Dr Elsey’s cleanprotein Cat Food (Dry) Review

Dr Elsey’s cleanprotein cat food is made up of five recipes which each receive the Cat Food Advisor rating, 5 stars.

This has the protein levels found in a cat’s natural prey and more than 90 percent of the protein found in Dr. Elsey’s cleanprotein dry cat food is animal-based, with high-quality meat or fish as the first ingredient and no added fillers or preservatives.

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

Recipe and Label Analysis

Dr Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Kibble Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is chicken. 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.

The second ingredient is hydrolyzed pork, pork meat that’s been hydrolyzed or broken down into its component amino acids and fat.

Hydrolyzed pork is highly digestible and (like other hydrolyzed ingredients) may be considered hypoallergenic.

The third ingredient is pork plasma. Plasma is what remains of blood after the blood cells themselves have been removed. Plasma can be considered a nutritious addition.

The fourth ingredient is gelatin, a colorless, flavorless, translucent, brittle substance that’s irreversibly derived from the collagen found in the skin and bones of animals.

Although it consists mostly of protein (98-99% non-essential amino acids), gelatin is of only limited nutritional value to a cat.

The fifth ingredient is chicken fat. 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 sixth ingredient is 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.

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 recipe has two notable exceptions.

First, salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids.

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

Also, fructooligosaccharides are included here as a prebiotic. Prebiotics support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine and deliver digestive health benefits.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Dr Elsey’s cleanprotein Chicken Kibble Recipe looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 67%, a fat level of 19.3% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 5.6%.

As a group, the brand features an above average protein content of 65.3% and an above average fat level of 21%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 5.6% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 32%.

This means that Dr Elsey’s Clean Protein product line contains higher than average protein and fat when compared to typical dry cat food.

Has Dr Elsey's cat food been recalled in the past?

Dr. Elsey’s has never been recalled.

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

Dr. Elsey’s was founded in 1987 and is manufactured in Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States.

Besides a full line of cat litter, Dr. Elsey’s also offers dry and wet food for cats. There are a number of options available including single-source protein cat food.