Before we talk about the 5 Reasons Why We Feed Raw Food Diets to Our Pets, I want to share with you some of our personal experiences around raw food. The first thing that led me to investigate different diets for both our dogs and cats was constant and varying health issues.
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We’ve been feeding raw to our pets for about 8 years now and before that time I made home-cooked pet food primarily consisting of stews. I changed up the veggies and greens regularly so as to give them the best variety of nutrients. I also added the necessary ingredients to supplement vitamins and minerals to avoid nutritional deficiencies. With the homecooked food, we noticed dramatic changes.
Faithful Home Cooked Stew
And for those clients that came to me at that time for holistic treatment for their dogs or cats, I suggested homecooked stews of chicken, beef, and wild game, of course with lots of veggies and maybe a sweet potato. We saw numerous accounts of dogs getting their vitality and energy back. Their coats transformed from dullish shades to shiny resulting in vital fur. Tummy troubles, digestion issues, and a whole host of other improvements were underway.
Many a dog owner, that have been clients in the past or are currently, faithfully still cook homemade stews for their dog. Once they saw the difference in how dramatically the proper diet transformed their dog or cat, they were eternally committed! Or let’s say, ARE eternally committed. Even to the point when I try to tell them how a raw meat diet outranks the previous game changer, they don’t budge. But that’s ok because any home-cooked diet still has many advantages over commercial pet food, dry kibble, or processed food. More on the dry dog food and commercial dog food in a moment.
Why Not Quality Dry Kibble?
Again what I share with you in my blog posts is based on my personal experience. But what makes me an authority on the subject of raw feeding goes beyond my personal experience and opinion. Its based on the testimony of many of my clients that made the leap.
Ok for starters, we all know that at a minimum a diet based on fresh fruits, vegetables, and quality sourced protein is good for us as people. Many of us know when we eat a certain way, say over-processed food, too many carbs, the wrong carbs, fried or boxed food, sugar, etc . . . We feel . . . well basically like c r a p.
Yes, I said a word. But it’s true, wouldn’t you agree. There is a tremendous variation to all the diverse ways of eating healthy on an individual basis. But one thing is for sure and that is when we eat appropriately for ourselves . . . we know it. We feel better, we sleep better, we think better, we function better. We live better. We Love better. We are better people to be around. PERIOD.
It’s the same for the animal kingdom. Nature designed animals to eat a certain way. And its a God given natural blueprint. When a dog or cat is permitted to follow their species-specific diet they will thrive from a foundational level. Their blueprint is a raw food diet. A wild dog eats raw meat, raw bone, muscle meat, organ meat, and meaty bone. A wild cat inherently eats the same but will choose to eat different parts of its prey to get the correct ratio of nutrients for its raw diet.
What About An ORGANIC Commercial Pet Food Kibble?
The keyword here is Organic. In my early years of trying to feed the best cat food and dog food I could find out there, I went for the Organic label for sure. And I believe anything truly organic is going to be better than not organic. Having said that just because something is labeled organic doesn’t necessarily make it so. But that’s a topic for another blog post. My go-to was Wysong dry food for both my pet’s diet. I free-fed the cat food for my felines and did twice a day meal feeding for the dogs.
The point is that this was still NOT A species specific diet for my best friends. Dogs and cats are carnivores. Cats are obligate carnivores. Dogs eat a variety of other plants, herbs and veggies but the largest percentage of their diet is raw meat.
I fed organic dry kibble for years and yet my animals still experienced health issues. My kitty, back then, Camanche had thyroid issues that no veterinary visit seemed to remedy. When we did address his out of whack thyroid numbers, the medication made him horribly ill; vomiting repeatedly, stumbling, disoriented. This hurt my heart terribly watching him endure such suffering. He was and still is from the ethers, a primary teacher for me.
Digging Deeper
Camanche taught me to dig deeper, research, and experiment. It was through his illnesses that prompted me to find better alternatives for him, our other animals, and all the other people that sought treatment from us to help their beloved pets feel better. Or at least improve the quality of their life to the very best possible.
Moving On To Why We Feed Raw
A natural dog’s diet doesn’t include packaged carbohydrates. This is even more true for cats being 90% carnivorous. Animals in the wild do not eat out of a processed package. Dry kibble is exactly that. . . . . dry . . . . and the carbohydrates at this high a level are disastrous for an animals metabolism. The natural food chain is a real thing.
There is plenty of research out there, but the best research is experimenting with your own cat or dog. For cats, dry kibble is a primary factor in kidney disease which runs rampant. The dry food literally dehydrates them and has an adverse effect on the kidneys. When the kidneys don’t function well or lose their ability to filter waste, the waste backs up in their system and they become toxic. Constant what I call, ‘hanging over the water bowl’ is not a good sign. Think kidney issues.* Usually when the signs of this are seen it’s too late. Waste matter builds up over time and they can’t process it. Many feline’s lives are ended prematurely due to this toxicity.
*Cat’s typically are supposed to obtain their moisture from their food (hence raw food). There is a lot of moisture in meat. Freshwater should always be available to your pet, whether dog or cat, but cats will only on occasion drink water if they eating a correct diet.
Prevention
Another popular name for this is Renal Failure. I will also say right here that raw feeding is not a magic bullet, but pretty close to. There are many environmental chemicals, heavy metals, toxins, and pathogens that we and our animals are exposed to that are beyond our control.
And many times we need to detoxify our animals through holistic treatments, supplements, pure water, and lifestyle changes (i.e. stop using chemicals in, on, and around the house). Pets absorb enormous amounts of chemicals and chemical lawn fertilizers through the pads of their feet, such as one of the most toxic chemicals known to man, that being glyphosate. Guess what, that is in your well-intentioned weed killer, Roundup.
Raw pet food will not eliminate their exposure to such chemicals and often there is more to do to restore health to our furred four-leggeds. So starting them on a raw dog food diet or cat food diet is a great beginning. Whether you’ve just adopted a new puppy or kitten or your long-term relationship with your best buddy, is challenged by health issues, feeding raw IS the place to start. Start Now!
Why We Feed Raw, The First Step To Health
If your pet is young and just getting started you can start now to build a strong foundation for health and immunity. Get them started on the right paw. If your pet is struggling with health issues starting on a raw feeding schedule can help them tremendously. Or if your dog has been diagnosed with a serious health condition, why not assure them the best quality of life from here on out. The raw food can relax the nervous system, allow them to sleep better, and begin to support the immune system to the best of its ability. This is a great place to build upon even if they need further holistic treatment.
Strengthened Immunity
When we started our kitty, Camanche on raw food he had still yet a lot to resolve. But what we did notice after his first raw meal was that he became so SO calm from anxiety and he stretched out on the floor for a nap and was incredibly ~ what I call . . . . s t r e t c h y . . . . he was elongated with his abdomen relaxed.
It was such a relief to see him comfortable instead of in a “hunchy position” with his tummy and underside all bunched up. That is a sign of discomfort when your cat can’t stretch out. This is usually discomfort and/or pain in the abdomen. The raw food diet certainly helped him be more comfortable but he had already had some years of struggle. So there were more support measures we needed to put in place, which we continued to implore.
In the final analysis, I determined it was a chronic low grade infection that was the culprit which affected many different systems of body and psyche. And now today we have holistic remedies for that as well. I could say, ‘If I knew then what I know now’ . . . he may still be with us. Camanche is a pioneer for us and through his journey, we discovered much that has changed the lives of many animals since his transition in 2017.
Starting Out On The Right Paw
Our current kitties, Isaiah and Elijah both came to us at 3 months of age within one day of each other. They were rescue kitties fostered by a friend of ours. When they came home to live with us, Isaiah was lethargic, had no appetite, had discharge oozing out of his right eye, wouldn’t hold his tail up, and didn’t meow.
Elijah was the other end of the spectrum. He was so wound up he couldn’t stop moving, this was not to mistake it for a high energy cat. His metabolism was clearly undesirably sped up. He reacted and startled at the slightest of noises, his tummy was upset constantly trying to find a comfortable position, his eyes dilated (fear and pain), he had a hard time settling down. He was hanging over the water bowl constantly. That is not a good sign for a cat. It can mean the kidneys are in distress. He was ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD!!!
I couldn’t believe it. These guys were discontent and uncomfortable. We started them immediately on raw food. No slow transition from kibble to raw for these guys. They needed true nutrition, available enzymes, raw bone, muscle, and meat from the gate. We also gave them bioavailable minerals, colostrum, bone broth protein, flower essences, CBD for anxiousness, chlorella, and various homeopathic remedies.
Positive Change Ahead
Within 3 months Isaiah was meowing for more and more food. He is the ‘foodie’ of the household and will often be found in contemplation in front of the refrigerator. His eye discharge has cleared up. His coordination and sensory perception are now of a different caliber. Elijah is now calm most of the time, his tummy issues are thing of the past. The skin condition on his hind legs is 100% clear. We are now two years later and our furred buddies are doing great. If I didn’t mention, their coats are absolutely beautiful. Their coats are absolutely beautiful!
Their raw kitty food diet has been and is imperative to foundational health. As mentioned this was not all we needed to do but without the correct nutrition, our efforts would not have yielded the results. They are flourishing and doing beautifully. Here they are on a walkabout from this summer. Notice how bright their eyes are and the health of their coats:
The 5 Reasons Why We Feed Raw Food Diets
1) Our Pets are worth it!
2) Strengthened Immunity & Prevention
3) Improved Recovery
4) Favorable Well Being
5) Increased Stamina, Vitality and Life Force
In other words, here are some of the physical, mental and emotional benefits:
- Improved Digestion
- Increased energy
- Less Flatulence
- Better ability to absorb nutrients
- Playfulness and Creativity
- Shinier, lustrous coats
- Sparkly eyes
- More mobile joints
- Minimized pain
- Increased Vigor
- Better behavior
- Improved learning and listening capacity
- Healthier gums and teeth (fewer tooth extractions!)
A Few Last Tips
A raw food diet will cost more than a commercial pet food diet. But when you think about the cost of frequent veterinarian visits, the price of medications, surgeries, and follow-up visits you will see that it pays off to spend a little more on their food and boost their immunity. They’ll be less susceptible to commonplace conditions, their constitution will be stronger, and less prone to injuries. But most importantly, your best buddy will be happier and healthier. And finally, I’ll bet you’ll save more money in the long run . . . . we have.
The last thing I want to leave you with is don’t take my word for it or the word of many clients who have first hand reaped the benefits, but try it for yourself. My absolute favorite raw pet food company suggests a 90-day challenge, to see if you don’t see positive changes within 90 days. If you love your pets as much as I do mine . . . why not? Here is a link to my favorite raw pet food company.
You’ll also find a ton of education in their blog and the most excellent customer service I’ve seen in a long time. If you read through their blog which I highly recommend, you find a few posts from me too! They truly care . . . So do I. I’m also available for consultations whether your local or far away.
We can be reached through our website at HappyTails.tips or through the category tab Work With Me on the top menu of the website.
