Nature’s Variety Instinct (Duck & Turkey Meal)
Rating: 
| Price: $$$$ | Website
I hadn’t heard of this food until I was notified that I should include it in this listing. While that may mean it is difficult to find in my area, it may be more accessible in others. Always call your local specialty pet stores and ask about foods like these.
Nature’s Variety has 2 main lines of food, with Instinct being its grain-free formula, which I’ll focus on here. As expected, the protein % is pretty high (35%) and it’s loaded with quality meat meals (4 of them). Notice they are meat “meals” and not just labelled as “chicken” or “duck”. Because they’re weighing them post-dehydration, it’s an accurate statement as to just how much meat is in the product.
Tapioca is an interesting ingredient, but it serves the purpose of what potatoes typically do, which is to provide a starch and help bind the food together so it doesn’t fall apart. It’s a fine ingredient. Also, pumpkinseeds may seem off to some, but they are actually quite a good fiber source and help provide lineolic acid for skin & coat.
What’s more, the line-up of fruits and veggies is present to help suppliment the vitamin count. All in all, this is a very solid food and I’m glad to now be aware of it.
Where to buy?
What’s good about this food….
Grain-free, very high in quality meat content (first 3 ingredients), pumpkinseeds are great for fiber & skin/coat, herring meal, fruits/veggies.
….and what’s not so good.
Nothing.
Ingredients:
Duck Meal, Turkey Meal, Salmon Meal, Canola Oil (naturally preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Tapioca, Tomato Pomace, Pumpkinseeds, Herring Meal, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Montmorillonite Clay, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Brewers Yeast, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin Supplement, Biotin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Iodine Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Carotene, Folic Acid), Peas, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite), Sea Salt, Dried Kelp, Cranberries, Blueberries, Inulin, Freeze Dried Turkey, Freeze Dried Turkey Liver, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Freeze Dried Turkey Hearts, Freeze Dried Ground Turkey Bone.
