Honest Blue Buffalo Cat Food Review

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Blue Buffalo cat food review

Score: 7/10

Bottom Line

Huge range, with variable quality between products.

PROS

  • Massive range
  • Positive customer reviews
  • Affordable

CONS

  • High carb dry food
  • Vague marketing terms
  • Senior cat options?

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):

IngredientQualityNote
ChickenAHigh quality protein for strength & energy
Chicken brothAGreat for kidney & urinary health
Chicken liverAHigh in Vitamin A for healthy eyes
CarrotsCNo benefit to cats
Sweet potatoesDHigh carb & no nutritional benefit for cats
Natural flavorAImproves taste
FlaxseedCNutrition that doesn’t benefit cats, but may help relieve constipation
Powdered celluloseCInsoluble fiber, adds bulk to feces which may help with constipation
Guar gumDThickener that can decrease taurine absorption
Potassium chlorideAElectrolyte for healthy heart & muscles
Ingredient analysis for Blue Buffalo Freedom wet cat food

Ingredient comparison:

Blue Buffalo cat foodTypeGrainsGlutenSoyPeasGumsCarrageenanBy productsFruitMeat 5*
Blue for CatsDryYesYesNoYesNoNoNoYes3
Blue WildernessDryYesYesNoYesNoNoNoYes2
Blue BasicsDryYesYesNoYesNoNoNoYes2
Blue FreedomDryYesYesNoYesNoNoNoYes2
Blue True SolutionsDryYesNoNoYesNoNoNoYes2
Blue KittensDryYesNoNoYesNoNoNoYes3
Blue for Cats TastefulsWetYesNoNoNoYesYesNoNo3
Blue WildernessWetNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNo5
Blue BasicsWetNoNoNoYesYesYesNoYes3
Blue FreedomWetNoNoNoNoYesYesNoYes3
Blue True SolutionsWetNoNoNoYesYesYesNoYes4
Ingredient comparison for Blue Buffalo cat food products *how many of the first five ingredients are meat based

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 foodTypeSelected flavorLifestageKcal/kgProtein*FatCarbWaterCa: P#
Blue for CatsDryChicken & brown rice recipeAdult (1-7 yrs)3,65835%*17%33%9%N/A
Blue WildernessDrySalmon recipeAdult (1-7 yrs)3,85044%20%29%9%N/A
Blue BasicsDrySkin & Stomach Care Grain-Free Turkey & Potato RecipeAdult (1-7 yrs)3,60533%15%36%9%N/A
Blue FreedomDryIndoor adult chicken recipeAdult (1-7 yrs)3,59835%15%34%9%N/A
Blue True SolutionsDryBlissful bellyAdult (1-7 yrs)3,74937%18%33%9%N/A
Blue Kitten RecipesDryChicken & brown rice recipeGrowth (<1 yrs)3,92640%22%27%9%1.2:1
Blue for Cats TastefulsWetChicken entreeAdult (1-7 yrs)1,14146%27%7%78%N/A
Blue WildernessWetChicken & turkey recipe in gravyAdult (1-7 yrs)97550%25%3%82%N/A
Blue BasicsWetIndoor cat turkey & potato entreeAdult (1-7 yrs)1,19036%27%17%78%N/A
Blue FreedomWetIndoor chicken recipeAdult (1-7 yrs)1,17941%27%12%78%N/A
Blue True SolutionsWetBlissful bellyAdult (1-7 yrs)1,00939%14%24%78%1.2:1
Nutrition for Blue Buffalo cat food products *dry matter basis #calcium to phosphate ratio

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:

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.

Recall

Is Blue Buffalo cat food AAFCO approved?

Yes.

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

Read More:

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?

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AUTHOR

I'm qualified dietitian that's turned their attention to cat nutrition. My goal is to help tease out the science on how best to feed your cat.