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Meow Mix vs Natural Balance

Meow Mix is made by Big Heart Pet Brands (owned by The J.M. Smucker Company), and Natural Balance is branded by Natural Balance Pet Foods (owned by Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital)) and made by third-party co-packers. On KibbleLab, Natural Balance averages 8.6 out of 10 across its scored foods, compared with 7.9 for Meow Mix. Meow Mix makes food for cats, while Natural Balance covers cats and dogs.

Meow Mix and Natural Balance compared

Meow Mix Natural Balance
Manufacturer Big Heart Pet Brands Natural Balance Pet Foods
Parent company The J.M. Smucker Company Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital)
Founded 2014 1989
Headquarters San Francisco, California, USA Burbank, California, USA
Manufacturing Whether a brand makes its own food in-house or has it produced by an outside contract manufacturer or co-packer.
In-house Co-packer
Made in United States United States
Manufacturing region Not listed California
Products listed 25 118
Serves Cats Cats & dogs
Price tier A relative price guide, from $ (most affordable) to $$$$$ (most premium), based on the brand's typical retail cost.
$$ $$$$
WSAVA guidelines The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) publishes criteria for evaluating a manufacturer: qualified nutritionists on staff, feeding trials, and published research. It does not certify or endorse brands.
No No
PSC accredited The Pet Sustainability Coalition is a nonprofit that accredits pet companies on their environmental and social impact, through third-party verification. It reflects sustainability practices, not food quality.
No No
Score The average KibbleLab score across this brand's scored foods, on a 0 to 10 scale. Foods are scored on published veterinary science. How scoring works .
7.9 (avg of 25) 8.6 (avg of 118)
Recalls on record We track the FDA's animal food recall listings back to January 2019 and publish every pet food recall automatically. A filing that isn't pet food may not appear here.
None None
Where to buy
Amazon
Amazon

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Meow Mix vs Natural Balance: how they compare

Scores

Natural Balance scores higher on KibbleLab, averaging 8.6 out of 10 across 118 scored foods, compared with 7.9 across 25 for Meow Mix. Scores apply the same criteria-based rubric to every food, drawn from published veterinary science.

Who makes them

Meow Mix is made by Big Heart Pet Brands, owned by The J.M. Smucker Company, based in San Francisco, California, USA, founded in 2014. Natural Balance is a brand of Natural Balance Pet Foods, owned by Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital), based in Burbank, California, USA, founded in 1989. Its food is made by third-party co-packers in United States.

Standards and range

Neither meets WSAVA's published manufacturer criteria. KibbleLab lists 25 Meow Mix foods and 118 Natural Balance foods.

Not sure which is right for your pet?

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Common Questions

Which scores higher on KibbleLab, Meow Mix or Natural Balance?

Natural Balance scores higher: it averages 8.6 out of 10 across 118 scored foods, compared with 7.9 for Meow Mix. Scores reflect published veterinary science.

Who makes Meow Mix and Natural Balance?

Meow Mix is made by Big Heart Pet Brands, which is owned by The J.M. Smucker Company. Natural Balance is a brand of Natural Balance Pet Foods, which is owned by Ethos Pet Brands (L Catterton / Nexus Capital). Its food is made by third-party co-packers in United States.

Which brand has more products on KibbleLab?

Natural Balance has 118 products in the KibbleLab database, compared with 25 for Meow Mix.

Where is each brand based?

Meow Mix is based in San Francisco, California, USA. Natural Balance is based in Burbank, California, USA.

Have Meow Mix or Natural Balance been recalled?

Neither Meow Mix nor Natural Balance has a recall on record in the KibbleLab database. We track the FDA's animal food recall listings back to January 2019 and publish every pet food recall automatically. A filing that isn't pet food may not appear here.

See the full profiles: Meow Mix and Natural Balance .

More comparisons

KibbleLab provides informational content only. This is not veterinary advice. Always consult a qualified veterinarian before changing your pet's diet.

This is a neutral, factual comparison, not a ranking or an endorsement of either brand. KibbleLab may earn affiliate commissions through links. No one can pay for placement or a higher score.

Brand and manufacturer details are compiled from public sources and not independently verified; they may not reflect contract manufacturing or co-packing. Recall data is compiled from public FDA filings, and a filing may name the parent company rather than the brand. We track the FDA's animal food recall listings back to January 2019 and publish every pet food recall automatically. A filing that isn't pet food may not appear here.

KibbleLab scores and commentary are editorial opinions based on published data. Represent one of these brands? Request a correction. Anyone else can email us. See our Terms.