Review Summary

In 1987, Dr. Elsey and his wife Kathy founded the Dr. Elsey company. The entire idea was to extend help to people and pets in need. Since bad bathroom behaviors are a prime reason cats wind up in shelters, Dr. Elsey wanted to end the issue once and for all and created his own cat litter as well as provides free litter and shelter kits to rescues and shelters annually.

But while the company started in the litter department, they have now branched out to feline nutrition with their own line of cat food called Clean Protein. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein cat food and give you our honest opinion.

The Dr. Elsey’s Cat Food Recipe

Dr. Elsey’s Cat Food Reviewed

About Dr. Elsey’s Products

Dr. Elsey and his wife have had quite a long history in feline care, supporting cats and their parents every step of the way. Products were originally crafted for overall potty time care and they recently branched out to nutrition.

Who Makes Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein Cat Food and Where Is It Produced?

As mentioned, Dr. Elsey’s company was founded by Dr. Elsey himself and his wife. Dr. Elsey’s cat food is manufactured right here in the USA. It is a solitary company that works diligently to produce helpful products to cat owners.

Which Types of Cats Is Clean Protein Cat Food Best Suited For?

Clean Protein is a cat food that is rid of all these pesky ingredients that cause sickness, illness, and poor health. We would highly recommend this cat food for any healthy adult, senior, or kitten, especially those with higher-than-average energy levels.

Which Types of Cat Might Do Better With a Different Brand?

Since most adult cats can benefit from the Clean Protein formula, we don’t necessarily recommend a different brand. The only thing we can say is if you have a cat with allergies to chicken, we recommend a different Clean Protein recipe. But if your cat has a specific health issue that requires a specialized diet, you might need more suitable food that is crafted for your cat’s specific needs.

Recall History

Anytime a company gets into pet food, there is always a concern for product recalls. Certain foodborne illnesses or additives get put in food that shouldn’t be, so the company has to recollect these products and provide a more suitable solution.

When companies are recalled multiple times, it can cause a major red flag for pet owners, wondering if the company takes their task seriously. Recalls can result in mild to severe problems, including deaths.

But you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that at the time of this review, Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein cat food has never been recalled.

Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

So, you can get a solid understanding of what’s in a bag of Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein chicken recipe, here is a breakdown of the first several ingredients and what you can expect them to do for your cat.

All Life Stages Formulas

Dr. Elsey creates recipe lines that are for all life stages. We would like to acknowledge that this has its ups and downs, but let’s stick with the positive first.

An all life stages recipe means that this particular formula can follow your cat from their kitten months to their senior years. You don’t have to worry about food transitions, which can be a real problem for some cats.

All life stages formulas are designed with all of the nutrients in mind that help keep a kitten growing strong and a senior maintained. However, some would argue that formulas for all life stages have to be lacking in some category or another since kittens and senior cats have very different needs. After all, is there really only one recipe that is sufficient to meet the needs of all the life stages our cats go through? While we have no direct complaints about this cat food line, it is up to the discretion of the owner and the advice of their veterinarian.

High Protein, Grain-Free Products

If you take a look at the ingredients label, you will notice that this particular product is substantially higher than most others when it comes to protein content. Any single serving, there is a whopping 59.0% crude protein.

You might already know that our cats are obligate carnivores. They require a very high amount of protein in their diets to maintain muscle mass and provide energy. They also don’t typically eat any grain in the wild, making it an unimportant part of their nutrient profile.

Customer Reviews Don’t Approve of New Recipe

We take customer reviews very seriously. After all, listening to people who have actually used the goods we want to buy is a great way to gauge the effectiveness of a product.

We did some digging around the web to see what other people are saying about this particular cat food. There are some raving reviews that swear by this product. However, it seems that somewhere between 2023 and 2024, the recipe was tweaked slightly.

This caused a major upheaval with cat owners, many of them stating that it made their cat’s tummy upset, causing diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems. This could be due to the fact that a cat’s digestive system had gotten used to the old formula, and anytime you introduce any new food into a cat’s diet, it has the potential to cause stomach upset until your cat gets used to it.

But we did want to point out that at some point the recipe has been changed and it has been shown to trigger responses in certain felines. Keep this in mind when you’re trying it out for your cat so you can anticipate it beforehand.

Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein Food Review

Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein Cat Food is an excellent source of bountiful nutrients. We can’t wait to tell you about it. First, the kibble is moist and aromatic, getting the attention of most felines right away.

All protein in the recipe is animal based to promote healthy function, weight, and an active lifestyle. This particular cat food is made to support the nutritional needs of any cat, from kittens to seniors. It also can be a helpful formula for cats struggling with weight or those with diabetes.

We love that this is a low-carb but high-protein formula. Rather than being stuffed to the brim with fillers, this recipe uses wholesome ingredients to craft a more usable diet for your feline friend.

Rather than being tailored to match the activity levels of cats, this particular recipe aims to improve the overall activity levels of any cat. So even cats that are pretty lackadaisical can benefit from the energetic boost this recipe could provide, but be aware that more sedate cats could start to put on weight with this high-powered food..

All-in-all, we love Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein cat food. However, it’s not suitable for cats that have a chicken allergy, but Dr. Elsey’s does have other flavors as well.

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Calories per cup breakdown:

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What Other Users Are Saying

As we mentioned earlier in the article, what others have to say about the products in question mean a lot to us. When it comes to reviews, every person’s experience matters.

Generally, what we found when looking is that most users were pleased with this product. People enjoyed the high protein and grain-free content, and the ability to feed it to all lifestages.

However, there were a few bad reviews we’d like to mention. Some seemed concerned with the change of recipe, as it seemed to cause gastrointestinal upset in some cats. While these comments were few, it’s certainly something to keep an eye on if you plan on feeding this recipe to your furry buddies with sensitive stomachs.

Find out what folks on Chewy have to say about the product by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom.

Conclusion

So now you have gotten to know Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein a lot better. You understand that this high-protein, nutrient-dense recipe is for any life stage and even works for some allergy sufferers. This cat food can be exceptional for the right candidate.

There was a slight recipe change that has seemingly triggered some gastro problems in cats. Just be aware before making the switch and keep an eye out for any perceived irritation.

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