Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Chicken & Spinach Entree Grain-Free Classic Wet Cat Food
The value pick of the grain-free cans: three animal proteins in the first five for roughly $13.01 per 1,000 kcal, with carrageenan and unnamed fish as the compromise.
Score breakdown
The overall score of 77/100 is a weighted sum of the six dimensions below. Each dimension shows what we found in this specific formula.
Weight 30% · Algorithm-computed score 82/100
Algorithm: first ingredient “Chicken” is named whole meat; 3 named animal ingredients in the top five; protein 45.5% on a dry-matter basis (target for this stage: 28%). Deductions: Named by-products.
Weight 20% · Algorithm-computed score 67/100
Algorithm: first ingredient is a named animal source; among the top five, 1 by-product/unnamed and 0 plant-protein concentrate items.
Weight 18% · Editorially assessed score 78/100
AAFCO statement: Pro Plan Complete Essentials Chicken & Spinach Entree is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles 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 84/100
Nine voluntary recalls since 2011, most of them small and lot-specific. Recent events cluster in the prescription channel: a December 2022 mislabelling of Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN cans and a February-March 2023 elevated-vitamin-D withdrawal of EL Elemental dry food. No mainstream retail Pro Plan dry food has been recalled.
Weight 10% · Algorithm-computed score 66/100
Algorithm: about $13.01 per 1,000 kcal ($$$ tier), normalized against same-species peers, wet and dry together (cheapest = 100, most expensive ≈ 15).
Weight 8% · Editorially assessed score 84/100
Owner ratings are generally positive, with a minority of owners reporting picky eating or digestive transition issues.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Chicken, liver and fish in the first five - three named or organ animal proteins before any gum or starch
- At roughly $13.01 per 1,000 kcal from 5.5 oz cans it is the cheapest grain-free can in the Pro Plan line here
- Grain-free with no corn, wheat, soy or potato, and made in Purina-owned US facilities
- The 5.5 oz size cuts per-serving cost sharply against the 3 oz cans most competitors sell
What we don't
- Meat by-products are fourth and fish is unnamed - species is not stated
- Contains carrageenan, which some owners prefer to avoid, plus both artificial and natural flavours
- Formulated-to-meet only, with no feeding-trial substantiation
- 10% protein as-fed is average for the format; 5% fat is neither high nor low
Ingredients & nutrition analysis
The first five ingredients tell most of the story:
The economics here are the story. Almost every grain-free canned cat food is sold in 3 oz cans, and per-ounce pricing punishes that: Wellness pate works out to about $15.39 per 1,000 kcal from 5.5 oz cans and the Pro Plan sensitive-skin 3 oz can to roughly $19.32. This one sells in 5.5 oz at $2.39, which brings it to about $13.01 per 1,000 kcal - the cheapest grain-free can in the Pro Plan line here and not far off the grain-inclusive competition.
What you give up is ingredient precision. Chicken, liver and fish give three animal proteins in the first five, but the fish is unnamed as to species, meat by-products are fourth, and the formula carries carrageenan plus artificial and natural flavours. It is a sensible daily grain-free can, not a showcase label.
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 Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Chicken & Spinach Entree Grain-Free Classic Wet Cat Food right for my pet?
It is our pick for: Feeding a grain-free canned diet daily without paying boutique prices, and multi-cat households. It is not the best fit for: Owners avoiding carrageenan or unnamed fish, and cats with diagnosed fish sensitivities. Individual animals vary — if your pet has diagnosed health conditions, confirm the choice with your veterinarian.
How much does Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Chicken & Spinach Entree Grain-Free Classic Wet Cat Food cost?
Expect roughly $6.95 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 → 82. Scoring algorithmized: computed from ingredient and price algorithms instead of manual assignment
- 2026-10-19 — Ingredient transparency: 0 → 67. Scoring algorithmized: computed from ingredient and price algorithms instead of manual assignment
- 2026-10-19 — Value for money: 0 → 66. Scoring algorithmized: computed from ingredient and price algorithms instead of manual assignment