Biologically
Appropriate

Nourish as nature intended

Our biologically appropriate philosophy is simple: mirror the quantity, freshness, and variety of meat that dogs and cats have evolved to eat.

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is the ancestor and closest relative of all domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiarius), sharing 97% of their DNA, while the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) is the closest relative of domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus).

Despite years of breeding, the internal workings and anatomical capabilities of domestic dogs and cats remain the same as their wild cousins, so it’s no surprise their food requirements remain the same too.

The eating anatomy of carnivores

Just like their ancestors, modern dogs and cats have anatomical features designed for a meat-based diet – a fundamental fact often overlooked by pet food makers. these include:

Teeth and jaws
- A wide mouth for swallowing chunks of meat whole, with a single-hinge jaw that lacks side-to-side chewing ability (unlike plant-eaters that chew extensively, meat-eaters seldom chew their foods).
- Sharp, pointed teeth for grasping and shredding meat (not for grinding plants).
Saliva and enzymes
- The saliva of plant-eaters contains the digestive enzyme amylase, which mixes with food through chewing. Since meat-eaters don’t chew, they are not adapted to digest carbohydrates from plants.
- Meat-eaters swallow chunks of meat whole; the purpose of their saliva is to lubricate the throat – not predigest food.
Short digestive tract
- In nature, carnivores seldom eat every day; sometimes as little as once a week. That’s why they have a large single-chambered stomach suitable for gorging and digesting meat later.
- Because meat is easily digested (relative to plants), dogs and cats have a short, simple gastrointestinal tract (compare that to plant-eaters like cows, who have four stomach chambers and eat constantly).
- Carnivores have a high concentration of stomach acid to break down meat quickly and kill bacteria associated with raw meat.

Our five biologically appropriate principles

1. Rich in protein from fresh or raw animal sources
JUST LIKE THEIR WILD COUSINS, MODERN DOGS AND CATS ARE EQUIPPED WITH SHARP TEETH, A SHORT DIGESTIVE TRACT, AND A BODY EVOLVED TO METABOLIZE MEAT, POULTRY AND FISH.

Biologically Appropriate ORIJEN mirrors the evolutionary diet, nourishing your dog or cat as Mother Nature would, with rich, fresh meat, poultry and fish inclusions plus smaller amounts of fresh, whole vegetables, fruit, and botanicals. That’s why ORIJEN features:
- up to 90%* quality animal ingredients | ORIJEN’s rich meat, poultry or fish inclusions nourish the way nature intended.
- 36-44% protein | ORIJEN derives its rich protein content primarily from quality animal ingredients. We don’t add grains or gluten in our kitchens, which common in conventional pet foods.
*approximate and derived from the unprocessed state of the ingredients.
2. Rich fresh or raw meat, poultry or fish inclusions
ORIJEN's premium ingredients mirror mother nature, supplying nutrients in their freshest and most nourishing form.
- Fresh | 2/3 of the meat, fish, poultry, and egg ingredients are FRESH or RAW, so they’re brimming with protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals in their most nourishing form.
- Dried | 1/3 of the meat, poultry and fish ingredients are dried, providing a concentrated form of nourishing protein in a highly bio-available form.
When we say fresh we mean it!

Our three classes of meat, poultry or fish ingredients are :
1. Fresh: Our fresh ingredients meet the AAFCO standard of refrigeration as the sole method of preservation.
2. Raw: Our raw ingredients are the same as our fresh, but are frozen at the peak of freshness to preserve nutrients.
3. Dried: Meat, fish and poultry ingredients are dried to provide a concentrated source of protein.
3. An abundant variety of fresh or raw meat, poultry or fish

Consider the variation in the natural diet: fish today, a duck or goose tomorrow, fresh eggs the next. a rich variety of fresh, quality animal ingredients is a key principle in our foods, providing a diversity of essential protein and fat to nourish dogs and cats completely.

This variety is lost in conventional dog and cat foods, which often feature a single animal ingredient, such as chicken or lamb, that’s highly processed and seldom authentically fresh. ORIJEN is different. Loaded with up to eight different kinds of fresh or raw meat, poultry or fish ingredients, ORIJEN provides a richly nourishing diversity of protein and fat that support peak health.

Ranch-raised red meat

Raised on farms and ranches from people we know and trust, using nature’s simple recipe of fresh air, clean water, and natural grasses, our beef, boar, bison, lamb, mutton, pork, goat, and venison are delivered FRESH or RAW to our kitchen, so they’re brimming with goodness and taste.

Ranch-Raised Beef

Wild Boar

Ranch-raised Bison

Grass-Fed Lamb

Grass-fed mutton

Yorkshire Pork

Boer Goat

Delivered fresh or raw | WholePrey ratios

Free-run poultry & cage-free eggs

Raised on farms by people we know and trust, our free-run chicken, duck, turkey, and quail, and cage-free eggs arrive at our kitchen fresh or raw, so they’re full of nourishing protein and fat. Our free-run chickens and turkeys are not housed in cages and are able to move in a barn without outdoor access.

Free-Run Chicken

Duck

Free-Run Turkey

Free-Run Quail

Cage-Free Eggs

Delivered fresh or raw | WholePrey ratios

Sustainable whole fish

Unique to ORIJEN, our whole, fresh and raw saltwater fish are wild-caught from cold ocean waters.

Atlantic Mackerel

Monkfish

Alaskan Salmon

Alaskan Cod

Atlantic Herring

Flounder

Our salmon meal, catfish meal, salmon oil, catfish oil, char and trout, and some of our natural fish flavor ingredients are derived from fish that are sustainably farmed.

Sustainably caught | Delivered fresh or raw | WholePrey ratios
4. Wholeprey ratios
In nature, there is no need for vitamin or mineral supplements, as wolves and wildcats derive their complete nutritional needs naturally by consuming whole animals. ORIJEN WholePrey ratios mirror the foods dogs and cats evolved to eat over thousands of years, incorporating a nourishing balance of fresh meat, poultry or fish, and organs or bone in amounts that deliver nutrients. ORIJEN foods provide almost every nutrient your dog or cat needs, in highly bio-available forms, so there’s no need for long lists of synthetic additives.
SUPERFOOD FOR DOGS AND CATS

ORIJEN Incorporates meat, poultry or fish, and organs or bone in ratios that mimic mother nature, creating a powerhouse of nutritional goodness. that’s why you won’t find long lists of synthetic supplements in orijen foods.
- Meat. Poultry Or Fish provides protein, fat, vitamins A, B, D, and K, copper, chromium, folic acid, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc — all in highly bio-available forms.
- Organs liver, kidney, tripe, and heart provide a richly concentrated and highly bio-available source of virtually everything dogs and cats need to thrive — including heavy doses of essential vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and amino acids.
- Edible Bone provide a rich source of minerals including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium — all in an easily absorbed form.
5. Fresh vegetables & fruit
NOT ALL VEGETABLES AND FRUIT ARE CREATED EQUAL In place of cereal grains, ORIJEN features healthy vegetables and fruit delivered fresh or raw and whole to our Kentucky kitchen. ORIJEN uses whole fresh-picked fruit, and excludes high grain inclusions or vegetables and fruit in powdered form.
- Whole apples and pears arrive fresh or raw from fruit orchards to provide a rich source of phytonutrients and fiber.
- Whole pumpkin and butternut squashare fresh or raw and loaded with healthy fiber and natural-source vitamins.
- Kentucky greens and whole carrots pack a nutritional punch.