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

Vital Essentials Rabbit 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: $1.92
Primary proteins
  • Rabbit
  • Rabbit Liver
  • Rabbit Heart
  • Rabbit Kidney

Ingredients

Rabbit, Rabbit Liver, Rabbit Heart, Rabbit Kidney, Goat’s Milk, Water, Herring Oil, Mixed Tocopherols (A Natural Preservative), d-Alpha Tocopherol (A Natural Source of Vitamin E).

Overall Score

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66%

Ratings

? This rating is determined by comparing the food’s nutritional content to AAFCO standards and other foods in our database. Nutrient Value 93%
? Each recipe is evaluated based on a 5-point ingredient rating system that measures ingredients’ nutritional value, safety, and more. Quality of Ingredients 100%
? 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 25%
? This metric is based on customer ratings from various retailers. Customer Experience 72%
? 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

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Protein: 52%

Fat: 15%

Fiber: 3%

Moisture: 8%

Ash: 0%

Carb: 22%

Dry Matter Analysis

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Protein: 56.52%

Fat: 16.3%

Fiber: 3.26%

Ash: 8%

Carb: 23.91%

Calorie Weighted Basis

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Protein: 47.09%

Fat: 32.99%

Carb: 19.92%

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
  • Contains a limited number of ingredients
Cons
  • Expensive
  • High in carbohydrates
  • Low in moisture
  • Contains a small amount of plant-based proteins
  • Doesn’t receive consistently positive customer reviews
  • 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 Rabbit Dinner Patties Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food begins with a detailed look at the food’s ingredients.

The first ingredient is Rabbit. Rabbit is a high-protein, low-fat meat with high vitamin B12 content. In pet food, rabbit can be a source of novel protein, so it is often seen in recipes for pets with allergies.

The second ingredient is Rabbit Liver. Rabbit liver is one of a few organ meats that come from a rabbit that has been slaughtered for consumption. In pet food, rabbit liver serves as a source of protein, iron, and amino acids.

The third ingredient is Rabbit Heart. Rabbit heart is muscle meat from the heart of a rabbit that has been slaughtered for consumption. In pet food, rabbit heart can be a source of novel protein, so it is often seen in recipes for pets with allergies. It is an excellent source of iron, vitamin B-12, amino acids, and many other important nutrients.

The fourth ingredient is Rabbit Kidney. Rabbit kidney is kidney tissue from rabbits that have been slaughtered for consumption. This ingredient may not sound good to us but in pet food, rabit kidney can be a great source of quality protein, vitamins, and minerals including iron. Rabbit kidney can be a source of novel protein, so it is sometimes seen in recipes for pets with allergies.

The fifth ingredient is Goat&rsquos Milk. Goat&rsquos Milk is rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Goat&rsquos Milk contains bacteria with aids in digestion and reduces allergies and inflammation symptoms The calcium in Goat&rsquos Milk strengthen your pet’s bones and muscles

When we analyzed the ingredients in Vital Essentials Rabbit 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

$3.44

Market Price avg.

$2.98

% From the Avg

+15%

Price per 100 kcal

Product Price

$3.20

Market Price avg.

$2.29

% From the Avg

+40%

Price per day

Product Price

$1.92

Market Price avg.

$1.38

% From the Avg

+39%

Vital Essentials Rabbit Dinner Patties Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Cat Food is priced well 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 Rabbit 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

56.52%

All Products avg.

48.5%

% From the Avg

+17%

DM Fat

DM Fat

Product info

16.3%

All Products avg.

26.84%

% From the Avg

-39%

DM Fiber

DM Fiber

Product info

3.26%

All Products avg.

4.67%

% From the Avg

-30%

DM Carb

DM Carb

Product info

23.91%

All Products avg.

19.42%

% From the Avg

+23%

Analysis Overview

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

Disclaimer and Disclosure

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