Is Applaws safe to use

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Applaws Cat Food Review

Weve taken the deep dive on Applaws cat food, learning about its recall history, where Applaws is made, and more. Keep reading to get the scoop.

The Cats.com StandardRating Applaws on What Matters

Weve analyzed Applaws 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. Heres how it rates in each of these six key areas.

Ratings

Species-Appropriateness 7/10
Ingredient Quality 9/10
Product Variety 7/10
Price 4/10
Customer Experience 9/10
Recall History 4/10

Overall Score: 6.6/10

We give Applaws cat food a 40 out of 60 rating or a B- grade.

About Applaws

Applaws first appeared in 2006, initially populating pet specialty retailers across the United Kingdom. Later, the brand started popping up around western Europe, North America, and Australia. Its parent company describes Applaws as high quality, 100% natural, ethically sourced premium pet food.

But those buzzwords dont mean much.

To decide if its a good choice for your cat, we have to take a closer look at Applaws.

Lets start at the source.

Sourcing And Manufacturing

Applaws sources ingredients from around the world.

Their suppliers adhere to relevant international safety and husbandry standards, including those set by Thailands Department of Livestock Development, the British Retail Consortium, and the International Labour Organization.

Applaws suppliers are required to be members of at least one of the following organizations:

ISSF International Seafood Sustainability Foundation
Marine Stewardship Council
Earth Island Institute
TTIA Thai Tuna Industry Association

US-sold Applaws dry cat food is manufactured in the United States, while their wet offerings are made in Thailand.

Has Applaws Cat Food Been Recalled?

In June of 2021, UK-manufactured Applaws dry cat food was recalled after foods manufactured by Fold Hill were potentially linked to a bone marrow condition called pancytopenia in cats. This was a voluntary recall, and the Royal Veterinary College is currently investigating the situation.

What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Applaws Offer?

The Applaws cat food lineup includes dry and wet foods.

Applaws dry food comes in five varieties. These recipes feature named meats and stay true to the brands promise of no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Theyre fortified to meet the nutritional requirements of a complete and balanced diet.

Their wet recipes are some of the simplest on the market. In addition to skipping animal by-products and artificial ingredients, Applaws wet food is made without any additives, including vitamins, minerals, and supplemental amino acids.

That means that Applaws wet food isnt considered a nutritionally complete and balanced diet.

Applaws dry food is appropriate for feeding as your cats sole source of nutrition, while Applaws wet food is best complemented by other foods.

Applaws Cat Food Top 3 Recipes Reviewed

What Do Customers Think Of Applaws Cat Food?

Applaws receives predominantly positive customer reviews. The brands simple, often single-protein, recipes make Applaws a popular choice among cats with food intolerances and health issues.

The biggest concern among people writing about Applaws is the fact that their wet foods arent nutritionally adequate for long-term feeding.

Positive Reviews

First let me say I have never written a review before and Ive been using Amazon for over 10 years. My cat has suffered with terrible allergies for the past year of his life. We have tried so many grain free limited ingredient cat foods without success including Wysong, Dr. Elseys, and Natural Balance. It seems my cat may be allergic to eggs, fish and salmon oil, and brewers yeast. All of the above have one of these ingredients included. I am so happy to finally find Applaws grain free chicken. The list of ingredients is so simple and my cat seems to be relieved. He has stopped itching and licking himself constantly. He is more playful and sleeps peacefully now like a cat should. What a difference! And as an added bonus he seriously loves the taste of this food. Thank you for making this productit is helping him so much! Jenna H., reviewing Applaws Chicken Recipe with Country Vegetables Dry Cat Food

My 18 year old Ragdoll has kidney disease and hardly ever bothers to eat wet food any more, other than the prescription dry food she is used to. But man, did she scarf down this product of yours! I will ration it to make sure she doesnt get bored with it, but like I said, so far so good! Great ingredients make this product valuable, no matter what the cost. G. Stucco, reviewing Applaws Tuna with Sardine Mousse

Negative Reviews

My cat has large cell lymphoma and has been sick for a while. Weve gone through oodles of flavors and brands because she would associate the food with not feeling well. She finished radiation and is looking cancer free, but is down to 6.5 pounds. This was recommended at the pet food store. After this was fed to her as her exclusive food for almost 2 weeks (this and other flavors), I noticed that while it is an additive-free food, it has no serving directions because it states one the can FOR INTERMITTENT AND SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING ONLY

It has no Taurine or any of the other vitamins or nutrients that a cat needs. A chronic Taurine deficiency wont show up on standard bloodwork (requires a specialized blood-test) and can cause blindness (among other things). While on only Applaws, Allies appetite yo-yoed and her health took a dive. Because she has problems with feeling other canned foods smell appetizing enough, I did buy some more of these and use a tiny spoonful to mix in with REGULAR cat food, and shell go right back and eat some more. PLEASE KNOW WHAT YOURE BUYING. Feeding just this to your cat would be dangerous, and Ive already put in a call to the manager of the store whose employee recommended this. If its supplemental, it shouldnt be called food. It should be called a treat or something. Its really misleading, and seriously endangered a very sick cat weve spent a lot to try and save. ArtemisDeFeisty, reviewing Applaws Tuna Fillet in Broth

First, I wanted the chicken but got the tuna. Second, the consistency is not the moist product pictured. It iYou may as well head to the grocery and buy an 80-cent can of tuna.s firm solid pack and coated in gel. My cat would not even try it . I donated to a shelter. Maybe your cat will like it but be prepared to cop it up, it cant be flaked. I had high hopes for this but was disappointed in the product, so was my cat. twopups, reviewing Applaws Tuna with Seaweed Mousse

How Much Does Applaws Cat Food Cost?

While Applaws dry food is moderately-pricedyoull spend about $0.70 per day to feed a 10-lb cattheir wet food isnt quite so easy on the budget.

At around $0.78 per ounce, Applaws is twice as expensive as a comparable food from some Tiki Cat or Weruva, a couple of the highest-priced brands on the market.

If that sounds pricey to you, consider that Applaws food isnt a nutritionally-complete diet. Youre paying pet specialty prices for something no more cat-specific than an 80-cent can of tuna from the grocery.

Overall, Is Applaws a Good Choice?

Applaws cat food is an interesting option.

In addition to a small variety of dry foods, Applaws brings you a vast selection of wet foods in textures and tastes that cats love. Though they make scrumptious, cat-approved treats or once-weekly meals, Applaws wet foods are both too expensive and too nutritionally incomplete to be a viable option for a long-term diet.

And their dry foods? Applaws dry food may be a good option for some cats, but theyre nothing special compared to other foods in the same category. If youre a kibble lover, Applaws dry food is worth trying, but it doesnt come with an enthusiastic recommendation.

Where To Buy Applaws Cat Food?

Applaws cat food is available in pet stores around the United States, England, Italy, France, Spain, and Australia. Click here to find an Applaws retailer near you. If youd rather shop for Applaws online, youll find it on Amazon, Chewy, Petco.com, PetSmart.com, PetFlow, and other web retailers.

Honest Applaws Cat Food Review

Disclaimer:As a Chewy & Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not impact our reviews and comparisons.

Score: 7.5/10

Bottom Line

Simple meaty ingredients, but lacks the nutrition cats need for sole feeding.

PROS

Simple meaty ingredients
Grain-free
Filler free

CONS

Pricey
Not suitable for sole feeding
Misleading

We did this Applaws cat food review with the help of our cat taste testers.

*Our cat trying Applaws chicken dry cat food*

Applaws are a brand that focuses on simple grain-free cat food.

I tested 2 products (one wet and one dry) with our cats, which Ive reviewed in this article.

Review summary:

The good?

Simple.

If youre after a filler free supplement, this cat food is up your alley. With minimal ingredients, its easy on digestion.

The bad?

Lack of variety.

Minimal ingredients is great, but the lack of variety means the nutrition is lacking. Youll need to provide complete cat food on top.

The ugly?

Pricey.

Aside from convenience, the price is questionable for what you get. Could you cook your own chicken and serve it?

In short:

Ok.

Applaws canned cat food is a simple supplemental food. In a pinch, its a tasty occasional snack.

Best for:

Supplemental feeding
Easy digestion
Fussy eaters

>> Check out Applaws cat food here.

After more on Applaws cat food?

In this short Applaws cat food review Ill go into more detail about:

Nutrition
Ingredients
Value for Money
Taste

Ill take a close look at these selected products:

Applaws chicken broths
Applaws chicken dry cat food

Whilst this doesnt perfectly encapsulate all products, I hope it gives a close idea of what to expect.

This review include taste testing results with our cats.

Ill also cover frequently asked questions on Applaws.

Lets get into it.

I am not a veterinarian and I recommend seeking the advice of a vet for any further questions.This article is not intended as a replacement for medical advice.

About Applaws Cat Food

Applaws is a pet food brand that makes natural cat foods for supplemental feeding. They founded in 2006.

They operate in various locations but manufacture their wet food in Thailand. They make wet and dry cat food as well as treats.

Fast notes:

Thailand manufactured
Founded in 2006
Mainly supplemental foods

Applaws Chicken Cat Food Review: Top Foods

Weve looked at Applaws wet and dry cat food.

Heres our current Applaws cat food reviews:

1. Applaws Wet Cat Food Review

Pros and Cons

High protein
Low carb
Single protein source
Supplemental only
Limited flavors

Nutrition

Ok.

Applaws is a simple product, using 75% chicken breast, and 1% rice.

Precise nutrition isnt clear due to their numbers being crude values (and they dont add to 100%). I used estimates for this review.

In any case, Applaws is high protein and low fat. Helpful for weight control.

Carbs (estimated) are a tad high from the rice, but under expert advice for blood sugar control.

Applaws is a supplementary cat food. Their foods are occasional feeding options based on AAFCOs nutrition guidelines.

That means Applaws doesnt have all the micronutrients for cats. A diet of only meat results in calcium deficiency, for example.

You must give your cat complete cat food to complement Applaws and make sure your cat gets all they need.

Notes:

High protein
Low carb
Supplemental feeding only

Nutrition (dry matter basis):*

Protein: 78%
Fat: 1%
Carbs: 10%
Fiber: 11%
Energy: 530 kcal/kg

*estimated

Nutrition: 7.5/10

*Applaws wet cat food dry matter nutrition*

*Applaws nutrition information on their website*

Ingredients

Simple.

The product only contains the following:

Chicken breast 75%, chicken broth 24%, rice 1%

As you can see, not a lot going on here.

The main ingredient is chicken breast which is 75% of the product. Its a high protein, low fat ingredient.

As mentioned earlier a diet of only meat causes calcium deficiency, with symptoms including depression and movement issues.

The other ingredients are chicken broth and rice.

Rice is a high carb ingredient, but its only in small amounts.

Overall, the main issue is the lack of variety in this cat food.

In short:

Simple
Mainly chicken breast
Lacks variety

Ingredients: 6/10

Taste

Good.

I offered Applaws to our cats Karl and Ollie, with both approving. Ollie did leave a small amount though.

Online reviews are mostly positive about the taste of Applaws wet cat food.

Here are the results of our taste testing:

Food Test 1: Applaws Chicken Breast in Broth Canned Cat Food
Amount eaten:90% Ollie; 100% Karl
Food appearance:Chicken shreds in a broth. Clean and fresh looking.
Smell:Fresh smell

Heres some photos of our testing:

Taste: 9/10

*Our cat Karl tasting Applaws wet canned cat food*

Value for Money

Pricey!

Even their 24 x 3 ounce pack is steep compared to many options.

Given its a supplemental, its ok for an occasional snack.

Value: 6/10

Final Thoughts

Not bad.

As an occasional snack, Applaws is a handy low calorie choice. Cats love the authentic chicken shreds.

On the other hand its not a complete meal, so youll need to make sure your cat gets complete cat food. Plus its expensive.

Best for:

Supplemental feeding
Easy digestion
Fussy eaters

Where to buy Applaws canned cat food?

Scoring Explained: We use our own calculations to fairly compare brands. For nutrition, we look at ingredient weighting. We taste test products with our cats and compare to customer results. We also check if its a well-known brand customers approve of and can trust.