Whole Herring

Herring is a small, oily cold-water fish used in cat food for protein and omega-3 fats. FDA and EPA mercury advice written for people puts herring on its Best Choices list, the lowest mercury group. Fish is a common food allergen in cats, so some cats react to it. If your cat has a food allergy or another medical condition, ask your veterinarian before changing foods.

Source: fda.gov

Whole herring means the entire fish is used, including bones, skin and organs, rather than fillets only. That brings minerals from the bones and nutrients from the organs along with the flesh. The fish goes in with its water content, much of which cooks off. It is a named species, so owners know the source.

Herring made for people is different from herring in a complete cat food. Pickled herring is packed in vinegar, salt and often sugar, and canned versions may have added salt or sauces. Cornell's Feline Health Center reports that some cats fed canned fish products meant for humans developed potentially serious neurological problems. Ask your veterinarian before sharing human fish products.

Source: vet.cornell.edu

Yes. Herring is an oily fish, and oily fish carry more of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA than lean white fish such as cod or pollock. The exact amount in a cat food depends on how much herring is used and how it is processed. The guaranteed analysis sometimes lists omega-3 content directly.

Pettings gives whole herring 5 out of 5 and lists it as a named animal protein. It appears on 8 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It earns the top score as a named fish protein. Each food's page shows how the whole recipe scores overall.