The History of Kal Kan Cat Food

kal kan cat food

Kal Kan has a proud legacy of producing quality pet foods since 1936, making them one of the leading market leaders in America.

Chewy Online Pet Supplies


35% Off at Chewy.com

+ Free Shipping

Save Now

The company also creates recipes specifically tailored for senior cats. This includes one with more protein and glucosamine to aid with joint health in senior cats.

Contents

What is Kal Kan?

Kal Kan is a pet food brand that has been around since 1936. It is owned by Mars Petcare, which also owns Crave, Royal Canin and Pedigree brands.

Kal Kan began as Stirling Packing Company, specializing in canned dog foods featuring horse meat. Over time they transitioned away from using horse meat and began using other kinds of meat instead.

In 1968, Mars acquired Whiskas and renamed it Whiskas. This move proved wise as Mars was already a leading pet food manufacturer at that time.

It enabled them to remain a major player in the US market until the 1990s. During that decade, they released several new products such as cat snacks and lactose-free milk for cats.

They even make formulas specifically for older cats. This food comes in small flakes to make it easier to consume for an elderly cat and contains more protein and glucosamine which helps maintain joint health.

Why is Kal Kan so popular?

Kal Kan began producing pet foods in 1936. Headquartered near Los Angeles, California, its operations quickly spread throughout both America and England.

Mars Inc. acquired the company in 1968, and it subsequently became a subsidiary of Petfoods Ltd (later renamed Pedigree Petfoods).

In the late 1980s, Mars renamed Kal Kan’s dog food in America to Pedigree. This shift caused outrage among cat owners who had been using the brand under its original name for many years.

Despite this negative response, the company continued to introduce new products. In 1993, Whiskas Crunch was launched – a crunchy mixture sprinkled on canned cat food to stimulate appetite – and Whiskas Ultramilk followed, providing lactose-free cat milk which was more digestible than regular but still rich and creamy.

What are the ingredients in Kal Kan?

Since 1936, Kal Kan pet food has collaborated with expert animal nutritionists to craft nutritious and delicious food for your pup or cat using only top-grade ingredients.

Mars purchased Whiskas in 1968 and renamed it Whiskas by 1988. At that time, Whiskas was the leading cat food brand in the UK.

After the switch, sales declined. But Mars increased meat content in their food products and began advertising more heavily to make up for lost sales and become a global brand.

The company offers several formulas, the most popular being the soft chicken pouch for kittens. This formulation contains plenty of protein and has a special sauce that kittens enjoy. Furthermore, it contains more fatty acids than most other kitten foods do.

How much does Kal Kan cost?

Kal Kan is a pet food company founded in 1936 as Stirling Packing Company, near Los Angeles, California.

Mars acquired the company in 1968, adding it to their Pedigree pet foods line. Since then, they have been developing new products and refining existing formulas of cat and dog food.

Additionally, the company was working to introduce pet snacks and lactose-free milk for cats. Ultimately, it renamed its cat food Whiskas to Kal Kan.

The company also introduced Expert, a product designed to compete with Hill’s Science Diet and lams brands for the specialty vet market. Unfortunately, Expert failed to attract consumers and cost the company $50 million in losses.

Kal Kan continues to manufacture pet food with a wide variety of foods suitable for different age groups. In Japan, especially, their kitten foods have become highly sought-after as they meet special nutritional needs – they need plenty of protein and other essential building blocks for growth.