Hill’s Science Diet Vs Blue Buffalo Cat Food

Blue Buffalo Vs Science Diet: Which Is Better

While my dog loves Blue Buffalo and Hills Science Diet, I have one major problem with the dry Blue Buffalo foods. My problem revolves around the smaller-kibble-size of the LifeSource Bits.

Through shipping and handling, those nutrient-enriched bits settle to the bottom of the bag. That means that my dog gets a smaller-than-normal amount when I first open the bag, and a larger-than-normal amount as he finishes up the bag.

That lack of consistency with the LifeSource Bits is why I now prefer Hills Science Diet. My dog loves the scent . But he likes the taste even more.

And when I did my unofficial taste tests and put both Blue Buffalo and Science Diet kibbles in a bowl, my dog usually finished up the Science Diet kibbles first.

While my dog loves the taste, I feel more secure that the nutrients in Science Diet are more evenly dispersed in each kibble. My hope is that he will get a more consistent dose of nutrients with the Science Diet kibbles.

All content copyright © protected by mySportyPet and Doug Martin.Doug Martin, writer and photographer.All rights reserved.

I Am Not A Veterinary Nutritionist

As I compare the two Blue Buffalo brands with the one Hills Science Diet brand , I am doing so not as an expert! In other words, I am not a veterinary nutritionist.

Instead, I am a loving pet owner who wants the best, most nutritious pet food for my four-legged friends. In addition, I also want to make sure my pets love what they eat. Plus, I want their food to not give them digestive problems.

Signs Of Cat Kidney Failure

Common signs of kidney failure in cats may be difficult to detect because of their similarities to other disorders like diabetes and hyperthyroidism. Unfortunately, cat kidney failure is a progressive disease, and symptoms may not be apparent for a long time. If you notice any of these signs, contact your veterinarian.

• Reduced appetite

• Sore mouth or mouth ulcers
• Diarrhea or constipation

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Nomnomnow Fresh Food Delivery

Our Top Pick for the Best Cat Food for Kidney Disease Overall: If you want the best of the best for your cat, fresh food might be it. NomNomNow fresh pet food is made with only the highest quality natural ingredients and is completely free from artificial additives and preservatives. It contains real animal proteins like chicken and fish, and you can adjust the protein level according to your cats needs by working with a company representative. Compared to dry food, fresh food is much higher in moisture which is important for your cats kidney health. This food is also very high in nutrition to help your cat regain his health.

• Pros: Prepared fresh and delivered to your door, customizable nutrition, chicken or fish recipes, very rich in moisture, fresh whole-food ingredients, no artificial additives
• Cons: Expensive to feed as a staple diet, only two recipes to choose from

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Recall History Of Blue Buffalo & Wellness Cat Food

Both Wellness and Blue Buffalo have complicated recall histories, although Blue Buffalos is definitely worse.

Wellness only has two major recall incidents affecting its cat food. The first happened in 2011, when it recalled over 20 million cans of cat food due to low thiamine levels. This can lead to heart problems, so its not something to be ignored.

The second major recall occurred in 2017. They recalled a variety of canned foods because trace amounts of metal were found in a different brands food that used the same manufacturing plant. No metal was found in any Wellness food, but it should be a concern that it shares a facility with other companies that might not take safety as seriously as they do.

Blue Buffalo was part of the Great Melamine Recall of 2007. More than 100 dog and cat foods were recalled due to the presence of a lethal chemical called melamine that entered the food at a Chinese processing plant, and thousands of pets died as a result of eating the tainted food .

It also recalled some treats in 2015 due to levels of propylene glycol, and in 2019, they were listed by the FDA as one of 16 pet brands that could be linked to heart disease in dogs and cats. Nothing has been proven so far, but its obviously not a list that they want to find themselves on.

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Science Diet Pros & Cons

So, what are the benefits of using Science Diet foods for dogs?

Taking a closer look at their company, you can see that they put a lot of focus on providing biology-based nutrition. This means they cater more towards nutrition than they do the quality of ingredients.

That doesnt mean Science Diet doesnt have good ingredients. In fact, compared to other dog foods on the market, Science Diet has a pretty clean ingredient list, and they only use natural high-protein ingredients such as chicken.

However, the downside is the company tends to use low-quality carbohydrates, such as whole-grain wheat, whole grain corn, and cracked pearled barley.

While these are definitely better alternatives than cornmeal, these ingredients still can cause digestive and health issues.

The protein may also be of high quality, but Science Diet has lower protein ratios than other brands.

That being said, the percentages of their dog foods vary depending on what formula youre purchasing. So, some are more balanced and have lower amounts of carbohydrates than others. Well cover a few examples below.

Here are some pros and cons of Science Diet:

The good news is that Science Diet can easily be found in most pet shops. You can also find them online and order through an online outlet or order directly from their site.

This makes them a convenient option, even though some of their formulas may be quite expensive.

Blue Buffalo Natural Adult Healthy Weight Chicken And Brown Rice

This Blue Buffalo dry dog food has a little larger kibble, and my small chiweenie has to chew more. Otherwise, it is similar to the other brand above, but with a little less protein.

I purposely wanted the larger kibble for my little dog. The extra chewing required will also help clean my dogs teeth.

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What Do Customers Think Of Hills Cat Food

Hills is one of the most respected brands in the pet food industry. Its a staple in veterinary offices and animal shelters. The fact of the brands esteem has attracted some of its most vehement criticism. As we saw in the 2019 lawsuit initiated by a Kansas consumer, some feel that Hills food is given more respect than it deserves and uses that reputation to justify its high prices.

What Kinds Of Ingredients Does Wellness Cat Food Use

Wellness starts with real cuts of meat usually, these are typical meats like chicken, fish, or turkey, but sometimes itll work in an exotic meat.

It doesnt use as many meats as some other higher-end foods, and many of its recipes have some sort of plant as the second ingredient. These plants are almost always high-quality, but still, cats need as much meat as possible.

It often adds vitamins and minerals to its foods as well. This helps ensure that your cat gets all the nutrients they need, but its always better to get those nutrients from actual food rather than supplements.

The lack of certain ingredients is as impressive as the ingredients that actually made it in. You wont find cheap fillers, and there arent suspect chemicals like artificial colors or flavors inside either.

Want to see more cat food reviews? Check out our review page here!

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Blue Wilderness High Protein

This particular blend was made to satiate your dogs hunger. For bigger breeds, its crucial to provide them a high protein blend to gain more muscle mass. Thats why Blue Wilderness features a 34% protein blend using high-quality chicken.

To help add protein in the form of vegetables, it uses peas and pea protein, known to have lots of protein per serving.

For fatty acids, this company uses fish meal, flaxseeds, and fats to help ensure your dog gets their fats from a high-quality source rather than cheap oils.

Lastly, this blend also uses its antioxidant-rich LifeSource Bits to help add extra nutrients into the mix.

Overall, this blend is well-balanced and has pretty clean ingredients. Wed recommend it to active dogs who love the outdoors or dogs who like to keep moving.

However, due to the high-fat percentage, it may not be the best option for less active dogs or breeds prone to obesity.

For example, golden retrievers are known to become overweight quite quickly, so if youre not giving your dog adequate exercise, this may not be the best blend for you.

• Menhaden Fish Meal

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Hairball Control Cat Food

AVAILABLE SIZES

RECOMMENDED

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE At Hills, were dedicated to making foods your dog will love. If youre not satisfied for any reason with a product purchased from one of our authorized sellers, simply return the unused portion to the place of purchase for your money back or a replacement product. Additional terms may apply. Please click here for full details.

Hill’s Science Diet Hairball Control Adult dry cat food provides nutrition to help avoid hairball formation for cats.

• Vitamin E, Omega-3s & -6s for beautiful skin & fur
• High-quality protein for lean muscles
• High quality chicken protein for a flavorful, nutritious meal

Science Diet pet food is available in a variety of dry foods and treats for your cats unique needs, and canned foods, with many delicious flavors your cat’s will love.

Additional info:

At Hill’s, we have been studying nutrition to understand how natural fiber comfortably reduces hairballs in cats.

Adult cats 1 – 6 years of age prone to hairballs.

Not recommended for:

Kittens and pregnant or nursing cats. During pregnancy or nursing, cats should be switched to Hills® Science Diet® Kitten or Hill’s® Science Diet® Kitten Indoor dry cat food.

Chicken ingredient #1

Clinically proven antioxidants, Vitamin C+E, for a healthy immune system

Formulated to help

reduce the risk of struvite & calcium oxalate crystals

Made in the USAwith global ingredients you can trust

Proud to have helped find a forever home & counting

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Best Dry Food For Cats

Well talk in detail about what to look for in your quest to find the best dry cat food in general later on. Going into this next section though, just keep in mind that the highest valued macronutrient for felines is protein. They survive off a diet that consists almost entirely of protein in the wild, so it should be reflected in their meals at home. This is what separates the average options from the very best dry cat foods available.

Remember that cat foods have different caloric densities and should be fed in portions appropriate to your cats weight. With that said, here is a list of the best dry cat food, each with a high protein content to promote good health.

Science Diet Vs Blue Buffalo: Which Dog Food Is Better

Your pets diet plays a significant role in the development and health of your pooch. This article will compare two popular manufacturers of dog food: Blue Buffalo vs. Hills Science Diet. When choosing the perfect food for your pet, you need to pay attention to the nutrient composition. We analyzed each ingredient in these brands, including minerals and vitamins. In addition, weve highlighted the best diets from each pet food brand to help you make an informed decision about your pets diet.

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Crude Fat Comparison For Cat Food

Dietary fat contributes in many different ways to the overall health of felines. Here are some of the benefits that cats derive when they consume dietary fat, though the list is not exhaustive:

• Dietary fat enhances the health of coat/skin
• Reduces the development of yeast infections
• Aids in the digestion as well as the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
• Minimizes the growth and spread of some particular types of cancers
• Assists in the maintenance of healthy blood pressure

According to the collated average data, its evident that Iams cat food contains less fiber compared to the cat food product from Blue Buffalo. But then, the difference is also significantly small and does not represent a substantial difference between the two brands. Moreover, wet cat food products from Iams provide more fiber than the wet foods from the Blue Buffalo brand.

Meat And Deboned Meat

Meat sources in formulas tend to be labeled as follows:

• Meat
• Deboned meat
• Meat by-product

Understanding that each of these phrases means different things can help you know what to look out for.

Meat and deboned meat are of the highest quality, where meat meal and meat by-products are dehydrated scraps that arent for human consumption. This often includes the eyes, feet, ears, etc.

Blue Buffalo vs. Science Diet

As for the two brands, a big pro for Blue Buffalo is that it has the highest quality meats in their formula especially their High Protein formula.

Compare that to Hills Science which has many meat scraps that arent the best for your dog.

However, it should be noted that all types of meat will meet your dogs nutritional needs. Its more of a question of the quality and the risk of your dog getting ill due to improper meat handling.

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Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Chicken And Brown Rice For Small Breed Senior Dogs

They follow that with a second protein source, chicken meal. Chicken meal is the nasty parts of the chicken beaks, feet, stomach, livers, brains, and occasionally a fetus that most humans would have a hard time eating. However, this processed food of chicken offal is full of vitamins, minerals and fats that your dog needs to build healthy, lean muscles a shiny coat and easier digestion

They follow that with brown rice, an easily digestible carbohydrate. It is less processed and higher in fiber and ash, which makes it easier to digest and easy on a senior dogs sensitive stomach.

Barley is the next ingredient in Blue Buffalos® Life Protection Formula. It is a good form of carbs and fiber for your dog and it is frequently found in premium dog food brands. Barley is also loaded with gluten. So, if your dog is allergic to gluten-based ingredients, Blue Buffalo might be one to pass on.

Blue Buffalo Is A Relative Newcomer To The Dog Food Game

Given how major of a player Blue Buffalo has become in the pet care game, you might think theyve been around for decades. And they have a little less than two decades, to be exact.

The Blue Buffalo was founded in 2003, and since then, its exploded in popularity. In fact, its gone from being a small, independent operation to being purchased by General Mills for billions of dollars in 2018.

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Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe

If you have watched Racheal Ray, the American celebrity chefs cooking shows, you know her passion for flavor! However, shes also passionate about pets, so shes combined her cooking expertise with love for animals and created Rachael Ray Nutrish, a line of great-tasting, high-quality foods for cats and dogs.

Rachael uses real ingredients when cooking, so of course, she uses real ingredients in her recipes for her cat food. Her Nutrish Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Cat Food contains the highest quality of seafood or poultry and wholesome fruits and vegetables to ensure your cat gets the best nutrition and flavor!

Heres what we love about Rachael Ray Nutrish Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe:

• The number one ingredient is 100% natural U.S. farm-raised chicken
• Wholesome brown rice and vegetables and essential vitamins and minerals
• No ground corn, wheat, soy, fillers, or artificial flavors or preservatives
• Contains yeast which is a source of B vitamins, proteins, Zinc, and Biotin which not only reduce shedding but help support healthy skin and fur
• Contains added beet pulp for fiber and prebiotics that help with digestion
• Contains Taurine, an essential amino acid that supports heart functions and eyesight
• Available in a 3-lb bag, 6-lb bag, or 14-lb bag
• Made in the USA

Bha Bht And Ethoxyquin

These chemical preservatives have been linked to organ disease, cancer, and skin problems. Its easy to avoid BHA and BHT by selecting foods preserved with mixed tocopherols .

Ethoxyquin is more stealthy while its often not added to pet food itself, it can sneak a ride in with fish meal.

Because of the risk of dangerous preservatives entering the food at various points on the supply chain, its important to choose a transparent, communicative company that closely monitors their suppliers.

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Guaranteed Analysis: Blue Buffalo Vs Royal Canin

According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.

All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on adry matter basis.

What Are The Signs Of Kidney Disease In Cats

Diseases in cats are of various types. Yet here, let us focus on kidney disease or renal ailments. Basic symptoms that let a person know that their pets have developed some kind of renal disease are given below. Symptoms Include

• Cats may excrete thin-consistent urine.
• Increased thirst may be another thing to notice quite often.
• Refusal to eat will be a major sign. Watch out for less appetite or when they refuse to eat even their favorite foods.
• Lazy with almost no activity. Mostly, they might be sleeping or laying down in their places without much mobility. Strength in bones would be very low.
• Vomiting or throwing up food after meal sessions can be another important symptom. Due to this, bad breath will get created.
• Since throwing up often may cause them to lose all energy stored, they will look tired mostly.

These are some common symptoms noticed in cats which say that they are suffering from kidney-related diseases. However, these signs can also prevail due to some other underlying illnesses. If these signs are present, do give your vet a visit and go through their advice before concluding.

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