The scores
Wellness Complete Health Indoor: B (80/100)
Taste of the Wild Canyon River: B (76/100)
A 4-point gap within the same letter grade. Wellness holds the top spot in our cat food rankings, while Taste of the Wild ties with Blue Buffalo for second place. Both are solidly in B territory - well above the C-grade vet brands and miles ahead of the budget options. The gap here is about refinement, not quality class.
Read our full reviews of Wellness and Taste of the Wild for the complete ingredient breakdowns.
How the ingredients compare
Here are the first five ingredients side by side:
Wellness: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Rice, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice
Taste of the Wild: Trout, Ocean Fish Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Potatoes
Two completely different formulation strategies. Wellness goes grain-inclusive with double chicken protein and traditional whole grains. Taste of the Wild goes grain-free with fish proteins and legume-based starches. Both place two animal proteins before any carbohydrate - the right priority for obligate carnivores. The real differences emerge in the carbohydrate base and the supplement profile further down the ingredient list.
Where Wellness pulls ahead
Cleaner carbohydrate base. Rice, ground barley, and ground brown rice are wholesome, digestible grains with genuine nutritional value. Taste of the Wild relies on sweet potatoes, peas, and potatoes - a legume-heavy starch base with potato protein appearing further down the list as a plant-based protein booster. Wellness's grain-inclusive approach also avoids the grain-free/DCM question, which is less studied in cats than dogs but still worth considering.
Probiotics and digestive support. Wellness includes chicory root extract as a prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The formula takes a more targeted approach to digestive health than Taste of the Wild, which also includes chicory root but relies more heavily on its legume-based fiber sources.
Salmon oil omega-3s. While Taste of the Wild gets omega-3s from its fish proteins, Wellness adds salmon oil as a dedicated omega-3 source delivering marine EPA and DHA directly. This targeted supplementation, on top of the flaxseed already in the formula, gives Wellness a thorough omega-3 profile despite being a chicken-based food.
No plant protein padding. Wellness keeps its protein profile clean and animal-based. Taste of the Wild includes potato protein further down the ingredient list - a plant-based booster that inflates the total protein percentage without providing the complete amino acid profile cats need from animal sources. Shop on Amazon →
Where Taste of the Wild holds its own
Protein diversity. Three named fish sources - trout, ocean fish meal, and smoked salmon - give Taste of the Wild the most diverse protein profile in our cat food database. Each fish brings a different amino acid profile and nutrient set. Wellness's chicken-only approach is solid but less varied. For long-term feeding, protein diversity can reduce the risk of developing sensitivities over time.
Novel proteins for sensitive cats. If your cat has a chicken sensitivity - itchy skin, digestive upset, excessive grooming - Taste of the Wild's fish-based formula is a natural alternative. It provides a complete protein swap without dropping in quality. You can't do that with Wellness without switching to an entirely different product line.
Built-in omega-3s. Fish proteins are naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, so Taste of the Wild's omega-3 content is woven into the protein structure itself, not just added as a supplement. For cats who specifically need omega-3 support for skin or coat issues, a fish-based formula delivers it more thoroughly. It's also typically the most affordable B-grade cat food available - manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods, the production scale keeps prices competitive, often undercutting Wellness by a meaningful margin per pound. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
Wellness earns the win with a cleaner ingredient list, better carbohydrate sourcing, and a more complete supplement package. The 4-point gap reflects genuine differences in formulation quality - no plant protein padding, wholesome grains over legumes, and targeted probiotic and omega-3 supplementation. But Taste of the Wild isn't far behind, and it has clear advantages for specific situations: cats who need novel fish proteins, owners who want the best value in the B tier, or cats who simply prefer fish-based food. For most cats, Wellness is the better all-around pick. For fish-loving or chicken-sensitive cats, Taste of the Wild is the smarter choice.