Orijen cat food: all you want to know

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As cat owners, we all want to do what`s best for our pets and make sure we are giving them the best food for their health and happiness. Recently I`ve looked into Orijen cat food as a solution for my picky eater of a cat. I had heard about Orijen`s natural ingredients so I really wanted to know more. If you want to learn about Halo`s brand of Cat Food, click to check out my post.

Orijen cat food is a unique brand of food that focuses on fresh ingredients and high protein. They focus on human grade meats (we`re talking whole eggs, free range and antibiotic chickens and so on). Their Cat and Kitten formula is made with free range poultry and fresh eggs, and all of the fish in both the Cat and Kitten food and 6 Fish Cat formula is fresh caught. Their range of cat food is divided into Dry Cat Food and Freeze-Dried Cat Treats. The Dry Cat Food range also excludes high-glycemic carbohydrates, vegetable proteins and other lists of synthetic supplements that we really don`t want our cat consuming.

Also read: Our review of the Soulistic Food Brand​

Orijen is made in Canada by Champion Petfoods, a Canadian company that focuses on biologically appropriate foods. This means that they work to create food formulas that emulate what an animal would eat in the wild. This is why all of the cat foods are comprised of 75% fresh meat and 25% fruits and vegetables. The food is made fresh, with ingredients brought fresh to the facility each day.

Read: These are the cat vitamins that actually work​

When it comes to food for our pets, I`ve always believed that just as much as we love and appreciate fresh, our pets obviously do too. Another thing I love is that Orijen actually produces and also packages everything in their facilities in Canada which gives me the peace of mind that they actually have control over the whole production process.

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Through my research, it appears that this blend is the more popular blend of Orijen cat food and is made for cats of all ages and sizes. According to Orijen`s website, the animal ingredients are made from free-range poultry, whole nest-laid eggs, and wild-caught fish.

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If you want to feel like you are feeding your cat real food, this is a great option as almost all of the ingredients are recognizable. The main ingredients are: boneless chicken, chicken meal, chicken liver, whole herring.

It also includes Pollock meal, whole flounder, boneless walleye, boneless northern pike, boneless lake whitefish, salmon oil, herring oil, chickpeas, red lentils, green lentils, green peas, pea fibre, canola oil, sun-cured alfalfa, pumpkin, butternut squash, spinach greens, carrots, Red Delicious apples, Bartlett pears, cranberries, and mixed tocopheral.

Our Verdict:

If your cat has a sensitive stomach, suffers from urinary tract disease or is overweight and isn`t really active, it`ll be better to stay away. This blend would be perfect for cats who are active, not overweight and have no seeming aversion to drinking lots of water!

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Orijen Six Fish Formula

Orijen six fish cat formula is the other cat formula available from Orijen. This formula is based on fish protein and seems to have a stronger taste and heavy contents of salmon. This formula is comprised of 40% protein and 20% carbs, once again to emulate the diet that a cat would get in the wild. ⅔ of the fish found in this formula is completely fresh wild caught atlantic fish. It also contains some freeze-dried cod. A grain-free formula which has mid-range levels of calcium and phosphorus,

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Orijen six fish, like the Cat and Kitten formula, is an excellent source of vitamins for your cat such as

• Has all the 11 Essential amino acids your cat requires
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B12
• Niacin
• Riboflavin
• Folic acid
• No harmful by-products included
• Includes digestion-aiding botanicals
• Doesn`t not have frozen fish
• Fatty acids and proteins

The formula is made from fresh ingredients, is GMO free, and is a great source of natural food for your cat.

A con of this product is its heavy fish content. Some cats do not like the taste of fish, and a few customers said they prefer mixing this formula with other cat foods to provide more of a balance for their cat`s diet.

As with the Cat and Kitten blend, the high protein content of this food might be an adjustment for your cat so make sure to incorporate it slowly into their diet. Also be aware that salmon can increase mercury levels in your cat`s diet.

The main ingredients in Orijen Six Fish are:

• Whole salmon (great for fatty acids)
• Whole Herring (great for fatty acids and proteins)
• Salmon Meal
• Herring Meal
• Pollock Meal

It also contains: whole flounder, boneless walleye, boneless northern pike, boneless lake whitefish, salmon oil, herring oil, chickpeas, red lentils, green lentils, green peas, pea fibre, canola oil, sun-cured alfalfa, pumpkin, butternut squash, spinach greens, carrots, Red Delicious apples, Bartlett pears, cranberries, mixed tocopheral.

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Reading reviews about Orijen was a great source of information for me because most customers are honest about their experience and not looking to sell the product. Based on the reviews, I think Orijen could work for my cat if mixed with other food. One customer, Rebecca, bought Orijen to help with her cat`s bad breath and was shocked to see how much the food increased her cat`s energy levels.

Also Read: My recommendations of the best foods for your kitten​

Another pet blogger said that both her 11 year old cat and kittens love Orijen, and another said that Orijen helped cure his cat of chronic gastrointestinal problems. Another customer`s vet recommeded Orijen for his cat`s weight loss. However, it is important to note that many customers say that cats need to eat some wet food because it helps with hydration, so many customers combine orijen with a wet food (both formulas of Orijen are dry-food only.)

All in all, Orijen Cat Food seems like a great pet food that focuses on feeding your cat real, not processed ingredients like they would find in nature. I love this natural aspect to it. However, based on how heavy the protein content is in both formulas and the fact that it is dry food, I think Orijen is best mixed with a high quality wet food to provide some hydration as well as some dietary variety. Click here to check out the latest price for Orijen