Nature’s Variety Instinct (Grain Free)
Rating: 
| Price: $$$$ | Website
Natures Variety Instinct Grain Free
The Nature’s Variety website states that a “pets instinctive nature is to eat more meat, poultry, and fish, and less grain”. This is especially true for cats who’re carnivores through and through. From looking at most products in this range they certainly hold true to that statement, with masses of meat content.
This review is for the Instinct Originals Rabbit Meal Formula, but other formulas (Chicken, Duck and Turkey, and Salmon) are on par.
The first four ingredients in this food are meat products. What makes this food really stand out is all four of these meat products are in their meal form. That’s fantastic! We have rabbit meal and chicken meal which is great, backed up by salmon and herring meal which is fantastic. The latter will be a great source of nutrients and omega fats as well as protein. The protein content of this food sits at 40% which is really good.
Next in line we find tapioca. This is often used as a substitute for grains as a source of carbohydrates. It also helps bind a kibble. An upside of tapioca is it’s biochemical simplicity, as unlike many grains it’s not known to cause any allergies in dogs or cats. On the other hand, the carbohydrate content in tapioca contains a high proportion of sugar, second only to sugar cane (read this excellent article by Wysong). I think it works as a good ingredient in this food, with so much protein and nutrients provided from other ingredients.
We find some excellent ingredients throughout the list, such as pumpkin seeds and alfalfa. The food seems well thought out and I can’t really fault it.
Where to buy?
What’s good about this food….
Excellent range of meat meals in the top four ingredients, with well thought out vitamins and minerals throughout.
….and what’s not so good.
Nothing worth mentioning, but be aware tapioca has a high sugar content.
Ingredients:
Rabbit Meal, Chicken Meal, Salmon Meal, Herring Meal, Tapioca, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Pumpkinseeds, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Tomato Pomace, Montmorillonite Clay, Natural Pork Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Blueberries, Cranberries, Peas, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite), Inulin, Yeast Culture (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae), Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Extract, Freeze Dried Rabbit (including Freeze Dried Ground Rabbit Bone), Freeze Dried Pork Liver, Freeze Dried Pork Heart, Rosemary Extract.
Other products in this range:
- Instinct Originals Chicken
- Instinct Originals Duck & Turkey
- Instinct Originals Salmon
As a new cat owner I wasn’t aware of the healthy cat foods and bought my cat meow mix, after a month I immediately switched him to nature variety instinct raw boost. It’s been 2 yrs since I switched him and he loves his food, he eats less, because the higher protein fills him up, yes his poop stinks, but he’s an animal. If he’s healthy then why do i care if his poop stinks, mine does. My cat loves his food so much he won’t even beg or try human food. I love this food, and 50 dollar’s a bag lasts 6 months , so I’m okay with that.
I am going to adopt a new cat who was suffering IBD before.
Now he is still having runny stool, and feeding with Hill’s d/d venison formula which recommended bu vet. However, I really want to change to another one as soon as possible since I don’t have any confidence on Hill’s…..
So I am searching low sensitive dry food for him, venison or rabbit might be a good choice for me, so how about the Natural Variety? Or Feline Caviar venison or EVO venison?
Thank you
Hi Henry, it might be trial an error but any of those foods might work. It depends on what was causing the sensitivity for him in the past.
I was told that Natures Variety was a good choice for my kitten who has had diarrhea for the past week now. He is very healthy otherwise so I am thinking the foods are not agreeing with him. Would Natures Variety brand be something good to try with him if he has a sensitive tummy? I have tried Purina Kitten Chow, and Wellness Core. and he was eating Iams CAT food when I got him from his pervious owner and his stools were fine for the first 4 days with me. He eats and likes anything I give him but nothing stops the diarrhea. I even tried going back to the Iams food. Also, how long does a kitten need to eat a food before you know its working for them?
Hi Nicole,
It can take a couple of weeks for a cat to adjust to a new food. Perhaps the diarrhoea is an intolerance to a specific ingredient, such as chicken. Perhaps try a recipe with a different meat or fish?
I fed all four of my cats Nature’s Variety Instincts Chicken Meal formula and like others, I noticed a horrible difference in their stool odour. Also, one of my male cats had runny stool. This was literally the straw that broke the camel’s back. I had been trying different foods, with high end ingredients and nothing seemed to agree with all four cats. It was only when I stopped listening to all these so called “advocates” for better high end and over priced foods that I was able to restore balance to my cat tribe… and guess what, the food that agrees with all of them, is the cheapest one of all. Walmart’s very own Special Kitty Indoor Formula, which by the way, has Chicken meal as it’s first ingredient here in Canada. I am a real person, I do not represent any company and I’m not here to troll on any one or anything. I’m just telling you my experience. I have heard that cats seem to do well on the first food that was introduced to them and I remember feeding all my cats this food when I first adopted them. I say, forget the hype and listen not to anybody that tells you that certain foods are good and others are not. What’s more important is that your cat enjoys its food and doesn’t suffer any ailments from it. Be it $14 a bag or $50 a bag.
My cat threw up every time when she ate the products of Nature’s variety, including the freeze dried treats, canned food, and raw. Do you know what was in the food trigger her vomit?
Hi Selene, is it only Nature’s variety products or has your cat been sick on other foods? Have you spoken to your vet?
I’ve only seen her sick after eating products of Nature’s variety. I bought a sample of their raw, and fed her once. She only ate a little bit and walked away. Afterward, she threw up. Since then, if she found out the raw was what I fed, she would walked away without touching the food.
Then, I fed her the freeze-dried treat, she threw up every time. I was convinced that treat was what caused her sick the 3rd time.
A few days ago, I opened Nature’s variety canned food. She only ate a little bit out of it. She vomit all she had afterward.
Later on, I gave her Blue buffalo’s freedom canned food. She ate it all without problems.
I do think it is this specific brand make her sick, since she threw up every time. I haven’t talked to my vet yet. Do you think I should take to her, if I decide to on longer give my cat any of Nature’s variety products.
There are many reasons that cause a cat to vomit or regurgitate their food – change in diet, eating too fast, an intolerance or allergy. If your cat’s otherwise in good health then it probably isn’t serious, but it’s always worth checking with your vet. Perhaps your cat simply doesn’t like Nature’s Variety products, in which case I’d feed her something else.
I have 3 cats 8, 4, and 1 years old. They all seemed to like this food but their stools smelled horrible. I continued feeding for a month hoping they would adjust to the higher protein, but after a month I could no longer take the smell. I started feeding blue buffalo freedom and they all enjoy it but my 8 year old has started over grooming and has mowed down all the fur on her belly, armpits, and inside of back legs. I’m wondering if there is something giving her an allergic reaction in the blue buffalo. I would like to try Fromm of Orijin, but I’m worried that the higher protien levels will cause the stinky stools. Any suggestions?
Hi Lindsay, both Fromm and Orijen are very good foods. I wouldn’t be concerned about the protein levels. Give one or the other a go for a month or so and see how it goes.
What exactly is montmorillonite clay? I have seen it on Natures Instinct Dog food and now I see it’s also in their cat food.
Hi Kelly, montmorillonite clay is an anti-caking agent which Nature’s Variety use to remove toxins in the food and to act as a natural source of minerals. There’s some specucaltion about the ingredient as it can potentially contain dioxins (which are bad), but tests conducted on rats and humans have shown no real harm. If the clay is of good quality then there’s no issue. You’ve prompted me to ask Nature’s Variety direct, see how they respond – https://twitter.com/PetFoodRatings/statuses/460632611992244225
I’ve seen a lot of articles online about how clumping cat litter that contains bentonite can be unhealthy for cats, particularly young kittens, because the clay is apparently not good if cats ingest it. I’ve seen a number of posts online stating that some cats had loose stools, etc., while using bentonite litter. There are also a lot of articles about how montmorillonite can be beneficial to cats digestion, and can help prevent loose stools. As a new hopeful cat parent, I’m new to both cat litter and cat food. However, my geology is pretty good, and I can tell you than bentonite and montmorillonite are basically the same thing. So why is it bad in litter but okay in cat food? Perhaps the litter hype is just propaganda to get us to buy expensive litter alternatives? Could someone help out a very confused new kitty parent?
That’s a very good question, I wish I could give you a definitive answer!
I really appreciate your web site. I need all the help I can get
my cat is having a lot of trouble with her food. She has food allergies and isn’t responding to any food I try. Today I bought her Nature’s Variety Instinct. I pray it works. Expensive though but worth it if she starts to feel better.
You have given me knowledge on what is important in cat food and I really needed this help.
Thank you so much for your input and your reviews.
Linda
Hi Linda, thanks for your feedback – it’s always nice to hear we’ve helped someone, and raised awareness of pet food ingredients.