Who owns Whiskas?
Whiskas is owned by Mars (the United States).[1]
This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.
Evidence: Mars, Incorporated — our brands. Last checked .
Key facts
- Current owner
- Mars, Incorporated reported
- Owner HQ
- 🇺🇸 United States, McLean, Virginia
- Origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1958
- Category
- Pet & animal care › Pet food › Cat food
- Trademark registrant
- MARS, INCORPORATED (USPTO)
- Last verified
- · 2 sources
About Whiskas
Whiskas is Mars Petcare's mainstream cat food brand, launched in 1958 as Kal Kan Kitty Stew and renamed in 1988. Its purple packaging and the claim that eight out of ten cats prefer it, later amended after regulatory challenge, are among the most recognised elements in British pet food advertising.
Trademark record for Whiskas
The USPTO record for the Whiskas mark lists MARS, INCORPORATED as the owner of record (serial number 72187428). That name matches the owner named above.[2]
Ownership timeline of Whiskas
Where Whiskas sits in Mars
Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.
- Kellanova · 10 brands
Open the full Mars ownership tree →
See the full Mars brand portfolio (42) →
Other brands owned by Mars
Mars controls 42 brands on Brandtree, 11 of them in pet & animal care.
Also in pet & animal care
- Banfield Pet Hospital (1955)
- Cesar (1989)
- Eukanuba (1969)
- Greenies (1996)
- IAMS (1946)
- Nutro (1926)
- Pedigree (1957)
- Royal Canin (1968)
- Sheba (1985)
- VCA Animal Hospitals (1986)
Founded in the 1950s
Other brands in cat food, and who owns them
The 16 brands in cat food on Brandtree belong to 8 owners. The largest is Partner in Pet Food, with 4; Mars has 2.
| Brand | Owner | Owner based in |
|---|---|---|
| Bozita | Partner in Pet Food | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
| CAT'S LOVE | VAFO | 🇨🇿 Czech Republic |
| Felix | Nestlé | 🇨🇭 Switzerland |
| Catmor | RCL FOODS | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| Master Cat | Carozzi | 🇨🇱 Chile |
| Nutriplan | Dongwon Industries | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
| Meow Mix | J.M. Smucker | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Italian Way | Partner in Pet Food | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
About the owner: Mars
Mars is a family-owned company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, United States, founded in 1911. Brandtree records 42 brands under its control.
Mars is one of the largest privately held companies in the world, owned by the Mars family since Frank Mars began making sweets in Tacoma in 1911. It publishes no financial statements. Its four segments are snacking, pet nutrition, food and Mars Wrigley, and it agreed to acquire Kellanova in 2024.
🇬🇧 Whiskas and other British brands
Brandtree records a controlling owner for 552 brands that began in the United Kingdom. 291 of them (53%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country, Whiskas among them.
- Felix — Nestlé 🇨🇭
- Pooch & Mutt — VAFO 🇨🇿
- Thunderbrook Equestrian — ForFarmers 🇳🇱
- A.1. — Kraft Heinz 🇺🇸
- ASOS Design — ASOS 🇬🇧
- Air Partner — Wheels Up 🇺🇸
Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Whiskas?
The parent company of Whiskas is Mars, a family-owned company headquartered in the United States.
Is Whiskas British or American?
Whiskas originated in the United Kingdom in 1958, but it is owned today by Mars, which is headquartered in the United States. So Whiskas is a British-origin brand under American ownership.
Is Whiskas still owned by Mars?
Yes. As of 27 September 2026, Whiskas is still owned by Mars. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (2) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
- [1] Mars, Incorporated — our brands — Mars, Incorporated, Official document; retrieved 16 September 2026.
- [2] USPTO: WHISKAS, serial 72187428 — United States Patent and Trademark Office, Trademark registry; retrieved 27 September 2026.
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