Turkey

Turkey is a poultry meat that cat food makers use as a lean animal protein. AAFCO allows a bird's common name, such as turkey, when an ingredient comes from that particular bird, so the label tells you the species. Cats are obligate carnivores and need animal protein. If your cat has a food allergy or another medical condition, ask your veterinarian.

Source: aafco.org

Turkey supplies a lean, named animal protein that cats digest well. It is often used in place of chicken. You will see it in several forms, including turkey meat, turkey meal and turkey giblets, which bring organ nutrients such as taurine from the heart and vitamin A and iron from the liver. On Pettings it appears in 16 dry foods.

Some can and some cannot. Turkey and chicken are both poultry. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists chicken among the most common food allergens in cats and suggests that diet trials avoid species similar to those fed before. A cat that reacts to chicken may also react to turkey. A veterinarian can decide whether turkey is a reasonable swap.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Turkey is the fresh meat with its water, while turkey meal has been cooked, dried and ground. AAFCO explains that rendering removes most of the water and fat and leaves a concentrated protein. Ingredient lists go by weight, so fresh turkey can lead a label while turkey meal further down may supply more of the protein.

Source: aafco.org

Pettings gives turkey 5 out of 5 and lists it as a named animal protein. It appears on 20 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It earns the top score as a named animal protein. Each food's page shows how the whole recipe scores overall.