Kitty Gives Science Diet Chunks and Gravy Two Paws Up

Science Diet Mature Adult Cat Chunks and Gravy Canned Food, Tuna Recipe

During our quest for canned food at which kitty won’t turn up that lovable nose, some years back a new format for canned food appeared, the “slices in gravy” genre. Kitty was immediately in love was with Science Diet Culinary Creations Slices in Gravy, but that label long ago disappeared from the shelves in our local stored. Hill’s, however, followed it on with “chunks & gravy,” and kitty was delighted to make that brand’s acquaintance.

She’s happy with the flavor selection, especially Tender Tuna Dinner – one that's formulated for “Mature Adults” (7-plus years: yes, baby is now more than ten: time sure flies). They also market tuna, chicken, and fish formulas for adults; and a chicken flavor for kittens.

Kitty's Experience

Kitty eats mostly dry food, but we supplement her meals with a heaping tablespoon or so of canned food to satisfy those carnivore genes. One five-ounce can lasts her two-plus days, or five twice-daily feedings. She’s always ignored the pate-style foods, but chunks, filets, and flakes are much to her liking. In texture, Tender Tuna Dinner is rather like a McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish: ground up meat molded into quarter-inch cubes. Hill dumps them in the can, and fill in the space with gravy and voila! “chunks & gravy.” That gravy’s water-based and rather chunky itself, about the consistency of high-pulp orange juice. It won’t congeal when refrigerated. Kitty barely sniffs her serving before chowing down with gusto and then starting on the dry food. When she likes the wet food she’s served, she seems to eat more of her dry food; and this is a flavor that always whets her appetite.

Ingredients

Half-eaten can (photo: author)

On the label's ingredient list, the first item is water. This doesn’t surprise me, since I’ve noticed that with this style the ratio of chunks to gravy seems lower than in super-premium brands, which is somewhat disappointing. Then again, Hill’s is less expensive, too. Tuna, chicken and liver come next; followed by thickening agents like rice starch. Last comes the weird stuff (pork plasma?) and a lengthy list of vitamins and minerals. Except for whatever pork plasma might be (it’s a binder made from pig blood), the remaining ingredients are familiar (at least to me: titanium dioxide is the chemical formula for ruby and sapphire, after all). The list of added vitamins and minerals is long: you can find a full and current list of ingredients on the company website.

Kitty doesn’t read labels, but we do – and we work to make sure she gets good stuff. And as far as she’s concerned, this is the good stuff!

Nutrient content for those of you who watch that: 43% protein, 19% fat, 28.5% carb and 2.9% crude fiber.