Tiki Cat Born Carnivore Indoor Health, Trout & Menhaden Fish (dry cat food)
$2.29/lb for a 17 lb bag. On Amazon, there is a huge price difference for larger bags, ranging from $6.33/lb for a 3-lb bag, $4.59/lb for a 6-lb bag, or $2.29/lb for a 17-lb bag. Seventeen pounds is a lot of kibble for one cat, however.
Ingredients: Trout, menhaden fish meal, peas, chicken meal, chickpeas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), natural chicken flavor, dried pumpkin, salt, potassium chloride, DL methionine, choline chloride, taurine, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, cobalt carbonate, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, niacin (vitamin B3), d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, and rosemary extract.
Guaranteed Analysis
- Crude Protein (min): 36%
- Crude Fat (min): 16%
- Crude Fiber (max): 4%
- Moisture (max): 10%
- EPA/DHA (min): 1.02%
- Vitamin A (min): 25,700 IU/kg
- Vitamin E (min): 210 IU/kg
- Folic Acid (min): 2.8 mg/kg
- Vitamin B12 (min): 0.12 mg/kg
- Taurine (min): 0.3%
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids (min): 1.4%
- Omega 6 Fatty acids (min): 2.6%
Calorie Content (Calculated)
- 3453 kcal ME/kg, 379 kcal ME/cup
When buying the larger bag, this is a mid-tier price for a premium cat kibble. For an indoor dry food at this price, this is a fairly good value, although not quite elite because of its significant legume content.
The Good
- Named proteins lead the ingredient list (trout, menhaden fish meal, peas, chicken meal). That's a lot better than seeing corn, wheat, or unnamed meat byproducts. Both trout and menhaden fish meal are quality protein sources. Menhaden mean is particularly nutrient-dense because the water has already been removed. The presence of chicken meal further boosts total animal protein.
- It has a strong protein level. 36% protein is quite respectable for kibble. Cats are obligate carnivores and generally do better on higher-protein diets, especially older cats trying to maintain muscle mass. The challenge is that some of the protein is almost certainly coming from peas and chickpeas, but because fish and animal meals are so prominent in the ingredient list, I'd still expect a large amount of the protein to be animal-derived.
- It has excellent omega-3 content, with omega-3 at 1.4% and EPA/DHA at 1.02%, which are very high numbers for a dry cat food. EPA and DHA support skin and coat health, inflammation control, joint health, and cognitive function. For older cats with arthritis issues, this is a very nice feature.
- The taurine minimum of 0.3% is comfortably above the nutritional minimum requirements and is essential for heart health, vision, and nerve function.
- It has a reasonable calorie density. 379 kcal/cup is not excessively calorie-dense. Many indoor kibbles run 400-450 kcal/cup, making weight gain easier. This food is somewhat more moderate and may help with portion control.
The Not-So-Good
- Peas and chickpeas are fairly high in the ingredient list. Peas are the third ingredient, while chickpeas are the fifth, suggesting that legumes contribute a significant amount of protein, carbohydrate, and fiber. Manufacturers often use legumes to boost protein numbers without adding more meat. This doesn't make the food bad for the cat, but it does mean that the protein percentages on the label is not all bioavailable to the cat.
- As mentioned in other reviews, fish-heavy diets aren't ideal. When fish is the dominant protein source, the food tends to be highly palatable and rich in omega-3, but some cats develop fish sensitivities, while other cats develop a taste for fish that may lead to picky eating. As part of a rotating diet that includes other proteins, this becomes either less of a problem or no problem at all. As a rule of thumb, a cat's diet shouldn't consist largely of fish-based foods.
The Bad
- Nothing about it rises to the level of being bad.
- It shouldn't be your cat's only food or even its only kibble, however.
It's Kibble
Even very good kibble has limitations, such as much lower moisture than canned food. When you consider that cats prefer to get their moisture from food rather than drinking water, a heavy dependence on kibble as a food source is likely to lead to lower levels of hydration and kidney problems. At 10% moisture, this isn't bad for kibble fut it is far drier than a cat's natural prey diet.
Kibble is also more highly processed than canned foods, and generally has higher carbohydrates than wet food.
When kibble is used, it should be paired with canned food, fresh water, and additional moisture sources. Some cats are encouraged to drink water when there is some movement in it, such as a water fountain.
Estimated Carbohydrates
Using the guaranteed analysis (36% protein, 16% fat, 4% fiber, and 10% moisture), assuming ash is around 7-8%, the estimated carbohydrates are about 26-28% as-fed, or about 29-31% dry matter basis.
That is not low-carb, but it's also not unusually high for dry food. Typical grocery-store kibble is from 35-45% carbs, better premium kibble is 20-30% carbs, and most canned foods are under 10% carbs.
This is in the moderate range.
Summary
Compared with similarly-priced foods (at the large-bag price), this offers higher protein than many mainstream bags, a better ingredient list than most grocery-store brands, exceptional omega-3 content, and named meat and fish ingredients.
Compared with more expensive premium kibbles, it still relies heavily on peas and chickpeas, and is probably not as meat-rich as foods like Dr. Elsey's CleanProtein, Young Again, or some of the higher-end Origen formulas.
I won't make a habit of ranking because of the difficulties in doing so accurately, but, just as an exercise, I would say:
- Excellent: Dr. Elsey's CleanProtein, Young Again, Zero, and some air-dried foods.
- Very Good: This food.
- Average: Purina One, Iams, and most standard indoor formulas.
- Below Average: Foods led by corn, wheat, or unnamed meat meals.
