Is Friskies good for cats?
Yes, for most healthy adult cats, and it costs the least per day of the brands we price: about $1.34 for the typical recipe. All 30 Friskies meals we read are complete and balanced. The catch is carbs: only 1 is under 10%, Friskies Extra Gravy Paté with Salmon in Savory Gravy at 3%.
Cheapest low-carb
Friskies Extra Gravy Paté with Salmon in Savory Gravy
3% carbs · 44% protein · $1.42 a day2
How we pick: Every pick is a meal its maker states is complete and balanced, for adult cats. Cheapest per day: the cheapest Friskies meal per day. Cheapest low-carb: the cheapest Friskies meal per day under 10% carbs. Most protein: the Friskies meal with the most protein. Prices on Amazon, October 27, 2026. Cost per day is for a 10 lb adult cat eating only this food.4, 5
Friskies at a glance
The 30 Friskies meals we read, water taken out
From Purina's label files for each recipe. Friskies doesn't publish lab tests or phosphorus.
What Friskies does well
- Every recipe is a complete meal. All 30 labels we read say the food is formulated to meet AAFCO's nutrient profiles for cats.
- It costs the least per day of the brands we price. The typical Friskies recipe is about $1.34 a day for a 10 lb cat. The cheapest, Friskies Sea Captain's Choice Paté, is $1.20.
- Protein is solid. The typical recipe is 50% protein once the water is out (41 to 56%). Big 5.5 oz cans hold 123 to 181 calories, so a cat needs fewer of them.
Each Friskies line, by the numbers
The Friskies lines we have labels for, lowest typical carbs first. The price is the cheapest complete-and-balanced adult meal in each line on Amazon.
Carbs and protein are shares of the food once the water is taken out, so cans and pouches compare fairly. These are estimates from the label, which run low on carbs for very meaty cans. Cost per day = what a 10 lb adult cat eating only this food would cost.
| Recipe | Carbs | Protein | Cost per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Gravy Pâté (1 recipe) | 3% carbs | 44% protein | $1.42 a day |
| Prime Filets (7 recipes) | 12% carbs | 56% protein | $1.53 a day |
| Extra Gravy Chunky (4 recipes) | 14% carbs | 50% protein | $1.72 a day |
| Shreds (6 recipes) | 17 to 19% carbs | 50% protein | $1.64 a day |
| Pâté (9 recipes) | 11 to 20% carbs | 41% protein | $1.20 a day |
| Tasty Treasures (3 recipes) | 20% carbs | 50% protein | $1.62 a day |
Source: Purina label files for each Friskies recipe; Amazon prices read October 27, 20264
The trade-offs
Most recipes are higher in carbs. The typical Friskies meal is about 15% carbs once the water is out. If your vet wants fewer carbs, pick Friskies Extra Gravy Paté with Salmon in Savory Gravy or see the best low-carb wet cat food.
Grain, by-products and carrageenan. 29 of 30 recipes list a grain, 29 list meat by-products and 10 list carrageenan. All are allowed in cat food; some owners avoid them.
Fancy Feast is the same maker. Most Fancy Feast pâtés have fewer carbs but cost more per day. See Fancy Feast vs Friskies.
Questions people ask
- Is Friskies good for cats?
- For most healthy adult cats, yes. All 30 recipes we read are complete meals, the typical recipe is 50% protein once the water is out, and it costs the least per day. Most recipes are higher in carbs.
- Which Friskies is lowest in carbs?
- Friskies Extra Gravy Paté with Salmon in Savory Gravy: 3% carbs by the label. For the most protein, Friskies Prime Filets with Beef in Gravy (56%).
- Is Friskies junk food?
- No. Every Friskies recipe we read is a complete meal under AAFCO rules, not a treat. It uses grain and by-products, and most recipes run higher in carbs than premium brands.
- How many cans of Friskies should a cat eat a day?
- About 1.5 cans of Friskies Sea Captain's Choice Paté for a 10 lb neutered adult (261 calories a day). Ask your vet for your cat.
Review log
- Prices checked on Amazon October 27, 2026.
- : Published
Notes and sources
- Friskies numbers are Purina's own, from its label files, read October 2026. See how we do the math.
- This page compares food facts. For a cat with kidney disease, diabetes or another health problem, ask your vet what to feed.
- Product photos come from Amazon.
- Friskies label: Sea Captain's Choice Paté, read October 2026.
- Friskies label: Extra Gravy Paté with Salmon in Savory Gravy, read October 2026.
- Friskies label: Prime Filets with Beef in Gravy, read October 2026.
- Prices: Amazon product data, read October 27, 2026. Cost per can = listing price divided by the number of cans.
- Merck Veterinary Manual, "Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals" (resting energy = 70 x body weight in kg to the 0.75; neutered adult cat = 1.2 x that), read October 27, 2026.
Labels for the recipes in the tables
- Friskies: Extra Gravy Chunky with Beef in Savory Gravy, Extra Gravy Chunky with Chicken in Savory Gravy, Extra Gravy Chunky with Salmon in Savory Gravy, Extra Gravy Chunky with Turkey in Savory Gravy, Extra Gravy Paté with Salmon in Savory Gravy, Prime Filets Turkey Dinner in Gravy, Prime Filets with Beef in Gravy, Prime Filets with Chicken in Gravy, Prime Filets with Ocean Whitefish & Tuna in Sauce, Sea Captain's Choice Paté, Shreds Chicken in Gravy, Tasty Treasures with Chicken in Gravy, Tasty Treasures with Ocean Fish & Tuna in Sauce, Tasty Treasures with Turkey in Gravy.