What's actually in Acana?
We analyzed Acana Highest Protein Indoor Cat Recipe, their flagship feline formula from Champion Petfoods — the same company behind Orijen (A/91). The first five ingredients are chicken, trout, salmon, chicken meal, and pollock meal.
Three fresh whole animal proteins before a single rendered meal is outstanding. Chicken at #1 is a named whole meat, and trout and salmon at #2 and #3 add fish-based protein diversity that most cat foods don't even attempt. Chicken meal at #4 is concentrated protein — roughly three times the protein density of whole chicken by weight. Pollock meal at #5 adds yet another fish species. Five animal proteins before any carbohydrate or filler is rare territory — the kind of ingredient panel you expect from a brand that claims 75% animal ingredients. Shop on Amazon →
The good stuff
The protein diversity is the headline. Six named animal protein sources appear in the first ten ingredients: chicken, trout, salmon, chicken meal, pollock meal, and herring meal. This delivers a broad amino acid profile from multiple species — exactly what obligate carnivores evolved to eat. Most premium cat foods manage two or three protein sources; Acana doubles that.
Organ meats elevate the formula further. Chicken liver is packed with vitamin A, B vitamins, iron, and copper. Chicken heart is one of the richest natural sources of taurine — an amino acid cats cannot synthesize adequately on their own and that's critical for heart and eye health. Turkey further down the list adds another whole meat, and eggs contribute highly digestible complete protein with all essential amino acids.
The supplement profile is thorough. Three strains of probiotics support digestive health. Fish oil delivers EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids for skin, coat, and cognitive function. Freeze-dried cod pieces are a unique inclusion — minimally processed real fish that adds both nutrition and palatability. Whole cranberries, pumpkin, collard greens, and turmeric provide natural antioxidants and fiber from whole food sources rather than synthetic additives.
No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Rosemary extract handles natural preservation. The formula is clean from top to bottom.
The not-so-good stuff
The legume content is the biggest concern. Whole red lentils, whole pinto beans, whole chickpeas, and pea starch all appear on the ingredient list — four separate legume ingredients. This is a grain-free formula that leans heavily on legumes as its carbohydrate and fiber base. The FDA's investigation into potential links between legume-heavy diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs has raised broader awareness about legume-forward pet food formulas. The research is primarily focused on dogs, but the concentration here is worth noting.
Pea starch and pea fiber appear as additional legume derivatives. Pea starch is a binding agent and carbohydrate filler, and pea fiber adds bulk without significant nutritional value. In a formula that's otherwise built around premium animal proteins, these feel like cost-saving filler choices.
Menadione sodium bisulfite complex (vitamin K3) is listed in the supplement section. This synthetic form of vitamin K is controversial — it's banned from human supplements in several countries due to potential toxicity concerns at high doses. Most premium pet foods use natural vitamin K sources or avoid it entirely. For a formula at this price point, its inclusion is surprising.
Price is a real barrier. Acana cat food typically runs $25-30 for a 4-pound bag — among the most expensive dry cat foods on the market. The ingredient quality justifies a premium, but the ongoing cost puts it out of reach for many cat owners.
How it compares
Acana's A/90 places it second in our cat food database, just one point behind Orijen (A/91). Both are made by Champion Petfoods, and the similarities are obvious: multiple fresh meats, organ meats, grain-free formulas built for obligate carnivores. The single-point gap comes down to Orijen's even higher fresh meat ratio and broader protein diversity. Read the full comparison: Acana Cat vs Orijen Cat.
The Acana cat formula actually outscores the Acana dog formula (B/88) by two points — the cat version packs more protein sources and includes the freeze-dried cod that the dog formula lacks.
Against the other top cat foods, Acana ties with Wellness CORE Cat (A/90) at the top of the A tier and leads Nulo (B/88) by two points. Acana and Wellness CORE both clear the A threshold through strong animal-protein foundations — Acana leaning on organ meat inclusion, Wellness CORE on a multi-protein plus multi-strain probiotic package. Nulo, while excellent, stays just shy of A with a simpler protein profile.
The bottom line
Acana Highest Protein Indoor Cat Recipe earns an A grade (90/100) from KibbleIQ. Six named animal proteins, organ meats, probiotics, freeze-dried cod, and a clean supplement profile make this one of the best dry cat foods you can buy. The legume-heavy carbohydrate base and the inclusion of menadione are legitimate concerns, and the price is steep. But if your budget can handle $25-30 per 4-pound bag, Acana delivers ingredient quality that only Orijen surpasses in our database. Shop on Amazon →