9Lives Hearty Cuts · With Real Beef & Chicken in Gravy

Name: 9Lives Hearty Cuts With Real Beef & Chicken in Gravy
Brand: 9Lives

Wet food · Adult Maintenance

Furry PI's verdict

The label tells a weaker story than the front of the pack suggests for 9Lives Hearty Cuts. It contains caramel color. To be fair, chicken leads the ingredient list — the right start for an obligate carnivore. On balance, most cats are better served by stronger options — the app can suggest better-graded foods of the same type.

What's concerning

Contains caramel color — an ingredient our database flags as genuinely problematic for cats.
Artificial colours or preservatives on the label — caramel color.
Several other ingredients on the label raise quality questions — the full flagged list is in the app.

What works

Chicken leads the ingredient list — the right start for an obligate carnivore.
A strong share of its calories comes from protein.
As a wet food, it delivers the moisture cats rarely drink on their own.

The grade is only the cover of the case file. The free app shows the full 100-point breakdown, every flagged ingredient, and better-graded alternatives for your cat.

Open the full investigation — free

Nutrition from the label (as fed)

Protein	9%
Fat	2.5%
Fiber	1%
Moisture	82%
Ash	3.5%
Carbs (estimated)*	2%

Label: guaranteed analysis (min/max). * not printed on the label — carbs are calculated, ash/moisture estimated from typical values. How these numbers translate into calories from protein vs carbs — and how this food scores on each pillar — is shown in the app.

Quick answers

Is 9Lives Hearty Cuts grain-free?: No — the label lists wheat gluten.
What are the first ingredients in 9Lives Hearty Cuts?: The label opens with chicken, liver and meat by-products. Ingredients are listed by weight, so the first few carry the most.
Does it contain artificial colours or preservatives?: Yes — the label lists caramel color.

More from 9Lives

Grades come from a fixed, formula-based method — the same for every food, never paid for. About Furry PI

Furry PI analyses food labels and isn't a substitute for veterinary advice.