This post may contain affiliate links. We are compensated for referring customers to our affiliate partners.
Is your cat a sucker for tuna and chicken blends? There are numerous chicken and tuna blends in the cat food market. However, most formulas do not offer as much chicken and tuna as this food. In many other cat food blends, the meat protein content is substituted with corn and other potentially harmful ingredients. Nevertheless, there are some blends that promise to offer large amounts of tuna and chicken content in one formula. By Nature is one of these brands.
The By Nature 95% tuna & chicken formula is claimed to be perfectly blended to offer your cat the required meat protein needed to thrive. This formula is also claimed to boost the health of your cat while shielding it from common ailments. Are these claims true? We will begin our By Nature 95% Tuna and Chicken Cat Food review with a close analysis of the ingredients in this blend.
Ingredients In By Nature 95% Tuna & Chicken Cat Food
Tuna, Fish Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flaxseed, Sun-Cured Alfalfa, Salt, Choline Chloride, Tricalcium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin E Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D2 Supplement, Folic Acid.
According to By Nature, these ingredients are blended to meet the AAFCO nutritional requirements for cat foods.
By Nature 95% Tuna & Chicken Top 5 Ingredients Overview
Tuna
This ingredient is a well known saltwater fish. There is some debate about whether fish products should be included in cat food at all, because cats by nature do not eat much sea food. A lot of cat owners would rather see meat from other animals such as beef, chicken, turkey, or other meat sources. However, tuna does supply a good amount of protein and also contains an excellent amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Fish Broth
Fish broth is a mostly non-nutritious ingredient used to add moisture to the food. It is considered a better alternative to plain water and does provide an enhanced taste for cats. We do wish this broth came from a named fish source as the broth could have been made using almost any type of fish and almost any part of the fish. However, this is still considered a safe ingredient and we aren’t too concerned about the unnamed source this broth comes from.
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 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.
Dicalcium Phosphate
Dicalcium phosphate (DCP) is a dibasic calcium phosphate formed by a reactive combination of calcium oxide and phosphoric acid. As a dietary supplement, it is commonly used as a source of calcium and phosphorus for both humans and animals. This ingredient is also frequently used as a firming agent and binder to help give the food more structure. While not an especially nutritious ingredient, the risk of adverse health effects due to cats consuming this ingredient appears to be very low.
Additional Ingredients Of Interest In By Nature 95% Tuna & Chicken Cat Food
Choline Chloride
Like humans and many other species, cats require choline. Almost all commercial pet food blends will contain supplemental choline. This ingredient mostly helps with cell function.
Riboflavin Supplement
Riboflavin is found in various foods, including milk and dairy products, fish, meats, green leafy vegetables, and whole grain and enriched cereals and bread. It is a source of Vitamin B2. Due to the cooking process, most cat foods do not include enough vitamins and minerals. In order to meet AFFCO standards, most cat food will contain supplemental vitamins or minerals, such as is the case with this ingredient. We are not aware of any major medical issues related to this ingredient and in fact, a lack of vitamin B can be very serious for your cat.
Vitamin E Supplement
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that scavenges the body’s free radicals. Free radicals are thought to contribute to aging and contribute to a number of health problems. That’s why vitamin E is an important tool in the battle against aging, heart disease and cancer. When a cat food does not naturally contain sufficient levels of vitamin E, the manufacture will add in additional vitamin E as a supplement. It is crucial for cats to receive an adequate amount of vitamin E so this supplement is pretty commonly found in cat food products.
By Nature 95% Tuna & Chicken Cat Food Allergy Risks
This is a grain free formula that contains none of the commonly known allergens. It is, therefore, generally safe for cats with food sensitivities. All cats are different and your cat could suffer from a unique food allergy, but in general, the risk of food allergies to cats in this blend is very low.
Poor Quality Ingredients Commonly Found In Cat Food
Wheat, soy and corn – All three of these ingredients are known allergens for many cats. In addition, many cats have problems digesting these grain based ingredients. Since cats are obligate carnivores, their digestive systems are designed to digest meat and not grains. All of these ingredients will help to boost the protein percentage in cat food, but not all protein is created equally. Cats do not digest plant based proteins in the same way as meat proteins and in fact, gain little to no nutritional value from these grains. Several “grocery store brand” cat foods include these products to keep the price down as it is a cheap filler to help make your cat feel full as well as a cheap way to add protein to the food.
BHT and BHA preservatives – Both BHA & BHT are preservatives that have been banned in human foods in many countries due to cancer risks. However, they remain approved for use in pet foods. A growing number of pet owners are becoming aware of the potential dangers these ingredients bring and are shunning all foods containing BHA and BHT. A quick internet search on these preservatives will show that the backlash is gaining steam with many cat food companies abandoning these ingredients. BHA and BHT are extremely controversial ingredients in all forms of pet food.
Animal by-products – One of the worst meat ingredients found in pet food today is animal by product. It’s true that this ingredient provides a very high amount of meat protein that cats need to thrive. However, animal by products are considered to be the lowest form of meat and it isn’t even approved for human consumption. Animal by-products are carcasses and parts of carcasses from slaughterhouses, animal shelters, zoos and veterinarians, and products of animal origin not intended for human consumption, including catering waste. Legally, this ingredient can even contain roadkill or euthanized animals. This ingredient may also contain what is called “4D meat” which is what the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) calls cattle that is dead, dying, disabled or diseased. This meat is considered unfit for human consumption, but is typically found in many pet food products. This is not something we recommend you feed your cat or any other pet.
Fortunately, none of these ingredients are included in the By Nature 95% tuna and chicken formula.
Conclusion
The By Nature 95% tuna and chicken formula seems to be a favorite amongst many cat owners. This is mainly because it is a grain free formula that contains quality ingredients with a large protein percentage. Therefore, this is an above average formula for almost any cat.
