Blue Buffalo Tastefuls (Dry) Review

Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Dry product range is made up of 12 recipes which each receive the Cat Food Advisor’s rating, 4 stars.

Made from natural ingredients, including real meat, and with no artificial flavors or preservatives, this range is formulated to support your cat’s lifestyle.

The Tastefuls product line caters for specific needs such as weight control and sensitive stomach. It is also enhanced with vitamins and minerals and meet AAFCO standards.

The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Adult Active Cat Chicken & Brown Rice dry food was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first and second ingredients are deboned chicken and chicken meal. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.¹

Chicken is naturally rich in the 11 essential amino acids required by a cat to sustain life. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third ingredient is brown rice. A complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a cat.

The fourth ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a cat.

The fifth ingredient is oatmeal, a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, dietary fiber and can be (depending upon its level of purity) gluten-free.

The sixth ingredient is pea protein. what remains of a pea after removing the starchy part of the vegetable.

Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this cat food.

The seventh ingredient is peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this cat food.

The eighth ingredient is chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols). Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The ninth ingredient is dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower-grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries – from eggs that have failed to hatch.

In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.

From here the list goes on to include a number of other items. But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of the product.

This recipes contains five notable exceptions.

First, flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this cat food.

We also find, dried-yeast, which can be a controversial item. Dried yeast contains about 45% protein and is rich in other healthy nutrients. Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system. Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies.

This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular cat is allergic to the yeast itself. In any case, unless your cat is specifically allergic to it, we feel yeast should be considered a positive addition.

We note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.

Next, fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to cats and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.

Lastly, taurine, an essential amino acid for cats associated with the healthy function of heart muscle and eye sight, and is crucial for maintaining good health in cats.

We view the presence of Taurine in this recipe as a positive addition.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Adult Active Cat Chicken & Brown Rice looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 37.4%, a fat level of 19.8% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 34.9%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 35% and a mean fat level of 16.3%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 40.8% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 46%.

This means this Blue Buffalo Tastefuls (dry) product line contains near-average protein, above average carbs and average fat when compared to typical dry cat food.

Has Blue Buffalo cat food been recalled in the past?

Yes, Blue Buffalo has had a few recalls. The most recent cat food recall was in November 2015, when a small number of Blue Kitty Yums cat treats were recalled due to reports of propylene glycol.

In 2007, there were also multiple cat food recalls. Blue Buffalo Blue Spa Select canned cat food and Blue Buffalo Spa Select Kitten dry food were both recalled in April due to Melamine.

The other recalls were for the following dog products:

• Blue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Red Meat Dinner Wet Food (March 2017)
• Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Healthy Weight, Chicken Dinner With Garden Vegetables (February 2017)
• Blue Buffalo dog food cups (February 2017)
• Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Fish and Sweet Potato Recipe (May 2016)
• One lot of Cub Size Wilderness Wild Chews Bones (November 2015)
• Blue Buffalo dry dog food (October 2010)
• Blue Buffalo Blue canned dog food and dog treats (April 2007)

You can view a complete list of all cat food recalls since 2021 here.

To stay on top of any cat food product recalls, sign up for our free email alerts, here.

About

Blue Buffalo’s headquarters is in Wilton, Connecticut. It has two facilities, one in Missouri and a manufacturing plant in Indiana. 

The company started from humble origins but is now owned by General Mills.