The ancestry of cats and dogs goes back millions of years. And you can probably guess what they ate! They were, of course, carnivores. When dogs and cats began to live among humans, they started to eat what humans ate including cooked foods, grains, corn, and legumes. These ingredients are often a part of conventional pet foods. This leads to the question: Are we feeding our pets the foods that benefit them the most? Many experts and pet owners are convinced that raw food for pets, which aligns with their ancestral diets, is the healthiest choice.
Feeding commercial raw foods to dogs and cats has been steadily growing in popularity. (Raw human foods you have at home in your refrigerator should never be fed to pets because they have not been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens.) If you haven’t tried prepared raw foods, you have likely wondered about their potential benefits.
Why Consider Raw Foods?
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Cats and dogs evolved with digestive tracts designed to thrive on a meat-based diet and raw animal meat is loaded with protein in its natural, unaltered state.
What Is Raw Pet Food?
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Raw pet food is uncooked and minimally processed meat along with ground bones for calcium and fruits and vegetables for natural vitamins and minerals.
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Raw pet foods often contain organ meats which provide a higher nutritional value than normal muscle meat.
What, Specifically, Are The Potential Benefits of Raw Pet Foods?
– Improved digestion - The enzymes and probiotics in a raw pet food diet make it easily digestible and, once a vet has eliminated medical causes, this diet can address issues like gas, diarrhea, vomiting, and low appetite.
– Reduction in allergies - Raw foods are extremely low-ingredient.
– Improved immune system - Raw foods maintain the probiotics, enzymes, vitamins and minerals
lost in the cooking process.
– Increased energy - Raw foods are typically higher in protein and fat than kibble diets.
– May lead to better oral and dental health - Due to natural enzymes and by removing carbohydrates from the diet, which stick to teeth and lead to decay, raw foods, along with proper vet care, may help prevent dental disease.
– Weight control - Raw foods are lower in carbohydrates so lower in calories and, because of high nutritional value, less food is needed.
– Enhanced hydration
– Smaller, firmer stools
Is Raw Food Safe?
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The USDA requires that raw pet foods contain 0% harmful pathogens. Raw foods are meticulously tested and subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens.
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Buy raw foods from a reputable pet store that you trust and that you know has reliable freezers and good practices.
But My Dog or Cat Loves Processed Food!
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Our pets want to eat foods that taste good, even if they’re not entirely nutritious or beneficial to health.
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The goal of raw foods is both high nutrition as well as something pets enjoy and look forward to. Raw foods can satisfy both of those goals.
What About Cost?
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For cats and small dog breeds, feeding raw is no more costly than feeding 2-3 cans of quality food to your pet daily.
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For larger dogs, the cost may be higher than what your budget allows. If the cost is not in your budget, we recommend using raw foods as a supplement to what you currently feed your pet.
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Many benefits can be gained by simply incorporating raw foods into your pet’s existing diet, even as a treat and supplement.
I’m Interested. Now What?
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Start by doing your own research.
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Visit some of the specific manufacturer’s websites to read the reviews and testimonials. There are countless pet owners who have seen a positive change in their pet’s health, appearance, and energy.
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If your dog or cat has a specific health condition, speak with your veterinarian before changing his or her diet. You can also ask your vet for his or her opinion about raw foods, but know that veterinarians, just like human doctors, are often schooled more on treating disease than on nutrition and prevention.
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Any change to diet should start out very gradually. This also gives you a chance to sneak small bits of raw food into their diet. Raw foods can also be used as a supplement to their regular diet
How Are Raw Foods Sold
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Raw foods can be purchased in a freeze dried form, which reconstitutes very quickly, or can be purchased in your pet store’s freezer case and thawed in small batches as needed. Google, “raw pet food near me.”
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Ask your pet store for samples, if available.
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If no samples are available, get started with a small bag of a flavor you know your pet likes.
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If your dog or cat is not interested in the new food, try mixing a little with their regular food and increase gradually over time.
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Never, ever heat raw foods. If food is coming from the refrigerator, you can allow it to reach room temperature on the counter before giving to your pet.
Finally, there are many raw pet food manufacturers and flavor options to choose from. Speak to the staff at your local pet store. It may be a process of trial and error to introduce this highly nutritious food into your pet’s diet, and may take trying a few brands and flavors, but the health rewards of feeding pets raw food may be significant and should be well worth the effort.
Photo designed by Freepik
Steph Mueller is a retired college teacher who has done animal rescue work as a volunteer for over 20 years, not only in New York City but in South America and with a branch of the SPCA in Europe. She works with The Pet Market part-time as a consultant on promotions and special projects.