While Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry as many products for our furry friends compared to its cousin, Aldi, TJ’s does stock a small selection of pet items. The retailer sells various types of dog food along with dry cat food, cat treats, and canned cat food.
While I can’t speak to the dog food because my family doesn’t have a dog, my cat approves of both Trader Joe’s dry cat food and Trader Joe’s cat treats. One thing she hadn’t yet tried was the range of canned cat food at Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s sells two types of canned cat food.
First, there are larger 5.5-oz. cans of premium cat food that come in two flavors: Turkey & Giblets or Ocean Fish, Salmon & Rice. These sell for 79 cents per can.
Second, there are smaller 3-oz. grain-free cat food options that come in two flavors: Salmon Recipe or Turkey Recipe. They sell for $1.19 per can.
These are higher prices than what you’ll find for canned cat food at Trader Joe’s cousin, Aldi, where you can purchase a 5.5-oz. can for 39 cents or a 3-oz. can for 49 cents. However, the Trader Joe’s grain-free canned food costs less than other grain-free brands such as Blue Buffalo or Purina Beyond at Target.
Both canned food and dry food can be nutritionally complete if you feed a high-quality brand. The benefit of canned food is primarily in its moisture content, which may help cats with kidney or lower urinary tract issues. The moisture content can also help your cat to feel more full, and it’s harder for cats to overeat with canned food that comes in smaller portions versus dry food that might sit out in a large bowl all day. If your cat has dental issues, though, dry food may do a better job of keeping his or her teeth clean.
Catster and vetinfo.com recommend that if you feed your cat a canned food, it should list an animal protein source as the first ingredient. The Trader Joe’s Premium Cat Food that costs 79 cents per can lists fish broth followed by ocean fish, or turkey broth followed by turkey, as the first ingredients. The grain-free food from Trader Joe’s that costs $1.19 per can lists salmon or turkey as the first ingredient.
It’s also recommended that canned cat food have taurine, an essential amino acid, and all of the Trader Joe’s options contain taurine.
My cat happily ate all of these canned food varieties from Trader Joe’s, so they are definitely cat approved. The cans all open using pull tabs, and we had trouble opening one can because the tab snapped off mid-pull. I’m not sure if that happens often with this cat food or if we just got a bad pull tab. Otherwise, this cat food seems like a good option.
Read on for a closer look at each of the different types of canned cat food at Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s Turkey & Giblets Dinner Premium Cat Food
This costs 79 cents for a 5-oz. can.
It is a product of the U.S., and the first several ingredients are turkey broth, turkey, poultry giblets, ocean fish, chicken, rice flour, oat bran, and dried fish protein. It does contain some processed ingredients such as guar gum, soy lecithin, and carrageenan.
Trader Joe’s Turkey and Giblets Dinner ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
Calorie content is 1,176 kca/kg or 183 kcal/can.
Guaranteed analysis is:
- Crude protein: 9% min.
- Crude fat: 6% min.
- Crude fiber: 1% max.
- Moisture: 78% max.
- Ash: 2.7% max.
- Magnesium: 0.028% max.
- Taurine: 0.05% min.
The can states to feed according to the age, size, and activity of your cat. Feed at room temperature and refrigerate any unused portion.
For adult cats, feed about 1 to 1 1/4 cans per 6-8 lbs. of body weight per day. For kittens, feed up to twice the adult amount. For gestating and lactating cats, feed up to three times the normal adult amount.
Be sure to provide fresh drinking water at all times.
Trader Joe’s Ocean Fish, Salmon & Rice Dinner Premium Cat Food
This costs 79 cents for a 5-oz. can.
It is a product of the U.S., and the first several ingredients are fish broth, ocean fish, salmon, animal liver, chicken, brewers rice, and oat bran. Like the other premium cat food described above, this contains a few processed ingredients such as guar gum, soy lecithin, and carrageenan.
Trader Joe’s Ocean Fish, Salmon and Rice Dinner ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
Calorie content is 1,125 kcal/kg or 176 kcal/can.
Guaranteed analysis is:
- Crude protein: 9% min.
- Crude fat: 5% min.
- Crude fiber: 1% max.
- Moisture: 78% max.
- Ash: 2.7% max.
- Magnesium: 0.028% max.
- Taurine: 0.05% min.
The can states to feed according to the age, size, and activity of your cat. Feed at room temperature and refrigerate any unused portion.
For adult cats, feed about 1 to 1 1/4 cans per 6-8 lbs. of body weight per day. For kittens, feed up to twice the adult amount. For gestating and lactating cats, feed up to three times the normal adult amount.
Be sure to provide fresh drinking water at all times.
Trader Joe’s Grain Free Salmon Recipe Cat Food
This costs $1.19 for a 3.3-oz. can.
The first several ingredients in this are salmon, fish broth, chickpea flour, and natural salmon flavor.
Trader Joe’s Grain Free Salmon Recipe ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
Calorie content is 1,258 kcal/kg or 107 kcal/can.
Guaranteed analysis is:
- Crude protein (min.): 10%
- Crude fat (min.): 6%
- Crude fiber (max.): 1%
- Moisture (max.): 78%
- Ash (max.): 3.5%
This food should be stored at room temperature. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within one day.
For an adult cat, feed .75 oz. per lb. of body weight per day. For kittens, feed 2 oz. per lb. of body weight per day. For gestating and lactating cats, feed 2.3 oz. per lb. of body weight per day.
The can says to avoid digestive problems by switching to a new food over the course of a week by decreasing the old food and increasing the new.
Provide fresh drinking water for your cat at all times.
Trader Joe’s Grain Free Turkey Recipe Cat Food
This costs $1.19 for a 3.3-oz. can.
The first several ingredients in this are turkey, turkey broth, turkey liver, chickpea flour, and natural turkey flavor.
Trader Joe’s Grain Free Turkey Recipe ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
Calorie content is 1,356 kcal/kg or 116 kcal/can.
Guaranteed analysis is:
- Crude protein (min.): 9%
- Crude fat (min.): 6%
- Crude fiber (max.): 1%
- Moisture (max.): 78%
- Ash (max.): 1.25%
This food should be stored at room temperature. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within one day.
For an adult cat, feed .75 oz. per lb. of body weight per day. For kittens, feed 2 oz. per lb. of body weight per day. For gestating and lactating cats, feed 2.3 oz. per lb. of body weight per day.
The can says to avoid digestive problems by switching to a new food over the course of a week by decreasing the old food and increasing the new.
Provide fresh drinking water for your cat at all times.
The Verdict:
Trader Joe’s sells two different kinds of canned cat food: a premium cat food in Turkey & Giblets or Ocean Fish, Salmon & Rice flavors, or a grain-free cat food in Salmon or Turkey flavors. We had trouble opening one can because the pull tab snapped off, but our cat happily ate all of the food.
Heard from a store employee TJs is discontinuing the 5.5 cans of cat food. Disappointed because it’s compared well to the higher end, and costlier, premium cat food sold at the better pet stores. And, in Seattle, the cans are $.89.