Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Dry Cat Food - Non-GMO, Natural, Chicken & Brown Rice

Dry food for cats · Adult · by Nutro

See the full breakdown in Beagly

What to watch for

• Peas Moderate risk
  Peas add plant protein, starch and fiber. The FDA has been investigating reports of heart disease (DCM) in dogs eating diets high in peas, lentils and other legumes, often grain-free. No cause has been proven, but it is worth knowing when legumes sit near the top of the list.
• Pea protein Moderate risk
  Protein extracted from peas, used to raise the protein number without more meat. The FDA has been investigating reports of heart disease (DCM) in dogs eating diets high in peas, lentils and other legumes, often grain-free. No cause has been proven, but it is worth knowing when legumes sit near the top of the list.
• Natural flavor Low risk
  Flavoring from natural sources. Normally safe, but the term can hide which animal or plant it came from, which matters for allergies.
• Salt Low risk
  Salt supplies sodium and chloride, which dogs need. Pet foods use small amounts; high salt is mainly a concern for dogs with heart or kidney disease.
• Copper sulfate Low risk
  A source of copper, an essential trace mineral. Some breeds accumulate copper in the liver, and vets have raised concern that some dog foods supply more than dogs need.

What it does well

• Named meat first
  First ingredient is chicken.
• Taurine added
  Cats need taurine in their diet; this label lists it.

Ingredients

Chicken, Chicken Meal, Split Peas, Whole Grain Sorghum, Whole Grain Brown Rice, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Chicken, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Fish Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Taurine, Citric Acid (preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), DL–Methionine, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Carbonate, Manganese Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Copper Sulfate, D–Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Rosemary Extract.

Guaranteed analysis

What the label cannot tell you

• Ingredient order is by weight before cooking; fresh meat counts water.
• Mineral levels are not printed on this label.
• We could not find the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement for this product. Scan the bag to confirm it is complete and balanced.

Sizes and barcodes

• Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Dry Cat Food - Non-GMO, Natural, Chicken & Brown Rice - 3 Lb UPC 079105127837
• Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Dry Cat Food - Non-GMO, Natural, Chicken & Brown Rice - 5 Lb UPC 079105127844

Higher-scoring dry food for cats

• Instinct Ultimate Protein Adult Cat Food - Natural, Grain Free, Chicken 89/100 · Excellent
• Instinct Ultimate Protein Cat Food - Grain Free, High Protein, Chicken 89/100 · Excellent
• ACANA Regionals Grain Free Dry Cat Food - Grasslands 87/100 · Excellent
• The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Grain Free Chicken & Fish Cat Food, 4 lb Box 86/100 · Excellent
• Nature's Logic Chicken Meal Feast Dry Cat Food 85/100 · Excellent

More from Nutro

• Nutro Perfect Portions Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Cat Food 76/100 · Excellent
• Nutro Cat - Pate, Tukey, Grain Free 74/100 · Good
• Nutro Cat - Kitten, Pate, Split Cup, 2.64 OZ - Chicken 73/100 · Good
• Nutro Cat - Kitten, Pate, Split Cup, 2.64 OZ - Salmon & Whitefish 73/100 · Good
• Nutro Cat - Kitten, Pate, Split Cup, Variety 73/100 · Good

Informational, not veterinary advice. The score is our opinion of a food, built from the facts on its label with our published method. No brand pays to rank higher. Recipes change: check the bag you have, or scan it in the app.

Score version 2026.11.6 · Page updated 2026-11-03