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The Indoor Hairball Relief dry cat food from Eukanuba is specially formulated to meet needs of indoor adult cats. Cats have been known to groom themselves frequently, and this can cause hairball buildup. This cat food formula has been made with different fiber sources that help your cat control the formation and elimination of hairballs. This cat formula also has minerals, antioxidant nutrients, and vitamins that help control your cats immune system. It has also been made with special oils and fats for balanced fatty acids ratio (Omega-3 and Omega-6).
Eukanuba is owned by Procter & Gamble and uses a manufacturing plant in Leipsic, Ohio. 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).
Ingredients in Eukanuba Indoor Hairball Relief Cat Food
Chicken, Corn Grits, Chicken By-Product Meal, Powdered Cellulose, Dried Beet Pulp, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Corn Meal, Dried Egg Product, Sodium Bisulfate, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Fish Oil (preserved using mixed Tocopherols, a Vitamin E source), Fructooligosaccharides, Choline Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast, 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), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodide), Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Rosemary Extract.
Overview of the first five ingredients
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.
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.
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.
Powdered Cellulose: Powdered cellulose is a cheap filler ingredient. It is obtain as a pulp from fibrous plant material and highly refined. Once processed, it looks and feels very similar to sawdust. Cellulose is used in a wide number of ways. In addition to being added to pet food, it is used quite a bit in human foods, but can also be used for things like insulation, rope making, and textiles. Just like in humans, this ingredient is indigestible for cats. There is no hard evidence to suggest this ingredient is unhealthy, but it wouldn’t be considered a higher quality ingredient, either.
Dried Beet Pulp: Beet pulp is a by-product from the processing of sugar beet and is a source of fiber and energy. It is popular among many pet food companies due to its high availability and low price. The most common complaint about this ingredient is that it causes digestion problems, most commonly a very hard stool or diarrhea. It has also been known to cause bloat in some dogs and cats which can be very serious if left unchecked.
Allergy Risk Associated With Eukanuba Indoor Hairball Relief Cat Food
Unfortunately the Eukanuba Indoor Hairball Relief Cat Food blend contains corn and corn by-products. Corn has been found to be an allergen for many cats. Therefore, if your cat has a history with allergic reactions, or if it is allergic to corn, do not feed it on this formula. Many cats may also have problems properly digesting some of the ingredients in this food.
Conclusion
While we aren’t all that impressed with many of the ingredients used in Eukanuba Indoor Hairball Relief Cat Food, it is a decent option for adult cats that suffer from hairball discomfort. The fiber science system used in this hairball relief formula will help your adult cat by avoiding hair buildup. Nevertheless, this formula gets a low score based on the quality of its ingredients. When looking at the ingredients alone, we believe this cat food is a bit below average in quality.
