Gelatin

Not really. Gelatin lacks enough of some amino acids cats need, such as tryptophan, so it is used mainly to bind the food.

Gelatin is a protein made by boiling animal skin and bones, which releases collagen. Pet food makers use it to thicken and bind food. No authority we found flags gelatin for cats at the amounts used. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that gelatin capsules may be made from beef or pork, which matters for allergic cats, so ask your veterinarian if your cat has a food allergy or other medical condition.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Gelatin is used to thicken food and hold pieces together. In wet food it helps form a jelly or keep chunks intact, and in treats it adds chewiness. It does add protein, though that protein is incomplete. It is used mainly for texture.

Gelatin is made from collagen in animal skin and bones, most often from pigs or cattle. The tissue is boiled and processed to extract the gelatin. A cat food label usually lists just "gelatin" without naming the animal. Owners who track a specific protein may need to ask the maker.

It may matter for some allergic cats because it comes from animal tissue. The Merck Veterinary Manual warns that medication capsules might be made of beef or pork gelatin and suggests emptying the capsule onto food during an elimination diet trial. Since labels rarely name the gelatin source, a veterinarian can help decide whether a food fits an allergy plan.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Pettings gives gelatin 2 out of 5 and lists it as a thickener. It appears on 4 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It scores in the middle because it is mostly a texture ingredient, and its protein lacks some amino acids, such as tryptophan. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.