Is Acana Cat Food Good

Acana Dog Food Formulas Reviewed

There are many Acana Dog Food formulas available. To help you find the right product for your dog, we have reviewed some of the best-selling Acana pet food recipes.

Summary: This is our top pick when it comes to dog foods made by Acana mainly because it matches the natural diets and physiology of dogs to best meet their natural nutritional needs. In addition to being high in protein, this dog food is loaded with key nutrients derived from fresh or raw animal ingredients, whole vegetables, fruits, and botanicals. It does not contain artificial ingredients and is manufactured in a state-of-the-art kitchen.

Type: Dry dog food

Flavor Options: Red Meat Freshwater Fish Free-Run Poultry

Price: $2.5/pound

• Crafted with fresh and raw ingredients
• Grain-free and high-protein formula
• Free of grain, gluten, potato, and tapioca ingredients
• Contains no artificial colors or preservatives
• USA-made with ingredients from trusted sources

Cons

• Often out of stock on online retailers

Ingredient Analysis

• Freeze-Dried Beef Liver: An excellent source of vitamins and minerals.
• Freeze-Dried Pork Liver: This is a prominent source of iron and protein and is more nutritious than chicken liver or turkey liver.
• Apples: Add the required fiber dosage your dog needs and provide essential nutrients for your dogs overall health.

Review: This product contains protein-rich animal ingredients and fresh or raw vegetables and fruits.

Type: Dry dog food

Price: $3.4/pound

Cons

Cons

Rating Acana On What Matters

The review analyses and evaluates the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Heres how it rates in each of those six key areas.

Overall Score: 6.6/10

• Customer Experience 6/10
• Recall History 6/10

As part of the review process, samples were submitted to an independent lab to get a full report. In addition, a sample of Acana Indoor Entree Chicken, Rabbit, Herring Dry Cat Food was submitted for analysis at an ISO 17025 certified food testing and analysis lab. Analytical testing in a food chemistry lab provides the products exact macronutrient and micronutrient content, painting a clear picture of what youre putting in your cats bowl.

Remember that, when it comes to nutrient content, the cat food label only gives us a guaranteed analysis, which is a set of minimum and maximum valuesnot a description of whats in the food. In reality, the foods nutrient content may be substantially different from what you see on the label.

We hope the information in this lab report empowers you to take a scientific, data-driven approach to decide whether or not this brand is the right choice for your cat.

Acana Cat Food: Nutrition They Need Food They Love

Here at Pets & Friends, we know your cats nutrition is important to you so with the recent launch of the brand new ACANA cat food range, we take a look at what makes ACANA different and what the brand new recipes and grain-free varieties offer to keep your cat healthy and happy.

Ingredients

Ingredients we love, sourced from people we trust is the ACANA standpoint when it comes to sourcing farm-fresh ingredients for the recipes. All of ACANAs recipes are packed full of real, protein-rich meat including free-range chicken and both fresh and saltwater fish.

ACANAs recipes are crafted to mimic the diet which Mother Nature cultivated for your cat to flourish, so they ensure to include complementary ratios of meat, organs, cartilage, and bone which deliver nutrients naturally.

With ACANA recipes, you can be confident your cherished cats diet is loaded with healthy, sustaining nourishment.

Grain-Free

ACANA grain free recipes are crafted featuring a unique blend of essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to support healthy digestion, skin, coat, heart, and eyes. The meat included in ACANA grain-free cat food has been selected based specifically on a cats natural ancestral diet, focusing on small prey such as chicken, fish, and eggs. Each recipe in the range is made using 75% small prey ingredients, half of which are fresh or raw to deliver the nutrition cats require, as well as offering a desirable taste full of flavour.

Grain-Free Recipe Benefits

New ACANA Cat

Recommended Reading: How Much To Fix A Male Cat

Acana Cat Food Reviews

According to their website, Acana makes Biologically Appropriate dog and cat foods from fresh regional ingredients, making them from start to finish in their very own award-winning kitchens.

Choosing the right food for your cat can be a daunting task. What makes a good cat food? Whose reviews can you trust? Here at CatFoodDB, we generate our brand reviews using our own custom algorithm from the data provided straight from the manufacturer – the product ingredient lists and its published guaranteed analysis. You can find more details about how we do this here: CatFoodDB’s Review Process.

Is Acana Dog Food Worth It

Yes, Acana Dog Food is worth it.

Acana only uses meat from animals that have been certified for human consumption. Additionally, all the fruit and vegetables used are table quality.

There are different kinds of Acana Dog Food that cater to different doggy needs: small and large breed dogs, puppies, adult or senior dogs, and even picky eaters or pups with sensitive stomachs.

Acana Dog Food and Orijen Dog Food are made exclusively by Champion Pet Foods. If you buy one of these brands, you know what youre getting, especially in terms of quality.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Healthiest Way To Feed A Cat

Acana Is Built Around The Idea Of Biological Appropriateness

The prevailing philosophy behind this food is that your cat will do best when theyre eating the kind of diet that theyd be eating out in the wild.

This sets Acana apart from many other cat foods on the market. Whereas many foods only have one or two meat sources inside, Acana has a minimum of six. After all, most cats dont eat the same thing every meal in the wild they eat whatever they can catch, including birds, rodents, etc.

Their foods are also low on carbs because wild cats dont eat fruits or veggies. Still, those foods can offer important nutrients, which is why Acana includes them in small amounts.

Has Acana Cat Food Been Recalled

Acana hasnt been recalled, but its sister brand, Orijen, has.

Prior to 2009, Australian import regulations required all raw or lightly-cooked imported foods undergo gamma irradiation treatment before being sold in stores. Because Orijen foods contain fresh and freeze-dried ingredients, they were subject to this mandatory irradiation treatment.

In 2008, the treatment destroyed more than microbial contaminants in Orijen food. It depleted vitamin A and promoted the formation and spread of free radicals. Combined, these effects led to illnesssometimes fatal illnessin several cats who ate the treated Orijen food.

In 2018, US consumers filed a lawsuit against Acanas parent company, Champion Petfoods.

The class-action suit alleged that Champion misrepresented their food by failing to disclose the presence of heavy metals and toxins. Testing by the Clean Label Project revealed that both Orijen and Acana foods contained arsenic, BPA, cadmium, mercury, and lead. You may view documentation of those toxins here. The average amount of heavy metals in Orijen and Acana foods fell within the maximum tolerable levels set by the FDA.

Recommended Reading: Where To Take Unwanted Cats

Acana Cat Food Summary

• Best Overall Dry Cat Food Formula: Acana Bountiful Catch Dry Cat FoodThe balanced nutrition this formula offers is great for normal cats with normal energy and nutritional requirements.
• Made with the Most Wholesome Ingredients: Acana Grasslands Dry Cat FoodAt least half of the ingredients in this food are either fresh or raw at the time of production.
• Made with the Most Animal Ingredients: Acana Meadowlands Dry Cat FoodThis food contains 75% animal ingredients, the highest out of any food on this list.
• Best Ingredients in a Dry Cat Food: Acana Regionals Grasslands Dry Cat FoodThis foods ingredients include only whole prey foods and whole fruits and vegetables instead of manmade supplements.
• Best Weight Maintenance Cat Food: Acana Homestead Harvest Dry Cat FoodThe formula in this cat food is great at maintaining a healthy weight by providing all of the nutrients a cat needs while being filling enough to prevent overeating.

Where Can You Buy Acana Cat Food

Because Acana is not one of the biggest brands out there, you may have a little more difficulty finding it. Acana currently doesnt sell their products on their own website, though you can find some recipes available on . Other than that, youll likely have to go to your local pet store to find it. The best place to shop is in local and specialty pet stores or in national chains like Petco and PetSmart.

Don’t Miss: Why Does My Cat Smell My Mouth

The 7 Dry Cat Food Options From Acana

• Allergens: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Turkey, Trout, Catfish, Eggs
• First 5 ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey, Chicken Liver, Chicken Meal, Catfish Meal
• Primary Proteins: Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey
• Calories: 439 kcal per Cup
• Flavor: Poultry and Freshwater Fish
• Type: Dry cat food
• Life Stage: All Life Stages

• First 5 ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Herring Meal, Oatmeal, Whole Peas
• Primary Proteins: Chicken, Herring, Turkey
• Calories: 414 kcal per cup
• Flavor: Chicken and Turkey
• Type: Dry Cat Food
• Life Stage: Adult

Product Lines Differences And Which One You Should Choose

There are two main product categories for Acana cat food. Of their two main lines, one branch is grain-free, while the other isnt. Acana doesnt actually have a huge range of cat food products, which makes choosing a product much easier for pet parents. Some brands have innumerable amounts of products that are all really similar and it can make it confusing for cat owners who want to switch brands.

Also Check: How To Get A Cat To Come Home

Acana Meadowlands Premium Dry Cat Food

Acana Meadowlands is a more typical cat food recipe, as it uses ingredients like chicken, turkey, and trout rather than exotic fish. However, those ingredients are typical for a reason theyre great for cats.

This recipe uses several different meals as well, like catfish meal and chicken meal. Although it sounds gross to us, meals are mushed-up concoctions that include a variety of internal organs and bones, and theyre filled with essential nutrients that cant be found in other parts of the animal.

They include non-mashed-up internal organs as well, like turkey hearts and livers. Most cats love these meats, and you cant find them in many lower-priced foods.

The plant-based ingredients are top-notch as well, with collard greens, carrots, cranberries, and more making an appearance.

There are quite a few eggs in the recipe these add protein but at the risk of causing digestive issues for some cats. Also, theres more sugar in here than wed like, but still less than youd find in more highly-processed foods.

The Price You Pay For Acana Cat Food

Import costs have a major effect on the price of Acana in South Africa, making it one of the most expensive cat foods on the market. According to the companys feeding guidelines for a 5 KG cat is 75 g / C per day for Acana Regionals Wild Prairie Cat Food. Based on this, you can get 72 servings out of a 5.4KG bag. With the average online cost of R1150, it works out to be just short of R16 per serving.

Read Also: When Can Kittens Start Eating Food

Unbiased Acana Cat Food Review 2022

Fresh regional ingredients and high-meat formulations have helped make Acana one of the most frequently-recommended pet food brands on the market. But is it a good choice for your cat?

Earlier this year, allaboutcats.com reviewed Acana, providing an unbiased opinion on the brand that many cat owners swear by.

Thoughtfully Crafted From Start To Finish

Also Check: Side Effects Of Prednisone In Cats

Which Of The Acana Cat Diets Should I Choose

The ACANA Homestead Harvest, Meadowlands, and Indoor Entrée all feature a blend of poultry ingredients that tend to be easy for cats to digest. These diets are a great option for cats who are just being introduced to ACANA,or love the taste of chicken! If you want a diet to help support your cats skin and coat, we recommend a fish-based diet like our ACANA Wild Atlantic or Bountiful Catch. These are higher in omega-3 fatty acidswhich are great for skin and coat health. For cats that enjoy more variety, the ACANA Grasslands is a great option! The Grasslands features an exciting blend of poultry and game bird ingredients to provide aunique flavor.

Cats Love It I Feel Good

The ingredient list meets my standards, but that doesn’t always means the cats will like it. The first time we poured Acana food in their bowls, they gobbled it up! And better yet, after the third bag, they still like it. None of our five snub their bowl! So it’s a product the cats love and I feel good about the nutrition they are getting.

Read Also: When Should Kittens Start Eating Wet Food

How Is Acana Dog Food Made

Acana Dog Food is made with fresh, natural, and high-quality ingredients that dogs would eat in the wild. The formulas always feature a high-quality meat protein as their first ingredient.

Champion Pet Food cares about supporting local farmers and promoting local heritage. This means that these dog foods are just as good for people as they are for pets.

All the red-meat animals are raised naturally on local ranches, while the fish and game are caught wild. The poultry is locally raised, free-run, and certified fit for human consumption.

The Acana Dog Food recipes are free from controversial ingredients like , GMO ingredients, wheat, corn, soy, and artificial preservatives.

Acana Doesnt Outsource Any Of Its Food Processing

All of Acanas foods are made in its own kitchen in Alberta. None of the manufacturing process happens in places like China or other overseas locations with potentially shoddy safety practices.

It doesnt handle any other manufacturing for other companies either, so its food cant get tainted along the way. That doesnt guarantee the foods safety, of course, but it is reassuring.

You May Like: Cat Allergic To Catnip Sneezing

Are These Diets All Life Stages

Our new ACANA First Feast, Grasslands, Wild Atlantic and Meadowlands diets for All Life Stages, so they are appropriate for kittens as well as adult cats. Our new ACANA Homestead Harvest, Bountiful Catch, and IndoorEntrée diets have been formulated for Adult Maintenance. This makes these diets a great option for adult cats.

Their Variety Is Lacking

You wont find many recipes from Acana, as its not as specialized as some other brands. It only has a few dry foods to choose from, and it doesnt make wet cat foods at all.

Thats not a big deal if you assume, like Acana apparently does, that its basic options are all perfectly-calibrated to meet a cats dietary needs. You dont need more options if one works better than any of the others, after all.

However, if your cat doesnt care for one of its foods, you wont have many backup plans available. Its food can also be hard to find in stores, so you may have to switch to another food if you cant find Acana with any regularity.

Recommended Reading: How Much Is A Siberian Cat

Who Is Acanas Target Audience

Acana is a premium brand aimed at pet owners who are willing to spend whatever it takes to keep their cats healthy. Its not a cheap food, and its not sold in many stores, so it can be difficult to find.

Most of Acanas customers are fairly well-educated about their cats nutritional needs, and the company relies on that. If you think that your cat should eat a diet as diverse as your own, this is not going to be the food for you. Acana recognizes that cats are carnivores and its foods reflect that.

It only makes dry kibble, so while it does have recipes targeted at senior cats, Acanas foods arent the best choice for cats with missing teeth or periodontal disease. However, their crunchy kibble can help clean cats teeth, so it may help prevent those issues in the first place.