The We’re All About Cats Standard—Rating Iams on What Matters
We’ve taken a close look at Iams and graded it according to the We’re All About Cats standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history.
Here’s how it scored in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
Overall Score: 5.1/10
In total, we give Iams cat food a 31 out of 60 rating or a D grade.
Iams is owned by Mars, Inc., with the exception of their European branch, which is owned and manufactured by Spectrum Brands.
Iams was created in 1946 by Paul Iams, a self-taught animal nutritionist from Ohio. Iams originally made and sold high-protein, high-fat dog food. In 1950, Iams developed the first dry dog food made primarily from animal-based protein. The company later expanded into cat food.
In 1999, the company was sold to Procter & Gamble (P&G), allowing Iams cat food to reach 70 countries worldwide. In the spring of 2014, P&G announced that it would sell Iams, Eukanuba, and Natura to Mars, Incorporated, retaining ownership of the products sold in the European market.
Mars Petcare is the world’s largest pet food company. In 2017, it took in over 17 billion dollars in revenue. In addition to Iams, the conglomerate is behind over 40 other pet food brands, including Crave, Whiskas, and Royal Canin.
At the end of the 2014, P&G sold Iams’ European division to Spectrum Brands. Spectrum Brands’ pet care division includes One Earth pet food, Furminator, LitterMaid, and Nature’s Miracle.
Most Iams pet food is manufactured in the United States. Iams manufacturing facilities are located in Ohio, Nebraska, and North Carolina. The brand’s European division has a plant in Coevorden, a city in the province of Drenthe, Netherlands.
Iams explains that their food safety program is one of the strictest in the business, exceeding FDA and USDA standards. The company adds that they receive superior ratings from the American Institute of Baking, an independent certification authority for the human food industry.
Iams doesn’t say where their ingredients are sourced. All Mars subsidiaries work with Mars’ Responsible Sourcing program and their Supplier Code of Conduct, both of which mean that the company uses third-party supplier risk assessment to choose ethical, reliable suppliers.
Iams Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
Chicken and chicken by-product meal appear to be the primary protein sources in this dry cat food.
This is a low-calorie, high-fiber food marketed for indoor cat guardians. Theoretically, these qualities help control indoor cats’ propensity to become obese and develop hairballs.
The recipe features chicken and chicken by-product meal as the first two ingredients. These meat ingredients are followed by a series of grains—corn grits, corn gluten meal, and ground whole grain sorghum feature prominently on the ingredient list. Dried beet pulp and powdered cellulose serve as fiber sources.
The food contains fish oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Traces of carrots, spinach, and dried apple pomace also appear on the ingredient list. The food contains caramel color, a dye that may contain 2-MI and 4-MI, process contaminants with potential carcinogenic properties.
Overall, this food has moderate protein content, low fat, and high carbohydrate matter. Each cup contains 332 calories.
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Grits, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Dried Beet Pulp, Turkey, Powdered Cellulose, Dried Peas, Natural Flavor, Salt, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Egg Product, Caramel Color, Sodium Bisulfate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Carrots, Dried Apple Pomace, Calcium Carbonate Fructooligosaccharides, Spinach, Tomato, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Inositol, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Taurine, L-Carnitine, Silicon Dioxide, Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract.
Crude Protein:
Protein:
Protein:
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Fish Oil, Turkey
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Dried Peas, Caramel Color
Common Allergens: Chicken, Egg
Chicken and chicken by-product meal appear to be the primary protein sources in this dry cat food.
This adult maintenance food features chicken and chicken by-product meal as the first two ingredients, followed by several forms of corn. Corn and its derivatives appear as ground whole grain corn, corn grits, and corn gluten meal.
One of this food’s positive points is its use of animal fats. It contains both chicken fat and fish oil. Iams says that the food has an optimal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids, promoting healthy skin and a shiny coat.
Overall, the food has moderate protein content, low-to-moderate fat, and high carbohydrate content. There are 373 calories in each cup of this cat food.
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Corn Grits, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Sodium Bisulfate, Potassium Chloride, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Fructooligosaccharides, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Inositol, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), L-Carnitine, Rosemary Extract.
Crude Protein:
Protein:
Protein:
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Fat, Turkey
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Corn Grits, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Dried Peas, Caramel Color
Common Allergens: Chicken, Egg
Tuna appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This fishy canned food is made primarily from flaked tuna set in sauce. The sauce is thickened with modified tapioca starch, guar gum, and carrageenan. While they add to the commercial value of the food, these thickeners aren’t nutritionally necessary. Carrageenan might cause inflammation and more.
Instead of carnivore-appropriate fat sources, the food contains sunflower oil as a primary fat source.
Overall, this fish-based wet food is high in protein with low fat and moderate carbohydrate content. Each 3 oz can contains 85 calories.
Fish Broth, Tuna, Modified Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor, Calcium Sulfate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Taurine, Minerals (Iron Glycine Complex, Zinc Glycine Complex, Manganese Glycine Complex, Copper Glycine Complex, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Choline Chloride, Carrageenan, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B2), Biotin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K3)), Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Magnesium Oxide, Sodium Nitrite (To Promote Color Retention).
Crude Protein:
Protein:
Protein:
Ingredients We Liked: None
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Modified Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil, Carrageenan
Common Allergens: Fish
Substantial Quantities of Corn
After seeing two great protein sources listed, you’ll notice that there are three corn ingredients next. Cats don’t need carbohydrates since they’re obligate carnivores. That doesn’t mean corn is bad for them, but we don’t like to feed our cats too much of it.
That said, we do like whole-food ingredients and all dry cat foods use carbohydrates of some kind to bind the food together and act as filler calories. At least whole grain corn is a healthy whole food that’s preferable to cheaper fillers that we’ve seen used by other brands.
Unfortunately, we see one of those cheaper fillers a bit farther down the list with the corn gluten meal. This is a cheap ingredient that’s used to help boost the food’s protein content. While it does add some protein to the blend, corn gluten meal isn’t protein that cats can digest easily. And since it’s harder for your cat to digest, the calories aren’t used well, which can lead to obesity and even diabetes.
Want to see more cat food reviews? Check out our review page here!
FAQ
Is Iams a bad brand?
Why is Iams not a good dog food?
While chicken is the main source of protein for Iams, it also contains chicken by-product meal. It also includes corn meal and whole grain sorghum. Another potentially dangerous ingredient used in the formula is dried beat pulp. It’s used as a sugar filler and can cause weight gain.
Is Iams food Safe?
While chicken is the main source of protein for Iams, it also contains chicken by-product meal. It also includes corn meal and whole grain sorghum. Another potentially dangerous ingredient used in the formula is dried beat pulp. It’s used as a sugar filler and can cause weight gain.
Is Iams okay for dogs?
While chicken is the main source of protein for Iams, it also contains chicken by-product meal. It also includes corn meal and whole grain sorghum. Another potentially dangerous ingredient used in the formula is dried beat pulp. It’s used as a sugar filler and can cause weight gain.