Advantages and disadvantages
The first and main advantage of Orijen brand food is its composition. The basis of dry food is high-quality animal proteins: turkey meat, chicken meat, fish of “noble varieties”. The manufacturer indicates the exact composition of the ingredients and confirms that the raw materials for the feed were used without prior freezing or chemical treatment.
The second feature of the brand is the presence of a line of freeze-dried products for animals, Freeze-Dried Treats. Freeze-dried treats for cats are an innovative product. Sublimation technology does not involve heat treatment of products, which allows you to preserve all the nutrients and taste of fresh ingredients.
The disadvantages of Orijen include:
- limited assortment;
- There is no medicinal food in the assortment;
- the company does not produce wet cat food or canned food.
general information
Orijen dry food belongs to the holistic category. This is a sign of the highest quality: such products contain only safe ingredients, the share of meat in some cases reaches 80–90%. The list of ingredients is close to natural nutrition, in which animal proteins should make up the same amount of the total food.
The logo is present on all food packaging, but depending on the specialization of the formula, only one icon is left: cat or dog
Champion PetFoods produces Orijen food. It also produces Acana dry food, which also belongs to the holistic class. The factory is located in Canada, which increases confidence in the manufacturer. This guarantees that the products undergo thorough testing to ensure compliance with quality criteria. In addition, Canada is one of the most environmentally friendly countries. Processing of raw materials is carried out in the same place where they are mined, so the possibility of spoiled ingredients getting into the feed is excluded.
Champion PetFoods was founded in 1975. The factory is located in the small town of Morinville: in 2021, less than 10 thousand people were registered there.
The corporation adheres to the principle of biological matching. The company tries to include ingredients that a cat would eat in the wild. Champion PetFoods does not just purchase raw materials or raise poultry and fish. The corporation either purchases meat from environmentally friendly farms or catches fish in natural reservoirs. When raising poultry and farm animals, growth stimulants, antibiotics and hormonal drugs are not used. They try to provide the animals with the opportunity to roam freely: this way, meat products will be closest to their natural counterparts.
Freeze-dried meat is the safest treat for cats
Additionally, the company produces a line of dog food. There are also Orijen treats. They cannot be used as a complete diet because they do not contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals, but they can be offered to pets as a reward or for variety. The line of delicacies includes not only standard treats with fish and chicken, but also products with lamb, wild boar or deer meat. There are no unnecessary components or fillers in the composition: only 100% meat.
The most popular Orijen food brands
The Dry Food line (dry food) of the Orijen brand is represented by the following names:
- Cat & Kitten – for pregnant and lactating cats, for kittens;
- Six Fish – for adult cats with fish;
- Regional Red – for all ages with beef;
- Tundra – with goat and wild boar meat;
- Fit & Trim – dietary food.
ORIJEN Cat & Kitten
Nutritious food in granules with a high content of protein (42%) and fat (20%) for feeding kittens and feeding pregnant and lactating cats. The formula contains 48 ingredients.
The first ingredient listed is fresh boneless chicken, which makes up 20% of the protein composition of the product. Sources of animal protein: dry chicken, chicken and turkey liver, whole fresh herring, fresh turkey, pike perch fillet, fresh salmon, chicken heart, whole eggs. A variety of animal proteins provides the food with a complete set of microelements and amino acids. Fat: chicken liver oil, chicken liver fat. Chicken cartilage is used as a source of collagen, glucosamine and chondroitin in the feed.
Plant protein and carbohydrates: green peas, red lentils, chickpeas, sun-dried alfalfa, green lentils. Fiber that is good for the cat's digestive tract: kelp, pea fiber, vegetables and fruits. The food has a rich fruit and vegetable composition: butternut squash, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, Bartlett pears, dried apricots, Red Delicious apples, cranberries, blueberries. The formula is enhanced with medicinal herbs, seasonings and antioxidants.
- Pros of the food: does not contain grains.
- Disadvantage of food: a variety of animal proteins can become a source of food allergies.
Price: packaging 0.34 kg – 410 rubles, 1.8 kg – 1870 rubles, 5.4 kg – 3700 rubles.
ORIJEN Six Fish
Balanced dry food based on fish ingredients contains 42% highly nutritious proteins, 16% low-glycemic carbohydrates and 20% fat.
2/3 of the food consists of fresh and raw fish that has not been preserved. Protein composition: Pacific sardine, whole hake, mackerel, flounder, perch, sole, dry whole blue whiting, cod liver.
Fat composition: herring fat, sunflower oil. Plant Ingredients: Green peas, red lentils, kidney beans, yellow peas, green lentils, chickpeas. Vegetables and fruits: zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, pears, apples, cabbage, beet and turnip leaves, serviceberry berries, blueberries and cranberries, rose hips. The following useful additives are used: burdock root, milk thistle, chicory root, turmeric, marshmallow root.
- Plus feed: high-protein fish composition.
- Disadvantage of food: high cost.
Price: packaging 0.34 kg – 430 rubles, 1.8 kg – 1990 rubles, 6.8 kg – 4900 rubles.
ORIJEN Regional Red
High-quality dry red meat food for cats of all ages. Protein content – 40%, fat – 20%.
Protein component: beef, boneless wild boar meat, goat and lamb meat, boar liver, beef tripe, beef heart, boneless lamb, pork liver, beef kidneys, mackerel, pork heart and kidneys, lamb liver. Fats: beef fat, herring oil. Legumes: peas, green lentils, beans. Fruit and vegetable composition: butternut squash, turnips, carrots, kale, mustard leaves, apples, pears.
The food formula is enhanced with prebiotics, medicinal plant extracts and spices.
- Plus feed: does not contain grains and potatoes.
- Disadvantages of food: high cost, not always available for free sale.
Price: pack 0.34 kg – 700 rubles, 1.8 kg – 3750 rubles, 5.4 kg – 7150 rubles.
ORIJEN Tundra
Orijen complete cat food for all breeds. The formula contains 69 natural ingredients, 2/3 of which are fresh and raw ingredients.
The high protein (40%) and fat (20%) content makes the food suitable for feeding pregnant and lactating cats. Main ingredients: goat meat, venison, duck, lamb, arctic char, trout, salmon, boar liver, mackerel, duck liver, blue whiting, herring, venison liver, boar heart, lamb tripe.
Fats: herring oil, duck fat. Vegetables, fruits, herbs: pumpkin, carrots, zucchini, parsnips, apples, cabbage, pears, spinach, beet leaves, cranberries, brown algae, blueberries, juniper berries, rose hips, chicory root. To strengthen the immune system - bifidobacteria, Omega-3, Omega-6.
- Plus food: balanced high-protein formula.
- Disadvantage of food: high cost.
Price: pack 0.34 kg – 536 rubles, 1.8 kg – 2500 rubles, 5.4 kg – 2490 rubles.
ORIJEN Fit & Trim
Dietary granulated food for cats prone to gaining excess weight. Protein content – 44%, fat – 15%. The food is based on fresh meat from free-range chicken.
Protein components: whole eggs, herring, turkey meat, flounder, hake, mackerel, sardine, pollock, chicken and turkey heart, turkey liver. Legumes: chickpeas, green peas, red lentils, yellow peas, green lentils. The source of chondroitin and glucosamine is chicken cartilage. Vegetables, fruits, greens: apples, pumpkin, spinach, carrots, parsnips, zucchini, turnip greens, cranberries, serviceberry berries, kale, beet tops, rose hips.
The food is enriched with magnesium, taurine, Omega-3 and Omega-6 acids.
- Plus feed: low fat content.
- Disadvantage of food: it is not always available for free sale.
Price: packaging 0.34 kg – 430 rubles, 2 kg – 1610 rubles, 5.4 kg – 3920 rubles.
For restricted feeding
For overweight animals, a special formulation of Orijen Fitand Trim has been developed. The food contains a lot of protein and is low in calories. The source of protein is chicken, turkey, sea fish, eggs and internal organs of poultry. The fat content of the product is 15%, which allows you to maintain optimal body weight.
The composition includes a small percentage of slow carbohydrates, which help maintain a feeling of fullness for a long period. Reviews from owners confirm that a daily diet based on this Orijen cat food helps to lose excess weight and increases the pet’s activity.
For plump pets
Reviews of kitten food
Sofia : “I want to share my experience of feeding ORIJEN Cat & Kitten. I switched my kittens to it after natural food. For the first week, the babies ate reluctantly. This means that there are no cheap flavors, as in premium foods. Then we tried it. I've been breastfeeding for about a year. The stool is regular, but very “fragrant” - this is perhaps the only negative.”
Nikita : “I read a lot of reviews on the Internet that this food contains too much protein. Strange statements - cats are predators!”
By age category
All Orijen brand products are universal and suitable for animals of any age group. However, it is best to use Orijen Catand Kitten food as a daily diet for kittens. It is based on the following meat components (%):
- chicken – 18;
- turkey – 7;
- flounder – 4;
- herring – 4.
Also added are chicken and turkey by-products, eggs, dehydrated fish fillets, and animal fats. There is a wide range of vegetables, fruits, berries and medicinal herbs. The food is completely balanced and can be used as a daily menu for pregnant and lactating cats.
Reviews of Orijen cat food - owners and veterinarians
Albina: “My Bengali beauty loves meat. She is ready to eat only him. I spent a long time looking for suitable dry food to satisfy her appetite until I found ORIJEN Regional Red. It contains only red meat. Excellent food. One thing that upsets me is that you can only buy it in some online stores. You can’t find it in pet stores in our city.”
Andrey Petrovich, veterinarian : “I recommend Orijen food to all owners. Don't look at the fact that this brand doesn't have a very wide range - cats don't need a lot of variety. If my clients are confused by the high price, I always say that holistic foods are very economical. Cats fed Orijen have excellent digestion and no intestinal irritation. One note - the food is not suitable for neutered cats.”
Valentina, veterinarian : “Some of my patients complain about Orijen food, they say that it is not suitable for sterilized cats. This is understandable. Orijen food is high in protein, so sterilized animals may gain excess weight on it. In such cases, I recommend choosing dietary ORIJEN Fit & Trim or selecting high-quality super-premium food.
The opinion of veterinarians
According to numerous reviews from veterinarians, Orijen food is one of the best holistic foods. However, it is not recommended to give it to cats with any health problems, since it contains a lot of protein and fat, which can cause deterioration of the condition.
Orijen grain-free food is a good option for feeding cats of different ages and breeds. But in the first weeks of introducing it into the animal’s diet, I recommend monitoring the pet’s condition, because due to the abundance of meat and fish in the product, it may develop digestive problems.
Valentina Petrovna, Nizhny Novgorod
Orijen is a natural food made in Canada. However, for many cats, feeding only this product can be disastrous, since a large amount of meat ingredients can cause digestive problems and worsen the functional state of the liver. To digest such a volume of meat, grain crops are needed, and, as is known, they are not included in the product.
Svetlana Dmitrievna, Moscow
I do not recommend including Orijen food in your cat’s main diet, since it is very poorly digested by the body, thereby increasing the load on the pancreas. I advise all pet owners to give this product only as a treat.
Ekaterina Vitalievna, Samara
Orijen is an improved variation of the popular Acana food.
The product contains 85% fresh meat or fish, and the remaining 15% consists of vegetables, fruits and herbs. In this regard, I recommend the products of this brand for feeding cats and small kittens over 1 month old that do not have health problems. The advantage of the product is the absence of grain, corn, potatoes and synthetic additives, which often cause an allergic reaction. Egor Petrovich, Tula
Conclusion
Orijen is a cat food whose composition is close to natural. The high quality of the ingredients used in its production is beyond doubt.
The production technology, aimed at maximizing the preservation of all nutrients, is worthy of the highest ratings. But do not forget that each animal is individual. Even the highest quality food may not suit him. Consult your veterinarian and carefully monitor your pet's condition when you start giving him a new food.
We recommend the food for purchase.
Compound
Minimal heat treatment of the main ingredients, the absence of artificial components, as well as a composition balanced for real predators, automatically puts ORIDGEN on the list of the best cat foods.
In the composition of feed, a large proportion (80%) is occupied by meat of different varieties and/or fish, eggs. In addition to whole fibers, the feed contains by-products and cartilage necessary for the formation of tissue. The variety ensures an attractive taste for cats and ease of digestion.
The remaining 20% in the recipe is allocated to vegetables, fruits, cereals, herbs, herbs, including exotic and medicinal ones.
ORIJEN does not use high-glycemic plant materials in cat food that other manufacturers commonly add as ballast, such as potatoes, grains, tapioca and rice.
ORIGEN for cats is optimally balanced and contains the vitamins, amino acids, minerals and other compounds necessary for the cat.
