Pollock

Pollock is a white ocean fish used in cat food as a lean, named animal protein. FDA and EPA mercury advice written for people puts pollock on its Best Choices list, the group with the lowest mercury. Fish is still a common food allergen in cats, and some cats react to it. If your cat has a food allergy or another medical condition, ask your veterinarian before changing foods.

Source: fda.gov

Pollock adds a lean animal protein from a named fish. Its mild flavor works well in fish-based recipes, and the label tells owners exactly which species is used. It also supplies trace minerals such as iodine and selenium. You will see it as fresh pollock, as pollock meal, and in some freeze-dried foods and treats.

In most cases, yes. Freeze-drying removes water without cooking the fish, so freeze-dried pollock is still a raw product unless the label says it was cooked or treated another way. An FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine study found that raw pet foods were more likely than other types to test positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. Handle freeze-dried products the way you would raw meat.

Source: fda.gov

Pollock is the fish with its natural water content, while pollock meal has been cooked, dried and ground. AAFCO explains that rendering removes most of the water and fat, so the meal is a concentrated protein. Ingredient lists are ordered by weight, which means fresh pollock can sit higher on the list than the protein it actually adds after cooking.

Source: aafco.org

Pettings gives pollock 5 out of 5 and lists it as a named animal protein. It appears on 3 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It earns the top score as a named fish protein. Each food's page shows how the whole recipe scores overall.