Carna4 Information
Carna4 is a family-owned pet food brand based in Canada that David Stauble and Maria Ringo founded in 2010.
David and Maria have extensive experience in the pet food industry, working with other brands, and decided to go out independently in pursuit of natural pet food.
All of Carna4’s products are produced in Canada at a facility in Quebec called Bio Biscuit Inc.
Carna4 is not as easy to purchase as many of the more prominent pet food brands but can still be found at many specialty and smaller pet food stores across Canada and the United States.
You can use their Store Locator Tool to find a store that stocks Carna4 near you.
If you want to buy Carna4 online, this may also be more difficult as they are not sold at the largest pet food websites like Chewy or Petflow.
However, they are sold by some specialty websites such as White Dog Bone or Canadian Pet Connection.
Carna4 Product Range
Dog Food
Carna4 has a moderate range of dog food products, all of which are dry dog food recipes.
However, the range of meat and fish ingredients used in this range is broader than most, allowing you to select one that best suits your dog.
Many of their recipes are ‘easy-chew,’ which makes them ideal for older dogs with poor teeth or smaller breed dogs who may struggle to chew larger kibble.
However, that doesn’t mean they are limited to these dogs, and others may also be well-suited to their food.
Cat Food
Carna4’s cat food range is smaller than its dog food range and only includes two unique recipes.
Both are dry cat food recipes, with one focusing on Chicken and another focusing on Fish.
Unlike the dog food recipes, Carna4’s cat food recipes aren’t ‘easy-chew’ and so may not be aimed at older cats with bad teeth, but for many other cats, they could be an ideal diet.
Carna4 Nutrition
Dog Food
The nutrition provided by Carna4 dog food recipes is above average when compared to other dog food recipes.
You can see an example of the nutrition provided by a Carna4 recipe in the graphic below.
As you can see, the proportion of protein and fat is substantial at a total of over 60% of the recipe’s overall nutritional.
This nutritional profile would be well suited to most dogs, especially those that are more active or young and need a higher intake of protein or fat.
If you’d like to learn more about canine nutrition and get an in-depth understanding, we recommend you check out our Dog Food Guide.
Cat Food
The nutrition provided by Carna4’s cat food recipes is also above average when compared to other dry cat food recipes.
You can see an example of this in the nutritional breakdown of their Chicken recipe below.
As you can see, the sum of protein and fat is substantial at a whopping 74%. This closely aligns with a cat’s natural obligate carnivore diet with a plentiful supply of animal-based protein and fat, with minimal plant matter.
You can learn more about what it means to be an obligate carnivore and other important information for feline nutrition in our Cat Food Guide.
Carna4 Ingredients
High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients
- Chicken
- Duck
- Lamb
- Goat
- Venison
- Herring
- Perch
- Salmon
Carna4 uses an extensive range of meat and fish ingredients in its recipes, including those shown above.
These ingredients are high-quality sources of animal-based protein and fat and ideal components of a dog or cat’s diet.
Several of these ingredients, such as Goat and Venison, are unusual additions to dog food recipes and would be considered by many to be novel ingredients.
These are often used in dog food recipes designed for dogs with severe allergies or sensitivities, also known as hypoallergenic dog food.
You can learn more about Hypoallergenic and Venison-based dog food in the articles below.
Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods Guide
Other Notable Ingredients
Most of Carna4’s recipes utilize a large portion of Eggs as a secondary ingredient after the recipe’s meat or fish content.
Eggs are an excellent addition to pet food recipes and are dense sources of nutrition, including protein, fat, carbohydrates, and several beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Another reason Eggs are a fantastic ingredient is that they are highly bioavailable, which means it is easier for pets to digest their nutrition than other foods.
Carna4 uses grain ingredients in its recipes, including Barley and Brown Rice. Grain ingredients such as these can be controversial additions, with some pet owners against their use.
However, others support their use, especially those that feed recipes from major brands like Purina Pro Plan or Royal Canin.
Regardless, grain ingredients can act as a reliable source of nutrition through carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
In addition, Barley and Brown Rice are considered superior to other grain ingredients as they are less processed and can provide additional nutrition.
However, Carna4 also uses legume ingredients, such as Fava Beans, Lentils, and Peas, in its recipes.
Legumes like these are extremely common in grain-free pet food recipes, acting as the primary plant-based ingredients.
However, there has been controversy around their use in recent years after potential links were found between the high use of legumes and an increased rate of canine heart disease.
You can read more about this concerning link in our article Best Dog Foods Without Peas.
In addition to grains and legumes, Carna4 also uses Sweet Potato in its recipes, which is a starch ingredient.
Like other plant-based ingredients, Sweet Potatoes can be a dense source of carbohydrates.
A typical minor ingredient found in pet food recipes is Flaxseed, and Carna4 joins the crowd with a small portion in their recipes.
Flaxseed is best known for being one of the best plant-based sources of the beneficial Omega Fatty Acids.
These fatty acids can provide pets with several health benefits, including improving the condition of their skin, coat, or fur.
However, Flaxseed can also provide some other benefits that are less well-known. You can learn about these benefits in our article, Flaxseed In Dog Food.
Lastly, Carna4 recipes contain a small portion of Kelp, also known as Seaweed. Kelp is a relatively uncommon addition to pet food, only used by several niche brands like Ziwi Peak and, Stella and Chewys.
However, it can be a beneficial addition for two reasons. Firstly, it can be used as a binding agent to help hold the ingredients of a recipe together.
However, it can also provide beneficial nutrition, such as high levels of plant-based protein and minerals like Iodine.
In our article Kelp In Pet Food, you can learn more about Kelp and why it’s used in pet food recipes.
Carna4 Animal Testing
At this time, we have no information on whether Carna4 participates in invasive or laboratory testing of animals.
Their website goes into detail regarding their quality control processes, but there is no mention of animal testing.
It would be fantastic if Carna4 clarified its stance on animal testing and gave consumers more insight into how its products are tested.
Regardless, we are strongly against the use of invasive or laboratory testing for the production of pet food recipes and hope that any brands that continue to do so end this practice as soon as possible.
Carna4 Recalls
Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), we can find no evidence that leads us to believe that Carna4 pet food recipes have ever undergone a recall, which makes Carna4 a recall-free pet food brand.
Given that Carna4 has been operating for over a decade, this is an impressive record and shows that they take their safety and quality processes seriously.
Regardless, we always recommend that pet owners be vigilant of any future recalls of Carna4 pet food to ensure that their pets remain healthy and safe.
Best of Carna4
Easy-Chew Fish Formula Review
Carna4’s easy chew recipes have slightly softer, smaller nuggets, making them a great choice for smaller dogs such as certain breeds or puppies, and can also be beneficial for seniors who struggle to chew larger food.
Despite this, these easy chew recipes can still be fed to other dogs and aren’t limited to those mentioned above.
The Easy Chew Fish Recipe is an excellent choice from Carna4’s limited selection and utilizes a generous portion of Herring, Perch, and Salmon as its core fish ingredients.
These fish ingredients are a fantastic source of animal-based protein and fat, providing a minimum of 29% and 15%, respectively.
However, this fish recipe is a great source of the beneficial Omega 3 Fatty Acids. This Fish recipe has the highest level of any Carna4 recipe, with a whopping 1.9%.
Outside of these fish ingredients, a large portion of Eggs is included to provide even more protein and fat, along with a mix of Barley Seeds, Fava Beans, Sweet Potato, Flaxseed, Lentils, and more.
This wide variety of plant-based ingredients provides a moderate proportion of carbohydrates, fiber, and a range of vitamins and minerals.
Chicken Formula Review
Carna4 only has two cat food recipes to choose from, which makes picking our favorite recipe a little easier than usual.
However, that doesn’t take away from these recipes, and they are a fantastic option for many cats thanks to their excellent nutrition and ingredient quality.
The Chicken recipe utilizes a massive portion of Chicken, Chicken Liver, and Eggs as its primary ingredients, contributing towards an enormous portion of animal-based nutrition, a minimum of 40% protein and 17% fat.
Like their dog food recipes, this Chicken recipe has small portions of Barley Seeds, Fava Beans, Sweet Potatoes, Flaxseed, and other plant-based ingredients.
These provide a modest portion of carbohydrates and fiber that closely aligns with a cat’s natural diet.
Carna4 Featured Articles
Carna4 Full Product Range
Dog Food
Easy-Chew Lamb Formula
Easy-Chew Goat Formula
Easy-Chew Venison Formula
Easy-Chew Fish Formula
Easy-Chew Chicken Formula
Easy-Chew Duck Formula
Flora4 Ground Sprouted Seeds Food Topper
Flora4 Ground Sprouted Seeds Snacks
Cat Food
Chicken Formula
Fish Formula