Wysong Epigen Cat Food (Dry) Review And Nutritional Analysis

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Wysong Epigen 90 is one of our top 5 choices for best dry cat food overall.

Here’s a few important points:

• Packed with meat
• One of the few dry foods that is biologically-appropriate
• Minimal carbohydrates
• Near-perfect macronutrient profile

Wysong Epigen product line includes 4 dry recipes/flavors.

Each recipe below includes its related AAFCO nutrient profile when available on the product’s official webpage or packaging: Growth (G), Maintenance (M), All Life Stages (A), Supplemental (S) or Unspecified (U).

The star rating is a rough average of all of the flavors in a single line of food. If an individual recipe scored lower or higher, we will mark that below, next to the flavor.

• Wysong Epigen 90 Starch Free (M) 5 stars
• Wysong Epigen Starch Free Chicken (M)
• Wysong Epigen Starch Free Venison (M)
• Wysong Epigen Starch Free Fish (M)

Wysong Epigen 90 Starch Free was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.

Ingredient Breakdown

The first ingredient in this cat food is chicken meal. Good.

Chicken is a very good protein source for cats.

Chicken meal is a concentrated form of chicken, and is considered a high quality ingredient.

In short, much of the moisture of the chicken is taken away, and you are left with a very high-protein, low-moisture powder-like substance.

The inclusion of chicken meal helps to ensure a very high protein level.

The second ingredient is organic chicken. Good.

Organic chicken is a good protein source for cats.

It’s also important to note that chicken contains about 70% water, so when it is processed and cooked for use in cat food, it will become a smaller part of the total recipe.

The third ingredient is meat protein isolate. Good.

While unnamed meat products are usually poor quality, this is the exception.

For some reason, labeling standards require some companies to label this ingredient as “meat protein”, instead of the type of animal.

In this case, Wysong uses 100% pork meat.

It’s very much like a meal, but even more concentrated, and high in protein.

The fourth ingredient is chicken fat. Good.

Named animal fats in cat food is usually a good thing.

Chicken fat is a great source of healthy fats and omega fatty acids.

It is preferred to canola oil or unnamed animal fats.

The fifth ingredient is gelatin. Good.

Gelatin binds high meat protein kibbles.

It is preferable to other plant and synthetic binders, and actually adds a bit more protein.

Ignoring natural flavors, which are fine, the sixth ingredient is coconut oil. Good.

Coconut oil has some benefits for cats, and is used by holistic veterinarians for immune system health, hairballs, inflammation, and stomach health.

Too much could result in an upset stomach or diarrhoea, but this far down the list, there is unlikely to be enough to cause an issue.

The seventh ingredient is chia seeds. Good.

Similar to flaxseeds, chia seeds are high in protein and full of omega 3 fatty acids.

They may support heart health, decrease inflammation, protect Kitty’s liver, and protect against a whole host of other ailments.

This recipe includes a number of other ingredients, but once you get down this far, none of them will be in large enough quantities to make a real difference, except for the added vitamins and minerals. 

However, there are still a few things you should know about. 

This recipe includes yeast extract, which can cover a large number of different products that are created by removing the cell wall from the yeast organism.

Many are used as nutritional supplements, while some are used as added flavor.

Some extracts contain glutamic acid, which is related to monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is why this counts as a controversial ingredient.

Studies continue to show MSG as being a safe food, and with similar, limited use as a salt-like additive, we see no empirical data showing it as being dangerous.

Some people still don’t like yeast extract since it could be moderately related to MSG, which some people think is bad (despite evidence to the contrary).

We can’t tell any more about this ingredient than what the label tells us, though, so it’s hard to make a judgement call one way or another. 

We believe it’s mostly harmless.

It also contains yeast culture, which is a form of flavoring and protein, but in large quantities may be toxic to the liver.

The minerals are presented in their proteinate form, which means they will be easier to digest and absorb, which is an indicator of quality.

There are also many probiotic strains which help introduce enzymes into the gut to break down the food better and make it more digestible and bioavailable. These are generally considered high quality ingredients.

To read a more in depth article about any of the ingredients listed here, check out our Cat Food Ingredient Wiki (currently under development).

The Catological Verdict on Wysong Epigen Dry Cat Food

From top to bottom, this is an above average dry product.

From the abundance of meats, including high-protein concentrates, to the lack of carbohydrates, to the addition of important minerals, vitamins, and probiotics, this just ticks all of the boxes.

This is a perfect example of the type of food you should be feeding your cat if you choose to feed a dry diet.

Since meat shows up frequently, and right at the top of the ingredient list, we can assume that this is a meat-based cat food, with enough meat to make it biologically appropriate for a cat’s dietary needs.

To review, on a dry matter basis, this food is 70% protein, 18% fat, and 0% carbs.

As a group, the brand has an average protein content of 68%, and average fat content of 14%, and an average carb content of 3%.

Compared to the other 2000+ foods in our database, this food has:

• Above average protein.
• Average fat.
• Below average carbs.

Because it is full of quality meat products and biologically appropriate, our rating for this brand is 5 stars.

Highly recommended.

Wysong Cat Food Recall History

We do not believe that a recall indicates a low quality food or company, and we respect the fact that sometimes things happen that cause a manufacturer to recall a food.

Usually these things are non-life-threatening, and we think it’s important to take a moment to be thankful about just how few recalls there really are in the industry, considering the enormous volume of food produced.

However, we do believe that a history of recalls may point to a larger issue with a company, and that discerning consumers want to know who they’re buying from, especially when it comes to something as important as the food you feed your beloved cat. 

Here is a list of recalls that have affected the Wysong brand in the past:

• September 2009 – Potential for mold – 8 recipes affected

If you want to stay up to date on the latest recall information affecting your cat’s food, sign up to our email list and receive an email every time a recall is announced. We’ll also let you know about any updated ratings, recipe changes, or new cat foods on the market. (Our alert system will be launched shortly, check back soon.)

Where To Buy Wysong Epigen Dry Cat Food

We recommend purchasing your pet products from Chewy.com. They continually prove that they walk the walk while talking the talk, and I’ve never dealt with a more dedicated pet-parent base of people than those who work at Chewy. 

Plus, they offer 20% off and free shipping on lots of orders.