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Cats, like humans, require a well balanced and nourishing diet to stay healthy and strong. If you are a cat owner, you’ve probably tried out all sorts of cat formulas with varying degrees of success. This need not be a hit and miss affair, as you can actually tell whether or not a formula is good for your cat from its ingredients. Our cat food reviews are designed to help you understand the ingredients in cat food better so that you can make your own informed decision on which cat food is best. Be sure to compare this By Nature Chicken & Mackerel cat food review to our other cat food reviews.
By Nature is a pet brand that offers many natural and organic based cat formulas. The Chicken & Mackerel Wet Cat Food formula is 70% organic and is one of the organic based cat formulas under the By Nature brand. While the price reflects the high quality ingredients used, it has quickly become a favorite for many cat owners seeking organic foods for their cats.
According to the By Nature Company, this is a cat formula is made with organic chicken, organic chicken livers, and mackerel as some of the main ingredients.
So how does this cat formula stack up against the competition? Find out below.
Ingredients in The By Nature Chicken & Mackerel Cat Food Blend
Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Livers, Water, Mackerel, Organic Pea Flour, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Organic Guar Gum, Dicalcium Phosphate, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate (Chelated Source of Zinc), Manganese Proteinate (Chelated Source of Manganese), Copper Proteinate (Chelated Source of Copper), Vitamin A Acetate, Sodium Selenite, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite, Folic Acid.
Top 5 Ingredients Overview
Organic Chicken
Chicken is a very popular ingredient for pet food and in this case, they are referring to whole chicken. This is a very high quality meat source and we are pleased to see it listed. In dry cat foods, whole chicken loses about 80% of its content during the cooking process. This is because chicken consists of about 80% moisture. After the cooking process is complete, the amount of whole chicken remaining is substantially reduced. However, in wet cat foods the cooking process is a bit different so this is much less of a concern.
Organic Chicken Livers
Here is another ingredient you probably wouldn’t want to see on your own dinner plate, but most cats seem to enjoy the taste of liver. Uncooked liver, or liver in very high quantities, can actually be toxic to cats. However, in this food, it is clearly provided well within safe limits. In fact, this ingredient is a pretty high quality ingredient overall. It provides a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other nutrients your cat can benefit from.
Water
As you might expect, water is mostly added for moisture and cooking purposes. It does not add any nutritional value to the food.
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. Fish based ingredients provide an excellent source of fatty acids, proteins, and very high quality nutrients. Some cat owners are worried about the increasing level of mercury in fish, but so far the FDA says it is well within’ safe limits for both humans and pets. In addition, some pet owners worry about where the fish comes from, because a lot of fish used in pet foods is obtained from farmed fish that have not passed inspections to be used in human consumption. It could also contain fish waste products that can’t be used anywhere else. So while there is some concern about this and any other fish based ingredient in cat food, in general, it is considered a higher quality nutrient source.
Organic Pea Flour
Peas are becoming more and more common in pet foods today, especially those listed as grain-free, holistic, or natural pet foods. While peas are certainly not grains, they serve much the same purpose. It mostly acts as a filler and a cheap way to increase the protein percentage of the food. However, cats receive almost no nutritional value from peas. Since cats are obligate carnivores, they require proteins from meat based ingredients. There is very little research that has been performed on the long term effects of cats consuming peas. We do know that peas can cause runny poop or digestion issues in dogs, but the full effect on cats remains a bit of an unknown. Since the peas in this case are added as a flour, the ingredient is probably added to help with the consistency of the food and the cooking process.
Additional Ingredients In By Nature Chicken & Mackerel Cat Food
Organic Locust Bean Gum
Locust bean gum is a thickening agent and a gelling agent used in food technology. Locust bean gum is a galactomannan vegetable gum extracted from the seeds of the carob tree, mostly found in the Mediterranean region. There is some belief that this ingredient can cause gas, diarrhea and loss of nutrients. Overall, this is a non-nutritious ingredient that is only used to assist with the texture of the food.
Taurine
Taurine is an essential amino acid that is critical for normal heart muscle function, vision, and reproduction in cats. Since cats are unable to create proper levels of taurine in their body naturally, it must be supplemented in their food. That’s why you’ll see this ingredient listed for so many different cat food blends. For cat foods that contain enough high quality animal based proteins, a taurine supplement may not be needed. However, most cat foods will need to add in additional taurine in the form of a supplement to the food. Even when included as a supplement instead, there is very low to almost zero health risk associated with this ingredient. In fact, a lack of taurine can cause a slew of issues, so it’s very important to make sure your cat is receiving enough taurine in his or her diet.
Zinc Proteinate
Zinc proteinate is the final product resulting from the chelation of zinc with amino acids and/or partially hydrolyzed proteins. It is used as a nutritional animal feed supplement formulated to prevent and/or correct zinc deficiency in animals. Zinc proteinate can be used in place of zinc sulfate and zinc methionine.
Manganese Proteinate
The manganese from manganese proteinate is a chelated source of manganese and is an antioxidant. It slows down the process of aging, activates many enzymes and helps utilize fatty acids. There isn’t a whole lot known about this ingredient, but it does not appear to pose a health threat.
Allergy Risk With By Nature Chicken & Mackerel Cat Food
The chicken & mackerel wet cat formula contains none of the major allergy causing ingredients like soy, wheat or corn. This makes it an allergy friendly formula. The fact that it is 70% organic makes it ideal for cats that are overly sensitive to processed foods. Some cats may have issues digesting the pea flour, but in general, this is a suitable cat food for cats with sensitive stomachs and allergies.
Conclusion
The By Nature Chicken & Mackerel Wet Cat Food formula is a nutritious cat food formula for cats of all ages. It is also a great option for cats with allergies. The manufacturers have done a good job to ensure the formula lives up to the expectations and we are very pleased to see so many organic ingredients in this blend. Judging by the ingredients alone, we believe this is an above average cat food.
