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Instinct vs Purina Cat Chow

Instinct vs. Purina Cat Chow

In this comparison article for Instinct vs Purina Cat Chow, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Instinct and Purina Cat Chow, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.

Throughout this Purina Cat Chow vs Instinct comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Instinct Review Page or Purina Cat Chow Review Page.

Guaranteed Analysis: Purina Cat Chow vs. Instinct

According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.

All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.

Instinct Cat Food vs. Purina Cat Chow Cat Food

Dry Cat FoodInstinctPurina Cat Chow
Crude Protein43.7%38.4%
Crude Fat25.4%12.9%
Crude Fiber3.7%4.3%

Crude Protein Comparison For Cat Food

Cats require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Eleven of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining eleven are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these eleven essential amino acids.

There is a relatively large difference between the protein content of Instinct and Purina Cat Chow. On average, Purina Cat Chow dry cat food recipes contain 5.30% less protein than Instinct recipes.


Crude Fat Comparison For Cat Food

There are many ways in which dietary fat contributes to the overall health of our feline friends. Here is a short list of benefits provided by fats (not exhaustive):

  • Fats help with the digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
  • Reduce inflammation associated with arthritis
  • Slow the growth of yeast infections
  • Prevent or reduce the likelihood of certain heart problems.
  • Aid in the development of the retina and visual cortex.

The comparison table above shows that Instinct dry cat foods provide significantly more fat than Purina Cat Chow. More specifically, Instinct guarantees at least 12.44% more fat.


There is a relatively insignificant difference between the crude fiber content of the two brands.

Instinct Pet Food Ingredients vs. Purina Cat Chow Pet Food Ingredients

Instinct and Purina Cat Chow both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:

Pea Protein

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Instinct.

Garlic
Canola Oil
Tomato Pomace
Dried Tomato Pomace
Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid)

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Purina Cat Chow.

Corn Meal
Canola Meal
Brewers Rice
Ground Wheat
Soybean Flour
Soybean Hulls
Corn Gluten Meal
Whole Grain Corn
Whole Grain Wheat
Ground Yellow Corn
Powdered Cellulose
Turkey By-Product Meal
Chicken By-Product Meal
Poultry By-Product Meal
Animal Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)

We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.

Instinct and Purina Cat Chow both use the following harmful ingredients in many of their products:

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex

Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Purina Cat Chow.

Blue 2
Red 40
Yellow 5

Product Safety: Recall History of Instinct & Purina Cat Chow?

Instinct has been recalled 2 times.

  • July 24, 2015: Salmonella
  • Feb. 15, 2013: Pieces of clear plastic in bag

According to our records, Purina Cat Chow has never been recalled.

Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?

Dry Dog FoodInstinctPurina Cat Chow
Per Pound$8.93$1.38
Per Calorie$0.0044$0.0008
Dry Cat FoodInstinctPurina Cat Chow
Per Pound$11.49$2.03
Per Calorie$0.0057$0.0013

The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.

If you'd like to calculate the average cost-per-day or cost-pet-year of feeding Instinct or Purina Cat Chow, input your pet's weight into our cost analyzer widget.

Averages price data can identify whether or not there exists a significant price difference between two brands. However, the actual price that you'll pay for Instinct or Purina Cat Chow will depend on your shopping habits.

Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Instinct and Purina Cat Chow. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.


Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!

Where To Buy Instinct Pet Foods

You can purchase Instinct pet foods from the following stores:


84 Recipes In-Stock Today

59 Recipes In-Stock Today

67 Recipes In-Stock Today

17 Recipes In-Stock Today

Where To Buy Purina Cat Chow Pet Foods

You can purchase Purina Cat Chow pet food products from these retailers:


8 Recipes In-Stock Today

3 Recipes In-Stock Today

7 Recipes In-Stock Today

Type Of Pet Foods Available

ProductInstinctPurina Cat Chow
Dry Dog Food37 Recipes1 Recipes
Wet Dog Food10 RecipesNone
Dog TreatsNoneNone
Dry Cat Food20 Recipes8 Recipes
Wet Cat Food16 RecipesNone
Cat TreatsNoneNone

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