Rating: 
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free canned dog food earns the Advisor’s highest rating of 5 stars.
The Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free line includes two canned dog foods, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
- Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free Chicken and Salmon
- Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free Turkey and Vegetable
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free Adult Chicken and Salmon Dinner was selected to represent both products in the line for this review.
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free Adult Chicken and Salmon Dinner
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Salmon, chicken broth, chicken, potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, potato starch, calcium sulfate, guar gum, flaxseed oil, choline chloride, betaine, potassium chloride, zinc proteinate, taurine, calcium carbonate, iron proteinate, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, nicotinic acid, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is salmon. Salmon is a fatty marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The third ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The fourth item is potato. Assuming they’re cooked, potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The fifth ingredient lists carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth ingredient is green beans, a healthy vegetable notable for its vitamin, mineral and natural fiber content.
The seventh ingredient mentions peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when evaluating the total protein reported in this food.
The eighth ingredient is potato starch. Potato starch is a gluten-free carbohydrate used more for its thickening properties than its nutritional value.
The ninth ingredient is calcium sulfate, a source of supplemental calcium.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, guar gum, a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.
Next, flaxseed oil, one of the best non-fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids — essential to a dog’s health.
And lastly, this food also contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free Canned
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free looks to be an above-average canned dog food.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 50%, a fat level of 30% and estimated carbohydrates of about 12%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 50% and a mean fat level of 30%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 12% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, this looks like the profile of a canned product containing a generous amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain-Free is a meat-based wet dog food using a generous amount of poultry or salmon as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food? Or maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
12/29/2011 Original review
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.