vitamin A Supplement
Preformed Vitamin A — cats cannot convert beta-carotene. Essential.
✅Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6)
B-vitamin. Standard.
✅Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2)
B-vitamin. Standard.
✅Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9)
B-vitamin. Standard.
✅Biotin (Vitamin B-7)
B-vitamin. Standard.
✅Vitamin B-12 Supplement
Essential B-vitamin. Standard.
✅Vitamin D-3 Supplement
Essential vitamin. Standard.
⚠Menadione Sodium Bisulfite
Synthetic Vitamin K3. Banned from human supplements due to toxicity concerns. Known to cause liver damage, allergic reactions, and cytotoxicity. Safe natural alternatives exist — Purina chooses this because it's cheaper.
−2 pts
⚖ What's Good / What's Bad
Good
✅ Named whole fish (Ocean Whitefish) as first protein ingredient
✅ Taurine supplemented — essential for cats
✅ Complete vitamin and mineral package
✅ Spinach provides some natural fiber and micronutrients
✅ High moisture content appropriate for cats (78%)
✅ No artificial colors claimed on label
Bad
❌ Unspecified 'Poultry By-Products' — unknown bird species
❌ Unspecified 'Liver' — unknown animal source
❌ Unspecified 'Meat By-Products' — lowest-tier rendering, 4D animal risk
❌ Artificial Flavors present — zero reason for these in cat food
❌ Soy Flour — allergenic plant filler cats do not need
❌ Modified Corn Starch AND Corn Starch — double starch fillers
❌ Powdered Cellulose — literal wood pulp used as filler
❌ Wheat Gluten — cheap plant protein inflating crude protein numbers
❌ Menadione Sodium Bisulfite — synthetic vitamin K3 banned from human supplements
❌ Heavy reliance on plant proteins and fillers for a cat food
🧬 Potential Cancer-Linked Ingredients
✅ None found.
📊 Score Breakdown
Start score100 pts
Ingredient penalties−27 pts
❌ THREE OR MORE FILLER STARCHES / REFINED CARBS PRESENT (Soy Flour, Modified Corn Starch, Corn Starch, Powdered Cellulose, Wheat Gluten)−10 pts
Final score63/100
💬 The Verdict
Friskies Indoor Ocean Whitefish Dinner is a budget wet cat food that technically meets AAFCO standards but achieves that bar using the cheapest possible ingredients. Water is the first ingredient, the named whitefish is decent, but then it nosedives into wheat gluten, unspecified poultry by-products, unnamed liver, unnamed meat by-products, soy flour, double corn starch, and literal wood pulp. This food inflates its protein numbers with plant proteins that obligate carnivores cannot efficiently use. The inclusion of artificial flavors and menadione sodium bisulfite shows where Purina's priorities lie — cost savings, not feline health.
🧨 Final Verdict
This is Nestlé doing what Nestlé does — selling the cheapest possible ingredients in the fanciest possible packaging. 'Ocean Whitefish Dinner' sounds premium until you read the label and find unspecified meat by-products (4D animal risk), wood pulp, double corn starch, soy flour, and artificial flavors hiding behind the one decent fish ingredient. Purina employs board-certified veterinary nutritionists — they know exactly what they're putting in this can, and they chose to fill it with rendering plant leftovers and plant fillers anyway. This food keeps a cat alive. It does not help a cat thrive. At this price point, there are better options that don't pad the formula with wood pulp and mystery meat. A score of 63 — minimum recommended territory. Cats deserve better than the floor.