Akana dry food for cats: reviews from owners and veterinarians

May 31, 2018

For those who still don’t know which food to choose for their cat, we recommend an article about Akana food. It contains all the relevant information about modern Acana food, customer reviews and the opinion of veterinarians. Surely, it will be a useful aid when choosing a suitable diet for your pet.

The brand is widely known all over the world and has managed to establish itself well in the ready-made pet food market. Products have been manufactured in Canada for over 25 years. All components included in the finished diet are also included. The presence of the “premium class” prefix itself speaks for itself: the feed does not contain preservatives, dyes or cost-reducing raw materials (this includes gluten, low-quality fats, corn flour, offal, ground bones, etc.).

Another good news is that the food from this manufacturer is completely free of grain components. The required level of carbohydrates is compensated by using a special variety of potatoes. Any Akana food consists of 50-65% meat (or fish), and 35% fruits and vegetables. In order to reduce the acidity level of cat urine, the manufacturer even added Colombian cranberries to the composition. Is it possible to take better care of our pets?

In addition, the company produces another food under the brand name Orijen.

Types of cat food Acana (Akana)

The name of the private company producing this food is “Champion Petfoods”. It supplies Acana feed to almost fifty countries around the globe.

On the pages of the Russian-language official website of Akan there is a large amount of information about the philosophy and mission of the brand, but in short, the essence comes down to the fact that the spool is small, but expensive. Acana cat food is produced exclusively in the form of dry crackers, and there are only a few varieties themselves and each of them has a standard packaging of 0.34 kg, 2.27 kg, 6.8 kg.

Do not delude yourself ahead of time, because like any ready-made food for furry pets, the food of this brand is endowed with its own advantages and disadvantages. We invite you to consider them in more detail.

Advantages of Akana cat food:

  • fully prepared and balanced feed;
  • high quality and the presence of only fresh ingredients in the compositions;
  • Suitable for cats of any age and breed;
  • has a moderate pricing policy among premium food;
  • Hypoallergenic food options are available;
  • easy to store and transport, which allows you to stock up on Akana food for future use.

Disadvantages of Acana cat food:

  • It is necessary to wash down the food with large volumes of water, like any other dry food;
  • The manufacturer does not produce wet food (canned food).

If your cat is cheerful, playful, full of energy, her fur is shiny, and there is no specific pungent odor from her mouth or from her litter box, then you have made the right choice and the food is suitable for your pet. If in any doubt, it is recommended to visit a veterinarian. A specialist can prescribe tests for a furry beauty, the results of which can

Compound

Types of meat and offal in Acana feed:

  • duck: fillet, kidneys, liver, heart;
  • meat and fat, raw tripe, dried lamb cartilage;
  • turkey meat, giblets;
  • chicken meat, offal, fat.

Beef is not used for one simple reason: it is difficult for a cat's stomach to digest.

The plant components are as follows:

  • turmeric seasoning (stimulates the secretion of bile, which is important for the cat to digest what it eats);
  • marshmallow root (enveloping and anti-inflammatory effect);
  • milk thistle (prevention of liver diseases);
  • dried blueberries (for visual acuity);
  • lavender (its aroma attracts cats);
  • turnip root (contains a large amount of fiber);
  • cranberry (prevention of urolithiasis);
  • seaweed (contains a lot of magnesium, zinc, selenium, manganese, iodine);
  • pumpkin (improves digestion);
  • alfalfa (contains iron, protein, magnesium);
  • legumes (green and yellow peas, green and red lentils, beans, chickpeas);
  • spinach, kale, pears, apples;
  • eggs.

A quarter of the composition is fruits, vegetables and herbal supplements. As we can see, the balance of fats, proteins, taurine, calcium and other important substances is maintained.

Which food to choose for your pet

Today, the Akana line is represented by three menus. However, their level is quite comparable to the list of dishes from the best restaurants.

  • WILD PRAIRIE CAT & KITTEN "Acana Regionals"

The composition of this grain-free food for cats and kittens is distinguished by the content of unfrozen meat from Cobb chickens raised in Canada, dietary turkey meat containing large quantities of vitamins A and E, wild perch caught in natural conditions and a side dish of vegetables and fruits.

It is necessary to dwell in a little more detail on the list of the last ingredients that are sources of carbohydrates.

The company claims that feed must contain a wide variety of vegetables and fruits.

It is for this reason that each package of Akana food contains a serving of Red Delicious apples, Barlet pears, butternut squash, carrots, spinach, blueberries and cranberries.

In addition, WILD PRAIRIE CAT & KITTEN “Acana Regionals” food is an excellent prevention of the development of urolithiasis and kidney diseases (thanks to the above-mentioned cranberries and the correct level of magnesium).

  • ACANA PACIFICA CAT

This type of food is hypoallergenic and is perfect for kittens and cats of any breed.

For this menu, the manufacturer chose the taste of fish, and, of course, included it in the composition, and how! The food is made from fillets of hake, flounder and herring, caught naturally in the Pacific Ocean, and added to the product without being frozen!

In order to lower urine pH, the developers of Akana food decided to add Colombian cranberries to the composition. To remove toxins from the cat's gastrointestinal tract, seaweed was included. In addition, the menu is enriched with such vital substances for cats as taurine and Omega-3 fatty acids.

As a list of phytocomponents, Akana decided to opt for:

  • calendula, since it is endowed with anti-inflammatory properties;
  • juniper, as a bactericidal and diuretic component;
  • rosehip, known for its high mineral content;
  • ginger root, which lowers cholesterol;
  • chicory root, which improves the functioning of the heart and blood vessels;
  • dandelion root, to increase appetite;
  • lavender, which calms the cat’s nervous system;
  • chamomile, famous for having antimicrobial properties, etc.
  • ACANA GRASSLANDS CAT

The food consists of 0% grain, 30% fruits and vegetables, and the rest is highly digestible protein of meat origin!

The meat component of the food is presented in the form of lamb (the main part), duck and wild perch. The list of protein sources has been supplemented with chicken eggs.

In addition to taurine, Akana food necessarily contains prebiotics - a list of living microorganisms that balance the activity of the flora that populates the cat’s intestines. The company that produces ACANA food considers it its duty to emphasize that the bacteria used in their cat food (which is Enterococcus faecium) are completely non-pathogenic! In addition, their activity promotes the growth of the number of necessary bacteria (bifido, lacto, etc.), but at the same time blocks the proliferation of staphylo- and streptococci.

Manufacturer

Representatives of the Canadian company Champion PetFoods sought to create a product that would best satisfy the needs of animals. This principle is known as “biologically appropriate.” Its concept is simple: to make food that is as balanced as possible and only from natural ingredients, which any cat or dog can easily get used to.

There are several points that must be strictly observed:

  • Since cats, as a predatory biological species, ate meat throughout their entire evolutionary development, industrially produced food should fully meet their needs. Those. contain at least 75% meat and 90% protein.
  • After heat treatment, meat loses most of its nutrients, so it should always be produced raw or fresh.
  • A diet containing only one or two types of prey can be called meager. At Champion PetFoods, they use at least 3 types of meat and add variety by adding fish or chicken eggs. There are exceptions, but they are few (for example, the Acana Singles line, designed specifically for animals with food allergies, intolerance to certain components, and with digestive problems).
  • Hunting cats raised on the street, having caught their prey, eat it all: along with the skin, entrails and cartilage. A person, trying to make digestion easier for a pet, tries to remove all this, and thereby makes a big mistake: after all, these parts often contain especially valuable components. They are present in Acana food.
  • The predator rarely comes across carbohydrates in natural conditions, which is why Acana food contains neither potatoes nor grains, but contains only those vegetables and fruits whose glycemic index is low (i.e. there is no threat of diabetes).
  • Manufacturers prefer to buy feed products nearby: in the same regions where production is located, namely in the Canadian state of Alberta. This is not just a state - it is the agricultural center of the country, the main supplier of fresh fish and meat, vegetables, fruits and berries.

The entire production process of Acana feed (Akana) - from food processing to packaging - takes place in one place. Genetically modified raw materials are not used, nor are dyes!

Acana food was first sold in 1975. Its creator, an ordinary farmer Reinhard Mählenfeld, owned a pet store and loved animals very much. For a long time, only veterinary drugs were on sale, but then Reinhard decided to try selling his own food for dogs and cats. The local animals ate them with great appetite, grew quickly and looked great, the animal owners were delighted, and Mählenfeld’s business quickly took off. Attempts to sell recipes to giant companies that successfully traded in the market were unsuccessful: they saw no point in getting involved with a small farmer and did not consider it necessary to invest in what they thought was a “low-profit” business. Then Reinhard, with the support of his loved ones, through many obstacles, opened his own production.

Reviews of Akana cat food

Oksana P .: “It’s rare that I can speak on every food item, but this is just about Akana, because I bought all three. If we talk about the one that tastes like lamb, the cat liked it, but I didn’t. Due to the fact that the smell from the tray became so disgusting that I decided not to buy it anymore. My cat's favorite is the one that tastes like fish. He eats it quickly and after a certain period of time goes to the toilet. For variety, I buy Akana with chicken, but the cat doesn’t show much pleasure in eating it. We visited the vet a couple of weeks ago and he said the cat was healthy. I think a lot of this is down to good food.”

Kotsareva Elya : “This food was recommended to me by a dog owner whose dog for several years has not wanted to eat anything other than Akana food. I bought the same food, only for cats, of course, and offered it to my Hermione. She turned away and did not eat anything for several days. I continued to insist and did not give anything other than this food. After a few crackers, Hermie would turn away and walk away. I gave up and fed her the usual food, Our Mark. I don’t know why this happened, I’m glad I didn’t buy a big pack, I still had to throw it away.”

Oleg : “Several months ago our friend was deprived of his “farm”, after which I firmly decided that at least I would feed him only high-quality food, since he could not see more joy in his life. I scoured the Internet, found reviews about Akana cat food, and bought it. The sad cat attacked the food and ate it down to the last cracker. Since he liked it so much, I will continue to buy it, especially since no problems with stool arose after using it.”

Reviews from veterinarians about Acana food

Petrunin Mikhail Eduardovich, 18 years of work experience : “Recently, a female sphinx was brought to my appointment, which has poor digestion and a tendency to constant allergies to a huge number of foods. Having tried various combinations of feeding natural food, I came to the conclusion that the cat was only suffering from this, and then recommended feeding her with Acana Pacifica Cat food. The dynamics of allergic rashes imperceptibly decreased and disappeared by the end of the week. Just a couple of months later the cat gained weight. Yesterday we brought her in for a check-up, and I can say for sure that now she is a happy, healthy animal, distinguished by her smooth skin and an insolent look.”

Okatova Ekaterina Olegovna, 5 years of experience: “I don’t see anything wrong with balanced ready-made super-premium food. Their composition is verified with such precision that the average cat owner cannot maintain it. "Akana food is one of the foods I recommend feeding domestic cats."

Rules for feeding cats

According to veterinarians' recommendations, it is best to feed furry pets in the morning, afternoon and evening. In order for the food taken by the cat to be digested normally, the feeding period needs to be calculated from 8 to 12 hours.

The owner chooses the portions, matching the quantity with the weight of the animal. Overfeeding your pet is unacceptable; you must monitor its physical fitness, and if signs of obesity are detected, limit the portions of food.

There should be drinking water next to the food. It is important to ensure your cat is drinking enough water every day, especially in hot weather and when the cat is unwell. The water must be clean and fresh and changed daily.

An important advantage of Akana food is its hypoallergenicity.

Acana contains a probiotic, freeze-dried bacteria to stabilize and regenerate the microflora of the stomach and intestines.

Acana food cost

Prices for Akana cat food are relatively inexpensive in its class of food:

  • for 340 g you will have to pay 361 rubles in Moscow (171 hryvnia in Kyiv);
  • 1.8 kg will cost 1619-1895 rubles (861-936 UAH);
  • The cost of a 5.4 kg package is 3129-3861 rubles (1894-2217 UAH).

If you have already fed your cat Acana food, we will be grateful for your feedback.

Tags: Food reviews

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