I’d been thinking of switching my cat to a raw food diet when the folks at MrChewy.com offered to send us a package of Nature’s Variety’s Instinct Raw Boost Minis Freeze Dried Treats for Cats. Raw Boost Minis come in two flavours—duck and chicken&mdash and I was given my choice to pick the flavour. Feeling adventurous, I chose the duck for Furball. He’s never eaten duck in his life and I was curious to see what his reaction would be.
Instinct Raw Boos Minis are made from all natural, pure raw ingredients. These treats don’t contain any wheat, corn, soy, grain, gluten, by-product meals, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. They’re also made in the USA and contain only 2 calories per treat.
The ingredient list for the duck formula reads like a who’s who of health foods and supplements:
Duck (Including Ground Duck Bone), Turkey, Turkey Liver, Turkey Heart, Pumpkinseeds, Apples, Carrots, Butternut Squash, Ground Flaxseed, Montmorillonite Clay, Broccoli, Lettuce, Spinach, Dried Kelp, Apple Cider Vinegar, Parsley, Honey, Salmon Oil, Mixed Tocopherols, Olive Oil, Rosemary Extract, Blueberries, Alfalfa Sprouts, Persimmons, Inulin, Rosemary, Sage, Clove.
As you can see, with the exception of Montmorillonite clay and Inulin, all of the ingredients are foods that you might find in your own pantry or fridge. Being a curious cat, I had to look up what the two exceptions were.
According to the Nature’s Variety website, Montmorillonite is a natural clay that sourced from deposits in southern Utah that is approved by AAFCO for use as an anticaking processing aid. Inulin is an insoluble plant fructan, also known as a prebiotic, that stimulates growth of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) in the digestive system. It’s harvested from plants such as chicory, dandelion, and Jerusalem artichokes.
As someone who has been frequenting health food stores for almost 20 years, I have to admit that uber-healthy sometimes doesn’t equate to uber-tasty. In order to give Instinct Raw Boost Minis a passing grade, they’d have to pass the final taste test with Furball.
I sprinkled four treats into his dinner bowl and eagerly watched his reaction. At first, Furball ate around the treats. Then, his curiosity got the better of him and he tried one. Right after that first taste, he gulped the rest down and every day after, whenever I added the treats to his food bowl, they were the first thing he finished.
I’d say the Instinct Raw Boost Minis passed with flying colours!
Learn more about Nature’s Variety Raw Boost Mini Bites for Cats