Is Applaws the same as Encore
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.
Applaws Dog Food Reviewed
If you are looking for a dog food company that cares about the flavor of the foods they provide, Applaws Brings a lot to the table with a very interesting approach.
Instead of focusing on the meal itself, Applaws dog food has created a range of food toppers to brighten up the meals you feed to your pet.
The way it works is simple. All that is required is to select the flavor that is best suited to your dog and pour it on top of the regular dry food that you give.
There are many different flavors available, so your pet never has to get bored at mealtimes again.
The Applaws Range
Applaws is a fairly new dog food company and we think that with time there will be additional flavors added to the range of food toppers available today.
That said, the recipes that are available are rich in nutritional content and bursting with flavor.
The current product range includes five categories, with each having a couple of different recipes to choose from. The categories include Terrine, Gravy, Fillet, Broth, and Bone Broth.
Terrine: Terrine is a soft food topper made with chicken or beef and vegetables.
The recipes in this line are very simple and can be included with virtually every type of dry or wet food.
The two types that you can choose from are Chicken Breast with Pumpkin Terrine Cup and Beef with Liver, Peas and Carrot Terrine Cup.
Gravy: The Gravy line is exactly what the name suggests. Pouches of gravy that can be added to your gods meals with ease.
There are two different flavor choices to choose from and your dog will likely love them both.
Lamb with Zucchini, Carrots, and Chickpeas in Gravy is one of the most talked about gravies in the Applaws dog food reviews we have seen, but the other option is also quite popular.
If lamb in gravy isnt what you are looking for, give Chicken Breast with White Beans, Peas and Pumpkin in Gravy a try.
Recommended Reading: Dont miss our review of Akela dog food next.
Fillet: Fillet is a food topper that comes with a bit more substance than the previously mentioned lines.
You get your choice between beef and chicken fillets and they come in a convenient package. One great thing about the filet option is that you dont have to give the beef or chicken fillet food topper with a meal.
Fillets work perfectly as treats and quick snacks while out and about.
Broth: The Broth option (as well as the bone broth) is a fantastic way to soften your dogs regular dry food.
Apart from the added moister and intense flavor, Broth also adds a bit of texture to your dogs meal. Coming in either chicken or beef, the meats are shredded making it easy for dogs to chew up and digest.
The two broth flavors are Chicken Breast with Broccoli, Apple and Quinoa in Broth Pouch, and Beef with Green Beans, Sweet Potato and Red Bell Pepper in Broth.
It is easy to see from names like these gravy pouches add an explosive bit of flavor to any other dish you put them on.
Recommended: Is your dog a picky eater? Barking Heads has a wide range of options you can choose from! See our review here.
Bone Broth: For many, the idea of adding more meat and veggie content to an already full meal might be difficult to balance and calculate proper amounts of food.
In cases like that, Bone Broth is the perfect food topper to use. Bone Broth is made from either chicken or beef bone and is packed together with turmeric and parsley.
Bone Broth is more of a liquid gel than the other food toppers available at Applaws. The pouch has a convenient screw on top allowing pet owners to store the bone broth in the fridge or take the pouch on the road for blasts of flavor while out and about.
Health Benefits
The health benefits that come from Applaws food toppers are the same that you would expect from any all-natural, grain-free diet with additional meat and veggie content.
The lack of additives and fillers makes it easier for dogs to avoid all of the health issues that come from eating things that just shouldnt be eaten.
The lack of grains means that the food toppers are easy to digest, and the high meat content adds more of what your dog needs to stay healthy.
Among other things, a healthy diet also encourages a better coat, better energy levels, healthier teeth and bones, and much more.
Ingredients
One of the best things about Applaws is that they make it easy to add extra protein to a dogs diet.
Whether you are looking for chicken, beef, or lamb, all of the protein sources used in the food toppers are 100% natural and sustainably sourced.
The same is true for the botanicals used. All of the recipes include a mixture of botanicals, such as peas, pumpkin, and white beans, and they, too, are natural and sourced responsibly.
Value
Applaws food toppers are great value. The product cannot really be compared with traditional dog food because Applaws is not meant to be a stand-alone replacement for a dogs regular diet.
Applaws allows pet owners to add some extra punch to their pets meals to either get them to eat, add nutritional value, or simply treat them to something nice.
Drawbacks
Applaws is great at what is does and the only drawbacks that we could find for this Applaws dog food review are that some dog owners might not want to buy into an additional component to the feeding schedule.
Another thing some pet owners would have to consider is how to calculate proper feeding amounts when adding in a new element to a dogs diet.
Recommended: If your dog has specific nutritional needs, let Burgess help you out! Read our review here.
Conclusion
Applaws provides a lot of answers to plenty of dog owners. Whether dealing with picky eaters, dogs with sensitive stomachs or dogs that need to put on a little extra weight, the benefits that come from using food toppers are certainly many.
In terms of value, the prices are surprisingly low and Applaws also allows the main food to last much longer.
If you are looking for alternatives, you wont find any direct competitors. That said, there are some other raw and wet food options that could be used in a similar way. Guru dog food and Nutriment are both worth a look.
