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Do you own a cat that loves to eat meat? Most, if not all, cats love to eat meat. Luckily, meat is rich in protein which is an essential nutrient for cats of all ages. The cat formula market is awash with meat flavored formulas making it hard for cat owners to choose the best feed for their felines.
The Blue Wilderness Wild Delight Flaked Chicken and Trout is one of the many cat formulas you will come across. According to its manufacturer, this cat food has been formulated to meet your cat’s nutritional requirements. It has also been advertised as being made using highly digestible protein and is also grain free.
Is this formula worth a shot? Read on to find out.
Ingredients used
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Water, Trout, Chicken Liver, Egg Whites, Potato Starch, Natural Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Dried Egg, Potassium Chloride, Carrageenan, Taurine, Salt, 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, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate.
A closer look at 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.
Chicken Broth: While chicken broth does not add much nutritional value to the food, it does add flavor and is considered to be a better alternative to water. The main reason for adding this ingredient is simply to add moisture.
Water: As you might expect, water is mostly added for moisture and cooking purposes. It does not add any nutritional value to the food.
Trout: Fish ingredients have become much more common in dog food over the years and now, this ingredient has found its way into cat food. While fish is not the typical prey for cats in the wild, they do supply a healthy amount of protein and extremely beneficial fatty acids as well as other nutrients cats can benefit from. Some cat owners worry about the mercury level that naturally occurs in fish, but the FDA continues to state that the mercury levels in fish are safe for both humans and pets. There is also some concern about where this ingredient might be sourced from. If the fish contains ethoxyquin, this is definitely something you would not want to feed to your cat, but we are unable to verify whether this ingredient contains ethoxyquin or not. Also, most of the time, fish used in pet food is the fish that has been deemed unfit for human consumption for whatever reason. Nonetheless, this ingredient does provide a fairly high amount of healthy nutritional benefit.
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.
Other ingredients used
Potato Starch: Potato starch is starch extracted from potatoes and is usually only included to assist with the consistency and texture of the food. Cats generally do not receive much nutritional value from this ingredient, although it may sometimes aid in proper digestion.
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.
Potassium Chloride: This chemical compound sometimes goes by the name “trace minerals.” It is a “metal halide salt” composed of potassium and chlorine. It is used in medicine, scientific applications, and food processing. Since potassium is an important nutrient for cats, this is a good way to supply it. It is also commonly used as a replacement for salt and to balance the pH level of the food to meet various requirements. Not only is it used in cat food, it is frequently used in human foods and medications as well. There is some evidence to suggest small intestinal ulcers may occur in cats after prolonged exposure to this ingredient, but this has yet to be proven or disproven.
Carrageenan: This is an additive extracted from red and purple seaweeds, consisting of a mixture of polysaccharides. It is used as a thickening or emulsifying agent in food products. There is still much research being done on this additive and while it is generally considered safe, there is room for caution as carrageenan has produced intestinal damage and ulcers in some animal studies. If you would like more information about the ongoing research of this ingredient, you may reference this research study.
Will my cat have an allergic reaction after feeding on this formula?
All ingredients used to make the Blue Wilderness Wild Delights Flaked Chicken and Trout (wet) formula have individual nutritional benefits. Judging from the ingredients list, it is quite clear that none of the ingredients are allergens or have been associated with allergic reactions in cats. Therefore, it is safe to say that this formula will not cause any allergic reactions.
Other nutritious ingredients used
Salt: Salt is necessary for a cats body to function properly, but too much salt can be dangerous and even deadly. Usually, salt is added to pet food in order to meet AAFCO nutritional requirements. Salt, or sodium chloride, is indeed necessary so cat food that doesn’t contain enough will have a bit of it included. Salt helps your cats cells move nutrients and waste products where they need to go, and it helps his or her tummy make the right amount of acid to digest food properly. According to the Journal of Nutrition, average-sized cats need about 21 milligrams of salt per day. Many cat foods have higher concentrations than that. The National Research Council recommends no more than 42 milligrams per day. Most of the time, salt in commercial cat food products poses no danger and does have some nutritional benefit.
Vitamin A Supplement: Vitamin supplements are normally added to cat food when the mixture does not contain enough of certain vitamins naturally. Vitamin A can be found in many fruits, vegetables, eggs, whole milk, butter, fortified margarine, meat, and oily saltwater fish. It can also be made in a laboratory, which is usually the case for pet foods. A deficiency in vitamin A can cause very serious health problems for cats, so you will see lots of cat food supplement their foods with vitamins, including vitamin A. There is little to no risk associated with this ingredient and while we’d prefer to see enough vitamins and minerals included naturally, supplemental vitamins do have positive benefits to maintaining a proper vitamin balance in your cat.
Dried Egg: Eggs are healthy for cats and supply quite a bit of protein. Some cat owners prefer only feeding egg whites because the yolks can add a fairly high amount of cholesterol. In addition to the protein content, eggs also supply potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and iron. In moderation, this is considered a healthy ingredient for cats.
Conclusion
The Blue Wilderness Wild Delights Flaked Chicken and Trout (wet) formula is everything it has been advertised to be. You should definitely give this formula a shot.
