The Tractor Supply Company is a popular retail store based in the United States. While it stocks products related to home improvement, lawn & garden maintenance, it is best known for its agriculture, livestock, and pet supplies which makes up the bulk of their sales.
The company has a huge footprint with over 1700 stores spread across the United States and has been in business for over 75 years. The companies headquarters are in Nashville, Tennessee.
Like many other large pet food stores, Tractor Supply Company has its own exclusive brand of pet food, which is known as 4Health.
4Health has an extensive product range of dog and cat food, including grain-free and grain-inclusive formulas, canned food, and niche products such as those for kittens or senior cats.
You can learn more about 4Health, including their product range, ingredient selection, and nutritional profile, in our 4Health Review.
Should I Buy My Cat Food At Tractor Supply?
Many pet owners are hesitant or reluctant to support and purchase their products from large retail brands like PetSmart or PetCo. Instead, they choose to support small local pet retailers who aren’t part of large chains.
So, where does Tractor Supply fit in? It certainly isn’t one of the monsters of the pet food world, but it is certainly not a mom-and-pop shop and has a huge number of stores nationwide.
If Tractor Supply is local to you and you are regularly in the area or visiting for other reasons, there is no reason you should not purchase your cat food there. They offer competitive prices and a broad range of products from reliable and trusted brands.
However, if Tractor Supply isn’t local or you wouldn’t frequently shop there, you should compare pricing and consider other online retailers like Chewy or Petflow, who could save you not only time but also money.
Many of these pet food websites offer the convenience of home deliveries and subscription-style services, which have catapulted their growth in recent years.
Best Cat Food At Tractor Supply
4Health Glacial Stream Recipe Review
As we mentioned earlier, 4Health is Tractor Supply’s store brand of pet food, and while many store brands are uninspiring, 4Health is a valid and often impressive choice.
The Untamed range from 4Health is probably their best range and has recipes with impressive nutrition as well as others for cats with allergies or sensitivities.
The Untamed range includes several dry cat food recipes as well as a selection of wet/canned cat food. The Glacial Stream recipe from Untamed is one of our favorites.
The Glacial Stream recipe’s primary ingredient is a large portion of Salmon which is an excellent choice for a cat food recipe.
Salmon can act as a reliable source of fish-based protein and fat, as well as providing high levels of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
This Salmon is joined by a portion of Ocean Fish Meal which is a common addition to moderately priced cat food.
Ocean Fish Meal may sound intimidating, but it is a relatively reliable source and means that protein and fat levels are boosted without resorting to plant-based sources.
Outside of these two fish ingredients, the recipe includes all three of the major legume used in pet food which are Lentils, Chickpeas, and Peas.
These legume ingredients are extremely common in grain-free can food and can provide a portion of carbohydrates, plant-based protein, fiber, and more.
Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach Lamb & Rice Formula Review
Many regular shoppers at Tractor Supply are unaware that their stores often stock Purina recipes, in particular Purina Pro Plan recipes. Purina Pro Plan is more often seen at veterinary clinics as many of these clinics partner with Purina.
Purina Pro Plan can be an extremely controversial brand, with some being unhappy with its choice of ingredients and nutritional profiles.
However, what we do know for sure is that Purina Pro Plan recipes are some of the most researched and tested available, which ensures that they are well suited to your cat.
You can learn more about Purina’s testing and research in our Purina Pro Plan Brand Review.
The above Focus recipe is one of Purina Pro Plan’s most popular and aims to alleviate symptoms related to sensitive skin and stomach issues which is an increasingly common issue for domesticated cats.
This recipe utilizes Lamb as its primary ingredient, which is quite rare for commercial cat food as most tend to favor Chicken, Turkey, or fish ingredients. Despite this rarity, it is still a high-quality addition and can provide a large portion of animal-based protein and fat.
While their portion size is small, the recipe also includes some additional animal-based ingredients, including Egg Product, Chicken Meal, and Fish Meal which help to supplement the Lamb content.
Outside of these meat and fish ingredients, Purina Pro Plan relies on its staple selection of grain ingredients which in this case are Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Soy, and Wheat.
As we mentioned earlier, the use of these grain ingredients can be controversial, but they provide a modest proportion of carbohydrates and fiber, as well as some plant-based protein.
If you are interested in reading an detailed discussion of Brewers’ Rice, head on over to our article – Brewers Rice In Dog Food.
Diamond Naturals Active Cat With Chicken Meal & Rice Review
Diamond is a staple of the pet food industry, which makes its inclusion at Tractor Supply stores unsurprising.
They are best known for being a cost-effective brand that often sells their formulas in large volumes, such as 40lb bags for dog food.
However, just because they sell their recipes in bulk doesn’t mean that Diamond utilizes low-quality ingredients and poor nutrition like some other bulk brands do.
You can learn more about Diamond’s ingredient choices and its background in our Diamond Brand Review.
Active Cat is one of our favorite cat food recipes from Diamond, thanks to its impressive nutritional profile. The recipe includes a minimum of 40% protein and 20% fat which is far more than many premium brands’ recipes.
This impressive nutrition is thanks to a large portion of Chicken Meal and Chicken Fat. Many pet owners are afraid of meat meals like Chicken Meal, but they shouldn’t be. They are extremely dense sources of nutrition as they have already had their moisture removed.
Outside of these Chicken ingredients, Diamond utilizes a large portion of White Rice as its core plant-based ingredient.
While many would prefer Brown Rice, this portion of White Rice is less crucial given the huge portion of Chicken present.
Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Feline Formula Review
Taste of the Wild is another industry staple, and their range of recipes has remained extremely stable over the last decade, in stark contrast to others.
Despite being a modern staple, Taste of the Wild is quite young in comparison to giants like Purina and was only launched back in 2007.
Taste of the Wild fits nicely between pricier premium brands and the cost-effective brands by providing reasonably priced food with satisfactory nutrition and ingredient selection.
If you are interested in learning more about Taste of the Wild, head on over to our Taste of the Wild Brand Review.
Rocky Mountain Formula has been our favorite Taste of the Wild cat food recipe for some time. It packs an impressive minimum of 42% protein and 18% fat which is outstanding for its price point.
The bulk of this protein is from animal-based sources, with the primary ingredient being Chicken Meal.
However, there are also smaller portions of Roasted Venison and Smoked Salmon, which are unusual additions and will give the recipe a unique flavor.
Outside of this unusual mix of meat ingredients, Taste of the Wild utilizes legume and starch ingredients in all of its grain-free recipes, which include ingredients like Peas, Sweet Potatoes, and White Potatoes.
This mix of legumes and starches provide a modest proportion of carbohydrates, plant-based protein, and fiber.
Wellness Core Grain Free Turkey Meal & Duck Recipe Review
Last in our list of recommended cat food brands from Tractor Supply is another big player in Wellness. Many of you will be familiar with seeing Wellness products at other large pet food stores such as PetSmart.
While Wellness has several sub-brands and ranges, we find ourselves coming back to their Core range time and time again.
Its consistent nutrition and selection of higher-quality ingredients make it a no-brainer for cat owners looking for a premium cat food recipe.
You can learn about the Core range and Wellness’s other products in our Wellness Brand Review.
There are several meat choices within the core range, including Turkey, Chicken, Duck, and Salmon. We’ve chosen to highlight the above Turkey and Duck recipe as a change from the bulk of cat food recipes which are Chicken-based.
Similar to other recipes here, this recipe from Wellness provides excellent nutrition with a minimum of 38% protein and 18% fat. This animal-based protein and fat is sourced from a portion of Turkey, Turkey Meal, Pork Meal, and Duck.
While Turkey is extremely similar to Chicken, the Pork and Duck present may give the recipe a more appealing or unique taste.
While some brands choose to use a range of legumes in their recipes, Wellness only includes a single legume ingredient in Peas which is the industry’s most popular choice. These Peas provide a mix of carbohydrates, plant-based protein, and fiber.
Lastly, the recipe includes a small portion of Flaxseed and Tomato Pomace, which add some beneficial micronutrients such as the Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Soluble Fiber to aid digestion.
You can learn more about these two ingredients in our articles – Flaxseed In Dog Food & Tomato Pomace as a Pet Food Ingredient?.
