High Protein Dry Cat Food

[lorna138]

I am trying to narrow down choices for high protein grain-free dry cat food. My cat is very picky and I already returned Lotus and Open Farm brands. I prefer a formula without fish or at least the one where fish is not among first few ingredients.
So far I narrowed it down to:

1. Nature's Variety Instinct Orig (Chicken)
   • pros - very high crude protein (47%), first five ingredients (Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas), good reputation
   • cons - a bit too high in calories for an indoor cat (4,150 kcal/kg), high in Phosphorus (2.10 %) makes me concerned with UTI, peas
2. Tiki Cat Chicken Luau
   
   • pros - very high in crude protein (46%), first five ing. (Deboned chicken, chicken meal, dehydrated chicken liver, dried egg product, tapioca flour)
   • cons - it's made in Thailand (not that it is a bad thing but I am not sure about control. Also, weird that it doesn't say so anywhere on their website, peas
3. FirstMate Chicken Meal With Blueberries Formula
   • pros - high in crude protein (36%), no peas, low carb, low phosphorus (0.9%), slightly lower fat the other brands which are mostly at 20% (this one is 16%), first 5 ing.(Chicken Meal, Potato, Chicken Fat, Whole Blueberries, DL–Methionine), pretty limited list of ing, highly recommended by a friend who swears by it
   • cons - potato is a second ingredient
4. Wellness Core Indoor formula
   • pros - high in crude protein (38%), first five ing (Deboned Chicken, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Potatoes), only 12% fat
   • cons - peas, potatoes
5. Applaws Dry Cat - Chicken
   • pros - very high in crude protein (43%), first five ing (Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Chicken, Potato, Chicken Fat )
   • cons - potato, peas (although further down the line)
6. Taste of the Wild - Prey - Turkey formula
   • pros - high crude protein, but not as high as other ones (33%), company seems very transparent about their protein origins (60% from turkey, 38% from lentils), first 5 ing (Turkey, lentils, sunflower oil, natural flavor, salmon oil), a bit lower in fat than most (15%), *ok so I got this as a sample in the store and my cat loved it. I am fully aware this is NOT a grain-free formula because of the lentils but so far there have not been any bad signs from it
   • cons - a bit on the lower end in the group IMO, lower protein, lentils are 2nd ing, no phosphorus percentage, "natural flavor' is a 4th ingr (?)

P.s. I omitted the Orijen and Acana on purpose for a very simple reason. The pet store I shop in offers a great "buy 3 get 1 free" deals on all brands except those two. While I am sure those are very high quality brands and my cat already tried a few of their formulas and loved them, the lack of a deal is just too much to ignore. I feel most of the brands above are similar and with a deal, it's just a no brainer to me.

Can anyone give me their opinion? I am really curious about what you are using especially if it is one of the brands above. I would be really curious if you switched between brands mentioned above and why. Also, what is the opinion on peas and potatoes? Peas, in general make my cat's poo stink more than usual although I could have been wrong and attributed it wrongly to peas. Not sure about potato, but a friend of mine says it's ok.

 

[Neo_23]

The crude protein can be deceiving. To really get a sense of whether a food is high protein you need to calculate the fat and carb percentages too and then determine the percentage of calories from each source. I can do that for you if you provide the entire guaranteed analysis for the products.

The other thing is, foods that are higher in calories aren’t necessarily going to be unhealthy. It depends on the calorie source and how much you feed. I actually prefer foods that are denser in calories because that means I have to feed less of it.

 

[lalagimp]

I was feeding Nature's Variety for years and then switched to Dr Elsey's cleanprotein. They eat way less of it, it's very low carb, and doesn't appear to have any plant protein. I'm on Dr Elsey's mailing list so they told me about the last sale they were running on the website for half off, and I stocked up. I also get emailed when it goes on sale on Chewy.com

 

[lorna138]

The crude protein can be deceiving. To really get a sense of whether a food is high protein you need to calculate the fat and carb percentages too and then determine the percentage of calories from each source. I can do that for you if you provide the entire guaranteed analysis for the products.

The other thing is, foods that are higher in calories aren’t necessarily going to be unhealthy. It depends on the calorie source and how much you feed. I actually prefer foods that are denser in calories because that means I have to feed less of it.

Thank you for your reply. Here is what I found:

Nature's Variety Instinct Orig (Chicken)
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min) 43 %
Crude Fat (min)19.50 %
Crude Fiber (max)3 %
Moisture (max)9 %
Vitamin E (min)100 IU/kg*Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) (min)85 mg/kg*Omega 3 Fatty Acids (min)0.45 %*Omega 6 Fatty Acids (min)3 %Bacillus coagulans (min)60,000,000 CFU/lb

Tiki Cat Chicken Luau
Crude Protein (min) 46.0%
Crude Fat (min) 20.0%
Crude Fiber (max) 3.0%
Moisture (max) 10.0%
Ash 2.3%
495 kcal/cup

FirstMate Chicken Meal With Blueberries Formula
Crude Protein (min) 36%
Ash (max) 8%
Crude Fat (min) 16%
Calcium (min) 1.8%
Crude Fibre (max) 4%
Phosphorous (min) 0.9%
Moisture (max) 10%
Glucosamine (min) 100mg/kg
Magnesium (max) 0.089%
Taurine (min) 0.22%
Calcium / Phosphorous ratio 1.7:1
ME (calculated): 3530 kcal/kg | 547 kcal/cup

Wellness Core Indoor formula
Crude Protein Not Less Than 38.00%
Crude Fat Not Less Than 12.00%
Crude Fiber Not More Than 5.00%
Moisture Not More Than 10.00%
Calcium Not More Than 2.20%
Phosphorus Not More Than 1.60%
Vitamin A Not Less Than 25,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E Not Less Than 200 IU/kg
Taurine Not Less Than 0.10%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids* Not Less Than 3.00%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids* Not Less Than 0.50%
Glucosamine* Not Less Than 400 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate* Not Less Than 300 mg/kg
Total Lactic Acid Microorganisms* Not Less Than 90,000,000 CFU/lb

Applaws Dry Cat - Chicken
Analytical Constituents
Crude Protein (min): 43%, Crude Fat (Min): 19 %, Crude Fiber (max) 2.5%, Moisture (max): 6.5%, Omega-3 Fatty Acids* (min) 0.5%, Omega-6 Fatty Acids* (min) 0.5%. Calorie Content: ME (Calculated as Fed): 3,750 Kcal/kg, 491 Kcal/cup.

Taste of the Wild - Prey - Turkey formula
Crude Protein33.0% minimum
Crude Fat15.0% minimum
Crude Fiber3.0% maximum
Moisture10.0% maximum
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)0.05% minimum
Zinc150 mg/kg minimum
Selenium0.3 mg/kg minimum
Vitamin A30,000 IU/kg minimum
Vitamin E150 IU/kg minimum
Taurine0.1% minimum
Omega-6 Fatty Acids*2.4% minimum
Omega-3 Fatty Acids*0.5% minimum
Total Microorganisms*
(Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, Bifidobacterium animalis)not less than 80,000,000 CFU/lb

 

[Neo_23]

I’ve searched far and wide for high protein and low carb dry foods and the only ones I have found are Dr. Elsey and Ziwipeak.

 

[duckpond]

I also feed Dr. Elseys dry food. i have four indoor cats

1. Natures variety, cats will not eat it, any of their dry or wet, i do not know why! This brand is a big no for my guys
2. Tiki they eat, but kind of ho hum. they like tiki wet foods.
3. First mate, nope they would not eat it, not even going to taste it
4. Wellness they will nibble enough so they don't starve to death, but they dont like it. any of the wellness foods
5. applaws i have not tried.
6. Taste of the wild Turkey prey formula three of my 4 like it. the outside cats like it quite a bit. Truthfully i think its right in range with the others i do like the information they give about the food, and the limited ingredients. Peas, and potatoes both tend to give my guys gas, and potatoes a bit of diarrhea. The Lentils in the taste of the wild does not seem to be causing a problem with anyone. I have been putting this out for the last week or two, its not their only food, i also feed Dr. Elseys dry, and wet Cats seem to still prefer Dr. Elseys, but they like this new food as well.

I don't think any of the foods you listed are BAD. I think a lot of it will depend on what your cats like and will eat

 

[lorna138]

Thank you everyone for your feedback. Strangely enough, Dr. Elseys dry food never popped up on my radar. I will have to look into it more.

 

[Neo_23]

I'll add in the protein/fat/carb percentages per 100g of calories that I calculated based on the provided values in your quote below. Keep in mind that these are estimates since we only have minimums and maximums provided by the companies.

Nature's Variety Instinct Orig (Chicken)
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min) 43 %
Crude Fat (min)19.50 %
Crude Fiber (max)3 %
Moisture (max)9 %
Vitamin E (min)100 IU/kg*Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) (min)85 mg/kg*Omega 3 Fatty Acids (min)0.45 %*Omega 6 Fatty Acids (min)3 %Bacillus coagulans (min)60,000,000 CFU/lb

Protein: 37%; Fat: 41%; Carbs: 22%

Tiki Cat Chicken Luau
Crude Protein (min) 46.0%
Crude Fat (min) 20.0%
Crude Fiber (max) 3.0%
Moisture (max) 10.0%
Ash 2.3%
495 kcal/cup

Protein: 41%; Fat: 35%; Carbs: 23%

FirstMate Chicken Meal With Blueberries Formula
Crude Protein (min) 36%
Ash (max) 8%
Crude Fat (min) 16%
Calcium (min) 1.8%
Crude Fibre (max) 4%
Phosphorous (min) 0.9%
Moisture (max) 10%
Glucosamine (min) 100mg/kg
Magnesium (max) 0.089%
Taurine (min) 0.22%
Calcium / Phosphorous ratio 1.7:1
ME (calculated): 3530 kcal/kg | 547 kcal/cup

Protein: 36%; Fat: 39%; Carbs: 25%

Wellness Core Indoor formula
Crude Protein Not Less Than 38.00%
Crude Fat Not Less Than 12.00%
Crude Fiber Not More Than 5.00%
Moisture Not More Than 10.00%
Calcium Not More Than 2.20%
Phosphorus Not More Than 1.60%
Vitamin A Not Less Than 25,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E Not Less Than 200 IU/kg
Taurine Not Less Than 0.10%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids* Not Less Than 3.00%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids* Not Less Than 0.50%
Glucosamine* Not Less Than 400 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate* Not Less Than 300 mg/kg
Total Lactic Acid Microorganisms* Not Less Than 90,000,000 CFU/lb

Protein: 38%; Fat: 29%; Carbs: 33%

Applaws Dry Cat - Chicken
Analytical Constituents
Crude Protein (min): 43%, Crude Fat (Min): 19 %, Crude Fiber (max) 2.5%, Moisture (max): 6.5%, Omega-3 Fatty Acids* (min) 0.5%, Omega-6 Fatty Acids* (min) 0.5%. Calorie Content: ME (Calculated as Fed): 3,750 Kcal/kg, 491 Kcal/cup.

Protein: 36%; Fat: 39%; Carbs: 25%

Taste of the Wild - Prey - Turkey formula
Crude Protein33.0% minimum
Crude Fat15.0% minimum
Crude Fiber3.0% maximum
Moisture10.0% maximum
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)0.05% minimum
Zinc150 mg/kg minimum
Selenium0.3 mg/kg minimum
Vitamin A30,000 IU/kg minimum
Vitamin E150 IU/kg minimum
Taurine0.1% minimum
Omega-6 Fatty Acids*2.4% minimum
Omega-3 Fatty Acids*0.5% minimum
Total Microorganisms*
(Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, Bifidobacterium animalis)not less than 80,000,000 CFU/lb

Protein: 30%; Fat: 34%; Carbs: 36%

As you can see, all of these foods are high in carbs and moderate in protein and fat. An acceptable level of carbs for a healthy feline diet is 10% or less. Protein ideally should be above 50% and fat should be moderate around 20-40%.

 

[Neo_23]

By the way, if anyone is interested... I mentioned that the only good dry foods I have found are Dr. Elsey and Ziwipeak. Here are the values I calculate for these brands:

Ziwipeak airdried venison:
Protein: 40%
Fat: 54% (fat value is a bit high here, but cats do much better with fat than they do carbs, so the trade-off is a good one).
Carbs: 5%

Dr. Elsey cleanprotein chicken:
Protein: 54%
Fat: 40%
Carbs: 6%

These values are much better.

Unfortunately Dr. Elsey's food is not available in Canada

 

[lorna138]

I'll add in the protein/fat/carb percentages per 100g of calories that I calculated based on the provided values in your quote below. Keep in mind that these are estimates since we only have minimums and maximums provided by the companies.



As you can see, all of these foods are high in carbs and moderate in protein and fat. An acceptable level of carbs for a healthy feline diet is 10% or less. Protein ideally should be above 50% and fat should be moderate around 20-40%.

How do you figure all that out? I looked online and while I did find some online calculators for calorie amount, the only other thing I found was how to figure carb % subtracting moisture part.

 

[Neo_23]

I use catinfo.org. Dr. P. has a page explaining how to do the calculations. Basically you multiply the protein and carb amounts by 3.5 and the fat amount by 8.5, add it all up and then figure out the percentage that each calorie source contributes.

 

[lorna138]

I use catinfo.org. Dr. P. has a page explaining how to do the calculations. Basically you multiply the protein and carb amounts by 3.5 and the fat amount by 8.5, add it all up and then figure out the percentage that each calorie source contributes.

Thank you again.

What about Orijen Fit & Trim?
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude protein (min.) 44 %
Fat content (min.) 15 %
Crude ash (min.) 10 %
Crude fibers (max.) 6 %
Moisture (max.) 10 %
Calcium (min.) 1.4 %
Phosphorus (min.) 1.1 %
Magnesium (min.) 0.1 %
Taurine (min.) 0.2 %
Omega-6 fatty acids (min.) 2.4 %
Omega-3 fatty acids (min.) 1 %
DHA (min.) 0.3 %
EPA (min.) 0.2 %
L-Carnitine 33 mg/kg

I'm coming up with Protein 46%, Fat 38%, and Carb 17%. Is that correct?

 

[Neo_23]

Yeah I think that’s right, I get similar values.

I think the values on this fit and trim formula are pretty decent, I just hate how Orijen uses so much fish in everything. I would try their products if they were high protein, low carb, and limited ingredient.

 

[maryah]

This chart has been very helpful to me: Dry Food Comparison Chart | Zero Carb and Grain Free Cat Food As you can see, 40% protein is actually pretty low! There are several better choices.

I settled on Nature's Variety Ultimate Protein, which my cat loves. However, now she only has about 1/8 cup per day, fed at bedtime, to supplement her high-protein low-carb canned food.

 

[lorna138]

This chart has been very helpful to me: Dry Food Comparison Chart | Zero Carb and Grain Free Cat Food As you can see, 40% protein is actually pretty low! There are several better choices.

I settled on Nature's Variety Ultimate Protein, which my cat loves. However, now she only has about 1/8 cup per day, fed at bedtime, to supplement her high-protein low-carb canned food.

Thanks for the link! So glad I found out about Young Again company!