Wellness Complete Health Pate Chicken Entree Grain-Free Wet Cat Food
An excellent ingredient panel - chicken, turkey, liver and hearts before any gum - carrying the highest per-calorie cost in this ranking and the lowest owner score of any cat food here.
Score breakdown
The overall score of 78/100 is a weighted sum of the six dimensions below. Each dimension shows what we found in this specific formula.
Weight 30% · Algorithm-computed score 94/100
Algorithm: first ingredient “Chicken” is named whole meat; 4 named animal ingredients in the top five; protein 47.7% on a dry-matter basis (target for this stage: 28%).
Weight 20% · Algorithm-computed score 80/100
Algorithm: first ingredient is a named animal source; among the top five, 0 by-product/unnamed and 0 plant-protein concentrate items.
Weight 18% · Editorially assessed score 80/100
AAFCO statement: Formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.. Formulated-to-meet profiles are acceptable but weaker evidence than feeding trials, which caps the score here.
Weight 14% · Editorially assessed score 79/100
Six voluntary recalls between 2011 and 2018. The largest was a February 2011 thiamine shortfall affecting roughly 21.6 million cans of canned cat food; later events were small lots (salmonella and mould in two 2012 dry foods, foreign material in 2017 cans, elevated beef thyroid hormone in beef toppers). No recalls since February 2018.
Weight 10% · Algorithm-computed score 15/100
Algorithm: about $15.39 per 1,000 kcal ($$$ tier), normalized against same-species peers, wet and dry together (cheapest = 100, most expensive ≈ 15).
Weight 8% · Editorially assessed score 83/100
Owner ratings are generally positive, with a minority of owners reporting picky eating or digestive transition issues.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Chicken, turkey, chicken liver and chicken hearts lead - four named animal ingredients before any gum or starch
- 78% moisture, which is the single most useful thing you can add to a dry-fed cat's diet
- Grain-free and carrageenan-free, with no meat by-products or artificial preservatives
- Sold in 3 oz, 5.5 oz and 12.5 oz cans so you can match can size to appetite and cut waste
What we don't
- About $15.39 per 1,000 kcal from 5.5 oz cans - the most expensive food per calorie in this entire ranking
- 4.2/5 across roughly 1,800 ratings, the lowest owner score of any cat food here
- Calorie figures differ between the manufacturer (1,192 kcal/kg) and retail listings (1,357 kcal/kg)
Ingredients & nutrition analysis
The first five ingredients tell most of the story:
The recipe is genuinely good: chicken, turkey, chicken broth, chicken liver and chicken hearts in the first five, with no carrageenan, no by-products and no artificial preservatives. For a cat that lives on dry food, a few ounces a day is the cheapest meaningful health upgrade available.
The economics are brutal at scale. From 5.5 oz cans at $0.52/oz this works out to roughly $15.39 per 1,000 kcal - the highest figure in this ranking by a wide margin - and larger 12.5 oz cans only bring it to about $10.95. Owners also rate it 4.2/5, the lowest here, with texture consistency the recurring complaint.
Alternatives to consider
Other products ranked in Best Wet Cat Food:
59/ 100 Friskies Classic Pate Poultry Platter Wet Cat Food
Frequently asked questions
Is Wellness Complete Health Pate Chicken Entree Grain-Free Wet Cat Food right for my pet?
It is our pick for: Adding moisture and animal-protein variety to a mostly dry diet, and cats that need a soft texture. It is not the best fit for: Households feeding wet food exclusively on a budget, and cats that reject pate texture. Individual animals vary — if your pet has diagnosed health conditions, confirm the choice with your veterinarian.
How much does Wellness Complete Health Pate Chicken Entree Grain-Free Wet Cat Food cost?
Expect roughly $8.32 per pound ($$$ tier) depending on bag size and retailer. Check the linked retailers for current pricing; our value score compares cost per 1,000 kcal against comparable formulas.
How should I switch to this food?
Transition over 7–10 days, mixing increasing proportions of the new food into the old. Go slower for puppies, kittens, seniors and pets with sensitive stomachs, and watch stool quality during the switch.
Score history
Every change to this product's score is logged here, including the reason. Scores are recomputed by algorithm whenever ingredient or price data changes.
- 2026-10-19 — Product data refreshed: guaranteed analysis, ingredient list, AAFCO statement, calorie content and price replaced with values verified against the manufacturer's current US label and current US retail listings. Editorial scores for standards, safety and reviews reassessed against that data.