Our Verdict
Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals dry product range is made of five recipes which all receive the Cat Food Advisor rating, 3.5 stars
This is a non-GMO, grain free dry food made with chicken meal and herring meal. All Grandma Mae’s cat foods are Uristic, which means optimized for long term urinary tract health.
Pros
- Contains animal and fish proteins
- No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
- Added vitamins and minerals
Cons
- High in carbohydrate
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals Grain Free Chicken Meal & Herring Meal Recipe for Cats & Kittens | 3.5 | A |
| Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals Duck Meal Recipe for Cats & Kittens | 3.5 | A |
| Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals Grain Free Salmon Meal Recipe for Cats & Kittens | 3.5 | A |
| Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals Grain Free Weight Control/Hairball Recipe | 3.5 | A |
| Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe for Cats & Kittens | 3.5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals Grain Free Chicken Meal & Herring Meal Recipe for Cats & Kittens 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.
Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals Grain Free Chicken Meal & Herring Meal Recipe for Cats & Kittens
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken meal, peas, lentils, chickpeas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), herring meal, dried eggs, menhaden fish oil, dried kelp, dl-methionine, calcium carbonate, lecithin, choline chloride, l-lysine, taurine, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, yucca schidigera extract, D-biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin a acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, potassium chloride, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper sulfate, zinc oxide, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, chelated calcium iodate.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The second ingredient is peas which are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this cat food.
The third ingredient is lentils which are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this cat food.
The fourth ingredient is chickpeas. Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) are a good source of carbohydrates. Plus they’re naturally rich in dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The sixth ingredient is herring meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, herring meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations. 1
The seventh ingredient is dried eggs which is a dehydrated powder made from shell-free eggs. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The eighth ingredient is menhaden fish oil. Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. Their oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids, two high quality fats boasting the highest bio-availability to both cats and humans.
What’s more, in their mid-depth habitat, menhaden are not as likely to be exposed to mercury contamination as is typical with deep water species.
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, there is one notable exception:
This recipe contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better cat foods.
Recipe star rating 3.5
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals Grain Free Chicken Meal & Herring Meal Recipe for Cats & Kittens looks like an average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 38.9%, a fat level of 17.8% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 35.3%.
As a group, the brand features a near-average protein content of 36% and a near-average fat level of 16.4%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 39.6% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 45%.
This means this Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals range contains near-average protein, higher than average carbohydrate and near-average fat, when compared to typical dry cat food.
Final Word
This range of food contains sources of protein derived from named animal meal. However, protein levels are average when compared to other cat foods, and plant based proteins are used, which need to be considered when evaluating and rating this food.
Has Grandma Mae's Country Naturals Dry cat food been recalled in the past?
No. Grandma Mae’s food has not been recalled.
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
Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals was founded in 2007 and has headquarters in New York.
The foods are manufactured at certified-organic facilities in New York and Ohio. These facilities were previously Southern Tier Pet Nutrition and Ohio Pet Foods. Today they are both part of BrightPet Nutrition.
The company also uses manufacturers in New Zealand and Thailand.
Most ingredients come from the United States. A few ingredients come from Canada, the UK, or Europe.
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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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