9Lives Indoor Complete Chicken & Salmon Dry Cat Food

BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)

Classified by the US National Toxicology Program as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, and banned from food in parts of the EU and Japan. Natural alternatives (mixed tocopherols, rosemary) do the same job.

Chicken by-product meal

Nutritionally it can be fine (organs are nutrient-dense), but the exact mix isn't disclosed and varies batch to batch, so quality is unpredictable.

Animal digest

The source animal is never specified and it signals a formula relying on flavour coating rather than palatable ingredients.

Corn gluten meal

Frequently used to inflate the protein percentage without adding meat. It's low in some amino acids pets need, so it's a poor substitute for animal protein.

Artificial colours

Pets are effectively colour-blind to these distinctions — the dye exists to appeal to the human buying it. Some have been linked to hyperactivity in children and offer zero nutritional benefit.