Orijen Cat Food Review
With years of experience in the pet food industry and feline nutrition I can honestly say Orijen has proven to be one of the best dry cat foods money can buy.
Many find the brand expensive, but through the course of this Orijen cat food review you’ll learn the real truth about why this is worth feeding your cat, and also the real cost of feeding one of the many “cheap” cat foods made of grain for carnivores.
Orijen cat food review – Cat & Kitten
What the marketing says
I’ll skirt over the marketing for Orijen cat foods as the ingredients really speak for themselves with this food.
For Orijen Cat & Kitten the Orijen website states 90% poultry/fish/egg ingredients, 10% vegetables/fruit/botanicals, and 0% grain/potato/tapioca/plant protein concentrates.
That’s incredible for a cat food! And that’s just the start of it.
I’ll clarify a little here (seeing as the purpose of these reviews are to tell you the real truth). The 90%/10%/0% claim is based on wet-weight, meaning these are the ratios of the ingredients prior to being cooked into a kibble. These percentages differ with the final product, but it’s only a small point.
Orijen cat foods don’t use rendered meats. Trust me when I say that’s a very good thing. Meat rendering is a gruesome industry, and rendered meats are often more rendered carcass than anything overly beneficial. When you see something like “chicken meal” on the ingredients then that’s what we’re talking about.
Orijen also include whole-prey ingredients including organs, cartilage, bone, as well as whole fish and eggs. These are the inclusions which matter as they contain the richest sources of nutrients.
I’ll raise one last quality point which shows how good this product is – liver is included as a freeze-dried ingredient. So why is that good?
Freeze drying is the best method of reducing moisture from a food to leave nutrition intact (and extend shelf life). This means the liver (a very nutritious inclusion) will retain as much nutrition as possible, far more than if it were cooked into a kibble.
What the ingredients really say
The ingredients in Orijen cat foods are astounding. I’ve been a pet nutritionist for some time, and it still makes my jaw drop seeing how good the ingredients are in these cat foods.
I don’t even need to explain how good they are. These are the main ingredients in Orijen Cat & Kitten:
Deboned chicken, deboned turkey, cage-free eggs, Atlantic flounder, whole Atlantic mackerel, chicken liver, turkey liver, whole Atlantic herring, chicken heart, turkey heart, dehydrated chicken, dehydrated turkey, dehydrated mackerel, dehydrated chicken liver, dehydrated egg.
That’s not the last of the “whole-prey” ingredients either, as we also find chicken necks, chicken kidney, pollock oil, ground chicken bone, chicken cartilage, and the freeze-dried chicken liver we mentioned earlier.
Incredible!
Alongside the meat we find a range of legumes, including various lentils, beans, and peas. I estimate the carbohydrates to be as little as 21% which means these ingredients are in a decent moderation, and as far as non-meat ingredients go in a cat food these are respectable inclusions. These should serve to round off nutrition.
If you’re really switched on you’ll realise 21% carbohydrates is strange given the Orijen claim of 90% meat/fish/eggs. The reason for this is the 21% is based on dry matter, so once cooked into a kibble with moisture cooked off. Don’t worry though, this is still very good.
The 40% protein (mostly from whole prey ingredients) and 20% fat (from animal fats) is very very good for a dry cat food.
I’m conscious of how verbose this Orijen cat food review is getting, and I don’t want to bore you, so I’ll skirt over the remainder of the ingredients.
You’ll be pleased to know there’s no nasties whatsoever.
The weirdly named ingredients with crazy names like lactobacillus and fermentation products are pre and probiotics for gut health. These help your cat digest their food and maintain an efficient digestive systems.
We also find a range of fruits and vegetables. You may hear things like “fruits and veggies are not a carnivore diet”, but that’s not true. These ingredients cats in the wild get from the gut content of prey, and Orijen has included these ingredients to mimic that.
I’ll end on turmeric as an excellent spice. It’s anti-carcinogenic, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. In my opinion turmeric should be in every cat food.
Should I feed my cat Orijen?
Whether you have a kitten, adult cat, or senior cat, Orijen is a very good choice if you can afford it. If you can’t afford it, then even if it’s part of the diet then this would offer excellent nutrition as well as variety.
I’ll conclude the Orijen cat food review by saying this is by far one of the best dry cat foods available worldwide.
When you consider most cat foods are made mostly of grains which are likely the cause so many cats end up with urinary health problems, kidney failure, and premature death after $$$$s in vets bills, Orijen probably doesn’t seem as costly.
Give it a go!
Where to buy Orijen cat food
For the best prices why not order on Amazon.com?
Orijen FAQ
I’ve found a number of common questions arise with Orijen cat and dog foods over the years, and will endeavour to answer these questions in this FAQ.
Is Orijen cat food suitable for urinary problems?
Urinary problems are common in cats, and FLUTD is one of the most common diseases affecting cats worldwide.
This is not surprising given most cat foods are poor quality, made sufficiently of grains and other ingredients which are hard for a carnivore to digest. It must also be considered cats are not proactive drinkers and kibble does not contain much moisture.
In the case of a kibble like Orijen cat & kitten you are feeding ingredients inline with the digestive system of a cat, and this will go a long way to maintaining urinary health. As with any kibble diet it is also essential to ensure your cat has a sufficient clean water intake.
Read more on the Orijen FAQ.
Should I be worried about the 2018 class-action lawsuit?
The lawsuit against Champion Petfoods, makers of Orijen and Acana, was filed on March 1, 2018, remains an unsubstantiated accusation of negligence and a failure to disclose the presence of heavy metals and toxins in it’s pet foods. The root information came from ratings from the Clean Label Project.
What many fail to realise is heavy metals and toxins are found in most pet food products (and human food products), and are often in safe and sometimes beneficial moderations. The FDA even has a set of standards which state safe levels.
In the case of Champion Petfoods, an average of 0.89 mg/arsenic was found in Orijen and Acana, which is much lower than the allowable maximum limit of 12.50 mg/kg.
This suggests an accusation that Champion Petfoods is negligent for products containing arsenic is a result of bad science.
Who owns Orijen?
Why would Orijen cause my cat to vomit?
If your cat has been fed an unvaried diet prior to the change, particularly with a carbohydrate-based kibble, then this may have led to intolerance build-up. Humans build up intolerances when a food is either excluded from a diet or our diet has been unvaried, and the same applies to our cats. Cats can be confused by a new food which should be introduced gradually, and in some cases additives in the prior food have caused an addiction.
Ingredients
Ingredients of Orijen cat food (Cat & Kitten)
Deboned chicken, deboned turkey, cage-free eggs, Atlantic flounder, whole Atlantic mackerel, chicken liver, turkey liver, whole Atlantic herring, chicken heart, turkey heart, dehydrated chicken, dehydrated turkey, dehydrated mackerel, dehydrated chicken liver, dehydrated egg, whole red lentils, whole pinto beans, chicken fat, chicken necks, chicken kidney, whole green peas, whole green lentils, whole navy beans, whole chickpeas, natural chicken flavor, pollock oil, ground chicken bone, chicken cartilage, lentil fiber, turkey cartilage, choline chloride, whole pumpkin, whole butternut squash, mixed tocopherols (preservative), dried kelp, zinc proteinate, freeze-dried chicken liver, kale, spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, whole carrots, apples, pears, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, chicory root, turmeric, sarsaparilla root, althea root, rosehips, juniper berries, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product.
Guaranteed analysis
Guaranteed analysis of Orijen cat food (Cat & Kitten):
| Protein | (min) 40% |
| Fat | (min) 20% |
| Crude Fibre | (max) 3% |
| Carbohydrates * | Estimated 21%. |
If our Orijen cat food review has been enlightening, or if you feed Orijen and can vouch for it (or against it) then make sure you say so in the comments! Oh, and share this review with others in your cat communities! Thanks!
I switched my two cats to this food after one of them had liver failure and almost died. I have seen a radical improvement in their coats, health, alertness and playfulness since switching to this food. Worth the extra cost.
Blue Buffalo, Orijen, and Nulo hard foods were purchased for my 16 lb Bengal who looked at the hard food of all, walked away and I swear I heard him say,”Feed those small kibbles to the hamster” Any healthy hard cat food available with LARGER kibbles?
I implore anyone interested in this food to get up to date information at http://www.championpetfoods.com. In my opinion, Orijen is the #1 dry food you will ever find for cats. There are now FIVE options, not two. My cats go nuts for the Orijen Tundra. Also, it’s an 85% fresh meat content now, not 75%. There is Cat & Kitten, Six Fish, Regional Red, Tundra, and the new Fit and Trim weight management food. It’s also potato free now.
You need to update your review as the formula has been changed. There no longer is ay potato and most of the primary ingredients are meat. I just switched from Blue to Orijen.
Hi, I feed my cats with fish for cats. It’s not they don’t eat it, they eat but seems like they are not excited. i only feed my cats with fish (including their wet food). I don’t give them chicken or beef. Once in a while i give them cheap food like fancy fiest and they eat like crazy. Is something wrong with fish4cats that make them less interested?
Well fish are loaded with mercury naturally, so after so much fish you could potentially poison your cat. Also, just like humans, cats get bored of eating the same thing all the time. Fancy feast is loaded with junk including gravy it’s like trying to convince a toddler to want to eat their chicken rather than eat their French fries.
There are actually three flavors of Orijen – someone forgot the Six Fish flavor. You can find it on their site and buy it anywhere else you find Orijen. I tried their Six Fish for a while, and my kits clearly prefer their Cat and Kitten (poultry) food. Don’t know what’s up with that – cats like what they like. I imagine fish gets boring. Variety is the key for all living beings. And if you can avoid Fancy Feast, do so! It’s a hideous excuse for food. I urge everyone to join the Association for Truth in Pet Food if you really want to know what’s going on. It’s downright scary what big pet food is getting away with, and FDA does NOT enforce pet food regulations. They are entirely self-regulated and not required to tell us anything about food. They do not consider it our business. Join the fight to change that! We have every right to know exactly what goes into our furry angels! I believe the cost to join is $18. a year. You will never get an education like that for that little money! http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com
The vets will tell you….all fish is not good for cats. Normally, they consume mice and birds – not fish. Feed them the chicken or turkey with some red meat or fish occasionally for optimum health and give them variety. Ps: Fancy Feast Classics canned is recommended for diabetic cats and good for all cats.
Maybe they want chicken. Eating the same thing day in and day out is just plain boring. You don’t eat the same one thing over and over, and cats dont want to either. Everyone likes variety, including animals, so try giving them some different flavors and see if they get excited. Maybe try some wet food too – I bet they get excited about wet food.
Is there something about McDonalds that makes intelligent people eat their garbage like crazy?
I just bought Orijen today for my cats. I have a number of them and one has a terrible allergic skin condition. Had it for almost a year and nothing has helped. Felt it may be due to food so tried numerous grain-free brands but the omega 3’s are so low so I thought I’d try Orijen. Looks like a lot of very good ingredients and most of them really like it. I’ll see how it goes with time but this seems to be one of the best foods I’ve seen. Also when another person noted about the small food size and vomiting, I haven’t seen my cats vomiting this up and some of them were chewing it regardless of the size. Hope it works well with my cat’s problem. I also heard that it helps with the eyes. I have another cat and she’s had an eye problem since a tiny kitten when I found her so I like to try a good food to keep her other eye healthy. Thanks.
Do you realize that this is quality FOOD? This is not a medication. Just great food.
OMG, how can you say there is NOTHING bad about Orijen dry dog and cat food. The pieces are SO SMALL, my cats both throw it up continually … they don’t chew it as they would with larger sized morsels (as bad as Purina Complete is quality wise, the size of the dry food morsels is just right).
No hair balls, no nothing except regurgitated WHOLE, UNCHEWED Orijen dry cat food. I am so disappointed and don’t understand WHY (this happened to a friend of mine as well), Orijen doesn’t make these pieces a bit larger so the cats would CHEW IT.
I’m sorry but your review is incomplete without this “tasty” bit of reality. Hate this company, never responded to a message left on their Customer Care site … left it 3/6.
AAAARGH. So back to Purina Complete we go.
I’m a Senior on a very limited income and cannot do Cat Food Roulette and spend a lot of money trying foods that are made in tiny pieces.
Very upset.
You can always try to put a little water in with the dry food. You do that with dogs to slow them down so their stomachs don’t flip and same goes with cats regurgitating it.
Are you kidding me? Just because your cats seem to have an issue with this brand makes it bad?? This is high end cat food if you can’t afford it, look for the next best brand…it’s that easy.
All cats can vomit their food occasionally – it’s normal. Like anyone (humans too) they eat too fast or get too excited and up comes the food. Get a dish made to slow them down or cut their rations into smaller portions fed more often.
Cats actually don’t chew their food like humans, they don’t have the teeth for it. I learned this from my vet after adopting a toothless cat; she eats dry food with no problems. Have you tried gradually adding the Orijen to your old food? Sudden food changes can lead to stomach upset and vomiting. It helps if you slowly transition them. I hope whatever you choose that your kitties stop vomiting. That’s no fun for any of you.
Hi Denise, sorry to hear about the problem with the kibble being too small. I hadn’t heard of anyone with this issue before now, but it seems someone else has had the same problem recently.
I really WISH I could figure out a way to feed my guys Orijen Cat & Kitten Food without their upchucking. It is the absence of chewing with the small pieces that is the cause.
Anyone else have this problem. I feel bad that I can’t give my guys what seems like a wonderful cat food ingredient wise.
The pieces are very tiny, sigh. Thanks.
Ditto. One of my cats was yarling on the old food. Now both are yarling with the new formula, which is smaller than the old. He has only yarked twice in the 2 years I’ve had him, so I can’t imagine what else it would be. Disappointed as I love how healthy my cats are otherwise. I’m going to try adding water and serve it soft.
Why don’t you try soaking or partially soaking the kibble then? Maybe your cats are so hungry they are gobbling it too fast and that’s why they are not chewing it? Or perhaps their teeth need to be checked? Just ideas that might help! 🙂
Hello,
I’m having a problem. I feed my cat Acana but it’s very high in calories my vet said and my cat has put on an extra 3.5 lbs. . I don’t know what to do? Feeding her any less will starve her. She was getting a 1/4 cup in morning and at dinner for a total of 250 calories and vet said she should only get 183 calories so it’s way over…. I really believed in the quality of the food so I don’t know where to turn. I can’t let her get obese though… Any advice? Also is there a quality wet cat food out there that is also made in Canada like Acana?
How about mixing the Acana with another high-quality, but low calorie food? We’ve done that with our cats and it helped a lot. They still get half of the great Acana food while getting half the benefit of the lower calorie food.
Hi Tasha, perhaps have a look at Canadian Naturals as another decent Canadian dry food (which I still need to review). Acana, Orijen, and Canadian Naturals only sell dry, not wet.
Hai there,
Im new cat owner, my cats is persian mix mainecoon, their just 4 months.
I have problem to find the good food for them specially at our area not many petshop that sale orijen brand.if have sometime out of stock,and make me to buy other brand of dry cat food. It is ok for the cats to suddenly change their food?.
Do you have any review for blackwoods and Brit brand?
I would like to know bcuz this type of brand easy to find here maybe i can buy this brand and stick to it.
How about Verus,LV and josera??
Sorry too many question i just bcum confuse about all this cat food..
Thank u very much.
Hi Rosse, sorry I need to review those foods. Yes, it’s fine to feed cats a mix of foods, in fact I encourage it.
Hi, this is fantastic information as I have just started my cat with Orijen.
The vet recommended he has an anti allergin diet as he occasionally gets ulcers on his top lip. The cause can’t be pin pointed.
I was advised to try z d by hills (I think) but my cat hates it.
The pet store recommended Orijen which he loves! Is Orijen considered to help allergin’s?
I am assuming it does as its packed with all the best stuff but just wanted your opinion.
Many thanks.
Those allergies could be due to plastic if cats are fed with plastic containers or dishes
Does your cat ever throw up the Orijen? My two continually do. Pieces are too small to really chew. See the whole, unchewed pieces in teh lovely upchuck. No hair balls, hair, etc. Brushed almost daily. GRRRR Very frustrating.
It really does sound as though your cats need you to ease them into the new food, i.e., Orijen. Whenever you change their brand, you should ease them into it. Orijen is very high quality, high protein, and your pets were likely not used to digesting so much protein. Get a small bag of their old food, and start with only 1/4 Orijen to 3/4 old brand. After a week increase the amount of Orijen to 1/2. Let them eat 1/2-1/2 for a week. Increase Orijen to 3/4 + 1/4 old brand. After a week, give them just Orijen.
You should have no problems if you adjust your pets to high quality pet food slowly
Hi! Have you tried to ease them in to Orijin by mixing some of their old food with the Orijin for a while until their stomachs adjust to the new food? Vet told us to do that with our cat who was throwing up his new food. When we slowly eased him into it by mixing old with new, he adjusted really well. Hope this helps!
Hi Hannah, yes, I’ve heard a number of reports Orijen foods work well with cats prone to allergies.
A year ago my cat, who is now 12, tested normal with a glucose level of 78. Shortly after, I switched to Orijen dry food. She is now diabetic, testing at a blood glucose level of 378. Just because the food is grain free doesn’t mean it’s carb free. Orijen is between 17 and 20% carbs. Cats only need between 5 to 10 grams a day. It’s all the plant-based ingredients that make this so-called healthy food so loaded in carbs. This is NOT a good food. No dry food is good for a cat. NONE. Wish I knew that a year ago.
OMG, thank you Jesicat. That is NOT good to have such high carbs, yipes. Additionally, my two find the pieces TOO SMALL to chew and swallow them whole, many throw ups with the whole, unchewed pieces intact. Geez, it is so hard to afford the search for a good cat food. Good Luck.
This is a fantastic site – wondering if you have an opinion on the following. We are new cat owners and want to help our rescue cat as much as possible.
We adopted Jones several months ago from a woman who had to re-home her cat due to severe respiratory issues with her child. This woman had Jones since she was a kitten (Jones is seven now) and has fed her Orijen Cat and Kitten since she’s been a kitten so we are continuing with this food – no question. She always left food out so we are doing the same. Jones loves her Orijen but is incredibly fussy otherwise.
We know that just dry food isn’t great for cats (she always has fresh water available throughout the house). We have tried several wet foot brands (one teaspoon to start) – Jones either snubs it or eats it right away then throws it up (she never throws up the Orijen). Also, Jones gets Whiskas cat milk as a treat (1 oz. every couple days as her previous owner did). I know it’s not good but she LOVES it and will meow incessantly if she hasn’t had it in a while until she gets it. We’ve tried weaning her off it and she wants no part of it – she loves her milk and purrs like crazy when she gets it.
So my question … should we keep trying to introduce wet food and any suggestions for what seems like a very sensitive stomach / fussy cat. Or … with the Orijen, lots of water, and cat milk every couple days – should we stop trying to force the issue with her (I’ve also thought of putting some water in a little bit of dry kibble each day – haven’t done it yet though).
Thanks!
Hi Des, I think the main thing is she has a regular water intake. With the wet food it might be she’s just confused by it (i.e. she’s so used to eating dry food). My cat’s the same, he’ll turn his nose up for a week and then start eating a food. I see no harm in the milk either, especially when you’re providing a solid base diet with the Orijen! There’s no harm in giving your cat a treat!
This cat milk iby Whiskas is full of sugar, hydrogenated oil and controversial carrageenan (which can cause intestinal discomfort). Some say it’s possibly carcinogenic. These ingredients are extremely unhealthy. I don’t see how you can say it ok. to feed a cat this every couple of days and not expect some dire health issues down the line. Please rethink your answer.
I understand that spinach is not good for cats. Why does Orijen contain spinach?
Hi Carol, the concern with spinach is it contains small traces of calcium oxalate that are linked with crystals in the urinary tract. I see no concerns with Orijen as it contains a small quantity of spinach. Other ingredients such as kale, leafy greens, soy, and meats also contain calcium oxalates.
By the way, I use Orijen!
I have 3 cats..one senior, one young, one middle aged. Senior tends to lean towards wet food, middle aged likes dry…the youngest eats anything and everything he can get at and is overweight (15lbs and just over a 1.5 years old). I have always let the dry food stay out 24-7…how do I monitor and control the weight of the young one if the other two are tiny and eat minimal through the day?
Hi Michelle, all I can suggest is you try feeding at regular intervals instead of leaving food out all day. Perhaps seperate them at meal times to ensure they eat what they need?
The other way you can do this is by using microchip feeders. This way only the cats you want to free feed can access this during the day. They are not cheap by so worth the money long term.
I just wanted to attest the good reviews here for Orijen and Acana. Having educated myself over past little while on reading pet food labels, reading and understand cat food ingredients, what they need etc. I have realized that Orijen and Acana are great foods.
What I specifically want to praise is that unlike other popular brands that I have contacted recently ans asked repeatedly about details on their ingredients and stuff, Orijen has always responded to all my inquiries in a way that I was satisfied with their responses. While other companies have tried to hide information or refused to provide it.
So, I appreciate the transparency and sharing of information and as a customer I appreciated it. Others can learn from them I guess.
I will hold on to Orijen and Acana until I see something otherwise, I am convinced now that they are both high quality and probably the best dry cat food out in entire North American Pet Food Industry!
My 2 year old cat had been eating mainstream foods like purina naturals, iams, and more recently science diet dental formula because our vet recommended it because my cat had been having very bad breath and buildup on her teeth for her young age. She is *apparently* half ragdoll half persian, and basically rescued from a very irresponsible old lady who called herself a breeder but is clearly mentally ill and raising the cats in deplorable conditions, so the vet said our cat’s mouth bacteria may have originated from the breeder and it is extremely important to keep an eye on it as it could develop into gingivitis. She seemed to enjoy the science diet dental formula, and we had been feeding her it for a few months but did not really notice a difference in her bad breath and she almost seemed addicted to it as she was gorging herself on it. We decided to look for a higher quality of food, and purchased the Orijen Cat and Kitten and the Acana Regionals which come from the same parent company and she has been very happy with both. We also switched her treats to Orijen and she loves the Tundra Cat and Red Meat flavours which have very simple ingrediants. Her breath has much improved, but the biggest change has been in her energy levels which we did not expect to see such a huge improvement in. Within a couple of months of having been switched over to Orijen/Acana it is actually unbelievable how much more she wants to play and run around. We will be continuing to feed her the Orijen/Acana brands and recommend anyone to try them….we purchased them before reading any of the online reviews, and it makes sense to me why this food seems to be so highly rated on many different sites. It also makes me happy that it is a Canadian brand, we are Canadian and the ingredients are all sourced from Canada and regional farmers.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no such pet food especially dry food that can “fix” gingivitis in cats or improve their breath. Dry food actually is bad for your cats teeth because it gets stuck in their gums and corners of their molars. Just as if you were eating some crunchy like chips and crackers, would that clean your teeth? Not at all. I wish this would be a myth that would just die already. Cats teeth dont get cleaned from eating dry food! This is what causes gingivitis. Wet food is the only food that is healthy for their teeth. I know this from experience. My cat was on wet food and dry food for a year and his breath was awful. It was only after we completely switched him to a 100% wet food diet that his breath changed to be more normal for a cat. Also his weight is much more optimal, not bloated and heavy unlike how he was on his dry food diet. Energy level has gone up tremendously as well!
Hi. Wondering if you’ve ever heard of either Acana or Orijen causing soft stools in young cats? My 10 month old has tested negative for worms/parasites so thinking the food is the culprit (I’ve tried both). I’d like to give a high-quality, comparable food that isn’t so bothersome for him in the litter box. Otherwise healthy, happy cat so any advice you can give would be appreciated.
A transition to Orijen or Acana can affect the stools, but generally this should settle down within a couple of weeks.
This cat food is pretty terrific stuff for a diabetic cat. My cats all love this & it doesn’t spike the blood sugar of the diabetic one. The ingredient list is terrific. Yes, it’s pricey, but not unreasonably priced compared with other high quality foods. I believe it’s cheaper than Wysong Epigen 90, which had been terrific, but nearly killed one of my cats in its latest reformulation (life threatening diarrhea). And frankly, I think it’s a better food than even the epigen 90 before reformulation (truer to a pure carnivore food).
Two paws way up for this one!!
My cat was diagnosed with diabetes 8 months after I started feeding Orijens to her. She was just diagnosed on Saturday. I removed the Orijens dry food and her numbers went down almost 100 points in 4 days. This is a horrible food for diabetic cats. It’s very high in carbs from all the plant-based ingredients. The bag doesn’t state how many carbs are in it, but it comes out to between 17 to 20 percent carbohydrate. Cats are supposed to have no more than 10 percent carbs.
I found that Orijin claims that 17% of the calories supplied by the dry food is derived from plant material. That is not anywhere near the 17 to 20 percent carbohydrates that you claim. Is there another source that is not apparent to the rest of us that makes these claims? If you know of some source that the rest of us can not find please share with us. I really am concerned since this is the only negative review of Orijen on this site. (I have disregarded the problem of the small sized food bits as just weird.) This problem of unknown or hidden carbohydrates does concern me however.
I was alarmed by the 17-20% carb claim as well – as far as I can tell there can’t be more than 9% carbs in orijen cat and kitten.. if you add up the percentages of everything under the guaranteed analysis you’ll get 91%, so not sure how they guessed 17% carbs lol
Hi,
I have 3 cats, age between 1-2 years. I feed them Fancy Feast canned food morning and evening, and dry food all day long. I have started feeding them Orijen 6fish dry food since last week. They like it, but I noticed that two of them have been less interested with the wet food now. They usually finish the wet food immediately. But now they only eat 1/3 of the portion.
Is this normal and might be caused by Orijen?
Thank you
Hi Diana,
Cats will eat to satisfy their nutritional and energy requirements. If they’re getting what they need from the Orijen then that’s likely the reason they’re not finishing the wet food, which isn’t a bad thing.
Hi!
I have a cat 15 year old that is diabetic. I was feeding him Chicken Soup Adult Light but became worried after the recent recall. I am wondering if you think the Orijen food would be a good choice for him?
Thank you!
Hi Barbara, yes I would personally recommend Orijen as a high quality food. I also recommend you consult with your vet about prescription diets and choose which you believe is right for your cat.
Hi!
I have previously bought Orijen for my dogs, and am now looking at switching my cats over to the brand. I have a 1.5 year old Siamese who is currently on a dental food. He is very young to be having teeth issues! Would a food like Orijen help him with this?
I also have two Munchkin females who are 5 months old. They are currently eating Iams kitten (as that’s what their breeder was feeding them) but I feel it’s time they were put on a higher quality food like the rest of my fur-babies.
My next question involves my Munchkins in that I opened a Registered Cattery and will be welcoming kittens early spring. I have read many arguments over how wet food is the only food a cat should be fed, but to be honest, I have always fed my cats dry food and have never had an issues. That being said, I also know that when trying to wean kittens, they must be fed wet food. In your opinion, is soaking Orijen dry food in water just as good as canned food? I live in a small town and have very limited selection on cat foods. I feel it would also be easier to transition them to dry food if it’s the same food they have been eating.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Kristen, in many ways wet food can be better – higher protein, lower carbs, fresher/more natural meat, oils, and nutrients. It’s also less convenient and can cost a lot more. Dry food is better for teeth and gums. Personally I’ve always fed dry food, but that’s dry food to a high standard (I only buy the best!). I feed my pets wet occassionally, and also meat as and when I cook it for myself.
Orijen is a great food. You may need to transition your Munchkins gradularly as Orijen is richer than Iams – they won’t be used to it. Soaking it in water is great if they eat it, but the important thing is you ensure your cats have access to fresh water, in their food, in a bowl, or whatever works.
I just found out my 10 year old cat has diabetes. I had to start him on insulin 1 unit twice a day. The wet food that I got from the vet made his sugar levels worse. Someone recommended orijen to me and I was wondering if you’ve seen success with using it on diabetic cats before. I was told no dry food because of protein levels not being high enough, but this seems to have the right amount.
It certainly isn’t a bad choice of food Dana, and the protein levels are high with this one.
My cat is SO picky. I have been looking for a dry fish cat food since Before Grains stopped making #3, tuna. So, out of sheer desperation I tried the Orijen Six Fish. This is the first dry food my cat has eaten at the inspection sniff stage. Here’s hoping this stays around for a long time!!
I have two precious 14 year old cats. One is chubby and the other is very thin. The thin one is being treated for hyper thyroid. How will Orijen benefit both the girls?
The benefits will come from feeding a very good quality food.
My 22-month-old cat loves orijen 6 fish. Thank you for your information about less portion cats will have for high protein food. For a while, I wonder that my cat is sick, because she doesn’t have as much as she did before. She’s a ragdoll and only weighs about 10 lb. I expected her to weigh heavier as an adult cat.
i have been feeding my cat orijen chicken formula since he was a kitten, recently he has had bloody stool and his poop has always been extremely smelly. He was on a round of antibiotics and (my vet said to change his food but I know he was just promoting the food at his clinic which is Science Diet and i am not feeding my cat that junk) but he has not stopped his bloody stool. I am wondering if it is his food. And do you have any recommendations on any other high quality food that might be better for him? I loves orijen and doesn’t eat much wet food.
When I got my Zoe as a kitten she had bowel problems with liquid poop and blood. I tried everything… raw was my solution. It worked worders for her and within days cleared her up. Although it’s a hassle to feed iv been thru other options and the only other thing that has worked for her has been Purina PROPLAN wet cat food in the chicken and liver. It’s grain free. And VERY LIMITED INGREDIENT. They have other flavors but they are not limited ingredient. It’s the only one that has worked for her problem. I also substitute raw chicken necks to clean her teeth as mushy canned food just doesn’t do the trick for proper cleaning. I hope your little one gets better soon 🙂
You should see another vet that doesn’t have their own pockets in mind. It never hurts to get a second opinion, especially with something that is as critical as blood in the stool. Not eating much wet food can be an issue as cats need that moisture to avoid dehydration problems. Find a good quality wet food that your kitty will eat. This is a year later from your post, so I hope things worked out for the best.
Hi Ali, smelly poop isn’t necessarily a bad thing but the bloody stools are – keep your vet involved with that. Food wise perhaps try one of our other top-rated brands – https://www.petfoodratings.org/best-dry-cat-food/
My cat is just about a year and half old. Her vet suggested switching her to a grain-free food, so I did some research (including your review) and switched her to Orijen. She loves it. I leave the bowl with her dry food out all the time, and supplement with wet food in the morning (Wellness). She gets finicky with her wet food, but always eats the dry food. I even keep a small container by a chair and feed her one or two pieces as a treat rather than buying packaged kitty treats. She seems perfectly content with the arrangement.
Thanks for the time and effort that you put into your reviews.
Kudos for what your doing for us cat parents! Meeko is a 1 1/2 yr adopted amputee kitty. Currently on Simply Nourish Adult Cat Food after switching from Innova (due to recalls). He has had loose stools since starting and so time to switch again. Would like to try Origen but am concerned with salt ingredient. He’s an active, healthy indoor cat and want to give him the best food possible for strong bones and immune system. Your response is greatly appreciated and valued!
Hi Dee, you should have no concerns with Orijen. It’s a very good food.
Hi, I have 4 cats and 2 of them do well with pretty much any foods i’ve tried but the other 2 of my cats have EXTREMELY sensitive stomachs. I have been feeding Hills Gastrointestinal Health to them and the vomiting stopped in the 2 with sensitive stomachs and the other two that do well with all foods like it too but i’d like to switch to a higher quality food and Orijen sounds great. I was wondering if the Orijen Cat & Kitten would be good for cats with VERY sensitive stomachs and if it can also be fed to cats over a year old as well as kittens. 3 of my cats are over a year old and my other one is 5 months old. and i prefer to feed them all the same food as they steal eachothers food anyways haha. Thanks for any advice!
I have 2 cats, very picky eaters and won’t eat any wet one was tossing out furr balls right and left. I tried probably every High Quality food out there and raw food. I even tried what the vet recommenced (I think it was a Hills), the veterinarians if I am not mistaken get a kickback from this company for selling their food. .Anyway, I tried Orijen Cat and Kitten and they love it! Then I ran out over a holiday and the Pet Health food stores were closed and I bought Instinct Ultimate Protein Chicken trail size. Well they went crazy for this food and I have not seen a furr ball in a week. Not sure what to do? I love the oils in Orijen although there were still some furr balls, but not anything like it was. Any advice?
Hi Valita, why not feed both?
Hi Macy, sorry for the delay in replying. I think in this case all I can say is there’s no harm in trying. There’s certainly far worse foods you can try.
Hi there,
I tried Orijen (twice) with my 11 year old diabetic cat, and he ended up scratching a lot and having coat issues. I was told that many cats have no longer needed their daily insulin if they convert to Orijen. I did not stop the insulin (1 1/2 units, twice a day), however I was concerned about my cat being allergic. So, I went back to the vet-recommended Royal Canin Diabetic which he has always tolerated. I am wondering if you can recommend a low protein/ low phosphorous cat food for my 18 year old feline. He has early stage kidney failure. I currently use the Royal Canin Senior (which you did not like) and Fromme wet food. He seems healthy, but isn’t crazy about the RC. I add about 4 kernals of a higher protein food to get him to eat it! Thanks for any info you can offer.
Please look at Young Again pet foods.
A senior cat needs high protein and less amount of phosphorous. I’m feeding my 18 year this food
Since last Sept and she is doing fantastic. Young Again pet food. It’s the best!
Hi Antonella, here’s a review of Young Again dog food. I’m yet to write a review of the cat food but will do so in due course – https://www.petfoodratings.org/dry-dog-food/young-again-4016/
The cat food is without a doubt a 5 star food as it doesn’t contain the fillers we find in the dog formula.
Hi Kirsti, we’re not a veterinary practice so have to urge you to take the advice of your vet. With your cat being diabetic I assume you’re looking to feed a high protein/low carb food, perhaps wet rather than dry? Whether a cat with kidney failure requires a low protein/low phosphorous diet is a controversial subject and can be regarded as myth. In our opinion you’re better off finding a food with a protein source that is highly digestible, such as a lean chicken or turkey meat. Cats are carnivores and by nature seek a high protein diet. However, if you do wish to feed a lower protein diet then most good brands (Fromm, Candidae, Artemis, AvoDerm, Wellness, etc) offer a lower protein food. Look for anything under 22% approximately.
Great work on the website, so informative! Thank you. I’ve looked for Orijen however it is not currently available in Israel. Pet store recommended Natures Variety Instinct as it is similar according to them. Have you had any experience with it? Would love your feedback. Thank you!
Hi David, I’ve reviewed Natures Variety Instinct for you. It’s certainly recommended if you’re unable to get Orijen in Israel.
Question- I have been feeding my healthy indoor 7yr old cat Orijen fish formula for several years- she is a very finicky eater and this is what she likes- she came down w yeast and bacterial ear infection- she has been treated and cultured and shows noore infection, but still has ear distress itching sensitivity. My vet wants to change her food- now says it could be allergies-I don’t want to put her on the crap food they sell-considering changing from Orijen fish to Orijen Chicken-am I crazy to think that would help to change proteins? Or should I look at one of the others on your list? Thank you
Hi Nancy, that’s a difficult question to answer. How long since she had the ear infection, and how much is she scratching it? They can take time to clear up, especially if she’s frantically scratching it. It may be worth switching to another brand of food for a while to see how it goes, then reverting back to Orijen later?
I have been feeding my cat wellness core and then wellness complete health. Recently he got an ear infection and started losing interest in eating. I took him to the vet and he will be ok soon. I just ordered some orijen cat food. My first question is whether so much protein will hurt his kidneys and my second question is whether orijen will help his immune system ward off future ear infections and any other health issues.
I’m out of league here. Orijen Acana Orijen Acana?!? Definitely better than Wellness Core with all the bad rumors.
Hi Bonnie, how old is your cat and how active? Orijen has a high amount of protein but it’s also a very good food. That means your cat should get more nutrients per pound than other foods, and may also eat less of it. If you have an older or less active cat then there are other decent foods available with a lower protein percentage if you have that concern. Yes, a decent food will boost a cats immune system in the same way a healthy diet would boost ours, so a food such as Orijen would certainly help prevent future health issues and infections.
Hello, my cat, pickle, is 16 and diabetic.I’ve been feeding him hills M/D for a year, but I wanted to try mixing in some six fish. Do you think it’s good for a diabetic cat? I work at a store in OR that sells it and thought it might be a good idea. The hills foods is about $ 60 for a tiny bag and I just found out I’m pregnant, so I’m trying to save money, but I want my kitty to be healthy too. Just curious on your thoughts. Thank you ! Marisa
Hi Marisa, 6 fish is a decent quality food. The closest you can get to a natural diet the better, and Hills M/D definitely isn’t a natural diet. If you can supplement with raw meats such as a chicken neck every few days then that would also help, and they’re cheap to buy in the supermarket.
I recently started feeding my two overweight senior cats Orijen Six Fish. After trying 10 different dry foods, they like it! Then, I was at a pet food store today and was told that Orijen changed the recipe to include twice as much fiber and less meat and is making some pets sick because of the increase in fiber. The woman at the store said she compared the ingredients when the new label was introduced. Is Orijen still a great food that you would recommend?
Thank you.
On the contrary, the new Orijen formulas have less fiber. The old formulas used russet potatoes as a fairly significant ingredient, but these have been removed in favor of greater meat content. It’s a high protein food, which generally makes it more suitable to younger, active cats. With your senior cats you should find they eat less (because they need less), and would hopefully lose weight. I certainly recommend all foods made by Champion Petfoods, both Orijen and Acana. I seldom hear bad things about the company.
Greetings from Malaysia,
I’ve just adopted a kitten and I’ve been feeding her Orijen Cat & Kitten dry food since the first day. She love it so much.
Thank god Orijen is easy to find at our local store.
But I do have a question though… since this is my first time taking care of a cat. Is it okay to just feed her Orijen dry food. Or should I feed them canned/wet food for balance as well?
I find that majority of the replies here prefers to mix Orijen dry food and Wellness canned food. I’d already checked with most of the local store here. And they do sell the Wellness Grain Free canned food , both for kitten and cat.
If its better to feed cats both dry and canned food, what is the most recommended way to do so?
Thank you!
I really enjoyed reading these posts, especially how so many of you turned your cats’ lives around. Very special. I can tell from your posts that you are a caring group.
Wet food for cats is a must. They are desert animals and therefore require additional moisture that they are not getting in dry food. Please give them wet food daily, even if it’s just a bit. Many cats enjoy licking coconut oil off a finger too (I usually give them a dab each day).
Happy Day to you and your cats!
Thank you Heather for saying something about wet food. I’ve read a number of responses on more than a few cat dry food reviews, and I’m surprised the person responding doesn’t have more information at hand about cats NEEDING wet food. Everyone can look up on the internet why your cats need wet food and what the problems are that arise when cats do not get enough moisture in their diet – UTIs, urine crystals, dehydration problems. Cats don’t typically spend a lot of time at the water bowl. Have you noticed? If you have a water fountain that helps too (the movement of the water entices the cats). But mostly, wet food is where cats derive their moisture requirements. ALWAYS feed wet food too. We have 4 cats, one of which wouldn’t touch dry food for the longest time. She’s finally eating the wet as long as she knows her dry is coming too. Please spread the word – Cats NEED wet food too – most vets say it’s a preference to only feed wet food, but some cats like mine, won’t eat wet food alone.
Hi Annette, I always try and raise awareness about the importance of moisture (and fresh, clean water) as part of a cats diet, so your points are very valid.
Hi Emma,
Orijen is a very good food and can be fed on it’s own, but you may also feed a wet food (Wellness is definitely good). What balance you choose is up to you, but I recommend sticking to a routine.
We have fed our cats Orijen Cat and Kitten Food since we got them as kittens (along with Wellness canned food for balance). We have always loved the high quality. My question is about the recent formula change: Are the ingredients still as good as they once were? Also, I notice they use Walleye as an ingredient whuch is a fish that humans can safely eat once a week. Is it safe for cats to eat it more often (i.e., in their daily food)?
I’m very impressed with the new Orijen formulas, especially for cats. It’s still undoubtedly a very high quality food. I see no problems with the amount of Walleye in the food, and it’s a fantastic source of digestible protein and nutrients.
We feed our 3 cats a mixture of Orijen and Wellness wet food and have had great vet visits. One cat previously suffered with urinary stones and he no longer has that issue. Additionally, we have a 20 year old cat who has been in renal failure for 1.5 years and eats Orijen as well. Initially we fed our renal failure kitty only vet recommended reduced protein kidney food, but after his health started to decline rapidly on it we allowed him to eat Orijen. Our feeling on it is that he’s an old cat and should be allowed to choose what he wants to eat in his final few years. We understood the risks of feeding a higher protein diet to him, but it has been worth it! He is healthier with his kidney lab values remaining constant and he is chipper and still raises hell around the house. His initial prognosis was for 6 months! I know his health is not all due to Orijen, but I do believe that good nutrition in either human or animal can be partly observed in positive health outcomes.
Hi Carrie, that’s great to hear and brings a bit of a tear to my eye. My first cat Rodney was diagnosed with renal failure at 14 and was given 6 months, but he lived to the ripe old age of 21! In his last couple of years our other cat had four kittens, and he’d play with them like he was one of them! We didn’t feed him Orijen, but we fed him good foods.
My 8 year old cat is in early stage of kidney disease. Eats only dry food. Vet recommended Hills Science Gourmet but your ratings seem to discourage Hills. What product is recommended? Is Blue Wilderness Mature are good one?
Hi Hank … Sorry to hear that. I’ve always heard that with male cats, dry food is risky. My beloved soul cat Chloe developed renal problems after having diabetes. We found that the IV fluids helped a lot. Unfortunately she didn’t make and had to be put to sleep at the so young age of 11. Broke my heart. Good luck with your guy, but include some wet food. I believe there are charts with foods specifically needed for cats with kidney issues. Check on google. Carbs should be low (apparently Orijen has higher than desirable carbs), protein should be high (what I heard).
Hi Hank,
I’ve answered your first comment here – https://www.petfoodratings.org/dry-cat-food/taste-of-the-wild/
I would still recommend any decent food. The benefits will outweigh feeding any low quality food. Ensure your cat has lots of water, and if they refuse to eat wet food then try moistening their dry kibble.
Orijen is produced by Champion Petfoods and the same company has also a brand named Acana . Any reviews about that one? I have been feeding my cats both Orijen and Acana. I think they like Acana more.
BTW lately I have seen another product from Farmina, N&D Grain Free Feline. I haven’t tried this one yet. Do you know if it is any good?
Hi Ogrn,
You can’t really go wrong with Orijen, and the same applies to Acana. They’re very much alike. I’ve reviewed Acana here – https://www.petfoodratings.org/dry-cat-food/acana-grasslands-cat-kitten/
Farmina is a European brand and relatively new to the US market. The ingredients seem quite good, but I don’t have enough experience with the brand to give an accurate review at this stage. It could be worth a try?
We have fed this to our cats One Spot and Two Spot (now three years old) since they were kittens. They love the taste, have healthy shiny coats, and have been getting clean bills of health at their annual vet visits. We do also feed them Wellness brand wet food, so they have a balance of wet and dry (our personal preference). But I know of no better dry food than Orijen.
Is this ok to feed to Senior cats? I have three seniors, one overweight adult cat and two kittens. Is is difficult trying to keep the Senior, Adult (reduced calorie formula) and the kitten food separated so that everyone is eating what they should be. It would be easier just to feed one food. By the way, the seniors have no health issues.
Thanks
Hi Susanne, there would be no harm in trying as it’s a quality food! It’s high protein so great for the kittens, you’re fine there. Is the senior cat an indoor or outdoor cat? With the higher protein food he/she may become more active and actually lose weight, but only time will tell. Generally with a decent food like Orijen you find the cat will eat less as they’re getting more nutrition from less quantity. It’s worth a try…
I have a dog that eats the cats food, and the cat eats the dog food, so I know how hard it is to separate foodstuffs!
Can I LOVE the above answer
What is “Chicken Meal” ?
Hi Sharene,
“Chicken Meal” is meat weighed after dehydration, so more concentrated than “Chicken”. It therefore has more protein in this condensed form, and is one of the best ingredients to see in a pet food.
Read more in our ingredients glossary here – https://www.petfoodratings.org/ingredient-glossary/