Now cat food
We all want our pets to be healthy, happy, and playful. That's why responsible pet owners strive to choose good nutrition for their pets and carefully read the labels of various pet foods in pet stores. With experience, you can easily distinguish unfairly promoted brands from truly worthy diets.
Content
About the manufacturer
Now cat food is a product of the Canadian family-owned company Petcurean Pet Nutrition, founded in 1999 by two friends. Their products have taken the commercial pet food markets by storm in many countries and are even ranked among the top 10 best foods by a renowned American magazine that studies the modern pet industry.
According to the manufacturer, the quality of their product is their top priority, so Now cat food contains only ingredients that are beneficial for pets and excludes grains, soy, hormone-containing products, and GMOs. All ingredients are grown in Canada and used fresh, and a low-temperature manufacturing process is used to preserve the maximum amount of nutrients in the finished diets.
The company's most popular brands are Go and Now, cat foods whose formulas are developed by people with degrees in veterinary medicine and working in the field of pet nutrition.
Assortment
The Now diet line is designed around the principle of simple choice; the manufacturer strives to make it simple and straightforward, without unnecessary recipes. It offers diets for three age stages of cats, and consists of four menu types. All are grain-free, contain no by-products, and the raw materials used in their production are rated human-grade. Apparently for this reason, on the official Russian distributor's website, Now natural cat food is labeled as holistic, although this rating isn't available in the English-language version.
Now Kitten is a food designed for kittens, as well as pregnant and lactating cats. The package states that this food is prepared with 100% fresh turkey, salmon, and duck, as well as 100% fresh Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids from coconut and canola oils. Available in 0.23 kg, 1.82 kg, and 3.63 kg containers.
Now Fresh Adult is a grain- and gluten-free food for adult cats. Instead of grains, it contains potatoes and peas, and the meat ingredients are poultry (turkey and duck) and salmon. It is available in 0.23 kg, 1.82 kg, 3.63 kg, and 7.26 kg packs.
Now Fish is marketed as a fish-based menu for adult cats. It's especially recommended for pets with sensitive digestion. This diet includes three types of fish: trout, salmon, and herring. The grains are replaced with potatoes (regular and sweet), peas, and various vegetables. Many pets enjoy this Now cat food, which is why reviews are overwhelmingly positive. It's available in 0.23 kg, 1.82 kg, 3.63 kg, and 7.26 kg packages.
Now Senior is a diet designed for aging cats (over 7 years old) and also helps maintain a healthy weight in pets prone to weight gain. It has a lower fat content (14% versus 18-19% in other diets) and an increased fiber content of 5%. Its recipe is based on turkey, duck, and salmon, combined with potatoes and peas. Available in 1.82 kg, 3.63 kg, and 7.26 kg packages.
All Nau cat food is considered hypoallergenicVeterinarian reviews also confirm this, citing its absence of wheat gluten and chicken—foods that most often cause allergic reactions in animals. However, whether it meets the holistic nutritional standard, as the distributor in Russia claims, can only be determined by examining its ingredients.
Evaluation and analysis of the composition
Each Now diet contains a blend of fruits and vegetables, berries, alfalfa sprouts, kelp, and lentils. They also include probiotics and prebiotics for healthy gut and intestinal microflora. The manufacturer emphasizes that the diet is perfectly balanced and contains only natural antioxidants to prevent product spoilage. Furthermore, it is free of animal by-products and fats.
For a full and detailed review, we chose Now Adult cat food. We'll examine its ingredients in detail to determine whether it's truly as good as the manufacturer claims.
Here is a guaranteed nutrient analysis that matches the official data:
- Proteins – 31%
- Fats – 18%
- Fiber – 2.5%
- Humidity – 10%
- Ash – 6.5%
- Phosphorus – 0.6%
- Magnesium – 0.09%
A quick calculation reveals that the carbohydrate content is approximately 32%. While this isn't exactly a stellar figure, it certainly deserves a "good" rating. It's much more important to understand the foods that provide this content to assess its impact on your pet's diet. We see that the fiber content is below average, which is a clear shortcoming of the recipe.
It's also worth noting the significant amount of fat in this Nau cat food, which often generates mixed reviews from owners of indoor cats living in apartments and leading a sedentary lifestyle. According to our resource, 18% lipids is quite acceptable given the low carbohydrate content, as fats then become the primary source of energy in the diet.
Before listing the ingredients used in this recipe, please note that the Now cat food listed on the Canadian website differs in many components from the same diet listed on the Russian website. For example, ingredients labeled "de-boned turkey" (originally meaning turkey breast) are, for some reason, now listed as "fresh turkey breast." Ingredients such as pea fiber and tomato are completely missing.
It's difficult to explain the rationale for this; perhaps it's a simple oversight, or perhaps a desire to create the appearance of a better product than it actually is. We can only speculate, but this fact is certainly a drawback. Here's the original composition of the food:
- Turkey fillet;
- Potato flour;
- Peas;
- Potato;
- Pea fiber;
- Whole dry egg;
- Tomato;
- Canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols);
- Flax seeds;
- Natural flavoring.
This is what the top ten ingredients look like. Only the first five ingredients form the basis of the recipe; the rest are present in the food in small percentages and don't significantly affect the overall nutritional formula.
Next comes:
- Coconut oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols);
- Salmon fillet;
- Duck fillet.
Next comes a whole range of fruits and vegetables—apples, carrots, pumpkin, bananas; berries—blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries. Further on are exotic fruits—papaya, pineapple, and grapefruit. Then comes lentils, broccoli, spinach, cottage cheese, alfalfa sprouts, and alfalfa.
The list of minerals, vitamins and various additives completes the composition, plus dried seaweed, chicory root, yucca extract and medicinal plants (calendula and dried rosemary).
Before we discuss the nutritional value of the ingredients, let's note one detail: the first item listed is "turkey fillet," which was most likely raw, not fresh. At first glance, it seems like there's no difference. However, "fresh" means the product hasn't been frozen, unlike "raw." The former is much more nutritious and digestible than the latter.
Squirrels
Turkey fillet tops the list—a good, high-quality source of animal protein with high nutritional value for cats. The top five ingredients list contains no other meat components, only plant-based ones. Egg (#6 on the list), as well as salmon and duck fillets (#12 and 13 on the list), contribute a small amount of animal protein. This is extremely low, considering that cats are carnivores whose primary nutritional needs are meat.
The main sources of plant protein are the second through fourth components, namely peas and potatoes. Lentils, broccoli, and spinach will also contribute a small percentage.
Fats
The formula uses only plant-based lipids: canola oil and coconut oil. Coconut oil is a very rare ingredient in pet food; it is easily digestible and rich in vitamin E. It contains, in particular, beneficial linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for animal health.
Canola oil, obtained from the seeds of a certain variety of rapeseed, has similar properties. Canola is grown in very large quantities in Canada. It contains vitamin E, linoleic (Omega 6), and linolenic (Omega 3) acids.
The ingredients note that these oils are preserved with tocopherols, which are natural, not chemical, substances. This fact speaks to the high quality of these ingredients. However, in our opinion, using fish oil is much preferable; it contains the same omega acids, but in much higher quantities, making it much healthier for cats. Apparently, the low cost of canola oil is a compelling argument for the manufacturer.
Fiber and carbohydrates
The main sources of healthy fiber and low-glycemic carbohydrates here are potatoes and peas. A small percentage is also provided by vegetables and fruits found in ingredients #14, 15, and 17 (apples, carrots, and bananas), as well as ingredients #25, 26, and 27 (lentils, broccoli, and spinach). These ingredients are often found in grain-free foods and are certainly preferable to wheat or other grains.
Other feed components
The manufacturer deemed it necessary to diversify the ingredients with exotic ingredients like pineapple, papaya, and grapefruit. Do cats really need them in their diet? In fact, they're present in such small quantities that even the dubious benefit of these additives is practically negated. These ingredients are likely included for show. Another unique ingredient in the recipe is cottage cheese, or more precisely, pressed cheese.
Cottage cheese can be beneficial or unhealthy in a cat's diet. Some pets have difficulty digesting lactose and milk protein. In this case, cottage cheese is listed near the end of the ingredients list, so its percentage is so small that it will neither harm nor benefit.
It also includes the standard chicory root supplement, which aids digestion, and Yucca schidigera extract, which reduces fecal odor. Plus, it contains dried seaweed, rosemary, and marigold.
- Dried seaweed is rich in iodine and improves thyroid function. It also has a beneficial effect on metabolism and digestion.
- Rosemary primarily acts as a natural preservative. It also contains antioxidants that have a general strengthening effect, has anti-inflammatory properties, and supports the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.
- Marigolds are widely used in folk medicine. They lower blood pressure and have antispasmodic and diuretic effects.
Despite the presence of exclusive additives, which are more likely intended to deceive the consumer, the fact that the diet is low in meat and overly plant-based cannot be hidden. After all, potato flour and potatoes are essentially the same ingredient, as are peas and pea fiber. Combine them, and turkey breast will likely fall out of the top spot. The formula also contains phosphoric acid, a highly controversial ingredient in pet food.
Advantages and disadvantages
A review of Now Fresh cat food identified its strengths and weaknesses. To summarize, the following can be said:
Cons
- Serious inaccuracies in the Russian-language composition;
- Excess of peas and potatoes, and lack of meat;
- Contains controversial ingredients (phosphoric acid) and vague formulations (natural flavoring).
Pros
- High quality meat components;
- The presence of natural antioxidants;
- Presence of vegetables, fruits, berries;
- Supplements that benefit microflora, probiotics and prebiotics.
Reviews of Nau Fresh pet food
Owners of cats who buy Nau cat food for their pets often leave reviews and share their opinions on this brand's products on various forums. We've listed some of them below:
Marina, the owner of the sphinx:
"On the breeder's advice, I decided to buy Diesel a pack of Now to try. He's very picky and picky, and won't eat everything. I introduced the new food gradually, transitioning him to the new food for about ten days. It's only been a month, so that's not a good indicator, but everything is great. He's eating normally, his stool is fine, and his eyes are clear. I'm happy with everything, and he's also using less food than before. I highly recommend it."
Sergey:
"I have a spayed Domus cat. To keep her from gaining weight, I gave her Nau Light. She ate her share, then ran around drinking water constantly, multiple times. She developed gas, and then had diarrhea during the night, more than once. She didn't go near the food again, and the food just sat there untouched. I wasn't expecting such a strong reaction, so I started giving her a probiotic and removed the food. The vet said it was a reaction to the food change. I eventually went back to her previous diet."
The opinion of veterinarians
Veterinarians' reviews of Now cat food are mostly positive. They state that Now brand diets are super-premium in quality and well-balanced. However, they point out that the fiber content is slightly lower than generally accepted standards, which may negatively impact pets with digestive issues or exacerbate gastrointestinal conditions.
Price
The price of Now Fresh GF Adult Cat dry food for adult cats is:
0.23 kg – from 256 RUR
1.82 kg – from 1732 RUR
3.63 kg – from 2287 RUR
7.26 kg – from 4257 RUR
Price of Now Fresh GF Fish Adult cat food with fish for cats over 1 year old:
0.23 kg – from 282 RUR
1.82 kg – from 1523 RUR
3.63 kg – from 2538 RUR
7.26 kg – from 4231 RUR
In conclusion, this brand's diets are on par with many super-premium pet foods in terms of price, but in terms of ingredients, there are much better products in this category. The claim on the Russian-language website that this Nau food is a holistic diet is clearly wishful thinking.
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