Natural Balance Canned Cat Food Quality Concern

Have been feeding my two cats Natural Balance for the past year but in the past eight months noticed their quality is somewhat questionable.

The reason I say this is the two foods I feed my cats are the Chicken Pate and the Salmon ((because of minimal fillers) and both quite frequently (about one in every five cans) will either have a strange (cheap Dog food smell) and the cats won't touch it or they are lacking moisture in the food itself.

The smell of the Chicken food is often pleasant and the cats eat it up well, but when another can is opened and it smells like cheap Friskies dog food, they don't touch it...same with the Salmon which normally smells like fish but many cans just smell like cheap canned dog food.

I contacted their customer service department to inquire because the problem seems to getting more frequent and they just said it will vary from batch to batch, so I asked them IF they actually made the product themselves and they said they did not but they have quality control people at the plant where it is actually made.

Upon further digging I also found that most of their canned cat food ingredients are imported from...CHINA!

For now, until I find a replacement I am going back to my Wild Kitty Home Made Cat food.

This experience has taught me that the nose doesn't lie, if it doesn't smell right it probably isn't.

Originally Posted by groingo

Upon further digging I also found that most of their canned cat food ingredients are imported from...CHINA!

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Welcome to TheCatSite,
Knowledge gives us the power to make better cat food choices.
That is really scary info....
would you please share your resources with us?
Thanks

I stopped feeding NB wet... didn't like the smell and I agree the QC seems iffy. Besides, the boys wouldn't eat it. I tried a couple of cans of Felidae wet purchased at a discount pet supply store. I didn't like the look OR smell of either and they went in the trash.

The only NB I buy is the Venison & Green Pea or the Chicken & Green Pea. I have not noticed anything wrong with those and the cats love them. I stay away from fish based foods (canned or dry).

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

The only NB I buy is the Venison & Green Pea or the Chicken & Green Pea. I have not noticed anything wrong with those and the cats love them. I stay away from fish based foods (canned or dry).

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I tossed a can of salmon and green pea... didn't look or smell right. They don't like the Chicken or venison versions. They DO like the By Nature chicken, though. As long as I put a little chunks n gravy stuff on top...

Originally Posted by xocats

Welcome to TheCatSite,

Knowledge gives us the power to make better cat food choices.
That is really scary info....
would you please share your resources with us?
Thanks

Click to expand...

The source was Natural Balance customer service who informed me they did not actually make the food when I asked and that they supposedly have their own inspectors on site, they also told me about the ingredients being imported as well.

The smell and other info is my personal experience and my two cats reactions.

The reason I use just two of their canned cat food products is that these of all their canned cat foods contain the least fillers (Chicken Patte) while the Salmon is only what I give them when they tire of the Chicken...and the Salmon is used only not to exceed a one day feeding cycle, it's a band aid so to speak and should only be used as such.

Right now I have gone back to making them their home made food with Wild Kitty supplements, not an easy sell but they deserve the best.

Originally Posted by groingo

Right now I have gone back to making them their home made food with Wild Kitty supplements, not an easy sell but they deserve the best.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply to my question about NB importing their food ingredients from China.
You are right, our precious cats deserve the best.

REally?? This sucks because I've had to put Schweppie on k/d or Medi-cal's reduced protein diet because of kidney failure and I've been doing half the prescription stuff and half the NB food because that is the only way he'll eat it. NB is the only food he'll eat consistently (I vary the flavours but use the limited ingredient ones). I haven't noticed any inconsistency in terms of smell or taste (according to Schweppie, the pickiest cat of all time). I hope the NB food isn't responsible for his kidney failure! Ugh, so now a search for a new cat food begins!

Originally Posted by SweetPea24

REally?? This sucks because I've had to put Schweppie on k/d or Medi-cal's reduced protein diet because of kidney failure and I've been doing half the prescription stuff and half the NB food because that is the only way he'll eat it. NB is the only food he'll eat consistently (I vary the flavours but use the limited ingredient ones). I haven't noticed any inconsistency in terms of smell or taste (according to Schweppie, the pickiest cat of all time). I hope the NB food isn't responsible for his kidney failure! Ugh, so now a search for a new cat food begins!

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I would take a step back and a deep breath... I find hard to believe that NB would be responsible for your kitty's kidney failure.

My kitties LOVE NB venison and pea, and eat that consistently - never had a problem with it... I am not going to stop feeding them the food...

Originally Posted by SweetPea24

REally?? This sucks because I've had to put Schweppie on k/d or Medi-cal's reduced protein diet because of kidney failure and I've been doing half the prescription stuff and half the NB food because that is the only way he'll eat it. NB is the only food he'll eat consistently (I vary the flavours but use the limited ingredient ones). I haven't noticed any inconsistency in terms of smell or taste (according to Schweppie, the pickiest cat of all time). I hope the NB food isn't responsible for his kidney failure! Ugh, so now a search for a new cat food begins!

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NB is NOT a CRF formulated food... Thus I would not be feeding it to a cat with this issue without a vets advise .... Cause it , well here goes me talking with the old farm vet again... He told me that CRF , some liver issues, arthritis just like in humans are old age issues and NOT likely preventable. Not long ago the average s for crf by cat age were/are 10% by age 7 , 30% by age 10, 80/90% by age 16..

Can diet in SOME help to stave off YES.... but KNOWING if your cat will be prone to or helped by say an all wet diet no one really knows

Originally Posted by groingo

Have been feeding my two cats Natural Balance for the past year but in the past eight months noticed their quality is somewhat questionable.

The reason I say this is the two foods I feed my cats are the Chicken Pate and the Salmon ((because of minimal fillers) and both quite frequently (about one in every five cans) will either have a strange (cheap Dog food smell) and the cats won't touch it or they are lacking moisture in the food itself.

Click to expand...

I feed my cats NB Venison/Green Pea regularly. I have noticed that the texture varies and falls into either one of two categories:

1) harder, less moist, "puck" of food has space around the edge of the can and usually a wedge-like "break" in it. Watery liquid around the empty space. Harder to "mush" up with the spoon when serving.

2) softer, and the food essentially fills the can all the way to the edge. Easy to "mush" up with the spoon when serving.

That being said, I haven't really noticed any off smells or anything. Generally my cats will eat it either way (although I think they prefer when it is softer.)

-Terry

Originally Posted by SweetPea24

REally?? This sucks because I've had to put Schweppie on k/d or Medi-cal's reduced protein diet because of kidney failure and I've been doing half the prescription stuff and half the NB food because that is the only way he'll eat it. NB is the only food he'll eat consistently (I vary the flavours but use the limited ingredient ones). I haven't noticed any inconsistency in terms of smell or taste (according to Schweppie, the pickiest cat of all time). I hope the NB food isn't responsible for his kidney failure! Ugh, so now a search for a new cat food begins!

Click to expand...

What would be helpful would be the blood test results, but if Protein was specifically mentioned as part of the problem did they mention anything else like Potassium, Phosphorus or Magnesium levels for you to compare against as Kidney problems are often of multiple cause.

For example, my cat Sissy (Bratilda the Hun) showed a potential Kidney problem and the resolution was to reduce her Protein levels, increase Potassium and decrease Phosphorus.

Long story short, I got her levels back by removing her dry food (for snacking between meals...too much of everything she shouldn't have in it) and that put things right.

As far as getting your cat to eat, have you tried tuna water or tuna oil on the food to alter its odor, works for mine till I can figure out an alternative.

I have noticed that, no matter WHAT BRAND it is, the quality varies from batch to batch. There are times the cat will eat the same thing day after day with gusto, then you buy a new batch, and they avoid it like it's poison.

This is why I am thinking more and more about trying to get Tolly (not Mazy who is on prescription diet) a variety of canned foods. This way, if one batch is bad, there will likely be something else he will eat. Jennie is not as finicky, and has eaten the Wellness grain free canned chicken without trouble since I switched her to it.

But Tolly won't eat that, he only liked the Wellness pouches, but they are inconsistent, and something about them is giving me a bad vibe. So far out the the new brands I have tried for him (California naturals, Natural balance, eagle pack and Innova Evo) there has been only ONE he will eat, the one Innova flavor that had chunks and gravy. I've been throwing away a lot of food, because I don't want Jennie eating these as left overs, because she needs to be on grain free.

Big Sigh...

I just don't have enough faith in home made diets. I'm too afraid of shorting them on essential nutrients and minerals and vitamins.

Originally Posted by sharky

NB is NOT a CRF formulated food... Thus I would not be feeding it to a cat with this issue without a vets advise .... Cause it , well here goes me talking with the old farm vet again... He told me that CRF , some liver issues, arthritis just like in humans are old age issues and NOT likely preventable. Not long ago the average s for crf by cat age were/are 10% by age 7 , 30% by age 10, 80/90% by age 16..

Can diet in SOME help to stave off YES.... but KNOWING if your cat will be prone to or helped by say an all wet diet no one really knows

Click to expand...

Thanks Sharky. I know, but he wasn't eating the Hills or Medical reduced protein and was losing weight - which my vet told me was bad for a CRF cat and she proceeded to scold me for not mixing in some of his regular food...thus, I do half NB and half Medi-cal or k/d. His appetite is excellent for a CRF cat; he just doesn't like the food that much. If you have any suggestions, that would be great!

carolinamama, I'm sure NB didn't cause my cat's CRF either but who knows with all the food recalls these days! I'm just feeling guilty; maybe irrational but I feel bad for Schweppie!

Originally Posted by SweetPea24

Thanks Sharky. I know, but he wasn't eating the Hills or Medical reduced protein and was losing weight - which my vet told me was bad for a CRF cat and she proceeded to scold me for not mixing in some of his regular food...thus, I do half NB and half Medi-cal or k/d. His appetite is excellent for a CRF cat; he just doesn't like the food that much. If you have any suggestions, that would be great!

carolinamama, I'm sure NB didn't cause my cat's CRF either but who knows with all the food recalls these days! I'm just feeling guilty; maybe irrational but I feel bad for Schweppie!

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Pm me ... I have some well pointed questions for you

Originally Posted by otto

I have noticed that, no matter WHAT BRAND it is, the quality varies from batch to batch. There are times the cat will eat the same thing day after day with gusto, then you buy a new batch, and they avoid it like it's poison.

This is why I am thinking more and more about trying to get Tolly (not Mazy who is on prescription diet) a variety of canned foods. This way, if one batch is bad, there will likely be something else he will eat. Jennie is not as finicky, and has eaten the Wellness grain free canned chicken without trouble since I switched her to it.

But Tolly won't eat that, he only liked the Wellness pouches, but they are inconsistent, and something about them is giving me a bad vibe. So far out the the new brands I have tried for him (California naturals, Natural balance, eagle pack and Innova Evo) there has been only ONE he will eat, the one Innova flavor that had chunks and gravy. I've been throwing away a lot of food, because I don't want Jennie eating these as left overs, because she needs to be on grain free.

Big Sigh...

I just don't have enough faith in home made diets. I'm too afraid of shorting them on essential nutrients and minerals and vitamins.

Click to expand...

I've had the same problems with NB Venison and Green Pea. Tried EVO it was even worse! Bought a few cans of their venison, cats loved it. Went out and bought a case, which had a different batch number, cats treated it like it was poison.

Bought 6 cans of their beef flavor, again the EVO. Cats loved it. Went out and bought a case. Again it had a different batch number. Cats treated it like it was poison.

I am so discouraged at this point. Don't know what else to try. I did find a pet store that carries TOTW canned but I had to travel 12 miles to get there. Paid $0.99 per can the 3 oz ones. Picked up only 4 though. So far they seem to like the juice but that's pretty much it.

If they don't like the TOTW my options are getting limited. I'm almost tempted to try to make them food myself but I just don't know how to go about it.

It is so frustrating. The only good thing in all of this is that at least I've got both my cats on Instinct Freeze Dried dry kibbles, the rabbit flavor, which they both like and are doing well on.

Originally Posted by Shanynne

I've had the same problems with NB Venison and Green Pea. Tried EVO it was even worse! Bought a few cans of their venison, cats loved it. Went out and bought a case, which had a different batch number, cats treated it like it was poison.

Bought 6 cans of their beef flavor, again the EVO. Cats loved it. Went out and bought a case. Again it had a different batch number. Cats treated it like it was poison.

I am so discouraged at this point. Don't know what else to try. I did find a pet store that carries TOTW canned but I had to travel 12 miles to get there. Paid $0.99 per can the 3 oz ones. Picked up only 4 though. So far they seem to like the juice but that's pretty much it.

If they don't like the TOTW my options are getting limited. I'm almost tempted to try to make them food myself but I just don't know how to go about it.

It is so frustrating. The only good thing in all of this is that at least I've got both my cats on Instinct Freeze Dried dry kibbles, the rabbit flavor, which they both like and are doing well on.

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Oh I know all about the "love it one day, hate it the next". My cats do that too... it drives me crazy. I HATE throwing out food. So I always have a variety of wet... with a fair amount of the fall-back - Fancy Feast. Yeah, it's loaded with junk... but ALL of them will eat it.

Tolly was raised on Fancy Feast. There was only one flavor he would eat, but it had wheat gluten. After the recalls I tried getting him on some of the pate flavors, with some success. But then wanted to get him away from the artificial stuff.

On the Wellness, who makes all these claims about healthy urinary tracts, his urine pH has shot up to 7.5.

I just don't know what to do any more! I hate wellness though. Jennie is doing well on the grain free canned chicken, and I can't find any other grain free that she likes. But Tolly won't eat that, he only likes the Welllness pouches. I do NOT like the wellness pouches.

Frustrating, isn't it? I have resorted to feeding a better quality food, topped with a lesser food and kind of chop it in.. so they have to eat the better stuff in addition to the junkier food that they REALLY like.

They seem to really like Merrick's Ocean Breeze - no big surprise there b/c it has lots of fish in it...but also quite a bit of chicken. They gobble it up. But the Merrick BG... no go.

So I finally got my cat to eat wet food and of course it Natural Balance (the grain free formulas). I will keep and eye on the can but haven't really noticed a difference in texture so far. Thanks!