Natural Balance Cat Treats: Are They Good for Your Cat? (Honest Review)

Natural Balance has been one of the most trusted names in premium pet food for decades. Their Limited Ingredient Diet line in particular has become a go-to for cat owners managing food sensitivities, allergies, or digestive issues.

But how do the treats specifically hold up at the ingredient level? And is Natural Balance actually what vets recommend?

Here's an honest look.

About Natural Balance

Natural Balance Pet Foods has been producing premium pet food since 1989. They're particularly known for their Limited Ingredient Diet (LID) line, which was one of the first commercial pet food ranges to market specifically to owners of pets with food sensitivities.

The brand was acquired by Nexus Capital Management in 2020 and later merged with other pet food brands. Their products remain widely available at pet specialty retailers and online.

Natural Balance Cat Treat Products

Natural Balance's cat treat range includes their Limited Ingredient Treats and wet food formulas, which are sometimes used as treats due to their small serving size.

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Cat Treats (Duck & Green Pea) Ingredients: Duck, Duck Broth, Green Peas, Pea Protein, Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Cassia Gum, Natural Flavor, Taurine, Various vitamins and minerals

Key observations:

Duck is the first ingredient — a positive. Duck is a quality novel protein, well-suited for cats with chicken or beef sensitivities.

Duck broth as the second ingredient means a significant portion of the treat's weight is water with duck flavor. This is common in wet treat formats and reduces the protein density per serving.

Green peas and pea protein — the fourth ingredient is pea protein, a plant-based protein used to boost the treat's protein percentage on the label without adding more animal protein. Cats are obligate carnivores; plant proteins don't provide the same amino acid profile as animal proteins.

Tapioca starch is a carbohydrate binder — not harmful, but adding carbohydrates to a product marketed for cats with sensitivities adds complexity where simplicity would be better.

Xanthan gum and cassia gum — two separate thickening agents. Some cats with sensitive digestive systems find gums difficult to tolerate.

Natural flavor is listed — again, a broad term that often encompasses palatability enhancers beyond the named protein.

Taurine is added — a necessary inclusion for feline heart and eye health, but the fact that it needs to be added separately suggests the protein base isn't naturally providing adequate levels.

Is Natural Balance Good for Cats?

Natural Balance makes reasonable products for cats with specific dietary needs. The Limited Ingredient concept is sound — fewer ingredients reduces the number of potential allergen exposures for sensitive cats. The use of novel proteins like duck and venison as primary ingredients is a legitimate approach to managing food sensitivities.

However, several elements of the actual ingredient profile don't fully align with the "limited ingredient" branding:

• Pea protein as a supplemental protein source adds plant protein to what should be a simple animal-protein treat
• Multiple thickeners (tapioca starch, xanthan gum, cassia gum) increase ingredient complexity
• Natural flavor adds a vague ingredient that undermines true simplicity
• Added taurine suggests the animal protein concentration is not sufficient to provide it naturally

For a cat owner seeking a truly limited-ingredient treat for a cat with food sensitivities, a single-ingredient freeze-dried treat — containing literally one named protein — offers more genuine simplicity than a 12-ingredient "limited ingredient" product.

Do Vets Recommend Natural Balance?

Some vets do recommend Natural Balance, particularly the LID line, for cats suspected of having food allergies or sensitivities. The reduced ingredient count and novel protein options make it more suitable for food trials than mainstream brands with 20+ ingredient lists.

However, veterinary nutritionists often note that true elimination diet protocols require even more controlled ingredients than commercial LID products provide — ideally a single novel protein source without pea protein, multiple gums, or natural flavors that could theoretically cross-react with allergens.

For cats undergoing a strict elimination diet, a single-ingredient freeze-dried treat — where you know with absolute certainty the only protein the cat is receiving — is the gold standard.

Natural Balance vs Chef Kitty: Side-by-Side

Where Natural Balance Wins

Wet format variety — Natural Balance produces wet food and treat options in multiple formats, including pouch and can varieties that some cats prefer over dry or freeze-dried textures.

Established brand trust — decades in the market with a consistent track record. For cat owners who value brand history and availability, Natural Balance is a reliable choice.

Broad retail distribution — available in most pet specialty stores, making it easy to find locally.

Prescription-adjacent positioning — Natural Balance LID products are sometimes used by vets as a starting point before moving to prescription diets. If your vet specifically recommends them, that recommendation comes with context that's worth following.

Where Chef Kitty Wins

True single ingredient — Chef Kitty's freeze-dried treats contain exactly one protein. No pea protein, no gums, no natural flavors, no added taurine needed. The protein itself provides everything.

Elimination diet safe — a single-ingredient freeze-dried duck treat is the most controlled protein you can give a cat during a food trial. You know precisely what the cat is eating.

Protein variety — Chef Kitty offers proteins Natural Balance doesn't in treat format, including Freeze Dried Quail Egg Yolks, chicken heart, and beef liver.

No plant protein — Chef Kitty treats contain no pea protein, legumes, or plant-based protein supplements. 100% animal-sourced nutrition.

What Is the Healthiest Brand of Cat Treats?

This is the most common question that brings cat owners to reviews like this one. The honest answer: the healthiest cat treat brand is whichever one makes a treat with the shortest, most transparent ingredient list — a single named animal protein with nothing added.

By that standard, single-ingredient freeze-dried treat brands consistently outperform multi-ingredient alternatives, regardless of how "limited" the ingredient list claims to be.

Chef Kitty's full lineup — chicken, wild-caught salmon, wild-caught tuna, beef liver, chicken liver, chicken heart, duck, and Freeze Dried Quail Egg Yolks — contains one ingredient per product. That's as limited as it gets.

Shop Chef Kitty single-ingredient freeze-dried cat treats →

The Bottom Line

Natural Balance makes better-than-average cat treats with a genuine commitment to reduced-ingredient formulas. For cats with moderate sensitivities or owners looking for a wet treat format in novel proteins, they're a reasonable choice.

For cats with strict dietary needs, owners running food elimination trials, or anyone who wants complete confidence in exactly what their cat is eating — single-ingredient freeze-dried treats offer a cleaner, more transparent alternative.

Related articles:

• Best Freeze Dried Cat Treats in 2026
• Stella & Chewy's vs Chef Kitty Freeze Dried Cat Treats
• What Cat Treats Are Actually Healthy?
• Are Quail Eggs Good for Cats?

Chef Kitty makes single-ingredient freeze-dried treats and grain-free lickable puree treats for cats and dogs — tested in the USA, no fillers, no artificial additives, no compromises.