Our Verdict
Health Extension dry cat food receives the Cat Food Advisor rating, 3.5 stars
This is a small range of dry food with animal-based meat protein as the first ingredients. There are no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and no GMO products included in the recipes.
Pros
- Good source of animal based protein
- Formulated by vets
- Affordable
Cons
- Low moisture content
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
The Health Extension product line includes two dry cat foods.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Grain-Free Turkey & Salmon Recipe | 3.5 | A |
| Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe | 3.5 | A |
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Recipe and Label Analysis
Health Extension Grain-Free Turkey & Salmon Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Health Extension Grain Free Turkey & Salmon Recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Deboned turkey, deboned salmon, salmon meal, chicken meal, chickpeas, lentils, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), turkey meal, whole sweet potatoes, pumpkin, tapioca starch, peas, salmon oil, coconut oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), whole carrots, dried seaweed meal, pomegranate, blackberries, whole blueberries, whole cranberries, raspberries, potassium chloride, taurine, dl-methionine, spinach, turmeric, tomato, beets, parsley, chicory root extract, sage, bovine colostrum, organic apple cider vinegar, ginger, green tea extract, vitamin A acetate, vitamin E supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, niacin supplement, choline chloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, biotin, inositol, organic dehydrated kelp, zinc polysaccharide complex, iron polysaccharide complex, manganese polysaccharide complex, copper polysaccharide complex, cobalt polysaccharide complex, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, yucca schidigera extract, pectin, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried bacillus licheniformis fermentation product, dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, dried aspergillus niger fermentation product
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6%
Red denotes any controversial items
Ingredients Analysis
The first and ingredient is deboned turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”. 1
Turkey is naturally rich in the 11 essential amino acids required by a cat to sustain life.
The second ingredient is deboned salmon, an oily marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every cat to sustain life.
The third ingredient is salmon meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations. 2
The fourth ingredient is chicken meal, which is also considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The fifth and sixth ingredient is chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans.
Like peas, beans and lentils, chickpea is a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.
Chickpeas contain about 22% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this cat food.
The sixth ingredient is lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this cat food.
The seventh 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 eighth ingredient is turkey meal. Turkey meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.
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.
However, we note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.
Recipe star rating 3.5
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Health Extension Grain Free Turkey & Salmon Recipe looks like an average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 37.2%, a fat level of 18.9% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 35.9%.
As a group, the brand features a near-average protein content of 38.6% and an above-average fat level of 18.3%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 35.1% for the overall product line, alongside a fat to protein ratio of 48%.
This means this Health Extension dry cat food range contains near-average protein, near-average carbohydrate, higher than average fat, when compared to typical dry cat food.
Final Word
This range of food contains quality animal protein in each recipe and has been vet formulated to provide a nutritious and balanced meal for all cats including kittens.
Has Health Extension cat food been recalled in the past?
No. Health Extension cat food has never been subject to a recall.
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
Vets Choice is the company behind Health Extension. It started making pet food in 1963 but was rebranded in 2015 to become Health Extension.
The ingredients are sourced from around the world, including the United States, France, Canada, and New Zealand, although most of Health Extension’s cat foods are made in the company’s United States facility. It is worth noting that some of their canned formulas are manufactured in Thailand.
Sources
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Article reviewed by
Veterinarian
Dr Georgia Jeremiah has a first class honors degree in comparative pathology with field experience in anatomic and clinical pathology, studying disease processes in a multitude of species.
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