This is our detailed review of Blue Buffalo Cat food in 2021

Blue Buffalo is a relatively new brand on the pet food market, pushing and shoving its way through the other major players in the cat food industry. The brand has had its highs and lows, but it has come a long way since its humble beginnings. It is currently at the forefront of the premium ingredient, limited-grains pet food trend.

Blue Buffalo’s history is a bit ambiguous. For its brief history, it had a large number of recalls. In the past, their diets were also linked to Dilated Cardiomyopathy [1]. I would urge their consumers to keep a close check on their cats and to have regular vet consultations.

Since General Mills Inc. acquired the right of blue buffalo in 2008, the company’s quality control has improved. We also expect that this transfer would result in a better environmental policy for the brand.

In this article, We gathered multiple information and resources about this brand hoping that it will assist you to purchase the best nutritious cat food option for your kitty. And we hope that our guide makes up your mind about Blue Buffalo cat products based on an informed perspective that is free of rubbish.

That being said, I will say that as a nutritionist and pet food reviewer, I do not believe that this brand’s superior quality claims are justified. I also do not believe that the price is compensated by the quality.

The company diets are satisfying for those who are ready to spend a little more for their cat’s food. But for me as a nutritionist, I wouldn’t serve some of their high protein and high-fat foods to my cats unless I have a muscular, fussy cat.

Blue Buffalo Facts

General Mills, Inc., an American multinational food company, owns Blue Buffalo.

Blue Buffalo was founded in 2003 as a result of the problem of a sick canine named Blue and his disgruntled owners.

Blue Buffalo was founded with the assistance of animal nutritionists and veterinarians, and it quickly took the luxury pet food business by surprise.

Blue Buffalo products are free of corn, soy, wheat, chicken by-product meal, and synthetic coloring agents, and preservatives.

They attract clients who are firmly opposed to traditional pet diets and wish to provide their pets with high-quality food. It remains one of the only few pet food companies that provides a veterinary therapeutic diet products line.

The History of Blue Buffalo Pet Food

Blue Buffalo’s journey began when an Airedale Terrier named Blue was stricken with cancer.
Bill Bishop (the dog owner) was dissatisfied with the dog food that he found in the market and went to pursue advice from nutritionists and veterinarians in order to supply the dogs who have special needs like his dog with a diet that fits their special needs.

The company’s name is inspired by Blue, his late dog who stood as an inspiration for his cause, and buffalo, an animal that meant to him the wild habitat where buffalo colonized. the name Buffalo symbolizes the animal who lives a more natural, authentic, healthy life.
[2]

Blue Buffalo took the grain-free, specialty diet market by blast and has since made huge progress in establishing itself in a very competitive pet food market.

Blue Buffalo, on the other hand, infuriated a number of pet food competitors by directly comparing its products to their products, resulting in a vicious rivalry with Purina Petcare Co.

Purina accused Blue Buffalo of misleading advertising and criticized Blue Buffalo’s trademark (Life Source Bits) for being lower in some essential nutrients than their regular kibble

also claimed that Blue Buffalo kibble contains animal by-products and grains where the Blue Buffalo Brand repeatedly and explicitly states it does not contain any of these ingredients.

Blue Buffalo was also cited several times in a report submitted to the FDA describing Dilated Cardiomyopathy instances between January 1st, 2014, and April 30th, 2019. [5]

Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc. was eventually purchased by General Mills in 2018, and it is currently their only pet food brand.

The Environmental Policy of Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc. did not seem to be concerned with adopting a friendly environmental policy in its earlier years. Their primary goal was to create food from high-quality sources.

Their unwillingness to include animal by-product meals as well as particular cereals and legumes in their diets does not hold up scientifically and causes food chain wastage, which has a negative impact on the environment.

This creates a number of issues, ranging from the source of renewable ingredients to contributing to lower food efficiency in the food supply chain.

Blue Buffalo, on the other hand, is now owned by General Mills and fortunately, General Mills Inc. has a stronger environmental stance than the original corporation and appears to be really serious about reducing the ecological impact of each of their production.

General Mills recognizes that climate change poses a threat to their business and to the globe at large by weakening the agricultural food production chain (due to droughts, flooding, loss of biodiversity, and erosion).

General Mills has made the following Promises:

• 100% of their 10 primary ingredient are sourced sustainably.
• minimize organic waste
• Encourage environmentally friendly agriculture techniques. (For instance, Agricultural techniques that promote soil regeneration.)
• By 2025, it plans to have recycling program at all of its facilities.
• By 2025, they will cut their carbon dioxide emissions by 28%.

General Mills is also thinking of moving from plastic to fiber packaging as part of its long-term plans.

Only time will prove if this change in management will result in Blue Buffalo becoming a more environmentally conscious brand.

The Quality Control In Blue Buffalo Pet Food

Blue Buffalo’s key differentiator is the high quality of its ingredients. They are particularly proud of:

• Recipes containing no animal byproducts.
• There are no artificial colors or preservatives used.
• There is no corn, wheat, or soy within their recipes.
• Offering grain-free options.
• As a first ingredient, they are useing real meat.

The final outcome is a diet composed of high-quality ingredients. However, despite the company’s relatively short history, their products have already been subjected to a series of recalls, calling their quality control procedures into question.

The Controversy Around Blue Buffalo Brand

Blue Buffalo used to sell its food as superior to other brands, and it still does it to our present day.
You can find a food comparison widget on their website.

This is what has resulted in a series of court battles with other pet food manufacturers, who have accused Blue Buffalo of misleading marketing.

Blue Buffalo has experienced a record of recalls despite the Brand claims that their diets are of the finest quality.

These recalls, however, came to an end after being purchased by General Mills, Inc.

Product Lines By Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo has a plethora of product lines, which are often marketed with the idea of “natural ingredients’ and “natural diets” and “meat-predominating diets” approach.

The following are the main product lines:

Blue Buffalo Basics Products

These diets aim to return to the most fundamental dietary needs of dogs and cats among other pets. in their cat food products, this particular line of products intends to appeal to cats who have food sensitivities.

To decrease the possibility of food allergies, this line of products provides always one animal protein source. It also incorporates highly absorbable ingredients to make the diet gentler on cats’ stomachs.

The products of this line are also high in essential fatty acids, which can help to modulate the inflammatory processes in your cat’s body.

These foods also include Life Source Bits, which provide your cat with vitamin-boosting capabilities.

Blue Buffalo Freedom Products

This product line is also designed for sensitive cats who might benefit from “a grain and gluten-free”, “limited ingredient” products.

The significant majority of the protein in these foods comes from a single animal, with only a few other protein sources appearing considerably later in the ingredient list.

These diets also provide essential fatty acids, which help to regulate inflammatory reactions.

They also incorporate Life Source Bits in this products line which also can help to protect and maintain the health of cats.

BLUE Life Protection Formula

Life Protection Formula is a meat-first diets developed to meet the needs of cats of all sizes throughout their many phases of life, as well as cats who need help to maintain healthy body weight.

Life source bits are included in this diet. This product line is the backbone of the Blue Buffalo brand.

BLUE Wilderness

Blue Buffalo Wilderness diets are grain-free and high in protein and fat. These diets contain enough amount of protein to suit the nutritional requirements of any meat-loving cat.

Carbohydrates are mostly obtained from starchy legumes, roots, and tubers in these diets.

Life Source Bits are also included in this diet. This line also caters to cats of various ages and sizes. It also offers products for overweight cats.

BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet

Blue Buffalo is one of the few cat food companies that manufacture prescription Veterinary therapeutic diets.

There are diets for multiple health issues like weight loss and mobility issues, food allergies, sensitivities, kidney and urine disorders, and gastrointestinal issues.

These diets, like their other lines, do not contain corn, wheat, or soy; they also do not contain grains or animal byproduct meals.

BLUE Carnivora

This line of products is serving another kind of grain-free, high-protein diet.

They obtain 90% of their protein from 11 different animal protein sources. However, This product line does not include any Life Source Bits.

The Blue Buffalo Life Source Bits, on the other hand, is unnecessary given the diet’s vitamin supplementation and the high amounts of vitamin-rich content found in organ meat which they incorporate in this products line.

These diets are heavy in protein and fat and are suitable for cats recovering from illness or working cats.

Carnivore diets also exclude peas and potatoes.

The Carnivora line is designed for cats of all sizes and life stages, as well as those trying to lose weight.

More importantly, Carnivora diets are enriched with Taurine, which eliminates some of the dangers associated with grain-free diets.

BLUE True Solutions

These recipes are designed to assist cats with special nutritional requirements. These are not veterinary prescription diets and are not meant for therapeutic purposes.

These products do, however, strive to assist cats with minor unique needs and keep them from progressing to clinically significant disorders.

The diets here promise to help cats with various mild issues such as skin and fur problems, joints and mobility issues, weight control issues, and mild digestive difficulties.

All of the aforementioned diets are available in both wet and dry cat food forms.

If you feed a combination of dry and wet food, we recommend that you use products from the same product line and type. This is especially crucial when it comes to feeding Veterinary therapeutic diets.

To maintain a healthy gut flora, most dry cat food products contain prebiotic bacterial isolates, as well as sources of soluble fiber and oligosaccharides.

Blue Buffalo Cat Food Recall History

Blue Buffalo has experienced a number of recalls in its relatively short history, but to be fair, most of the recalls are about their dog food products.

The Great Melamine Recall of 2007 was by far the largest. A large batch of dog and cat food was contaminated with melamine, a fatally hazardous chemical, as a result of a production accident at a Chinese processing company.

Over 100 dog and cat food brands were affected, including numerous Blue Buffalo wet foods. Thousands of pets perished as a result, though we don’t know if any of them died as a result of consuming Blue Buffalo recipes.

Following the controversy, the company relocated its manufacturing utilities to the United States. It has only one cat-food recall since then, and that was in November 2015, when it recalled certain cat treats due to low propylene glycol levels.

We should also highlight that Blue Buffalo is one of 16 pet food brands whose products were identified by the FDA in 2019 as products with the potential to cause heart disease in dogs and cats. The allegations have yet to be substantiated, and the FDA cautions that it is a “complex scientific issue that may involve multiple factors” but it is worth keeping a watch on.

FAQ

Is Blue Buffalo a good cat food Company? 

Blue Buffalo appears to be an excellent brand based on consumer reviews.

Prior to being purchased by General Mills, the company had a history of recalls and was accused of deceptively misrepresenting the quality of its products. It was also linked to Dilated Cardiomyopathy cases.

Is it true that Blue Buffalo products are clean of corn, wheat, soy, and poultry byproducts?

That is the company’s assertion. Purina, on the other hand, accused Blue Buffalo of deceptive advertising after discovering amounts of poultry by-product, cereals, and corn in some of their best-selling products.

Blue Buffalo stated that they were unaware of this and that some of the facilities used to process the food may have tampered with the formula. They have since discontinued their use of their services.

Instead of corn and wheat, the company uses starchy roots and tubers, barley, oats, and brown rice.
It also substitutes peas and pea protein for soy.

Blue Buffalo cat food often contains chicken meals and other animal protein meals. The distinction between chicken meal and poultry by-product meal is that chicken meal, unlike poultry by-product meal, is not formed from what remains after the chicken has been slaughtered.

What Exactly Are Life Source Bits?

These are a cold-pressed combination of vitamin and antioxidant-rich ingredients.

Cold pressing prevents thermal decomposition of these essential nutrients during the kibble pelleting process, giving your cat a nutritious boost that will keep them in good shape.

Blueberries, Cranberries, Kelp, Barley Grass, Parsley, Flaxseed, Alfalfa, and a blend of Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A makes up Life Source Bits.

Final Thought

This Brand has a strong stand against using any poultry by-product meal, corn, wheat, soy, and other ingredients,

While this particular issue is questioned by many Vets, as they see those ingredients as harmless and can contribute to reducing global food waste.

Nonetheless, this brand follows quality and safety protocols and When the issue of diet-related Dilated Cardiomyopathy is linked to their products, they take it very seriously and collaborate with the FDA and other pet food companies.

Blue Buffalo has had no recalls since it was purchased by General Mills Inc., which only can tell that the quality control methods have improved since General mills acquired this Brand.

Having a veterinary therapeutic product line, on the other hand, only speaks well of their long-term dedication to providing excellent medically tailored diets which tackle a lot of common disorders in cats.

I would not really say that their food is superior to other products, especially those from well-known pet food brands that invest heavily in research and development.

The major held back of many customers to purchase the products of this brand is that the company adopt a less friendly environmental policy in the past which may have a negative impact on our environment, but this issue seems to be resolved in the near future as improving the environmental policy of Blue Buffalo is one of General Mills priority plans.