The scores
Merrick Purrfect Bistro Grain-Free Real Chicken: B (78/100) — Good. Deboned chicken first, chicken meal second, with sweet potato as the grain-free carb, salmon oil for EPA/DHA, and dried chicory root for prebiotic fiber. Grain-free with full nutritional-extras lineup.
Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets (Cat): B (76/100) — Good. Named proteins (chicken plus chicken meal) with brown rice as the grain, fish oil for omega-3s, natural preservation. Deliberately minimalist — the shorter ingredient list is the feature, not a bug.
How the ingredients compare
The top five ingredients:
Merrick Cat: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potato, Salmon Oil, Dried Chicory Root
Natural Balance Cat: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Fish Oil, Mixed Tocopherols
The 2-point rubric gap lives in what the top five each add beyond the two-chicken protein foundation. Merrick uses sweet potato as the grain-free carb at position three, then gets salmon oil (EPA/DHA) at position four, then dried chicory root (a prebiotic fiber) at position five. Natural Balance uses brown rice (a whole grain) at position three, fish oil at position four, then mixed tocopherols at position five. Both fish oils deliver omega-3s; the difference is Merrick’s position-five prebiotic vs Natural Balance’s preservation baseline.
The grain-free vs grain-inclusive choice isn’t inherently better or worse for cats — as obligate carnivores, cats don’t require grains, but they tolerate small amounts of brown rice well. The rubric modestly favors grain-free for cats because carbohydrates move down the ingredient list, opening more slots for protein and functional ingredients. Brown rice is a more-processed carb than sweet potato by the time it reaches the kibble extruder.
Beyond the top five, Merrick adds more functional ingredients — fewer, more potent — while Natural Balance stays deliberately simple. Merrick includes peas, dried yeast culture, cranberries, flaxseed, probiotic fermentation products, and chelated mineral proteinates (zinc, iron, copper, manganese in proteinate form). Natural Balance stays tight: fewer bonus inclusions, natural preservation, and a clean, allergen-simplified backbone. The point of Natural Balance L.I.D. is fewer ingredients — fewer potential triggers for cats with food sensitivities.
Where Merrick Cat pulls ahead
Prebiotic chicory root at position five. Dried chicory root is an inulin-rich prebiotic fiber — it feeds beneficial gut bacteria without requiring live probiotic culture. For cats with intermittent digestive upset, the prebiotic support is a meaningful inclusion. Natural Balance L.I.D. doesn’t carry a dedicated prebiotic — the limited-ingredient approach excludes it by design.
Salmon oil rather than generic fish oil. Merrick specifies salmon oil at position four — a named marine source that delivers EPA and DHA in a known ratio. Natural Balance uses “fish oil,” which is a legitimate source but less sourced. For owners who read labels carefully, the named-source ingredient is a modest signal of quality control.
Grain-free with a sweet potato carb base. Sweet potato is a whole-food carbohydrate with fiber and phytonutrients. Brown rice (Natural Balance’s position three) is a whole grain but still a more-processed ingredient by the time it reaches the kibble. For cats who don’t tolerate grains well, Merrick’s grain-free formulation is the cleaner choice. Shop on Amazon →
Where Natural Balance Cat holds its own
Limited Ingredient Diets approach for sensitivities. L.I.D. is intentionally built for cats with food allergies or chronic digestive issues. Fewer ingredients mean fewer allergen candidates. If your cat has been diagnosed with a food sensitivity or your vet has recommended an elimination diet, Natural Balance’s architecture solves that problem directly. Merrick’s fuller ingredient list is harder to troubleshoot.
Lower price per pound. Natural Balance L.I.D. runs about $4.20 per pound at Chewy and PetSmart. Merrick Purrfect Bistro runs about $5.30 per pound. For multi-cat households or extended-duration feeding, the price difference adds up. The rubric gap (2 points) is modest — at this tier, price is a legitimate selection factor.
Broader retail availability. Natural Balance is sold at PetSmart, Petco, Chewy, Amazon, Target, and most independent pet stores. Merrick Purrfect Bistro is more commonly available at specialty pet retailers and online — harder to find in grocery-adjacent locations. For owners who want to be able to buy cat food during a weekend grocery trip without ordering ahead, Natural Balance wins on accessibility. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
If your cat has no known sensitivities and you want the fuller premium lineup — grain-free, salmon oil, prebiotic fiber — Merrick Purrfect Bistro is the B/78 pick. If your cat has food sensitivities or digestive issues and you want a deliberately simpler formula, Natural Balance L.I.D. is the B/76 alternative — the limited-ingredient philosophy is exactly what some cats need. See our best cat food guide for A-tier options.