Blue Buffalo Freedom Indoor Mature Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
- Deboned Chicken
- Chicken Meal
- Pea Protein
- Menhaden Fish Meal
Ingredients
Estimated Nutrient Content
To understand the nutrient content of pet food, we visualize its macronutrient composition in three ways. In the charts below, you’ll see a guaranteed analysis on an as-fed basis, a dry matter analysis, and a breakdown of the food’s macronutrients on a calorie-weighted basis.
Remember that all of these values are estimates based on the guaranteed analysis published by the company, and the food’s actual nutrient values may be slightly different.
Guaranteed Analysis
Protein: 30%
Fat: 12%
Fiber: 8%
Moisture: 9%
Ash: 0%
Carb: 41%
Dry Matter Analysis
Protein: 32.97%
Fat: 13.19%
Fiber: 8.79%
Ash: 8%
Carb: 45.05%
Calorie Weighted Basis
Protein: 29.96%
Fat: 29.1%
Carb: 40.94%
Our Review
- Supplemented with chelated minerals for optimal nutrient absorption
- Made with fiber-rich flaxseed
- Contains dried kelp as a natural source of essential nutrients
- Doesn’t contain fillers, by-products, or artificial additives
- Affordable
- A good source of omega-3 fatty acids
- High in carbohydrates
- Low in moisture
- Contains plant-based proteins
- Contains artificial food dyes
- The brand has had multiple recalls over recent years
- Some cats may be allergic to fish
Recall History
The following list (if present) shows all cat food recalls related to Blue Buffalo since 2011. If no recalls are listed, no recall events have been reported.
| Date: | 10/08/2010 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. |
| Product Description: | Dog food |
| Recall Reason: | Excess Vitamin D |
| Date: | 11/07/2015 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. |
| Product Description: | Cat Treats |
| Recall Reason: | May contain propylene glycol |
| Date: | 11/25/2015 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. |
| Product Description: | Cub Size - Wild Chews |
| Recall Reason: | Salmonella |
| Date: | 05/31/2016 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. |
| Product Description: | Dog Food |
| Recall Reason: | Possible mold |
| Date: | 02/13/2017 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. |
| Product Description: | Dog Food |
| Recall Reason: | Potential for metal contamination |
| Date: | 02/28/2017 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. |
| Product Description: | Dog Food |
| Recall Reason: | Packaging quality |
| Date: | 03/17/2017 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. |
| Product Description: | Dog food |
| Recall Reason: | Contains beef thyroid hormone |
| Date: | 02/08/2018 |
|---|---|
| Company Name: | Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. |
| Product Description: | Dog food |
| Recall Reason: | elevated levels of naturally- occurring beef thyroid hormones |
Ingredient Review
Our review of Blue Buffalo Freedom Indoor Mature Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food begins with a detailed look at the food’s ingredients.
The first ingredient is Deboned Chicken. Deboned chicken is chicken meat with the bones removed. In pet food, deboned chicken is a valuable source of protein.
The second ingredient is Chicken Meal. In pet food, chicken meal is often listed as a source of protein. Chicken meal is produced by baking and grinding chicken meat and skin. As a dry form of animal protein, it is most often found in kibble and treats.
The third ingredient is Tapioca Starch. Tapioca starch comes from the cassava root. It is often used as a filler or binder, as well as a source of easily digested carbohydrates. Tapioca starch is typically added to grain-free and gluten-free pet foods.
The fourth ingredient is Peas. Pea is a general term to describe whole, split, or milled peas, which are a grain-free, gluten-free source of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. In pet food, pea products serve as an energy source as well as a supplementary source of vitamins and minerals.
The fifth ingredient is Potatoes. Potatoes are versatile starchy root vegetables that provide carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and some fiber. In pet food, potatoes can add texture and flavor while replacing other starches. Many grain-free and gluten-free pet foods contain potatoes.
When we analyzed the ingredients in Blue Buffalo Freedom Indoor Mature Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food, we found that most of the protein is derived from meat based sources.
Price Analysis
Price per lb
Product Price
$4.2
Market Price avg.
$4.77
% From the Avg
-12%
Price per 100 kcal
Product Price
$0.27
Market Price avg.
$0.38
% From the Avg
-30%
Price per day
Product Price
$0.16
Market Price avg.
$0.23
% From the Avg
-31%
Blue Buffalo Freedom Indoor Mature Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food is priced well below the average market price for dry senior cat food.
Nutritional Analysis
As opposed to formulas intended for growth (kitten) and maintenance (adult), there are no special label requirements or legal definitions for “senior” diets. Senior diets are actually only required to meet the same nutritional needs as for adult diets. This means that there can be a lot of variation and interpretation by different food companies on what makes up a senior diet. Senior diets can have varying amounts of protein, fat, carbs, phosphorus, sodium, and fiber.
The assumptions that all senior pets need low protein, low fat and carbs, low phosphorus and sodium, and high fiber across the board are incorrect. The need for higher or lower levels of these nutrients varies greatly from cat to cat. That’s why it’s very important for senior pets for their pet parents to work with their veterinarian to decide what type of diet is most appropriate. For many young senior pets, the adult diets they’ve been on may be just fine to continue.
With that in mind, we’ve compared Blue Buffalo Freedom Indoor Mature Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food to the other 37 dry senior cat food recipes in our database:
DM Protein
Product info
32.97%
All Products avg.
35.4%
% From the Avg
-7%
DM Fat
Product info
13.19%
All Products avg.
15.92%
% From the Avg
-17%
DM Fiber
Product info
8.79%
All Products avg.
6.55%
% From the Avg
+34%
DM Carb
Product info
45.05%
All Products avg.
40.66%
% From the Avg
+11%
Analysis Overview
Overall, this is a meat based food that’s moderate in protein with low fat and high carbohydrate content relative to other dry senior cat foods.
Disclaimer and Disclosure
At Pet Food Sherpa, our primary goal is to provide pet owners like you with accurate, relevant, and unbiased information about pet nutrition. As such, we do not accept gifts or incentives as motivation to include certain products in our reviews.
We do, however, participate in affiliate marketing programs and we partner with select brands to fund our site. We choose the products we review carefully and review them thoroughly before publishing a review or accepting any form of payment.
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