Pure Vita Cat Food: Review

Pure Vita is a popular brand, but does it earn its reputation?  We’ve tested their products the best way we know how – by feeding them to our cats. (Marek is easy-going, but Mishka is somewhat fussy.)

Our review process begins, of course, with the ingredients. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they must eat meat. What they don’t want or need is crappy meat by-products, ash, or grain. Low-cost cat foods are full of that junk, and it won’t do your cat any good whatsoever.

So we were pleased to see that Pure Vita’s products were grain free and made with high quality protein. The range of vitamins and minerals included in the formulation is pretty comprehensive, so while you should change the protein source every now and then (i.e. switch from chicken to fish etc) you could use the Pure Vita range indefinitely.

We like the company (more details on its background below) and we like their ethos, but we’re not the ones eating the product. So while the following product reviews will be based on our perception of the products and ingredients, it’s mostly going to be based on how fast our cats eat the stuff and how engaged they are while eating. To test that, we tried to distract our cats while they were eating. The less easily distracted they are, the better the taste. Scientific or what?

Pure Vita Cat Food – What Did Our Cats Think?

#1 – Grain Free Chicken

The first one we tried was the grain free chicken flavor. In this product, Pure Vita mix the high quality chicken they use with a balanced blend of fruits and vegetables to ensure your cat gets all of the vitamins and minerals they need to lead a healthy, happy life.

Some key points:

• Its protein level is around 32%
• It contains magnesium, Taurine, Vitamin E, Ascorbic Acid (a source of vitamin C)
• It’s quite expensive

Marek liked this, but we were most surprised how much Mishka was into it. She often does a few ‘flybys’ of her food – turning her nose at everything and only eating it when she realises there’s nothing else coming. But this one was an instant hit.

We tried distracting them by flicking milk bottle rings across the kitchen floor while they were eating, but the food was too good.

It is a lot of money for cat food, but if you can afford it, go for it. Recommended.

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#2 – Grain Free Chicken Stew Can Cat Food

Cats seem to love wet food, so we wanted to try some canned options too. I know there are lots of cats who would rather starve than eat dry food (or at least that’s the impression they give!)

This one smelled less bad than other canned cat foods, and the whole ethos around it – the sourcing of the meat, the holistic approach – is fantastic.

The only problem was that my cats didn’t want to eat it. Even lovely Marek, the happy-go-lucky omnivore. It’s a shame, but that’s cats for you. Your cats might lap it up – you’ll never know till you try!

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#3 – Tuffy’s Grain Free Salmon Cat Food

We wanted to try one of the fish recipes, so we took this one. If I’ve learned anything from cartoons, it’s that cats love to tuck into some fish (and leave the bones neatly on the plate).

This one, like the others, is full of protein and nutrition and meets the requirements of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages. So far, so good.

Which brings us to the taste test. Marek liked it, and happily munched away. Mishka turned her nose up at it and only had a nibble on her 4th or 5th trip round the kitchen. For a while it seemed like she was liking it, but all of a sudden she decided it wasn’t for her and that was the last time she went near the plate.

So a 50% approval rating on this one.

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#4 – Grain Free Beef Stew Dinner

We were a bit disappointed in the reception that the chicken stew recipe got, and were apprehensive about the beef stew concoction.

We thought Mishka might take to it, since we think she has race memories of hunting cows in the wild… But no, she didn’t like this one either.

Marek ate it, but a bit reluctantly. He was easily distracted while eating. The way he glanced around at every noise and movement made us think he was hoping we’d put the ‘real’ food out. We took pity on him and only made him eat one can – the rest we donated to our local shelter where one of the other moggies is sure to be more grateful.

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About Pure Vita

Pure Vita is a product line from a firm called Tuffy’s, a sub-division of Heinz. They’re based out of Minnesota and have been around since 1947 when they were founded by the Nelson family.

The Pure Vita range is inspired by holistic principles, making it an ethically sound choice for customers worried about corporate misdeeds and who want to live more harmoniously with this planet of ours.

All ingredients are locally grown and the facility where the pet food is made is outstanding and modern. And of course, everything is made right here in the USA.