Nature's Variety Instinct Original Grain-Free Duck vs. 9 Lives Daily Essentials Dry Cat Food

Nature's Variety has a better protein to fat ratio. 9 Lives's ratio of 3.11 to 1 is too high (not fatty enough). (The ideal ratio is 2 to 1.) 9 Lives has slightly fewer ingredients, which is usually a good thing. Nature's Variety has a slightly lower concentration of fruits, veggies, grains, and starches. 9 Lives is 100% pea-free; Nature's Variety has peas as its 9th ingredient. 9 Lives contains controversial ingredients.

Nature's Variety Instinct Original Grain-Free Duck

Nature's Variety has a better protein to fat ratio. 9 Lives's ratio of 3.11 to 1 is too high (not fatty enough). (The ideal ratio is 2 to 1.)
Nature's Variety has a slightly lower concentration of fruits, veggies, grains, and starches.
9 Lives contains controversial ingredients.

Legend

First 10 ingredients:

duck turkey meal chicken meal chicken fat white fish meal pacific whiting pacific sole pacific rockfish peas tapioca

9 Lives Daily Essentials Dry Cat Food

9 Lives has slightly fewer ingredients, which is usually a good thing.
9 Lives is 100% pea-free; Nature's Variety has peas as its 9th ingredient.

First 10 ingredients:

whole ground corn chicken by-product meal soybean meal meat and bone meal corn gluten meal beef fat whole wheat natural flavor salmon meal phosphoric acid