Apples

Apple in cat food is the flesh of the fruit, usually dried or ground, and it shows up in small amounts. The fruit brings fiber and pectin. Apple seeds and stems are a separate matter, and pet food makers use the processed fruit rather than whole cores. Research on apple in cats specifically is limited. If your cat has a medical condition, check with your veterinarian before changing foods.

Apples are added mainly for fiber and pectin, and the fruit name is familiar to shoppers. Pectin is a soluble fiber that forms a gel in the gut. The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats have no dietary requirement for fiber, though fiber can have health benefits. Apples are usually present in small amounts, well down the ingredient list.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Cats do not respond to sweet taste the way people do, so fruit in cat food is not there to make it taste sweet to the cat. Apple is more of a fiber source and a label ingredient that appeals to owners. A cat's interest in a food depends far more on its meat and fat content and on aroma.

No, cats have no dietary need for fruit. Cornell's Feline Health Center describes cats as obligate carnivores that rely on nutrients found only in animal products. Fruit such as apple can supply fiber and plant compounds, but a complete and balanced cat food meets a cat's needs through its overall nutrient profile, with or without fruit.

Source: vet.cornell.edu

Pettings gives apples 3 out of 5 and lists it as a fruit or vegetable ingredient. It appears on 22 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. The page groups apples with pears as fruits that bring fiber and pectin. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.