Honest Blue Buffalo Cat Food Review

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Blue Buffalo is a popular brand of cat food, but does its food live up to its reputation?

Here’s our review summary:

The good?

Range.

There’s plenty to choose from here. Whether it’s wet or dry cat food, they’ve got you covered.

The bad?

Mixed quality.

Quality ranges quite a lot between products. Some are high carb, whilst others aren’t.

You’ll need to spend more time filtering out the good from the bad.

The ugly?

High carb.

Many options are loaded with potatoes, peas, and brown rice. Ingredients cats don’t need.

In short:

Just ok.

Customer reviews are quite positive for Blue Buffalo and it seems to have a great flavor for fussy eaters.

However, I can’t look past the high carb content in many options. The best of the bunch is Blue Buffalo Freedom.

Best for:

• Fussy eaters
• Adult cats (1-7 years)
• Variety

>> Check out Blue Buffalo cat food here

After more?

In the rest of this Blue Buffalo cat food review I’ll look at ingredients, nutrition, and pricing.

I haven’t been able to test this product, so I will not have taste results, but I’ll do my best to offer as much helpful analysis.

Let’s get into the article.

The goal of this website is to help cat owners learn more about taking care of their cats. I am not a veterinarian and I recommend seeking the advice of a vet for any further questions.

Blue Buffalo Cat Food Review

Ingredients

Average.

The best of the bunch is Blue Buffalo Freedom, which still contains things cats don’t need.

That includes high carb ingredients like sweet potato, and cranberries. The later is high in Vitamin C, which can increase urinary stone risk.

Whilst meat is a main ingredient in most of their range, the list just doesn’t hold up.

Ingredient breakdown (Blue Buffalo Freedom first 10):

Ingredient	Quality	Note
Chicken	A	High quality protein for strength & energy
Chicken broth	A	Great for kidney & urinary health
Chicken liver	A	High in Vitamin A for healthy eyes
Carrots	C	No benefit to cats
Sweet potatoes	D	High carb & no nutritional benefit for cats
Natural flavor	A	Improves taste
Flaxseed	C	Nutrition that doesn’t benefit cats, but may help relieve constipation
Powdered cellulose	C	Insoluble fiber, adds bulk to feces which may help with constipation
Guar gum	D	Thickener that can decrease taurine absorption
Potassium chloride	A	Electrolyte for healthy heart & muscles

Ingredient comparison:

Blue Buffalo cat food	Type	Grains	Gluten	Soy	Peas	Gums	Carrageenan	By products	Fruit	Meat 5*
Blue for Cats	Dry	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	3
Blue Wilderness	Dry	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	2
Blue Basics	Dry	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	2
Blue Freedom	Dry	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	2
Blue True Solutions	Dry	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	2
Blue Kittens	Dry	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	3
Blue for Cats Tastefuls	Wet	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	3
Blue Wilderness	Wet	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	5
Blue Basics	Wet	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	3
Blue Freedom	Wet	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	3
Blue True Solutions	Wet	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	4

Ingredients: 6/10

Nutrition

Average.

The protein content ranges from 33-50% protein (dry matter) which exceeds AAFCO’s guideline for at least 30%.

Pea protein is used in some products which lowers the quality.

Some foods (e.g. Blue Basics) are barely meeting protein (33%) as is, so using lower quality sources isn’t great.

Experts suggest limiting carbs to less than 12% (dry matter). This is because cats cannot digest excess carbs.

Only three options fall under this (all wet foods):

• Blue Freedom (12%)
• Blue Wilderness (3%)
• Blue for Cats Tastefuls (7%)

Not much info for micronutrients. A high calcium to phosphate ratio is important for older cats to maintain kidney health.

This info is only on two products:

• Blue Kittens
• Blue True Solutions

When given the choice, cat’s choose a food with:

• 52% protein
• 12% carbs
• 36% fat

The closest product to this is Blue Wilderness, which might be the preferred choice if you’ve got a fussy eater.

All (except kitten) meet AAFCO’s nutrition guidelines for adult cats (1-7 years). Not suitable for senior cats.

Nutrition analysis:

Blue Buffalo cat food	Type	Selected flavor	Lifestage	Kcal/kg	Protein*	Fat	Carb	Water	Ca: P#
Blue for Cats	Dry	Chicken & brown rice recipe	Adult (1-7 yrs)	3,658	35%*	17%	33%	9%	N/A
Blue Wilderness	Dry	Salmon recipe	Adult (1-7 yrs)	3,850	44%	20%	29%	9%	N/A
Blue Basics	Dry	Skin & Stomach Care Grain-Free Turkey & Potato Recipe	Adult (1-7 yrs)	3,605	33%	15%	36%	9%	N/A
Blue Freedom	Dry	Indoor adult chicken recipe	Adult (1-7 yrs)	3,598	35%	15%	34%	9%	N/A
Blue True Solutions	Dry	Blissful belly	Adult (1-7 yrs)	3,749	37%	18%	33%	9%	N/A
Blue Kitten Recipes	Dry	Chicken & brown rice recipe	Growth (<1 yrs)	3,926	40%	22%	27%	9%	1.2:1
Blue for Cats Tastefuls	Wet	Chicken entree	Adult (1-7 yrs)	1,141	46%	27%	7%	78%	N/A
Blue Wilderness	Wet	Chicken & turkey recipe in gravy	Adult (1-7 yrs)	975	50%	25%	3%	82%	N/A
Blue Basics	Wet	Indoor cat turkey & potato entree	Adult (1-7 yrs)	1,190	36%	27%	17%	78%	N/A
Blue Freedom	Wet	Indoor chicken recipe	Adult (1-7 yrs)	1,179	41%	27%	12%	78%	N/A
Blue True Solutions	Wet	Blissful belly	Adult (1-7 yrs)	1,009	39%	14%	24%	78%	1.2:1

Nutrition: 6.5/10

Value for Money

Affordable.

Blue Buffalo’s range is cheaper than the average choice on the market (per ounce basis).

Similar options:

• Fancy Feast (see review)
• Merrick Purrfect Bistro
• Hound & Gatos

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are Blue Buffalo and when were they founded?

Blue Buffalo was founded in 2003 by entrepreneur Bill Bishop.

Bishop wanted to create better quality food after his dog Blue experienced health problems relating to a cancer diagnosis.

Whilst the company began with dogs, Blue Buffalo moved into the cat food market as well.

The company got bought out by General Mills in 2018.

Where is Blue Buffalo sourced and manufactured?

Mostly US.

Blue Buffalo cat food is manufactured in US facilities and their sourced is globally sources.

They have two facilities based in separate US states.

What is the recall history of Blue Buffalo?

Blue Buffalo has a history of some recalls.

Let’s take a look at these:

• 2007 – Canned wet food, treats, and dry cat food contaminated with melamine (plastic)
• 2010 – Dry cat food with excess Vitamin D
• 2015 – Recall of Blue Yum’s chicken recipe cat treats due to propylene glycol (not approved by FDA) 

In recent times, Blue Buffalo dog food is linked to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This condition is caused in cats with a taurine deficiency, an essential amino acid.

There are no current links to Blue Buffalo cat food at this date.

Blue Buffalo has addressed this on their website:

…It’s a disease we take very seriously, and we have a team of scientists and animal nutritionists working with the FDA and industry experts to find answers for pet parents.

It is not known whether this problem is affecting Blue Buffalo’s cat food. In the 1980s, cat food deficient in taurine led to many illnesses.

The taurine level of wet canned foods is lower than dry cat food, possibly due to the addition of gums (which may interfere with digestion). Blue Buffalo use gums and carrageenan in many of their products.

Whilst this doesn’t appear to be a problem it’s something to keep in mind moving forward.

Is Blue Buffalo cat food AAFCO approved?

Yes.

Blue Buffalo meets AAFCO’s nutrition guidelines for maintenance (cats aged 1-7 years).

Read More:

• Blue Buffalo’s website

Conclusion

Blue Buffalo has a huge range of options, but only a few offer good quality nutrition for cats. That includes Blue Freedom, Tastefuls, & Wilderness wet cat foods.

Positives are the taste, affordability, and flavor range.

Most of the range are high in carbs, and aren’t best for your cats long term health.

Best for:

• Fussy eaters
• Adult cats (1-7 years)
• Variety

Where to find Blue Buffalo?

• Chewy