Meow Lamb & Hoki Cat Treats – The Best Cat Food Reviews

Last Updated on June 17, 2024 by Indy the Cat

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History

Founded in 2017, the New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co embarked on a journey of creating high-quality, small batch specialty treats for canines with their product line, Woof. Following the success of their canine treats, the company expanded its offerings and introduced the Meow line in 2018, catering specifically to feline companions.

The visionaries behind this company are none other than co-founders Amber Cordero and Jacqueline Taylor. Inspired by the raw diet for cats and dogs, they set out to carve their own niche in the pet food market. It’s important to note that the New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co is distinct from the Natural Pet Food Group, which produces the popular brands Feline Natural and K9 Natural.

As advocates for premium quality, the New Zealand Natural Pet Food Co proudly sources its ingredients locally, with a commitment to fair trade practices. The company’s focus on using high meat content and omitting fillers like grains or rice aligns with their belief in providing optimal nutrition for pets. Furthermore, you will find that their products are free from gluten, corn, wheat, and soy, and they do not contain any artificial preservatives, or flavours.

Of course, as you know from our other reviews, New Zealand products are held in high regard due to the country’s reputation for offering some of the finest ingredients and standards globally. Their dedication to quality is evident through their compliance with AAFCO standards for their Meow treats. As of now, the company offers a wide range of cat food products, including both freeze-dried and air-dried cat food and treats.

Recalls

To date, Meow has not been recalled. In Australia, pet food recalls are only mandatory for brands that have decided to work within the Australian Standard for Manufacturing and Marketing of Pet Food (Standard AS5812:2017). All members of the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia comply with these standards and New Zealand Natural Pet Food Group is not a member of the Association at this time.

Product Line Commentary

Meow cat food offers a unique line of products, and in this review, we’ll take a closer look at their Lamb & Hoki freeze-dried cat treat formula. Positioned as a premium brand of cat food, Meow takes pride in creating their products in small batches, ensuring quality and attention to detail.

The freeze-dried process used to create cat food is simple and effective. The food is first frozen and then placed in a vacuum to remove most of the moisture. This method retains significantly more nutrients compared to conventional kibble and dry foods, making it a healthier and more nutritious option.

One of the notable advantages of freeze-dried food and treats is the option to rehydrate them with water. This can be a nice way to add extra hydration to a cat’s daily routine, especially for those who may not drink enough water throughout the day. Moreover, for pet owners who are hesitant about feeding a raw diet, Meow’s freeze-dried treats offer a great alternative, as they draw inspiration from the principles of a raw diet, providing a more natural and wholesome option for our cats. For those looking to explore other freeze-dried treat options, it might be worth checking out Meat Mates freeze dried treats.

Easy to Read Ingredients

Typically, we have a preference for treats that boast minimal ingredients, high meat content, and lower calorie levels. While these features are part of Meow’s treat line, what sets them apart is that these treats are nutritionally complete and can serve as a meal or a topper. This unique aspect deviates from the typical 10% calorie rule for treats, which advises not to exceed 10% of the cat’s caloric intake.

Meow skilfully leverages high-quality ingredients to their advantage. Each ingredient is clearly named, and the meat sources are sustainably sourced from New Zealand. Notable highlights in the formula include a selection of Lamb cuts, Hoki, Kelp, and Green Lipped Mussels. The diverse Lamb cuts contribute to a more complete and balanced nutritional profile, while both Hoki and Green Lipped Mussels enrich the treats with valuable omega-3 fatty acids. Moreover these essential nutrients work together to promote healthy skin, lustrous fur, and agile joints, supporting your cat’s overall well-being. It’s worth mentioning that Green Lipped Mussels, as we’ve highlighted in our other reviews, stand as a luxurious ingredient, offering vital nutrients and valuable anti-inflammatory benefits.

At 5795 kcal/kg (278 kcal/cup), the treats amount to approximately 580 kcal per 100g, making it a nutritionally dense treat. If you feed a lot of these treats, ensure you reduce your cat’s regular food intake. The analysis breakdown shows that this would be considered a well balanced high protein, high fat and very low carbohydrate treat.

Guaranteed analysis

Crude Protein (min) – 55%

Crude Fat (min) – 29%

Taurine (min) – 0.4%

Crude Fibre (max) – 2%

Moisture (max) – 2%

Additional Nutritional Profile Information

Unfortunately, Meow does not provide additional nutritional information on their treats.

Where to Buy and Cost

Meow cat treats can be found at a number of leading pet retailers. At the time of publishing, we can find the treats at leading retailers including Pet Circle and Pet Post.

Meow cat treats are usually priced around $11/packet (50g). Petpost provides the best pricing at the time of publishing with a price of $10/50g package. Compared to other treats, they are considered expensively priced. Since they can be effectively used as cat food or a treat, we recommend purchasing a larger package where possible.

Ingredient List

Lamb, Hoki with Ground Bone, Lamb Green Tripe, Lamb Heart, Lamb Liver, Lamb Kidney, Kelp, NZ Green Lipped Mussels, Manuka Honey, Rosemary, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Hoki Liver Oil, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B1, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Salt

Nutritional Information

Lamb – source of meat protein

Hoki with Ground Bone – source of fish protein. ground bone provides added calcium and phosphorus

Lamb Green Tripe – source of protein (considered as muscle meat in the raw diet). contains enzymes that promotes a healthy gut

Lamb Heart – source of protein (considered as muscle meat in the raw diet)

Lamb Liver – source of protein and as an offal, it offers a natural form of essential vitamins/nutrients

Lamb Kidney – source of protein and as an offal, it offers a natural form of essential vitamins/nutrients

Kelp – source of magnesium, protein, Vitamin A, iodine, bromine, and phosphorous. minor source of fibre. supports metabolism and glandular function

Green Lipped Mussels –  source of omega 3’s, anti-inflammatory benefits

Manuka Honey – potentially beneficial for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral and inflammatory properties, however it is high in sugar (research is still in its infancy though)

Rosemary – natural preservative. various vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil – can aid the digestive tract, hairballs, improve the skin and coat and various other health benefits

Hoki Liver Oil – source of omega 3’s and other fatty acids supporting brain and eye development along with skin, fur and joint health

Taurine – essential amino acid that cats cannot synthesise in sufficient quantities. vital for heart, vision and more

Salt – essential mineral

Zinc Amino Acid Complex – source of Zinc

Iron Amino Acid Complex- source of Iron

Copper Amino Acid Complex – source of Copper

Manganese Amino Acid Complex – source of Manganese

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate) – source of Vitamin B1

Indy’s Review

So does Indy the cat like it? 

Yes! Indy is a magnet towards freeze dried food and this flavour really packs a punch.

With such care put into the product, Indy and I are both happy with the product and we highly recommend this one for your feline family members!

The good

• All quality named meat ingredients
• Very species appropriate treat with no additives or junk ingredients
• Doubles as a food or a treat
• Highly palatability

Neutral

• Some ingredients may offer health benefits but research is in its early stages

The bad

• Expensive

Rating 

• Species appropriate (weight 0.3) – 10 / 10
• Ingredients (weight 0.3) – 10 / 10
• Recall Track record (weight 0.2) – 10 / 10
• Price (weight 0.2) – 6 / 10

Average Score – 9 / 10

Weighted Score – 9.2/ 10

The Bottom Line: New Zealand treats sourced and crafted with care and attention. If your cat likes freeze dried pellets, they should love this one!

Disclosure: We received these treats courtesy of Petpost and have worked with them to share the review on social media. This however does not influence how this product was reviewed.

If you spot an error in this article, please do not hesitate to let us know!