Since Pet Promise (makers of all-natural by-product-free pet foods with no imported ingredients) recently went out of business, I've been looking for another easily obtainable dry cat food like Pet Promise: One that does not contain any meat by-products (which can include beaks, claws, feathers, etc. - all hard on cats' kidneys) or any meat "meals" (rendered  "boiled down" animal parts of varying quality that may contain some pretty horrible stuff - e.g., organs of diseased animals).

I was very wary in choosing a new food, remembering the heartbreaking pet food tragedy in March 2007, when many major US pet food brands with imported ingredients had killed so many healthy pets, especially cats. That had taught me not to trust major brands, even the "premium" ones as many of them were on the recall list. My cats and I were so fortunate that they were already eating Pet Promise, a food that never had to be recalled.

In my checking all the labels for ingredients and any other information (e.g. sourcing), I was again saddened to see that primary ingredients in many "premium" or "scientific" foods are still by-products and rendered meat meals.

So first, I tried one cat food labeled as "organic", but my cats would not eat it, probably because the kibble was hard, sharp and pointy. As I was reading the satisfaction guarantee, preparing to return that cat food to the store, I noticed that it also had non-organic chicken meal as one of the primary ingredients, which voided the benefits of the organic ingredients. Therefore, I would warn everyone that "organic" on the front label may make the food more expensive, but it may not represent what is actually in the food - always check the ingredients carefully!

Checking the label on Halo's Wild Salmon Recipe dry food, I saw that there are no by-products or meat meals in their ingredients, and there is also no corn or wheat - both cited by animal nutritionists as contributing to obesity and allergies in cats. Also, there is no rice flour, which is another cause of obesity. However, Halo Wild Salmon Recipe does contain both wild-caught salmon and chicken meat, eggs, peas and other vegetables, as well as probiotics, which is something I'd never seen in a pet food before. The grains it contains are oats and barley. It is important to note that the salmon (the primary ingredient) is wild caught, not farm-raised salmon that can contain antibiotics and other undesirable chemicals.

Apparently, the only imported ingredient in Halo is the pea flour, imported from Canada. This is stated on the package right next to "Made in the U.S.A."

Opening Halo's very sturdy and convenient slide-lock package, I was happy to see that Halo's kibbles (pieces) were small and round (not big and sharp-edged) and that two of my cats liked it right away. However, my third, a husky blue-point Siamese mix, was holding out, and I was afraid he might never like it. However, within a couple of days he came around - now it is he who goes to the refrigerator and noses the Halo bag when I open the door, and then he devours it when I pour it in his bowl. All three of my cats now seem to love it.

Halo contains higher protein and lower carbs than Pet Promise did. This is likely good for maintaining better weight and energy in an adult cat. And my two younger cats (ages 4 and 5) are acting quite energetic on Halo but still sleeping well. They tended to stay a little chubbier than I'd like on Pet Promise, probably because I had to leave food out at all times due to my being out of the house a lot and having a very old cat who will eat only when she feels like it - which may be when I'm not there to feed her. I'll update if the younger ones slim down on this food.

For those with geriatric and/or CRF cats, I would venture to say at this time that the higher protein in Halo does not appear to be a burden on their kidneys. A blood test today showed that my old CRF cat's kidney function readings were actually better than they were 4 years ago. The traditional vet may say that CRF treatment requires low protein, whereas pet nutrition experts say eliminating low-quality protein is the key - no by-products and no meat meals.

Let me warn loving cat owners:  The so-called "scientific" or "prescription" kidney foods, supposedly designed for renal failure because they contain little protein, contain by-products and rendered fats as the primary ingredients! (Remember to always check the ingredients.) My CRF cat got temporarily worse eating this type of food. On the other hand, Pet Promise, with a high protein count ("too high," my vet said), was what I was feeding her when she regained her health four years ago. I had been informed by a number of specialists in cat nutrition that it is poor quality protein, not the quantity of protein, that is a major factor in kidney failure - and meat by-products are among the worst quality of protein possible.

Pet Promise was endorsed by Dr. Andrew Weil. Halo is not only endorsed by Ellen DeGeneres, known for her love of animals, but she has become part-owner of the company. The Halo website is quite informative and reassuring; I was glad to see today that they actually address in detail some of my concerns about pet food: The 2007 tragedy, as well as the plight of former Pet Promise customers, offering Halo as a comparable food for replacement:

http://www.halopets.com/

Recommended: Yes