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02.04.2024

Cat jelly food is a great addition to your feline's diet—here's how to pick the right type

Cats may be the cutest charmers on this planet, but deciphering their food preferences is hard work. Your furry companion will like a particular food only if it hits the right note in terms of smell, taste, and texture. Offering your cat wet, jelly-based food is a great way to recreate the authentic diet that your little carnivore needs. Unfortunately, most cat parents struggle to find accurate information about this type of food online.

Is jelly food good for cats? Will my indoor cat like it? Can it be consumed every day? Why is my silly cat only eating the jelly, not the meat? Untamed has the answer to every question about the jelly food for cats!

A close-up of a brown and white tabby cat with a surprised face hanging upside down from a branch

Did someone say jelly food? Save me some chunks, or I shall be cross!!

Source: Koen van Gilst

How does jelly food fit into the grand scheme of feline nutrition?

The secret to feline nutrition lies in their predator DNA makeup. Cats are obligate carnivores, and their bodies are designed to process meat for sustenance.

When in the wild, cats deploy their survival skills to hunt small rodents, birds, and mammals. They never turn to plant-based food to satisfy their hunger—your moggie eats grass for a different reason. Even though cats are domesticated, they are still meat-eaters. You can offer them two types of food—dry and wet.

Dry cat food is affordable and storage-friendly, but it’s not always the best choice of nutrition. Its low moisture content can cause struvite crystals, which can further lead to cystitis. Dry food is also high in calories, which can be an issue for overweight cats. Dry biscuits usually contain:

    1. Meat and fish
    2. Fats
    3. Soybean
    4. Grains
    5. Sugar
    6. Animal derivative fillers (includes slaughterhouse scraps, such as beaks, feathers, guts, wool, heads, and feet)

Wet cat food is high in moisture content. As a result, it resembles the natural feline diet. While wet food prevents dehydration in cats, you need to read labels carefully to assess if a brand offers the ideal nutritional value for your cat. Wet cat food is available in two kinds of consistency:

    1. Gravy
    2. Jelly

Which wet food is better for my cat—jelly or gravy?

Most cat parents acknowledge the importance of wet food in their cat’s diet but feel lost when picking between jelly or gravy. If you’re experiencing something similar, let’s look into it further.

From a nutritional point of view, jelly and gravy preparation is pretty much the same. Choosing between them boils down to your cat’s preferences. For example, you may have to choose between jelly or gravy under the following circumstances:

  1. Switching from dry food to wet food—Cats tend to get stuck on the food they are used to eating. If your moggie prefers dry food, they might reject gravy food at first sniff. Jelly food is lighter in taste, so it helps a transitioning cat warm up to the idea of non-dry food
  2. Preference for a certain taste—Gravy food has a strong taste as it contains ground, shredded, or minced meat, which may not sit well with cats keen on kibble. Jelly has a gentle taste and smell, so cats tend to be less suspicious about it
  3. Presence of food allergies—While it is rare, some cats may be allergic to ingredients like:
    1. The gelatin in jelly food
    2. Gluten and starch in gravy food
  4. Messiness—If your cat is a messy eater who dunks their face in gravy every time they eat, jelly food’s no-drip formula might be a perfect solution for them

    Why should I introduce jelly food to my cat’s diet?

    Many parents use jelly food as an addition to their cat’s everyday meals. We’ll give you the big picture of what happens when you use jelly food to spruce up your furry companion’s existing diet.

    How does jelly food support a dry-food-only diet?

    A cinnamon Persian cat in a pink background stooping over a steel bowl of cat biscuits

    Is my food missing something...something that’s...what’s the word...tastier?

    Source: Kabo

    Jelly food is convenient as it works rather well combined with dry food your cat is accustomed to eating—this table will show you how:

    Issue

    Details

    What are the potential problems of a dry food-only diet?

    Some vets discourage a dry-food-only diet for cats as the food:

    • Tends to be depleted of nutrients during the manufacturing process
    • May be hard on the feline digestive system
    • Increases the risk of developing kidney or urinary tract diseases in some cats (due to prolonged low moisture intake by consuming dry food only)
    • Adds carbs and sugar to the feline diet, which can cause obesity and diabetes 

    How can jelly food supplement dry food?

    Introducing your cat to jelly food stabilises their health by:

    • Restoring optimum hydration levels
    • Offering a biologically appropriate mix of nutrients
    • Supporting the digestive system

    How do I include jelly food in their diet?

    You can start showing your cat some jelly love by:

    • Mixing jelly food with their regular biscuits
    • Letting your cat eat one jelly-based meal a day
    • Offering jelly-based snacks to your pet

    How does jelly food support a gravy-only diet?

    A gravy-only diet is one of the best methods to ensure your cat is getting balanced meals every day. Still, you should consider adding jelly to gravy if the following applies to your kitty:

    Issue

    How jelly food helps

    Cat dislikes gravy food

    Your cat can dismiss a particular gravy formula for several reasons, including:

    • Being repelled by the smell
    • Hating the flavour
    • Finding the food suspicious (it’s a cat’s natural defence mechanism to be distrustful of new food—that’s what makes them great survivors in the wild)

    Rather than switching back to an old diet, consider giving jelly food a go. Most cats won’t reject jelly food because of its:

    • Subtle flavour
    • Odourless quality
    • Natural texture that helps cats see they’re being served good old meat (and not something shady!)

    Cat can stop eating their gravy food

    Just like their owners, cats love variety in their diet. That's why you may see your moggie go off their meals when feeding them a diet exclusively made up of gravy-based food. We know the frustrations of dealing with a fussy cat all too well! Adding jelly-based food to their diet can give them the variety they need to make mealtimes fuss-free again

    Gravy food gives your cat an upset stomach

    Gravy food tends to be richer than jelly-based products, which can cause gastrointestinal problems at times. This is particularly the case with certain gravy food with too much salt and artificial flavouring, which may also have a negative impact on a cat's sensitive digestive system. Jelly food is not only gentler on your kittie’s palate but also packs all the necessary nutrients to support the health of frail cats recuperating from an illness

    Can I feed my cat jelly food only?

    There’s something about succulent meat chunks in aromatic jelly that cats can’t get enough of it! Feeding only jelly cat food to your furry buddy will work as long as you ensure your cat gets the following essential nutrients:

    Nutrients

    Details

    Animal proteins and amino acids

    Opt for a combination of jelly food containing animal proteins (and not the indigestible vegetable ones). Authentic meats and organs also have taurine, a powerful amino acid that boosts your cat’s health by:

    • Aiding the production of antibodies
    • Serving as building blocks of cells and tissues
    • Helping with the growth, repair, maintenance, and reproduction in felines

    Fatty acids

    In the right amount, fatty acids help maintain a shiny coat and healthy skin in cats. Jelly food is often set in meat broth, giving it the adequate amount of fatty acids

    Vitamins

    Whatever food you feed your feline, make sure they get the essential vitamins like:

    • Vitamin A, B, D, E, and K
    • Riboflavin
    • Niacin
    • Pantothenic acid
    • Folic acid

    Jelly food usually gets these vitamins from meat

    Minerals

    Cat food should offer the perfect amount of the following minerals:

    1. Calcium
    2. Chlorine
    3. Copper
    4. Iron
    5. Iodine
    6. Magnesium
    7. Manganese
    8. Phosphorus
    9. Potassium
    10. Selenium
    11. Sodium
    12. Zinc

    Every mineral has a different function, like supporting oral health, vision, or bone density

    Dietary fibre

    Cats need dietary fibre for smooth digestion and healthy weight maintenance

    Give your fluffy companion a slice of the good life—explore Untamed’s delightful jelly recipes today!

    If you’re looking for the most palatable jelly food for your cat, Untamed is what you need! Whether your furry friend has a mild or a wild side, they will hit it off with our nutrient-balanced recipes instantly.

    Depending on your cat’s meat preferences and dietary needs, you can choose one or more recipes from our yummy jelly offer:

    1. Chocka Chicken in Jelly
    2. Chocka Chicken with Duck in Jelly
    3. Tuck-in Tuna in Jelly
    4. Tuck-in Tuna with Salmon in Jelly
    5. Tuck-in Tuna with Shrimp in Jelly

    Our jelly recipes contain 81% moisture and have the necessary quantities of crude proteins, fats, and fibre and a hypoallergenic formula. Untamed food is also rich in powerful antioxidants. Our meat and fish broths are simmered to lock in the nutrients before they are set as jellies.

    Untamed also offers delectable gravy recipes—complete standalone meals that will win your cat over in seconds. Click here if you want to try our taster pack at the best price!

    A close-up of a white and pastel pink can of Untamed’s Chocka Chicken in Jelly

    The cat food revolution begins with Untamed—our jelly recipes will keep your cat strong, sharp, and ready to pounce!

    Image (c) Untamed

    What if your cat only eats the jelly and leaves the rest?

    Feeding a fussy feline is like a low-stakes version of Russian roulette—you don’t know how it’ll unfold. You serve the fanciest, priciest food to your kitty dearest, and they sniff and walk away with a hissy meow so you know you’ve let them down! 

    If you’ve noticed your cat only eats the jelly but leaves the meaty bits, it’s most likely because the meat doesn’t appeal to their senses. You’ll never face this problem with Untamed—our food is 100% cat approved!

    A grey tabby cat lying in a red background and wearing a loaf of bread with a cavity to fit their face

    Hooman, I loaf you, but why is my jelly treat filled with deceitful meat? Fix it, or I make no eye contact.

    Source: Anna Shvets

    In case you’re preparing homemade jelly food, make sure the meat is not raw or unevenly cooked, as that may be the reason why your cat is avoiding it.

    Commercial jelly food can also be underwhelming in terms of meat quality. Many cat food brands have hard and tasteless meat hiding behind all that jelly, but not Untamed. When your cat digs into our jelly food, they will find a juicy, nom-nom delight that blows their mind!

    Why choose Untamed?

    Untamed is a team of cat lovers preparing food approved by cats. We wanted to offer our feline friends meals they will like and benefit from healthwise. 

    At Untamed, we don’t follow the herd but stick to our beliefs about high-quality cat food. We use human-grade whole meat from cruelty-free and environmentally sustainable sources and offer twice as much real protein than your average cat food! Once you switch to Untamed’s grain-free meals, you should notice visible changes in your cat’s health from the very first week!

    Here’s what our customers report:

    Timeline

    Results

    One week

    The cat’s digestive system adjusts to a natural diet, resulting in good poo quality and a spike in energy levels

    Two months

    After two months of enjoying a natural diet of high-protein whole meats, your cat will boast better muscle tone and agility

    Four months and beyond

    Your cat will have:

    • A stunning coat
    • No hairballs
    • Strong immune response
    • A happy disposition throughout the day
    A cream British Shorthair possessively sitting by some Untamed products while a black Scottish Fold peeps from a brown carton

    Duck off, kiddo! I’m not sharing my Untamed goodies with anyone!

    Image (c) Untamed

    Can I feed Untamed’s jelly or gravy food to kittens?

    Kittens recently weaned off milk have sensitive stomachs that may act up if you transition them to an inadequate diet filled with artificial or biologically inappropriate ingredients. While you should exercise care and diligence while feeding anything new to your cat, you can rest assured that Untamed’s jelly and gravy products are suitable for every feline, irrespective of age. 

    Our formulas work for young, adult, and senior cats because they thrive on tailor-made food that resembles the one they would eat in the wild. Kittens can grow and prosper at a healthy pace when their tummies aren't not busy adjusting to hard-to-digest foods, so Untamed formulas are your best choice!

    Have more queries about kitten nutrition? Use our guides to the following topics for support:

    How do I introduce Untamed to my cat?

    If you want to offer the best to your kitty, start them on a personalised Untamed meal plan today! All you have to do is order our trial box with a selection of the gravy or jelly recipes you desire. 

    We enable home delivery of cat food free of charge and also use recyclable packaging to honour our commitment to preserving the environment. If you want to modify the delivery cycle or change your monthly cat food orders, you can tweak the subscription at any time!

    A brown and teal carton of various Untamed wet food cans forming a part of the trial pack

    Surprise your cat with their puuursonal Untamed meal box

    Image (c) Untamed

    You can choose to cancel, pause, or skip a delivery whenever you wish. All you have to do is log in to your account and reach out to us 24 hours before your next scheduled drop-off!

    Remember that all Untamed products have a shelf life of three years, so you can shop ahead of time without worries.