Instinct Cat Food Review

Contemplating adding more raw food to your diet? Go for it! It’s not just trendy; the benefits of raw nutrition are scientifically proven. Raw foodies take clean eating to a whole new level, and in turn have improved weight management, vitality, more energy, and less overall health issues. 

So how about inviting every member of your family on this health and wellness journey? Enter Nature’s Variety Instinct – the raw brand. Founded on Nebraskan soil in 2002, Instinct aims to unlock the ayurvedic potential of a nutritious raw food diet for your feline family members. We’re talking about real, natural ingredients that have never been cooked (yeap, even the meat!) If you’re a cat parent who wants to help their kitty proactively combat allergies and health complications, you may just have to trust your instincts and read on…

Eating this close to the source means that ingredient quality matters – big time! Every ingredient must serve the recipe both nutritionally and functionally. So what does Instinct’s team of cat-loving scientists and quality control experts put on their wet and dry harvest table? Well, they favor responsibly sourced ingredients from both local and international suppliers, although they lean more towards local as much as possible. And that makes sense since all the manufacturing still conveniently happens in Nebraska.

Instinct’s real meat recipes include cage-free chicken, wild-caught salmon, farm-raised rabbit (from France), and grass-fed lamb and venison (from New Zealand). All their fruits and veggies are non-GMO, and of course, their recipes are free of grain, corn, wheat, soy, and potatoes. 

Getting a good vibe? Let’s take a closer look at a few of Instinct’s top-selling products to see if they live up to all their raw nutritional promises.

Nobody likes a copycat; so rather stick to nature’s original diet! This high-protein recipe packs a serious nutritional punch with 81% real meat ingredients – the first being responsibly-sourced, cage-free chicken. Pure protein in real chicken, turkey, and fish meals, comes together with a selection of nutritious natural oils and a wholesome selection of fruits and veggies.

Leading the market with raw pet food research and development, each piece of kibble is coated in freeze-dried raw for locked in nutrition and delicious natural flavor.

We’ve examined their ingredients and true to their word, there’s no trace of any sort of filler or artificial colors and preservatives here. The nutritional profile looks pretty balanced and suitable for cats of all ages (kittens and sensitive tummies included). Instinct’s original dry cat food range also comes in duck, rabbit, and salmon flavors.

Check out the complete list of best dry cat food

We all know that high-quality protein is key to a delicious paté, and with a show-stopping 95% of it, Instinct seems to get this one right on the money. Their paté is complete and balanced, so it’s suitable for cats of all life stages (even seniors; we’ve read lots of feedback about how gentle it is on old kitty tummies).

The first ingredient is the ever-popular cage-free chicken paired with chicken and turkey liver – you know, the stuff feline culinary fantasies are made of.

Even though it’s canned, the raw food promise is that this recipe is minimally processed, has never been cooked, and contains no fillers – it’s 100% free of grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, and carrageenan – so none of the usual trigger ingredients to worry about. We like how high antioxidant and nutritional their little selection of fruits and veggies are (there’s even some kale in the mix!)

The texture is also pretty decent. You could serve Instinct’s paté as a standalone meal or moist topper, depending on how fancy you’re feeling. The paté range is available in; chicken, duck, lamb, rabbit, salmon, and venison. Have a look at what’s inside:

Check out the complete list of best wet cat food

Looking for a better way to serve kibble? Maybe a little boost is all your indoor kitty needs. We like that this clever combo offers grain-free, high-protein kibble PLUS freeze-dried raw in one convenient bag.

Instinct’s Raw Boost recipe starts with real cage-free chicken and wets the palate ever so slightly with chicken and salmon meal. Like their normal kibble, Raw Boost is high in protein and free of hot trigger ingredients, but it’s also fused with extra probiotics & omegas to help your kitty’s sensitive digestive system and your sensitive nose!

The poop odour control factor might be our favourite thing about this product, but overall, it’s pretty clever and a convenient way to boost your cat’s whole food intake. And for a more primal taste, Instinct’s Raw Boost is also available in rabbit flavor.

Check out the complete list of best indoor cat food

Because they’re so clean, most of Instinct’s cat food products are suitable for kittens, but their specially designed kitten food is probably your best bet at getting your kitty started on raw food early on. Raw nutrition now means fewer food sensitivities later. And it makes sense too, raw recipes are led by nature, so it will be your kitten’s instinct to feed their natural cravings.

Instinct’s original kitten food is loaded with 81% real animal ingredients (starting with cage-free chicken) and then blended with 19% high-nutrition veggies, fruits, and healthy oils. This is nutritionally a good ratio for optimal growth and all that adorable active play.

Every little piece of kibble is coated in freeze-dried raw, which means that natural flavor and functional nutrition comes through with every tiny bite. We like their inclusion of probiotics for immune and digestive support, as well as the versatility of texture with the option to be served wet or dry.

Check out the complete list of best kitten food

Nature’s Variety Instinct has not specifically recalled any of their wet or dry cat food products, although products in the dog food range have been recalled over the years. Instinct’s four recalls have been related to their raw chicken bites, patties, and medallions. The reasons range from potential salmonella contamination, the presence of plastic (once), and a strange smell on another occasion. 

Acknowledging that raw nutrition comes with a unique set of challenges, they have since enhanced their manufacturing and testing processes to help ensure safety and compliance with all AAFCO nutrient requirements. Plus, Instinct has formed a Nutrition Council geared at challenging and bettering their choices. They work closely with pet nutritionists, vets, and other passionate pet parents.

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.