Our Verdict
ACANA dry cat food receives the Cat Food Advisor highest rating, 5-stars.
ACANA dry recipes are formulated with high levels of protein and fiber and a probiotic blend to support digestion, L-carnitine to maintain a healthy weight and ingredients to help control hairballs.
Pros
- Responsibly farm-raised fish
- Free-run poultry
- Farm-raised meat
- Human-grade foods
- Protein rich ingredients
Cons
- Expensive
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (kitten), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
The product line includes eight cat foods.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| First Feast Kitten | 5 | G |
| Bountiful Catch | 5 | M |
| Indoor Entrée | 5 | M |
| Senior Entrée | 5 | M |
| Highest Protein Kitten Recipe | 5 | G |
| Highest Protein Meadowlands | 5 | A |
| Highest Protein Grasslands | 5 | A |
| Highest Protein Wild Atlantic | 5 | A |
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Recipe and Label Analysis
ACANA First Feast Kitten was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
ACANA First Feast Kitten
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken meal, herring meal, oat groats, whole peas, chicken fat, turkey meal, whole green lentils, whole chickpeas, whole herring, eggs, fish oil, natural chicken flavor, lentil fiber, quail, chicken liver, chicken heart, whole cranberries, dried kelp, choline chloride, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), vitamin E supplement, taurine, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin A acetate, copper proteinate, biotin, DL-methionine, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%
Red denotes any controversial items
Ingredients Analysis
The first 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 11 essential amino acids required by a cat to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is herring meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, herring meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations. 2
The fourth ingredient is oat groats, a whole grain, minimally processed form of oats. With the exception of their caloric content and the fact they’re also gluten free, oat groats can be considered average in nutritional value.
The fifth ingredient is whole peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber. However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this cat food.
The sixth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The seventh ingredient is turkey meal, which just like the chicken meal mentioned above is a meat concentrate that contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.
The eighth ingredient is lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this cat food.
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 the product.
We note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, ACANA First Feast Kitten looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 40%, a fat level of 20% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 32%.
As a group, the brand features an above-average protein content of 38.3% and a mean fat level of 17.2%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 36.4% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 45%.
This means this ACANA dry product line contains near-average protein, near-average carbs and above-average fat when compared to typical dry cat food.
Final Word
ACANA uses responsibly sourced high quality ingredients in every recipe and contains no man made chemicals or preservatives. It relies on meat and vegetables for nutritional value and is supplemented with vitamins and minerals.
Has ACANA cat food been recalled in the past?
No, ACANA has had no known history of product recalls.
You can view a complete list of all cat food recalls since 2021 here.
To stay on top of any cat food product recalls, sign up for our free email alerts, here.
About
ACANA is a cat and dog food brand created by Champion Petfoods, a Canadian company. It was created in 1985 by Canadian entrepreneur Reinhard Mühlenfeld. Originally a tiny operation serving local Alberta farmers, it is now Canada’s largest pet food manufacturer.
Sources
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Article reviewed by
Veterinarian
Dr Georgia Jeremiah has a first class honors degree in comparative pathology with field experience in anatomic and clinical pathology, studying disease processes in a multitude of species.
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