Published Oct 27, 2025
Meg Swinney / Cats.com
Paws & Claws is an easily accessible, budget-friendly cat food. But is it the best source of nutrition for our feline companions? We’ve looked closely at Paws & Claws and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, product variety, price, ingredient quality, customer experience, and recall history to see just how complete its nutrition really is.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Paws & Claws On What Matters
We’ve rated the brand on six key quality criteria. Here’s how it scores in each of these crucial areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 8/10
- Ingredient Quality – 8/10
- Product Variety – 6/10
- Price – 10/10
- Customer Experience – 9/10
- Recall History – 8/10
Overall Score: 8.2/10
We gave Paws & Claws a 49 out of 60 or a A-.
Why Trust Cats.com
In order to get to the bottom of whether or not Paws & Clawsis a quality cat food, I dug deep into the brand, including reaching out for more information. I also ordered one of the brand’s dry food formulas and two of their wet food blends for my 10-year-old cat to test, which gave me real-world insight into the food’s look, feel, and palatability.
As my cat taste-tested the food, I evaluated the brand’s ingredients and processes. After testing and researching were complete, I rated Paws & Claws in six crucial categories according to the Cats.com Standard.
About Paws & Claws
Paws & Claws is owned by Tractor Supply Co., an American home and ranch chain based in Tennessee. Tractor Supply began in 1938 as a mail-order tractor part supply company in Minot, North Dakota. By 2004, the company was listed as one of Fortune magazine’s 100 fastest-growing businesses. Pet food and supplies are a major part of Tractor Supply’s business.
According to Tractor Supply’s 2022 annual report, livestock and pet products accounted for 50% of the chain’s total sales. Sales grew 27% during COVID-19, securing those categories’ grip on the number one sales spot for the chain. Currently, the company has over 2,200 stores in 49 states, carrying between 15,500 and 20,000 products, with 15% being unique to each region. The company’s mission is “To work hard, have fun, and make money by providing legendary service and great products at everyday low prices.”
Paws & Claws is one of the company’s exclusive pet food brands, which also includes 4health, Retriever, Strive, and Untamed pet foods. The trademark for the brand was registered on May 8, 2018, which is presumably the year Tractor Supply began selling the food in-store. Since it is a private brand, the retailer doesn’t share a whole lot of information about
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Paws & Claws dry food formulas are manufactured by TFP Nutrition, a family-owned pet food manufacturer based in Nacogdoches, Texas. The facility is SQF-certified and prides itself on quality. They focus on creating healthy, balanced, and nutritious formulas for all the brands they manufacture. TFP sources its ingredients from USA-vetted suppliers, but they do not specify where within the states the ingredients come from.
Paws & Claws wet cat food is manufactured by Simmons Pet Food, which has facilities in Northwest Arkansas, Emporia, Kansas; Dubuque, Iowa; and Ontario, Canada. Much like TFP, Simmons is a family-owned and run manufacturing company. They also source their ingredients from local suppliers. The nutrition-focused arm of the company, Simmons Animal Nutrition, has facilities in Missouri, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
Recall History
On November 2023, Paws & Claws distribution company TFP Nutrition issued a voluntary recall for all dry cat, dog, and catfish formulas that came from their Nacogdoches, Texas processing facility due to the potential presence of Salmonella. Affected Paws & Clawss formulas were:
- Paws & Claws Adult Delicious Mix Chicken, Salmon, Turkey, and Tuna Formula Dry Cat Food; 16lb Bag
- Paws & Claws Adult Delicious Mix Chicken, Salmon, Turkey, and Tuna Formula Dry Cat Food; 36lb Bag
- Paws & Claws Adult Seafood Mix Recipe Dry Cat Food; 16lb Bag
- Paws & Claws Adult Seafood Mix Recipe Dry Cat Food; 36lb Bag
- Paws & Claws Kitten Mix Chicken Formula Dry Cat Food; 15lb Bag
The voluntary recall also affected the Retriever dog food line, which is also exclusive to Tractor Supply.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Paws & Claws Offer?
Paws & Claws offers both wet and dry food recipes. The dry foods don’t have a specified primary protein and have corn, chicken by-products, and soybean meal. The wet cat foods have named proteins like chicken and tuna.
- Adult Delicious Mix Chicken, Salmon, Turkey, and Tuna Dry Cat Food, 16 and 36-pound bag
- Adult Seafood Mix Recipe Dry Cat Food, 16 and 36-pound bag
- Kitten Mix Chicken Formula Dry, 15-pound bag
- Turkey & Giblets Dinner Pate Wet Cat Food, 5.5 ounces and 13.2 ounces
- Ocean Whitefish &Tuna Dinner Pate Wet Cat Food, 5.5 ounces and 13.2 ounces
- Adult Mixed Frill Poultry and Fish Pate Wet Cat Food, 5.5 ounces
- Adult Poultry Platter Pate Wet Cat Food, 5.5 ounces
- Adult Complete Nutrition Chicken Pate Wet Cat Food, 5.5 ounces
- Adult Complete Nutrition Salmon Pate Wet Cat Food, 5.5 ounces
- Supreme Supper Adult Complete Nutrition Ocean Whitefish and Chicken Pate Wet Cat Food, 5.5 ounces
- Adult Sea Captain’s Dinner Pate Wet Cat Food, 5.5 ounces
The wet food is also available in variety packs, so your cat can try multiple flavors.
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Paws & Claws may fulfill all the AAFCO requirements, but they may not be the best food for your cat. Their dry cat food blend is high in carbohydrates and includes corn, soy, and seafood, which can all be potential allergens. Paws & Claws wet foods all use quality proteins in their top five ingredients and, all around, have pretty low carbs.
Even with all the carbohydrates, Bandit, my 8-year-old tortoiseshell tabby, still gobbled up the dry food recipe without any hesitation. The kibble was similar in size to her current food, and she had no problem eating it week after week.
She also enjoyed both wet food varieties. The pates had an even consistency, though I felt like the turkey and giblets pate was a little dry compared to some of the other formulas we have tried in the past. However, Bandit did not seem to be bothered by it.
Paws & Claws Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Calories Per Ounce | Price Per Ounce | Our Grade |
| Delicious Mix | Dry | Chicken by-product meal | 99 | $0.04 per oz | D |
| Turkey & Giblets | Wet | Turkey | 29 | $0.13 per oz | C |
| Ocean Whitefish & Tuna Dinner | Wet | Ocean whitefish and tuna | 32 | $0.14 per ounce | C |
#1 Paws & Claws Delicious Mix
Paws & Claws Delicious Mix’s top five ingredients include ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, and animal fat preserved with BHA. Chicken by-product meal is typically made of dry, clean parts of a chicken that are ground up and usually consists of chicken carcasses, bones, offal, feet, necks, and intestines. While it may be considered a cheap filler option, they have additional vitamins that straight breast meat doesn’t, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, and copper.
Meg Swinney / Cats.com
Ground yellow corn, corn gluten meal, and soybean meal are also cheaper filler carbohydrates. However, they do help the food keep its shape. But, cats are carnivores that don’t need a high amount of carbs in their diets. They add calories to the food and take away from the moisture content. The fat content is added by animal fat preserved with BHA and fish oil. It also has added dyes and minerals.
This food has 313 calories per cup. The food is available in 16 and 36-pound bags.
Ingredients
Ground Yellow Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat Preserved with BHA, Natural Flavors (Source of Chicken, Salmon, Turkey and Tuna flavors), Fish Oil, Phosphoric Acid, Choline Chloride, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, Dl-Methionine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Added Colors (Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, Blue 2), Niacin, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite.
Ingredients We Liked: Animal Fat, Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Yellow Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean meal
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros:
- Added vitamins and minerals
- Affordable food option
- Supports eye health with taurine
Cons:
- High carb content
- Low moisture content
- Artificial colors added
#2 Paws & Claws Turkey & Giblets Dinner
The first ingredient is meat by-products which can consist of parts from animals including their brain, livers, spleen, lungs, blood, fatty tissue, bone, intestines, and stomachs. The secondary ingredient is poultry by-products which are typically made up of bones, tissue, tendons, and fat. It can also contain feathers or feet.
Meg Swinney / Cats.com
There is also added water to assist with processing, which adds additional moisture to the pate. Turkey and poultry giblets round out the top five ingredients, adding to the protein content. The food also has guar gum and carrageenan, which can cause intestinal issues in some cats.
There are 161 calories per can.
Ingredients
Meat By-Products, Water Sufficient for Processing, Turkey, Poultry By-Products, Poultry Liver, Fish, Rice Flour, Poultry Heart, Guar Gum, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Added Color, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin a Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Taurine, Carrageenan, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Magnesium Sulfate
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Poultry Liver, Fish, Poultry Heart
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Meat By-Products, Guar Gum, Rice Flour
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros:
- Low carbohydrate content
- High moisture levels
- Contains quality protein ingredients
Cons:
- Contains guar gum which can cause intestinal issues
- Carrageenan can cause inflammation
#3 Paws & Claws Ocean Whitefish & Tuna Dinner
The main source of protein in this wet food recipe is ocean whitefish, which for many manufacturers is tilefish. Tilefish are often high in contaminants and mercury. Next on the ingredient list are meat by-products and poultry by-products. Both are made from clean, dry, and ground-up parts of meat and poultry, which can include organs, intestines, stomach, bones, ligaments, and other connective tissues. While these can add additional vitamins and minerals to the cat food, vaguely named by-products are generally considered to be low-quality ingredients.
Meg Swinney / Cats.com
Water is added for processing the ingredients and maintaining moisture levels. Animal liver is the fourth ingredient, which is a solid source of protein, though it doesn’t specify which animal it came from. Tuna and ocean fish round out the top ingredients and the protein selections. The food does not have an added fat source, but it does have guar gum. The additive has been known to cause digestive problems in some cats. It also includes carrageenan, which many pet owners prefer to avoid.
There are 176 calories per 5.5-ounce can and 421 calories per 13-ounce can.
Ingredients
Ocean Whitefish, Meat By-Products, Poultry By-Products, Sufficient Water for Processing, Animal Liver, Tuna, Ocean Fish, Guar Gum, Salt, Added Color, Vitamins (Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Potassium Chloride, Carrageenan, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite), Choline Chloride, Taurine.
Ingredients We Liked: Ocean Whitefish, Animal Liver, Tuna, Ocean Fish
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Meat By-Products, Poultry By-Products, Guar Gum, Added Color
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros:
- High protein content
- Low carbohydrates
- Comes in large and small cans
- Added vitamins and minerals
Cons:
- Contains guar gum, which can cause stomach upset in some cats
- Added colors are not necessary to cats’ diet
What Do Customers Think of Paws & Claws Cat Food?
Paws & Claws seems like it has mostly positive reviews, though there are a few negative spread throughout. But overall, each recipe has a 4.5 out of 5 or higher from customers.
Positive Reviews
“I feed between 30-50 community cats twice a day. I’ve been giving the cats friskies cans to help them put weight on going onto winter. Friskirs are .78-.92 cents per can times a minimum of 30.on a slow day twice s day. It was really adding up. I tried cheaper food but the cats wouldn’t eat it and it was mostly fillers. This has actual meat (and by products) but no wheat or other fillers that cause urinary issues in cat, especially neutered males. While this isnt premium food, it’s decent food that the cats eat that doesn’t break the bank. I am so glad tractor.supply makes it and I found it for all the abandoned cats I take care of. Thanks tractor supply!” -Morticialily, Tractorsupply.com, reviewing Turkey and Giblets Pate Wet Food, on October 12, 2025.
“Perfect for all of my rescue cats. They love it and it’s always fresh. Decent price to feed a quantity of cats. Picky eaters may not like it but ferals and half ferals LOVE this. All of my barn cats like it too.” -HandHPoultry, Tractorsupply.com, reviewing Adult Seafood Mix Recipe Dry Cat Food, October 4, 2025
Positive reviews highlight how much their cats like the food and prefer to eat it over other recipes. Customers also point out how much they like the variety of wet food flavors and can sizes.
Negative Reviews
“Absolutely horrible. Even my outdoor cats refused to eat it. They were out of normally meow mix so we bought this. May have just thrown money into a garbage can. It is very hard. I couldn’t break any pieces apart. Either there is something wrong with it or they quality control is so bad they let hard-as-a-rock food be packaged. I might be extra spicy because I haven’t gotten any sleep since all 3 of my cats howled all night long.” -Allison,Tractorsupply.com, reviewing Adult Delicious Mix Chicken, Salmon, Turkey, and Tuna Formula Dry, on September 26, 2025
“Had maggots in the can. Obviously my cats wouldn’t eat it. Do not buy” -Papawheelie81, Tractorsupply.com, reviewing Adult/Kitten Minced Wet Food Variety Pack, on August 15, 2025
Negative reviews focused on cats who didn’t like the wet food recipe or were not interested in eating the kibble. Some blamed it on size, while others thought it may have been the shape. Some cat owners weren’t thrilled that the only wet food formula was a pate.
How Much Does Paws & Claws Cat Food Cost?
Paws & Claws cat food is an affordable budget-friendly cat food. Smaller cans of cat food are $0.72 for a 5.5 ounce, while the larger cans are $1.79-$2.39. A 10-pound cat should eat about 5.5 ounces a day, costing you $0.72 per meal. A 36-pound bag of dry cat food costs $26.99, with a cat eating about a cup a day. With 104 cups in a bag, the food is incredibly easy on the wallet.
Where Is Paws & Claws Cat Food Sold?
Paws & Claws is sold at Tractor Supply and is available for purchase in-store and online.
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