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Getting Started Guide
Switching cats to a raw food diet
"But my cat won't eat it!..."
We hear this all too often at NI HQ. Our feline friends tend to be slightly fussier about changing food than our canine companions who will, 9 times out of 10, eat whatever you put in front of them.
Here is a step by step guide to switching your cats to a raw food diet:
• If you free feed your cat dry food, STOP. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to stop feeding dry with immediate effect, but certainly pick up the bowl so he can’t eat when he feels like it.
• Dried kibble / nuggets are so different in taste and texture to a raw diet; it may be worth switching to canned food as a (very short) interim step. This will get him used to a meatier consistency to his meals. Try feeding half his normal dry food with half tinned and gradually reduce the amount of dried kibble over a few days.
• When you’ve weaned your cat onto a wet diet, apply the same principles to converting him to raw. Feed half and half and gradually reduce the amount of tinned food over the course of a few days.
• NEVER starve a cat to encourage them to eat. Dogs are fine to skip meals; cats need to eat regularly to avoid hepatic lipidosis, a severe and sometimes fatal liver impairment.
• Go at your cats pace – don’t be afraid to back track a step or two if it means your feline will eat.
• Bribe your cat! Adding oil from a jar of anchovies or tin of tuna, a little grated hard cheese, or indeed anything else you know your pet adores, can work wonders!
• Cats tend to ‘imprint’ on their food and recognise their favourites by sight and smell. Make sure you shop for variety first time around so you can find your cat’s favourite meal.
• Most importantly, exercise a little patience. This might not be something that happens overnight. Persevere – your cat will thank you in the long run.
Why should I feed my cat or dog raw foods?
In the wild, your cat's and dog’s cousins only eat the food they can catch or forage. A fox doesn’t catch a chicken and then roast it! Wild dogs and cats are virtually identical to your family pet, sharing the almost the same teeth, jaw and stomach. Quite simply, they aren't designed to eat the cooked meats, wheat and grains that make up most commercially available pet foods.
What is in Natural Instinct?
We use only the freshest ingredients for a start. These include chicken, lamb, bones, liver, apples, carrots, and butternut squash. In addition, we add kelp, Scottish salmon oil and spinach to provide your dog with a balanced nutritional and delicious diet. Each portion of our Natural dog food range is approximately 80% meat and 20% vegetables and fruits. Our cat food contains 99% meat, bone and offal as well as nutrients to ensure optimum health. As a result, the cat food contains all the taurine your cat will require - this being an essential part of the feline diet.
In addition, we have now introduced a range of premium raw dog foods, called Country Banquet, which contain not only fresh meat and bones, plus our usual range of fruits and vegetables, but also well known superfoods such as spirulina, barley oat grass and wheatgrass, making these products high in antioxidants and vitamins.
We also produce our Pure range, which as the name suggests is simply pure meat and ground bone. Whilst not nutritionally balanced like our Natural or Country Banquet ranges, the Pure foods are a great alternative meal once or twice a week and can help keep down the cost of feeding a raw diet if you have a large number of dogs.
More about the ingredients of our dog foods
Do I need to wean my dog or cat off his previous diet before trying Natural Instinct?
Some pets take to a raw diet without any problems at all. However, we recommend starting by serving 3/4 of your usual food in the morning with 1/4 of the appropriate portion of Natural Instinct later in the day, building up over seven to ten days until you are feeding only Natural Instinct. You may initially notice bad breath, loose stools, and body odor but there is no cause for concern, as these will pass. These symptoms simply show that the animal’s body is shedding itself of the toxins that have built up, which will leave your dog healthier and happier.
Aren’t bones dangerous for my dog to eat?
The simple answer is no, provided they haven’t been cooked first. For example, never feed your dog cooked chicken bones as this makes them brittle and therefore sharp and likely to cause serious damage in the gut. However it is safe for your dog to eat the raw bones contained in Natural Instinct, as these are pliable and can be safely chewed. They also help clean a dog’s teeth! However, as when giving your dog anything small and hard, you should supervise it to ensure no problems. You may also want to practice removing the food from the dog from time to time, so that the dog gets used to you controlling its eating habits - this prevents the dog from gobbling down its food without breaking it down first, and minimizes any problems. Also, do not allow your dog to eat bones which have dried out, as these can also splinter and become dangerous.
Do I need to cook Natural Instinct before I feed it to my pet?
No! Your dog or cat will be very happy to eat Natural Instinct raw, as intended. In any event, you should NOT cook bones such as those contained in Natural Instinct as these can splinter and cause injury to your dog.
Can Natural Instinct be re-frozen?
Your Natural Instinct order should arrive still frozen. If however it has partially defrosted by the time you are ready to put it in the freezer, you can refreeze it safely. BUT if it has reached room temperature it will still keep fresh in a fridge for up to three or four days, just like you would keep food purchased from a supermarket.
How long will Natural Instinct keep?
If frozen, Natural Instinct will keep for about 9 months, as it frozen as soon as it is packaged. Once opened, we do not recommend keeping it for more than three to four days in your fridge. Remember, as we use all fresh ingredients, if it smells good enough for you to eat, its good enough for your dog! You would not eat bad meat, and neither should your pet.
Can I feed Natural Instinct ready raw meals direct to my dog from the freezer?
Yes - although we recommend allowing it to sit out of the freezer for about 30 minutes first, or you can simply run the frozen meal under a cold tap before placing it in your dog’s bowl. On a hot day it can be a good way in which to cool your dog down. Your dog may also enjoy the different texture in the food if it is still partially frozen, and you may find that meal time becomes more of an enjoyable event if your dog has to take its time to break the food apart, rather than simply wolfing down what ever you put in its bowl. Cats generally prefer their food to be room temperature.
How much should I feed my dog or cat?
Please read out Feeding Guidelines to find out about how much your dog needs to eat. A cat will require similar proportions.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of a raw diet for your pet, we suggest having a look at the following:
- Give Your Dog A Bone by Dr Ian Billinghurst B.V.Sc [Hons]. B.Sc. Agr. Dip Ed
- Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog by Wendy Volhard & Kerry Brown. D.V.Mm
- Food Pets Die For by Ann N Martin
- The Naturally Healthy Dog (Real Dogs Don't Eat Kibble!) by Sandra Bailey
- Woofing it Down by Patricia O'Grady