This is a review of Whole Earth Farms cat food.
As a feline Nutritionist and pet owner, I have bought various foods for my cats. My main concern always was how to provide the best nutrition for my pets.
I believe that our pets deserve the best possible food that we can provide.
In this article, I aim to show:
- what ingredients are in branded pet food
- how this affects your loved cat
So you can make an informed choice if particular cat food is best for your pet.
With so many options available on cat food shelves, it is easy to be overwhelmed, which is the best cat food overall.
I have researched Whole Earth Farms cat food products in-depth to help you determine if this brand is the best diet for your cat.
Whole Earth Farms cat food is made for cats with food sensitivities. However, this formula provides balanced nutrition for most cats.
Whole Earth Farms cat food is made in the USA. However, the ingredient suppliers are not explicitly notedly USA-based. The brand was launched in 2009.
This comprehensive cat food review will analyze this brand’s ingredients and nutritional content. We will also discuss customer reviews, possible recalls, and potential alternatives for this pet food from Whole Earth Farms.
Keep reading for more details.
Whole Earth Farms Cat Food Overview.
This cat food brand supplies customers with a grain-free alternative for their pets.
Their recipes feature high-quality protein as the first ingredient, vegetables, and added vitamins and minerals that provide cats with a complete and balanced meal.
Owners can choose from classic flavors like poultry, beef, salmon, tuna, to name a few. But all formulas meet AAFCO Guidelines for pet food.
Whole Earth Farms cat food line includes wet and dry options. All of which are corn, wheat, and soy-free.
Here are their most popular options:
- Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Duck Pate
- Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Healthy Kitten
- Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Chicken Dry Cat Food
- Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Chicken Pate
- Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Turkey & Duck Recipe Dry Cat Food
We select Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Duck Pate for detailed analysis.
This cat food is designed for Adults.
Also, the Grain-Free Real Duck Pate Formula is the most popular in the Whole Earth Farms food range.
Label Analysis.
Below we have a detailed analysis of the Whole Earth Farms cat food label.
Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Duck Pate
Ingredients list: Duck, Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Product, Natural Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Organic Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Sodium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Salmon Oil, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Agar-Agar, Ground Flaxseed, Locust Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K), Vitamin D3 Supplement), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Cobalt Glucoheptonate, Potassium Iodide).
Guaranteed Analysis:
| Crude protein | 9.0% min |
| Crude fat | 4.0% min |
| Crude fiber | 1.4% max |
| Moisture | 78.0% max |
Total caloric content:
97 kcal/2.75-oz can
176 kcal/5-oz can
Ingredients Analysis
Whole Earth Farms cat food formula uses high-quality ingredients for its product.
This Whole Earth Farms product features Duck as its first ingredient.
Duck:
Duck meat is an excellent source of protein in a cat’s diet. It has a high amount of iron, which benefits blood flow through the body giving your cat energy.
Chicken broth:
Cats are shy water drinkers, so if your cat’s food contains chicken broth, they will get hydrated better while eating.
The broth has excellent benefits for your cat’s body:
- Detoxifies liver– amino acid- glycerine. It helps a cat’s liver to clear toxins from its body.
- Helps digestive system– gelatine and collagen found in the broth will help strengthen intestine lining, repair leaky gut, and aid digestion naturally.
- Robust immune system– contains bone marrow to help fight disease better.
- Joint health– contains glucosamine and magnesium for joint health. It might help Senior cats with arthritic symptoms.
Note:
The commercial Chicken broth might not be suitable for cats as it might contain garlic and onion, which are not suitable for cat foods.
Chicken:
An excellent quality real meat provides lean protein for your cat’s balanced nutrition.
Lean meats provide all necessary for a strong heart, good vision, and a healthy reproductive system.
Chicken liver is high in Vitamin B, Potassium, Zinc, Iron, and Phosphorus. It also contains CoQ10 enzymes, which support your cat’s kidney function.
The liver contains Vitamin A to support:
- Eye vision; especially night vision
- Skin and fur health
- Bone formation
- Immune system support
- Overall support from over oxidation.
It is a fat-soluble vitamin that can not be excreted from the body but can accumulate in the kidneys and cause toxicity. Ensure that cat food does not contain more than 10% of the liver.
Dried Egg Product:
Dried eggs are the highest quality protein available to pet food manufacturers. Their form is highly digestible, and they provide a great source of antioxidants and nutrients.
Natural Flavor- these are not regulated for cat food.
They usually are added to enhance the meaty flavor in cat food.
Calcium Carbonate:
Ground limestone is an easy-to-use, safe, effective, and economical source of calcium fortification for cat diets.
Some research shows that this can benefit cats with kidney and urinary tract issues.
Organic Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal:
Alfalfa is a plant from the pea family.
It is a plant protein, and some research shows that it helps cats (along with other animals) with their digestive, glandular, urinary, and skeletal systems.
Contains many vitamins and minerals like Calcium, Protein, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Iron, Phosphorus, Vitamins A, B1, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K.
However, there is no conclusive research done as some figures show that this protein can irritate some cats and cause upset stomach and vomiting.
Sodium Phosphate:
Sodium phosphate is naturally occurring in many foods. It’s also added to foods to maintain freshness and alter the texture.
Sodium phosphate is considered safe by the FDA but should be avoided to be fed to certain cats, including those with kidney disease.
Guar Gum: This prevents the heavier ingredients from settling to the bottom of a can. This means in the factory, one can is not filled only with heavier items. Also, the can doesn’t need to be stirred before serving to mix all ingredients.
Salmon Oil:
Salmon Oil has Omega 3.
Benefits:
- Healthy skin and coat,
- Reduce inflammation,
(research shows a diet high in omega-3s can help protect against inflammation-related diseases)
- It can improve the body’s blood flow and oxygen circulation.
Potassium Chloride is a form of flavorless salt. This enhances the flavor of cat food. Also, potassium is a critical mineral:
- It helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signals,
- Reduces blood pressure and water retention,
- Prevents kidney stones and osteoporosis.
Salt:
Salt is a source of essential minerals needed for maintaining good health and the proper metabolism in cats.
It is composed of sodium and chloride, two essential minerals for cats. They maintain the balance of body fluids.
Salt can be added to canned food to make the food taste better. Added salt might increase thirst and water consumption. But not to worry, extra salt is excreted in cats’ urine.
Choline Chloride:
A building block for the nervous system, however too much of it can have adverse effects like vomiting in your cat.
Taurine is a critical amino acid for your cat.
Essential for:
- normal vision,
- digestion,
- heart muscle function,
- maintaining normal pregnancy and fetal development,
- healthy immune system.
Agar-Agar:
Agar-agar gives a sensation of fullness. It can also be used as a laxative or a thickener for foods.
Ground Flaxseed:
It contains Omega 3 fatty acids, which can benefit your cat’s coat health.
In pet foods, it might aid digestive health and ease constipation. However, there is no conclusive evidence about cats.
Locust Bean Gum:
Vegetable gum is extracted from the seeds of the carob tree and used as a thickening agent (gelling agent) in foods.
Xanthan Gum:
It is classed as a food additive.
Xanthan gum is a thickener and stabilizer. It is often added to pet foods to maintain thickness and keep ingredients from separating.
It’s created when sugar is fermented by a type of bacteria called Xanthomonas campestris.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for your cat’s overall wellbeing and healthy body.
Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K), Vitamin D3 Supplement), Yucca Schidigera Extract.
Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Cobalt Glucoheptonate, Potassium Iodide).
Nutrient analysis.
Crude protein 9.0% min (per can)
Kittens will need around 30%- 40% crude protein in their diet. They are growing fast, so they need as much lean protein as possible to maintain good bone and muscle health. High energy output requires higher protein, minerals, vitamins, and amino acid foods.
Adult cats require 35%- 40% protein in their diet.
Generally, a cat has a shiny coat, is alert, has normal stool and skin, ideal weight. It probably means that the food is okay. But is it possible to feed too much protein to a cat?
Senior cats
It can be tricky to determine how much protein a senior cat needs. The difficulty is in the fact that elderly cats might develop kidney disease. A high protein diet could harm the kidneys further. On the other hand, a low protein diet will mean muscle mass loss.
The best things to do I this case:
- See your cats veterinarian for a kidney check-up,
- Focus on quality rather than quantity in protein,
(For example, if your cat’s food label has chicken as the first ingredient. This means that your cat is getting quality lean protein)
- Change your cat’s diet to a lower protein diet (do it gradually as cats do not like change in diet).
Crude Fat 4.0% min (per can)
Cat typically needs 20%-24% fat content in their food. Cats get their energy from protein and fat and favor a meal where protein and fat are high.
Some owners might be tempted to feed a cat a low-fat diet to ensure obesity is not a problem. However, cats need more fat content and overeat low-fat food to meet their nutritional needs.
Look for actual animal fat in your cat’s food label. Unfortunately is not the case in Whole Earth Farms Real Duck pate flavor.
Crude Fiber 1.4% max (per can)
The fiber in cat food has become somewhat a controversial topic. It might seem that cats in the wild only eat meat, but actually, they eat all the animals with their prey’s skin, hoves, intestines, and stomach contents.
This could mean that our felines need a bit of fiber content in their meals.
Your veterinarian might prescribe a low or high-fiber diet if your cat is experiencing digestive problems.
For example, a high fiber content can help a diabetic cat, and a low fiber diet can help with small intestine problems.
It is always important to speak to your veterinarian for advice on your cat’s diet if digestive problems occur.
Whole Earth Farms Cat Food Reviews:
87% of cat owners on Chewy would recommend Whole Earth Farms Duck Pate formula. Overall reviews give the product 4.1 out of 5 stars.
Most reviews share that their picky cat loves this food. Some owners have cats in different stages of life, and some have health issues like diabetes and food intolerances—overall good value for money and happy cats.
“My fussy girls love the duck recipe! The pate is very dense, and a half can provide a full serving per kitty. My girls are small, about 8.5 lbs at one year old, so if you have a larger cat, then adjust accordingly. I think the smooth consistency of this pate may work well for cats with dental issues as well.”
You can read more on Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Real Duck Pate Recipe.
Recalls
There is no current recall of this product.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) require that all animal foods, like human foods, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled. In addition, canned pet foods must be processed in conformance with the low acid canned food regulations to ensure the pet food is free of viable microorganisms. (2)
You can find a complete list of FDA recalls here.
Alternatives
If you think that Whole Earth farms cat food is not the ideal choice for your cat. There are a few alternatives to consider.
Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food
Stella and Chewy’s freeze-dried raw cat food is one of the favorites among cat owners when commercial freeze-dried raw food is mentioned.
Never contains grains, gluten, fillers, artificial preservatives, or colorings.
Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe
Instinct limited ingredient formula is great if your cat develops sensitivity or food intolerance.
Never contain any grain, dairy, eggs, chicken, beef, fish, sweet potato, potato, chickpeas, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, or preservatives.
ORIJEN Cat & Kitten Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
This protein-rich recipe takes a Wholeprey approach and features poultry and fish, organs and edible bone from fresh or raw free-run chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish, and cage-free eggs.
Comes in a large 4lb bag, perfect for multi-cat households.
In Conclusion
We recommend Whole Earth Farms cat food for owners looking for a grain-free balanced nutrition product for their pets.
This review shows that Whole Earth Farms cat food is an excellent brand loved by other cat owners. Real protein in their four first ingredients in the recipe ensures value for money and an affordable price for a quality product.
Wet food cans come in 2.75oz and 5oz sizes for easier feeding times.
Speak with your cat’s veterinarian today to determine if Whole Earth Farms cat food would be an excellent formula for your cat.
