Dr. Elsey’s Cat Food Review

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About Dr. Elsey’s

Dr. Bruce Elsey and his wife launched Dr. Elsey’s in 1987 with a central vision to support pets and create products that solve the complex needs of pet owners. Besides food, they are also known for producing quality cat litter. In fact, this is what they were most recognized for over 30 years. 

Only recently in 2017, did they launch their first-ever cat food line—cleanprotein—a high protein kibble that optimizes appetite while nourishing their health with simple, quality ingredients. They were inspired by their natural prey diet to create food that mimicked this closely. As such, all their food diets contain at least 90% protein straight from animal sources. 

Dr. Elsey’s wet and dry cat food is manufactured in the U.S., with ingredients sourced from places like Switzerland, Canada, France, Germany, China, and Scotland. They take great care and caution to ensure quality and safety with their manufacturing and ingredient standards. 

Now that you have more background on Dr. Elsey’s as a brand, it’s time to dive deeper into their cat food. To help you better decide on whether their products are the right fit for your feline, we’ve reviewed their highest rated cat food below.

 

Best Dry Cat Food

from Dr. Elsey’s

Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
What we like
  • 90% of the protein is animal based

  • Low in carbohydrate

  • Easily digestible and doesn’t contain artificial preservatives

  • One of the most nutrient packed dry foods on the market

  • Packed with vitamins and minerals

  • Contains taurine for vision and heart health

  • Contains Omega-3 fatty acids for health, luminous skin and a lustrous coat

Things to consider
  • Like most dry foods, not as hydrating

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Your furry feline friend needs proteins and fats. Compared to over 500 other dry cat foods, this product has a competitive advantage in that it’s packed with the key ingredients that cats need the most. With nearly 80% combined protein and fat, this is one of the lowest carb dry cat foods that you can buy. The high protein is key to optimize their body condition, lean muscle mass, and energy.

The top ingredients are chicken, egg, and pork; yet this is supplemented with salmon oil, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to make it nutritionally complete. Some of the key vitamins and minerals include taurine for heart and vision health and Omega-3 fatty acids to nourish their skin and coat. This formula is more unique than most kibbles because it’s lower glycemic formula delivers 4% of energy from carbohydrates. And it’s composition is made to reduce bladder stones.

There are no unnecessary cat food fillers, carbs, or starch. Instead of using typical grains and legumes that most dry cat food has, Dr. Elsey’s food is made with gelatin to give it structure. And it never contains artificial ingredients, flavors, or chemical preservatives.

Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food contains 554 calories per cup. 

Ingredients:

Chicken, Dried Egg Product, Pork Protein Isolate, Gelatin, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Salmon Oil, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate, Fructooligosaccharide, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Carbonate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide), Potassium Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Taurine, Salt, Rosemary Extract.

 

Check out the complete list of best dry cat food >

How does Dr. Elsey’s stack up as a brand – Nutritional Comparisons

Dr. Elsey’s DRY Food

Dr. Elsey’s Dry Food (avg)

Industry (avg)

Protein

57.5

34

Fat

17.5

14

Fibre

4

4.5

Avg Review
( /5)

4.3

4.3

Dr. Elsey’s WET Food

Dr. Elsey’s Wet Food (avg)

Industry (avg)

Protein

11.4

10

Fat

7.5

4

Fibre

1.3

1.25

Avg Review
( /5)

3.7

4.1

Brand Recalls

Dr. Elsey’s has a squeaky clean recall record.

Where to buy Dr. Elsey’s Online

Amazon
Chewy

Best Dry Cat Food from Crave

The Daily Cat Ratings

We have analyzed 102 of Blue Buffalo cat food products on Chewy. We took into account ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, price, product variety, customer experience, and recall history. All of these factors combined produced an overall brand score, ratings for their wet and dry food lines (maybe), as well as individual product ratings.

We give Blue Buffalo Cat Food a 6.75/10 rating and a C+ grade.

Blue Buffalo Cat Food Ratings:

  • Ingredient Quality: 6/10

  • Guaranteed Analysis: 6/10
  • Price: 8.5/10
  • Product variety: 9/10
  • Customer reviews: 7/10
  • Recall history: 4/10
  • DailyCat Score: 6.75/10

Top Blue Buffalo products

Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Natural Adult Dry Cat Food

Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein, Natural Adult Dry Cat Food
  • Dry food

  • Price per 100 calories: $0.18

  • Best for: Adult cats

  • Overall grade: B

Check Price

Blue Buffalo Indoor Health Natural Adult Dry Cat Food

Blue Buffalo Indoor Health Natural Adult Dry Cat Food
  • Dry food

  • Price per 100 calories: $0.15

  • Best for: Indoor cats

  • Overall grade: C

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Blue Buffalo Healthy Gourmet Natural Adult Flaked Wet Cat Food

Blue Buffalo Healthy Gourmet Natural Adult Flaked Wet Cat Food
  • Wet food

  • Price per 100 calories: $1.36

  • Best for: Cats of all life stages

  • Overall grade: B-

Check Price

Complete List of Dr. Elsey’s Dry Cat Food

Product NameProteinFatFibre
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Salmon Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food, 6.6-lb baghttps://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-salmon-formula%2Fdp%2F14627456174
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food, 6.6-lb baghttps://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-chicken%2Fdp%2F14627059184

Complete List of Dr. Elsey’s Wet Cat Food

Product NameProteinFatFibre
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Turkey Formula Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-turkey-formula%2Fdp%2F146263%3Futm_source%3Dpartnerize%26utm_medium%3Daffiliates%26utm_campaign%3D1101l114191%26utm_content%3D0%26clickref%3D1100ld6YnIBP%26utm_term%3D1100ld6YnIBP1191.5
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Duck Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-duck-recipe%2Fdp%2F18525710.571
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Rabbit & Turkey Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-rabbit-turkey%2Fdp%2F1852631161
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Salmon Formula Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-salmon-formula%2Fdp%2F1462571291.5
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Pork Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-pork-recipe%2Fdp%2F1852611341
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Variety Pack Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-variety-pack%2Fdp%2F1852551191.5
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Whitefish Formula Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-whitefish%2Fdp%2F14626512.57.51.5
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Duck & Turkey Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-duck-turkey%2Fdp%2F1852591181
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Beef Formula Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-beef-formula%2Fdp%2F1462551161.5
Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Canned Cat Food, 5.5-oz, case of 24https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011l9JgF/pubref:dr-elsey's-product-list/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chewy.com%2Fdr-elseys-cleanprotein-chicken%2Fdp%2F1462611191.5

Complete List of Nutro Dry Cat Food

Nutro Grain-Free Chicken & Potato Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food, 3-lb bag
Protein Fat Fibre
33 16 4
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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food, 14-lb bag Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food, 14-lb bag
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33 14 7
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Complete List of Nutro Dry Cat Food

Nutro Grain-Free Chicken & Potato Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food, 3-lb bag
Protein Fat Fibre
33 16 4
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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Sensitive Cat Chicken, Rice & Peas Recipe Dry Cat Food, 5-lb bag Nutro Wholesome Essentials Sensitive Cat Chicken, Rice & Peas Recipe Dry Cat Food, 5-lb bag
Protein Fat Fibre
33 16 4
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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food, 5-lb bag Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food, 5-lb bag
Protein Fat Fibre
33 16 4
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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dry Cat Food, 14-lb bag Nutro Wholesome Essentials Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dry Cat Food, 14-lb bag
Protein Fat Fibre
36 17 6
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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Kitten Dry Cat Food, 5-lb bag Nutro Wholesome Essentials Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Kitten Dry Cat Food, 5-lb bag
Protein Fat Fibre
36 19 4
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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Hairball Control Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food, 14-lb bag
Protein Fat Fibre
33 17 6.5
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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food, 14-lb bag Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Cat Food, 14-lb bag
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33 16 4
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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Indoor Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food, 14-lb bag Nutro Wholesome Essentials Indoor Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food, 14-lb bag
Protein Fat Fibre
33 14 7
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Complete list of Nutro Wet Cat food

Nutro Perfect Portions Grain-Free Chicken Paté Recipe Cat Food Trays, 2.6-oz, case of 24 twin-packs Nutro Perfect Portions Grain-Free Chicken Paté Recipe Cat Food Trays, 2.6-oz, case of 24 twin-packs
Protein Fat Fibre
12 5 1
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Nutro Perfect Portions Grain-Free Salmon & Chicken Paté Recipe Cat Food Trays, 2.6-oz, case of 24 Nutro Perfect Portions Grain-Free Salmon & Chicken Paté Recipe Cat Food Trays, 2.6-oz, case of 24
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Nutro Perfect Portions Grain-Free Chicken & Liver Paté Recipe Cat Food Trays, 2.6-oz, case of 24 Nutro Perfect Portions Grain-Free Chicken & Liver Paté Recipe Cat Food Trays, 2.6-oz, case of 24
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Nutro Perfect Portions Grain-Free Cuts in Gravy Salmon Recipe Cat Food Trays, 2.65-oz, case of 24 twin-packs Nutro Perfect Portions Grain-Free Cuts in Gravy Salmon Recipe Cat Food Trays, 2.65-oz, case of 24 twin-packs
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