What's ACTUALLY in kibble?

Read this article to learn the truth! 

Learn about the monopoly on the commercial pet food industry:

Natural food equals natural health and helps provide the essential building blocks of a strong immune system!

After just a few weeks of raw feeding you will start to see an improvement in their health. After a few months the benefits are incredible and the list of health benefits are endless!! Here’s just some of the benefits I’ve experienced:

• Helps create a stronger, healthier immune system so more resistant to disease which means much cheaper vet costs, if any.
• Shiny healthy coats.
• Pearly white teeth, healthy gums and sweet breath (no tooth decay, or periodontal disease, therefore no infection of the gums. This in turns leads to...... reduced chances of heart, kidney and liver disease.
• Better weight control.
• Better muscle tone.
• Smaller, firmer stools.
• No metabolic problems.
• Less, if any, food allergy related issues.

In general cats that eat raw are more balanced. Any raw feeder that has switched from commercial kibble will tell you the difference in their pets health and happiness which is amazing.

As a raw feeder, you are constantly learning and expanding your knowledge. Every pet is different and may require a different recipe. 

Start by joining Facebook group Raw Food Diet for Dogs and Cats (Prey Model Raw)

In this group you can get one on one answers and guidance by admins who have 20+ years experience.

Please be prepared to feed a balanced meal and to follow all the following steps. An unbalanced raw is far more dangerous than kibble/wet food. There are companies (though pricier) that are complete as is. 

I listed options in the next step. 

You need to decide whether you will hand prep your pet's meal or purchase a ready made mix online. Premades average $3.30+ per pound while meat you purchase at your local grocery store can range from $1.99-$10.99. Some DIY's use a cleaver knife, food processor or a meat grinder. For a single pet you can food prep for the whole month in just a few hours. 

 I recommend Blue Ridge Beef  premade as price is $3.30+ per pound.

***To place an order with Blue Ridge click the "By State" page, then purchase from local dealers through their link.***

Here is a list of complete raw companies. I have not used these personally and they are more expensive, but may be more convenient  for you. 

All Provide

Answers

Balanced Blends

Darwin's

Instinct

Nom Nom

Northwest Naturals

Oma's Pride (Complete line)

Primal

Rebel Raw (Complete line)

Stella and Chewy's

Tucker's

Or check here for sources of raw food.

https://4rawpets.com/usa/

 Rule of thumb is to incorporate 4-5 different meats into your cat's diet. 

*The following instructions are for Blue Ridge Cat Raw Food only.*

1.Order Kitten Mix as your constant base which should make up 2/4 of your kitten's meal

2. Order at least 2-3 other chubs such as chicken, turkey, duck and venison for your other 1/4 portion. Rotate each meat every 3-4 days

3, Add pork butt. The Kitten mix alone does not have enough fat for a kitten/cat. Blue ridge does not sell pork, but you can purchase  it from your local grocery store or raw feeding Miami. ***When purchasing from your local grocery store it needs to say ground BUTT not loin  and cannot be injected with sodium.

4. Add liver to the portion as the ratios in the Kitten mix have now been thrown off.

5. Order salmon with skin and feed a small spoon size 2x a week

It's important to understand the nutritional requirements for a complete meal. A typical starting point is 80/10/10 ratio. 

80% meat- muscle meat. In raw feeding, heart, gizzards, lung, trachea, tongue, penis, and tripe are all fed as meat. 

10% bone- Any bones from small animals are fine, such as chicken, duck, goose, lamb, turkey, goat, pig, rabbit , etc.   

10% organ- 5% of that amount always needs to be liver. The other 5% can be any other secreting organ such as kidney, spleen, brain, thymus, pancreas, testicles, eyes

Don’t forget the fat! Cats use fat for energy, not carbs. Cats need 25% fat with their meat.

 The 80/10/10 ratio is a general guideline. Some cats may need more or less bone than 10%. Watch the poop and adjust as needed. 

How much to feed:  

The motto of raw is “feed the cat in front of you” so if that means your kitten is wanting more or less you tailor it, if your kitten is looking too fat or two skinny you either up the fat content or give less food, If if your kitten is constipated you lessen the bone amount. Feed the cat in front if you.

I never restrict a kitten's diet. You can choose the feeding schedule one to three  times a day. If they're hungry, feed them. If they start getting overweight, then portion their meals. Cats must eat at least every 12 hours as adults. And at least 2 to 3 times a day as kittens. I just leave food down all the time and when the bowl empties.... I put more in it.

So you have your 80/10/10 ratio base ready. Do not stop there! Below are a list of ingredients you need to add for a complete diet. 

Always aim for raw whole ingredients try to limit canned or dried.

•Raw egg 2-3x a week (Chicken, quail, or duck)

•Oysters  & Blue lip mussels 1-2x a week (NO green lip). If canned must be in water, NO salt.

•Brewer’s yeast (1 tsp) and Kelp powder (½ tsp)

3x a week. You can purchase these on Amazon in powder form on Supplies page

Choose to feed a small portion of raw fish 2-3x a week in rotation. Top choices Sardines, Mackerel or Salmon. Trout and other fish on the infographic are not oily enough and carry high mercury content. Fish can be fresh, frozen or canned.

 If fresh fish you need to freeze it for at least 3 weeks to kill potential parasites. 

You can purchase frozen prey from Layne Labs.  

Feed whole prey 2+ times a week as a complete meal or meal topper. There is no set minimum or maximum. 

It is recommended not to feed hide and feathers as it can cause a  blockage. Only feed pinkie and fuzzy rats and day old chicks (quail, chicken or duck).

Feed whole prey as is, semi frozen or fully defrosted. 

• Enhancements in meat: This is often overlooked, but meats with added sodium and enhancements should be avoided as they cause loose stools in many cats. Check labels – unless it is organic, most grocery store meats are enhanced or have added sodium. Look for enhancements, sodium, retained water, broth, flavorings on the label. 
•  Visit local Asian markets for specialty organ cuts 
• To keep risk of salmonella and other bacteria down, always buy from a reputable sources and inspect meat before and after you purchase. If it looks questionable or smells at all, DO NOT use. 
• Do not wash your meat.
• Meat is good in the fridge for 3 days max. 
• Cats can’t handle spoiled meat. Make sure their food is fresh, and don’t let it sit out all day. 

 No need to wean the cat to raw. Switch kittens over cold turkey. For adult cats, feed kibble one day, fast for about 12 hours, then start with a small raw meal 

 Start with one protein at a time, and don’t add organ right away. This will allow your pet to adjust to their new diet, and can aid in determining if your pet has an allergy/intolerance to a protein. Chicken is a good place to start as it is easy to digest and the bones are very soft.  **Protein allergies in kibble don’t always translate to an allergy in raw, so you may be able to feed raw chicken to a cat that can't handle it in kibble** If in doubt, start with something else like duck or turkey.