Our Verdict
Tiki Cat Born Carnivore Dry cat food receives the Cat Food Advisor rating, 4.5 stars.
Tiki Cat Born Carnivore dry cat food is rich in protein and low carbohydrate content. It is formulated with a focus on providing a high-protein diet that mimics a cat’s natural carnivorous diet.
Pros
- Non-GMO ingredients
- High in protein
- No artificial additives
Cons
- Expensive budget brand
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
The Tiki Cat Born Carnivore Dry Cat Food product line has eight cat foods.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Born Carnivore High Protein Deboned Chicken & Egg Recipe | 4.5 | U |
| Born Carnivore High Protein Herring & Salmon Recipe | 4.5 | U |
| Born Carnivore Senior Health Chicken & Herring Recipe | 4.5 | U |
| Born Carnivore Optimal Weight Turkey Recipe | 4.5 | U |
| Born Carnivore Kitten Health Deboned Chicken & Egg Recipe | 4.5 | U |
| Born Carnivore Indoor Health Trout & Menhaden Fish Meal Recipe | 4.5 | U |
| Born Carnivore High Protein Chicken, Herring & Salmon Recipe | 4.5 | U |
| Born Carnivore Indoor Health Chicken & Turkey Meal Recipe | 4.5 | U |
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Recipe and Label Analysis
Tiki Cat Born Carnivore High Protein Deboned Chicken & Egg 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.
Tiki Cat Born Carnivore High Protein Deboned Chicken & Egg
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Deboned chicken, chicken meal, dehydrated chicken, dried egg product, tapioca, natural chicken flavor, ground whole flaxseed, chickpeas, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), brewers dried yeast, calcium sulfate, choline chloride, inulin (prebiotic), salmon oil, pumpkin, taurine, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement (vitamin B3), copper sulfate, vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), biotin, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, folic acid, sodium selenite, rosemary extract, ascorbic acid (preservative), citric acid, tannic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
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 chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is dehydrated chicken. Dehydrated chicken is considered a meat concentrate and contains more than four times as much protein as fresh chicken.
The fourth ingredient is dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg products 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 fifth ingredient is tapioca, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.
The sixth ingredient is chicken flavor. Natural chicken flavor doesn’t give us much information about the particular ingredients included in this cat food for flavoring purposes.
We’re pleased that the flavorings are natural, but more details are required to give any further information about this natural chicken flavor ingredient. Flavorings are used to make the foods more appealing and tasty for our cats.
The seventh ingredient is ground whole 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.
The eighth ingredient is chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, beans and lentils, chickpeas are a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables. However, chickpeas contain about 22% 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.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Tiki Cat Born Carnivore High Protein Deboned Chicken & Egg Recipe looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 47.8%, a fat level of 21.1% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 23.1%, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 44%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 46.2% and a mean fat level of 20%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25.8% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 43%.
This means the Tiki Cat Dry product line contains above-average protein, below-average carbs and above-average fat when compared to typical dry cat food.
Final Word
Tiki Cat Born Carnivore dry cat food uses real, animal-based proteins as the primary ingredients. These proteins typically include chicken, fish, or other meat sources.
The formula aims to provide a balanced and complete diet for cats, incorporating other essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Has Tiki Cat cat food been recalled in the past?
No, there are no recorded recalls for Tiki Cat.
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
Tiki Cat was founded in 2005 by husband and wife, Christine and Robert Hackett.
Christine had previously worked in research and development for PetCo and during that time decided that the pet food market needed a new kind of diet, food that is more species-appropriate, fewer grains and carbohydrates.
Christine is also a big fan of Polynesian culture which explains the tiki-style branding.
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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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