Acana Cat Food Review

Kate Barrington

Researched & Written by

Kate Barrington


At Pawster, we are committed to presenting the most accurate and up-to-date information to assist you in your pet care journey. When appropriate, we consult licensed and practicing veterinarians to fact-check our professionally written articles.

The Acana pet food company is widely known for producing high-quality, biologically appropriate diets for cats and dogs. This company believes that the key to long-term health and wellness for pets is a high-quality, nutritious diet and that is exactly what they seek to provide. Acana formulates their recipes around fresh, regional ingredients and they follow the strictest standards for safety and quality in the manufacture and production of their pet foods. What makes Acana truly unique is the fact that all of their recipes are protein-rich and carbohydrate-limited, formulated in keeping with Whole Prey meat ratios. This means that not only are Acana products made with plenty of fresh meats, but they also include organ meats, raw bones, and cartilage to mimic the natural diet of wild cats. Overall, Acana products offer premium-quality nutrition for cats in all life stages.

Where is Acana Cat Food Made?

The Acana pet food brand is produced and manufactured by Champion Pet Foods in company-owned, award-winning kitchens located in Kentucky on 85 acres of farmland. The Acana brand owns its own manufacturing facilities (called the Dog Star Kitchens) where only Acana and Orijen products are made – this facility does not produce any other brands and no private label pet foods. In terms of the ingredients they use, Acana designs their recipes around fresh, regional ingredients that are locally sourced in many cases.

Are There Any Recalls for Acana Cat Food in 2024?

Acana products are manufactured in Dog Star Kitchens, a large production facility located in Kentucky and owned by Champion Pet Foods. Champion also produces the Orijen brand of pet food products which offers similar quality to Acana. Though the Acana brand has not been affected by any recalls to date, the Orijen brand was affected by a single recall in 2008 but it was limited to products manufactured and sold in Australia.

Acana Cat Food Coupons 2024

What Kind of Products Does Acana Offer?

Compared to many pet food companies, Acana has a very limited selection of cat food products available. Acana offers four different cat food recipes, all belonging to the Acana Regionals line. According to the Acana website, this line is designed to “reflect our local heritage and express the diversity of fresh foods produced from Kentucky’s fertile farmlands, meadows, Appalachian ranches, and New England’s cold Atlantic waters”. This product line may be limited but each recipe is packed with ranch-raised meats, nest-laid eggs, free-run poultry, and wild-caught fish in wholesome, nutritious formulas that are loaded with natural flavor. Furthermore, each recipe contains at least 75% meat ingredients and 25% fruit and vegetables to ensure nutritional balance.

Acana Dry Cat Food Products:

  • Meadowland
  • Grasslands
  • Wild Atlantic
  • Appalachian Ranch

Dry Cat Food Recipe Review: Acana Regionals Meadowland Recipe

This Acana Regionals Meadowland recipe cat food is packed with fresh, regional ingredients like free-run poultry, freshwater fish, and nest-laid eggs to meet your cat’s high needs for protein and healthy fat. Loaded with 75% meat ingredients, this formula is designed in keeping with whole prey ratios which includes fresh meats as well as organs and cartilage. Furthermore, 50% of the meat ingredients used in this recipe are fresh or raw, delivering plenty of essential nutrients in a highly biologically available form for your cat. It is also worth noting that this recipe doesn’t contain any synthetic supplements – it relies on natural sources for key nutrients to ensure complete and balanced nutrition.

The first ingredient in this Acana Regionals Meadowland recipe is deboned chicken which is followed by deboned turkey. These two ingredients alone speak to the high protein content of this recipe which is further supported by the fact that four other protein-rich ingredients are listed before the first carbohydrate ingredient. In addition to fresh meats, this recipe contains both turkey and chicken giblets (which are rich in healthy fats as well as protein) and both chicken meal and catfish meal. Do not be put off by the word “meal” here. Meat meals are simply fresh meats that have been cooked to remove moisture – this process results in a highly concentrated form of animal protein. Fresh meats contain up to 80% moisture, so a significant portion of their volume may be lost during cooking.

After the first six ingredients come several sources of digestible carbohydrates – whole green peas, red lentils, and pinto beans. You will also find chickpeas, green lentils, and whole yellow peas on the ingredients list. All of these carbohydrates are naturally gluten-free and grain-free which is important for cats since they have a very limited ability to digest grains. These carbohydrates are considered highly digestible for cats and they provide dietary fiber as well as key vitamins and minerals. A variety of fresh fruits and vegetables also appear further down the list (like whole pumpkin, kale, spinach, apples, and carrots) which provide supplementary fiber as well as natural sources for key nutrients.

In addition to plenty of quality proteins and digestible carbohydrates, this recipe is also rich in healthy fats. Chicken fat is the primary source of fat in this recipe which, although it may not sound appetizing to you, is a highly concentrated source of energy and therefore a valuable addition to this recipe. The chicken fat is supplemented with herring oil which helps to ensure a proper balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to support your cat’s skin and coat health. The remaining ingredients on the list consist primarily of botanicals, seeds, and dried fermentation products – there are also two chelated mineral supplements. The dried fermentation products act as probiotics to help support your cat’s healthy and regular digestion.

This Acana Regionals Meadowland recipe has a guaranteed analysis as follows:

  • Crude Protein (Min) – 35%
  • Crude Fat (Min) – 22%
  • Crude Fiber (Max) – 4%
  • Moisture (Max) – 10%
  • Calcium (Min) – 1.0%
  • Phosphorus (Min) – 0.8%
  • Omega-6 Fatty Acids (Min) – 3.5%
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Min) – 0.7%
  • Calorie Content – 463 calories/cup

This recipe is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages. To feed your cat this recipe, offer ½ cup per day for adult cats weighing 6.6 to 8.8 pounds (3 to 4 kg), ideally dividing it into two meals. Growing kittens may require up to twice this amount and pregnant or lactating female cats may need two to four times this amount. For adult cats, follow the feeding recommendations for several weeks while keeping an eye on your cat’s bodyweight and condition. If your cat appears to be gaining an unhealthy amount of weight, you may need to scale back his daily portion a little bit. For cats that lose weight or become lethargic, consider increasing the daily portion. This product should be fed at room temperature and stored in a cool, dry location.

Acana Regionals Meadowland Rating: 5/5 stars

This Acana Regionals Meadowland recipe cat food is packed with premium ingredients and formulated to meet your cat’s nutritional needs in a healthy and balanced way. Featuring not just one but more than half a dozen protein sources, this recipe is formulated in keeping with Whole Prey ratios and manufactured in award-winning kitchens which are kept to the strictest standards for quality and safety. Rather than loading up this recipe with synthetic supplements, this Acana Regionals Meadowland recipe cat food is supplemented with fresh fruits, vegetables, and botanicals as natural sources for key nutrients and dried fermentation products for probiotic support. Simply put, if you are looking for protein-rich, high-quality diet for your cat then consider this Acana Regionals Meadowland recipe.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Acana cat food rand offers excellent quality for cat owners looking to feed their cat a premium pet food product. Acana may only offer four different recipes for cat food, but each and every one is designed in keeping with Whole Prey ratios to deliver biologically appropriate nutrition in the healthiest way possible. This company relies on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and follows the strictest standards for safety and quality – plus, all of their recipes are produced in company-owned facilities located in the United States. It is also a bonus that this brand has not been affected by any recalls to date – this further supports the brands claims of being a high-quality pet food manufacturer. Simply put, you can feel good about offering your cat any one of Acana’s cat food products.

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5 Comments

  1. Don’t know why, but my cats won’t touch it. Two of my three adopted cats were feral-pretty much used to eating anything, but they don’t like this

    1. Robbie,
      Thank you so much for writing this review because I switched all of my cats to Acana and shortly after changing their food my one cat got a UTI and constant diarrhea. My other cats started having loose stools as well. I just took them off of this food and everything seems much better. We didn’t have them on it for very long. I would not recommend this food.

  2. I’ve been feeding my kitty this recipe for over five years and he has an exceptionally beautiful soft and shiny coat! Apart from his glowing appearance, my kitty is so strong and healthy that he has NEVER had any illness as long has he’s been alive. I’d like to attribute this to his amazing diet by Acana and a loving home environment. Thank you, Acana for holding such high standards and providing quality nutrition for our much loved feline family members ❤️

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