This page contains affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post through our independently chosen links, which earn us a commission. Learn more about how we are supported here.

Vital Essentials Duck Dinner Patties Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food

Vital Essentials Duck Dinner Patties Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food
Company info
Company HQ
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Parent company
Carnivore Meat Company
Product info
Age Range: Adult
Food Form Freeze-Dried Cat Food
Cost per day: $1.53
Primary proteins
  • Finely Ground Duck With Bone
  • Duck Heart
  • Duck Liver
  • Duckgizzard

Ingredients

Finely Ground Duck With Bone, Duck Heart, Duck Liver, Duckgizzard, Duck Egg, Duck Blood, Raw Goat's Milk, Water, Egg Shell Membrane,Herring Oil, Mixed Tocopherols, D-Alpha Tocopherol.

Overall Score

Loading
62%

Ratings

? This rating is determined by comparing the food’s nutritional content to AAFCO standards and other foods in our database. Nutrient Value 78%
? Each recipe is evaluated based on a 5-point ingredient rating system that measures ingredients’ nutritional value, safety, and more. Quality of Ingredients 95%
? 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 25%
? 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 35%
? This metric is based on customer ratings from various retailers. Customer Experience 77%
? Our rating system evaluates each food’s manufacturing method, assigning higher ratings to manufacturing processes that promote higher nutritional value. Manufacturing Method 0%

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

Loading

Protein: 45%

Fat: 20%

Fiber: 3%

Moisture: 8%

Ash: 0%

Carb: 24%

Dry Matter Analysis

Loading

Protein: 48.91%

Fat: 21.74%

Fiber: 3.26%

Ash: 8%

Carb: 26.09%

Calorie Weighted Basis

Loading

Protein: 38.27%

Fat: 41.31%

Carb: 20.41%

Our Review

Pros
  • Freeze-dried food retains the nutritional value of raw meat
  • Doesn’t contain fillers, by-products, or artificial additives
  • Rich in species-appropriate animal protein
Cons
  • Expensive
  • High in carbohydrates
  • Low in moisture
  • Contains a small amount of plant-based proteins
  • Freeze dried cat food requires rehydration, which is time-consuming
  • 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 Vital Essentials since 2011. If no recalls are listed, no recall events have been reported.

Vital Essentials - Pet Foods (07/08/2015) -+
Date: 07/08/2015
Company Name: Carnivore Meat Company, LLC
Product Description: Pet Foods
Recall Reason: Listeria monocytogenes
Vital Essentials - Frozen Chicken Patties Entree for Dogs (01/15/2016) -+
Date: 01/15/2016
Company Name: Carnivore Meat Company, LLC
Product Description: Frozen Chicken Patties Entree for Dogs
Recall Reason: Potential for salmonella
Vital Essentials - Freeze-dried beef nibblets for dogs (02/23/2018) -+
Date: 02/23/2018
Company Name: Carnivore Meat Company, LLC
Product Description: Freeze-dried beef nibblets for dogs
Recall Reason: Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella
Vital Essentials - Dog/pet food Freeze-Dried Beef Toppers and Frozen Beef Chub (04/15/2018) -+
Date: 04/15/2018
Company Name: Carnivore Meat Company, LLC
Product Description: Dog/pet food Freeze-Dried Beef Toppers and Frozen Beef Chub
Recall Reason: Salmonella

Ingredient Review

Our review of Vital Essentials Duck Dinner Patties Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food begins with a detailed look at the food’s ingredients.

The first ingredient is Finely Ground Duck With Bone. Finely ground duck with bone is milled chicken meat with the bones ground in. This isn’t something we humans would find appealing but in pet food, finely ground duck with bone can be a valuable source of protein, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals to support your furry friend’s overall well-being. Duck can be a source of novel protein for pets with allergies.

The second ingredient is Duck Heart. Duck heart is meat from the muscles that form a duck’s heart. In pet food, duck heart can be a good source of protein, iron, and other important nutrients. It is sometimes used as a novel protein, and is often an ingredient in diets formulated specifically for pets with allergies.

The third ingredient is Duck Liver. Duck liver is one of a few organ meats that come from a duck. In pet food, duck liver serves as a source of protein, iron, and amino acids. It can be a source of novel protein in recipes formulated for pets with allergies.

The fourth ingredient is Duckgizzard. Duckgizzard is an internal organ from any breed of duck. While this might not sound appealing to most of us, it is rich in a number of essential nutrients including iron and zinc. Added to pet food, duckgizzard is also a source of protein and amino acids.

The fifth ingredient is Duck Egg. Dried poultry by-products digest in pet food isn’t material from a meat bird’s digestive tract. Instead, it is poultry-based protein that has been broken down into a protein source that can enhance the flavor of your pet’s food.

When we analyzed the ingredients in Vital Essentials Duck Dinner Patties Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food, we found that most of the protein is derived from meat based sources.

Price Analysis

Price per oz

Product Price

$2.69

Market Price avg.

$2.99

% From the Avg

-10%

Price per 100 kcal

Product Price

$2.56

Market Price avg.

$2.29

% From the Avg

+12%

Price per day

Product Price

$1.53

Market Price avg.

$1.38

% From the Avg

+11%

Vital Essentials Duck Dinner Patties Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food is priced above the average market price for freeze-dried 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 Vital Essentials Duck Dinner Patties Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food to the other 58 freeze-dried cat food recipes in our database:

DM Protein

DM Protein

Product info

48.91%

All Products avg.

48.5%

% From the Avg

+1%

DM Fat

DM Fat

Product info

21.74%

All Products avg.

26.84%

% From the Avg

-19%

DM Fiber

DM Fiber

Product info

3.26%

All Products avg.

4.67%

% From the Avg

-30%

DM Carb

DM Carb

Product info

26.09%

All Products avg.

19.42%

% From the Avg

+34%

Analysis Overview

Overall, this is a meat based food that’s moderate in protein with low fat and high carbohydrate content relative to other freeze-dried 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.

Leave a Review