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Rating
- Meat is the first ingredient – 1 Star
- Uses some unnamed meats – 1 Star
- Above average protein content – 0.5 Star
- Less than 4 controversial ingredients – 1 Star
- Catological Discretionary Rating – 0 Star
Here’s a few important points:
- Meat is the first ingredient, and a number of meats are used throughout the recipe
- While there are not many filler ingredients, the amount of the fillers are too high, which you can see by the high carbohydrate content
- The macronutrient profile is just OK, with moderate protein, moderate fat, and high carbohydrates
- Overall it’s not bad, it just isn’t great
Dr. Tim’s Chase product line includes 1 dry recipe/flavor.
Each recipe below includes its related AAFCO nutrient profile when available on the product’s official webpage or packaging: Growth (G), Maintenance (M), All Life Stages (A), Supplemental (S) or Unspecified (U).
The star rating is a rough average of all of the flavors in a single line of food. If an individual recipe scored lower or higher, we will mark that below, next to the flavor.
- Dr. Tim’s Chase (A)
Dr. Tim’s Chase
Dry Cat Food
| Estimated Nutrient Content |
| Protein | Fat | Carbs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guaranteed Analysis | 37% | 22% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 41% | 24% | 23% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 33% | 48% | 19% |
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Fiber (guaranteed analysis)
3.5%
Calories/100g
414
Is real, named meat the first ingredient?
Yes
Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Natural Tocopherols, A Source Of Vitamin E), Dried Egg Product, Catfish Meal, Dried Porcine Plasma, Ground Whole Flaxseed Meal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp (Sugar Removed), Chicken Liver Meal, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Natural Tocopherols, A Source Of Vitamin E), Rice Bran, Salmon Meal, Lecithin (Sunflower Derived), Potassium Chloride, Dried Carrots, Dried Celery, Dried Beets, Dried Parsley, Dried Lettuce, Dried Watercress, Dried Spinach, L-Lysine, DL-Methionine (Essential Amino Acid), Dried Kelp, Dried Chicory Root (Source Of Inulin), Psyllium Seed Husk, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Choline Chloride, Salt, Taurine, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source Of Vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Beta Carotene, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Inositol, Niacin Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Source Of Vitamin B1), Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source Of Vitamin B6), Copper Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Source Of Vitamin B2), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Potassium Iodide (Source Of Iodine), Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D3 Supplement, L-Carnitine, Folic Acid.
Ingredients in red are controversial or of questionable quality.
Ingredient Breakdown
The first ingredient in this cat food is chicken meal. Good.
Chicken is a very good protein source for cats.
Chicken meal is a concentrated form of chicken, and is considered a high quality ingredient.
In short, much of the moisture of the chicken is taken away, and you are left with a very high-protein, low-moisture powder-like substance.
The inclusion of chicken meal helps to ensure a very high protein level.
The second ingredient is brown rice. Bad.
It may be slightly better than corn in some areas, but rice is simply not biologically appropriate for cats.
It is a filler ingredient.
Studies hypothesize that rice may decrease taurine absorption in cats, leading to taurine deficiency, a dangerous ailment.
The third ingredient is chicken fat. Good.
Named animal fats in cat food is usually a good thing. Cats do need a fair amount of fat.
Chicken fat is a great source of healthy fats and omega fatty acids.
It is preferred to canola oil or unnamed animal fats.
The fourth ingredient is dried egg product. Good.
Even though eggs are not meat, they are a highly digestible form of protein.
In fact, they are one of the most complete, bioavailable forms of protein for both humans and cats.
As long as it is not the main protein ingredient, the addition of egg is a quality ingredient
The fifth ingredient is catfish meal. OK, but with reservations.
Fish contain healthy fats, but in meal form, most of this has been pressed out.
Catfish is a fine source of protein, but we don’t believe cats should be fed much fish. They don’t eat much, if any, fish in the wild, and it provides unnecessary risk of toxins and allergens.
The sixth ingredient is dried porcine plasma. Good.
Plasma, or blood with red blood cells removed, is a gelling agent or thickener.
It is a more biologically appropriate ingredient than wheat gluten or other plant materials.
It may have some benefits for digestibility, and makes the food taste and feel better to cats
The seventh ingredient is ground whole flaxseed meal. Good.
Flaxseed provides a quality omega-3 fatty acid source, and nutritive fiber to the recipe.
It can only be digested when the outer shell is removed or destroyed, so being ground into a meal ensures that it is digestible and bioavailable.
The eighth ingredient is dried beet pulp. OK, but with reservations.
Beet pulp is intended to increase fiber quantities in pet foods, and may be good for intestinal health.
However, some believe it is just an inexpensive filler.
Whatever the case, we believe that a little bit in the food isn’t detrimental to your cat, but probably isn’t a necessary ingredient.
The ninth ingredient is chicken liver meal. Good.
Liver is an important organ meat that your cat would eat in the wild to get extra protein, vitamins, and minerals.
This is usually a sign of a high quality food.
Meal is a concentrated form of this protein, and is considered a high quality ingredient.
This recipe includes a number of other ingredients, but once you get down this far, none of them will be in large enough quantities to make a real difference, except for the added vitamins and minerals.
Another unnecessary rice ingredient, rice bran is a cheap filler that may lead to digestive upset.
This recipe uses the proteinate form of minerals, which means that they should be easier to digest for your cat, and be more readily available for her body to use to maintain her health. This is usually a sign of a quality food.
There are also many probiotic strains which help introduce enzymes into the gut to break down the food better and make it more digestible and bioavailable. These are generally considered high quality ingredients.
To read a more in depth article about any of the ingredients listed here, check out our Cat Food Ingredient Wiki (currently under development).
The Catological Verdict on Dr. Tim’s Chase Dry Cat Food
From top to bottom, this is an average dry product.
Meat is the first ingredient, but there are a number of fillers, which are not necessary, or even good, for your cat’s health.
Luckily the number of filler ingredients is low, but it is evident by the carbohydrate content of this food that each filler ingredient is present in a fair quantity. That’s not a great thing for your cat.
This is a decent example of the type of food you should be feeding your cat if you choose to feed a dry diet.
It’s probably a split meat- and plant-based food, since the protein content is lower than what we’d like to see, and it contains a fair bit of rice. This is not entirely appropriate for your carnivorous cat.
To review, on a dry matter basis, this food is 41% protein, 24% fat, and 23% carbs.
Compared to the other 2000+ foods in our database, this food has:
- Average protein.
- Above average fat.
- Above average carbs.
Because meat is the first ingredient, but unnecessary carbohydrate fillers are utilized, our rating for this brand is 3.5 stars.
Somewhat recommended.
Dr. Tim’s Cat Food Recall History
We do not believe that a recall indicates a low quality food or company, and we respect the fact that sometimes things happen that cause a manufacturer to recall a food.
Usually these things are non-life-threatening, and we think it’s important to take a moment to be thankful about just how few recalls there really are in the industry, considering the enormous volume of food produced.
However, we do believe that a history of recalls may point to a larger issue with a company, and that discerning consumers want to know who they’re buying from, especially when it comes to something as important as the food you feed your beloved cat.
Here is a list of recalls that have affected the Dr. Tim’s brand in the past:
- We could find no instances of recalls in Dr. Tim’s history
If you want to stay up to date on the latest recall information affecting your cat’s food, sign up to our email list and receive an email every time a recall is announced. We’ll also let you know about any updated ratings, recipe changes, or new cat foods on the market. (Our alert system will be launched shortly, check back soon.)
Where To Buy Dr. Tim’s Dry Cat Food
We recommend purchasing your pet products from Chewy.com. They continually prove that they walk the walk while talking the talk, and I’ve never dealt with a more dedicated pet-parent base of people than those who work at Chewy.
Plus, they offer 20% off and free shipping on lots of orders.
Not convinced?
Check out our ratings and reviews of the best cat foods in our comprehensive, data-backed guide right here.
