A cat question for NA, is there a raw food diet?
 

Don't mean to derail the dog thread, but NA's mention of raw diet for dogs makes me wonder about Tango. Tango has been on dry food since I brought her home. She needs to be on a more restrictive diet, even with "indoor formula" she's still putting on weight. My vet suggested wet food. Well, she will have none of that. Is there a reliable and healthy raw food for cats?

NA - why no grains?

When I'd read online what to prepare it had said a mixture of meat, grain and veg with a supplement in there. The website was probably more of a collection of recipe type of thing then an official dog nutrition website though so I'm guessing I was misinformed.

I'm with NA. Since we started giving Primal and Nature's Variety to our pets, they've been healthier and happier.

Lately, we've been feeding them the Organic Chicken from Nature's Variety. They love it, and I feel good giving it to them.

I'm not NA but I believe Nature's Variety makes a pre-made raw diet for cats as well as dogs.

In general, I really like NV's products. I usually feed their Prairie brand kibble (with 2 40+lb, 1 20lb and 80lb dog, pre-made raw is cost prohibitive and I really don't have time for homemade) and I really like the results I see. They also have an in-between product, Instinct, which is a grain free kibble. I've only used it with my cats though (who refused to have anything to do with it).

Thanks Whitney, I just took a look and see it. I've got to find the pet place in SF that carries it. It's worth a try. My little Tango is not so little and quite the butterball these days. Still adorable, but I do not want a diabetic cat.

Donna, Primal has a formula specific for cats. Cats are more difficult to convert to raw, however. You have to sort of mix it is with their regular food in incremental amounts. Another great raw food for cats is by Honest Kitchen. The cat version is called Prowl and it is a dehydrated raw. HK is a really convenient brand of food and it is as cost effective as kibble. Nature's Variety raw is for both dogs and cats. They make a very high quality dry and canned under the brand Instinct and a lesser, but still good kibble under the brand Prairie.

Some of the most common complaints that dog owners have about their dogs has to do with hot spots, itchy skin, allergies and ear infections. Most of these things are symptoms of an allergy - usually to grain. Corn and wheat are most often the culprits and, wouldn't you know it, these are common items used as fillers is many commercial dog foods. Corn husks generally don't add any nutritional value to dog food but they make great - and cheap - fillers. If you remove the grain from a dogs diet, these symptoms often will clear up.

The other common cause of allergies is Chicken. Why? Because dogs are fed the same food every day for years and the most common (and cheapest) dog food protein is chicken. I always vary the protein source I feed my dogs so they are less likely to develop an allergy to a singular protein.

Grain free food is usually more expensive BUT you need to feed less to get the same amount of nutrition you get in twice as much food that contains lots of fillers. For me, I'd just rather spend the money on good nutrition and save on my vet bills.

Lisa, thanks for this. I see they have a sample so I can test it out. I'll hit the local pet emporium that carries it and get some to rehydrate and mix with her kibble. She's such a snoot, she'd be happy if I fed her nothing but shrimp which is her treat of choice.

Both Primal and Honest Kitchen have trial packs. HK also has travel packs that aren't very expensive. You can even contact HK and they will mail you a sample of Prowl.

Well, a pet shop near me carries Prowl, I will call them to see if they carry both and if so, if they have the samples. I'm going to be down that way this weekend.