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35% OFF
Merrick
First Auto-Ship
20% OFF
Merrick
First Auto-Ship w/ Code: PAWDIET20
15% OFF
Merrick &
Only Natural Pet
For New Customers w/ Code: AFPAWDIET
Merrick vs. Only Natural Pet
In this comparison article for Merrick vs Only Natural Pet, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Merrick and Only Natural Pet, 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 Only Natural Pet vs Merrick comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Merrick Review Page or Only Natural Pet Review Page.
Guaranteed Analysis: Only Natural Pet vs. Merrick
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.
Merrick Dog Food vs. Only Natural Pet Dog Food
| Dry Dog Food | Merrick | Only Natural Pet |
| Crude Protein | 35.9% | 39.2% |
| Crude Fat | 17.2% | 16.5% |
| Crude Fiber | 4.2% | 6.0% |
| Wet/Canned Dog Food | Merrick | Only Natural Pet |
| Crude Protein | 43.9% | 47.2% |
| Crude Fat | 21.1% | 24.5% |
| Crude Fiber | 8.3% | 5.0% |
Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food
Dogs require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Twelve of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining ten are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these ten essential amino acids.
There is a small difference between the protein content of Only Natural Pet and Merrick. We can see that Only Natural Pet guarantees about 3.30% more protein than Merrick. In addition, Only Natural Pet wet dog foods also provide more protein than Merrick wet foods.
Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food
Fats are an absolutely vital component of a balanced canine diet. Not only do fats provide energy, but they also serve important roles in the normal development and function of your dog's body. For example, fats help dogs produce prostaglandins, which reduce inflammation among many other significant functions.
There is a relatively insignificant difference between the crude fat content of the two brands. For wet dog foods, Only Natural Pet typically provides a little more fat (about 3.42% more).
Both brands provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber. For wet dog foods, Merrick typically provides a little more fiber (about 3.35% more).
Merrick Cat Food vs. Only Natural Pet Cat Food
| Dry Cat Food | Merrick | Only Natural Pet |
| Crude Protein | 40.5% | 51.4% |
| Crude Fat | 15.7% | 17.6% |
| Crude Fiber | 5.1% | 6.0% |
| Wet/Canned Cat Food | Merrick | Only Natural Pet |
| Crude Protein | 46.9% | 43.1% |
| Crude Fat | 21.3% | 24.3% |
| Crude Fiber | 6.0% | 4.6% |
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.
The comparison table above shows that Only Natural Pet dry cat foods provide significantly more protein than Merrick. More specifically, Only Natural Pet guarantees at least 10.93% more protein. For wet cat foods, Merrick typically provides a little more protein (about 3.80% more).
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.
As you can see, Merrick and Only Natural Pet guarantee a similar amount of crude fat. For wet cat foods, Only Natural Pet typically provides a little more fat (about 3.00% more).
Merrick and Only Natural Pet both provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber. With regards to wet cat food, Merrick and Only Natural Pet also provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber.
Merrick Pet Food Ingredients vs. Only Natural Pet Pet Food Ingredients
Merrick and Only Natural Pet both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Merrick.
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Only Natural Pet.
We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.
Merrick and Only Natural Pet both use the following harmful ingredients in many of their products:
Product Safety: Recall History of Merrick & Only Natural Pet?
Merrick has been recalled 6 times.
- Jan. 28, 2011: Salmonella
- Aug. 8, 2011: Salmonella
- July 2, 2010: Salmonella
- Aug. 3, 2010: Salmonella
- Aug. 13, 2010: Salmonella
- May 23, 2018: elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone
According to our records, Only Natural Pet has never been recalled.
Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?
| Dry Dog Food | Merrick | Only Natural Pet |
| Per Pound | $6.15 | $13.25 |
| Per Calorie | $0.0036 | $0.0085 |
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 Merrick or Only Natural Pet, 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 Merrick or Only Natural Pet will depend on your shopping habits.
Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Merrick and Only Natural Pet. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.
- 20% Off First Auto-Ship @ PetFlow (Use Code PAWDIET20)
- 35% Off First Auto-Ship @ Chewy (No Code Required)
- 15% Off The Entire Site @ OnlyNaturalPet (Use Code AFPAWDIET)
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 Merrick Pet Foods
You can purchase Merrick pet foods from the following stores:
Where To Buy Only Natural Pet Pet Foods
You can purchase Only Natural Pet pet food products from these retailers:
Type Of Pet Foods Available
| Product | Merrick | Only Natural Pet |
| Dry Dog Food | 53 Recipes | 16 Recipes |
| Wet Dog Food | 58 Recipes | 8 Recipes |
| Dog Treats | 35 Treats | 46 Treats |
| Dry Cat Food | 18 Recipes | 7 Recipes |
| Wet Cat Food | 50 Recipes | 7 Recipes |
| Cat Treats | None | 7 Treats |
Top Rated Merrick Recipes
Top Rated Only Natural Pet Recipes
