Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Cage-Free Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food
- Duck
- Chicken
- Chicken Eggs
- Dried Whey Protein Concentrate
Ingredients
Compare Prices To Find The Lowest Price
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: 47%
Fat: 17%
Fiber: 3%
Moisture: 10%
Ash: 0%
Carb: 23%
Dry Matter Analysis
Protein: 52.22%
Fat: 18.89%
Fiber: 3.33%
Ash: 8%
Carb: 25.56%
Calorie Weighted Basis
Protein: 42.23%
Fat: 37.1%
Carb: 20.67%
Our Review
- Low carbohydrate content
- To our knowledge, Instinct has never had a product recall
- Freeze-dried food retains the nutritional value of raw meat
- Supplemented with chelated minerals for optimal nutrient absorption
- Contains health promoting ground flaxseed for fiber
- Doesn’t contain fillers, by-products, or artificial additives
- Rich in species-appropriate animal protein
- Low in moisture
- Contains a small amount of plant-based proteins
- Freeze dried cat food requires rehydration, which is time-consuming
Recall History
The following list (if present) shows all cat food recalls related to Instinct since 2011. If no recalls are listed, no recall events have been reported.
Since 2011 Instinct has never been recalled.
Ingredient Review
Our review of Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Cage-Free Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food begins with a detailed look at the food’s ingredients.
The first ingredient is Duck. Duck is meat from any member of the Anatidae waterfowl. In pet food, duck can serve as a primary protein source as well as a source of animal fat, minerals, and amino acids. It is sometimes used as a novel protein, and is often an ingredient in diets formulated specifically for pets with allergies.
The second ingredient is Chicken. Chicken is meat from the domesticated bird of the same name. In pet food, chicken is used as a primary protein source.
The third ingredient is Chicken Eggs. In pet food, chicken eggs serve as a source of high quality protein, vitamins, and minerals. The simple term “chicken eggs” can refer to any part of the egg or any combination of egg parts so long as they come from chickens.
The fourth ingredient is Tapioca. Tapioca is a type of starch that comes from the cassava root. It is often used as a filler or binder, as well as a source of easily digested carbohydrates. In pet food, tapioca is often added to grain-free and gluten-free recipes.
The fifth ingredient is Ground Flaxseed. Ground flaxseed comes from the flax plant, which is cultivated for both food and fiber. In pet food, ground flaxseed serves as a source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids, which provide a number of benefits and contribute to healthy skin and a shiny coat.
When we analyzed the ingredients in Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Cage-Free Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food, we found that most of the protein is derived from meat based sources.
Price Analysis
Price per lb
Product Price
$10.5
Market Price avg.
$4.83
% From the Avg
+117%
Price per 100 kcal
Product Price
$0.51
Market Price avg.
$0.39
% From the Avg
+31%
Price per day
Product Price
$0.31
Market Price avg.
$0.23
% From the Avg
+34%
Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Cage-Free Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food is priced within the average market price for dry cat food.
Nutritional Analysis
Adult cat foods can have a lot of variability in calorie density but generally meet requirements for the average active cat. With formulations addressing a wide variety of needs, including weight loss or gain, indoor or outdoor living, or hairball problems, individual recipes may vary greatly in calorie, fiber, and nutritional content.
With that in mind, we’ve compared Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain-Free Cage-Free Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food to the other 624 dry cat food recipes in our database:
DM Protein
Product info
52.22%
All Products avg.
38.77%
% From the Avg
+35%
DM Fat
Product info
18.89%
All Products avg.
16.68%
% From the Avg
+13%
DM Fiber
Product info
3.33%
All Products avg.
5.23%
% From the Avg
-36%
DM Carb
Product info
25.56%
All Products avg.
37.99%
% From the Avg
-33%
Analysis Overview
Overall, this is a meat based food that’s high in protein with high fat and low carbohydrate content relative to other dry 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.
Proceeds from this program and our partners enable us to continue providing high-quality content to our readers. Read more about how we’re funded here.
Explore More Instinct Cat Food Recipes
Instinct Boost Mixers Multivitamin Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Adult 7+ Cat Food Topper 
Instinct Grain-Free Minced Recipe with Real Chicken Wet Cat Food Cups 
Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Duck Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food 
Instinct Frozen Raw Bites Grain-Free Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Cat Food 
Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Pieces Dry Cat Food 
Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food