Product Review: Nature’s Variety Limited Ingredient Diet Kibble

Hi everyone, “Mama” here. As long-time Paws and Effect readers probably know, Thomas has a very sensitive stomach which has resulted in a more or less chronic case of soft stools or diarrhea. I’ve taken him to the vet and had a fecal sample examined to check for parasites; the sample came back negative, he doesn’t have any tumors, and the vet told me that his problem is almost certainly a food intolerance issue.

I’ve been trying literally for years to find a food or combination of foods that his digestive system can handle.

I very rarely do product reviews on this site, but when I got the opportunity to review a new kibble specifically made for cats with sensitive stomachs due to food allergies or intolerance issues, I jumped at the chance.

Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey Meal Formula is a grain-free, gluten-free kibble made with one protein (turkey) and one starch (tapioca), along with vitamin supplements and dried green tea that serves as an antioxidant.

Thomas ate his first meal of the Limited Ingredient Diet kibble with great gusto, and I noticed a difference in the quality of his stools literally overnight. His first trip to the litter box the next morning resulted in solid and stink-free poop — a great relief for me, and for him as well, I’m sure.

The little fellow continued to enjoy his kibble every day for the next two weeks, and didn’t have any problems until I cleaned the litter boxes and filled them with a corn cat litter I’d once used. Once again, literally overnight, Thomas’s stomach gripes were back, and I bought another bag of pine clumping litter as soon as I could. He’s still recovering from my little kitty litter bobble, but once again, his stomach was much better within just a day.

Meanwhile, I began feeding the Limited Ingredient Diet food to Siouxsie and Dahlia, too. They took to it right away and liked it just as much as Thomas did. However, I did notice that their feces became much drier and harder: perhaps the ingredients that help firm up soft stools make normal digestive systems absorb too much water?

In any case, the feeding trial his continued for just about a month in Thomas’s case and two weeks in Siouxsie and Dahlia’s cases. All three cats enjoy the flavor, and the one-protein/one-starch, gluten-free formula seems to have helped relieve Thomas’s digestive system problems. If you decide to use this product, I would recommend that you leave plenty of fresh water out, all the time, so that cats with normal digestion won’t get too dehydrated.

In short: Nature’s Variety Limited Ingredient Diet kibble lives up to its promise of helping cats with sensitive systems, and all my cats like the taste. Serve it with lots of water or combine it with canned food to keep your cats hydrated.

Although I generally prefer feeding canned or raw food – or, at the very least, mixing canned food and kibble – I feel that this product is a great addition to a line of foods from a brand I trust, and I plan to continue using it.

What’s in it?

Turkey Meal, Tapioca, Canola Oil, Peas, Natural Flavor, Montmorillonite Clay, Coconut Oil, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Carotene, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Potassium Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide), Sea Salt, DL Methionine, Taurine, Dried Green Tea, Mixed Tocopherols with Citric Acid (a natural preservative), Rosemary Extract.

For more information about each of these ingredients, visit Nature’s Variety’s Ingredient Glossary.

Full disclosure: I received a free 5.5-pound bag of Nature’s Variety Instinct’s Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey Meal kibble in order to test it, but I have not received and will not receive any further compensation for this review. The opinions expressed here are my own, and your results — along with your opinion of the product — may vary.