Salmon Oil

Most cats like its taste, which makes salmon oil an easy way to add omega-3 fats to their food.

Salmon oil is oil pressed from salmon, an oily fish that supplies the omega-3s EPA and DHA. Salmon is on the FDA and EPA Best Choices list of fish lower in mercury, which is advice written for people, not pets. If your cat has a medical condition, ask your veterinarian before changing its food or adding an oil on top of it.

Source: fda.gov

Salmon oil is added mainly to supply EPA and DHA, the omega-3s found in oily fish. It also contributes fat calories and a fish flavor. Because the label names salmon, you know the species behind the oil. Pettings lists salmon oil among fish or algae oils, and it is one of the more common named fish oils on our list.

Salmon oil is valued for its omega-3s, EPA and DHA. Tufts veterinary nutritionists note that fish oil is used as a source of omega-3s, not omega-6s. Most cat foods already contain plenty of omega-6 linoleic acid from chicken fat or plant oils, so salmon oil is the part of the recipe that adds marine omega-3s.

Source: sites.tufts.edu

Ask your veterinarian first. Tufts veterinary nutritionists warn that too much or too little of the essential fatty acids can have adverse health effects. A complete cat food that already lists salmon oil has its fat balance set by the recipe, and extra oil also adds calories. Your veterinarian can tell you whether an added oil fits your cat's diet and health.

Source: sites.tufts.edu

Pettings gives salmon oil 5 out of 5 and lists it as a fish or algae oil. It appears on 23 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. That score rates the ingredient by itself, and each food's page shows how the full recipe scores overall.