Six challengers stepped into the ring to see if they had what it took to survive the Natural Cat Food Throwdown. These six different brands of natural cat food were entered into the competition based on the recommendation of Furball’s vet in our quest to find the ultimate natural cat food to help him control his struvite crystals.
Challengers were put through a vigorous questioning about the quality and source of their ingredients, processing facilities and most importantly, whether they were eco-friendly. From the following contenders, only two made it to the next round:
- Natura Pet Products
- Nature’s Variety
- Natural Balance Pet Foods
- Petropics
- Solid Gold
- Wellness
The results were illuminating and proved that you can’t judge a cat food by its packaging. Admittedly, I’d look at a package and if it seemed “granolay-hippy” looking, I would just assume that the company was a small socially-conscious ma/pop business. I’ve learned that’s not necessarily true. The best part about the Throwdown is that I now feel empowered and informed when I step into the cat food aisle of my local pet store.
So, the winners are Tiki Cat by Petropics and EVO by Natura Pet Products. Tiki Cat is available in numerous fish flavors, while EVO has a couple of poultry formulas. Both companies recognize the importance of green business practices and are taking tangible measures to be more eco-friendly.
Petropics has a slight green edge in that they don’t use Menu Foods to process their food and they are working at a political level to change industry practices. However, their food is processed in Thailand, which is a long way to travel for a can of cat food. They are actively looking for a greener alternative.
Natura Pet Products is a much larger company and is making company-wide efforts to be green such as switching to hybrid cars for its sales force and building an eco-friendly new office. The main negative in my opinion is that they use Menu Foods to process their products.
NOTE: In May 2010, it was announced that Procter & Gamble is purchasing Natura Pet Products. In light of this news, I revoked the championship award from EVO as P&G is not known for its environmental stewardship.
While there’s no “perfect” company, both Petropics and Natura Pet Products are demonstrating a commitment to the environment, so they’re both winners!
Now, it’s up to Furball’s finicky taste buds to see if one or both of these brands become a regular rotation in his diet.
Learn More
Read up on what I discovered about each of these companies. Find out who said they had environmentally-friendly business practices because, “Our cans our recyclable.” Which manufacturer refused to answer whether their products are processed by Menu Foods? Learn about Natura Pet Products’ new eco-friendly office. Plus, lots more!
- Tiki Cat by Petropics
- Instinct by Nature’s Variety
- EVO by Natura Pet Products
- CORE by Wellness
- Indigo Moon by Solid Gold
- Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance
- About the Natural Cat Food Throwdown
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