Why Feed Raw?

‘The biggest investment that you make in the quality of your pet's life is optimal nutrition.’

Carnivores that evolved to eat meat don’t tend to thrive on diets that are carbohydrate based- these diets place stress upon their organs as the enzymes they developed over hundreds of thousands of years of evolution are not evolved to handle carbohydrates at high levels. The optimal energy source for both cats and dogs is protein and fat derived from meat, with a very small proportion in terms of carbohydrate supplied in terms of gut contents of the prey animal. Simple fact, simple common sense- do not believe the hype that we are all bombarded with (unfortunately) every day.

Granted- There are some kibble diets out there that are better than the rest, but none come close to feeding carnivores what they evolved to eat- raw meat in the right proportions- as is the case with humans over supplementation of vitamins and minerals causes issues by stressing the liver and kidneys of your pet.

The Scientific Basis for Prey Model Raw

Just like with humans it really is a case of you are what you eat, and minimally processed food is superior to overly processed food. It’s simple common sense when you think about it.

Paleo is short for what archaeologists call the Palaeolithic Period or Old Stone Age. The Palaeolithic Epoch mostly coincides with what geologists call The Pleistocene Epoch which lasted from about 2,500,000 to 11,700 years ago. It is the period of time when repeated glacial cycles carved vast plains divided by crystal clear rivers and streams. This is also the period of time where humans, the dog and the cat evolved as they are found today.

By nature, cats and dogs are predators – they evolved eating a prey-based diet and most importantly eating that diet raw. Their bodies weren’t designed to eat the long list of additives, preservatives and grain products found in many of today’s mass-produced pet foods.

The Prey Model Raw (PMR) diet eliminates processed foods and provides dogs and cats with a natural diet that mimics what their ancestors and wild cousins consumed. A complete PMR diet is based on whole, wild prey animals and does not include plant ingredients, with the exception of those that are pre-digested within the prey animal.

Raw food advocates agree that it is best to feed a variety of different food sources. Variety not only mimics what the dog’s and cat’s ancestors would have consumed; it also ensures access to a greater range of nutrients and a healthier diet as result. Arguably it is more interesting for the dog and cat too- variety is the spice of life.

Benefits of Prey Model Raw Feeding

Owners that provide a quality, well formulated and preservative free raw diet to their pets typically notice better all-round health and improvements to those suffering from allergies and overweight issues.

The most common benefits pet owners see from feeding raw food include:

  • Improved teeth, oral health and breath - Consumption of raw bones, meat, connective tissue and skin encourage a natural scrubbing action promoting healthier teeth and gums
  • Reduced suffering from allergies - A natural diet eliminates additives, preservatives and fillers which can play a big factor in today’s food allergies found in cats and dogs
  • Improved digestion - A raw food diet is perfectly compatible with the digestive systems of your cats and dogs
  • Improved skin and coat - Whole prey, raw foods contain optimal levels of unsaturated fats and naturally occurring omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids which assist with the healthy skin and coat
  • Stronger immune system - A raw diet normalises and strengthens the immune system
  • Leaner body mass  - Pets are more satisfied with a species-appropriate raw diet and are less likely to overeat and therefore loose unwanted fat and gain increased muscle mass
  • Improved stool odour - An increase in bone consumption coupled with the elimination of unnatural additives in their diet improves stool odour
  • Improved stool volume - More of the food consumed is actively used when eating raw, resulting in less waste
  • Increased energy - A species appropriate raw diet enables pets to get more readably available energy from their food
  • Money saved on vet bills - Because a raw diet provides a healthier option for your pet, visits to the vet are often reduced