Purina CA True Instinct Classic Ground with Real Turkey & Venison Dog Food

Wet Pate · complete

Average
our rating

Our verdict

Is Purina CA True Instinct Classic Ground with Real Turkey & Venison Dog Food a good dog food?

We score it 50/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.

How we score

Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.

100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.

Why you might choose it

  • Doesn't list grain ingredients.
  • Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
  • Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.

Why you might not

  • 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
  • Its additive load costs about 7 points in the rating.

Who is this food for?

Suits

  • Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
  • Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
  • Doesn't list beef, lamb, fish, duck as ingredients

Consider something else if:

  • Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
  • Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists turkey
  • Your dog avoids venison: the label lists venison
  • Your dog avoids pork: it is listed as an ingredient
  • You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein

These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Find foods that fit your dog.

Ingredients (11)100% of the recipe is estimated

Estimated composition

  • meat 51.3%
  • additive 24.1%
  • other 11.2%
  • fibre 7.0%
  • supplement 6.4%
#As declaredMatchedLabel readingDeclared %Est. %
1TurkeyTurkeymeat · medium-11.8
2Turkey BrothCooking brothother · medium-11.2
3ChickenChickenmeat · medium-10.7
4Pork LungsLungmeat · medium-10.2
5LiverLivermeat · good-9.6
6VenisonVenisonmeat · good-9.1
7CarrageenanCarrageenanadditive · poor-8.6
8Guar GumGuar gumadditive · medium-8.0
9SaltSaltadditive · poor-7.5
10Locust Bean GumCarob Flourfibre · medium-7.0
11Choline ChlorideCholinesupplement · good-6.4
  1. 1. Turkey11.8% estimated
    Turkey · meat · medium
  2. 2. Turkey Broth11.2% estimated
    Cooking broth · other · medium
  3. 3. Chicken10.7% estimated
    Chicken · meat · medium
  4. 4. Pork Lungs10.2% estimated
    Lung · meat · medium
  5. 5. Liver9.6% estimated
    Liver · meat · good
  6. 6. Venison9.1% estimated
    Venison · meat · good
  7. 7. Carrageenan8.6% estimated
    Carrageenan · additive · poor
  8. 8. Guar Gum8.0% estimated
    Guar gum · additive · medium
  9. 9. Salt7.5% estimated
    Salt · additive · poor
  10. 10. Locust Bean Gum7.0% estimated
    Carob Flour · fibre · medium
  11. 11. Choline Chloride6.4% estimated
    Choline · supplement · good

Nutrition and feedingProtein 9% · Fat 8%

Guaranteed analysis (as fed)

NutrientAs fed
Protein9%
Fat8%
Fibre1.50%
Moisture78%

Energy: 121.5 kcal/100g

Additives & feeding info

Feeding and storage

Storage

Refrigerate unused portion.

Feeding guide

Adult dogs need about one can per 12 lbs (5.4 kg) of body weight daily. Adjust the feeding amount as needed to maintain your dog in ideal body condition. Divide daily amount into multiple feedings. Your dog's needs may vary according to age, activity level and environment.

No additives recorded yet.

Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-19

Brand and contact: Purina CA
Phone
1.800.268.5345
Address
ATTN: CONSUMER CARE, 2500 ROYAL WINDSOR DRIVE, MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO L5J 1K8
Contact page
www.purina.ca

Trust and provenance

Recall history
No recalls recorded in our database
Label data last checked
2026-09-19
Scored with
Model v3 (methodology)
Product page
www.purina.ca

Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.

External platform ratings are not scores for this individual recipe.

Trustpilot: 1.8/5 · 190 reviews

Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.

Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence

Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated

Why this score?

This recipe achieves a total score of 50 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +1.6 points, while the additives in the recipe added +7.2 points. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6 points, and the additive load deducted -6.5 points.

Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.

ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-30.909+30.91
Average ingredient quality0.29.191+1.55
Additive share of dry matter44.4%0.163+7.24
Supplement share of dry matter12.1%-0.012-0.15
Other share of dry matter1.2%-0.375-0.43
Recipe graded poor16.0%-0.065-1.04
Number of poor ingredients2-0.876-1.75
Largest single poor ingredient8.6%0.060+0.51
Undeclared quantities100.0%-0.106-10.56
Low meat (under 10% of dry matter)yes-3.158-3.16
Additive penalty-29.370.222-6.52
Processing multiplier1.0033.786+33.79
Processing: Wet Pateyes-0.672-0.67
Show all 40 components
ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-30.909+30.91
Average ingredient quality0.29.191+1.55
Meat share of dry matter0.0%0.096+0.00
Carb share of dry matter0.0%-0.115+0.00
Oil share of dry matter0.0%-0.092+0.00
Vegetable share of dry matter0.0%-0.005+0.00
Additive share of dry matter44.4%0.163+7.24
Supplement share of dry matter12.1%-0.012-0.15
Other share of dry matter1.2%-0.375-0.43
Unrecognised share of dry matter0.0%-0.027+0.00
Recipe graded poor16.0%-0.065-1.04
Poor-quality meat in recipe0.0%-0.179+0.00
Number of poor ingredients2-0.876-1.75
Largest single poor ingredient8.6%0.060+0.51
Undeclared quantities100.0%-0.106-10.56
Prints ingredient percentagesno0.000+0.00
Complete dietno2.294+0.00
Frozen or chilled freshno0.000+0.00
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)no0.707+0.00
Low meat (under 10% of dry matter)yes-3.158-3.16
High carb and low meatno-1.180+0.00
Meat share × printed percentages0.00.000+0.00
Meat share × fresh0.00.000+0.00
Fresh × high meat0.011.084+0.00
Additive penalty-29.370.222-6.52
Processing multiplier1.0033.786+33.79
Processing: Rawno-0.054+0.00
Processing: Fresh Chilledno-2.354+0.00
Processing: Fresh Frozenno-2.354+0.00
Processing: Fresh Refrigeratedno0.000+0.00
Processing: Fresh Shelfno-0.672+0.00
Processing: Dry Freeze Driedno6.629+0.00
Processing: Dry Air Driedno6.331+0.00
Processing: Dry Cold Pressedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Bakedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Extrudedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Semi Moistno-6.174+0.00
Processing: Dry Mueslino-10.146+0.00
Processing: Wet Pateyes-0.672-0.67
Processing: Wet Chunksno-0.672+0.00
Processing-type offset
-0.08
Subtotal
49.6
Final score
50/100

Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.

Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges

How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for adult dogs. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.

Guaranteed-analysis FEDIAF score: crude minimums and maximums are bounds, not typical values; moisture (a maximum) uses the processing median where available; experimental US score.

NutrientAs fed (label)Dry matter (scored)Score
Protein940.9 (band 24.852272727272734 to 40%)100
Fat836.4 (band 7.593750000000002 to 20%)100
Fibre1.56.8 (band 0.5 to 5%)100
Energy (kcal/100g)121.5552.3100

Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 78% from the food type.

No nutritional additives section declared on the label.

Low confidence: partial analysis or moisture estimated from the food type.

This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.

Transparency: what the label discloses

How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.

ItemPoints
✓ Ingredient list on the label (mandatory)10/10
✗ Printed percentages on the label (voluntary) - not on file0/20
✗ Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file0/15
✗ Additives declared (mandatory) - not on file0/10
✓ Energy value declared (voluntary)5/5
✓ Complete/complementary designation (mandatory)5/5
✓ Feeding guidance given (mandatory)10/10
✓ Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory)10/10
✓ Country of manufacture stated (voluntary)10/10
✗ Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file0/5

Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared, Additives declared, Batch and date labelling).

Safety: recall history

Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.

No recalls recorded in our database.

Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it

The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.

50/100 · limited — 2 checkable claims: 1 consistent, 1 contradicted.

Contradicted by the label

  • "No Poultry By-Products" — the declared label says otherwise on chicken.

Consistent with the label

  • "Grain Free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.

5 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.

Limited: at least one claim contradicts the declared label, or a recent upheld ASA ruling applies.

ClaimTypeCheckSubstantiation
includes natural sources of glucosamine to help support your dog's healthy joints (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
nutrient-dense formula (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
No Poultry By-Products (on page)Free-fromcontradictedManufacturer assertion
Real Turkey #1 Ingredient (on page)Contentnot checkableManufacturer assertion
Grain Free (on page)Free-fromconsistentManufacturer assertion
Natural with Added Vitamins, Minerals and Nutrients (on page)Contentnot checkableManufacturer assertion
zero artificial colours, flavours or fillers (on page)Free-fromnot checkableManufacturer assertion

The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.

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