Tuna Meal

In cat food, tuna is usually used together with other fish and seafood to enrich the flavor.

Tuna meal is tuna that has been cooked, dried and ground for use in cat food. In FDA and EPA mercury advice written for people, canned light tuna is a Best Choice, albacore and yellowfin are Good Choices, and bigeye tuna is a choice to avoid. The label usually does not say which tuna is used. If your cat has a food allergy or another medical condition, ask your veterinarian before changing foods.

Source: fda.gov

Tuna meal is a dry, concentrated protein made from tuna. It brings protein, some omega-3 fats and a strong flavor that many cats like. Manufacturers often add it to fish blends to make the food more appealing, especially for cats with poor appetites. It is rarely the only protein in a recipe.

Canned tuna for people is not balanced for cats. Cornell's Feline Health Center reports that some cats fed canned fish products meant for humans developed potentially serious neurological problems. If you share tuna as a treat, keep it small and ask your veterinarian, especially for a cat with a health condition.

Source: vet.cornell.edu

Yes. The Merck Veterinary Manual names fish as one of the most common food allergens in cats, and tuna is a fish. Merck also notes that itching on the face, ears and neck is very common in cats with food allergy. Since tuna meal is often combined with other fish, a cat with a fish allergy would need its whole food checked by a veterinarian.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Pettings gives tuna meal 4 out of 5 and files it under its general cat food ingredient category. It appears on 4 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It loses a point because the tuna type is not stated. Each food's page shows how the whole recipe scores overall.