The scores
Whole Earth Farms: B (78/100)
Natural Balance: B (76/100)
A 2-point gap within the same letter grade. Both land in B territory — well ahead of vet-brand formulas like Hill’s Science Diet (C/60) and far above grocery-shelf options. The small point difference reflects a slight edge in overall formulation completeness, not a quality gap that should worry Natural Balance buyers. Both are solid picks in the B tier.
How the ingredients compare
Here are the first five ingredients side by side:
Whole Earth Farms: Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Dried Potatoes, Peas, Chicken
Natural Balance: Green Peas, Pea Protein, Duck Meal, Duck, Chicken Fat
The contrast is immediate. Whole Earth Farms leads with two concentrated animal protein meals (chicken meal and turkey meal) before reaching any carbohydrate, then adds a third animal protein (chicken) at position five. That’s three of five top ingredients from animal sources. Natural Balance leads with green peas and pea protein — two plant-based ingredients before any animal protein appears at position three with duck meal. This is by design: limited ingredient diets use fewer protein sources deliberately, and Natural Balance chose duck as a novel protein that most cats haven’t been exposed to. But it means the plant-to-animal protein ratio in the top five heavily favors Whole Earth Farms.
Where Whole Earth Farms pulls ahead
Three animal proteins in the top five. Chicken meal, turkey meal, and chicken give Whole Earth Farms a protein foundation built almost entirely on named animal sources. For obligate carnivores, having the majority of top ingredients come from animal protein is exactly what a formula should look like. Natural Balance’s top five includes only two animal-based ingredients (duck meal and duck), with peas and pea protein dominating the list.
Four probiotic strains for gut health. Whole Earth Farms includes Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Enterococcus faecium, and Bacillus coagulans — four distinct probiotic organisms that support digestive health and nutrient absorption. Probiotic diversity matters because different strains colonize different parts of the gut. Natural Balance doesn’t include any probiotic cultures.
Salmon oil and chelated minerals. Whole Earth Farms adds salmon oil as a dedicated marine omega-3 source (EPA and DHA) for skin, coat, and anti-inflammatory benefits. It also uses chelated mineral forms (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate) that are more bioavailable than standard mineral oxides or sulfates. These are premium supplement choices that cost more to include, and they show in the overall formulation quality. Shop on Amazon →
Where Natural Balance holds its own
Truly limited ingredient for allergy management. Natural Balance’s short ingredient list is its defining feature, not a weakness. Cats with food allergies or sensitivities need formulas with as few potential triggers as possible. By using duck — a protein most cats have never eaten — and keeping the ingredient count minimal, Natural Balance makes it far easier to identify and eliminate allergens through an elimination diet. Whole Earth Farms’ longer ingredient list with multiple protein sources makes allergen isolation nearly impossible.
Duck as a novel protein. For cats with confirmed chicken allergies — one of the most common feline food sensitivities — Whole Earth Farms is off the table entirely (chicken meal, turkey meal, and chicken in the top five). Natural Balance’s duck-based formula avoids chicken altogether, making it one of the few B-grade options available for chicken-sensitive cats. Novel proteins are a real tool in feline nutrition, not a marketing gimmick.
Simpler formula means fewer unknowns. Every additional ingredient in a cat food is another variable that could cause a reaction in a sensitive cat. Natural Balance’s minimalist approach means fewer preservatives, fewer flavor enhancers, and fewer supplemental ingredients that could be the hidden cause of chronic digestive issues. For cats that have bounced between multiple foods without improvement, this simplicity is exactly what a veterinarian would recommend as a diagnostic starting point. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
Whole Earth Farms earns the narrow win with superior protein density, four probiotic strains, salmon oil, and chelated minerals — all at a price point that undercuts most B-grade competitors. For healthy cats without dietary restrictions, it’s the better value and the more complete formula. But Natural Balance isn’t trying to be a complete general-purpose food — it’s a targeted limited ingredient diet for cats with allergies or sensitivities, and it does that job well. If your cat has chronic digestive issues or a confirmed chicken allergy, Natural Balance’s duck-based formula is specifically built for that problem. If your cat eats normally and you want the strongest all-around nutrition per dollar, Whole Earth Farms is the clear pick.
Read our full reviews of Whole Earth Farms and Natural Balance for the complete ingredient breakdowns.