Salmon Meal

Often, yes. It can be a useful swap for cats sensitive to chicken, but fish is also a common food allergen in cats, so it will not suit every allergic cat.

Salmon meal is salmon that has been cooked, dried and ground. AAFCO explains that meals are rendered with heat and pressure, which removes most of the water and fat and leaves mainly protein and minerals. It is a common protein in dry cat food. Fish is a frequent food allergen in cats, so a cat with an allergy or other condition should have its diet set by a veterinarian.

Source: aafco.org

Salmon meal is a dry, concentrated fish protein made from salmon. Because the water has been removed, it adds much more protein per pound than fresh salmon. Some of the fish's omega-3 fats remain after processing. Dry food makers use it because it mixes well into kibble dough and stores easily.

Salmon is the fish with its water, while salmon meal has been cooked, dried and ground. Fresh salmon is heavy with water, and much of that leaves during cooking. AAFCO notes that ingredient lists run from most to least by weight, so fresh salmon can sit first on a label even if salmon meal further down adds more protein.

Source: aafco.org

It is listed first when it is the heaviest ingredient going into the recipe. AAFCO requires ingredients to appear from most to least by weight. Because salmon meal is already dry, its weight is mostly protein and minerals. A food with salmon meal first usually gets a large share of its protein from that fish, though the guaranteed analysis gives the full picture.

Source: aafco.org

Pettings gives salmon meal 5 out of 5 and files it under its general cat food ingredient category. It appears on 21 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It earns the top score as a fish protein. Each food's page shows how the whole recipe scores overall.