mackerel

What it is

Mackerel is an oily fish contributing named animal protein and long-chain omega-3s. The small mackerel species used in pet food are forage-class fish; labels say mackerel, whole mackerel, or deboned mackerel, often in wet cat formulas.

Why it's in pet food

It pairs strong palatability with a real omega-3 contribution, which is why it anchors so many fish-flavor wet foods. As with all named fish, the species on the label is the accountability.

How Bowlmark scores it

Scores are deterministic math over the printed label — the rules below apply to every product identically, and nothing estimates or fills in a blank.

Mackerel is on the engine's named-protein list: 15 points on the ingredient-quality pillar when fresh mackerel is the first ingredient; a named mackerel meal earns 12 in that slot, or 8 when it sits second or third.

Read the full methodology

Foods that list mackerel

Ranked by score where scores exist. Placement here is never sold.

• ORIJEN Original Entrée Wet Cat Food88
• Fancy Feast Wet Cat Food Flaked Tuna and Mackerel Feast71

Sources

• WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee — Selecting a pet food
• ACVN — omega-3 fatty acids in joint support

Related ingredients

• herring meal
• hydrolyzed fish protein
• krill meal
• mackerel meal
• menhaden fish meal
• ocean fish

Further reading

• Protein quality vs quantity — why the % is only half the story
• Storing pet food so it stays the food you bought