NUTRISCA TASTE TEST AND BOOK WINNERS

A few weeks ago we received a bag of this Salmon Recipe, grain- and potato-free food by Nutrisca®. The folks at Catswell® asked the kitties to try it and let Catswell know their thoughts.

Here’s what the company has to say about this dry food.

• Rated 9-10 on the Gylcemic Index (<55 is considered low glycemic)
• each recipe is formulated with protein sourced from a single category (such as poultry or fish) to help with food sensitivities
• Low in carbohydrates to align with a carnivore’s diet: No grains, potatoes, gluten, corn, wheat or soy
• Antioxidant-rich ingredients such as Vitamin A and E help maintain a healthy immune system
• With cranberries to maintain urinary tract health
• Natural with added vitamins and chelated minerals

As the purchaser, all of this sounds so healthy and good for my kitties. And the food is made in the USA, which I like. However, the felines can’t read and only know if they like the way their food tastes.

Let me start by saying, all of our cats eat only two things: Purina® Cat Chow® and Purina Friskies® Ocean White Fish and Tuna Classic Pate. They do not get any people food. We have tried other flavors of the Friskies, and the current one is the only flavor that most of them will eat. Fiona and Giulietta will often not eat any canned food, and on other occasions, they will take of few bites. The remainder gobble up the Friskies. Each gets 1/8 of a small can twice each day.

With the idea of maybe finding something that Fiona, especially, would like, I filled the upstairs cat bowl with the Nutrisca while leaving the Purina in their downstairs bowl. I believed it wouldn’t be a fair test if only the Nutrisca was available. They had to have a choice.

Usually I fill their upstairs bowl at night prior to bedtime, and it is nearly empty every morning. With the Nutrisca, this has not been the case. Usually in the morning, I find that very little has been eaten.

I have observed Lily Olivia, Misty May and Astrid eating the Nutrisca. Lily has a hard time keeping it in her mouth as the pellets are quite small (about the size of a pea at 3/8″ across) and she only has one upper fang. She has remained persistent, however, even when she has had to pick the same piece up a few times. Misty May and Astrid have not had this same problem.

So of the eight cats, three will eat it. That means the success rate for the Nutrisca, at least in our household, is 37.5 percent. I would have liked that to be higher as this food seems as if it would be a healthy option for all the kitties, from 15-year-old Lily Olivia down to one-year-old Calista Jo. But with only three liking it, I would not purchase this food.

I was sent a four-pound bag to try. On-line at CATSWELL and Chewy.com, the cost for that is $12.99. The cost for the 13-pound bag is $33.99. At Petflow.com the cost per bag was $15.99 and $37.99. For us, even the lower price would not be cost effective if only three cats out of eight will eat it.

Disclaimer: I thank CATSWELL® for the opportunity for the kitties to try and and me to review Nutrisca® Salmon Recipe dry food for cats. I was not compensated (other than receiving one four-pound bag of the product) for this review, and the opinions expressed are mine exclusively. 

Now, the announcement for which you all have been waiting: The names of the winners of the book, A Street Cat Named Bob.They were selected using Random.org.

They are: Marg from Margs Animals and Abby from ManxMnews. Concatulations to the two winners. I wish each of you who commented could receive a free copy.

 

Tags: AstridCalista JosetteDry Cat FoodLily OliviaMisty May