Purina Beyond Dry Cat Food Review

Purina Beyond dry cat food receives the Cat Food Advisor rating of 3 stars.

Pura Beyond dry cat food is high in protein and contains natural probiotics to support digestive health. The recipes do not include corn, wheat, soy, poultry by-product meal or artificial colors, flavors or preservatives

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

The Purina Beyond dry cat food product line includes six recipes.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Purina Beyond Simply Salmon & Whole Brown Rice 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.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is salmon.  Salmon is 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 second ingredient is chicken meal which is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third ingredient is whole 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 fourth ingredient is rice. Is this whole-grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.

The fifth 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 sixth ingredient is dry 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.

The seventh ingredient is whole 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 eighth ingredient is dried yeast which can be a controversial item. Dried yeast 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 nutritious addition.

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.

This recipe receives a 3-star rating.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Purina Beyond Simply Salmon & Whole Brown Rice recipe looks like an average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 37.5%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 37.5%.

As a group, the brand features a near-average protein content of 38.8% and a near-average fat level of 16%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 37.2% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 41%.

This means the Purina Beyond dry product line contains near-average protein, above-average carbs and near-average fat when compared to typical dry cat food.

Has Purina cat food been recalled in the past?

Yes, Purina has had a number of cat food recalls over the years.

The last one was in July 2021 when cans of Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Tuna Entree in Sauce Wet Cat Food were recalled as they may have contained plastic.

In March 2019, Purina issued a recall of one of its Muse cat foods.

In 2012, a single lot of Purina Veterinary Diets OM Overweight Management Feline Formula was recalled due to low levels of thiamine. Production Code #11721159.

In June 2011, Friskies issued a small recall due to the potential risk of salmonella contamination. This recall only affected a small range of Friskies products, – the Friskies Grillers Blend dry cat food recipe in 3.15lb and 16 lb bags with best-by dates of August 2012.

In the same year, some other Purina dry cat foods were recalled due to suspected salmonella contamination. The products affected were: Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ dry cat food, 3.5 lb. and 7 lb. bags, with a “Best by” date of May 2012 and Production Code #03341084 or #03351084 and Purina Cat Chow Naturals, 6.3 lb., Production Code #10331083 13, with “Best by” date of August 2012.

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

Nestlé Purina PetCare is an American subsidiary of the Swiss corporation Nestlé, based in St. Louis, Missouri. It produces and markets pet food, treats, cat and dog litter. 

The cat food brands owned by Purina are: Beyond, Breeze, DenaLife, Fancy Feast, Friskies, Kit & Kaboodle, Petivity, Purina Cat Chow, Purina ONE, Purina Pro Plan, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, Tidy Cats and Whisker Lickin’s.