Turkey Giblets

Turkey giblets are the heart, liver and gizzard of the turkey, and in commercial cat food they are cooked. Tufts veterinary nutritionists say organ parts often provide more nutrients than muscle meat on a per-weight basis. Liver is high in vitamin A, so the amount in a recipe matters. If your cat has a medical condition, ask your veterinarian about organ-heavy foods.

Source: sites.tufts.edu

Giblets are the edible inner organs of a bird, mainly the heart, liver and gizzard, and sometimes the neck. In cat food they add protein along with organ nutrients such as taurine from the heart and vitamin A and iron from the liver. They come from a named bird, so owners know the species.

Raw organ meat carries the same bacteria risks as other raw meat. An FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine study found raw pet foods were more likely than other types to test positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, with a risk to the people handling them as well. Giblets in commercial cat food are cooked. Ask your veterinarian before you feed raw giblets.

Source: fda.gov

Turkey giblets name specific organs, mainly heart, liver and gizzard. Turkey by-products is a broader term for the parts left after the meat is removed, and the label does not say which ones are included or in what amounts. That is why Pettings rates the two differently, even though both come from turkey.

Pettings gives turkey giblets 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 named organ meat from a named bird. Each food's page shows how the whole recipe scores overall.