Blue Buffalo Cat Food Review

As a concerned pet parent, you know that proper nutrition is paramount to your feline’s health. It is crucial that you feed your feline friends the best diet with the correct ingredients and nutritional value for them to thrive. And given the many cat food brands with diverse recipes in the pet food market, it might be challenging to find the most ideal for his or her needs. If you love Blue’s products, then you will find this Blue Buffalo cat food review helpful.

Our team of experts from 10PetFood has conducted thorough research while experimenting on products, where possible, to make sure that your feline eats the finest diet. We took Blue Buffalo to the test and ranked their cat foods to our set feline criteria. You will find info on factors such as product recalls, range, ingredient value, species-suitability, buyer experience, and cost. Shall we?

The 10PetFood Rating on Blue Buffalo

The product rating below is based on the feline criteria mentioned above to find how valuable it is to your cat. 

• Product Recalls – 1.5/5
• Product Range – 3.5/5
• Ingredient Value – 3/5
• Species-Suitability – 2/5
• Buyer Experience – 3/5
• Cost – 4/5

Total Score – 3.8/5

Blue Buffalo cat food scored 16 out of 30 marks which is above average as you can see. If you want to understand how we calculated this, continue reading our review.

Brief Review on Blue Buffalo Cat Food

Name of Product	Type of Food	Primary Source of Protein	Rating
Wilderness Grain-Free Adult Chicken	Dry	Chicken	3/5
Indoor Health Chicken & Brown Rice	Dry	Chicken	3/5
Wilderness Chicken High Protein Grain-Free	Wet	Chicken	4/5

About Blue Buffalo

Contact Info: 1-800-919-2833, Website, E-Mail

Headquarters: 15 River Rd, Wilton, CT 06897

Blue Buffalo was founded in 2002 by Bill Bishop in Wilton, Connecticut, U.S. where it is still headquartered. Bishop began a marketing business and buyer products in 1961 after graduating from the Ohio Wesleyan University. He featured in ads for renowned names such as American Express, Tropicana, Nabisco, and Perrier. Later, he co-founded SoBe, a beverage company based in South Beach, alongside John Bello and Tom Schwalm, where Bishop was COO.

Bishop started Blue Buffalo not long after Pepsi acquired SoBe in 2001 with the aim of making natural pet food and join the competitive market. He named the company Blue after his 9-year old Airedale Terrier who inspired him after developing lymphoma. Together with a vet and dog nutritionist, Bishop formulated a dog food with the top healthy ingredients. The diet aimed at helping pooches lead healthier life.

Blue Buffalo was acquired in 2017 for $8 bn by General Mills after terrific success. The company ranks top in America’s pet food market. Blue Buffalo sources and manufactures its products with a number of companies including Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, Tuffy’s Pet Foods, ProPet, ANI/Vita-Line Products, CJ Foods, and Triple T Foods. Their pet food facilities are based in Richmond, IND, and Joplin, MO where its Heartland Pet Food Manufacturing facility was launched in 2014.

Recalls

Even with all the attainment in the pet food market, Blue Buffalo has had its fair share of hard nights due to recalls since its inception in 2002. They also have had several lawsuits as well. We have prepared a breakdown of their product recall history below:

March 2017 – Blue Buffalo recalls one run of Blue Wilderness canned dog food after it was found to potentially have high beef thyroid hormone levels. It is their latest recall.

February 2017 – Blue Buffalo recalls some dog food cans from its Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe. The cause was potential contamination of aluminum metal in the food. Wet dog food cups are also recalled due to a packaging problem reported by Purina.

May 2016 – The Company recalls some of its Blue Buffalo Sweet Potato recipe dog food due to moisture problems and potential mold contamination.

November 2015 – Blue Buffalo recalls several Blue Kitty Yums cat treats due to existence of propylene glycol which is not acceptable under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules. Three weeks later, one batch of some chew bones are recalled because of possible salmonella contamination.

October 2010 – Blue Buffalo willingly recalls some products after being tested positive for excess vitamin D. They blamed the supplier (Wilbur-Ellis) for the so-called sequencing error.

April 2007 – On 19, the FDA report announcement forces a recall on more than 5,000 bags of Blue Buffalo Spa Select Kitten Dry Food. The rice, from Wilbur-Ellis, tested positive for melamine. On 27, another FDA announcement and strong press release led to the recall of canned dog food, treats, and one canned cat food.

Pros:

• An assortment of recipes
• Natural ingredients from local & global sources
• Contains no animal by-products, preservatives, or additives

Cons:

• High price tags
• Several lawsuits & recalls
• Does not meet all cat needs

Top Recipe Reviews

In our review, we have included the ingredients used in the top three formulas, their nutritional info, the ingredients we liked and disliked, as well as their pros and cons. 

1. Blue Wilderness Grain-Free Adult with Chicken Cat Food

Our overall best pick for Blue Buffalo cat food in the review is the Wilderness Grain-Free Adult cat food. This high-protein recipe features real chicken as the first ingredient to help promote muscle growth in your feline friend.  It is a good option if your cat’s little tum does not like grains and contains no fillers.

This dry cat food is packed with omega-3 & 6 fatty acids from flaxseeds that help support a healthy skin and shiny coat to give your cat a stunning look. In addition, there are healthy carbs such as sweet potatoes and peas that give your cat the energy she needs to thrive each day. We also love the LifeSource Bits that features a blend of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants to promote a healthy immune.

Specifically crafted for adult cats, the formula contains 433 kcal/cup calories content that help support your cat’s active lifestyle throughout the day. And while it does not contain common grains like rice, wheat or corn, it has tapioca starch and peas which are less digestible and less nutritious. In a nutshell, it has moderate protein and fat content with below-average carbs content. For dry cat foods of its kind, it is more economical and relatively low on carbs.

Ingredients: 

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Pea Protein, Tapioca Starch, Peas, Menhaden Fish Meal (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Chicken Fat, and more

Nutritional Info:

• Protein – 40%
• Fat – 18%
• Fiber – 4%
• Moisture – 9%

We liked this ingredient: Deboned Chicken

We disliked these ingredients: Tapioca Starch, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Pea Protein and Potatoes

Common allergens: Fish, Chicken & Eggs

Pros:

• Mouthwatering flavor
• Uses premium ingredients
• Zero by-products
• Moderate carbs content

Cons:

• Too much carbs for cats
• Dry food has an insufficient water content
• High concentration of protein

Check this product’s price on Amazon here or on Chewy here.

2. Blue Buffalo Freedom Indoor Adult Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Canned Cat Food

Does your feline friend prefer wet diets? She will love this Blue’s grain-free canned cat food recipe. The recipe is formulated to suit the needs of your indoor cat with deboned chicken as the first ingredient and premium protein source for healthy development. It includes cranberries and added fiber which help address urinary tract disease and hairballs in indoor cats. To help fight obesity, it has a relatively low calorie content (418 kcal/12.5 oz. can).

To make the cat food tastier and more nutritious, Blue Buffalo has included chicken broth and liver and it has adequate water content. It is packed with healthy fruits and veggies as well as vitamins and minerals to keep your cat hale and hearty with a smooth texture for digestibility. Flaxseeds in the recipe provide omega-3 & 6 fatty acids to keep your feline’s skin healthy and coat shiny.

We love the ingredients list but we find it less cat-friend when they include plant ingredients such as sweet potatoes and carrots. When you, however, compare it to other wet cat foods in the market, this brand contains average protein content, moderate fat, but high carbs content.

Ingredients: 

Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Powdered Cellulose, and more.

Nutritional Info:

• Protein – 9%
• Fat – 6%
• Fiber – 2%
• Moisture – 78%

We liked these ingredients: Deboned Chicken

We disliked these ingredients: Pea Protein, Barley, Oatmeal, and Brown Rice

Common allergens: Fish & Chicken

Pros:

• Palatable flavor cats love
• Adequate water content
• Includes animal-based protein

Cons:

• High carbs content
• Lots of plant ingredients

Check this product’s price on Amazon here or on Chewy here.

3. Blue Buffalo Indoor Health Chicken & Brown Rice Cat Food

If you are looking for the most ideal cat food that is specifically formulated with your indoor cat in mind, this formula would be a great choice. It has real deboned chicken as the first ingredient which provides high-quality protein that your cat needs to thrive. The cat food helps fight issues such as hairballs and urinary tract diseases as well as obesity since most indoor cats are inactive.

The Indoor Health Chicken & Brown Rice cat food formula uses premium ingredients such as healthy grains, fruits, and garden vegetables. In addition, the cat food is enriched with proteins from menhaden fish meal and chicken meal as wells as peas and pea protein.  The omega-3 & 6 fatty acids from flaxseeds keep your cat’s skin healthy and coat shiny. All the ingredients are picked by vets and animal nutritionists to help support your cat’s overall health and well-being.

We like the brand’s proprietary blend of antioxidants and the lack of poultry by-product meals, synthetic additives, soy, wheat, and corn. And while the ingredients list includes species-suitable recipe for cats, it has a lot of carbs and plant ingredients that are unfit for indoor cats.

Ingredients:

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal, Peas, Pea Protein, Dried Egg Product, Chicken Fat, Potato Starch, Powdered Cellulose, Natural Flavor, and Flaxseed among others

Nutritional Info:

• Protein – 32%
• Fat – 15%
• Fiber – 6%
• Moisture – 9%

We liked these ingredients: Fish Oil, Chicken & Chicken Liver

We disliked these ingredients: Carrageenan, Carrots, Flaxseed and Sweet Potato

Common allergens: Chicken

Pros:

• Significant value for money
• Seems palatable
• Multiple protein sources

Cons:

• High carbs content
• Dry food has insufficient water content
• Multiple plant protein sources

Check this product’s price on Amazon here or on Chewy here.

Cost

Just like with any other products in the market, Blue Buffalo cat food price will vary depending on the needs of your feline. Does he or she prefer wet or dry cat food? Are there any health issues? Overall, when you compare Blue Buffalo cat foods with other brands that make high-quality and natural cat diets in the market, you will find that their products are fairly low-priced. Yet, it has a high price tag compared to other brands such as Fancy Feast and the likes.

Simba, my cat for instance, weighs 10 lbs and his daily calorie intake is 200. I feed him the Wilderness Chicken High Protein Grain-Free which costs me $1.42 per day.

Blue Buffalo Cat Food Overall Review

Is Blue Buffalo a good choice for your feline? The answer to this question is easy. It depends on whether there is a diet (or more) that meet your feline nutritional needs. You know your cat’s needs better and so does your vet. Generally, Blue Buffalo cat food is reliable and accepted. The brand has many formulas so you can find one for your cat somewhere in the list.

On the downside, however, most of the brand’s formulas include significant amounts of plant matter which is not recommended by vets and cat nutritionists. Even worse, you can see that they have had many recalls over the years which leave a big question mark on quality control. The recalls also show lack of transparency from their suppliers and production partners.

In a nutshell, we would not recommend it for most felines.

Blue Buffalo Cat Food Where to Buy

If you are looking for Blue Buffalo in the UK, Canada, or Australia, you can get their products on Amazon here. You can also purchase Blue Buffalo cat food at Petsmart, Chewy, or any other reliable online pet food sites available.

Wrap-Up

Blue Buffalo has good experience in the pet food market for both cat and dog foods. They offer a choice between dry and wet cat food recipes so you can pick the most suitable for your cat. The protein sources are also good and they use high-quality ingredients. And while most of their formulas are crafted using premium ingredients, they contain a lot of plant matter which is unfit for most cats. If the brand works for your cats, you can pick from their product line and buy via Amazon or other equal sites. All the best!