Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free (Wet) Review

Earthborn Holistic grain-free wet cat food is made up of seven recipes with ratings that vary between 3.5 to 4 stars. The average rating of the brand over all is 4 stars.

This range of food offers excellent levels of protein and has animal and fish protein listed as the first and second ingredient. Each formula is grain and gluten-free and provides many benefits including promoting good skin and a healthy coat.

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.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Earthborn Holistic Catalina Catch 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.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is mackerel which is an oily salt-water fish naturally high in protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids, an essential fat needed by every cat to sustain life.

The second ingredient is fish broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add both flavor and moisture to a cat food they are a common addition component in many canned products.

The third ingredient is shrimp. Shrimp are small crustaceans closely related to krill. Shrimp is a rich source of many nutrients, including iodine and omega 3 fatty acids.

The fourth ingredient is sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

The fifth ingredient is natural flavor. Natural flavors doesn’t give us much information about the particular ingredients included in this cat food for flavoring purposes. 

We’re pleased that the flavorings used are natural, but more details are required to give any further information about these natural flavoring ingredients. Flavorings are used to make the foods more appealing and tasty for our cats.

The sixth ingredient is tricalcium phosphate, a beneficial source of calcium and phosphorus. In addition, this additive is used in wet foods as an emulsifier — an agent designed to disperse a food’s fats more evenly in water.

The seventh ingredient is guar gum, a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.

The eighth ingredient is salt (also known as sodium chloride). Salt is a common additive in many cat foods. That’s because sodium is a necessary mineral for all animals — including humans. Salt can often be found in cat foods to promote cats to drink more water too. This is a means of increasing their hydration and diluting their urine which helps to reduce the likelihood of urinary stones forming.

However, since the actual amount of salt added to this recipe isn’t disclosed on the list of ingredients, it’s impossible to judge the nutritional value of this item.

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.

However this recipe contains menadione sodium bisulfite complex, a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells. 

Since vitamin K isn’t required by AAFCO in its nutrient profiles, we question the use of this item in any feline recipe.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Earthborn Holistic Catalina Catch looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 77.8%, a fat level of 11.1% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 3.1%.

As a group, the brand features an above-average protein content of 59.9% and a mean fat level of 11.4%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 20.7% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 20%.

This means this Earthborn Holistic grain-free wet range contains higher than average protein, lower than average carbohydrate and higher, near-average fat, when compared to typical wet cat food.

Has Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free cat food been recalled in the past?

Yes.

In 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods, Evansville, Indiana issued a voluntary recall of specific expiration dates of certain dog and cat food brands including CanineX, Earthborn Holistic, Venture, Unrefined, Sportmix Wholesomes, Pro Pac, Pro Pac Ultimates, Sportstrail, Sportmix and Meridian brands produced at its Monmouth, Illinois.  It was investigated by the FDA.

For more information about this recall, you can read this article.

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 Earthborn Holistic cat food brand is owned by Midwestern Pet Foods.  It is a fourth generation, family-owned and operated business founded in 1926, in Indiana, as a small milling company.  

The company specializes in producing nutritional dog and cat food recipes, oven-baked biscuits, and treats.