Food Comparison (Natural Balance v. Wellness)

sakura

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For $8 more a month I could feed Wellness Complete instead of Natural Balance Ultra. I am wondering if Wellness is really that much better? I always thought the brand was a bit better than Natural Balance but now that I look at the ingredients, they don't seem that different. I don't care so much about the $8, but am wondering if it would be that much of an improvement. I am happy with Natural Balance but am wondering if I could improve their dry food without paying for foods like Wellness CORE, Innova, Orijen, etc.

(I feed half dry, half wet)

Natural Balance, 34% Protein, 18% Fat - Current Dry Food
Chicken Meal, Chicken, Brown Rice, Duck Meal, Barley, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Potatoes, Carrots, Lamb Meal, Salmon Meal, Canola Oil, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg, Brewers Yeast, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Spinach, Parsley Flakes, Cranberries, L-Lysine, L-Carnitine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Wellness Complete, 33% Protein, 19% Fat
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Rice, Ground Barley, Ground Rice, Chicken Fat(preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor, Salmon Meal, Chicken Liver, Cranberries, Tomato Pomace, Olive Oil, Chicory Root Extract, Cranberry Extract Powder, Cranberry Fiber, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine, Hydrochloride, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Taurine, Rosemary Extract.

I'm also considering Taste of the Wild, which would be the same price as Wellness Complete. This is grain-free though. The thing that confuses me is ideal protein level (I've read that ideal is 25-30% and that you really don't need more than that in a cat food: http://www.peteducation.com/article....&articleid=701).

Taste of the Wild, Protein 42%, Fat 18%, Grain Free
Chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, methionine, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.


Thoughts? Leave their food alone?
 

sharky

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normally I would say leave alone but since you asked I color code for you


Natural Balance, 34% Protein, 18% Fat - Current Dry Food
Chicken Meal, Chicken, Brown Rice, Duck Mealvery rich, Barleynot a real digestable form, Oatmealokay but three Different grains in six ingrediants, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Potatoesstarch / carb not as much an issue in a grain free but this has 3 other grains, Carrots, Lamb Meal, Salmon Meal, Canola Oil, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg, Brewers Yeast, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Spinach, Parsley Flakes, Cranberries, L-Lysine, L-Carnitine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Wellness Complete, 33% Protein, 19% Fat
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Rice, Ground Barley, Ground Rice, Chicken Fat(preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor mostly a this can be nearly anything including MSG , Salmon Meal, Chicken Liver, Cranberries, Tomato Pomace, Olive Oil, Chicory Root Extract, Cranberry Extract Powder, Cranberry Fiber, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine, Hydrochloride, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Taurine, Rosemary Extract.

I'm also considering Taste of the Wild, which would be the same price as Wellness Complete. This is grain-free though. The thing that confuses me is ideal protein level (I've read that ideal is 25-30% and that you really don't need more than that in a cat food: http://www.peteducation.com/article....&articleid=701).

Taste of the Wild, Protein 42%, Fat 18%, Grain Free
Chicken meal, peas a known allergen , sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato proteinwhat this actually is can bit a mystery , roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, methionine, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.
 
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sakura

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Thanks Sharky! Pet food ingredients are so confusing to me. The labeling really helps.
 

mommysmeows

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ooo, Help me too..

Solid Gold - Indigo moon/Holistic


Crude Protein 46% Minimum

Crude Fat 20% Minimum

Crude Fiber 3% Maximum

Moisture 10% Maximum

Ash 7.5% Maximum

DHA 0.05% Minimum

Calories 450 kcal/cup


Ingredients Chicken Meal | Potatoes | | Canola Oil | Chicken | Natural Chicken Flavor | Salmon Oil | Ocean Fish Meal | Taurine | | Choline Chloride | Dried Chicory Root | Parsley Flakes | Pumpkin Meal | Almond Oil | Sesame Oil | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Thyme | Blueberries | Cranberries | Carrots | Broccoli | Zinc Proteinate | Vitamin E Supplement | Niacin | Manganese Proteinate | Copper Proteinate | Zinc Sulfate | Manganese Sulfate | Copper Sulfate | Thiamine Mononitrate | Vitamin A Supplement | Biotin | Potassium Iodide | Calcium Panthothenate | Riboflavin | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Manganous Oxide | Sodium Selenite | Vitamin D Supplement | Folic Acid |
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by MommysMeows

ooo, Help me too..

Solid Gold - Indigo moon/Holistic


Crude Protein 46% Minimum

Crude Fat 20% Minimumnormal yet good

Crude Fiber 3% Maximum

Moisture 10% Maximum

Ash 7.5% Maximum
may be too high for some

DHA 0.05% Minimum

Calories 450 kcal/cup


Ingredients Chicken Meal | Potatoes TOO much IMHO likely why the fat is a touch low for a no grain| | Canola Oil read up , not a fave oil of mine | Chicken | Natural Chicken Flavor the who and what can it be
| Salmon Oil | Ocean Fish Meal named would make me happy
| Taurine | | Choline Chloride | Dried Chicory Root | Parsley Flakes | Pumpkin Meal | Almond Oil | Sesame Oil | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Thyme | Blueberries | Cranberries | Carrots | Broccoli | Zinc Proteinate | Vitamin E Supplement | Niacin | Manganese Proteinate | Copper Proteinate | Zinc Sulfate | Manganese Sulfate | Copper Sulfate | Thiamine Mononitrate | Vitamin A Supplement | Biotin | Potassium Iodide | Calcium Panthothenate | Riboflavin | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Manganous Oxide | Sodium Selenite | Vitamin D Supplement | Folic Acid |
Too high in potato for me ...
 
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