This is part two in the series on Introduction to Raw feeding. Yesterday I discussed our story on getting into raw feeding. Today we will start delving into the variety of options in raw feeding.
When someone says they feed raw food to their pets, this statement only skims the surface as to what exactly they are feeding. There is quite a variety available now for raw food choices. From commercially prepared raw food patties, to recipes that involve feeding whole animals with no preparation whatsoever, the options are quite varied.
So lets take a look at all the choices available. I will offer some personal opinions on the positive and negatives of each, but keep in mind, these are just my opinion in the end. I believe that ANY raw choice is a good step in your pets diet. Choosing what you the pet owner is most comfortable and confident with is one key to success in feeding raw.
Mixed Diet
There are quite a few pet owners who have started feeding raw as an alternative meal, but still feed dry or canned food as well. Sometimes the raw is an occasional once or twice a week occurrence, sometimes raw is the primary food source and dry food is left out for munching in between meals.
I must say I have very little experience with this method. Before switching to raw, my research showed that the digestion rate of raw versus dry food was vastly different. Where raw will go through the system completely in 8 hours or less, dry food might take over two days. Cat and dog digestive tracts are actually very short compared to humans, this is a good reason why they can handle the bacteria present in raw meats (combined with acid levels in their stomach). So if dry food moves through much slower then raw, the theory would be that raw would not move through fast enough when fed in combination, and can cause complications or bacteria overgrowth.
All this said, I do know a lot of people who have been successful feeding a combined diet of raw and dry food. If this is a path you choose for any period of time, I would highly recommend feeding the raw and dry food completely separate, keeping as much time as possible in between the different meals.
Positive Points
Concerns
Pre-Prepared Meals
The market has grown by leaps and bounds in the last few years with pre-prepared raw food choices. Nuggets, patties, ground meat in tubes, all sorts of goodies. I will discuss supplier options in another article, but for now, here are a couple examples of what I am referring to:
Natures Variety
Bravo! Blends
Most if not all of these type of diets are considered complete nutrition. They contain meat, bone, organs, supplements/vitamins, and usually vegetables and fruits. They are ground up into a fine mix, and can be thawed and fed directly with no additional prep.
My biggest concern with these type of diets is the lack of control in the ingredient contents. The bone ratio’s tend to be pretty high, which can lead to constipation. Vegetables and fruits are not included in a lot of raw diet recipes, especially for cats. I have dug through the pre-made food options, and there are very few choices that do not include vegetables in the mix. A lot of pets go onto a raw diet due to allergies or sensitivities to sugars/carbohydrates (yeast imbalances). With the inclusion of fruits and high sugar content vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, ect), some pets will continue to have the same problems they had on a dry food diet. Many also include a mixture of meats in the same recipe, making it hard to test protein sources for allergies. So ingredient control is the largest concern.
On the flip side though, these are probably the most readily available easy to feed raw options on the market right now. No worrying about organ percentages or supplements, bone chewing, ect. Most small pet stores have a freezer now and carry several brands of raw food. Many pets do great on this diet over the long term, and hopefully the more companies that get involved in raw will help promote more research and studies in this area.
Unfortunately of course, my crew will not touch them. I tried these diets to use maybe as an emergency, or when I go out of town for the pet sitter, but my cats just do not like the mix. Even the dogs, who will eat almost anything, will hold out and stare at me for something else before eating them. So as a note, if your animal has turned up their nose to these type of foods, do not fret, this is probably the least tasty option in the raw food world.
Positive Points
Concerns
Homemade Ground Meals
Many who would like more control of their ingredient content, but still like the ease of feeding ground food, will make their own ground mix. This can be accomplished either with a home meat grinder, purchasing pre-ground plain meats, or having someone grind it for you.
If you are new to raw feeding, I would not recommend purchasing a meat grinder right away. Maybe test the diet with pre-ground mixes, borrow a grinder, or use a bone meal supplement added to pre ground muscle meat. Many people move from ground to whole pieces and it would be pricey to get a good grinder for the short term. If you do decide on grinding, Northern Tools Grinder
Oma’s Pride and Bravo! are two large companies that sell pre-ground meat mixes with bone that have nothing else added. You can purchase these and add in supplements, eggs, organs, and so on to your own liking. Many butchers are catering to the growing raw feeding trend, either creating their own ground mixes, or grinding on request.
(I started to go into raw food recipes, but it is too large to be included in this post. I have moved it to another article that I will post later this week.)
Positive Points
Concerns
Whole Foods Diet
The next step up from grinding your meals at home, would be to feeding whole foods. This could be from putting down a chicken leg quarter for your dog to eat, or cutting up pieces for your cat to chew on. The ideal version of this type of diet is to keep the pieces large enough so that the pet needs to chew before swallowing. The bones are kept relatively whole as well, allowing for the crunching and scraping of teeth on the bone. These whole pieces can range in size from small bites to a whole chicken, whatever works best for the experience level of the pet.
For dogs, this is usually much easier, as they have no problems crunching down meat and bones in whatever form they take. Leg quarters, chicken backs, turkey necks, you name it, they will get through it. There may be a learning curve for a pet new to the diet, but most pick it up pretty easy.
Cats can be a bit more difficult only because it can be harder to find bite sized bones. In the wild the bones they would consume would range more the size of small birds, mice, and lizards. I use cornish hens, chicken wings/ribs/necks as my primary substitution. I also feed pheasant, quail, and rabbit when available. But the price per lb for the more exotic meats means these are more occasional meals. Muscle meat wise though, most cats will munch on anything from turkey to deer. I can put down a nice turkey thigh and they will clean the bone which is also great for their teeth. (As a side note, I have found some felines do not digest dark red meats very well, like those from beef, deer, elk, or buffalo. This is something you will have to test and learn what your pets can or cannot do.)
Along with the meat and bones fed, whole or ground organs can be added to the meals, along with any supplements or additions you are feeding.
Positive Points
Concerns
Whole Prey Model
Many raw feeders have migrated to what is called the whole prey model. The idea is to mimic what an animal would eat as close as possible in the wild. This might mean something like a whole rabbit, organs and fur included.
While all raw diets are actually geared towards mimicking wild prey (even using the same terminology of whole prey at times), the act of feeding true whole prey is really a unique form of feeding all by itself.
With this diet, no supplementation is usually needed. The ratio of bone to meat, organs, ect is no longer a worry. On the flip side though, obtaining meat in this form can be more difficult. There are companies that cater to this, but usually require shipping which drives the cost up. Preparing the meals is much easier of course, although reducing the meal size down to a reasonable portion can be a challenge depending on what you are feeding.
I actually have started experimenting with whole prey recently, but this is only something we do rarely. The cats have tried mice and a couple species of chicks that I had shipped in. I will say the reviews are mixed from our crew, with Asia and Dexter being the only current takers. Dogs usually have less issues with this version of feeding, while cats might take some getting used to the idea depending on their age.
This is the ideal raw diet in the end, but the practicality of finding supplies and acceptance by the pet (and owner) of a furry or feathered animal is a large obstacle to overcome. This type of diet can be something many raw feeders do on occasion, and is a great way to increase variety and nutrition in our raw food plan.
Positive Points
Concerns
*Complete nutrition refers to the total package of meat, bone, supplements, and organs in one serving. For a raw diet to be truly complete, variety in meat sources is highly recommended. Feeding the same protein source over long periods is not suggested. Some supplements are also not recommended to be frozen for long periods, so they may need to be added at each meal.
Summary
So there you have the basic options in the raw feeding world. I would say not any one diet is perfect in every sense, for example, the whole prey diet is probably best from a nutrition standpoint, but from a feasibility and cost it can be a serious challenge. Many pet owners use a combination of any number of the above items to make raw feeding work for them.
The key is to balance what is best for you, your household, and your pets. I started off feeding a homemade ground mix seven years ago. Later I started adding in whole pieces to help out their teeth, and eventually migrated away from ground food all together. Now I am adding in whole prey occasionally, and while I like what it can offer, I do not see myself heading down that path entirely. I have kept my mind open to new ideas, and I have pushed my crew to do the same (well, as much as cats will accept ‘new’ ideas).
The raw feeding adventure continues…….
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Still on the list for these raw feeding installments, I will cover topics such as where to find supplies, techniques, keeping cost down, recipes, and how to convert your dog or cat from dry to raw food. Stay tuned!!
(Please note, all information provided at epetmeadow.com is intended for educational purposes only. Before making any decisions for your pets, please do as much research possible, consult with a professional, and make a well informed decision. See disclaimer for additional information)
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Another informative post! Thank you so much for sharing your raw feeding knowledge. We are still just starting out and learning. There is so much info out there it’s making our heads spin. Can’t wait to see your meal plan!!
I don’t mind the fruits/veggies in the Nature’s Variety since it’s less than 5%. If we were more adventurous, we’d like to make our own, mostly because we could be assured of the quality of ingredients. I found out, not too long ago, that NV sources their rabbit from China and that is a concern of mine.
Besides the NV medallions, we occasionally chew on a piece of chicken gizzard, heart or chunk of chicken thigh, but we haven’t gotten the hang of chewing small bones, even on a chicken wing tip.