Smoke-Flavored Salmon

The smoke flavor is used mainly to make picky cats more interested in the food.

Smoke-flavored salmon in cat food is salmon with added smoke flavoring, cooked as part of a complete recipe. That differs from smoked salmon made for people, which is cured with salt. The Merck Veterinary Manual names fish as one of the most common food allergens in cats. If your cat has a food allergy or another medical condition, ask your veterinarian before changing foods.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

It is salmon with smoke flavoring added during processing. The salmon supplies protein and omega-3 fats, and the flavoring gives a stronger taste and smell. The phrase does not always mean the fish was smoked over wood. Pettings scores it separately from plain salmon because of the added flavoring.

Not necessarily. Smoked salmon has been cured and smoked, while smoke-flavored salmon may get its smoky taste from added flavoring instead. Pet food labels use the wording on purpose, and the ingredient can be ordinary salmon plus flavoring. If you want to know how the flavor was made, the manufacturer can tell you.

Grocery store smoked salmon is cured with salt and made for people, and it is not balanced to meet a cat's nutrient needs. Cornell's Feline Health Center reports that some cats fed canned fish products meant for humans developed potentially serious neurological problems. A small taste is different from a regular diet. Ask your veterinarian about treats for a cat with a health condition.

Source: vet.cornell.edu

Pettings gives smoke-flavored salmon 4 out of 5 and lists it as processed fish. It appears on 2 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It loses a point for the added flavoring compared with plain salmon. Each food's page shows how the whole recipe scores overall.