Frequently Asked Questions

Both ORIJEN and ACANA foods are made by Champion Petfoods. For Pet Lovers in Canada, Europe, and parts of the Asia-Pacific regions, ACANA and ORIJEN foods are made in Champion's NorthStar Kitchen in Morinville, Alberta.

While there are many differences between ACANA and ORIJEN, both diets reflect our belief in the importance of providing diets that are Biologically Appropriate.

Put simply, ORIJEN and ACANA foods mimic the natural eating habits of your cat or dog with high fresh–meat inclusions and low inclusion of carbohydrates. Although slightly lower in protein than ORIJEN, ACANA provides an unbeatable value and price point that makes Biologically Appropriate pet foods accessible to a wide range of pet lovers.

Champion Petfoods pioneered Biologically Appropriate, which means every one of ORIJEN & ACANA recipes are crafted with purpose and reflects the commitment to mirror the diet nature and evolution intended dogs and cats to eat. For meat eaters, that means higher amounts of protein from animal sources and fewer carbohydrates.

Champion Petfoods also introduced WholePrey ingredients to give pets the most succulent, nourishing parts of the animal, including meat, organs and bones. Fresh or raw meat, poultry or fish are always the lead ingredients in ORIJEN and ACANA recipes to provide pets with peak nutrition, optimal nourishment and ultimate flavour.

Champion believes that making the world’s best pet food requires using exceptional ingredients. That’s why they collaborate with a specially curated group of leading farmers, ranchers, and fisheries they know and trust. Trust is earned by demonstrating an ongoing commitment to quality, food safety, sustainability, and communication.

The brands we partner with, including Champion Petfoods, share a clear stance on testing: only tests they would allow their own companion dogs and cats to take part in are ever carried out. This means no invasive or harmful testing. Where testing is required, it is limited to palatability (taste), urine pH, digestibility (via stool analysis only), and AAFCO feeding trials, all designed to support pet health and wellbeing.

Nature’s Ki does not manufacture pet food, but we carefully select and partner with brands that meet rigorous quality and safety standards. Champion Petfoods, the maker of ACANA and ORIJEN, produces its food in its NorthStar Kitchen in North America, which is one of the few pet food facilities to be European Union Certified.

Their kitchens follow HACCP guidelines — the same food safety principles used for kitchens producing food for human consumption. Champion’s Quality Assurance team tests ingredients from the moment they arrive, throughout production and packaging. Once products are completed, they are placed on Quality Assurance Hold and are only released after passing nutritional and microbiological testing by a government-certified laboratory. No products are shipped unless they meet these strict requirements.

Glucosamine and chondroitin are still naturally present in all ACANA/ORIJEN recipes and are derived from wholeprey inclusions of edible bone and cartilage, rather than precisely measured synthetic additives.

They have simply been removed from our Analysis to comply with new AAFCO/FEDIAF regulatory labelling requirements, but rest assured, they have NOT been removed from our recipes. Within ACANA/ORIJEN petfoods, there are always going to be slight, natural variations in the raw ingredients from which glucosamine and chondroitin are derived.

In the past, the levels have been expressed as a minimum level rather than an exact amount - unfortunately this no longer complies with AAFCO/FEDIAF regulatory labelling requirements.

Organ meats are a concentrated and natural source of virtually every nutrient your dog needs to thrive, including all essential vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, 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. Which is why you will find essential amino acids or minerals like calcium and phosphorus on the guaranteed analysis or typical analysis but not on the ingredient list.

To figure out how much to feed your pet, you will first need to know how much your
pet weighs and their overall activity level. Dogs who get more than one hour of vigorous exercise per day would be considered active, dogs who receive less than one hour of vigorous exercise would be considered less active. Refer to the feeding guides on your ORIJEN and ACANA bags for their recommended daily serving.

Dogs and cats are often fed the same diet for long periods of time, so a sudden change in food can be difficult for their digestive systems to adjust to. That’s why it’s important to transition to a new pet food gradually. Taking things slowly gives your dog or cat time to adapt to their new diet and helps reduce the risk of digestive upset. Start by mixing 25% new food with 75% current food, then gradually increase the amount of new food over the next 5–7 days until you are feeding 100% of the new recipe.

A rotational diet for dogs or cats involves changing between different high-quality protein recipes and formulas to provide variety, support healthy digestion, and help deliver a wider range of nutrients over time. Rotating your pet’s food can also help prevent picky eating and keep mealtimes exciting. Yes — you can absolutely feed a rotational diet with ORIJEN and ACANA pet food. Both brands are designed to make switching between recipes easy, with protein-rich, biologically appropriate diets made from premium animal ingredients. Whether you rotate between different ORIJEN or ACANA recipes, mix the food 50/50 just to make sure your pet transitions smoothly.

We recommend that you feed your pet twice daily. Simply divide the amount suggested on the feeding guide into two meals, spaced eight to twelve hours apart. You may need to adjust portions as you learn your pet's ideal daily “maintenance” amount.

Water:
About 70% of your dog (or cat’s) body is made up of water, which is vital for cell function and tissue lubrication. In fact, water is more important to your dog or cat than any other nutrient. Make sure fresh and clean water is always available for your pet!

Experiencing loose stools?
Many stool issues can be corrected by lowering the amounts fed during the day, as loose stool is a common result of overfeeding.

Weight gain?
Obesity at any age can cause serious health issues. While all of ORIJEN & ACANA foods have feeding guidelines printed on the package, every pet is different and these guides really are just a starting point. Keep a close eye on your dog or cat’s body condition.

Hungry all the time?
While your dog or cat may act hungry, their body condition is the best gauge of how much to feed.

Treats:
We all love to give our pets treats. However, treats should be given in moderation and should represent ten percent or less of your pet's daily food intake. The rest should come from a nutritionally complete feeding program. When using treats frequently, such as during training exercises, try to use the smallest pieces you can.

Cats do not have a natural thirst drive. In the wild, cats get much of the moisture that they need from the prey animals that they consume. When you are feeding a dry diet to a cat, it is important to encourage them to drink water; there are several ways to do this.

If your cat does not drink enough, feeding a combination of wet and dry food can be a good way to ensure your cat is getting enough moisture in their diet. It is up to you to choose whether to combine the wet and dry food at each meal, or to feed wet food for one meal and dry food
for the next meal.

To calculate how much of each to feed, refer to the feeding guides on each package to determine how much your cat would need daily if you were feeding each diet on its own. Then multiply each of those amounts by the percentage at which you would like it to compose your cat’s diet.

Yes. Nature’s Ki stocks ORIJEN and ACANA, made by Champion Petfoods, with recipes formulated to support the needs of large-breed dogs.

ACANA Large Breed Puppy and ACANA Adult Large Breed are specifically formulated for large-breed dogs, while ORIJEN Puppy Large Breed is designed to support controlled growth in large-breed puppies.

Yes! Studies show that feeding dogs a high protein, low carbohydrate diet can help them to reduce body weight better than a high carbohydrate food. High protein diets promote weight loss, while not having such severe reductions in caloric intake when compared to traditional high carbohydrate diets. We recommend ACANA Light & Fit or ORIJEN Fit & Trim.

Yes. Nature’s Ki stocks ORIJEN and ACANA, made by Champion Petfoods. Many of their recipes are suitable for senior dogs, providing high-quality protein and balanced nutrients to support overall health, maintain muscle mass, and support energy levels as dogs age. We recommend ORIJEN Senior, which is crafted specifically for older dogs.

Research into the growth of Great Danes (Nap RC, The Netherlands,) has shown that the protein level of a diet has no significant influence on skeletal development. High-protein intake does not result in increased risk for OCD or HD, and there is no effect on the development in the longitudinal growth of the bone. Additionally, while protein does not cause orthopedic problems, other nutrients can.

It is not excess protein that causes joint problems, but overfeeding, excessive mineral content, and genetics that can contribute to arthritis and orthopedic problems. Please note that most orthopedic and joint problems are inherited, but puppies and dogs that are overweight have a greater chance of an increase in pain and discomfort, and the potential of developing orthopedic problems as younger animals and arthritis later in their life.

A hypoallergenic diet could be appropriate for dogs who have severe food allergies, as they feature hydrolyzed proteins. These diets would be considered prescription diets, which Champion does not offer. However, Nature's Ki do stock ACANA Singles Limited Ingredient recipes, which feature a single easily digestible protein in each recipe. If your dog has diet sensitivities or allergies, please consult your veterinarian.

Research shows that high protein diets are safe and Biologically Appropriate for all breeds of dogs and cats. By better matching the natural diets and anatomical physiology of cats and dogs, higher-protein foods better promote peak health and conditioning. 

Conventional pet foods often feature lower protein which means fewer animal ingredients and more filler ingredients, which can result in a diet with a higher carbohydrate content. As carbohydrates are not part of the natural diet, it should come as no surprise that carbohydrates are not nutritionally essential for dogs and cats.

Dogs and cats are evolved to derive their energy from animal proteins and fats, not from carbohydrates.

Today’s conventional pet foods are lower in protein and high in carbohydrates (40-50%). As carbohydrates are not part of the natural diet, it should come as no surprise that carbohydrates are not nutritionally essential (in any amount) for dogs and cats. Dogs and cats are evolved to derive their energy from animal proteins and fats, not carbohydrates from grains.

Heavy metal testing is one control point for Champion’s food safety and HACCP plans. They systematically test ORIJEN and ACANA products for naturally occurring heavy metals at two third-party laboratories; and their results show the presence of naturally occurring heavy metals well below maximum tolerable limits set forth by the National Research Council. They do not add heavy metals to our foods.

All heavy metals in ORIJEN and ACANA are from natural sources and not from artificial or industrial sources. All heavy metal results for ORIJEN and ACANA are well below the maximum tolerable limits set by the NRC Committee on Mineral and Toxic Substances in Diets and Water for Animals. In conclusion, the heavy metals reported in ORIJEN and ACANA foods do not lead to adverse effects or food safety concerns for dogs and cats, and results are reinforced by Champion’s 25 years of excellence and international leadership in companion animal nutrition.

For the best taste experience, we recommend that you purchase a package size that can be used within 6-8 weeks.

Ideally, you should store your pet food indoors, in a cool, dark place. If using a storage container, make sure to thoroughly clean and dry it between uses and if possible, put the whole bag in the container to retain the lot number information on the bag. The original package also works very well, provided it’s rolled tightly between uses to maintain airtight conditions after opening.

Refrigeration of ORIJEN/ACANA Dry Kibble is not required. Rather than a garage with large temperature fluctuations, the best storage is in your home in a cool, dry place at room temperature.

Stored correctly, ORIJEN/ACANA foods are guaranteed until the Best Before date printed on each bag. You can store food in a freezer until it is ready to be used, but we cannot guarantee this will extend the shelf life of the product and would still only recommend feeding up to the best before date.

Please keep in mind that once you take the food out of the freezer and the food returns to room temperature, there is the possibility for water condensation to form. Because water encourages the growth of bacteria and/or mold, we want to prevent the introduction of moisture to kibble that will not be eaten immediately whenever possible. If you do plan on keeping the food in a freezer, you should only take out small portions of kibble as you need it. For example, only take out enough kibble for one day at each feeding.

Contrary to popular belief, ORIJEN and ACANA bags are not vacuum packed. To keep these foods as fresh as possible, ORIJEN and ACANA foil-lined bags are impermeable to oxygen transfer from the outside to the inside, and vice versa.

Once the bags are sealed, oxygen transfer is impossible. Residual oxygen left in the bag when it is sealed depends on the amount of air pushed out by our air evacuation system (not to be confused with vacuum packing). Depending on how food enters the package, food density, and ambient temperature, some bags will contain more air and some less. While some of these packages will appear vacuumed and others not, the food in each bag will be equally fresh.

The Lavender scent in World's Best Cat Litter Scented Multi-Cat Formula is quite subtle and so should not be over-powering, However, if you or your pets are sensitive to fragrances, we recommend using World's Best Unscented or Multiple Cat Unscented formulas, which are fragrance free.

All World’s Best Cat Litter formulas are made with natural and renewable ingredients. Their formulas contain no synthetic additives, chemicals, clays or perfumes, and they are made from sustainably grown ingredients—not mined or drilled using heavy equipment. They use an advanced, patented process to create formulas that harness the natural absorbency of renewable ingredients. World’s Best Cat Litter contains no artificial chemicals or silica dust, so it’s pet, people and planet friendly!

World’s Best Cat Litter® is a natural product, so bugs may be attracted to the litter if they gain access. Seal the package or store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Yes. All World’s Best Cat Litter formulas have undergone rigorous testing to confirm they are sewer and septic safe. Unlike clay-based litters, World’s Best Cat Litter harnesses the long-lasting power of naturally absorbent corn, so you can simply scoop, flush and move on with your day.