Hill's Science Diet Adult Healthy Cuisine Roasted Chicken & Rice Medley Wet Cat Food
The highest-moisture, lowest-calorie food in the cat ranking and one of the few cans with feeding-trial substantiation - at roughly $29.97 per 1,000 kcal, the most expensive cat food here by any measure.
Score breakdown
The overall score of 68/100 is a weighted sum of the six dimensions below. Each dimension shows what we found in this specific formula.
Weight 30% · Algorithm-computed score 64/100
Algorithm: first ingredient “Chicken Broth” is neutral; 2 named animal ingredients in the top five; protein 36.7% on a dry-matter basis (target for this stage: 28%).
Weight 20% · Algorithm-computed score 65/100
Algorithm: first ingredient is not a named animal source; among the top five, 0 by-product/unnamed and 0 plant-protein concentrate items.
Weight 18% · Editorially assessed score 92/100
AAFCO statement: Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that Hill's Science Diet Adult Healthy Cuisine Roasted Chicken & Rice Medley Cat Food provides complete and balanced nutrition for maintenance of adult cats.. Formulated-to-meet profiles are acceptable but weaker evidence than feeding trials, which caps the score here.
Weight 14% · Editorially assessed score 80/100
One recall event, announced in three waves between January and May 2019: a withdrawal of roughly 22 million cans of Science Diet and Prescription Diet wet dog food for elevated vitamin D traced to a supplier premix error. FDA issued Hill's a warning letter the same year over incoming-ingredient verification. No dry food, cat food or treats were affected, and nothing has been recalled since.
Weight 10% · Algorithm-computed score 15/100
Algorithm: about $29.97 per 1,000 kcal ($$$ tier), normalized against same-species peers, wet and dry together (cheapest = 100, most expensive ≈ 15).
Weight 8% · Editorially assessed score 88/100
Owner ratings are consistently high across major retailers, with few recurring palatability complaints.
Pros and cons
What we like
- AAFCO feeding trials rather than a formulation calculation - rare in a canned cat food and the reason its standards score leads the wet field
- 85% moisture, the highest of any cat food here, which is the single most useful number for a cat that drinks little
- 832 kcal/kg - the lowest calorie density of any cat food here, useful when you need volume without calories
- 4.7/5 across about 700 ratings; texture and aroma are the recurring praise
What we don't
- Roughly $29.97 per 1,000 kcal, the most expensive food per calorie in the entire ranking
- 5.5% protein as-fed is the lowest of any cat food here; even on a dry-matter basis it only reaches about 37%
- Chicken broth leads, and wheat gluten, rice starch and powdered cellulose all appear before the first vitamin
- 2.8 oz cans mean a lot of packaging per calorie and a refrigerated leftover for most cats
Ingredients & nutrition analysis
The first five ingredients tell most of the story:
There is a version of this can that is genuinely best-in-class. 85% moisture is the highest of any cat food here, 832 kcal/kg is the lowest calorie density, and unlike almost every other canned cat food it is substantiated by AAFCO feeding trials rather than a formulation calculation. For a cat that will not drink, or one that needs to lose weight without a smaller bowl, those three numbers are hard to beat.
Then there is the price. At $1.98 for a 2.8 oz can and 832 kcal/kg, it works out to roughly $29.97 per 1,000 kcal - about six times Friskies and roughly a quarter more than the next most expensive cat food here. The small can is what does it: you are buying packaging and gravy. Chicken broth leads, 5.5% protein as-fed is the lowest of any cat food here, and rice starch and wheat gluten carry a share of the formula. Buy it for the hydration and the substantiation, not as a protein source.
Alternatives to consider
Other products ranked in Best Wet Cat Food:
80/ 100 Nulo MedalSeries Shredded Chicken & Duck Recipe in Gravy Wet Cat Food
78/ 100 Fancy Feast Classic Pate Chicken Feast Wet Cat Food
Frequently asked questions
Is Hill's Science Diet Adult Healthy Cuisine Roasted Chicken & Rice Medley Wet Cat Food right for my pet?
It is our pick for: Hydration, cats that refuse pate, and adding water to the diet of a cat with a urinary history. It is not the best fit for: Anyone feeding wet food as the sole diet on a budget, and cats that need protein density. Individual animals vary — if your pet has diagnosed health conditions, confirm the choice with your veterinarian.
How much does Hill's Science Diet Adult Healthy Cuisine Roasted Chicken & Rice Medley Wet Cat Food cost?
Expect roughly $11.31 per pound ($$$ tier) depending on bag size and retailer. Check the linked retailers for current pricing; our value score compares cost per 1,000 kcal against comparable formulas.
How should I switch to this food?
Transition over 7–10 days, mixing increasing proportions of the new food into the old. Go slower for puppies, kittens, seniors and pets with sensitive stomachs, and watch stool quality during the switch.
Score history
Every change to this product's score is logged here, including the reason. Scores are recomputed by algorithm whenever ingredient or price data changes.
- 2026-10-22 — Product added. Guaranteed analysis, ingredient list, calorie content, AAFCO statement, price, star rating and review count taken from the current US retail listing and the manufacturer's own label. Editorial scores for standards, safety and reviews assessed against that data.
- 2026-10-19 — Protein quality & source: 0 → 64. Scoring algorithmized: computed from ingredient and price algorithms instead of manual assignment
- 2026-10-19 — Ingredient transparency: 0 → 65. Scoring algorithmized: computed from ingredient and price algorithms instead of manual assignment
- 2026-10-19 — Value for money: 0 → 15. Scoring algorithmized: computed from ingredient and price algorithms instead of manual assignment