Cesar Filets in Gravy Dog Food Review (Cups)

Mike Sagman Karan French

By

Mike Sagman
Mike Sagman

Mike Sagman

Founder

Dr Mike Sagman is the creator of the Dog Food Advisor. He founded the website in 2008, after his unquestioning trust in commercial dog food led to the tragic death of his dog Penny.

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&
Karan French
Karan French

Karan French

Senior Researcher

Karan is a senior researcher at the Dog Food Advisor, working closely with our in-house pet nutritionist, Laura Ward, to give pet parents all the information they need to find the best food for their dog.

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Updated: May 8, 2026

Verified by Laura Ward

Laura Ward

Laura Ward

Pet Nutritionist

Laura studied BSc (Hons) Animal Science with an accreditation in Nutrition at the University of Nottingham, before working for eight years in the pet food and nutrition industry.

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Laura Ward

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Our Verdict

Rating:
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Cesar Filets in Gravy product range consists of six recipes with ratings varying from 2.5 to 3.5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 3 stars.

Filets in gravy come in ready-to-serve small pots, featuring real meat as one of the first ingredients with plenty of meaty additions. Unfortunately, the company has chosen to add color to some recipes and offer chicken as the only protein option.

Pros
  • Budget friendly
  • Supports hydration
  • Designed specifically for small or medium-sized dogs
Cons
  • Chicken-based — not ideal for dogs with poultry sensitivities

The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Product line Rating AAFCO
Cesar Filets in Gravy Prime Rib Flavor 2.5 M
Cesar Filets in Gravy Rotisserie Chicken Flavor 4 M
Cesar Filets in Gravy Filet Mignon Flavor 2.5 M
Cesar Filets in Gravy New York Strip Flavor 2.5 M
Cesar Filets in Gravy Wood-Grilled Chicken Flavor 3.5 M
Cesar Filets in Gravy Puppy Chicken 3.5 G

Recipe and Label Analysis

Cesar Filets in Gravy Rotisserie Chicken Flavor was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Cesar Filets in Gravy Rotisserie Chicken Flavor

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

40.9%

Protein

22.7%

Fat

25%

CarbsCarbohydrates

Chicken, chicken broth, water, chicken liver, animal plasma, tapioca starch, chicken heart, dried plain beet pulp, salt, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, choline chloride, sodium tripolyphosphate, dried tomato, xanthan gum, magnesium proteinate, rotisserie chicken flavor, manganese sulfate, zinc sulfate, vitamin E supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, biotin, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), vitamin A supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement


Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%

Red denotes any controversial items

Estimated Nutrient Content
Method Protein Fat Carbs
Guaranteed Analysis 8% 4% NA
Dry Matter Basis 42% 22% 28%
Calorie Weighted Basis 34% 44% 23%

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1

Chicken is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many canned products.

The third ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.

The next ingredient is chicken liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The fifth ingredient includes animal plasma. Plasma is what remains of blood after the blood cells themselves have been removed. In most cases, plasma can be considered a nutritious addition.

However, since there’s no mention of a specific animal in the name of this particular ingredient, this item could be sourced from any species. And that fact can make it difficult to isolate the cause of a dog’s food-based allergy.

For this reason, we do not consider generic animal plasma a quality ingredient.

The sixth ingredient is tapioca starch, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.

The seventh ingredient is chicken heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, heart tissue is pure muscle — all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Cesar product.

With one notable exception

And lastly, with the exception of magnesium, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher-quality dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Cesar Filets in Gravy Rotisserie Chicken Flavor looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 40.9%, a fat level of 22.7% and estimated carbohydrates of about 25%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 42.8% and a mean fat level of 21.6%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 24.2% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 50%.

Which means this Cesar product line contains…

Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to other wet dog foods.

Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this recipe looks like the profile of a wet product containing a notable amount of meat.

Cesar Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Cesar through May 2026.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

What do pet parents think?

Our Rating of Cesar Filets in Gravy Dog Food

Cesar Filets in Gravy is a grain-inclusive wet dog food that includes a notable amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 3 stars.

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Recommended with Reservations

About

Cesar dog food was launched in 1989 by Mars Incorporated, the family‑owned global company behind other well‑known pet‑care brands such as Royal Canin, Pedigree, Iams, and Whiskas.

Sources

1: Association of American Feed Control Officials

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