Our Verdict
The Real Meat Company air-dried product range is made up of seven recipes suitable for dogs and cats. Each receives the Cat Food Advisor rating, 5 stars.
This range of food lists the first ingredient as animal meat and each recipe has further muscle meat and organs. This food offers a very good diet option.
Pros
- Rich in animal protein
- Has a mix of muscle meat, organs, and bones
- Minimally-processed
- Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
- More expensive than some cat foods
- Relatively limited range
- Not complete and balanced to AAFCO nutrient profiles
The table below shows each recipe in the range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| The Real Meat Company Beef Dog & Cat Foods | 5 | U |
| The Real Meat Company Chicken Dog & Cat Foods | 5 | U |
| The Real Meat Company Lamb Dog & Cat Foods | 5 | U |
| The Real Meat Company Turkey Dog & Cat Foods | 5 | U |
| The Real Meat Company Lamb & Fish Dog & Cat Foods | 5 | U |
| The Real Meat Company Venison Dog & Cat Foods | 5 | U |
| The Real Meat Company Turkey & Venison Dog & Cat Foods | 5 | U |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Real Meat Lamb & Fish Dog & Cat Foods recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Real Meat Lamb & Fish Dog & Cat Foods recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Lamb, lamb lung, lamb liver, hoki, mackerel, vegetable glycerin, pumpkin powder, ground flaxseed, parsley powder, inulin (from chicory root), rosemary powder, mixed tocopherols (use d as a preservative), dried apple, ground lamb bone, marine microalgae oil, potassium chloride, taurine, choline chloride, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, vitamin E supplement, selenium yeast, biotin, l-tyrosine, copper proteinate, niacin supplement, manganese proteinate, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement(vitamin B2), vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate(vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride(vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, folic acid.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2%
Red denotes any controversial items
Ingredients Analysis
The first, second and third ingredients are lamb, lamb lung and lamb liver. Lamb is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” lamb and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus. 1
Lamb is naturally rich in all eleven essential amino acids required by a cat to sustain life.
Lung is a protein-rich organ meat that’s also low in fat.
This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The fourth ingredient is hoki. Hoki is a species of white fish found in New Zealand, Southern Australia and the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of South America. Hoki is also known as blue grenadier, blue hake, New Zealand whiptail, whiptail or whiptail hake. It contains omega 3 essential fatty acids and is high in protein.
The fifth ingredient is mackerel. Mackerel is an oily salt-water fish naturally high in protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids, an essential fat needed by every dog to sustain life.
The sixth ingredient is vegetable glycerin. Glycerine is used in the food industry as a natural sweetener and as a humectant to help preserve the moisture content of a product.
The seventh ingredient is pumpkin powder. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.
The eighth ingredient is ground flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this cat food.
From here the list goes on to include a number of other items. But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of the product.
This food also contains chelated minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better cat foods.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Real Meat Lamb & Fish Dog & Cat Foods recipe looks like an above-average Air-Dried product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 42.2%, a fat level of 32.5% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 17.3%.
As a group, the brand features an near-average protein content of 36.9% and an above-average fat level of 29.7%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25.4% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 81%.
This means this Real Meat Company Air-Dried range contains near-average protein, lower than average carbohydrate and higher than average fat, when compared to typical Air-Dried cat food.
Final Word
This range of food is based on Real Meat recipes that are meat-rich with plenty of muscle meat, organs, and real bone. The raw ingredients undergo a low-temperature air drying process that leaves nutrients intact.
The CatFoodAdvisor recommends this food.
Has The Real Meat Company Air-dried cat food been recalled in the past?
No. The Real Meat Company has not had a product recall.
You can view a complete list of all cat food recalls since 2021 here.
To stay on top of any cat food product recalls, sign up for our free email alerts, here.
About
The Real Meat Company was founded in 2003 and is based in California.
Real Meat cat food is produced in a facility which is owned by the company and is located in the United States.
The proteins required for each formula are sourced from producers in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia.
Sources
Best cat foods
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Article reviewed by
Veterinarian
Dr Georgia Jeremiah has a first class honors degree in comparative pathology with field experience in anatomic and clinical pathology, studying disease processes in a multitude of species.
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