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Instinct Cat Food Review

Company HQ

LocationLincoln, Nebraska

Parent company

M.I. Industries

Sourcing and Manufacturing

LocationUnited States

Type of food

Dry Cat Food, Fresh Frozen Cat Food, Wet Cat Food

Ratings

60%
? This rating is determined by comparing the food’s nutritional content to AAFCO standards and other foods in our database. Nutrient Value 45%
? Each recipe is evaluated based on a 5-point ingredient rating system that measures ingredients’ nutritional value, safety, and more. Quality of Ingredients 73%
? We scan the FDA’s database and rate each brand by the number of recalls in its history. Brands with fewer recalls receive higher ratings. Recall History 72%
? By comparing the prices of foods in our database, we determine if a food is above or below market average price. Lower-priced foods receive higher ratings. Price 54%
? This metric is based on customer ratings from various retailers. Customer Experience 76%
? Our rating system evaluates each food’s manufacturing method, assigning higher ratings to manufacturing processes that promote higher nutritional value. Manufacturing Method 40%

Where to Buy

Chewy PetFlow Only Natural Pet Petco PetSmart Walmart Amazon
Pros
  • High protein content
  • Foods are nutritionally complete and balanced according to AAFCO standards
  • Affordable
  • All protein comes from animal sourced ingredients
Cons
  • The brand has been previously recalled

Brand Overview

Instinct is a Nature’s Variety brand that focuses on providing pets with simple, real, raw meals. The raw ingredients in Nature’s Variety are freeze-dried for convenience. The company offers food for dogs and cats alike, including grain-free and limited ingredient diets.

We’ve compared Instinct cat food to the other 197 cat food brands in our database.

How Much Does Instinct Cat food Cost

Dry Cat Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Price per lb$4.74$3.2546%
Price per 100 kcal$0.25$0.2021%
Price per day$0.15$0.1225%

Fresh Frozen Cat Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Price per lb$6.42$10.05-36%
Price per 100 kcal$1.28$2.01-36%
Price per day$0.77$1.21-36%

Wet Cat Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Price per oz$0.60$0.4340%
Price per 100 kcal$2.05$1.7617%
Price per day$1.23$1.0517%

Instinct cat food is priced within the average market price for cat food.

Instinct Nutrient Profile comparison

Dry Cat Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Protein 44.22% 38.97% 13%
Fat 20.43% 16.72% 22%
Fiber 4.11% 5.07% -19%

Fresh Frozen Cat Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Protein 40.22% 49.60% -19%
Fat 33.09% 27.58% 20%
Fiber 6.60% 4.38% 51%

Wet Cat Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Protein 47.42% 52.80% -10%
Fat 23.13% 17.70% 31%
Fiber 9.32% 6.35% 47%

All of Instinct cat food recipes meets AAFCO's minimum requirements.

Recall History

The following list (if present) shows all cat food recalls related to Instinct Cat Food Review since 2009. If no recalls are listed, no recall events have been reported.

Instinct® - Instinct® Raw Chicken Formula for dogs (07/24/2015) -+
Date:07/24/2015
Company Name:Nature's Variety
Product Description:Instinct® Raw Chicken Formula for dogs
Recall Reason:Salmonella
Read the Full FDA Report

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Overall Score
71%
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Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food
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Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Pieces Dry Cat Food Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Pieces Dry Cat Food
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Cost per day $1.49
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Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Pate Real Chicken Recipe Wet Canned Cat Food Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Pate Real Chicken Recipe Wet Canned Cat Food
Cost per day $0.85
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Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Salmon Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Salmon Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food
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Cost per day $1.37
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Cost per day $0.18
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Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Turkey Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Turkey Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food
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Instinct Original Grain-Free Pate Real Duck Recipe Wet Canned Cat Food Instinct Original Grain-Free Pate Real Duck Recipe Wet Canned Cat Food
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Cost per day $0.20
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Instinct Grain-Free Minced Recipe with Real Chicken Wet Cat Food Cups Instinct Grain-Free Minced Recipe with Real Chicken Wet Cat Food Cups
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Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Recipe with Real Salmon & Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Pieces Dry Cat Food Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Recipe with Real Salmon & Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Pieces Dry Cat Food
Cost per day $0.16
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Instinct Raw Boost Indoor Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Pieces Dry Cat Food Instinct Raw Boost Indoor Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Pieces Dry Cat Food
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Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Cage-Free Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Cage-Free Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food
Cost per day $0.24
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Instinct Freeze-Dried Raw Meals Grain-Free Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Cat Food Instinct Freeze-Dried Raw Meals Grain-Free Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Cat Food
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Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Pate Real Rabbit Recipe Wet Canned Cat Food Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Pate Real Rabbit Recipe Wet Canned Cat Food
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Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Salmon Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Adult Dry Cat Food Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Salmon Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Adult Dry Cat Food
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Instinct Frozen Raw Bites Grain-Free Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Cat Food Instinct Frozen Raw Bites Grain-Free Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Cat Food
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Instinct Raw Meals Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Kitten Food Instinct Raw Meals Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Kitten Food
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Instinct Bites Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Cage-Free Raw Frozen Kitten Food Instinct Bites Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Cage-Free Raw Frozen Kitten Food
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FAQ

faq-item-image Who owns Instinct cat food?

Instinct is owned by M.I. Industries.

faq-item-image Where is Instinct cat food made?

Instinct is manufactured in the United States .

faq-item-image Is Instinct AAFCO approved?

Yes, all of Instinct recipes are AAFCO approved.

faq-item-image Has Instinct cat food been recalled?

Instinct has been recalled 1 times in the years 2015.

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