Raw pet food is what dogs and cats were born to eat. Our beloved pets are directly descended from wolves and wild cats, who all hunt their prey and eat it raw. A well-balanced raw pet food diet is designed to mimic this natural way of eating, which is why our dogs and cats thrive on it. Made up predominantly of high-quality meat with suitable amounts of other fresh foods, raw dog and cat foods are the natural, biologically appropriate option for the health-conscious pet. It’s not as simple as buying some meat at a supermarket and plonking it on a plate though. Just like humans, dogs’ and cats’ bodies have specific nutritional requirements that need to be met. Let’s take a closer look at what makes for reliable, healthy raw pet food.
Your Pets Deserve Real Food… And Mostly Meat!
Good raw pet food is made of real food – you’ll recognise every ingredient on the label. The days of confusing chemical names and artificially produced nutrients are behind you now! Meat, vegetables and a small amount of natural supplementation are all that’s on the menu. Grains are nutritionally useless for your pets, so they don’t feature in a raw diet. Neither do preservatives, salt, chemicals, or hormones!
Meat is the main ingredient, and the products we sell use meat that is fit for human consumption. Muscle meat doesn’t have all the nutrients dogs and cats need so organ meat, bone, skin, and sometimes even feathers are vital components.
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they have to eat meat to survive. They are also much fussier than dogs and will tolerate fewer smells, flavours and textures. For this reason our cat foods have an even higher proportion of meat. Taurine is also a vital amino acid that is added for cats. Raw dog foods on the other hand will usually include small amounts of fresh veggies, fruit and herbs, as dogs do eat some plant matter in the wild.
Ready-Made or Do It Yourself
Most of our customers prefer to buy ready-made raw meals. We do this ourselves honestly, because it saves so much time and hassle! All the meals we sell are registered (see below), already prepared, minced and frozen, so all you need to do is defrost and serve. They have been designed in consultation with animal nutrition experts, so you know they have the ingredients to meet your pet’s nutritional needs, in the right ratio, from the right sources. In this way feeding ready-made is as easy as feeding dry or tinned food!
If you have the time and want to make up your own raw pet food, you’ll find many of the ingredients you need in our extensive Whole Foods collection. If you go this route we can’t emphasise enough how important it is to do the research to make sure you’re getting all the ingredients in the right proportions to get your pets’ nutritional needs met. This can be a very rewarding project, but don’t underestimate what a big job it is and how much time it takes!
Registered vs Unregistered Raw Foods
Please note that in South Africa there are both registered and unregistered raw pet foods available on the market. In order to get registered with the Department of Agriculture, companies have to prove that their recipes have the right balance of ingredients to be species appropriate and nutritionally suitable for your dogs and cats. They also have to pass stringent health, safety, and hygiene tests. This is why we only sell registered brands – we want to have the peace of mind that everything we sell is reliable and good for your pets! If you’re feeding any brand we don’t sell, please make sure to ask if the manufacturer is registered, as there is no control on the hygiene practises or recipes of unregistered foods.
Ready to get going? Check out our raw dog foods and raw cat foods now! Don’t forget to calculate how much to feed your pet before getting started. Have more questions? Get in touch, we’re here to help.
