Unbiased Natural Balance Cat Food Review

Kate Barrington / Cats.com

Natural Balance cat food offers a solid selection of limited ingredient recipes and novel proteins, making it a popular choice for cat owners dealing with allergies or food sensitivities. But is it the right choice for your cat? We’ve taken a close look at Natural Balance and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, product variety, price, ingredient quality, customer experience, and recall history.

The Cats.com Standard—Rating Natural Balance on What Matters

We’ve analyzed Natural Balance 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.

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Ratings

Species-Appropriateness – 7/10
Ingredient Quality – 8/10
Product Variety – 7/10
Price – 6/10
Customer Experience – 7/10
Recall History – 5/10

Overall Score: 6.7/10

We give Natural Balance a 40 out of 60 rating, or a B- grade.

Why Trust Cats.com

With the overwhelming amount of cat foods available, it can be difficult to choose. We’re committed to making it easier by delivering well-researched, unbiased cat food reviews. To evaluate Natural Balance cat food, I read about the company’s history, manufacturing and sourcing practices, and recall history. Then I ordered three popular recipes to test at home.

To evaluate this brand, I looked at the recipes’ nutritional content and species-appropriateness for cats. I considered each ingredient and assessed the food’s smell, texture, and overall cat appeal. This review was also informed by my years of experience researching and testing cat foods.

About Natural Balance Cat Food

Natural Balance Pet Foods was created in 1989 by Dick Van Patten and Joey Herrick after a conversation about the two entertainers’ shared love of animals. Herrick, then a drummer for The John Davidson Show, was interested in animal rescue, while Van Patten had always wanted to open up a pet shop. By the end of the conversation, they were thinking about starting a pet food company.

The resulting company was called Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Pet Foods and it became one of the first to take advantage of the growing demand for organic and filler-free pet food. Their food was marketed as “Food for a Lifetime” and “the finest food you can buy for your pet.”

After a brief dip in popularity, Natural Balance was picked up by Petco and came to be featured in over 600 stores. In 2013, the company merged with Del Monte, a conglomerate behind numerous other pet food brands, including Meow Mix and Milo’s Kitchen. Two years later, J.M. Smucker purchased Natural Balance as part of its Big Heart Pet Brands acquisition.

In 2021, the brand was sold to Nexus Capital Management LP, which puts it in a prime position to capitalize on their commitment to research, development, and product innovation. In 2023, Natural Balance announced it would merge with Canidae Pet Foods. Consumers can expect new specialty products to be released under the Natural Balance brand in the coming years.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

Natural Balance sources ingredients from around the world, with suppliers in the United States, France, India, New Zealand, and Canada. The brand is willing to disclose the origins of its protein sources but will not reveal specific sourcing information for its plant ingredients or additives.

Most of the brand’s foods are made in the United States by multiple manufacturers, including one company-owned facility in Brownwood, TX. Some canned cat foods are made in FDA-approved plants in Thailand.

Though Natural Balance doesn’t provide too many details about the sourcing of its ingredients, the brand is very transparent about the manufacturing standards it follows. This brand offers customers a “Feed With Confidence” promise and has its products tested by third-party ISO 17025-accredited labs. In fact, customers can enter the UPC and lot number from their bag of pet food to view test results. Natural Balance follows WSAVA guidelines, and the brand’s Research & Development team includes a PhD animal nutritionist, veterinarians, and food scientists.

Has Natural Balance Cat Food Been Recalled?

Natural Balance has had several significant product recalls across the brand’s history. After being involved in the sweeping melamine recalls of 2007, Natural Balance had two small recalls in 2010 and 2012 related to potential salmonella contamination in foods manufactured at a Diamond Pet Foods facility. After 2012, Natural Balance didn’t have another recall for eight years.

In early July 2020, the J.M. Smucker Company issued a voluntary recall for a single lot of Natural Balance Ultra-Premium Chicken & Liver Pate Formula canned cat food due to concerns related to elevated levels of choline chloride. There was another voluntary recall in May 2021 for one lot of dry cat food due to potential salmonella contamination.

What Kinds of Cat Food Does Natural Balance Offer?

Kate Barrington / Cats.com

Natural Balance offers a wide range of cat food products, including dry cat food and wet cat food in cans, tubs, and pouches. The brand has a few wet cat food toppers but doesn’t offer any cat treats. Natural Balance’s recipes are centered around animal proteins with real meat, poultry, or fish as the first ingredient in most formulas (except some of the single-protein limited ingredient diet recipes).

Here’s a quick overview of the different product lines Natural Balance currently offers:

Original Ultra – The flagship line of wet and dry cat foods featuring familiar flavors like chicken and fish, designed to deliver everyday nutrition.
Limited Ingredient – Simple recipes made with a single animal protein and other easily digestible ingredients for cats with sensitive stomachs.
Ultra Protein – Protein-packed kibble and wet foods formulated with real poultry or fish and nutrient-rich organs.
Ultra Protein Plus – High-protein recipes with added functional ingredients to support key aspects of feline health.
Fat Cats – A limited line of weight management recipes formulated with fewer calories.
Platefulls – Savory wet cat food entrees conveniently packaged in pouches for easy serving.

Natural Balance uses a wide variety of protein sources in its formulas, though chicken and salmon are the most common. Other featured flavors include duck, venison, turkey, tuna, and quail egg. Natural Balance wet cat foods come in a variety of textures including pate, shreds in broth, chunks in gravy, and a puree-style wet cat food topper.

Aside from the Limited Ingredient products (which are made with a single source of protein), most of Natural Balance’s cat food recipes contain animal protein from multiple sources. Most but not all of the brand’s cat food formulas are grain-free, with many recipes relying heavily on peas and other legumes. The brand doesn’t appear to use any animal by-products, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial additives.

What Did Our Test Cats Think?

To test Natural Balance cat food, I purchased an assortment of recipes from all the major product lines. My personal experience and evaluation are complemented by several other team members who’ve tested Natural Balance with their own cats.

My cats, Biscuit and Munchkin, have tried Natural Balance products several times over the past few years, but this was their first time really digging into the brand. Their favorite foods came from the Ultra Protein line, though Reserve Limited Ingredient Duck & Green Pea dry food has also become a staple in Biscuit’s diet.

Not only did my cats enjoy the food, but I was pleased with it, too. I like that the dry food comes in small bags (which makes it easier to try different flavors) and most of the wet food recipes are available by the can at my local Pet Supplies Plus store. My only complaint is that the dry food bags aren’t resealable.

Natural Balance Cat Food—Top 5 Recipes Reviewed

Product Name	Food Type	Primary Protein	Calories Per Ounce	Price	Our Grade
Natural Balance Reserve Limited Ingredient Duck & Green Pea Recipe Dry Cat Food	Dry	Duck	100	$0.27 per ounce	C
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Chicken & Green Pea Recipe Paté Canned Cat Food	Wet	Chicken	33	$0.51 per ounce	B-
Natural Balance Ultra Premium Chicken & Chicken Liver Paté Canned Cat Food	Wet	Chicken	33	$0.41 per ounce	A-
Natural Balance Ultra Platefulls Chicken & Chicken Liver Morsels in Gravy Wet Cat Food	Wet	Chicken	26	$0.50 per ounce	B
Natural Balance Ultra Protein Real Salmon Recipe with Protein-Rich Organs Cuts in Gravy Wet Cat Food	Wet	Salmon	25	$0.89 per ounce	A-

#1 Natural Balance Reserve Limited Ingredient Duck & Green Pea Recipe Dry Cat Food

$84.24 At Chewy $29.98 At Amazon

Formulated for cats with food allergies and sensitivities, this dry cat food is made with a limited number of ingredients and a single source of animal-based protein. It leads with duck and duck meal; duck is a novel protein suitable for cats allergic to beef or chicken.

Natural Balance Reserve Limited Ingredient Duck & Green Pea Recipe Dry Cat Food

Kate Barrington / Cats.com

While this recipe starts off strong, the first two ingredients are followed by a string of plant-based ingredients, including peas, chickpeas, lentils, pea protein, and pea starch. This contributes to its higher carbohydrate content. It may be a plant-heavy cat food, but it does live up to its claims of being a limited-ingredient diet. Aside from a handful of plant and animal proteins, the ingredients list is primarily made up of nutritional supplements.

Overall, this is a plant-heavy dry cat food with moderate protein, moderate fat content, and high levels of carbohydrate matter. Customer reviews for this product are overwhelmingly positive, with many cat owners saying it helped resolve their cat’s digestive issues and that it was a good choice for allergy sufferers. My own allergy-prone cat, Biscuit, loved this food and it’s become a part of her staple diet.

Ingredients

Duck, Duck Meal, Peas, Chickpeas, Lentils, Pea Protein, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Starch, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Choline Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate), Taurine, Citric Acid (Preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Rosemary Extract.

Ingredients We Liked: Duck, Duck Meal, Menhaden Fish Oil

Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Green Peas, Pea Protein, Pea Starch, Canola Oil, Chickpeas, Lentils

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 30%

Crude Fat: 12%

Crude Fiber: 4.5%

Moisture: 10%

Calcium: 0.8%

Phosphorus: 0.7%

Magnesium: 0.14%

Taurine: 0.16%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 33.33%

Fat: 13.33%

Fiber: 5%

Carbs: 48.33%

Caloric Weight Basis

Protein: 29.23%

Fat: 28.39%

Carbs: 42.38%

What We Liked:

May help minimize symptoms of food allergies
Menhaden fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids
Doesn’t contain any common cat food allergens

What We Didn’t Like:

High in carbohydrate and plant-based proteins
Limited moisture content (like all dry foods)

#2 Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Chicken & Green Pea Recipe Paté Canned Cat Food

$54.72 At Chewy $54.72 At Amazon

Part of the Limited Ingredient line, this canned cat food features chicken as the primary source of animal protein. Like the previous product, it also relies heavily on peas with both fresh and dried peas as well as pea protein. The main source of added fat is salmon oil, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Chicken & Green Pea Recipe Paté Canned Cat Food

Kate Barrington / Cats.com

Measured as dry matter, this formula contains almost 41% protein and nearly 23% fat. It’s pretty energy-dense at about 33 calories per ounce as well, though the dry matter carbohydrate content is higher than we’d like. We’d also prefer to see a nutritious source of whole-grain source over peas, though legumes are common in limited ingredient formulas.

Our test cats enjoyed this recipe when the can was first opened but lost interest after it had been refrigerated. Customer reviews for this product are generally positive, especially among the owners of cats with digestive issues or food allergies.