Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Cat Foods: Reviewed

Have you ever noticed your cat having itchy skin, frequent ear infections, diarrhea, or throwing up regularly? Then, your furry friend may suffer from food allergies and require a diet change. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Cat Foods help to control adverse food reactions that affect your cat after certain meals. Also, they assist you in figuring out the foods your furry friend is intolerant to. 

Founded by Dick Van Patten and Joey Herrick in 1989, Natural Balance is one of the most popular and leading brands in the pet food industry. The company pioneered Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Cat Foods, and these foods are uniquely formulated to reduce ingredients without forgoing nutrition. The foods contain both carbohydrate and protein sources, alongside fats and supplements to keep your cat healthy. They aim to calm your cat’s gut and protect its sensitive stomach from irritants and allergens. 

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Cat Foods come in different flavors that are grain-free and can improve your cat’s health. Read on to discover the pros, cons, and overall health benefits of these recipes.

Overall Best: Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Green Pea & Duck Formula 

The Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Green Pea and Duck Formula is the overall best Limited Ingredient Cat Food in our review. It contains premium quality duck as its major ingredient and protein source and green peas as its carbohydrate source. This food is a suitable alternative for cats of all breeds with sensitive tummies. 

Duck is a healthy meat choice for cats that are allergic to chicken and turkey. It is rich in several B vitamins, reinforcing your cat’s nervous system and strengthening its furs. It is also rich in minerals like phosphorus and zinc. Phosphorus is essential for strong bone and teeth formation, while zinc boosts your pet’s immunity and reduces its chances of getting sick. However, duck meat has a higher fat content than lean meats like chicken and turkey. Thus, it may be unsuitable for feeding some cats, especially overweight ones. 

The formula contains no artificial ingredients, making it a safe alternative for your allergic cats. Likewise, the grain-free formula minimizes the risk of allergies; gastrointestinal and skin problems for your cat. One reviewer reported that her feline’s digestion has improved since she started giving the formula. She also mentioned that her cat has since maintained healthy skin and coat.

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Green Pea and Duck Formula provides your pet with balanced and complete nutrition that keeps it healthy, happy and playful.

Overall Best

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Duck & Green Pea Grain-Free Canned Cat Food

• The main ingredient and protein source in this recipe is duck
• The carbohydrate source is green peas
• Duck is rich in several B vitamins that reinforce your cat's nervous system and improve coat quality
• Duck also includes phosphorus for strong teeth and bones and zinc for increased immunity
• This recipe contains no artificial ingredients and is grain--free, so it's safer for cats with food allergies

Check Chewy Check Amazon

Best for Indoor Cats: Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Indoor Cat Salmon and Chickpea Formula

Indoor cats tend to gain a lot of weight. This can be worrisome for you as a pet parent, especially when your furry friend is also allergic to certain foods. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Indoor Salmon and Chickpea Formula is a solid option for cats in this category.

This limited-ingredient diet is a lean formula for indoor cats to support their weight and help curb food allergies. Also, it contains prebiotic fibers that allow for healthy digestion and easy cleaning of your cat’s litter box. The food is prepared using high-quality salmon as the major ingredient. 

Salmons are packed with Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids that discourage obesity. In addition, the food contains vitamins such as niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, alongside minerals like selenium and potassium. 

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Indoor Salmon and Chickpea Formula is also a great choice for indoor cats. It supports hairball control and ensures that your cat takes on healthy skin and a shiny coat.

Best Wet Food: Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet Chicken & Pumpkin in Broth

Most cats are finicky, leaving you worried about finding the best diets that meet their nutritional needs. The Natural Balance Limited Ingredient High Protein Chicken Formula in Broth is a whole diet that uses premium quality chicken as its only protein. It is suitable for all cat breeds and contains no fillers, potatoes, or artificial ingredients.

Using this formula, one verified reviewer noticed remarkable muscle development in his felines. He also reported that the food supported their natural cravings since it’s wet and contains high protein content.

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient High Protein Chicken Formula in Broth has a much higher water content than its dry variety. Hence, it is palatable, even to picky cats. Similarly, it is a suitable alternative for cats with kidney or lower urinary tract diseases, which require higher water intake.

Best Wet Food

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet Chicken & Pumpkin in Broth Grain-Free Wet Adult Cat Food

• Chicken is the sole protein in this formula
• Suitable for all cat breeds
• Does not contain fillers, potatoes, or artificial ingredients
• It's particularly good for cats with kidney or urinary tract diseases due to its higher moisture content

Check Amazon

Choosing the Best: What to Look For

Limited Ingredient Diets Cat Food is an excellent alternative for sensitive stomachs. However, it is easy to endanger your pet’s health if appropriate caution is not taken. Hence, you should consider certain factors before making a purchase for your sensitive cat. These factors are: whether the major ingredient is protein, what type of protein is included, and the absence of fillers.

Is Protein The Major Ingredient?

A limited ingredient diet for your cat should contain a small number of ingredients with protein topping the list. Cats, being carnivores, love all types of meat. Therefore, ensuring that the protein included is high-quality and constitutes the major ingredient is important. This may be a bit costlier than those that contain potatoes or other fillers as the major ingredient. However, they are definitely worth the extra cash in the long run.

Types of Protein Included

Premium quality protein sources such as duck, chicken, turkey, salmon, venison, etc., are usually included in limited ingredient diets. However, you need to be sure that you are not obtaining a flavor to which your cat is sensitive. We, therefore, recommend that you take some time to read through the list of ingredients carefully to make the best choice.

Absence of Fillers

Although some limited ingredient diets claim to be grain-free, they still incorporate fillers such as potatoes into their products. It is better to go for limited ingredient diets that are free from all forms of fillers that may pose problems to your pet.

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Cat Food Types: Pros and Cons Compared

There are two types of Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Cat Foods: wet and dry. Depending on your cat’s specific needs and preferences, you can choose either of these two categories. 

Below are some pros and cons for both types.

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Wet Cat Food

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dry Cat Food

Verified Review: Users’ Experience

Many consumers regard Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Green Pea & Duck Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food to be the best cat food. According to a satisfied consumer’s review, his cat wasn’t allergic to the products. He said, “One of my cats is allergic to cat food and has dandruff. After visiting the vet, I had to switch to a different product. That was my first time purchasing this product, and I am still using it after two years. My cats no longer suffer from allergies, and the dandruff is under control.”

Customer complaints about this product centered mainly on the increased weight of their cats. The customer mentioned above also said, “The major downside is their increased weight. Apart from that, the food is great, and my cats enjoy eating it. I bought a 10-pound bag of the product, and it lasted me two months.”

Another user of Natural Balance products shared her experience after feeding her indoor cat the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Indoor Cat Salmon & Chickpea Formula. She said, “I was afraid that Kitty wouldn’t like it because when I opened the bag it had a very strong smell. BUT never fear! She loves it! I don’t think she has thrown up since switching to it and I’ve seen NO hairballs. I’ve already seen a difference in her coat – it’s so soft and shiny! I definitely will be purchasing again…a BIGGER bag this time!”

The Natural Balance Limited Ingredient High Protein Chicken in Broth Formula has a rave review, with one user agreeing that the meal is a hit with cats. He said,” “I ordered the chicken flavor. They lap up the broth first and foremost. Then, slowly, the bits.” The major concern was about the packaging as this user wished the food came in canned versions rather than plastic bags. 

Still, on the same product, another user commented, “Amazing product, and I strongly recommend the chicken flavor. Vet comments about how soft our cat’s fur is from the broth. We found this product because our son has severe food allergies to fish and eggs, and needing something natural for kittens that contained no allergens. Our kittens needed a high protein product for their growing bodies but all kitten food contained allergens. This product was the perfect compromise when paired with dry food too. My son and kitties are very happy and healthy!”.

Conclusion

There is food for every type of cat by Natural Balance. Although the price is relatively high, it is worth it. Some cats react to certain foods, but Natural Balance eliminates this occurrence by producing cat foods suitable for allergic or sensitive cats. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Cat Foods include a variety of formulas, and our testers at A-Z tested a few of these products and picked the best three. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient cat food is an excellent option for cat owners that wish to switch formulas for their allergic cats. However, you might want to consult your veterinarian before changing your cat formula.