naturalbalance.com
Key Takeaways
Natural Balance is a U.S. pet food brand focused on dog and cat nutrition with ~30+ years in the market. (Wikipedia)
Founded in 1989 by actor Dick Van Patten and a partner, it aims for “simple, wholesome nutrition.” (naturalbalanceinc.com)
The company’s products include limited-ingredient diets, grain-inclusive foods, wet and dry formulas, and treats for dogs and cats. (naturalbalanceinc.com)
Natural Balance emphasizes testing for contaminants and quality control, with programs letting owners check lab results. (LinkedIn)
Independent reviewers often rate some lines highly, especially grain-inclusive dry foods. (Dog Food Advisor)
There are mixed user experiences—some pet owners report good digestive/weight management outcomes while others complain about quality control issues. (ConsumerAffairs)
What Natural Balance Is
Natural Balance Pet Foods is an American pet food company and brand that produces specialized food for dogs and cats. It positions itself around providing complete, balanced, and natural nutrition. The brand has been in business since 1989, when actor Dick Van Patten co-founded it with a friend; the idea was to offer pet food with fewer fillers and simpler, recognizable ingredients. (Wikipedia)
Today the company is headquartered in California and is owned by investment firm Nexus Capital Management, although its products continue to be sold widely in pet specialty stores and online. (Wikipedia)
What NaturalBalance.com Represents
The corporate domain NaturalBalance.com typically redirects or relates to the official site of Natural Balance Pet Foods. On that site you’ll find:
Product lines for dogs and cats: dry food, wet food, treats, and specialty diets. (naturalbalanceinc.com)
Descriptions of formulations targeted at health goals such as sensitive digestion, weight management, or limited ingredients for food sensitivities. (naturalbalanceinc.com)
A Buy With Confidence program where pet owners can use the code on a bag to see lab results for that batch. (LinkedIn)
Contact and support info for customer questions. (naturalbalanceinc.com)
The brand’s messaging focuses on using wholesome meat, vegetables, and without unnecessary artificial flavors, colors, or poorly digestible fillers like corn, wheat, soy, and by-product meals in many of their formulas. (naturalbalanceinc.com)
Product Categories and Nutrition
Limited Ingredient Diets (L.I.D.)
These are formulated with a minimal set of components, often a single animal protein and a limited set of carbohydrates. The idea is to help pets with food sensitivities or allergies by reducing complexity in the diet. (naturalbalanceinc.com)
Health Protection / Whole Body
Products like Health Protection are designed for overall wellness rather than a specific condition. Independent reviewers note that dry formulas in this category include named meat as a primary protein source, whole grains like brown rice, and fiber sources like pumpkin. (Dog Food Advisor)
Specialized Nutrition
Some formulas focus on high-quality, real food ingredients without corn, wheat, soy, or animal by-products. These are often marketed toward owners who want more premium components. (naturalbalanceinc.com)
Treats and Rolls
Natural Balance also sells treats and dog rolls that can be used both as snacks and as supplementary nutrition or training reinforcement. (ConsumerAffairs)
Cat Food
While dog food is the core product set, Natural Balance offers wet and dry cat formulas as well, including limited-ingredient options. (Only Natural Pet)
Quality Control & Safety
Natural Balance advertises its commitment to quality control. One notable system allows consumers to enter a code from a product bag online and see test results for contaminants and nutrient analysis for that specific batch. (LinkedIn)
Historically, the brand was involved in the 2007 melamine pet food recalls, along with several other companies, which led to greater emphasis on safety testing. In response they built an ISO-accredited internal lab to test for known toxins before products ship. (Wikipedia)
Mixed User Feedback
Online pet owner reviews are very mixed:
Some owners report that certain Natural Balance formulas helped dogs with pancreatitis or sensitive digestion without flare-ups. (Facebook)
Other users, however, describe experiences with digestive upset, vomiting, diarrhea, or even foreign material in kibble—though these are individual reports and don’t represent controlled studies. (ConsumerAffairs)
This divergence is common in pet nutrition because individual animals react differently to specific diets.
Independent Reviews & Ratings
Sites like DogFoodAdvisor that analyze ingredient lists and nutrient profiles often give high marks to certain Natural Balance products (especially the grain-inclusive Health Protection line), noting well-defined proteins and fibers without cheap fillers. (Dog Food Advisor)
That said, grain-free diets overall have been debated in veterinary communities due to links with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in some cases when not carefully formulated. Some online communities caution against grain-free formulas unless specifically recommended by a vet. (Reddit)
How It Compares to Other Brands
Compared with very large pet food brands, Natural Balance is considered more ingredient-focused and premium, relying on named meat sources and avoiding some common fillers. (Reddit)
However, it’s also a smaller company which may mean less research budget and fewer clinical feeding trials than the largest veterinary nutrition brands. This is a relevant point for pet owners who value scientific validation in diet choices. (Reddit)
FAQ
Is Natural Balance good for all pets?
Natural Balance offers balanced nutrition for many life stages, but what’s “good” can depend on your pet’s age, health, and sensitivities. Discuss with a vet before choosing a diet. (Dog Food Advisor)
Does Natural Balance test its food?
Yes. The brand tests for nine known contaminants before shipping and offers lab result access via product codes. (LinkedIn)
Do Natural Balance products contain artificial additives?
Many of the formulations avoid artificial flavors and colors, and several product lines explicitly exclude common fillers like corn, wheat, and soy. (naturalbalanceinc.com)
Are there recalls?
Natural Balance has been involved in historical recalls (notably 2007) and has since strengthened product testing and safety verification. (Wikipedia)
Is Natural Balance grain-free?
Some lines are grain-free, but many include grains like brown rice as part of balanced nutrition. The choice depends on your pet’s needs and vet advice. (Dog Food Advisor)
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