Oct. 4, 2011 Since I introduced my cats to this food, they have started refusing a number of other cat foods. After introducing it to them, I learned that guar gum and carageenan are not really desirable ingredients in cat food. As such, I have started encouraging my cats to eat some foods without it: Weruva Paw Lickin' Chicken, Tiki Cat Koolina Luau, and Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau. They still like the Earthborn chicken best. I reduced my star rating per the ingredients I cited earlier.
For further info on cat food, google Lisa Pierson, DVM. I find her writings quite informative.
May 5, 2013 I am reducing my stars on this food (Earthborn chicken) from 3 to 1 for the following reasons:
First, a bit over a year ago or so, I noticed large globs of white powdery like substance in the chicken food (usually light beige color) and also a sizable bit of smooth gray matter/tissue. The company told me they hand mix the food and the powdery substance was probably just not mixed well. They sent me a thermos and packaging and asked me to send them the gray matter for identification and told me they would tell me what they found. They did not tell me what the item was, even after I inquired multiple times. They just ignored my messages. They did send a case of food to my pet store for me related to all of the above, but they did not clearly communicate this to me and it took calls/emails on my end to figure this out.
I also continued to see white powdery stuff in the food. In the last six months or so, I have noticed that the food looks like it has more globby/fatty substance in it --and I don't as much whitish powdery type stuff. I am guessing the globby stuff is to help mix the powdered stuff better into the food. --The globby stuff looks like junk to me, however.
I also read some online reviews stating that some folks' cats have had digestive issues with Earthborn. One of my cats has also had diarrhea that my vet has been unable to figure out (usual fecal test came back negative). I will be doing a PCR (DNA) fecal test (costs over $200) to look for possible infectious agents (cat is indoors, but we're proceeding through the diagnostic steps) per all this. I think I will stop feeding Earthborn food and see what happens. It does have guar gum and carageenan, substances that are known to irritate the digestive tract. I used to think this food looked like people food, but it does not any longer with all the gel crap in it. Very disappointed in this company.
Note that the food is made in Thailand and distributed by a U.S. company. The notation that the food is made in Thailand is in very small font and sideways on the can, while the note that the food is distributed by a U.S. distributor is in large font and placed horizontally on the can (easier to read and see).
June 16, 2013 have done food trials with this and other foods. It seems that potato starch (in this food) is a likely factor in my cat's diarrhea. Since withdrawal of this food, both my cats' stools are like little tootsie rolls. Another item that causes one of my cats to have diarrhea is tapioca (AKA cassava). Research that I have done indicates that some cats have issues with potato starch and tapioca (both from food company reports, pet owner reports, and per my own food trials).
My cats are now primarily eating the following canned foods: TikiCat chicken and Nature's Variety duck. They occasionally get TikiCat salmon, Nature's Variety lamb, and Nature's Variety venison.
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