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Do you have a cat and want to know what to feed it on? Well, all a cat owner wants is to ensure that their pets are healthy as can be and for the longest duration possible without having to go to the vet. Many cat owners know that the best way to ensure their cats remain healthy is by feeding them on formulas specifically meant for their nutritional needs. Even so, getting an ideal cat formula is not easy. This can be explained by the availability of many cat food brands in the market today.
So, how do you decide on which cat food is best? The answer is simple; reading cat food reviews like this one. According to Blue Buffalo, the Herb Roasted Turkey (wet) cat food has is made using a delicious gravy that will nourish your cat and leave it begging for more.
So is this the ideal formula for your cat?
Ingredients contained in Blue Bistro Herb Roasted Turkey
Turkey, Turkey Broth, Water, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Whites, Peas, Potato Starch, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Sodium Phosphate, Carrots, Parsley, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Cranberries, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Rosemary.
A brief overview on the first five ingredients
Turkey
As a whole meat ingredient, turkey is a fantastic source of very healthy animal based proteins. We are extremely pleased to see this ingredient listed. Unfortunately, in dry kibbles, there is not as much of this ingredient included as you might initially think. Ingredients are listed by weight prior to the cooking process and since whole turkey is about 70% moisture, the vast majority is cooked off. So while we think this is an excellent and nutritional ingredient, it does need to be complimented by other high quality meat protein ingredients when used in dry kibbles. In wet cat foods, however, this is not nearly as much of a concern.
Turkey broth
Any type of broth is mostly used as an alternative to simply using water. It adds moisture to the food and a broth helps to make the food more appetizing and tastier for your cat. This ingredient is rather void of much nutritional value, but there is no evidence to suggest there are any problems with this ingredient. It can be commonly found in many different brands of cat food.
Water
As you might expect, water is mostly added for moisture and cooking purposes. It does not add any nutritional value to the food.
Chicken liver
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.
Dried egg whites
Egg whites are eggs that have been separated from the yolk. They provide a high amount of protein while at the same time, contain low amounts of cholesterol. Egg whites also contain a number of other nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and iron. Overall this is a nutritious ingredient without much of a health risk.
Other ingredients that are worth looking at
Guar gum – This ingredient is also sometimes called guaran. It is primarily the ground endosperm of guar beans. The guar seeds are dehusked, milled and screened to obtain the guar gum. It is typically produced as a free-flowing, off-white powder. This ingredient is mostly used to thicken the food and give it more texture. It is an FDA-approved, all natural GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) ingredient used by the food and cosmetic industries. It also is used to improve the shelf life of the food and helps lower the glycemic index of food. Many cat food companies claim this ingredient also aids in digestion and weight loss. There is some minor debate about the benefits of this ingredient with some claiming negative impacts, but in general, this is thought to be a relatively non-nutritious yet safe ingredient.
Parsley – This ingredient is an abundant source of natural vitamins. It also provides iron, copper, potassium, calcium, fiber, and several other nutrients. While it isn’t going to make up a large portion of the nutritional content in this food, it is a much better ingredient than many other “fillers” that pet food companies use like corn and other grains. The allergy risk associated with this ingredient is very low and even though this is a plant based ingredient, cats seem to digest it easily.
Biotin – Biotin, also known as vitamin H or coenzyme R, is a water soluble B vitamin. It is usually found in egg yolk, liver, and yeast. In addition to converting food into energy, biotin also helps the body get rid of by-products from protein. As carnivores, a cat’s diet is high in protein, and they need sufficient biotin to process and excrete it. Biotin also helps the body use other B-complex vitamins and maintains healthy skin, coat and claws. When cats do not receive enough biotin in their diet, the most noticeable issue they have is unhealthy and often times itchy skin. If you want to learn more about biotin in cats, here is an excellent article with more detail.
Does this cat feed trigger allergies in cats?
Basing our judgment on the list of ingredients that are contained in this cat feed, there is no possibility that your cat will suffer from allergies triggered by ingredients in this feed. In short, this cat formula does not contain any harmful ingredients.
Ingredients to be weary of
Wheat – Most cat food brands that use wheat in their products will tell you that wheat is a grain used as a high-quality carbohydrate source in dry dog and cat foods and biscuits. They will tell you that it provides energy for daily activity, as well as processing characteristics for the food. And finally, they will tell you that the allergy risk associated with wheat is low. However, many experts not associated with the pet food industry will seemingly say the opposite. From them, you’ll hear that wheat and wheat by-product is a very common allergy for dogs and cats. You’ll even find sources that claim wheat has also been linked to epileptic seizures and celiac diseases. Cats are not able to digest grains nearly as well as humans or dogs, so many cats may also experience digestion issues if given too much wheat. In general, wheat is considered to be a very low priced filler ingredient with essentially no nutritional value for cats. As the debate rages on, you be the judge.
Soy – Soy is another common food allergen for cats and is also known to cause gastric upset. This ingredient is considered a very low priced filler ingredient. While it will certainly help make your cat food more full, the full nutritional benefit in this ingredient is questionable at best. Many cat food brands will tell you the allergy risk is very low with soy, but it is one of the most well known food allergens that cats deal with in commercial pet food. Overall, this is a pretty low quality ingredient.
Conclusion
The Blue Bistro Herb Roasted Turkey (wet) is an ideal cat feed for your cat. It has a healthy blend of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins that are bound to keep your cat healthy and strong. It contains no controversial ingredients and is definitely worth a shot.
