Wysong Cat Food Unbiased Review
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When it comes to pet food brands, many companies offer recipes for both cats and dogs. For most of these companies, however, those are two separate product lines.
Wysong is unique in that they offer several formulas designed to feed both dogs and cats, all in one recipe.
They also offer a number of specialized diets as well as food for ferrets. Wysong is a holistic pet food company dedicated to providing high-quality and nutritious foods for pets.
Read on to see what we think of this brand.
- Specialized cat food options
- Made with high-quality ingredients
- Only one recall in the brand's history
- Limited to specialty pet food stores
- Many customers have issues with the smell and appearance of canned food products
- Specialized cat food options
- Made with high-quality ingredients
- Only one recall in the brand's history
- Limited to specialty pet food stores
- Many customers have issues with the smell and appearance of canned food products
How We Review Cat Food Brands
As we review different cat food brands, we most highly favor those that use wholesome, high-quality sources of real animal protein. Cats are obligate carnivores which means that they need a high concentration of protein in their diets – their bodies simply are not designed to efficiently process plant-based ingredients. Some of the additional factors we consider when reviewing a brand include the variety of recipes, the price per pound, the brand recall history, the availability, and customer reviews.
Here Are Some Of The Other Things We Look For In A Good Cat Food Brand:
- High-quality animal protein as the first ingredient
- Rich in healthy animal fats (ex: chicken fat or salmon oil)
- Few to no carbohydrate ingredients (especially within the top 5)
- Limited number of main ingredients plus supplements
- No low-quality fillers, grains, or by-products
It is important for a cat food brand to offer a variety of products because cats tend to be picky and having variety gives you more to choose from. The brand’s recall history is a good way to gauge quality and safety as a whole while customer reviews provide insight into the brand’s quality and popularity.
Overview of the Wysong Brand
Wysong is a holistic pet food brand that offers products for cats, dogs, and ferrets. The company is self-described as a small company with big goals – to help pets and pet owners live long, healthy, and happy lives together.
Wysong’s pet food products are formulated in keeping with the theory of archetypal feeding.
This is not based on a certain ingredient but on a rotational style of feeding that ensures optimal nutritional balance through variety.
Not only does Wysong care about creating high-quality products to deliver premium nutrition to pets, but they also seek to educate pet owners about proper nutrition so they can make the healthiest decisions for their pets.
The company website provides a wealth of nutritional information about pet health and wellness as well as specific information about the brand’s products and the ingredients and manufacturing processes they use.
This company believes that pet nutrition is a serious matter and that’s why Wysong’s archetypal diets feature high-quality raw ingredients including real meat.
In addition to offering a number of traditional dry food and wet food products for pets, Wysong also offers natural solutions to pet health problems with specialty diets.
Urinary problems, kidney disease, and irritable bowel syndrome are some of the conditions these specialty diets are formulated to address.
What Kind of Cat Food Products Do They Offer?
The Wysong brand offers a selection of dry food, wet food, and raw food products for cats as well as some treats and supplements.
Within their line of dry food offerings, this brand has four different product lines – Original Diets, Epigen Starch Free, Optimal Vitality, and Optimize. For canned cat foods, there are only two options: Epigen canned diets and Uretic diet with organic chicken.
For raw food, this company has three options for dogs and cats. The first is Archetype, the original Wysong raw diet for dogs and cats.
You’ll also find Archetype Burgers featuring chicken and beef as well as UnCanny, a blend of healthy ingredients pet owners can use to make homemade raw diets.
Products Included in This Review |
||||
| Name | Type | Protein % | Fat % | Top 5 Ingredients |
| Wysong Epigen Starch-Free Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dog & Cat Food |
Dry | 60% | 15% | Organic chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, potato protein, meat protein isolate |
| Wysong Uretic with Organic Chicken Canned Cat Food | Wet | 10% | 7% | Organic chicken, brown rice, blueberry, DI-methionine, cranberry extract |
| Wysong Archetype Chicken Formula Freeze-Dried Raw Dog & Cat Food |
Freeze-Dried | 44% | 36% | Chicken, chicken organs, ground chicken bone, natural flavor, taurine |
Compare Wysong Cat Food
|
Type of Food
Dry |
Type of Food
Wet |
Type of Food
Freeze-dried |
|
First 5 Ingredients
Organic chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, potato protein, meat protein isolate |
First 5 Ingredients
Organic chicken, brown rice, blueberry, DI-methionine, cranberry extract |
First 5 Ingredients
Chicken, chicken organs, ground chicken bone, natural flavor, taurine |
|
Guaranteed Analysis
60% protein, 15% fat, 4% fiber, 10% moisture |
Guaranteed Analysis
10% protein, 7% fat, 2% fiber, 75% moisture |
Guaranteed Analysis
44% protein, 36% fat, 0.5% fiber, 4% moisture |
|
Price Per Pound/Ounce
$3.38 |
Price Per Pound/Ounce
$0.37/ounce |
Price Per Pound/Ounce
$2.62/ounce |
Wysong Epigen Starch-Free Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dog & Cat Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Dry
- First 5 Ingredients: Organic chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, potato protein, meat protein isolate
- Guaranteed Analysis: 60% protein, 15% fat, 4% fiber, 10% moisture
- Price Per Pound/Ounce: $3.38
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Organic Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Potato Protein, Meat Protein Isolate, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Gelatin, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Coconut Oil, Chia Seeds, Salt, Taurine, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Tomato Pomace, Calcium Propionate (a preservative), Choline Chloride, Dried Kelp, Organic Barley Grass Powder, Dried Blueberry Powder, Dried Yogurt, Apple Pectin, Dried Kale, Dried Spinach, Dried Carrots, Fish Oil, Yeast Extract, Citric Acid (a preservative), Inulin, Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative), Rosemary Extract, Yeast Culture, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Ascorbic Acid [source of Vitamin C], etc…
This Epigen Starch-Free Chicken Formula dog and cat food is the first extruded kibble on the market that is completely starch-free.
According to Wysong, it more closely resembles the diet your pet is evolved to follow, and it does what other pet food brands only pretend to do. Plus, it is rich in real meat and natural flavor that your cat is sure to love.
This recipe features organic chicken as the first ingredient, followed by chicken meal and turkey meal.
The fourth ingredient is potato protein which leaves us to wonder how much of the 60% crude protein comes from animal ingredients, but the fact that chicken meal and turkey meal are both highly concentrated sources of animal protein, we’re not too worried.
Meat protein isolate is a somewhat concerning ingredient, but nothing else on the list seems to be a major red flag. Overall, this recipe provides a whopping 60% protein with 15% fat and 4% fiber.
Wysong Uretic with Organic Chicken Canned Cat Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Wet
- First 5 Ingredients: Organic chicken, brown rice, blueberry, DI-methionine, cranberry extract
- Guaranteed Analysis: 10% protein, 7% fat, 2% fiber, 75% moisture
- Price Per Pound/Ounce: $0.37/ounce
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Organic Chicken, Brown Rice, Blueberry, Dl-Methionine, Cranberry Extract, Taurine, Organic Barley Grass Powder, Dried Kelp, Yeast Extract, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Chicory Root, Hemicellulose Extract, Natural Flavor, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Calcium Carbonate, etc…
The only one of Wysong’s canned food recipes formulated only for cats is this Uretic with Organic Chicken Canned Cat Food. It is based on the Wysong Uretic dry diet which is one of the brand’s most popular offerings, having a multi-decade history of success.
This canned food employs the same nutritional principles, being high in meat, low in carbohydrate, and fortified with essential micronutrients and nutraceuticals.
The first ingredient is organic chicken, followed by brown rice and blueberry.
You’ll also find other natural ingredients in the lineup like cranberry extract, organic barley grass powder, kelp, and chicory root.
Overall, this recipe provides a dry matter value of 40% crude protein and 28% crude fat with 8% fiber.
Wysong Archetype Chicken Formula Freeze-Dried Raw Dog & Cat Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Freeze-dried
- First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, chicken organs, ground chicken bone, natural flavor, taurine
- Guaranteed Analysis: 44% protein, 36% fat, 0.5% fiber, 4% moisture
- Price Per Pound/Ounce: $2.62/ounce
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Chicken, Chicken Organs, Ground Chicken Bone, Natural Flavor, Taurine, Organic Blueberry, Organic Barley Grass, Chia Seeds, Broccoli Sprouts, Carrots, Plums, Whey, Sea Salt, Dried Kelp, Yeast Extract, Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Yeast Culture, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins (Ascorbic Acid [Source of Vitamin C], Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, etc…
Archetype is Wysong’s original raw dog and cat food diet designed to emulate the food these animals would eat in the wild.
It is the company’s nutritional philosophy that animals are genetically programmed to follow a certain diet and this Archetype Chicken Formula Freeze-Dried Raw Dog & Cat Food is representative of that.
This formula features fresh chicken as the main ingredient, followed by chicken organs and ground chicken bone.
We can assume that the first two are good sources of animal protein and the third is included as a natural source of flavor, minerals, and glucosamine and chondroitin.
You’ll find several fresh fruits and vegetables included in the list to act as natural sources for key nutrients as well as plenty of supplemental fiber and probiotics for healthy digestion.
What Do Customers Think of Wysong Cat Food?
There are a lot of mixed reviews for Wysong products. Many customers love the quality of the ingredients but there are concerns about the price and there are a fair number who report that their cats simply didn’t like the product.
The wet food in particular has a high number of reviews commenting on the unappetizing smell and appearance of the product.
Positive Customer Reviews
“Our three cats are not fussy eaters, at least not dry food. The love Wysong’s Epigen 90 starch and grain free and Wysong Uretic. I bought this to try and the cats reluctantly at it. All three have thrown up and they never vomit food. Ever. I’m not sure what the differenced is with this particular formula, but we immediately threw it out.”
– Sara0, reviewing Wysong Epigen Starch-Free Chicken Formula Grain-Free
“If this food didn’t make my cats happy and they weren’t 16-year-old boys, I would switch in a heartbeat. It smells like death and decay, which is probably why the furries love it. It also seems to do well for them and their urinary tracts. So, if you can handle the odor, it’s an awesome food.”
– Evolet0680, reviewing Wysong Uretic with Organic Chicken Canned Cat Food
“Fizz loves this. It’s real food but he thinks it’s a treat, so all the better. Sometimes when he is a bit reluctant to eat something, I top dress it with Archetype, and down it all goes. Marigold, who is fussier, can live without it, but Fizz is all on this. It’s not cheap, but because it’s such good stuff and because I am nuts-in-love with Fizz, I am willing to spend the money.”
– FizzMom, reviewing Wysong Archetype Chicken Formula Freeze-Dried Raw Food
Negative Customer Reviews
“This is not cheap, but it was rated as the best dry food, so it was worth it to me. Unfortunately, my cat simply won’t eat it. I hesitate to say it isn’t good because she can be fairly picky. And of course, like people, animals have individual personalities, likes, and dislikes, etc. Let’s just say I’m a big fan of the ingredients but my girl doesn’t share my enthusiasm.”
– Ruthie, reviewing Wysong Epigen Starch-Free Chicken Formula Grain-Free
“10 cats and not one will eat this. I had high hopes this could help one of my cats, but he won’t touch it. Figured I’d let the others eat it up but unfortunately, they won’t touch it either. Onto the downtown feral I’ve been feeding… hopefully she will eat it. The texture doesn’t look good and the smell is like old greasy smell… not sure how to explain it but I don’t blame them for snubbing this one.”
– CapeJen, reviewing Wysong Uretic with Organic Chicken Canned Cat Food
“The product seemed really affordable and I was excited to try it with our cats. Neither are particularly picky, but they were not interested in eating this food. The food comes out in a weird combination of chunks and powder. The chunks are too hard for them to chew, but they won’t eat the powder even when it’s mixed with water into a gravy. I won’t be ordering it again.”
– Takinupspace, reviewing Wysong Archetype Chicken Formula Freeze-Dried Raw Food
Product Recall History
A product recall happens when something goes wrong with a product. In many cases it is something simple like a packaging error or inadequate levels of a certain nutrient.
More significant recalls can happen, however, due to potential contamination with harmful substances.
If a cat food brand has several recalls of this nature, you would be right to be concerned. The good news is that Wysong only has one recall in its history.
The only product recall in Wysong’s history happened in September of 2009. It was a voluntary recall issued by the company itself for several lots of dry food due to potential concerns about mold contamination.
The recall affected the Wysong Maintenance, Senior, and Synorgon recipes.
Just because Wysong only has one product recall doesn’t necessarily tell you everything you need to know about the brand – you still need to do your research about the ingredients and processes the brand uses.
How Much Does Wysong Cat Food Cost?
When it comes to shopping for pet food, it is important to remember that price isn’t everything. In many cases, price is equated with quality, but it isn’t the only way to shop for cat food. Wysong products tend to be more expensive than the typical cat food brand, but they also offer higher concentrations of protein and better ingredients.
The dry food recipe reviewed above costs over $3.00 per pound and the freeze-dried recipe costs over $2.50 per ounce. The wet food recipe is very affordable, however, priced at $0.37/ounce which is only slightly above average for a decent quality brand.
To give you a better idea how Wysong stacks up against other cat food brands, here is a quick chart to show you some average prices:
| Brand/Recipe | Type | Quality | Price/Ounce | Price/Pound |
| Meow Mix Original Choice Dry Food | Dry | Low | X | $0.90/pound |
| Friskies Classic Pate Mixed Grill Canned Food | Wet | Low | $0.07/ounce | $1.16/pound |
| Blue Buffalo Indoor Health Chicken & Brown Rice Adult Dry Cat Food | Dry | Moderate | X | $2.53/pound |
| Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Chicken Pate Recipe Canned Cat Food | Wet | Moderate | $0.36/ounce | X |
| Instinct by Nature’s Variety Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken | Dry | High | X | $3.45/pound |
| Ziwi Peak New Zealand Venison Recipe Canned Cat Food | Wet | High | $1.21/ounce | X |
Where Can You Buy Wysong Cat Food?
The Wysong company used to be much more limited in their variety but they have greatly expanded in recent years.
Because Wysong offers such specialized pet foods, their availability was limited to specialty pet food stores.
Today, however, it is fairly easy to find foods from this brand both online and in stores.
You can order products directly through the brand’s website and can also sign up to receive a discount for auto-ship.
If you’re looking for the best price on this cat food brand, however, your best bet is probably to shop online with Chewy or Amazon.
Our Final Thoughts: Is Wysong a Good Brand?
Overall, we think Wysong is a quality brand and they offer a unique assortment of recipes.
When it comes to buying their products, however, there are some concerns about price and the actual composition of the food products themselves.
Many customers have issues with the smell and appearance of Wysong canned food products and there are concerns about the freeze-dried foods being a mixture of too powdery and overly hard chunks.
If you’re looking for a brand that uses high-quality recipes, this is one to consider. We’re unsure, however, how we feel about products being formulated for both dogs and cats.
If you’re considering trying Wysong products with your cat, we recommend you talk to your veterinarian first to make sure it will meet your cat’s specific nutritional needs.
