Last updated Feb 10, 2023
Sheba claims that it’s “What Cats Want™”, but is it a good choice for your cat? Find out in our unbiased Sheba cat food review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Sheba on What Matters
We’ve taken a close look at Sheba and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history.
Here’s how it rates in each of these key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 6/10
- Ingredient Quality – 6/10
- Product Variety – 5/10
- Price – 9/10
- Customer Experience – 8/10
- Recall History – 9/10
Overall Score: 7.2/10
In total, we give Sheba cat food a 43 out of 60 or a B grade.
Sheba Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Tender Whitefish & Tuna Entree Cat Food | Wet | $0.38 per oz | B- |
| Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Tender Beef Entree Cat Food | Wet | $0.72 per oz | B+ |
| Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Roasted Chicken Cuts in Gravy Entree Cat Food | Wet | $0.36 per oz | B+ |
About Sheba
Sheba is a cat food brand created and manufactured by Mars, Inc., the world’s highest-earning pet food company. In addition to Sheba, Mars owns and manufactures over 40 pet brands, including Whiskas, Royal Canin, Iams, and Crave.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Most Sheba cat food is manufactured in the United States. Their Signature Broths line is made in Thailand and Sheba Meaty Tender Sticks treats are made in Austria.
According to a Sheba brand representative, most, but not all, of their ingredients are sourced from North America. Sheba doesn’t specify exactly where all of their ingredients are sourced. Like all Mars brands and subsidiaries, Sheba participates in Mars’ Responsible Sourcing program and holds suppliers to the Mars Supplier Code of Conduct.
Has Sheba Cat Food Been Recalled?
Sheba cat food has never been recalled, but its parent company has announced numerous recalls of other Mars cat food brands.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Sheba Offer?
Sheba offers a slim selection of wet cat food and treats. Thanks to the brand’s focus on wet food, Sheba products are meat-heavy with minimal starches, plant protein, and other plant ingredients.
Sheba foods contain a combination of named meats and vague items like “fish” and “meat by-products”. Some Sheba recipes contain “added color”, a vague title referring to a variety of FDA-approved color additives, including synthetic dyes.
All Sheba cat foods are sold in twin packs of individually sealed 1.3-ounce servings. Though the portions are small, they enable cat owners to provide fresh entrees without any messy leftovers.
Sheba Perfect Portions are divided among the following product lines:
- Bistro
- Premium Pates
- Cuts in Gravy
- Garden Medleys
This brand also offers a small selection of Meaty Tender Sticks cat treats made with animal proteins like tuna, salmon, and chicken. These treats are soft and chewy which makes them easy to break into pieces. They also come individually wrapped to ensure freshness.
Sheba Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Tender Whitefish & Tuna Entrée Cat Food | Wet | $0.38 per oz | B+ |
| Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Tender Beef Entree | Wet | $0.72 per oz | A- |
| Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Roasted Chicken Cuts in Gravy | Wet | $0.36 per oz | A- |
#1 Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Tender Whitefish & Tuna Entree Cat Food
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this wet food formula.
This food features fresh chicken as the first ingredient which is a little misleading given the name of the recipe. Whitefish is listed fourth and tuna sixth.
Whitefish isn’t a specific species of fish – the term refers to a variety of fish including cod, whiting, haddock, hake, pollock, and other bottom-feeding fish with fins. While fish is a rich source of protein and healthy fats, it generally isn’t the best protein source for cats. Fish often contains high levels of heavy metals and other contaminants. As such, fish-based recipes from Sheba may best be reserved for occasional feeding.
Though whitefish and tuna are the ingredients for which this product is named, non-fish animal ingredients make up half of the main ingredients. In addition to chicken as the first ingredient, you’ll find poultry liver and chicken broth within the top six.
This paté contains guar gum as a binder. While it’s not a natural part of the feline diet, guar gum is generally considered safe. There are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in this recipe.
Overall, this meat-based food is high in protein with moderate levels of fat and low carbohydrate content. Each 1.3-ounce tray contains 38 calories or about 29 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Chicken, Water, Poultry Liver, White Fish, Chicken Broth, Tuna, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Fish Oil, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Tapioca Starch, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Salt, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, White Fish, Tuna, Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Poultry Liver
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Three named sources of animal protein in top 6 ingredients
- Negligible carbohydrate content
- Free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
- Contains vaguely named poultry liver
- Fish-based foods aren’t the best choice for daily feeding
#2 Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Tender Beef Entree Cat Food
Beef appears to be the primary source of protein in this wet cat food recipe.
This Perfect Portions pate-style cat food is made with fresh beef and chicken with supplemental protein from poultry liver. While vaguely named ingredients like poultry liver aren’t necessarily harmful, it’s difficult to assess their quality. We’d much prefer to see a named source like chicken liver.
Though this recipe doesn’t include “artificial color,” it does contain caramel color. This colorant is made by heating a sugar compound, so it is largely derived from natural sources. The FDA doesn’t have an official definition for “natural color” in pet food, however, it might be considered an artificial color in some cases, depending how it’s made.
Again this formula is thickened with starchy ingredients like guar gum and tapioca starch, but the total carbohydrate content is still extremely low.
Overall, this meat-rich food is high in protein with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content. There are 40 calories per 1.3-ounce serving, or about 31 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Beef, Chicken, Water, Poultry Liver, Chicken Broth, Caramel Color, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Fish Oil, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Tapioca Starch, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Salt, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex.
Ingredients We Liked: Beef, Chicken, Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Poultry Liver
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Two quality animal proteins at the top of the list
- Extremely low in carbohydrates
- Free from artificial flavors and preservatives
Cons
- May contain artificial color
- Contains vaguely named poultry liver
#3 Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Roasted Chicken Cuts in Gravy Entree Cat Food
Chicken appears to be the primary source of protein in this formula.
For cats who prefer chunky food, this recipe is made with tender cuts of chicken in a flavorful gravy. With water as the first ingredient, followed by chicken, this is a moisture-rich recipe made primarily with animal ingredients.
While tapioca starch is used to thicken the gravy, the overall carbohydrate content of the formula is extremely low – roughly 2% as fed.
Like the previous two formulas, fish oil is the primary source of added fat. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, but it’s difficult to tell which species of fish from which it is derived. The total fat content of this formula is only about 15% on a dry matter basis which is about 10% less than the previous recipe and the calorie content is the lowest of the three formulas reviewed.
Overall, this is a moderate-protein formula with fairly low fat and negligible carbohydrate content. Each 1.3-ounce serving contains 33 calories which averages to about 25 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Water, Chicken, Poultry Liver, Animal Plasma, Tapioca Starch, Glycine, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Natural Flavor, Magnesium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Caramel Color, Choline Chloride, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Poultry Liver
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Four out of the top 7 ingredients are animal-based
- Rich in moisture to support hydration
- Extremely low in carbohydrates, roughly 2% as fed
Cons
- Contains starchy thickeners
- Made with vaguely named poultry liver and animal plasma
What Do Customers Think of Sheba Cat Food?
Most Sheba reviews are positive. Reviewers like that Sheba food is grain-free, meat-based, and affordable.
That said, Sheba also receives a number of complaints, with most of them revolving around packaging and quality control.
Customers complain that the Purrfect Portions plastic trays are hard to open, messy, and too small. At least two Chewy reviewers said that they found bugs in their Sheba food, but it’s unclear who was at fault or how widespread the problem was. Another trend among negative customer reviews? Green food. Several customers say that, upon opening a package of Sheba, they found that the food was discolored.
Let’s take a look at a few real customer reviews of popular Sheba cat foods.
Positive Reviews
“Jake likes them, I like thar they are grain free, gluten free (no kidding, wheat gluten to thicken sauces is all it takes for Jake to throw it back up – and if you watch, gluten is in some grain free food!), pre-portioned, and that Chewy’s has such a deal on the bigger mixed packs :).” – DebD, reviewing Sheba Perfect Portions Grain-Free Beef Entrée
“She jumps right up to her dish every night waiting to be served. And just a hint, shake it down away from where you open it and the gravy doesn’t come spilling out when you pop them open. I love they are just the right amount. No leftovers to try and seal up and she has a fresh meal every day. I use this to supplement her dry food. I also love that I can get these in just chicken since she turns her nose up at anything fish flavored (never thought I’d see a cat do that).” – Kristi, reviewing Sheba Perfect Portions Roasted Chicken Cuts in Gravy
Negative Reviews
“More difficult to open and juice sprays when you break seal. Canned is cleaner and easier. Plus you get a little more with cans” – khamel, reviewing Sheba Perfect Portions Whitefish & Tuna Entrée
“I got this package today, and I’m giving it 2 stars mainly because my cat only loves this variety so I’ll keep ordering it and the customer service over the phone was fast and simple..but my package today was infested with beettle larva and the smell that came from the package was horrendous. I immediately called and got a new package sent out. Customer service was great but oh my gosh, I’ve never had to deal with something like this. The expiration date on the food was 2019 so I don’t understand why these bugs would be all over this as well as the smell being so bad. I hope to not deal with this again in the future.” – Ollie, reviewing Sheba Perfect Portions Roasted Chicken Slices in Gravy
How Much Does Sheba Cat Food Cost?
Sheba is one of the more affordable cat food brands on the market per ounce and it’s easy to find in stores. Because Sheba cat foods are sold in small servings and have low calorie content, however, it can be pricey to feed as a staple diet.
Averaging about $26 for a 24-piece case of 2.6-ounce twin packs, Sheba cat food costs about $0.38 per ounce. This puts Sheba in a similar price range as Natural Balance and Blue Buffalo wet foods, but it is more highly rated than both these brands.
To feed the average 10-pound cat Sheba cat food, it would cost between $2.49 and $2.92 per day. It may be most cost effective to use Sheba cat food as a supplemental diet.
Overall, Is Sheba a Good Choice?
Sheba cat food certainly isn’t flawless, but it’s a fairly affordable brand and it’s one of the easiest to find. It’s sold in pet stores as well as grocery stores and general retailers.
This brand primarily uses named sources of animal protein, though there are typically a few vaguely named organ meats and fats thrown in. Sheba cat foods have been reformulated somewhat recently and no longer contain meat and poultry by-products. This resulted in a bit of a price hike but makes the food a more appropriate choice for cats.
Sheba receives primarily positive customer reviews and hasn’t ever been recalled, so it appears to be a reliable, safe brand.
Where Is Sheba Cat Food Sold?
Like most Mars cat food brands, Sheba is available in a variety of stores, ranging from pet specialty retailers to big box stores and groceries. Online, you can find it on Petco.com, Chewy, Amazon, and other online retailers that sell cat food.
We are not affiliated with Sheba or Mars, Inc. in any way.
If you have a complaint or question regarding quality control issues, ingredients, or media related to Sheba cat food, you may get in contact with Sheba customer support via their contact form.
No one mentioned the excessive packaging. more garbage than really needed for so little food. They should be ashamed to package this way. I can no longer support this brand unless they go to a more eco friendly packaging.
Good observations, Travis. The amount of plastic packaging isn’t just frustrating to handle—it’s unnecessary and excessive.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
– Mallory
Use needle nosed pliers to open the containers. Foil wraps easily and peels off. No drips that way either. Then rinse and recycle like others have said. Easy. My cat loves the pate flavors and the chicken Alfredo.
Every time I buy Sheb pate, it is tinted green or it looks like light moss all over the top. I will never feed Sheba to my cats again!
packaging heck i happened to come here looking for the manufacturer of this ‘garbage’ how dare they make a commercial condoning child abuse in favor of feeding a cat and before you start I own two cats and I’ve had cats for the past 50 years but to put them ahead of child abuse sick. This manufacturer will be getting a letter from me and absolutely no more money regardless of what the produce.
I totally agree! I have a cat and considered buying Sheba after viewing the disgusting Mother on your commercial, I’ll never buy your product and I’ll tell anyone who owns a cat. It totally is child abuse you should be ashamed and take it off the air!!
LOLOLOLOLOOOO!!!! “Child abuse”??! Get a life—it’s a commercial & you all need a sense of humor. XD
I agree with you. People are too oversensitive nowadays.
good for you!!! i just had to rehome all my 4 cats because the landlord would not allow then, but if i still had them; i’d never buy sheba either. that goes for any product that has to advertise in questionable means, and there seems to be more and more every day!
i just had to rehome all 4 of my cats because they were not alowed
News flash: They don’t care. For every ”woke” snowflake, there’s even more of us who have a sense of humor and will buy lots and lots of Sheba on account of the hilarity of this commercial. I know I will… 🙂
I just bought Sheba cat food for my diabetic cat Baby and my other healthy cat Matty. I heard Sheba is high protein low carbs. I hope my cats like it and eat it.
I agree too much garbage, could at least be recyclable package. We have 3 cats so we would bigger containers
Need bigger packaging & recyclable container
My Mama Girl has a tray of the chicken/liver pate in the morning and either the beef or turkey pate in the evening. Mama is 19 years old and has been eating this product since I can remember. She, nor I have ever had a problem with it. She eats dry food in-between during the day. She drinks plenty of water, always has. She still has plenty of kitten in her and plays with all her toys every day. As far as the containers, I think they are great and easy to clean and recycle to a plastic manufacture into beads to melt for other products. So many on this site write to complain about so many things. Just love your animals, enjoy life, and be happy.
DITTO- Well Said…My finicky two cats LOVE Sheba and we have tried all different brands of Cat Food and they LOVE Sheba Cat Food. – I echo the Larry Frybarger response! KUDOS Sheba Cat Food!!!
Well said!!! Not so difficult to wash the trays out and recycle. Also Tired of all the complaining about everything… Sheba is the only wet food that my cat doesn’t throw up.. I have tried every brand… wound up donating a lot of high end brands that cost a fortune!!! So glad I found this brand!!
toss the container in your recycle container!!!!!! That is what I do! RECYCLE
when your tv add has a woman paying more attention to her cat her son falls is bleeding & woman tells kid to get bandaids. CHILD ABUSE add!
I have been searching for a better soft food for Spike, Buzz and Rogue. They need a supplement other than only dry cat food. They are really enjoying the Sheba and it never gets wasted. This upsets my chickens who like the friskies leftovers. We are a crafty family, so we reuse the containers to paint, sort beads, etc. I don’t like to see anything fill up a landfill other than biodegradable materials.
Spike is picky, hates pate, and absolutely loves the Sheba soft cuts. The other 2 felines do too.
My budget is extremely tight and I can afford Sheba. I truly hope I am doing the right thing by feeling them this brand.
I looked into the breakdown for Sheba wet food. and it’s 52% fat!! I watch and check the breakdowns on wet and dry food for my cats (all 4), and currently the wet foods I use in the can are no more than 2% fat and I use a weight.formula (dry) but only give 1/8 a cup of the dry (8% fat only). formula yet it’s about 32-33% protein. I use the wet first thing in the morning and use the dry for lunch, a snack and super.. The dry kibble is the weight formula from Royal Canin. I came here looking to see what the breakdown and reviews were on Sheba food (as some people on the net say their cats love it.) Now I know why!? Its full of fat. My cat’s weight is great. The latest cat I took in about 20 months ago was eating all the wrong foods and was very obese. Since he has been with me he lost. 10 lbs (was 23.5); and at 16 yrs old he is acting like a kitten again. No Sheba for us. My other 3 are all between 9-11 lbs.
I tore the cut apart and I see a lot of air holes inside the claimed chicken cut. It doesn’t look like real meat cut only some artificial mix of meat by-product. I want to confirm if it’s real meat in the Perfect Portions wet food.
Hi Callie,
The “cuts” appear to be made from a restructured blend of chicken and by-products of poultry and meat processing, likely bound with xanthan gum. The chunks are a type of formed meat or extruded meat product, similar to slices of bologna. So no, they’re not real cuts of chicken, but they do appear to be made from real meat—albeit not necessarily high-quality real meat.
– Mallory
I just have to mention that by products may be disgusting to us but they are actually healthy and good for cats. In the wild a cat will eat almost the entire prey he/ she catches. Organ meat it essential for there bodies.
My cat Sable is now 18 yrs. She adopted me from the APL where her previous owners dumped her when she was 9. APL spayed her and took out most of her teeth however she was determined to eat dry food that she threw up all over the house. I tried all kinds of wet food before I found Sheba. She will only eat the pate’ and of course she has her likes, “turkey” and dislikes “beef” but this is the only wet food she enjoys and looks forward to eating. As a cat she is finicky but she is my furbaby and I will do all I can to keep her healthy and happy. Gravy is also one of her favorites but not much fits into a Sheba container.
I just watched a commercial concerning your cat food.
I will not buy the food simply because of your commercial.
I have seen some really dumb commercials… but to have a. Mom sit while her child is injuried..and feed a cat ????
I agree so much with this person. To have a mother tell her daughter to get 2 bandaids when she’s bleeding and then feed the cat is disgusting!!! People are more important than cats. Shame on you!
Chris, You said exactly what I have been wanting to say. How a person, especially a Mother can pick a cat over her child. I would not buy their food either,
Commercial isn’t meant for child abuse just showing love for cats. It’s a strange commercial but certainly doesn’t encourage child abuse that is an over kill to believe it is. ! !
Commercial is showing our love for cats
Evelyn O’Conner, I hate to say, but you are an idiot if you think that this commercial is a “love” for our cats. Every complaint that you see here about a mother caring more for her cat than her child has hit the nail on the head. This commercial should be taken off the air because any parent who puts their animal’s well being over their child displays a contempt for that child.
I understand your concern about the silly commercial, but I am not going to let bad marketing keep me from a product that works better for my sensitive-tummy and finicky kitty than anything else I’ve tried. Cheap food to the most premium, dry to wet, Sheba is the preference of my young man. He really likes it and digests it well, unlike many others we’ve tried. He also doesn’t like reheated leftovers so even though there is a lot of packaging, we aren’t wasting half or more of a 3 oz. can.
Obviously everyone votes with their dollar, as they should, but this is the best food I have found. I also bring it to the cat rescue shelter where I volunteer for a couple of the very oldest cats. The pate texture is very soft and a few of the oldsters with teeth and jaw issues absolutely love it. I am a mom myself and would never condone child abuse. For what it’s worth, the girl in the commercial, off in the background, doesn’t seem to be dealing with a true emergency, and sounds old enough to at least try to take care of herself. I see it a bit differently, having overparented my own young teen and now in a position to try to start “encouraging” said child to take matters into their own hands a bit.
The commercial was younger in cheek get over it
EXACTLY! Animals in the wild eat every part of their prey because each kind of organ has different nutrients and qualities in them that cats need.
Plastic waste. Small individual plastic containers are detrimental to the environment. Can’t you find a way to sell your food in recycle cans. Make it 6oz, even less waste.
My 3 cats Love the Sheawa wet food. They beg for me to give it to them. I only give it to them in the morning as their breakfast and then they eat 9 Lives dry cat food rest of the day. We are very pleased with the food. My question is it making them gain a lot of weight? My two adult cats are getting really big and heavy.
Hello Leann,
Thanks for your comment! Sheba foods aren’t particularly calorie-dense and shouldn’t make your kitties gain weight. I’d be more suspicious of the 9Lives they’re eating throughout the day. Do you think you could try switching to two or three meals a day rather than letting your cats graze? That would give you a better idea of how much they’re eating and more control over their calorie intake.
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any more questions.
Best,
Mallory
To those of you concerned about the commercial those people are paid actors. No one was hurt during the filming. Those people aren’t related. It’s called a joke may be you should let go of your woke selves and get a life. For those of you concerned about the packaging go check out a landfill those containers are the least of what is in that place and they are recyclable. Bottom line my cat loves them and I love the price good job Mars.
well said
Exactly! And my two love 💕 Sheba in the pouches. So where is this waste????
iIt is more likely that the dry food you are feeding – is causing your kitties to gain weight. Dry Foods do not contain enough USABLE nutrition for cats – so – it is likely that the kitties bodies are craving more nutrition – so – they will try to get it by eating MORE.
My 11 year old male cat only ate dry food until he was past 10. Now, it makes him sick so I switched to wet food. After trying more than a dozen brands (all of which he hated and wouldn’t eat) I tried Sheba Perfect Portions. He’ll only eat the pate’, but he’s happy and still frisky. Also, he hasn’t been sick since I switched.
I opened a container of Sheba pate last night and part of it was green. It was part of a twelve pack and the rest of them had been fine. It was still sealed tightly, I had the usual difficulty removing the foil, and it’s been stored in a cabinet at the proper temperature. My cats love it, but I don’t trust it anymore. They’re not picky eaters, fortunately.
I opened a container of Sheba pate 2 days ago – turkey – and part of it was green. Had not noticed that on the other half of the paired containers that she’d gotten in the morning. Threw it out and gave her a fresh one. But, especially reading Jennifer had this happen, too, I might not buy this anymore. Just switched recently from Friskies pates in cans but I never saw green food with those.
I’ve had recent experience with Sheba cat food “delicate salmon that expires in 2024. Black and moldy. Chewy is replacing. It. I don’t feel safe with it anymore. I’ve never been able to get her to eat anything else. But I know longer trust this company. My cat has thrown up big time before I saw the spoilage.
my cat was sick lost 3 lbs and was diagnosed with feline aids and wasn’t eating anything I tried a lot of different foods but sheba was what he liked I put it on top of his dry food and he loves the pate kind better and has gained his weight back I give it when he wants it ,he wont eat any other kind of wet food thanks for sheba
It is possible to make a slight hole in the foil of the one that you dont want to use when breaking the pouches in half.
I have accidentally done this myself and discovered it had gone discolored.
I think making the pouches singly rather than together would be better for this reason.
Micky usually lobes the perfect portions, but lately there have been a few he will not even touch…whitefish & Tina dated 8/3 and chicken dated 8/16. Both are Pate’s. I brought unopened ones dated August back to the store and switched for older ones. I’ll try them again when newer ones come out, and hope for the best.
I may have to go back to Fancy Feast.
How come I cannot find Sheba meaty tender sticks cat treats in beef, turkey or whitefish anymore? Have these flavors been discontinued? I can only find chicken, salmon and tuna. Our cats really enjoyed the beef and turkey especially. Thanks.
Chewy is out of chicken&beef with garden vegetables in the cuts. Where is it!! I have not been able to get it for at least a month or two.
Hi Carol, It appears to be out of stock now.
My cat, Luna, is a very picky eater, and even with a small 2.oz can, we were often throwing away partial leftovers from the can and her dish, which smelled horrible in the trash! She LOVES the Perfect Portions, as long as she gets any of the fish flavors. She has never cleaned her wet food bowl like this with the other brand she had been getting since we brought her home as a kitten! She still has dry food at all times, but she is right there morning and night waiting for the wet food!
my cat love your packages Sheba 50gm but the larger ones 85gm he frequently throws up. can you pleas tell me is these the same as the small packets by Sheba or are they fake?
details below
Sheba Mini Filets en gelée pour Chat Adulte – Nourriture Humide pour Chats – Sélection à la Volaille – Sachets Fraî…Nomduparfum:geléeTaille:72 x 85g
Hello Moller,
Thanks for your comment! You’ll get the best results by contacting Sheba directly. There should be a phone number on the back of your Sheba packets or on the Sheba website. Before you connect with a support agent, take note of the expiration date on 85-gram packets and, if possible, the 50-gram packets as well. This will help you to identify which batches the food came from.
Hope this helps,
Mallory
My cats love Sheba cat food, but I’m going back to Fancy Feast until Sheba comes in an easy open can. I’ve had to use my teeth the peel the “heavy metal” lid !! Why make it so difficult?
I’m in Scotland 🏴 & my 2 love 💕 Sheba (it’s in pouches now so it’s easier) I mix some James well beloved dry food in & they really enjoy it. They don’t like the fish ones though! Weird! #sheba
Hello:
I only use Sheba varieties as a snack (4 portions, 2 daily). He eats a dry food mix (70/30). I emailed them 1-2 yrs. ago suggesting more both in the pate and more gravy in the cuts – an inexpensive no brainer. I have yet to see a change. Mr. Willoughby loves the first part where the juice is located, but may shun the drier food at the other end. I have been feeding him the pate now that he is full grown at 3; before that, it was mostly cuts. He’s a clean plater, but this is due to his increased appetite. Also, I suggested some one-serving snack packs – each one would be fresh with juice. No response. Many companies want feedback – often a wealth of ideas are available – but will not reward customers. Instead, they make their millions and raise the price or lower the quantity. Sad and greedy.
Although this cat food is a tad on the expensive side, my cat loves them so I will pay whatever. The only complaint I have is they are very hard to open and once you do get them open, you have cat food juice on your hands. I feel the package design could be better. Maybe if they were perfectly rectangular with the lift tab on the short end it would be easier than they are right now on the diagonal. I can see where older folks with arthritis will have trouble opening these.
I am 77 with both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis and I don’t find it that difficult to open. Some times I use a teaspoon on one side and my thumb on the other for better leverage and that helps. I guess these other cat owners are frailer than me. Take your time. Your kitty is worth it.
I am 45 years old with no real arthritis or muscle strength problems, but I have a really hard time opening these! I too, end up with the juice all over my hands. It’s really annoying and as much as my cat loves the product and I love the convenience of it, this situation with the horrible packaging is an issue . I’m trying to get on the site to have my concern heard. I don’t know if anyone will be reading this, but it truly is something that should be addressed. In reading these comments from other customers, I can see that I’m not alone in my concerns
Although this cat food is a tad on the expensive side, my cat loves them so I will pay whatever. The only complaint I have is they are very hard to open and once you do get them open, you have cat food juice on your hands. I feel the package design could be better. Maybe if they were perfectly rectangular with the lift tab on the short end it would be easier than they are right now on the diagonal. I can see where older folks with arthritis will have trouble opening these.
To easily pull back cover, I use jewelry pliers to grab the loose corner n roll back around pliers. Like the old time cans that came with a key like can opener.
I agree, I dread opening time. Half the time I wear some of the gravy they love so much. Please bring back cans
The plastic waste definitely bothers me, but my 16 yo cat with chronic kidney disease has suddenly started rejecting every one of the expensive prescription canned foods that he has been eating for years. He’s lost so much weight, we have tried everything to get him to eat. This has been the only food that he will enthusiastically scarf down and ask for more, and it’s so relieving to see him finally eating. I am wondering if he has developed an aversion to a metallic smell in the canned food. Even though the plastic waste bothers me immensely, it’s worth it to me to see my senior buddy happy and full.
I am in the same situation exactly with my baby girl. I had not thought about an aversion to a metallic can smell. Might be the case with her also.
I love the small portions and the pate’ is very moist and palatable. My girl also stopped eating the kidney diet she has been on for 2 years. She loved Sheba before her diagnosis, and still does.
It is great to see her eat well.
Good move! Kidney diet foods – are generally NOT the nest nutiriionally, and, often contain BAD ingredients – like Carrageenan. .
Hi Johanna. In my opinion, and of course I can’t ask the cats, the very squishy texture of Sheba pate makes Sheba a winner for elderly felines. I volunteer at a cat rescue and we have some permanent residents that are quite advanced in years and/or have suffered some serious injuries or illnesses that left them with permanent teeth or jaw damage. They are the least picky among all the kitties regarding flavor and will try almost any food, but seem to really appreciate the extremely soft consistency. As far as flavor I would think plastic could leach smells into the food as easily as metals, but the manufactures should be doing extractable/leachable studies on their packaging to prove this is minimal or nonexistent.
I have tried a large range of mass-market, budget, and premium brands including shreds, chunks and many pates, and I haven’t found one anywhere with the same squishiness of Sheba. It could almost be sold as a senior-specific brand, except that cats of all ages enjoy it just as well.
Our girl is 19. She has kidney disease, a few teeth missing and going blind. Most of her life she would not eat wet food. She is only 5 lbs (always been a very petite kitty) she would throw up every day. So we switched to a grain free dry food. That worked for a few years. Then we started using Sheba because of the single serving trays. She throws up every time she over eats. Fast forward to 2 years ago when diagnosed with the kidney disease. Vet told us to feed her a Rx cat food. Over $100 case. Well we tried all kind of different foods. She would not eat it or if she did am she would immediately throw it up. So we decided to go back to the Sheba chicken pate. It is what works for her and new vet said whatever she wants to eat let her.
That used to be my cat’s favorite food now it’s one they can’t stand. It doesn’t smell good the textures different. I’ve had to throw a lot away because they won’t eat it. I don’t know what you did but change it back
Hi Susan,
Thanks for commenting! If you’d like to make sure that someone at Sheba hears about this issue, try contacting them through their contact form:
https://www.sheba.com/contact-us
Best,
Mallory
I am truly upset with She a’s new commercial including the child bleeding! What message are you trying to send? Watched 5 times and it angers me more every time!
You people swear like the kid in the commercial was bleeding out and half dead screaming for help. As another user mentioned, the “child” was old enough to convey the message that they were slightly injured, so they’re old enough to go get a bandaid. This is the problem with everyone today… too sensitive. GET OVER IT. While I agree it was an odd choice of commercial, it’s not a huge deal like you all act. Why don’t you focus on the real concerns of what is destroying our world instead of a stupid cat food commercial. Get real.
My comment is directed to Sheba’s TV commercial dept. The latest commercial shows a mother reading with her cat on her shoulder. Her little boy calls from the other saying that he has fallen. She tells him to get a bandaid and the boy says he is bleeding. His mom tells him to get 2 bandaids. What a terrible mom— she would rather read and play with her cat than get up to take care of her child.
I think the right thing to do is to remove this disturbing commercial from the air.
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for visiting the site! We’re not affiliated with Sheba, so you’ll have a better chance of getting in touch with the right person by reaching out via their contact form:
https://www.sheba.com/contact-us
Best,
Mallory
That commercial with the mother ignoring what the child and telling them to get to Band-Aids cuz they’re bleeding is very tacky if I had a copy of it I would love to rip apart
Horrible commercial putting your cat first while son is asking to be helped from a fall. What is wrong with you people??
Putting your cat before your child? I won’t buy it anymore!
Had super small bugs that look like light slivers moving around in 2 separate white fish gravy ones. Anyone else?
I just wanted to echo everyone’s complaint about the package being hard to open. I don’t like to deal with it when the cat wakes up at 5 a.m. and wants to eat. Today, I sliced my finger on the side somehow. Not sure how it happened, but I think I’ll just back to cans.
The bottom part is type 7 plastic, “other.” So, BPA plastic, almost certainly. Type 7 is generally not considered safe for human food, but what about our fur babies? Also, no recycler will take type 7 things. That might be enough reason to go back to cans.
I’ve cut my finger opening the containers too. I find that moistening my thumb and pointer finger just enough to be tacky helps open the container along with wiggling the foil as you pull it off. Question for Mallory: Are you supposed to feed them one portion or the whole twin pack? I was feeding them just one each, but they got too skinny so now I feed my twins a twin pack each. They’re just right now. I only feed them dry food if I’m not feeling well. They think it’s Captain Crunch. Thanks for all you do.
Hi! Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you. The “portions” from Sheba are a bit weird. You’re right that half of the twin pack is considered a serving, but it’s only 31 calories! You’d have to feed your cat 5-8 (or more for bigger kitties) “portions” to meet their calorie requirement each day. I think that’s probably why your cats were losing weight. Of course, if you’re also feeding dry food, they’ll need less of the Sheba, but it’s still not very much. Hope that helps!
Thanks. They don’t get dry food very often. Only if I’m not feeling well. They get a twin pack each for breakfast and supper. I give them treats around lunchtime and bedtime.
I totally agree that the packaging is very difficult to open. I have arthritis in hands so not able to open the packages at all. I have to use a knife to open them since the packaging is ridiculous . Even my next door neighbor who is 80 has a lot of difficulty opening the packages since are not user friendly
Your ad is horrible. The one where the mother and her cat are sitting on a chair. Her daughter comes in and says she’s bleeding. Her mother says get a bandage. This Mother cares more about her stupid cat than her daughter bleeding? What kind of mother are you portraying? You need to think about that ad. No cat is more important than a bleeding child,
When I saw the ad, I thought, oh boy, some people are going to react adversely, but maybe she knows her daughter is a drama queen? Anyway, I’m not going to punish my cats for a mistake in advertising.
Was this directed at Sheba? The author of this post is not affiliated to the brand.
ROFL Kid’s not bleeding to death—it’s a scraped knee or some other MINOR, non-life threatening issue. Mom knows kid is a drama queen and is obviously old enough to find a bandaid on her own. Mom’s trying to have a quiet, relaxing moment with her cat. Oh yeah—IT’S A COMMERCIAL. Get a life.
Come on people it is just a commercial. And if you are saying stupid cat, you should not even have cats. jeez.
My cat IS my child. I admit the commercial is a bit odd and does disturb me a little even though I do not have human kids…..but it is not meant to be taken literally, just as many commercials you see these days are not. It is just showing this is how much I love my cat….that is why I feed her Sheba. Get it???? It is just marketing.
I get how you feel if you do not have children, however the commercial portrays a woman who does, and she should have tended to her child before worrying about her cat that could have waited a few minutes to eat. Yes, you are right. It’s just a commericial, but it’s a commercial that sends a poor message.
I only saw the commercial once, but it was my impression that the child was not actually hurt in proportion to the fuss being made and was basically whining for attention. I interpreted it as a situation where the whole day had been going like that and Mom just desperately needed a break. Maybe I saw it that way because I think some parents go overboard with being protective and overly solicitous and the result is children who don’t really grow up, get educations, jobs, and their own lives and homes. On the other hand, kids sometimes have bad days like everyone else. In any case, I’m not going to penalize my cats because the manufacturer misjudged how some of their human customers would react to the commercial.
I t sucks! My kids are grown and I would never put my animals before my kids, but I have spent a lot of money for my animals, not just fur babies, but reptiles! My kids love animals so what they wanted they got! I would never tell my child get 2 bandaids to stop the bleeding!
The part about the cheap plastic container does bother me, but at this point I do not have years left to worry about my cat’s health. She is almost 18 and it is about getting her to eat period at this point. I also remember green turkey a
couple of years ago and I called Sheba. They said it was oxidation. Is this true?
Hi Kayla, what you’re describing seems to be a common issue among Sheba foods. It seems that the food sometimes becomes oxidized due to inconsistencies in the packaging process. If your cat is willing to eat Sheba food and it looks okay, I wouldn’t hesitate to feed it to her. Wishing you and your kitty all the best.
We have been transitioning our recently adopted, overweight senior kitty to a wet-based diet after several years on an exclusively dry diet (one of the respected premium brands that actually had a lot of grain in the kibble, though thankfully not a lot of otherwise harmful ingredients). Even though there is a lot of packaging involved with Sheba, I really appreciate that there is a mainstream wet product with excellent ingredient profile and available just about anywhere and at a fairly budget friendly price, making it accessible to almost all cat owners.
In particular, during the pandemic, we are not venturing far from home, and our local Dollar General carries Sheba which is incredibly convenient, plus the price is very reasonable. I am not worried at all about by products. I get that it’s just meat to a cat, and a good way for the meat industry to avoid waste and make use of all protein.
I think the comercial that were the son gets hurt and the mother just says to get a bandaid because the cat is rubing her is in bad taste. It is in such poor taste that I will not use your product. Is that what you think parenting is, innoring a kid for a cat. The comercial is so offencive that I change the channel when it comes on. You need to change it, or take it off.
The Author is not connected with Sheba.
I know people love their animals, but they are just that animals. The commercial with the child gets hurt and says he is bleeding, the mom looks as if she loves the car more than the child. This is a shame. The world has gone crazy about everything except our children.
When I first saw your commercial I thought yeah that’s what I would do. The kid sounded old enough to take care of himself. And if not he could have come to her for assistance. After reading all these negative comments , relax people it’s a Commercial to sell a product. I don’t have kids but I do cherish my Siamese cat and would give her wgat she wants —– Sheba!
YOU HAVE THE MOST GROSS COMMERCIAL I HAVE EVER SEEN WHERE A MOTHER LETS HER DAUGHTER GET BANDAGES AND SHE IS BLEEDING WHILE THE MOTHER SITS WITH THE CAT ON HER SHOULDER AND THAT THE ANIMAL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN RUSHING TO HELP HER DAUGHTER. I WILL NEVER BUY THIS PRODUCT AND WILL PASS THE WORD ON
All these comments are so ridiculous. It’s a commercial. America is so sensitive. I will continue to buy sheba because it is the only food my cat will eat 🙂
I agree that Sheba with bleeding child is the most disgusting commercial on TV. If I had a cat it would have to stave before I’d support Sheba. I can’t imagine what kind of ignorant mental illness this person suffers from, just hope they are never able to procreate. I close my eyes and ears when this filthy piece is aired.
SHAME ON EVERYONE WHO CREATED COMMERCIAL
IT BORDERS ON ADVOCATING CHILD ABUSE.
My bet is you won’t publish my comment.
It tells the truth. But I will send a copy to every channel that
airs it.
Don’t you humorless people get that the commercial is meant to be ironic ??? I find it hilarious. I bet you don’t like my car sticker either. It says ” Cats not brats”.
I have also never had a problem opening the package, and I have fed it for years. It’s the only food my old kitty will eat. So thank you, Sheba.
Hey, just wanted you to know that the Author of this post is not connected to Sheba…Please directly complain elsewhere, possibly on Sheba’s main page.
That’s okay. I’ll buy twice as much to make up…;)
Ive seen this Ad and thought the same thing until I realized
its a spoof ( and a bad one) on how much people love their
cats and dogs
But Ive had a really bad time with finding something
my elderly female cat will eat. And the can shortage
has made the selection worse. Both of our big box
stores are out of canned food( Friskies mostly)
so I bought the Sheba before she either drove me nuts
or passed away from hunger.
The Ad remains a sore spot but please remember
children exxxagerate their injuries greatly !!
And please remember also that a child should know
how to bandage their boo boos. I did when I was
5 and banged my head open (Small community…
less than 20k population) No EMS or hospital
so I went to a neighbors house ( with phone)
who called a cab and took me to my doc and got
stitches to fix my noggin. Remember I was 5 (1954)
After the war we barely had a house in the middle of an
orange grove… no phone… Parents do a
helicopter brand of parenting…. If I can make it to my
doc without my mom, you kid can do it too.
I am absolutely in stitches over the muppets in the comments concern trolling over a scraped knee. Y’all have obviously never had kids.
My kitty loves the Perfect Portions, they’re just the right size and she loves the variety. Thank you for sharing the info about fish nutrition – I’ll be sure to focus more on land mammals if her highness will allow it. The plastic trays are recyclable where I live, make sure to check your local recycling business to see what you can and can’t send them!
I am in total agreement with the many people who are disgusted with the bleeding child versus cat. I have had cats all of my life and I also raised several children, I can promise all of you when my child was hurt he or she was my first and only concern. I loved my pets but my family came first, the cat , dog or whatever animal it may be , my children came first. My irritation with that commercial is she did not even go see how her child was after she fed her cat. I believe that particular commercial has taken more than a few Sheba customers away from the product My cat loves Sheba and he even can open the cupboard door where we keep his food. I do change the channel when that obnoxsious commercial is open. PLEASE change it SOON!
Love it. 😀 The commercial made me buy even more Sheba. 😉
My cat seems to do OK with Sheba Perfect Portions food. I did once find a fly in one of the containers. I want what is best for her, but I cannot spend an extra $800 – 1,000 per year for overpriced cat food.
As far as I know Sheba removed by-products from their ingredients about a year ago. That’s when I started to get Sheba for my cat, which he really likes. The good thing about Sheba is that they have combination packs so you get 3-4 different flavors within the package. It’s especially good since these are half portions.
My cat is a very picky eater and he gets bored really quickly if I feed him the same food 2-3 times in a row. So I feed him one flavor of Sheba on one meal, another brand on the next, then another flavor of Sheba, then the rest of the other brand, etc.
You might want to revisit the rating for the ingredients. But they still say vague things like “Chicken” in their ingredients list, so it might be just an illusion that they are creating when they are still be using the same ingredients. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hi Charlie, thank you so much for letting us know! We’ll make plans to update this article soon.
Thank you. Yes… please update this, as the recipes I have do not include by-products.
Also, I think it would be good to date your reviews, so we know when the testing/data, experience is from. Thanks for all the great research!
I’ve had cats my whole life, have two senior cats now. I came here to see if Sheba was a good food to feed them and after this very detailed article, I feel good about it. Thanks Mallory! As for the commercial, which I know this site has no part of, I thought I was so funny/somewhat true-ish when I first saw it and I still laugh whenever I see it. I have 3 stepdaughters and they laugh because they get it. In no way are they abused or neglected, they just know I LOVE my cats to death. It’s funny people, get over it!
I am not familiar with the commercials that other posters spoke about. In retrospect I’m sure their company realizes their advertising campaign could’ve been thought through more carefully before being aired. I like to say that hindsight isn’t 20/20… it’s more like 20/10. That being said I’m sure Sheba’s parent company Mars doesn’t support child abuse. Many of us as cat owners struggle to find food our fussy cats like and will actually eat. We drive ourselves crazy worrying if the food they actually like is healthy for them. IMO cats are like people in that they are all very different in terms of personality and genetics. We have had five cats over the past 29 years. All were fed the same way with a combination of small portions of wet food two times a day and dry food available all day long. One died suddenly at age 11 from an aneurysm. Our oldest died at age 18 from a combination of health issues… idiopathic seizures from 11 months of age through the end of her life, thyroid disease and finally kidney failure. She passed away in her sleep Two were very robust and developed aggressive cancers in their advanced years which progressed very rapidly. We chose to euthanize them because they were In the very end stages of their lives and their suffering became too great for them and for us. We have one soon to be 17 year old cat left. She is a small cat, has always been at an ideal bodyweight and still runs around like a lunatic and can climb and jump like a bobcat with no signs of physical deterioration from age. The point I am trying to make is that if your cat is finicky and you can find something they actually enjoy then let them have it. Just don’t overfeed them and absolutely don’t give them poor quality food all the time. The majority of pet owners really do love their animals and are trying to keep them safe, healthy and above all happy. Use good judgement and do your best. And don’t judge other pet owners because you think you are so much more knowledgeable and loving with your pets than they are. The more you learn about any subject, the more you realize how much you still need to learn about it. I know this was long post. Just trying to be constructive and make some objective points without offending anyone.
Hi, i’m a cat owner that lives in the philippines, where good quality wet cat foods has limited options.
Some of the low budget brands in your sight is also on the shelfs in our local pet shops, I’m curios, does all the products in your website meet the needs of AAFCO? I want my cat to live a healthy life, even if i can’t find any high quality cat food at least it should be a complete meal right?
Hi Paul, it depends on which food you’re talking about! We cover a lot of different products on All About Cats, and I’m not sure if you’re only referring to the foods here or also those elsewhere on the site. Most Sheba foods are nutritionally complete and balanced according to AAFCO, though, and you can look at the package to confirm.
I love cats myself…but I personally think the SHEBA cat food commercial where the woman is loving on her cat & ignoring her injured and bleeding child, by just telling the child to get a bandaid or two– is very upsetting and rediculous & HIGHLY DEPICTS CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT!!! How can anyone allow this commercial to keep airing? I think the DHS & SOCIAL SERVICES definitely need to stop this commercial! It is condoning child harm!
Oh—the pearl clutching! It’s a commercial. Get over it—there’s no “child abuse”. It’s hilarious. So glad CPS has no jurisdiction over free speech. Everyone needs to calm down & get a hobby. So tired of “woke”…
The drama llama comments about the hilarious commercial regarding the mom feeding the cat while her kid is looking for a bandaid makes me want to buy even MORE Sheba cat food! 😀 All the pearl-clutching over this non-issue has ensured my purchase of a couple of cases. They just helped Sheba make a couple more sales on their behalf… 😉 Love a commercial with a sense of humor!
I’ve lived with cats all my life. I have a beautiful little white cat, Jenny, who is 14yrs old. She’s been on Sheba all her life. She’s playful, happy and very loving. My son is a cat dad and swears by another brand. I gave it a try. She refused the food and is back on Sheba and doing great! If it ain’t broke… you know the rest.
In the last two months I have probably spent 1000.00 on my sweet Lilly, who has been diagnosed with food allergies. Name brand, prescription cat foods, costing a fortune. I’d give anything if I could open a reasonably priced, cat food, even with a complicated container.. and just put in front of her, something she would love and wouldn’t make her chew her hair out. I love her so much!
That Sheba commercial is annoying.. it strikes a lot of nerves, curious…To me it indicates that a lot of people should rethink having children and maybe “adopt a cat”..
I am having a hard time finding any store that has in stock Sheba Turkey pate. Then I have noticed there seems to be a stock shortage for so many of their single flavors. Anyone else experiencing this?
Julia, yes, I’m aware that Sheba’s availability has been very limited for months.
This is the only wet car food my cat will eat. I swear I tried a ton before this one. He will only eat the pate and won’t eat it if it’s cold. I learned that when I forgot to bring them in my apartment overnight once when it was cold out. Im not sure how old the post is or if you anyone still sees these comments. I think they changed the formula. I was looking at the box I have and the ingredients are different. I have the tender white fish and tuna pate one. It doesn’t mention animal by products, added color or natural flavorings on the ingredients list. It also has chicken a main ingredient.
Unlike other wet cat food this one actually smells good to me! My wife said on the other side of the room, “Oh that makes me hungry.” The portions are a little bigger than we had been giving our cat, but we only give it to her once as a snack at noon. We have one negative comment: We have to use a plier to get the top off! I wonder if they could develop another way of sealing the package that’s easier to remove.
Do you know if Sheba products are tested on animals or not.. I can’t find out online.
Thank you for putting my mind at rest. I never thought I would have a cat as I am a dog lover never had a cat before. This female cat came from a smelly dust bin sat on my lap and has never moved and I love her so much. But the food how much to give what food is the best eat. She has been eating sheba from approx 3month old she is now 5 yrs was told sheba was full of bad ingredients sugar being one. Thank goodness after watching this video that is so simple to understand I will carry on with sheba and a happy contented cat. Again many thanks for video and reviews
Glad you found all of this helpful! Take care.
Hi, Mallory! Has Sheba changed their ingredients since you posted your review? I don’t see any meat by-products listed in any of the varieties that we have bought for our cats. That’s why I started buying Sheba instead of Friskies. I’m wondering if you know something that the company is not disclosing?
Hi Kathy, thank you so much for pointing this out! It does appear that these formulations have changed and no longer contain animal by-products, so the article is in need of a complete update. We’ll get started on that! Much appreciated.
Sounds great! Thank you for your response
Wow all the comments complaining about the small packages. That is the whole reason I buy Sheba. The small packages mean I don’t have to throw away half of food because my cat will not eat catfood that has been opened previously. Fussy cat, I know, but he likes to see a fresh package opened with each meal and the little Sheba packages are perfect size for one meal. The plastic is recyclable and for my cat, this packaging is perfect. Plus it is his favorite food and I’ve tried just about every brand there is – Sheba is the only one that he likes.
I wish they’d make a version of Sheba where it’s in a regular can. As those little individual plastic cups make it more expensive than if they’d just put it in a regular can like Friskies does. I have multiple cats and would feed all of them out of one can each day plus their dry food. Sheba in those small plastic cups would just be way too expensive. So I’ll stick with Friskies as it costs around $20 a month to feed the cats one can a day.
Though I did get a few packets of Sheba just to see what the cats thought. And after eating the bulk of it, they actually licked the plate clean for several minutes. Which is something they don’t do with the Friskies.
that commercial where she ignored the kid was BASED
Hi,
Can you please tell me your opinion about Sheba Craft Collection – Poultry Selection in Gravy
Many thanks!
Hello! Thanks for the question! I did a quick search on this product, and it looks very similar to the “cuts in gravy” listed here. It’s not the highest-quality product you could feed your cat, primarily containing meat and animal derivatives (a generic label that doesn’t tell you much about the quality of those ingredients). It also contains vegetable protein extracts, which is generally a lower-quality protein source, and various sugars, which are not ideal for cats. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this product.
If anyone is having cats with night terrors on this food, remove it from your home immediately.
I have 2 cats, my dad who lives away in his own place, has two cats that started displaying weird symptoms. At first we didn’t even make the link, we assumed the cats were having a bad week and my dads cats are really old (assumed age-related mental deterioration) but then we noticed every time our cats eat, even just 1 Sheba wet food pouch in say a month they start displaying weird behaviours that week. The more Sheba they had that month, the more persistent/regular the symptoms. They had no problems eating it, no indications they didn’t like it etc.
My cats would get extremely paranoid, avoids anything and everything, no fusses, no love, infighting and would jolt awake from their sleep launching themselves across the room at speed as if fleeing something scary.
Now, my cats used to sleep in a cat tree, up top, one of the cats did this from the top and face-first planted into a hard wooden floor, had a seizure, started dribbling all over the floor and cowered under a bed – This happened during COVID and the emergency vet was not available this night, so we had to painfully watch her carefully and administer our own first aid/comfort.
The other cat faceplanted a wall (several times in one night) running from ghosts.
Sheba is now banned from our household both cats are back to their loving, fussy, happy, healthy selves.
Something “is” wrong with this food, to cause such serious mental distress like this.
Thanks for sharing your experience. This is something worth considering, and I hope both your and your dad’s cats are doing better now.
Mainly during the heavy Covid years, often the food was simply-BAD, she refused to eat it & I think it had ( Im in Florida) sat somewhere WAY too long in a Hot Truck/Warehouse. We are experiencing this Less now. Thank you for your thorough & caring Reviews !
All my cats love Sheba cat food.
I may have read this wrong as I just skimmed over it but I think the foods are reviewed twice & the same foods have different grades. I apologize If I missed something or misunderstood. Thank you for your wonderful reviews & all the hard work you put into them.
My cats love the Cuts, and the portions are just perfect. But the packaging is ridiculous. Hard to open without the contents gushing out over my fingers, and having to avoid cutting fingers on the sharp serrated edge of the individual plastic tray.
I’m a weightlifter with pretty strong grip, but sometimes the foil top is remarkably hard to pull off! I’d try a small pair of pliers but it wouldn’t solve the other two issues.
My two Simease cats love Sheba but….as a 85 yr old guy I create quite a mess trying to open the packages. Why must it be so difficult?
I really don’t know, Donald, but I will say that it’s not just you. I’m a good bit younger than you and can barely open these packages without splashing gravy everywhere. It might make more sense to just use a knife and slice through the foil.
For those of you that have trouble opening the package without having it splash all over…TAP THE PACKAGE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE TAB and the food and liquid will slide down. You will then be able to open the tab without the mess.
Sheba is the only food that my cat eats and does not throw up from. My finicky cat will NOT eat leftovers at all so I really love that Sheba has the portions in two separate containers. When I used a larger can, I would have to throw out half which for me was a huge waste. I am thrilled that Sheba allows my cat to eat fresh portions for each meal.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that I can’t open a Sheba container without having the foil seoarate or oil squirting out and making a mess: its a real pain . But then again,as I said I shouldn’t be surprised even though Im a P.E. ( professional engr) I only have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and not a Masters degree. I’m now back to cans and I will no longer purchase any Sheba until the packaging is revised…. or I get my Masters degree.
They have changed their recipes again and replaced the poultry liver with poultry by products. I happen to catch it when reading the ingredients buying a new case.
I tried switching my cat to a different brand, but it didn’t have fish oil and she wouldn’t touch the new brand. Fun times. As much as I’m not happy with the recipe it’s more stressful buying cans she wants nothing to do with and vocalizing about her missing meal.
Many of the Sheba line cat foods have sugar in them!! If they have sugar, don’t feed this food to your cat!
Day 1. Well blimey, this has never happened before.
Whilst trying exasperatedly to find this dammmmn cat a meal that she might actually enjoy for longer than the time it takes to scrape the leftover crusty cruddy remains off the plate and down the toilet, I’ve happened upon Sheba Fresh & Fine.
Blimey – she’s knocking my hand out of the way as she tries to grab the grub while I’m squishing it out of the sachet for her. She can’t wait for it to land on the plate! the one!
p.s. I can virtually guarantee that it won’t be, in a week’s time – but for now I’m just the best mum in the world!
Day 2 of this experiment and blimey, she’s still champing at the bit for it. She was crying real tears this morning when she thought it was taking me too long to rip open the sachet. I even wondered if there was catnip in the ingredients but apparently not. Probably cocaine or something equally addictive but it’s not printed on the label. Bizarre.
Day 4. It’s still happening. I’m gobsmacked, totally.
Day 7. She’s still eating it! The sachets are small, so she’s having two or even three at every meal, but fingers and paws crossed, I think this really may be the one!
Just bought a container last night to feed my cat. Opened it and it was very runny and the smell was horrible. Tried to see what my cat would do and he would not touch it. Threw it away. Going to take the other half back to Walmart and tell them. Maybe a bad batch. It was Pate Seafood entree….Date is 02/20/2025 so it was not past the date to be used.
That’s concerning—thank you so much for sharing with us!
Cat’s love this food but I need plyers to open them. Please fix this. I see comments from 3 years ago complaining about the same thing. I actually cut my hand today opening the container. Even though my cats love it, I need to switch.
I know it’s frustrating. Thanks for sharing your experience—I hope it’ll be resolved soon.
I have a couple questions I hope you can help with. I just got a cat from a friend 2 days ago, and this is what she has been fed with Science Diet adult formula for dry. This is also my first cat. I would prefer to feed a cat a wet diet or mostly a wet diet because of the hydration and I know it is considered better for them. I also need to be careful with my budget. I am unable to get into the vet for a couple more weeks, so I am unable to ask them, and I have heard I shouldn’t change foods for about a month after she got here.
Is it okay to give Sheba to my new cat almost exclusively? Is Sheba considered a balanced food with all the nutrition cats need? I expect I will want to transition her to the best wet/dry food I can afford with wet being the vast majority of the food she gets. I appreciate any thoughts you have to help me.
Finally, I would love recommendations on pet insurance. DJ is 5-6 years old and I think I will need this going forward. Do you have recommendations? I appreciate any thoughts on this too.
Thank you so much for your help and your videos!
Hey there, thanks for the comment. Sheba is a decent budget-tier cat food, and it is nutritionally complete and balanced to support your cat’s wellbeing. You can learn about more of our top budget-friendly recommendations here. Regarding insurance, I can’t tell you anything more than what we’ve already detailed in our review of the best cat insurance you can buy. Hope you find it helpful, and I wish you all the best with DJ!
My cats love this and it’s my go-to for short notice emergency cat food buying when I run out of my homemade raw stuff and all I have is a grocery store nearby. No other foods on short notice are ever grain free, so it’s reliable that this brand is big enough to be in most places. A middling budget option, as well.
That said, the packaging is a nightmare. Yes, it’s wasteful. But even more than that, I’m arthritic and my hands HURT opening this. When you’re feeding three cats a meal and have to open 6 small packages a time, it really starts to weigh on you. The amount of times I’ve really hurt my hands while using this food is not negligible. I would say it’s very inaccessible, especially for multiple cats where you’ll be straining your muscles. I don’t have this problem with cans.
Also, it’s just messy. While struggling and straining to open, the juice gets all over my hands. Then, I can’t open any more because I’m now slippery. It’s a NIGHTMARE!
I still have this as my emergency go-to, but not without some griping, and a healthy amount of dread every time I need to use it. I care more about my cat’s health than to feed them blue buffalo or friskies or basically any other common shelf brand, but man am I salty.
Sheba cat food is the favoriteof our cat Paddy he request sample or free for hom can ypu give?
Hi Daniel, we’re not directly affiliated with Sheba. You may want to reach out to them directly with your request or check their website for coupons.
What’s with all the ground bones in the food. The salmon and chicken are the worst. I’m not buying this for my cat anymore. It’s horrible. I had to throw out a few containers because of too many bones. Back to canned tuna and salmon for my cat.
If you’re finding bones in the food, you may want to bring the issue to the Sheba manufacturers directly. You can find information about contacting them here: https://www.sheba.com/contact-us
Sheba Perfect Portions contain poultry by products (even the beef version). Shocked to see this rated so highly. I guess this was done before the formula change. Even Petsmart’s list of ingredients is still incorrect. The picture of the ingredients on their website is tiny, but if you increase the image it clearly shows poultry by products. I returned a variety pack because the current packaging has this.
Thanks for the info, Deep! Retailers don’t always update their product info or images, which can be frustrating. Generally speaking, however, we dont consider animal byproducts harmful (though its tricky to judge the quality). It’s typically things like meat trimmings and organs (which can be very nutritious) not inedible parts like feathers or hooves. Hope that helps!
Just realized the sheba kitten packages of pate I have fed my 3 wk old kittens for 2 days has little black bugs in it! I’m horrified and it better not harm them! There are no holes or juices leaking from the packages so they had to be in there before the packages were sealed. They kind of burrow down in the food so I thought they were just air holes but no little black bugs !!!
You have changed the amount of actual food in the “perfect” portion and replaced it with oily flavored water to maintain the weight. It might weight the same but it does not meet the nutritional requirements of our cat anymore. The consumer is not blind we see what you are doing. So disappointing. We have to supplement with dry food now. Yep we are done.
I actually like the smaller packaging, because my cat just eats to fast. She would scarf down an entire can 3oz or larger, and then almost immediately throw it up. It didn’t matter what brand. So now, I give her one part of the package in the morning, and the other later – and I don’t have to worry about preserving part of a bigger can, because each part is sealed separately. This has eliminated the gulp-n-blow problem.