Ingredient library
223 entries covering what turns up on pet food, treat, toy, litter, and grooming labels. What each one is, where it comes from, what it is doing in the product, and who should be careful.
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5 we'd avoid51 worth knowing119 neutral48 doing real work
A
- Neutral:Activated carbonOdor absorber · in 4 scored products
- Worth knowing:Added colorColor additive · in 60 scored products
- Worth knowing:Added flame retardantsFlame retardant
- Worth knowing:Added sugarSweetener · in 73 scored products
- Neutral:Alcohol (solvent)Solvent · in 5 scored products
- Neutral:AlfalfaForage · in 50 scored products
- Neutral:Almonds and peanutsNut and seed · in 30 scored products
- Neutral:Aloe veraBotanical · in 31 scored products
- Neutral:AndrographisHerbal supplement · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:Animal digestFlagged ingredient · in 3 scored products
- Worth knowing:Animal fatUnnamed animal fat · in 30 scored products
- Neutral:Anticaking agentsProcessing aid · in 18 scored products
- Worth knowing:Antimicrobial treatmentsFabric treatment
- Doing real work:AppleFruit and vegetable · in 149 scored products
- Worth knowing:Artificial colorsSynthetic dye · in 27 scored products
- Worth knowing:Artificial flavorSynthetic flavoring · in 13 scored products
- Neutral:AshwagandhaHerbal supplement · in 2 scored products
- Neutral:AvocadoFruit and plant oil · in 12 scored products
B
- Doing real work:B vitaminsEssential vitamin · in 328 scored products
- Neutral:Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)Leavening and buffer · in 21 scored products
- Doing real work:BarleyWhole grain · in 76 scored products
- Neutral:Bed foamsBed material · in 7 scored products
- Doing real work:BeefNamed whole protein · in 102 scored products
- Neutral:Beef fatNamed animal fat · in 28 scored products
- Doing real work:BerriesFruit · in 172 scored products
- We'd avoid:BHA and BHTSynthetic antioxidant · in 26 scored products
- Doing real work:Bison, venison, and buffaloNovel protein · in 15 scored products
- Neutral:Black pepper extractHerbal supplement · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:Blood mealUnnamed rendered protein · in 4 scored products
- Worth knowing:BoratesBoron salt · in 2 scored products
- Neutral:BoswelliaHerbal supplement · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Botanical extractsBotanical extract · in 70 scored products
- Doing real work:Brewers dried yeastFunctional yeast · in 144 scored products
- Neutral:Brewers riceGrain fragment · in 49 scored products
- Neutral:BromelainHerbal supplement · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Brown riceWhole grain · in 134 scored products
C
- Neutral:Calcium and phosphorus sourcesMacromineral · in 310 scored products
- Neutral:Calcium fructoborateJoint supplement · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:CarrageenanThickener · in 35 scored products
- Doing real work:CarrotVegetable · in 191 scored products
- Neutral:CatnipToy filling · in 13 scored products
- Neutral:CeramicBowl and fountain material · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:ChamomileHerbal supplement · in 7 scored products
- Doing real work:Chelated mineralsTrace mineral · in 252 scored products
- Neutral:Chelating agentsWater softener · in 8 scored products
- Doing real work:ChickenNamed whole protein · in 277 scored products
- Neutral:Chicken brothMoisture carrier · in 118 scored products
- Neutral:Chicken by-product mealRendered by-product · in 44 scored products
- Doing real work:Chicken fatNamed animal fat · in 153 scored products
- Doing real work:Chicken heartNamed organ meat · in 54 scored products
- Doing real work:Chicken liverNamed organ meat · in 96 scored products
- Doing real work:Chicken mealNamed rendered protein · in 112 scored products
- Doing real work:Chicory rootPrebiotic fiber · in 179 scored products
- Neutral:ChlorellaAlgae · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Chlorine dioxideAntimicrobial · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:ChlorophyllinColor additive or deodorant · in 1 scored product
- Doing real work:Choline chlorideEssential nutrient · in 374 scored products
- Neutral:Citric acidAcidulant and preservative · in 188 scored products
- Worth knowing:Clay litter dustLitter substrate · in 12 scored products
- Neutral:Cleaning bacteria culturesCleaning culture · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Cleaning enzymesCleaning enzyme · in 3 scored products
- Neutral:Cleansing surfactantsCleanser · in 46 scored products
- Neutral:Coconut oilPlant fat · in 56 scored products
- Doing real work:Colloidal oatmealTopical soother · in 13 scored products
- Neutral:Conditioning agentsShampoo conditioner · in 18 scored products
- Neutral:CornWhole grain · in 65 scored products
- Worth knowing:Cosmetic preservativesShampoo preservative · in 27 scored products
- Neutral:Cotton rope and fabricToy material · in 5 scored products
D
- Neutral:Dehydrated chicken feetWhole-part chew
- Worth knowing:Diatomaceous earthPowder base · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Dong quaiHerbal supplement · in 1 scored product
- Doing real work:Dried beet pulpFiber · in 89 scored products
- Doing real work:DuckNamed whole protein · in 28 scored products
- Neutral:Dust-control oilsLitter additive · in 4 scored products
E
- Doing real work:EggComplete protein · in 149 scored products
- Neutral:Eggshell membraneJoint supplement · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:Elk antlerChew material
- Worth knowing:Essential oil blendBotanical fragrance · in 10 scored products
- We'd avoid:EthoxyquinSynthetic antioxidant · in 1 scored product
F
- Neutral:Fabrics and fillFabric and fill · in 13 scored products
- Neutral:FeathersToy material · in 3 scored products
- Neutral:Fermentation extracts (enzymes)Digestive enzyme · in 21 scored products
- Neutral:Fish (species not named)Unnamed fish · in 21 scored products
- Neutral:Fish mealUnnamed fish protein · in 68 scored products
- Doing real work:Fish oilOmega-3 oil · in 223 scored products
- Doing real work:FlaxseedOilseed · in 236 scored products
- Neutral:Flea collar matrixPesticide inert
- We'd avoid:Fluorinated finish (PFAS)Fluorinated chemistry
- Worth knowing:FragranceUndisclosed scent blend · in 36 scored products
G
- Worth knowing:GarlicAllium · in 14 scored products
- Neutral:GelatinStructural protein · in 32 scored products
- Neutral:GingerHerbal supplement · in 13 scored products
- Neutral:Glucosamine and chondroitinJoint supplement · in 27 scored products
- Neutral:Grape seed extractBotanical extract · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:Grapefruit seed extractBotanical preservative · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Guar gum and other gumsThickener · in 160 scored products
H
- Neutral:Harness, leash and collar materialsHarness, leash and collar material · in 8 scored products
- Neutral:Herbal roots and barksHerbal supplement · in 3 scored products
- Neutral:HoneyNatural sweetener · in 3 scored products
- Neutral:Humic and fulvic acidsSupplement · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Hyaluronic acidJoint supplement · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Hydrogen peroxideOxidizing cleaner · in 1 scored product
I
L
- Doing real work:L-carnitineFunctional nutrient · in 65 scored products
- Doing real work:LambNamed whole protein · in 57 scored products
- Doing real work:Leafy greensVegetable · in 165 scored products
- Neutral:LeatherToy material · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:LecithinEmulsifier · in 45 scored products
- Worth knowing:Liver (species not named)Unnamed organ meat · in 24 scored products
M
- Worth knowing:Meat and bone mealUnnamed rendered protein · in 22 scored products
- Worth knowing:Meat by-productsUnnamed by-product · in 26 scored products
- Worth knowing:Meat flavor and digestPalatant · in 45 scored products
- Neutral:Medicinal mushroomsHerbal supplement · in 5 scored products
- Neutral:MelatoninHormone supplement · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:Menadione (vitamin K3)Synthetic vitamin · in 73 scored products
- Neutral:Metal partsHardware · in 7 scored products
- Worth knowing:Microplastics (synthetic toy materials)Flagged ingredient
- Neutral:Milk and dairy ingredientsDairy protein · in 61 scored products
- Doing real work:Mineral premixNutrient premix · in 114 scored products
- Neutral:Mineral salts and oxidesTrace mineral · in 426 scored products
- Doing real work:Mixed tocopherolsNatural preservative · in 464 scored products
- Neutral:Montmorillonite clayMineral binder · in 14 scored products
- Neutral:MSM (methylsulfonylmethane)Joint supplement · in 3 scored products
N
- Neutral:Named scent compoundsFragrance component · in 2 scored products
- Worth knowing:Natural flavorUndisclosed flavoring · in 370 scored products
- Doing real work:Natural rubberToy material · in 13 scored products
- Worth knowing:Neem oilBotanical oil · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:Neonicotinoid insecticidesPesticide active · in 6 scored products
- Doing real work:New Zealand green musselFunctional shellfish · in 20 scored products
- Neutral:Nonfluorinated repellent finishRepellent finish · in 1 scored product
O
- Doing real work:OatsWhole grain · in 114 scored products
- Neutral:Odor absorbersDeodorant active · in 4 scored products
- Worth knowing:OnionAllium · in 2 scored products
- Worth knowing:Oral antisepticsAntiseptic · in 5 scored products
- Neutral:Oral-care enzymesOral-care enzyme · in 4 scored products
- We'd avoid:Organohalogen and listed flame retardantsFlame retardant
- Worth knowing:Organophosphate insecticidesPesticide active · in 3 scored products
P
- Neutral:Paper and cardboardToy material · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:PassionflowerHerbal supplement · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:PeasPulse legume · in 229 scored products
- Neutral:Pee pad materialsPee pad material · in 3 scored products
- Neutral:PerliteMineral carrier · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:Pesticide activesFlagged ingredient · in 43 scored products
- Neutral:pH adjusterpH adjuster · in 3 scored products
- Worth knowing:Phenylpyrazole insecticidesPesticide active · in 7 scored products
- Neutral:Plant fibersToy material · in 3 scored products
- Doing real work:Plant-based litter substrateLitter substrate · in 7 scored products
- Worth knowing:Plant-oil pesticide activesPesticide active · in 24 scored products
- Doing real work:PorkNamed whole protein · in 51 scored products
- Neutral:Pork by-productsNamed by-product · in 10 scored products
- Neutral:PotatoStarch · in 157 scored products
- Neutral:Poultry (species not named)Unnamed poultry · in 32 scored products
- Neutral:Powdered celluloseFiber · in 63 scored products
- Doing real work:Probiotic culturesLive culture · in 124 scored products
- Neutral:Processing phosphatesProcessing aid · in 45 scored products
- Worth knowing:Propylene glycolHumectant · in 6 scored products
- Neutral:Protein isolateConcentrated protein fraction · in 153 scored products
- Doing real work:Psyllium huskSoluble fiber · in 17 scored products
- Doing real work:PumpkinVegetable · in 132 scored products
- Worth knowing:Pyrethrins and synergistsPesticide active · in 4 scored products
- Worth knowing:Pyrethroid insecticidesPesticide active · in 8 scored products
R
- Worth knowing:RawhideChew material · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:Repellent finish (chemistry not named)Repellent finish · in 7 scored products
- Neutral:Rigid plastic partsFrame part · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Rosemary extractBotanical antioxidant · in 214 scored products
- Neutral:RyeWhole grain · in 6 scored products
S
- Doing real work:Salmon and other named fishNamed fish protein · in 149 scored products
- Neutral:SaltMacromineral · in 416 scored products
- Neutral:Sand and rockToy material · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Scratcher materialsScratcher material · in 2 scored products
- Neutral:Shampoo thickenersShampoo thickener · in 6 scored products
- Doing real work:Shrimp and shellfishMarine protein · in 7 scored products
- Neutral:Silica gel litterLitter substrate · in 7 scored products
- Neutral:SilvervineToy filling · in 2 scored products
- Neutral:SkullcapHerbal supplement · in 1 scored product
- Worth knowing:Smoke flavorSmoke flavoring · in 30 scored products
- Worth knowing:Sodium nitriteCuring agent · in 7 scored products
- We'd avoid:Soft PVC and plasticizersSoft plastic · in 2 scored products
- Doing real work:SorghumAncient grain · in 48 scored products
- Neutral:SoyLegume protein · in 63 scored products
- Worth knowing:Spinosyn insecticidesPesticide active · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Spray dried porcine plasmaFunctional protein · in 14 scored products
- Doing real work:Stainless steelBowl and fountain material · in 9 scored products
- Neutral:StarchThickener and binder · in 41 scored products
- Neutral:Sugar alcoholsSweetener and humectant · in 3 scored products
- Worth knowing:Sulfite preservativesSulfite preservative · in 5 scored products
- Neutral:Supplemental amino acidsAmino acid · in 180 scored products
- Doing real work:Sweet potatoStarch · in 128 scored products
- Worth knowing:Synthetic fabricBed and blanket fabric · in 18 scored products
- Neutral:Synthetic feeder, fountain and litter box materialsBowl, fountain and litter box material · in 7 scored products
- Worth knowing:Synthetic toy materialsToy material · in 30 scored products
T
- Doing real work:TaurineEssential amino acid · in 311 scored products
- Worth knowing:Tea tree oilEssential oil · in 4 scored products
- Neutral:Tomato pomaceFiber · in 45 scored products
- Neutral:Topical ferments and probiotic blendsSkin-care ferment · in 3 scored products
- Neutral:Topical skin activesShampoo active · in 4 scored products
- Doing real work:TurkeyNamed whole protein · in 98 scored products
- Neutral:TurmericSpice · in 79 scored products
U
V
- Neutral:Valerian rootHerbal supplement · in 3 scored products
- Neutral:Vegetable glycerinHumectant · in 127 scored products
- Neutral:Vegetable oilPlant fat · in 198 scored products
- Neutral:VinegarAcidulant · in 56 scored products
- Doing real work:Vitamin AFat-soluble vitamin · in 302 scored products
- Doing real work:Vitamin CVitamin and antioxidant · in 111 scored products
- Doing real work:Vitamin D2Fat-soluble vitamin · in 2 scored products
- Doing real work:Vitamin D3Fat-soluble vitamin · in 294 scored products
- Doing real work:Vitamin premixNutrient premix · in 111 scored products
W
- Neutral:Wand rod and handleWand rod and handle · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:Waste bag materialsWaste bag material · in 2 scored products
- Neutral:WaterBase · in 153 scored products
- Neutral:Waterproof films and backingsWaterproof layer · in 1 scored product
- Neutral:WheatWhole grain · in 86 scored products
- Neutral:WoodSolid wood · in 2 scored products
- Neutral:WoolToy material · in 3 scored products