Finding the perfect feline food for your purr baby is a big responsibility. There is a seemingly never-ending selection of options to choose from. Pet owners often benefit from doing a little research and learning about a brand before they buy. One brand feline owners are curious about is Acana. There is a lot to know about this brand, and reading a thorough Acana cat food review can be helpful.
There is more to a cat nutrition brand than a cute picture on the package and bold claims on the label. Owners must consider brand history, ingredients, product range, recall history, price, and how products compare to others on the market.
If you are seeking quality cat chow to provide your furry friend with the nutrition they need, Acana cat food is certainly worth considering. Acana offers an assortment of recipes, including both dry and wet products. Let’s get down to business and learn more about Acana cat food and whether it is a good fit for your feline family members.
Key Features
- High-quality raw and fresh animal proteins.
- No added fillers or chemicals.
- It is made in company-owned facilities.
- Species-specific nutrition.
- Well-established company.
- Local and regional suppliers.
- Dry and wet options.
Brand History
Acana is a pet food brand produced by Champion Petfoods, a family-owned pet food company based in Alberta, Canada. Recipes are made with fresh, regional ingredients that are “biologically appropriate” for cats. The company focuses on providing felines with a diet that using their tradional natural diet as a model.
Acana is part of the much larger Champion Petfoods, Canada’s largest pet food manufacturer. They started in 1975 in the livestock feed industry and then got into pet nutrition in the 1980s. The brand became commercially available in the early 2000s. Champion Petfoods also makes Orijen a well-known pet nutrition brand. Both are premium brands of pet nutrition. Though Acana is the more affordable of the two, it also tends to have a lower meat content in recipes than Orijen. This brand takes care to formulate top-quality nutrition at an affordable price point.
Champion Petfoods trademarked the term “biologically appropriate” in 2005. This term refers to the concept of “Mirror the quantity, freshness, and variety of meat that nature evolved dogs and cats to eat.” The company creates recipes that mirror the animal’s evolutionary diet and uses no synthetic additives.
Acana Recall Information
As of this writing, Acana has a stellar reputation. As far as recalls, there have been none. Champion had a recall for some Orijen feline products back in 2008 in Australia. The issue stemmed from mandatory gamma irradiation, required in Australia to remove microbial toxins. This process breaks down the food, causing the release of harmful compounds called free radicals. this caused some pets to get sick and a few to develop a fatal illness. Thankfully, this was a very limited recall unrelated to Acana products.
The brand has been named as part of a lawsuit filed against several pet manufacturers, including the brand’s parent Champion. Customers in three US states sued because they felt the company had misled consumers about the presence of heavy metals and other toxins in their pet foods. An investigation showed the presence of some heavy metals. However, they were below the maximum levels accepted by the FDA.
Where Is It Made?
All Acana products are crafted with care in Champion-owned kitchens and manufacturing facilities. They do not outsource any of their pet products or make any other company’s foods. Champion has facilities in Alberta, Canada, and in Kentucky. The company controls every detail of the manufacturing process, from ingredient sourcing to food production and packaging.
Champion connects with regional ranchers, farmers, and fishermen and sets their own nutritional and quality standards. All Acana feline food cooking happens in in Champion’s DogStar Kitchen, located in Kentucky. The company works directly with a team of 20 highly qualified veterinary and animal nutrition experts to develop recipes and nutritional profiles.
Ingredients To Look For
High-quality pet chow is made up of superior ingredients. It contains no synthetic elements, fillers, or inferior elements such as unidentified meat by-products or bulky fillers like wheat gluten. Kitties need a diet full of animal proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and other necessary nutrients.
Felines need specific minerals and vitamins, such as taurine, which are essential for their wellness. Giving a diet rich in these essential nutrients is necessary to ensure your cat gets the correct nourishment. Preferred ingredients include animal proteins like chicken, turkey, fish, beef, and organ meat.
Felines are obligate carnivores and require animal protein-based diets to maintain their growth and health. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential for healthy skin and fur. Minerals and vitamins like Vitamins A and B, taurine, and potassium are also necessary. Carbohydrates provide energy and dietary fiber, while moisture is essential since cats are susceptible to dehydration, and wet meal options can reduce this risk.
Acana Ingredients
Acana’s feline recipes are made with fresh, high-quality elements designed to give cats the nutrition they need. All their products are free of bulky fillers and contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The main ingredients include fresh meat, wild-caught fish, and fruits and vegetables.
This brand uses high-quality animal fats and oils to provide cats with essential fatty acids and vitamins. The brand also uses probiotics to support digestive health and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. The company uses 50 to 75% quality animal ingredients in all recipes, with 25 to 50% fruit, vegetables, and botanicals.
Protein
Acana uses ranch-raised beef, bison, sheep, Yorkshire pork, free-run poultry, and wild-caught or responsibly-raised fish. They also use cage-free eggs in several recipes.
Other ingredients
Whole fruit and vegetables are sourced from regional farmers. These include apples, pears, chickpeas, carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, peas, lentils, pumpkin, beans, and more. Homegrown botanicals like chicory root, turmeric, lavender, milk, thistle, marshmallow root, and burdock root are also used for additional health support.
Acana Cat Food Recipes
This brand offers a moderate selection of recipes, including dry and wet options. The wet line is relatively new, as the company focused on dry kibble until recently. Their offerings include options for kittens and adult cats. They offer specific formulas based on regional ingredients. Let’s review some of the top sellers.
Regional Meadowlands
- Dry kibble.
- For all life stages.
- High protein.
- 75% small prey ingredients.
- 439 calories per cup.
- A mixture of raw and fresh ingredients.
This dry kibble is made of free-run poultry, freshwater fish, and cage-free eggs. The recipe uses 75% small prey animal ingredients. Six animal protein varieties to choose from: chicken, turkey, catfish, pollock, eggs, and trout. This tasty kibble has a mixture of raw and fresh components.
The first five ingredients are animal protein sources: deboned chicken, deboned turkey, chicken liver, chicken meal, catfish meal, and Pollock meal. The recipe also uses whole red lentils, whole pinto beans, chicken fat, pea starch, whole green lentils, whole chickpeas, rainbow trout, eggs, catfish, pollock oil, chicken heart, turkey liver, turkey heart, chicken cartilage freeze-dried turkey liver dried kelp, whole cranberries, whole pumpkin, collard greens, carrots, apples, as well as nutrients and minerals. This recipe has 439 calories per cup and is suitable for all life stages: 36% crude protein and 18% crude fat.
We love the variety of high-quality protein and flavor in this kibble. The high-quality ingredients make all the difference. No artificial additives or unnecessary fillers. Includes muscle meat, cartilage, and organs giving it a meaty taste felines love.
Indoor Entrée
- Formulated for indoor cats.
- Supports digestive health.
- Hairball assistance.
- 414 calories per cup.
- Easy to digest.
- Weigh management support.
Indoor Entrée is a recipe specially created to suit the needs of indoor cats. This uses 65% quality animal ingredients, including fresh or free-run raw poultry and whole herring. This recipe is nutrient dense to support weight management, digestive health, and hairball control. It has a meaty, alluring taste to keep indoor kitties interested in their chow.
Elements like fiber from oat groats, miscanthus grass, lentils, chickpeas, lentil fiber, and probiotics are added to help with digestion and hairball control, a significant issue for many indoor cats. 414 calories per cup, 36% crude protein, 18.5% crude fat, and 5 % crude fiber.
We love the high-protein, real animal ingredient formula for indoor cats. Top-notch ingredients and a ton of flavor. Real meats are named first, and there are no fillers, chemical additives, or artificial flavoring.
First Feast Kitten
- Formulated for kittens growing needs.
- 70% small prey ingredients.
- Smaller kibble, easy to digest.
- Protein-packed.
- High-quality animal proteins.
- Fresh vegetables and nutrients.
First Feast is a free-run chicken and whole herring formula made just for kittens. It uses 70% of small prey ingredients. The recipe uses chicken, herring, turkey, egg and quail, chicken meal, herring meal, oatmeal, whole peas, chicken fat, whole green lentils, turkey meal, whole chickpeas, pollock oil, natural chicken flavor, lentil fiber, quail, chicken cartilage, chicken liver, and heart, whole cranberries, dried kelp, and other added nutrients.
This kitten-formulated recipe has 439 calories per cup. It has plenty of flavor and protein to support growth, the immune system, skin and coat, and brain development. Best for kittens over 5 weeks old. 36% crude protein,18.5% crude fat, and 4 % crude fiber.
We love the high protein content and that this formula is just for kittens. Kittens need smaller kibbles that are easy to digest, and we appreciate the fresh elements and lack of artificial additives.
Premium Pâté
- Smooth and tasty pate in bone broth.
- For adult cats.
- 96 calories per 3 oz can.
- High in moisture.
- 85% animal ingredients.
- Fresh animal proteins.
The company has begun to offer some premium canned pates for cats. A customer favorite is the tuna and chicken pate in a savory bone broth. These are grain free, packed with 85 %quality raw animal ingredients, and high in moisture.
This flavorful canned recipe uses tuna, chicken, bone broth, fish bone broth, chicken liver, pumpkin, and salmon oil as protein sources. The recipe is formulated for adult cats and meets nutritional guidelines established by the AAFCO.
We love that this is so high in moisture and packs a delicious punch of animal protein. Along with high-quality kibble, this is a fantastic and healthy protein source for your kitty. 96 calories per 3-ounce can.
Premium Pâté Kitten
- Smooth and soft for kittens.
- 85% premium animal ingredients.
- 111 calories per 3 oz can.
- Packed with animal protein.
- High in moisture.
- Easy on kitten’s digestion.
This tasty, smooth pate is developed especially for kittens. A delicious bone broth blend of chicken and tuna uses 85% premium animal parts. It is high in moisture, adding much-needed hydration to an active kitten’s diet.
The first six ingredients on the label are raw chicken, tuna, bone broth, fish bone broth, chicken liver, and salmon oil. This is a specially crafted recipe packed with high-quality animal protein, tons of flavor, and specially formulated to support growing kittens. This is a grain-free recipe; cats will go crazy for that meaty taste.
We love that this high-protein, kittens-specific wet formula does not skimp on high-quality animal proteins. The delicious bone broth and meaty flavor will keep kittens very happy. This pate packs 111 calories per three-ounce can.
All Available Recipes
| Dry | Wet |
|---|---|
| First Feast Kitten | Premium Pâté Chicken & Tuna Kitten |
| Bountiful Catch | Premium Pâté Chicken & Fish |
| Indoor Entree | Premium Pâté Beef, Chicken & Tuna |
| Senior Entree | Premium Pâté Lamb & Lamb Liver |
| High Protein Kitten | Premium Pâté Tuna & Chicken |
| Meadowlands | Premium Pâté Salmon & Chicken |
| Grasslands | |
| Wild Atlantic |
Is Acana Cat Food Good?
This is a good, higher-than-average quality pet food brand. It is not the most expensive brand on the market, but it is more costly than some other budget or more commonly known brands. The high-protein formulas are perfect for kittens and highly active adult cats. Recipes are also developed to help manage common conditions like hairballs, digestive health, and weight management.
Acana’s cat foods are made in in-house manufacturing facilities using well-vetted local and regional ingredients. We appreciate that this is feline-specific nutrition and that there is a variety of recipes to choose from. They use a wide variety of high-quality, ethically sourced, species-appropriate proteins. No fillers, artificial flavors, chemical additives, or artificial colorings exist in any of this brand’s recipes.
Overall, this kitty food is above quality and an excellent choice for any purr baby. There are recipes available for all life stages and a selection of flavors in wet and dry foods. If you are willing to pay a little more than average, this is an excellent choice, and your purr baby will appreciate you for it.
How Much Is Acana? Is It Worth The Price?
This brand is reasonably priced and available from various sellers, brick-and-mortar, and online retailers. Dry kibble comes in four- and 10-pound varieties. A 10-pound bag of Meadowlands dry kibble will cost around $45, depending upon the retailer it is purchased from.
Canned prices can vary. However, a case of 24 three-ounce cans will cost around 43 or more dollars. That averages out to about $1.80 per can. Though this is a little pricier than some budget options, the ingredient quality and care taken in preparing these foods are well worth the extra price. Feline nutrition is the cornerstone of lifelong health, so paying a little extra for those fresh, raw, and real animal proteins is well worth it.
Pros & Cons Chart
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| High-quality ingredients | More expensive than budget brands |
| No recalls | No fresh meals |
| Great taste | Some recipes have high plant content |
| Real animal proteins | Some recipes are high in carbohydrates |
| Formulated to meet the nutritional needs of cats of all ages | Not all cats like the flavor |
| Contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives | Are not as many options as the dog food line |
| Rich in proteins, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals | |
| Includes muscle meat, organs, and cartilage |
Final Thoughts
Acana is a high-quality, affordable, established pet nutrition brand from a highly qualified, very experienced parent company. This brand provides a good selection of recipes, both wet and dry. Their products serve the needs of cats of all ages and life stages. These recipes focus on providing high-quality, tasty recipes using the finest ingredients. Raw and fresh, locally sourced animal proteins are key to making these recipes delicious and nutritious.
Finding a brand or two of cat food your purr baby does very well with is a great idea. Switching a kitty’s chow too often can result in digestive issues and may contribute to them developing picky eating habits. The good news is that this brand works with with excellent ingredients and is of higher quality than most other foods in their price range. Acana is a reliable, solid choice for just about any kitty.
