What's actually in Taste of the Wild?
We analyzed Taste of the Wild Canyon River Grain-Free Trout & Smoked Salmon Cat Food. The first five ingredients are trout, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, peas, and potatoes.
Trout as the first ingredient is a strong start. It's a named, whole fish — you know exactly what protein your cat is eating. Ocean fish meal at number two is a concentrated animal protein source, and while "ocean fish" is less specific than a single species, it's still a named category of animal protein, not a mystery meat. Sweet potatoes at number three provide complex carbohydrates with fiber, beta-carotene, and a lower glycemic impact than corn or wheat. That's two animal proteins before any starch, which is a good ratio.
Smoked salmon appears further down the list, adding a third named fish protein. Three distinct fish sources give this formula one of the most diverse aquatic protein profiles in any mainstream cat food. Shop on Amazon →
The good stuff
The protein diversity is the headline. Trout, ocean fish meal, and smoked salmon each bring a slightly different amino acid profile and nutrient set. Fish-based proteins are naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which support coat health, skin integrity, and joint function in cats. You're getting omega-3s built into the protein itself, not just from an added oil.
The fruit and vegetable inclusions are more than decorative. Blueberries and raspberries provide natural antioxidants. Tomatoes add lycopene, another antioxidant. These aren't present in large quantities, but they contribute real micronutrients that you won't find in cheaper formulas built around corn and wheat.
Dried chicory root is a prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria — the same ingredient used in higher-end cat foods for digestive support. Taurine is supplemented, which is essential for cats. No artificial colors, no artificial flavors, no artificial preservatives. The ingredient list is clean and relatively transparent.
The price is competitive. Taste of the Wild is manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods, and that manufacturing scale keeps costs well below what you'd pay for comparable ingredient quality from smaller brands.
The not-so-good stuff
The starch and legume load is the primary concern. Sweet potatoes, peas, and potatoes occupy positions three through five. Potato protein also appears further down the list. That's a significant amount of plant-based starch and protein in a food for an obligate carnivore.
Potato protein is a plant-based protein booster that inflates the total protein percentage without providing the complete amino acid profile of animal sources. When you see both peas and potato protein on the label, some of the reported protein is coming from plants, not fish.
The grain-free question applies here, though it's less clear-cut for cats than for dogs. The FDA's investigation into a potential link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has focused primarily on dogs. Cats are less commonly affected, and their obligate carnivore biology arguably makes a grain-free diet more natural for them. Still, the pea and potato load in this formula is worth noting.
Canola oil appears before smoked salmon on the ingredient list. It's a functional fat source, but it's a plant oil with less nutritional value for cats than animal-based fats. Chicken fat or fish oil would be preferable here.
How it compares
Taste of the Wild ties with Blue Buffalo at B/76, four points behind Wellness (B/80), the top-scoring cat food in our database. The difference comes down to Wellness's cleaner carbohydrate base — whole grains instead of legumes and potatoes — and the absence of plant protein boosters.
Where Taste of the Wild pulls ahead is protein diversity. Three named fish sources versus Wellness's chicken-only approach gives cats a broader amino acid profile and more of the omega-3s they need. If your cat does well on fish-based foods, this formula has an argument.
Compared to the vet-recommended brands, the gap is significant. Hill's Science Diet (C/60) and Purina Pro Plan (C/56) both score a full grade lower. Royal Canin (D/45) scores 31 points lower. Taste of the Wild delivers better ingredients at a comparable or lower price.
Read the full breakdowns in our head-to-head comparisons: Blue Buffalo vs Taste of the Wild, Wellness vs Taste of the Wild, and Canidae vs Taste of the Wild.
The bottom line
Taste of the Wild Canyon River earns a B grade (76/100) from KibbleIQ. Three named fish proteins, antioxidant-rich fruits, prebiotic fiber, and no artificial anything — at a price that undercuts most brands with comparable ingredients. The legume-heavy starch base and potato protein padding keep it from the top spot, but this is a genuinely good cat food at a fair price. If your cat likes fish and you want quality without overpaying, Canyon River delivers. Shop on Amazon →