Published by: Ingrid King. Last Updated on: February 1, 2023 by Crystal Uys
If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know that I’m passionate about bio-appropriate nutrition for cats. Cats are obligate carnivores, and they need meat not only to survive, but to thrive. The optimal diet for a cat is a properly formulated raw, home-cooked or grain-free canned diet.
Allegra, Ruby and I recently had the opportunity to evaluate Holistic Select’s new line of canned paté recipes. These grain-free can recipes provide prebiotic support and feature botanicals such as pumpkin, papaya and pomegranate. These ingredients, combined with premium proteins, are designed to support digestive health.
The diets are made in the US.
Since I don’t feed fish to the girls, and many of Holistic Select’s formulas contain ocean fish, salmon or shrimp, I requested the Chicken Paté and Turkey Paté recipes for our review.
The girls loved both formulas. I could tell as soon as I opened the can that this was going to be a hit. They were both dancing around my feet as I was getting their meals ready. Once they started eating, it was like a race to the finish line (Allegra finished first). I can’t tell whether they had a favorite since they inhaled both formulas equally fast.
My only reservation about this line is that it contains xanthan gum. This ingredient was recently approved by AAFCO for use in pet food formulas; it has been used as a thickener and binder in human foods for a long time. According to Dr. Karen Becker, it is generally considered safe for dogs and assumed safe for cats. It is made by using carbohydrates from corn, wheat, dairy, or soy, all of which have been implicated in causing allergies, which might not make foods containing this ingredient a good choice for animals with sensitivities.
My bottom line: since the girls liked the formulas, and since I like to ensure that they get a variety of different brands, I will add these diets into our rotation as an occasional choice.
All canned formulas come in three sizes: 3 ounces, 5.5 ounces, and 13 ounces. For more information, please visit HolisticSelect.com.
*FTC Disclosure: I received this product for review at no charge. I also received a fee for writing this review. Receiving the free product and the fee did not influence my review. All reviews on The Conscious Cat will always reflect my honest and unbiased opinion. Or, as the case may be, Allegra and Ruby’s honest and unbiased opinion.
About the author
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital manager, and veterinary journalist who is passionate about cats.
