According to U.S. Pet Food Processing, the number of pet food brands in the market is over 364. That’s why finding the ideal cat food for your fur baby can be challenging, particularly if she’s a picky eater.
Luckily, both your local pet store and the online market have a wide variety of cat food brands that include treats, wet food, and kibble. Naked Essentials is one of the product lines of I and Love You. It’s gaining popularity in both physical and online markets.
However, is it a healthy choice for your cat? If you’ve been wondering the same question, you’ve come to the right place.
In this Naked Essentials cat food review, we’re going to explore everything you need to know about the product. We’ll also take a closer look at cat food products that’ll serve as alternatives to Naked Essentials.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Naked Essentials Cat Food Review
Naked Essentials cat food is a product line of the pet food brand ‘I and Love and You.’ The brand is also known for its Lovingly Simple and Nude Food line.
I and Love and You was first introduced as a raw pet food brand in Boulder, Colorado, USA. Their products, including Naked Essentials, are manufactured in America. However, the company also sources some of its ingredients in other countries, like New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Brazil.
Additionally, the company specializes in grain-free formulas. In fact, their products are made with real meat, making them a great source of protein for your kitty.
On top of that, the formulas include probiotics and prebiotics to support your beloved kitty’s digestive health.
Naked Essentials Cat Food
- Grain-free and no fillers
- High-quality ingredients
- Great for digestive support
- High level of carbs
What Are the Pros of Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food?
As a fur parent, there are plenty of factors that you should consider when choosing the right cat food for your pet. This way, you’ll know you’re making the best choices for their health and well-being.
That said, here are the pros of Naked Essentials cat food that you should know:
1. Grain-Free and No Fillers
Cats are carnivores, which means having grains in their diet won’t benefit them. Besides, grains can also cause food allergies in some felines. In fact, ingesting grains may result in hair loss, itchy skin, and yeast infection.
Luckily, Naked Essentials don’t have grains in its products.
In addition, Naked Essentials cat food doesn’t contain fillers, such as rice, soy, corn, rice, and wheat. As alternative sources of carbohydrates, Naked Essentials incorporate ingredients like chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and lentils.
2. High-Quality Ingredients
The Naked Essentials dry cat food uses a wide variety of animal proteins. This includes chicken, turkey, duck, trout, and salmon. Overall, the protein content in the cat food ranges up to 34%.
Therefore, you can rest assured that your kitty is getting a healthy dose of protein with every kibble.
Aside from real meat, the other main ingredients are flaxseed, duck, sweet potatoes, and dried beet pulp. These high-quality ingredients offer a nutritious diet for your kitty.
Moreover, Naked Essentials has high levels of fatty acids, along with vitamins, amino acids, and essential minerals. These nutrients help support your cat’s immune system and promote a healthy skin and shiny coat.
3. Fewer Calories Than Other Brands
Unlike other brands, the kibbles of Naked Essentials have 15% fewer calories. With this cat food, you can help your cat reach a healthy weight. Plus, Naked Essentials can help maintain your fur baby’s weight.
On top of that, the manufacturer formulates the product specifically for the nutritional needs of indoor cats. Basically, indoor cats require less calories than outdoor ones. Hence, the Naked Essentials cat food is a good choice whether your cat is active or not.
4. Great for Digestive Support
The Naked Essentials cat food contains Prebiotics and Probiotics. This means it can provide extra support to your kitty’s gastrointestinal tract. In addition, the product doesn’t give your cat stomach problems, like gas and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
What’s more, Naked Essentials can be a great choice if your fur baby is having digestive issues, like vomiting or an upset stomach.
5. Tasty
Naked Essentials dry cat food is made with real meat, which gives the product its rich and flavorful quality. For instance, the ‘Naked Essentials chicken and turkey’ is made with real chicken and turkey. This makes the cat food extra tasty and meaty for your kitty.
In addition, the ‘salmon and trout’ flavor can offer your cat the taste of fish that she’s craving for.
6. Smaller Kibbles Than Average Ones
The Naked Essentials have smaller kibbles compared to other brands. Hence, this dry cat food is easy to chew. On top of that, the bite-sized kibbles are suitable for kitties of all life stages!
Related: Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Vs Wilderness
What Are the Cons of Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food?
Although Naked Essentials cat food offers lots of benefits for your cat, here are some cons that you should watch out for:
1. Kibbles Are Too Crumbly
Although the Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food is a perfect bite-sized kibble, the texture might be too crumbly.
2. The Brand Has a Recall History
The ‘Naked Essentials’ formulas didn’t have any recalls. However, some products from the same brand have. In 2015, I and Love and You issued a voluntary recall for a dog treat. The main reason for the manufacturer’s recall is possible salmonella contamination.
Here’s the bright side though:
The brand’s Naked Essentials dry cat food has no recalls to this day.
3. High Levels of Carbohydrates
While Naked Essentials dry cat food is loaded with proteins, the formulas also have added fruits and healthy veggies. The vegetables in the ingredient list include peas, lentils, beets, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin.
Unfortunately, the added veggies result in high levels of carbohydrates, which isn’t ideal for your cat. On average, the carbohydrate content in Naked Essentials dry cat food is 40%.
What Are the Key Features of Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food?
Aside from its pros and cons, here are the key features of Naked Essentials that you need to know:
1. No GMO Ingredients
Corn and soybeans are some of the GMO ingredients in the cat food industry. Luckily, the Naked Essentials dry cat food uses non-GMO ingredients, so you can be assured that the product is safe for your kitty.
2. Low Calories
The Naked Essentials contain fewer calories than other brands. In fact, it only has 350 calories per cup. So, it’s a great choice if your kitty needs to maintain or get into a healthy weight.
3. Suitable for All Life Stages
Naked Essentials dry cat food is suitable for all life stages. This is because the kibbles are smaller than average!
4. Wide Range of Flavors
The Naked Essentials dry cat food is available in several flavors, including chicken and duck, salmon and trout, chicken and pumpkin. Other flavors are salmon and whitefish, chicken and turkey.
5. Available in Physical and Online Markets
Along with other holistic brands, the Naked Essentials dry cat food is available in your local pet stores. You can also find them in different online markets, such as Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
Related: Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Vs Wilderness
What Are Alternatives for Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food?
There are other dry cat foods that you can choose from in the market. Some of them share a few features of the Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food.
Here are three alternatives to dry cat food:
1. Purina Beyond Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
The Purina Beyond Grain-Free Dry Cat Food is great for adult cats because of its low calories. Purina Beyond cat food is also the perfect choice for indoor cats that aren’t active. This is because the formula has a low-fat percentage and can reduce the formation of hairballs.
On top of that, it doesn’t contain grains. Instead, it uses other ingredients as an alternative source of carbs. The ingredients include sweet potatoes, pea fiber, and cassava root flour.
Besides that, the manufacturer sourced the cat food’s crude protein from real salmon. This allows your cat to keep her system healthy. In addition, the formula has probiotics, so it’s easily digestible.
2. ORIJEN Dry Cat Food
ORIJEN Dry Cat Food is a good option, especially if your cat needs a high-protein diet. The product contains 90% of good quality animal ingredients that ranges from venison to trout. Therefore, you can be sure that your little furball is getting the nutrients she needs.
Although there are veggies in the formula, they’re lower on the ingredient list. Other than that, the ORIJEN Dry Cat Food doesn’t have corn, soy, wheat, and tapioca.
Additionally, the kibbles’ coatings are freeze-dried. This makes them more flavorful for your kitty. It’s also a great choice if your cat is a picky eater.
3. Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Cat Food
Like the ORIJEN Dry Cat Food, Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Cat Food mixes freeze-dried and raw bites with the kibbles. As a result, the product allows you to incorporate raw food to your cat’s diet. Plus, it’s high in protein and omega fatty acids!
Although menhaden fish and turkey are some of the cat food’s main ingredients, chicken and chicken meal are higher in the ingredient list. In fact, the brand advertised the freeze-dried food bits as chicken.
Other than that, the Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Cat Food includes probiotics in its formula. Hence, it’s great for digestive support. In addition, the product contains antioxidants for your kitty’s immunity.
What Are the Ratings for Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food?
Naked Essentials has become a solid competitor against other premium cat food in the market. Plus, you can find it online alongside the industry’s biggest brands.
Here are the ratings of Naked Essentials, according to Amazon:
- Ingredient Quality: 4.24 out of 5
- Flavor: 3.83 out of 5
- Scent: 3.83 out of 5
- Freshness: 4.94 out of 5
- Value for Money: 3.83 out of 5
The Verdict
The Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food ditches artificial additives, fillers, and GMO ingredients. Additionally, I and Love and You choose high-quality ingredients for their Naked Essentials formula, so you can be sure that you’re choosing the best for your pet.
Some quality ingredients include real meat, which makes it rich and flavorful. Plus, the product can give your kitty a healthy dose of protein with every bite.
Aside from that, Naked Essentials cat food has probiotics and prebiotics. This means that cat food can offer digestive support for your furry friend. In fact, it’s a great choice if your kitty has a sensitive stomach.
In addition, the product contains 350 calories per cup, so it’s a good option for when you’re trying to get your kitty to a healthy weight. On top of that, the cat bite-sized kibbles make the product suitable for cats in all stages of life.
Overall, the Naked Essentials Dry Cat Food is a healthy choice, mostly because I and Love and You stick to grain-free and all-natural formulas. Instead, they use alternative sources for easily digestible carb alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Naked Essentials Cat Dry Food Worth It?
Naked Essentials is worth it. The product uses a combination of high-quality ingredients to give your kitty a complete and well-balanced meal. On top of that, the recipes come in different flavors, so you’ll have plenty of options.
Is ‘I And Love And You’ A Good Brand?
Generally, I and Love and You is one of the best brands in the market. The brand is environmentally conscious as it uses sustainable ways to source ingredients for the products. Despite that, I and Love and You offer premium ingredients to its consumers.
The quality of their product allowed the brand to become a solid competitor to the big brands in the market, including Purina.
Is It Okay To Soak Naked Essentials Cat Dry Cat Food In Water?
Soaking dry cat food in water is a good idea, especially if you want to bring out the aroma of the food. By doing so, you’re also warming the meaty fats. This can be appetizing for your little furball.
