Published Apr 18, 2019
This Kroger store brand lures in grocery shoppers with its low prices, serval-brown packaging, distressed typography, and the claim that it’s what cats “naturally crave”. It looks like it might be a pet store quality food at grocery prices, but is Abound cat food any good?
In this article, we’ll learn more about Abound cat food, finding out what it’s made of, where it’s manufactured, and whether or not it’s a healthy choice for your cat.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Abound on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Abound 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. Here’s how it rates in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 6/10
- Ingredient Quality – 5/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 8/10
- Customer Experience – 8/10
- Recall History – 4/10
Overall Score: 6.3/10
We give Abound cat food a 38 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.
About Abound
The Abound brand was launched in 2014 as Kroger’s newest store brand pet food. It’s marketed to the natural foods consumer and boasts recipes with no hot-button ingredients like corn, soy, and wheat. The foods are all-natural with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Though it’s unclear where all Abound foods are made, we know that Abound dog food is made by Sunshine Mills, a manufacturer with several facilities in the United States. Sunshine Mills makes food for Triumph, Evolve, Hi-Tor, Sportsman’s Pride, and other brands. Most Abound ingredients are sourced in the United States and some may come from other countries.
Has Abound Cat Food Been Recalled?
Abound was recalled in December 2018 due to elevated levels of vitamin D.
The incident was one in a series of recalls affecting several brands of dry pet food. Nine of the recalls were connected to Sunshine Mills, the manufacturing company that makes Abound food.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Abound Offer?
Abound’s cat food lineup includes both dry and wet food in grain-free and grain-inclusive varieties.
Though the brand offers both grain-free and grain-inclusive products, all of them are free of corn, wheat, and soy. All Abound foods feature meat as the first ingredient with no animal by-product meal. Abound foods are made without any artificial, colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Abound Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Abound Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe | Dry | $0.14 per lb | C |
| Abound Grain Free Chicken & Chickpeas Recipe | Dry | $0.16 per lb | C |
| Abound Grain Free Shredded Salmon & Chicken Recipe in Gravy | Wet | $0.18 per oz | B |
#1 Abound Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe
Salmon appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
This popular dry cat food is one of Abound’s grain-inclusive formulas, featuring salmon with a combination of rice and other grains. Let’s take a closer look at the ingredient list.
The first ingredient is deboned salmon. Abound doesn’t specify whether this salmon is farm-raised or wild-caught. Deboned salmon refers to whole salmon with the bones removed, meaning that it’s a moisture-rich ingredient before cooking. Remember that ingredients are listed in order of weight and that the salmon’s weight is significantly reduced during cooking. It’s unclear how prominent salmon would be on the ingredient list if it reflected post-cooking weights.
The food contains chicken meal as the second ingredient. Chicken meal has water and fat removed, making it a concentrated source of protein. Turkey meal and salmon meal appear later on the ingredient list, adding flavor and protein.
Though the food features brown rice in its name, oat meal is the first grain ingredient in the recipe. It’s followed by whole brown rice. Though brown rice is more nutritious than white rice, it’s not a species-appropriate food for cats and, like all of the food’s grain ingredients, significantly increases the carbohydrate content. The food also contains whole ground barley as a third grain ingredient.
Animal fat is the food’s primary fat source. Note that no specific animal is named—this fat may be derived from cows or other unidentified animals. The last few major ingredients include peas, potatoes, and dried cellulose, all contributing carbohydrates and fiber.
The food contains “natural flavor”, an additive probably made from hydrolyzed animal tissue. The food contains dried whey as an additional protein source. Near the end of the ingredient list, the food contains trace amounts of carrots, sweet potatoes, cranberries, blueberries, and other fruits and vegetables. It’s supplemented with prebiotics and probiotics for digestive support. The food is fortified with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to make it nutritionally complete.
Overall, this food is low in protein with low fat and high carbohydrate content.
It’s a plant-heavy food loaded with various sources of carbohydrates. It’s not a good choice for cats with diabetes or anyone trying to avoid starch in their cat’s diet.
The food contains 333 calories per cup.
Ingredients
Deboned Salmon, Chicken Meal, Oat Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Turkey Meal, Whole Ground Barley, Animal Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Peas, Salmon Meal, Potatoes, Natural Flavor, Dried Cellulose, Brewers Dried Yeast, Potassium Chloride, Dried Whey, Choline Chloride, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Cranberries, Blueberries, Flaxseed Meal, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Salt, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-carnitine, L-lysine, Dried Chicory Root, Beta Carotene, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin A Supplement, Dl-alpha Tocopherol, Niacin Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex (Source Of Vitamin K Activity), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Cobalt Carbonate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Thermophilum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product.
Ingredients We Liked: None
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Oat Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Contains animal-sourced fat
- Affordable
Cons
- Very high carbohydrate content
#2 Abound Grain Free Cat Food Chicken & Chickpeas Recipe
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
This chicken-based dry food is one of Abound’s grain-free recipes. It’s primarily made from chicken and chicken meal mixed with chickpeas and peas. These legumes increase the food’s protein and carbohydrate content while helping to give the kibble a consistent structure and shape.
Chicken fat is the food’s primary fat source. Like other animal fats, this ingredient is rich in the fatty acids cats require. The food contains turkey meal as an additional source of concentrated animal protein, followed by dehydrated alfalfa meal. This ingredient is rich in protein and is sometimes used in livestock feed.
The food contains flaxseed and pea starch, both plant ingredients with negligible health benefits for cats. It gets a flavor boost from “natural flavors”, an additive typically made from hydrolyzed animal tissue. The food contains salmon meal and pea protein as final sources of protein.
The ingredient list includes trace amounts of carrots, cranberries, and dried egg product before going into a long list of synthetic vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that make the food nutritionally complete and balanced.
Overall, this dry food has moderate protein content with moderate fat and moderate carbohydrate content.
While the grain-free label may appeal to those seeking a superior alternative to grain-laden foods, this food, and many other grain-free products, is high in carbohydrates and plant protein and isn’t an ideal food for your carnivorous cat.
The food contains 357 calories per cup.
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Chickpeas, Peas, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Turkey Meal, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Flaxseed, Pea Starch, Natural Flavors, Salmon Meal, Pea Protein, Taurine, Dl Methionine, Tomato Pomace, Carrots, Cranberries, Apricots, Dried Egg Product, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Dl-alpha Tocopherol, Niacin, D-calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Source Of Vitamin B6], Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement).
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Fat
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Chickpeas, Peas, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Flaxseed, Pea Starch, Pea Protein
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Free of animal by-products
- Made without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Made with animal-sourced fat
Cons
- High carbohydrate content
#3 Abound Grain Free Shredded Salmon & Chicken Recipe in Gravy
Salmon appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This fish-based canned food features shredded salmon, chicken, and chicken liver in fish broth. The use of chicken liver sets this food apart from other economy canned foods, which often rely on animal by-products as a source of organ meats or use “liver” without identifying the liver’s origin.
In addition to salmon and chicken, the food contains dried egg white and dried egg product. Note that while egg is a highly digestible source of protein, the type used in cat food may or may not be a high-quality product. The food is thickened with both potato starch and guar gum, neither of which is a species-appropriate ingredient.
The ingredient list concludes with a series of synthetic vitamins, minerals and amino acids that make the food nutritionally complete.
Overall, this food is rich in protein with moderate fat and moderate carbohydrate content.
There are 145 calories in each 5.5-ounce can or 26 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Fish Broth, Salmon, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg White, Potato Starch, Dried Egg Product, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Minerals (Zinc, Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Vitamins (Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Taurine, Choline Chloride.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Liver
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Potato Starch, Guar Gum
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Uses a combination of muscle meat and organs
- Rich in animal-sourced protein
- Thickened without carrageenan
- Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
- High in carbohydrates compared to other wet foods
What Do Customers Think Of Abound Cat Food?
Because Abound is sold in brick-and-mortar stores and isn’t available through major retailers like Chewy and Amazon, it doesn’t receive many customer reviews. The brand doesn’t have a presence on Consumer Affairs and people aren’t saying much about it on other consumer advocacy sites or forums.
The few online discussions and reviews of Abound are positive but brief. Customers like that it’s cheap and relatively species-appropriate, but there’s little discussion about the brand’s ingredients, manufacturing, or other meatier issues.
Here are two real customer reviews of abound cat food:
“My cat likes it, and it’s grain free! It’s also very affordable! Therefore, I like it too!” – Kelsey, reviewing Abound Shredded Salmon & Chicken Recipe in Gravy
“This cat food had good ingredients and good taste. My cat loves it.” – Michal, reviewing Abound Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe
How Much Does Abound Cat Food Cost?
It’s a few cents pricier than its colorful and corn-stuffed friends on the grocery store shelf, but Abound is one of the cheapest foods you can buy.
Abound dry food costs between $0.28 and $0.32 per day. Abound’s wet food is slightly more expensive, but not much—you could feed the average cat Abound canned food for about $1.53 per day.
Overall, Is Abound a Good Choice?
If you focus on their wet selection, Abound cat food is leaps and, yes, bounds ahead of similarly-priced cat food. Abound wet food provides high protein content with relatively low carbohydrates and no potentially harmful additives like carrageenan and artificial colors. This combination makes their wet foods some of the most nourishing products at this price point.
On the other hand, Abound dry food isn’t particularly impressive. Sure, it nixes corn, soy, and wheat, but it doesn’t have any lower carbohydrate content than the standard Purina fare.
Overall, this brand is a good one to consider next time you’re shopping at a Kroger family store.
Where To Buy Abound Cat Food?
Abound is only sold at Kroger grocery stores. Stores in the Kroger family include Smith’s Food and Drug, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Mariano’s Fresh Market, Metro Market, Food 4 Less, Dillons, FoodsCo, City Markets, and more.
You can also buy it online through Kroger-owned Vitacost.com.
I feed my cats Abound cat food. It’s a good cat food the only issue is it doesn’t keep them full longer. And it causes their poop to smell loud. Otherwise, I like the Abound cat food.
I used to feed my senior cat Abound wet food packets when I would run out of the Wellness wet packets. One day I opened a packet of Abound wet and there was a silvery blue tinge to part of the food. I threw it out and never trusted Abound again. It could have been from some salmon skin left on, but I couldn’t take the chance. It is hard to find who is head of Abound, Sunshine Foods? Do their call center reps have actual knowledge about their product? Doubtful. I’m a low income senior who rescued a senior my nephew abandoned in 2016. I’m proud to say I’m a helicopter Mom who has struggled financially to feed my 19 yr old cat quality food and get him semi-annual vet visits. I watch your videos Mallory and have gone through countless types of litter. My new favorite: World’s Best large grain, orange bag. No scatter!!!!!! I also love Sustainably yours, but it’s too expensive. I have spent hours reading about cats. This is my first pet since 1976.
I bought Abound Grain Free Limited Ingredients – Tuna and Sweet Potato Recipe. Our cat refused to eat it. Don’t think she liked the taste or smell. Can’t say I blame her. It did have a rather loud smell in my opinion. Would not buy this again.
Appreciate you sharing your experience here.
I just happened to come acrossed this food. I bought the wet to try. My cat loves it he likes all the flavors so far. My cat is picky about foods so I was surprised. I only give him a spoon full as a treat.
I have been feeding Abound cat food to by three babies for about almost 6 months. They love the salmon and rice flavor but I have been noticing that my 2 year old cat has been having a bit of stomach issues with Abound. There is something about the food that just makes him constipated. I’ve partnering with his vet to find out if its the food or if he has other issues. You’d be surprised how cats systems will differ from each other. I’m searching to find a brand and flavor that all three of my cats can eat.
Hi Fred, that sounds frustrating! Yes, it’s hard to predict whether two cats will have the same reaction to any given product. Hope you find something that works soon!