What is raw feeding?
Raw feeding involves feeding a pet carnivore (dogs, cats, and ferrets) a species-appropriate diet of raw meat, bones, and organs.
Why raw feeding?
Dogs, cats, and ferrets are carnivores. This means that they get their nutrients most easily from raw meat, bones, and organs--in other words, the parts of a prey animal. Think about what wolves and big cats (the ancestors of our dogs and cats) eat. They eat raw prey animals. The internal anatomy and physiology of our carnivorous pets are the same as their ancestors.
What's wrong with the dry food (kibble) or canned food that I feed now?
First of all, take a look at the ingredient list on the food that you feed. Then check out The Dog Food Project to learn how to interpret the ingredient list of your food. Chances are, you're feeding a food that is either advertised on TV, or was recommended by your vet (vets, by the way, learn hardly anything about animal nutrition in school). Pretty much any food that you've seen advertised has problems: meat by-products (the parts of the animal that humans don't eat), large amounts of corn, wheat, and/or soy (all very cheap, poor sources of nutrients for carnivores [how often do you see a wolf eating corn?], and common allergens), artificial preservatives and colors (which you're likely feeding every single day to your pet), and a lot of other junk.
Even if you happen to be feeding a high-quality food (i.e. something you'd likely have to buy from a speciality pet store or online), there's probably still a lot of grains in the food (carnivores can't digest grains very well--this is why your dog's or cat's poop is most likely big, soft, and smelly). There are a very few number of grain-free kibbles on the market--but again, these are cooked at very high temperatures, and lose all of their good nutrients--which is why the vitamins need to be added back into the food. High-quality canned food is slighly better than kibble in that it has a high water content (more like prey animals) and it's less processed than kibble, but it's still cooked.
But my food is "complete and balanced"! Anything else that I feed will give my pet some sort of deficiency, right?
Think about it this way--how often do you eat a "complete and balanced" meal? Do you actually measure the amount of each vitamin in what you eat? The amount of protein, carbohydrates, or fat? Maybe you try to limit these things, but not many people actually measure. Commercial pet food is basically as if we were eating a multivitamin every day, as our meal (though it'd be filling). How interesting is that? And how healthy?
Feeding a species-appropriate raw diet incorrectly can very easily give your pet a deficiency--in the long-term. That's why it's important to know what to feed. But I promise, it's not hard!
Okay, so what do I feed?
What's in a prey animal? Lots of meat (including fat, muscle, tendons, and other good stuff), a little bit of bone (raw--never feed cooked bones!), and a little bit of organs (the liver being the biggest organ). If you want percentages, try for something like this: 10% organs (half of which should be liver), 10-15% edible bone, and 75-80% meat. Ideally, we'd all feed whole prey animals, but that's not usually possible. So instead, try to feed according to the "prey model", and build a prey animal out of a lot of different meat types and parts. Basically, variety is the key. You want to feed large meaty bones. Try to get parts that are mostly meat; it should be difficult to feel the bone through the meat.
That's all you need; no vegetables, fruits, grains, or supplements are needed as long as you give lots of meat variety. Fish body oil (like the fish oil capsules you buy at the pharmacy) are the only supplement I recommend, because they're a good replacement for the omega-3 fatty acids missing from factory-farmed meat. Don't feed something like flax oil--you want meat, remember? Fish body oil is the best for omega-3 fatty acids.
How much do I feed?
The general rule of thumb is 2-3% of your pet's ideal adult body weight (no matter their age). If you don't know their ideal adult body weight, just make an educated guess. Either way, you'll probably need to adjust the amount depending on your individual animal. You want your pet to be trim--you don't want to see ribs, but you should be able to feel them easily through their skin. Just keep an eye on your pet's weight: if they're getting fat, feed less. If they're getting skinny, feed more.
How do I get started?
The easiest way to get started is to buy a whole chicken and cut it into quarters or halves (depending on the size of your pet). Then just give it to them. A lot of animals will take to it right away. You may need to very lightly sear the outside of the meat to make it more enticing (raw meat, in comparison to kibble, doesn't have a very strong smell), or make some slices into it, or maybe sprinkle some parmesean cheese on it. If your dog won't eat it, pick it up and try again next mealtime. You can fast a healthy dog for a few days without any ill effects. Cats should not be fasted more than 24 hours because long fasts can cause hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver). For stubborn cats, you may have to slowly replace their normal food with raw meat over time.
Isn't this expensive?
It doesn't have to be. It's likely be more expensive than what you feed now if you're feeding a cheap grocery store kibble. But the trick with raw feeding is to look for good deals. Look for meat on sale, or marked down because it's at its sell-by date. Look for a meat co-op in your area, or a meat distributor. Grocery stores are the easiest place to find meats. Ethnic markets are also useful, especially for organs.
I'm still not convinced. I mean, I don't even eat this well myself! Why should I do this for my pet?
Many of the "normal" problems that our pets have nowadays are because of their diets. Skin problems are a big one, including allergies, hot spots, dandruff, dull coats, and excessive shedding. Also, 80% of dogs and cats over three years of age have periodontal disease. This is because they are eating artifical diets not made to clean their teeth and gums. Raw meaty bones are "nature's toothbrush". The majority of raw-fed pets never need their teeth cleaned because their food does it for them. Take a look at a kibble-fed cat's teeth compared to a raw-fed cat's teeth. Poor oral health leads to bad breath and bacteria build-up, which can affect your pet's overall immune system and health.
Where can I learn more?
I highly reading Dr. Tom Lonsdale's book Work Wonders. It's a great book that explains how to get started with raw feeding. I also recommend his much longer book, Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health. It does a great job explaining why commercial food is bad for our pets, and why a natural diet is the way to go. Dr. Lonsdale's website is here.
I also suggest reading all of the myths at the Myths About Raw Feeding website. Most of the questions you may still have are answered there. The recipes section of Raw Fed Dogs has great meal ideas as well, and will give you an idea of what sorts of things you can feed.
I also highly recommend joining the Yahoo! Group rawfeeding. It's a huge group of very knowledgeable people who love to answer questions and will help out both new and experienced raw feeders.
I'm also more than happy to answer any questions personally, through email. Feel free to email me if you have questions! I definitely don't know it all, but if I don't know the answer to your question, I will find someone who does.
New! Check out a video of my dog Fudge eating a pork shank.
