Biologically Appropriate
The gray wolf is the ancestor of all domestic dogs, and the Near Eastern wildcat is the ancestor of all domestic cats. While years of breeding have produced hundreds of ‘different-looking’ wolves and wildcats, the internal workings of dogs and cats remain unchanged.
The eating anatomy of modern dogs and cats is the same as their wild cousins, so it’s no surprise that their food requirements remain consistent.
THE BIOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE CONCEPT IS SIMPLE: MIRROR THE QUANTITY, FRESHNESS, AND VARIETY OF MEAT THAT NATURE EVOLVED DOGS AND CATS TO EAT.
ACANA’s richly nourishing meat inclusions mirror your pet’s evolutionary diet, excluding synthetic additives and anything else that Mother Nature didn’t intend your dog or cat to eat.
ACANA Foods Follow Nature's 5 Rules:
ACANA is made with up to 75% animal ingredients
Your dog or cat is not only capable of eating the foods of their ancestors, but actually require it for peak health.
Just like their wild cousins, modern dogs and cats are equipped with sharp teeth, a short digestive tract and a body evolved to metabolize protein and fat from meat.
With meat inclusions up to 75%, ACANA nourishes your cat or dog according to their evolutionary needs.
Up to half of the meat ingredients are fresh or raw
We believe that less processing is better. That’s why up to 50% of the meat, fish, poultry, and eggs that go into ACANA are delivered fresh or raw in their most nourishing form, providing the flavours and goodness that all dogs instinctively crave.
WHEN WE SAY FRESH WE MEAN IT!
Refrigeration is the only means of preservation for our fresh meat, and our raw meat is frozen at peak season to lock in its natural goodness. To preserve the integrity of our fresh ingredients, we process ACANA in small batches and at lower temperatures.
Fresh meat is loaded with protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals in their most nourishing form. All of our meat ingredients are sourced from federally licensed facilities that must have implemented an HACCP-based food safety system.
ACANA features a minimum of three* fresh meats, poultry, or fish
Consider the variation in the natural diet: eggs today, a duck or goose tomorrow, fish the next. A rich variety of fresh meat is a key principal in our award-winning Biologically Appropriate philosophy.
This variety is lost in conventional dog and cat foods, which typically feature a single animal ingredient, such as chicken or lamb, that’s seldom authentically fresh.
ACANA is different, providing a minimum of three fresh meats, from ranch-raised red meat, free-run poultry, and wild-caught fish, supplying your dog or cat with a richly nourishing diversity of protein and fat to promote peak health.
* Except ACANA Singles, which feature a single animal WholePrey source
Meats, organs, and cartilage or bone in WholePrey ratios
In her infinite wisdom, Mother Nature matched the nutrients in whole fish, fowl, and game to perfectly meet the dietary needs of dogs and cats.
In nature there are no synthetic food supplements, and wolves and wildcats derive their nutritional needs by consuming prey animals; muscle meat provides protein, liver, kidney and tripe supply vitamins and minerals, and cartilage and bone deliver calcium and phosphorus.
Our WholePrey foods mirror the natural diet, incorporating meat, organs, and cartilage or bone in ratios that deliver nutrients naturally and completely, without the need for long lists of synthetic ingredients.
Superfood for Dogs & Cats
Organ meats are a concentrated and natural source of virtually every nutrient your dog needs to thrive, including all essential vitamins, minerals, healthy fat, and vital amino acids.
Densely packed with nearly every nutrient, including heavy doses of B vitamins, organ meats such as kidney, liver and tripe are loaded with the minerals phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, and iodine, and provide important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, all of which nourish dogs and cats as nature intended.
ACANA Limits Carbohydrates
While dogs and cats have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate, conventional dog and cat foods often exceed 50% carbohydrates.
Free of gluten, potato, tapioca, and starch ingredients, ACANA features farm-fresh vegetables and fruit, such as whole pumpkin and butternut squash, that provide fiber and other nutrients that your dog or cat needs to thrive.