
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
The Ultra Protein line from Natural Balance features high levels of animal-sourced protein, promising to be a healthy choice for cats. But is this brand the right fit for your feline friend? Find out how this brand holds up to our standards in this detailed review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Ultra Protein on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Ultra Protein and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 8/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 6/10
Overall Score: 7.3/10
We give Ultra Protein by Natural Balance 44 out of 60 points, or a B grade.
About Natural Balance and Ultra Protein Cat Food
Natural Balance Pet Foods was founded in 1989 by Dick Van Patten and Joey Herrick as a premium line of natural pet foods. Formulas were designed around animal proteins without fillers like wheat, corn, soy, and byproducts. As such, the brand made its mark in the limited ingredient diet pet food category, marketing itself with taglines like “food for a lifetime” and “feed well, feel well.”
Natural Balance merged with Del Monte Foods in 2013 and was then purchased by The J.M. Smucker Company in 2015. In 2021, Natural Balance was sold to Nexus Capital, who combined it with Canidae in 2023 to form Ethos Pet Brands.
When the Ultra Protein line was released in 2025, it was named a winner in the Pet Innovation Awards that same year. Ultra Protein was recognized for its nutrient-forward formulations and inclusions of protein-rich organ meats such as chicken livers and hearts. The products in this line stand out with protein levels exceeding 40% and a focus on functional ingredients in recipes designed to support immune health, digestive function, and healthy skin and coat.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Most Natural Balance pet foods are made in the United States, either in the company’s own facilities located in Brownwood, Texas, or by trusted manufacturing partners. Some of the brand’s wet food products are made in Thailand. Natural Balance uses globally sourced ingredients and generally doesn’t disclose specific sourcing information.
Natural Balance pet foods are formulated by a research and development team that includes veterinary experts, experienced food scientists, and a PhD small animal nutritionist. Each formula is carefully reviewed to ensure nutritional balance appropriate for the intended species and life stage according to AAFCO nutrient profiles.
Has Ultra Protein Cat Food Been Recalled?
Having only been launched in 2025, the Ultra Protein line has never been involved in a product recall. While the Natural Balance brand has not been recalled in the last five years, the brand issued a few voluntary recalls between 1989 and 2021.
For example, in July 2020, a single lot of Natural Balance Ultra-Premium Chicken & Liver Paté Formula canned cat food was voluntarily recalled due to elevated levels of choline chloride. Another voluntary recall was issued in May 2021 for a single lot of Green Pea & Chicken Formula dry cat food due to potential salmonella contamination.
The Natural Balance Feed With Confidence program has been a core component of the brand’s quality and safety commitment for many years, providing pet parents access to batch-specific testing results and quality assurance information.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Ultra Protein Offer?
Natural Balance offers a wide variety of cat food products and the Ultra Protein line is fairly diverse. Ultra Protein includes a handful of dry cat foods along with wet cat food in several different textures. There are also two purée-style wet cat food toppers. The main flavors featured in Ultra Protein cat food are chicken, salmon, and duck.
What sets Ultra Protein cat food apart from other Natural Balance product lines is the focus on animal protein. Real poultry or fish is the first ingredient, and every formula includes nutrient-rich organ meats such as chicken livers and hearts to deliver a concentrated source of wholesome nutrition. Ultra Protein wet cat foods contain upwards of 90% animal-sourced protein and the dry foods are formulated with 40% protein or more.
Here’s a current list of wet cat foods in the Ultra Protein line:
- Real Chicken Recipe with Protein-Rich Organs Cuts in Gravy
- Real Duck Recipe with Protein-Rich Organs Cuts in Gravy
- Real Salmon Recipe with Protein-Rich Organs Cuts in Gravy
- Real Chicken Recipe with Protein-Rich Organs Paté
- Real Duck Recipe with Protein-Rich Organs Paté
- Real Salmon Recipe with Protein-Rich Organs Paté
- Real Chicken & Quail Egg Recipe in Broth Shreds & Organ Chunks
- Real Salmon & Chicken Recipe in Broth Shreds & Organ Chunks
- Real Chicken & Duck Recipe in Broth Shreds & Organ Chunks
There are five dry cat food recipes in the Ultra Protein line from Natural Balance, all of which feature either chicken & chicken meal or salmon & chicken meal. In addition to three regular Ultra Protein recipes, there are two Ultra Protein Plus formulas which offer enhanced support for immune function, digestion, and skin & coat health.
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
To review the Ultra Protein line from Natural Balance, I purchased a sample of every recipe available at my local Pet Supplies Plus store. I bought two dry foods (one Ultra Protein, one Ultra Protein Plus), both Ultra Protein Plus purée toppers, and a variety of paté-style wet foods and cuts in gravy.
My cats thoroughly enjoyed the cuts in gravy (especially the salmon recipe) and both dry foods, but were a little less interested in the paté. One of my cats (Munchkin) has a strong preference for high-moisture foods, so I was a little surprised she didn’t go for the paté but not surprised at all that she loved the gravy.
I liked that both Ultra Protein dry foods we sampled had very small kibbles. This made them easy to eat for my other cat, Biscuit, who has lost a lot of her teeth by now. The kibbles were even smaller than the limited ingredient dry food we sampled from Natural Balance’s Reserve line. My only complaint is that the dry cat food bags aren’t resealable.
Ultra Protein Cat Food—Top 5 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Primary Protein | Calories Per Ounce | Price | Our Grade |
| Real Duck Recipe with Protein-Rich Organs Cuts in Gravy | Wet | Duck | 25 | $0.85 per oz | A- |
| Real Chicken Recipe with Protein-Rich Organs Paté | Wet | Chicken | 34 | $0.84 per oz | A |
| Natural Balance Ultra Protein Plus Skin & Coat and Digestive Health Salmon & Pumpkin Purée Topper | Topper | Salmon | 31 | $0.84 per oz | B+ |
| Natural Balance Ultra Protein Real Chicken & Chicken Meal Recipe Dry Cat Food | Dry | Chicken | 101 | $0.25 per ounce | B+ |
| Natural Balance Ultra Protein Plus Real Salmon & Chicken Meal Recipe Dry Cat Food | Dry | Salmon | 102 | $0.31 per ounce | B+ |
What Do Customers Think of Ultra Protein Cat Food?
Natural Balance customers generally seem happy with Ultra Protein cat food, with some saying their cats prefer it over any other brand. That being said, there aren’t as many reviews for products in this line compared to the brand as a whole (not surprising, considering it was only released in 2025). Cat owners appreciate the prioritization of animal proteins, and some customers note improvements in their cat’s skin and coat health after making the switch.
Overall, Ultra Protein dry foods appear to receive more positive reviews than the wet foods. Both the Ultra Protein and Ultra Protein Plus dry foods have an average rating of 4.3 or 4.5 out of 5 stars on Chewy while most of the wet foods have an average rating between 3.6 and 4.2 out of 5 stars.
Positive Reviews
Satisfied customers often comment on the quality of the ingredients in Ultra Protein cat food, and the dry food seems to be particularly popular with picky eaters. Many cat owners like the size of the small kibbles and the generous amount of gravy in the wet food.
“I’m really happy having recently switched my cat to this premium protein dry food. He’s been picky in the past, but has taken right to this salmon flavor. I really love that the ingredients are high quality and packed full of nutrition. Also thrilled that it doesn’t include and artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Highly recommend for picky cats!” – CK reviewing Natural Balance Ultra Protein Real Salmon & Chicken Meal Recipe dry cat food on Chewy, September 16, 2026
“My black cat, Moon, can’t wait for this food! He loves it and immediately eats much of the broth and smaller shreds. The consistency is very fine and the smell is just enough to attract my cats.” – MarshiMom reviewing Natural Balance Ultra Protein Salmon & Chicken Recipe in Broth wet cat food on Chewy, May 1, 2026
Negative Reviews
Not every cat is going to like a given brand, but Ultra Protein’s wet cat food in particular is pretty hit-or-miss. Some dissatisfied cat owners say their cats wouldn’t touch the wet food and others complain about the size of the chunks. A few negative reviews mention the size of the kibbles (saying they’re too small) and some cat owners disliked that all the wet foods contain chicken protein.
“I think the ingredients are clean and I like the brand. The kibble is very small pellets, smaller than Blue wilderness. I think that’s too small for adult cats. They just swallow rather than chew. Maybe that’s why they don’t like it. Also, it didn’t have that strong fishy smell my cats love.” – Melissa reviewing Natural Balance Ultra Protein Real Salmon & Chicken Meal Recipe dry cat food on Chewy, May 1, 2026
“The cat crew seemed to really enjoy the smell and first few bites. Then stopped eating it nor wanted anymore after those few bites. They were offered friskies wet food shortly after and gobbled that up while ignoring this high quality food. They are not a fan and I won’t be purchasing it again.” – Melody reviewing Natural Balance Ultra Protein Pate Variety Pack on Chewy, August 26, 2026
How Much Does Ultra Protein Cat Food Cost?
Marketed as one of Natural Balance’s premium product lines, Ultra Protein is at the higher end of the price spectrum. Ultra Protein dry cat food ranges from $0.25 to $0.31 per ounce, depending on the recipe. The regular Ultra Protein recipes are a little cheaper because they come in 10-pound bags while the Ultra Protein Plus recipes only come in 2.5- and 5-pound bags.
Ultra Protein wet cat food is a little more expensive than other Natural Balance product lines. This may be due in part to the higher protein content, but Ultra Protein wet foods are also sold in smaller packages (2.7-ounce cups or 2.8-ounce cans). The per-ounce price for Ultra Protein wet cat food ranges from $0.66 to $0.85 per ounce.
The estimated daily cost to feed a 10-pound cat Ultra Protein cat food is about $3.50 to $5.00 for wet food and around $0.50 to $0.65 for dry food.
Where is Ultra Protein Cat Food Sold?
You can buy Ultra Protein cat food anywhere Natural Balance pet foods are sold. Major pet retailers like Petco and PetSmart carry Natural Balance pet food products, as do some local and regional chains. To find a local retailer, you can use the brand’s store locator.
Online, you can browse the full Ultra Protein product line on the Natural Balance website, but the brand doesn’t sell its products directly. Natural Balance cat food is sold on both Amazon and Chewy, and you can shop the websites for national pet store chains like Petco and PetSmart as well.
Overall, Is Ultra Protein Cat Food a Good Choice?
With its emphasis on animal proteins, Ultra Protein is certainly one of Natural Balance’s more carnivore-appropriate product lines. Every product starts with an animal-based protein as the first ingredient, and most rely on animal-sourced fats as well. The flavor variety is somewhat limited to chicken, duck, and salmon, but there are several wet food textures and a handful of dry cat foods to choose from.
Something worth noting is that most Ultra Protein products contain multiple animal proteins. If your cat is allergic to certain proteins (especially chicken), this line might not be an ideal choice; their Limited Ingredient line might be a better option. Most Ultra Protein recipes are formulated for all life stages, including one kitten-specific formula (a dry food recipe). Select wet recipes including the Ultra Protein Cuts in Gravy and Ultra Protein Shreds & Organ Chunks are formulated according to AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
If you’re interested in adding more high-quality animal protein to your cat’s diet, the Ultra Protein line from Natural Balance could be a great choice. The dry food is sold in small bags and many of the wet foods are available in variety packs, so it’s easy to sample this brand without spending a lot of money.
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