Overall Score: 5.5/10 — Reviewed by Hazel, BVSc | April 2026 | No brand relationship
Brand Overview — Dine
- Parent Company: Purina (Nestlé)
- Brand Position: Gourmet-positioned wet cat food and treats
- WSAVA Compliance: No (parent Purina meets WSAVA for Pro Plan, but Dine does not independently qualify)
- Key Product: Dine Creamy Treats — Australia’s #1 selling cat treat
- Availability: Woolworths, Coles, IGA, Pet Circle, PetBarn
- Price Range: $0.80–$1.20 per serve (food); $4–$6 per treat pack
Introduction
Dine positions itself as the “gourmet” option on supermarket shelves — a step above the everyday brands without the price tag of premium pet store products. The packaging is elegant, the flavour names are aspirational (“Desire,” “Bistro Collection”), and the marketing leans heavily into indulgence and bonding.
The reality is more nuanced. Dine’s food range is average on ingredient quality — “meat and/or meat by-products” is the standard listing, which tells you very little about what your cat is actually eating. However, the Creamy Treats line is a genuine standout that has earned its place as Australia’s best-selling cat treat for good reason.
Product Range
- Desire (Premium Line) — Higher-end wet food with visible flakes in broth or jelly. Flavours include tuna, salmon, chicken, and ocean fish. Better presentation than the Daily range.
- Daily (Everyday Line) — Standard wet food in tins and trays. Mousse, chunks in gravy, and shredded formats. More affordable than Desire but similar ingredient base.
- Creamy Treats — Lickable treat sachets that have become a cultural phenomenon among Australian cat owners. Chicken, tuna, salmon, and prawn flavours. 12g per sachet, approximately 6 calories each.
- Bistro Collection — Mid-range wet food with recipe-style naming (e.g., “Chicken Casserole”). Marketing-driven differentiation with minimal ingredient difference from Daily.
- Melting Heart — Dry kibble with a soft, flavoured centre. Supplementary snack rather than complete nutrition.
Creamy Treats Spotlight
The Creamy Treats deserve special attention because they are genuinely useful beyond just being a snack:
- Bonding tool — Hand-feeding lickable treats strengthens the cat-owner bond, especially for shy or newly adopted cats
- Medication hiding — The creamy texture is excellent for disguising crushed tablets or liquid medications
- Low calorie — At approximately 6 calories per sachet, they are one of the lowest-calorie treat options available, making them suitable even for overweight cats in moderation
- Hydration boost — High moisture content provides a small but useful hydration supplement
Overall Pros & Cons
- Gourmet presentation that appeals to owners and cats alike
- Wide variety of textures — mousse, chunks, shreds, broths, and lickable treats
- Creamy Treats are genuinely excellent — low calorie, useful for bonding and medication
- Good palatability across the range — fussy cats generally accept Dine
- Competitive pricing for the positioned quality tier
- Ingredient quality is mediocre — “meat and/or meat by-products” is vague and non-transparent
- Actual protein content is lower than the gourmet positioning suggests
- Marketing significantly overpromises relative to ingredient reality
- Multiple sub-brands (Desire, Daily, Bistro) create confusion with minimal real difference
Our Verdict — 5.5/10
Dine is a tale of two products. The Creamy Treats line is genuinely good — low calorie, useful as a bonding and medication tool, and deservedly popular. The food line, however, is average at best: gourmet marketing wrapped around mediocre ingredients. If you are buying Dine for the treats, carry on. If you are relying on it as a primary food, your cat would benefit from stepping up to a higher-quality brand for meals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Dine Creamy Treats healthy for cats?
As a treat, yes. At approximately 6 calories per sachet, they are one of the lowest-calorie cat treats available in Australia. They should not replace meals but are perfectly fine as a daily treat for most cats. Limit to 2–3 sachets per day to keep treat calories under 10% of daily intake.
Is Dine Desire better than Dine Daily?
Marginally. Desire uses slightly better presentation and has visible meat flakes, but the underlying ingredient base is similar. The price premium for Desire is mostly paying for packaging and marketing rather than a significant nutritional upgrade. If you are going to spend more, consider stepping up to a genuinely premium brand like Black Hawk wet food instead.
Can Dine cat food be a complete diet?
Products labelled “complete and balanced” can technically serve as a sole diet, meeting minimum AAFCO nutrient profiles. However, the ingredient quality is modest, and we would recommend supplementing with or rotating in a higher-quality food for optimal long-term health.
Why do cats go crazy for Dine Creamy Treats?
The lickable texture, high moisture content, and concentrated flavour hit multiple feline preference triggers simultaneously. Cats are hardwired to respond to moisture-rich, protein-flavoured foods. The interactive hand-feeding element also creates positive associations. It is essentially the feline equivalent of a smoothie — easy to consume, highly palatable, and rewarding.