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Eukanuba is owned by Procter & Gamble and manufactured in their Leipsic, Ohio plant which makes both dog and cat food. In 1969, Paul Iams wanted to find a name to differentiate the new formula from other Iams pet food products. Iams chose to name this new formula “Eukanuba”, a term originated by jazz era personality Hoagy Carmichael, meaning “the tops” or “something supreme” (read more on Wikipedia).
The Eukanuba Adult Sensitive Stomach Dry Cat Food formula is one of the formulas specifically made for cats between 1-6 years of age that have sensitive stomachs. Although this cat food is specifically meant for cats that have stomach and digestive problems, it is also used for kittens as well as nursing and pregnant cats.
Ingredients in Eukanuba Adult Sensitive Stomach Cat Food
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Grits, Corn Meal, Lamb, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Brewers Rice, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Fructooligosaccharides, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Bisulfate, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Brewers Dried Yeast, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Inositol, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Minerals (Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodide), Salt, Rosemary Extract, Calcium Carbonate.
Top 5 Ingredients Analysis
Whenever you are reviewing a commercial cat food blend, it is good practice to pay special attention to the first 5 ingredients listed. These ingredients make up the vast majority of the nutritional content in the food. Let’s take a look at the top 5 ingredients in this cat food.
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. However, whole chicken loses about 80% of its content during the cooking process since the majority of whole chicken is water. After the cooking process is complete, the amount of whole chicken remaining is substantially reduced. Therefor, while whole chicken is a great source of meat protein, this ingredient alone is not enough to provide sufficient levels of meat protein in a cats diet.
Chicken by-product meal
While this ingredient does provide a high amount of meat protein, this meat source is considered to be of lower quality than many other meat sources. Chicken By-Product Meal is produced through a process of cooking, drying and separation of fats and proteins from animal carcasses. It contains a dehydrated combination of meat (or cuts or parts) including lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, necks, undeveloped eggs and intestines. Usually, by-products are the “left overs” that can’t be used for human food consumption. The greatest fault of this ingredient is the same trait that makes it so affordable and so commonly found in pet foods. The unpredictability of what might (or might not) be included.
Corn Grits
Many forms of corn are found in pet foods including corn grits. About 85% of all corn grown in the United States is genetically modified (GMO). Since cats by nature are carnivores, this ingredient does not provide much nutritional value if any, although it does add calories to the food. Corn grits can be considered a very low quality ingredient.
Corn Meal
Considered a low quality ingredient, corn meal is usually used as a “filler ingredient” but provides almost no nutritional value to cats. This ingredient is also a known allergy causing ingredient for many cats. We aren’t all that thrilled to see this ingredient listed.
Animal Fat
Animal fat provides essential fatty acids, energy, and fat soluble vitamins. This ingredient can also support a healthy skin and coat. Unfortunately, when it comes to fat sources, animal fat is considered to be a lower quality ingredient. This is because it is an unnamed fat source. Usually, we like to see a named fat source (such as “chicken fat”). In this case, we are forced to guess what animal or animals this fat source comes from. Animal fat, also called tallow, is a product of rendering. In the rendering process, pieces, parts, and even whole animals are put through a gigantic grinder, then boiled in vats for 30 minutes to several hours. High heat is necessary to kill bacteria, viruses, molds, and other pathogens. The boiling process also allows the fat to separate and float to the top, where it is skimmed off for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, industrial lubricants, and, of course, pet food.
Additional Ingredients Of Interest In Eukanuba Adult Sensitive Stomach Dry Can Food
Dried Egg Plant
Added as a source of carbohydrates, protein, and other nutrients, this ingredient doesn’t provide much in the way of nutrition for your cat, but there is nothing harmful about it either.
Natural Flavor
The term “natural flavor” is extremely vague and can mean just about anything. In human foods, natural flavor is usually MSG or some similar flavor enhancer. When pet food companies are asked what is in their “natural flavor ingredients, they usually refuse to answer. There are a lot of things in the world considered “natural” and they almost all have a flavor. Such generic terms can be indicative of poor quality ingredients. While that’s not always the case, the fact is, we don’t really know what this ingredient consists of and that is worrying.
Fish Oil
Fish oil is a popular supplement used by cat and dog owners. In this case, the food is already supplemented with fish oil. This ingredient is high in very healthy Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. This can lead to an improved coat, healthier skin, boost to the immune system, lower blood pressure, and help improving cognitive function in older pets. There are also some studies that show fish oil to help assist with certain allergies in dogs and cats. This is a higher quality ingredient.
Allergy Risks Associated With Eukanuba Adult Sensitive Stomach Cat Food
The Eukanuba Adult Sensitive Stomach Cat Food blend contains quite a bit of corn, which is a bit puzzling since this cat food is designed for cats with sensitive stomaches. Not only is corn a common allergen for cats, but corn can be a difficult ingredient for cats to digest as well. This cat food does have a bit of an allergy risk associated with it, especially if your cat is allergic to corn.
Conclusion
It is rather ironic that a cat food claiming to help with sensitive stomaches… contains corn. Corn is known to cause digestive complications in cats and is also a known allergen. We welcome Eukanuba to contact us and clarify why corn is used in this food. If you have any ideas, feel free to post in the comment section below because quite frankly, we are a bit baffled. Judging by the ingredients in Eukanuba Adult Sensitive Stomach Dry Cat Food, we believe this is a below average cat food.
