Nature’s Variety Instinct Chicken Formula Review

Nature’s Variety Instinct Grain-Free Chicken Review

Nature’s Variety Instinct Grain-free Chicken formula provides good percentages of proteins (43%) and crude fat (19.5%) that mirror the natural cat diet. The main source of proteins are cage-free chicken that come from USA farms. The formula contains natural probiotics to support the cat’s digestive health. With Omegas and antioxidants for a healthy skin & shiny coat, and to strengthen the cat’s immune system.

The particular characteristic of Instinct by Nature’s Variety Chicken formula is the fact that the kibble are coated with freeze raw chicken meat through a special process. The freeze-dried raw meat is crushed and tumbled with the kibble. This way the cat enjoys a pure nutritional kibble with the taste of natural meat.

In my article dry, wet or raw cat food? I state that I am not an advocate of raw food or freeze-dried raw food, but Nature’s Variety Instinct kibble is coated on raw freeze dry food so no risk of bacteria formation.

FEATURES

• Grain-free formula
• Cage-free chicken
• 81% animal ingredients and nutritional oils
• 19% vegetables, fruits, and other wholesome ingredients
• If provides 43% guaranteed crude proteins and 19.5% crude fats
• Raw freeze dry food coating on kibble adds real crude meat for tastier food.
• No corn, wheat, soy, by-product meals or artificial colors or preservatives
• With natural probiotics, natural Omegas, and antioxidants

Instinct by Nature’s Variety Original Grain-Free Recipe Chicken Ingredients:

Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Tapioca, Natural Flavor, Dried Tomato Pomace, White Fish Meal (Pacific Whiting, Pacific Sole, Pacific Rockfish), Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin), Montmorillonite Clay, Carrots, Apples, Cranberries, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide), Freeze Dried Chicken, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Freeze Dried Chicken Liver, Pumpkinseeds, Freeze Dried Chicken Heart, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract

Caloric Content: 4,150 kcal/kg, 488 kcal/cup

Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude protein 43.0% min – Crude fat 19.5% min – Crude fiber 3.0% max – Moisture 9.0% max – Vitamin E100 IU/kg min – Asboric acid (Vitamin C) 85 mg/kg min – Omega-3 fatty acids 0.45% min – Omega-6 fatty acids 3.0% min – Bacillus coagulants 60,000,000 CFU/lb min

Changes Regarding The Old Original Nature’s Variety Instinct Formula:

• The second ingredient was changed from chicken fat to chicken meal: Good change.
• The third ingredient was changed from tapioca to turkey meal: Good change.
• The fourth ingredient chicken was changed to Menhaden Fish Meal: Good change because it’s concentrated protein and it adds fatty acids, though part of it gets lost in the cooking and drying process.
• The fifth ingredient Menhaden fish meal was changed to peas: OK change.
• The new formula eliminated the Freeze-Dried Ground Chicken Bone from the Freeze Dried Chicken kibble coating. This change eliminates the excess calcium and phosphorus which is a good change.

In general terms, the formula made good changes because it turned into a formula whose first 4 ingredients are meat and fish, only the fifth ingredient is a carb, (peas), which is a low glycemic carb that provides a good source of vegetable protein. In the past, the formula had a high glycemic carb such as tapioca as the third ingredient. High-glycemic carbs cause a peak in the cat’s blood sugar, risking overweight and diabetes.

ANALYSIS OF FIRST 5 INGREDIENTS OF NATURE’S VARIETY INSTINCT CHICKEN

Chicken (2 stars): It contains 84% water in the muscles, which adds weight before the cooking process, inflating the actual percentage of chicken once is cooked. This ingredient is best used in canned food.
Chicken meal (5 stars): This is concentrated chicken meat which water weight has been removed. Excellent source of protein for cats.
Turkey meal (4 stars): Concentrated turkey meat which has been cooked, dried and pulverized. Good source of protein for cats.
Menhaden Fish Meal (5 stars): Excellent source of fish, highly concentrated source of protein and a good source of essential fatty acids.
Peas (5 stars): Very good vegetable source of protein, low-glycemic carbohydrates and fiber.

What are the Pros and Cons of Nature’s Variety Instinct Grain-Free Chicken?

The following list of the pros and cons will help you to determine if this formula is what your cat needs:

PROS

• Grain-free formula
• Kibble with freeze dry food coating for a much better taste
• Main ingredients (chicken meal and turkey meal) are natural preys for cats
• High in protein formula, with 43% guaranteed
• It mirrors the natural cat prey ratios of protein and fats
• Peas is a low-glycemic carb and a good source of vegetable protein
• No artificial colors or preservatives
• No corn, wheat, soy
• No by-product meats
• Safe ratios of Omega-3 and Omega-6
• With natural probiotics and antioxidants

CONS

• Less moisture than regular dry food (9% instead of 10%)
• It doesn’t list all the 11 essential amino-acids (but it lists 8, which is very good).
• A little high in Phosphorus (2.1%)
• It contains Menadione Sodium Bisulfate.

CONCLUSION

Nature’s Variety Instinct Chicken cat food is a good formula that provides 43% of guaranteed protein. Something I like about this formula is the fact that the main ingredients (second and third) are natural prey sources, such as chicken and turkey and they are a “meal” ingredient, which means a highly concentrated meat protein. The main “con” of this formula is the fact that it contains Menadione Sodium Bisulfate which is a bad ingredient. I was feeding my cat this formula as a transitional diet for a short period of time, but the fact that the Menadione ingredient is present in this formula which is not good for cats in the long term, I don’t recommend it. Check other cat food formulas on my cat food reviews.