Wishbone Cat Food Review

Kate Barrington / Cats.com

We’ve rated Wishbone Food on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Wishbone Cat Food review to learn how this brand stacks up.

The Cats.com Standard—Rating Wishbone Food on What Matters

We’ve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality. Here’s how it rates in each of these six crucial areas.

In total, we give Wishbone food a 38 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.

About Wishbone Food

Wishbone is a small, family-run pet food company based in New Zealand. They’re known for using high-quality, free-range meats and organic produce sourced from local family farms.

The Wishbone brand aims to provide pets with nourishing, homestyle foods, encouraging pet owners to show their pets the same kindness, love, and respect they’d give any family member. Their products are all gluten-free, grain-free, and produced in small batches to ensure freshness.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

Wishbone’s recipes appear to be made with high-quality, whole-food ingredients like fresh meat and poultry as well as fruits, veggies, and other botanicals. The brand claims to source their fruits and veggies from local family farms, though we couldn’t find any more specific information than that.

The Wishbone website does state that their free-range meats and poultry are sourced from New Zealand though, again, no more details are provided. We also couldn’t find much about their manufacturing process except the claim that they “cook all [their] food in small, single batches.”

Recall History

To our knowledge, Wishbone has never had a product recalled. It’s worth mentioning, however, that this is a New Zealand-based company, so pet product regulations may differ than in the United States.

What Kinds of Cat Food Does Wishbone Offer?

Wishbone is a small pet food company that offers fewer than 10 products for dogs and cats. Their line of cat foods includes just three dry food recipes, each made with a single source of animal protein. These three recipes feature free-range grass-fed beef, cage-free chicken, or free-range grass-fed lamb.

What Do Customers Think of Wishbone Food?

Being a small company based outside the United States, Wishbone isn’t one of the most popular products available on Chewy. Of their three products, only one has 20 reviews and the highest rating is 4.4 out of 5 stars – the lowest is 2.6 out of 5.

Some cat owners report that their cats love the food – even picky eaters who refuse to eat most things. Depending on the recipe, however, others say even their easy-to-please cats wouldn’t touch it. There are a few concerns about the high carb content and several customers mentioned an unpleasant smell.

Let’s take a look at a few reviews from some of the most popular recipes from Wishbone.

Positive Reviews

“Hooray for this brand. I have one cat out of three that underweight issues. He is around 12 years of age, has been diagnosed with kidney disease which IS manageable with supplements, but cannot put on weight with just wet food. I was given a sample of this brand and WOW, my underweight senior boy just loved it and didn’t throw up. I am ordering a large bag today and look forward to incorporating it into his diet.” – LaFuria reviewing Wishbone Roost Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

“My kitten appears to love this stuff… Even more than his wet food which I’m not too keen on. He seems pretty finicky about wet food in general though and only seems to like my other cats prescription diet which I have to keep him away from.” – Austrial reviewing Wishbone Graze Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

Negative Reviews

“In the quest to find a cat food my cats like, I bought 4 different brands of grain-free dry food. Of the 4, this was the least favorite. The kibble is really tiny, about 1/8″, which I don’t really like because I want them to actually chew their food, not swallow it whole, to help keep their teeth clean. (The picture on the website was not what it looked like – it was a lot darker.) The guaranteed analysis was also not as complete as competitive brands. However, with what is listed, I can say my cats prefer a food with a higher protein content than the 32% this one has – they go for 40% or higher. I am still giving this 3 stars because I would put this in my cats food rotation if they liked it – the ingredients do seem to be a decent quality.” – ChiTownCat reviewing Wishbone Pasture Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

“Some of our kitties seemed to like it, some seem to put off by the aroma which honestly is just a bit overpowering. So I thought I would try mixing it in with their regular dry food….now they won’t go near their bowls.” – Wobbely reviewing Wishbone Roost Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

What Did Our Test Cats Think?

Kate Barrington / Cats.com

To test Wishbone cat food, I ordered a small bag of all three recipes. When I opened the bag, I noticed that the customer above was right – the kibbles are incredibly small and thin.

I didn’t notice an overwhelming aroma, but my cats seemed to smell something they didn’t like. I tried offering the food to all three of my cats and none of them were interested.

Wishbone Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed

#1 Wishbone Roost Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

$24.99 At Chewy $22.49 At Amazon

This dry food formula is made with cage-free New Zealand chicken, supplemented with fish meal for added protein. I’m always a fan of extra protein, though I’d prefer to see a named ingredient here instead of the vague “fish meal.”

I love the use of chicken fat as the primary source of added fat here. It’s rich in nutrients, full of flavor, and a great source of essential fatty acids for cats.

Unfortunately, many of the following ingredients are plant-based. Not only do we see starchy tapioca, but peas and flaxseed as well. These are followed by a list of half a dozen fruits, a handful of herbs, and sunflower seeds. This combination of ingredients contributes significantly to the carb content of the food. It’s estimated over 30%, measured as fed.

Overall, this appears to be a largely plant-based dry cat food with moderate protein and fat content but significant carbohydrate content.

Ingredients

Chicken Meal, Fish Meal, Tapioca, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Peas, Flaxseed, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Papaya, Mango, Apples, Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Sunflower Seeds, Chamomile, Peppermint, Camelia, Natural Flavor, Sodium Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Panthothenate (Vitamin B5), Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Taurine, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract and Spearmint.

Ingredients We Liked	Ingredients We Didn’t Like	Common Allergens
Chicken Meal Fish Meal Chicken Fat	Tapioca Peas Flaxseed	Chicken Fish

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 32%

Crude Fat: 15%

Crude Fiber: 5%

Moisture: 10%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 35.56%

Fat: 16.67%

Fiber: 5.56%

Carbs: 42.22%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 30.07%

Fat: 34.23%

Carbs: 35.7%

Pros

• Made with two concentrated sources of animal protein
• Nutrient-rich chicken fat supplies essential fatty acids
• Free from fillers, by-products, and artificial additives
• Cats seem to like it more than the other formulas

Cons

• Made with a lot of unnecessary plant ingredients
• High carbohydrate content
• Doesn’t contain the moisture your cat needs

#2 Wishbone Pasture Grain-Free Dry Food

$24.99 At Chewy $22.49 At Amazon

Made with pasture-raised New Zealand lamb as the main ingredient, this formula is almost identical to the previous except for the substitution of lamb for chicken. Some of the ingredients appear in a different order as well, but the guaranteed analysis is the same for both.

I appreciate the use of pasture-raised lamb here, but again, could do without the vaguely named fish meal. This recipe also features nutrient-rich chicken fat but also exhibits a host of unnecessary plant ingredients which contribute to an estimated carbohydrate content over 30%.

Overall, this appears to be a largely plant-based dry cat food with moderate protein and fat content but significant carbohydrate content.

Ingredients

Lamb Meal, Tapioca, Chicken Fat, Peas, Fish Meal, Blueberries, Cranberries, Papaya, Mango, Apples, Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Sunflower Seeds, Chamomile, Peppermint, Camelia, Natural Flavor, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Sodium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract and Spearmint Extract.

Ingredients We Liked	Ingredients We Didn’t Like	Common Allergens
Lamb Meal Chicken Fat Fish Meal	Tapioca Peas	Lamb Fish

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 32%

Crude Fat: 15%

Crude Fiber: 5%

Moisture: 10%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 35.56%

Fat: 16.67%

Fiber: 5.56%

Carbs: 42.22%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 30.07%

Fat: 34.23%

Carbs: 35.7%

Pros

• Made with two concentrated sources of animal protein
• Free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
• Chicken fat provides a nutritious source of essential fatty acids

Cons

• Contains a lot of unnecessary plant ingredients
• High carbohydrate content
• Doesn’t contain the moisture your cat needs

#3 Wishbone Graze Grain-Free Dry Food

$24.99 At Chewy

The third and final recipe Wishbone has to offer is made with free-range beef and lamb raised in New Zealand. This is the only recipe that contains two named protein sources instead of fish meal.

Like the previous recipes this formula contains chicken fat as the primary source of added fat, but it still has all those plant ingredients. This recipe also contains potatoes in addition to the tapioca, making it a little higher in starch than the others.

The guaranteed analysis of this formula is the same as the other two, so the estimated carbohydrate content is still much too high. It’s also worth mentioning that none of these three dry foods provide the moisture your cat needs for proper hydration.

Overall, this appears to be a largely plant-based dry cat food with moderate protein and fat content but significant carbohydrate content.

Ingredients

Beef Meal, Lamb Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Tapioca, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Blueberries, Cranberries, Papaya, Mango, Apples, Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Sunflower Seeds, Chamomile, Peppermint, Camellia, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Niacin (Vitamin B3), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement , Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin K1 Supplement, Cobalt Sulfate, Taurine, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Calcium Propionate, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract, Spearmint Extract.

Ingredients We Liked	Ingredients We Didn’t Like	Common Allergens
Beef Meal Lamb Meal Chicken Fat	Peas Potatoes Tapioca Flaxseed	Beef Lamb

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 32%

Crude Fat: 15%

Crude Fiber: 5%

Moisture: 10%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 35.56%

Fat: 16.67%

Fiber: 5.56%

Carbs: 42.22%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 30.07%

Fat: 34.23%

Carbs: 35.7%

Pros

• Two concentrated sources of animal protein as main ingredients
• Chicken fat provides flavor and essential fatty acids
• Free from fillers, by-products, and artificial additives
• No vaguely named ingredients (like fish meal)

Cons

• Made with a lot of unnecessary plant ingredients
• High carbohydrate content
• Doesn’t contain the moisture your cat needs

How Much Does Wishbone Food Cost?

As a largely plant-based dry food, it is a little surprising to find that Wishbone is a little pricey. All three recipes average about $0.24 per ounce which puts it on par with other familiar brands like Acana.

Using Wishbone’s feeding recommendations for an 8-pound cat, you’d feed about ½ cup per day. This averages to about $0.96 per day. Larger cats will require more food and may cost closer to $1.50 to $1.75 per day.

Overall, Is Wishbone Food a Good Choice?

Wishbone is an affordable dry cat food brand that offers three different recipes, all made with high-quality New Zealand proteins. I love the use of grass-fed beef, pasture-raised lamb, and cage-free chicken, though it’s a little disappointing to see them accompanied by vaguely named fish meal.

The high carbohydrate content of these dry foods is also concerning – all three recipes are estimated over 30% which makes them a poor choice in terms of species appropriateness. This brand may be better than similarly priced recipes for its lack of by-products and artificial additives, but it still leaves something to be desired on the whole.

Overall, Wishbone certainly isn’t the worst cat food on the market or even in its price range. That being said, it’s not particularly species-appropriate and you can easily find something better.

Where Is Wishbone Food Sold?

Because Wishbone is based in New Zealand, you may have trouble finding it in stores. Some independent and specialty pet retailers carry Wishbone but the most reliable place to find it is online through Chewy or Amazon.