The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co was founded in 2016 by friends and pet parents Amber Cordero and Jacqueline Taylor. They aim to provide high-quality, wholesome food for beloved pets worldwide while being mindful of the planet. The company offers two lines of pet food: MEOW for cats and WOOF for dogs. All their products are made in small batches at their New Zealand facility, sourcing fair trade ingredients from local farms and suppliers with an eye for sustainability and ethical practices. Almost all meat and superfoods in their recipes are harvested in New Zealand and the surrounding waters. Their products are approved for all life stages, but some cats with specific health issues may not be a good match. They offer a variety of recipe options, including novel proteins, which is beneficial for cats with common food allergies.
Key Features
The MEOW line of The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co has several key features. Firstly, their recipes feature whole raw meat ingredients, with several raw meat ingredients at the top of the ingredient list, making up around 97% of the total recipe. They also include ground bone and organ meat, which sets them apart from other freeze-dried pet food options. Ground bone offers calcium and bone marrow, while organ meat provides vitamins, minerals, and protein. None of the meat ingredients are exposed to heat or pressure, maintaining their nutrient content. Secondly, they add superfoods like kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, manuka honey, organic virgin coconut oil, and hoki fish oil to their recipes. These superfoods offer various health benefits, such as boosting the immune system, improving dental health, and enhancing joint health. Thirdly, they minimally process their meals and treats, using freeze-drying or air-drying instead of heat or pressure processing. This preserves the nutrients and enzymes in the food. Finally, they offer multiple recipe options, including air-dried and freeze-dried diets and treats, with different textures and consistencies.
Reviews of Products
1. Chicken & King Salmon Air Dried Cat Food
This air-dried cat food is packed with protein from three animal sources. 97% of the food consists of quality ingredients like chicken with ground bone, chicken heart, lamb green tripe, king salmon with bone, and chicken liver, along with 3% superfoods and amino acid mineral complexes. It has a crunchy texture, is easy to feed, and requires no special preparation. However, it can be a bit crumbly and messy, and some may find it a bit greasy. It contains 40% protein and 38% fat.
2. Lamb & King Salmon Freeze Dried Cat Food
This freeze-dried cat food offers the benefits of raw in an easy-to-handle package. It contains six quality meat ingredients and 97% animal ingredients plus superfoods. It has a high fat content for extra energy, superfoods, and highly absorbable nutrients. The chunks are soft and easy to break or crumble, and it offers multiple preparation options. But it may require more work to prepare and the chunks are larger than typical pellet size.
3. Wild Venison Freeze Dried Cat Bites
These freeze-dried bites are similar to the meal recipes but in smaller packages. The wild venison recipe contains seven quality meat ingredients and a handful of superfoods. It is high in protein and lower in fat, making it suitable for less active cats. The pellets are large but easily broken up, and it can be used as a topper or a convenient meal option for travel. However, it may be a bit more expensive per ounce and the pellet size is larger than typical.
4. Beef Green Tripe Freeze Dried Cat Treats
These treats are highly palatable with a soft, chewy texture. They contain only beef green tripe and New Zealand green mussel, are packed with protein and healthy fats, and offer benefits for gut health. They are easy to break apart and come in a variety of flavors. However, they can be a bit messy.
Our Experience
The author's cat, Makoa, had a sensitive gut. After trying The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co products, including air-dried food, freeze-dried food, and treats, Makoa showed a preference for them. He transitioned well to the new food, and after a couple of weeks, he had more energy, a softer coat, and his sensitive stomach held up during the transition. The author was impressed with the quality ingredients, which include novel proteins and superfoods, beneficial for cats with food allergies and all cats in general.
Conclusion
The author highly recommends The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co's MEOW line. Their meals and treats are rich in protein from quality raw meat sources. The air-dried line is a good substitute for dry kibble, and the freeze-dried recipes are great for those wanting raw food easily. Makoa loves the products, and the author is satisfied knowing he is getting nutritious food made with sustainable and fair-trade ingredients.
We give The New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co brand an overall rating of 4.95 out of 5 stars.
Quality: 5/5
Variety: 5/5
Ingredients: 5/5
Value: 4.8/5
