High-in-proteins dry cat foods are usually expensive. That’s why I decided to review Earthborn Holistic Primitive cat food because I saw the price tag is not that expensive and I noticed the formula was high in proteins. I discovered things I liked about this formula and things I didn’t. I also concluded for what type of cat this formula works better.
Earthborn Cat Food Ingredients:
Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Chicken Fat (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Pea Starch, Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Pea Fiber, Dried Eggs, Pacific Whiting Meal, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Carrots, Spinach, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, L-Lysine, DL-Methionine, Calcium Sulfate, L-Carnitine, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.
Caloric Content
3,755 kcal/kg, 395 kcal/cup (18.5% Carbohydrate content on an as fed basis; 20.1% on a dry matter basis).
Guaranteed Analysis
CRUDE PROTEIN 40.0% min – CRUDE FAT 18.0% min – CRUDE FIBER 3.0% max – MOISTURE 10.0% max – CALCIUM 1.2% min – PHOSPHORUS 1.0% min – MAGNESIUM 0.1% max – VITAMIN E 300 IU/kg min – TAURINE 0.2% min – ASCORBIC ACID 100 mg/kg min – OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS 3.45% min – OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS 0.8% min
ANALYSIS OF FIRST 5 INGREDIENTS OF EARTHBORN HOLISTIC CAT FOOD
Turkey Meal: 4 stars. A concentrated source of proteins but with lower protein content than chicken. Cholesterol is a little higher in turkey than chicken.
Chicken Meal: 5 stars. Chicken meat that has been cooked, dry, and pulverized, providing a high content of protein for cats.
Peas: 5 stars. Good source of vegetable protein, carbohydrates, and fiber with a low glycemic index.
Chicken Fat (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols): 4 stars. Good source of energy and flavor for cats, preserved with vitamin E. Animal fats are much better than oils for cats.
Pea Starch: 3 stars. Much better than corn or potato starch. Improves the metabolic status of cats. Good source of energy.
Kibble type
Very small rounded. May not work great with some gravity feeders. Usually, small round kibble works excellent with automatic food dispensers, providing the accuracy needed in portions.
What I like about Earthborn Holistic cat food:
- No grains or soy. No gluten.
- It contains chicken fat instead of vegetable oils. Chicken fat is a better source of energy for cats than oils.
- Decent Phosphorus level of 1.0%
- Good amount of magnesium 1.0%
- Good content of Vitamin E. Vitamin E is good for the cat’s muscles, blood circulation, immune system, it gives cats a shiny coat and improves the cat’s skin.
- All the ingredients in Earthborn Holistic Primitive cat food are grown or produced in the US. The exception is lamb meal which comes from Australia and flaxseed that is grown in Canada.
- Most cats love the taste of this food, even the pickiest cats adopt this food quickly.
- It helps cats with stomach sensitivities
- Good for kittens and adult cats
- Bag with a Velcro strip to seal the food tightly
What I don’t like about this cat food:
- The content of chicken fat is a little low. It could be 20% or higher.
- Ash level 9.4% a little on the high side. Too much ash could limit the absorption of nutrients. That’s why the formula has flaxseed as the 7th ingredient to boost the absorption of vitamins and minerals by adding fiber. The word “ash” doesn’t tell much about content, but as the Phosphorus and Magnesium levels aren’t high, we must assume it’s from other sources, such as calcium or iron.
- Omega fatty acids come mostly from flaxseed and not from fish oil. Fish oil is a better source of fatty acids for cats than Flaxseed. However, flaxseed helps cats with stomach sensitivities.
- Contains fish (Pacific Whiting Meal). The chance of your cat developing any food allergy is 10% (source Wikipedia). From this 10%, the chance of the allergen being fish is 23% (source petmed.com). So the probability of your cat developing a fish allergy is very low.
- Good value for money. You get high-in-protein cat food for a lower price than most brands.
My Conclusion
If you want a protein-dense cat food but your cat is really picky and you don’t know if your feline friend will eat it, I recommend you to try this brand. Most cats love the taste of this food and eat it with no problem. I especially recommend this brand for healthy female cats that are picky when trying new cat foods. Male cats can also enjoy their recipe by following my suggestions below.
Also, if your cat has some stomach sensitivities, but not diagnosed with any illness, you can try this brand and see how it works for your feline friend. This cat food has improved the digestion of some cats with stomach sensitivities.
Some recommendations
If you have a male cat:
Due to the little higher ash content, I would suggest feeding your male cat small portions, complementing with wet food. Also, provide an automatic water fountain for your cat to increase his water consumption so it can eliminate the excess of minerals through the urine.
If you have a large cat or a cat with bigger jaws:
Your cat may not adopt this cat food, due to the kibble size that is tiny. Some cats with bigger jaws have a hard time trying to chew the food, the kibble falls off their mouth when they’re trying to chew it.
If your cat is 7 years old or older:
This cat food may not be suitable. Older cats need more fat content on their diets due to a lack of proper absorption of fat over time (source petcoach.co).
You can buy Earthborn Holistic Primitive Feline grain-free cat food on Chewy with fast shipping by clicking the link below. Get 5% off your first order by subscribing & save:
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