Mayhem eating a Furry Feasts Rack of Ribs

Whats RAW feeding all about?

As obvious as it may sound, many people forget that cats and dogs were in existence long before man created kibble! Kibble was invented for the convenience of man, not for the benefit of pets. If left to its own devices, a dog or cat will catch or scavenge its food from the prey of others, and will eat virtually everything – the flesh (a great source of essential protein), fat (a source of energy), bone (a source of calcium and other minerals), muscle, organ meats and stomach (an excellent source of enzymes, minerals and pre-digested plant material).

Canines and felines, both domesticated and wild, are members of the carnivore family, and are anatomically built for eating meat. Their teeth are designed for tearing and chewing.

BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diets are based on fresh foods such as raw meats, raw bones, raw vegetables and minerals, and are designed to mimic what your cat or dog would eat in the wild.

Cooking food breaks down many of the proteins and amino acids in raw meat, destroying much of the nutritional goodness. Some commercial foods contain a high percentage of fillers, such as cereals, grains, and soya which your pet simply isn’t designed to eat – and which actually can lead to long term health problems such as itchy skin, ear and anal gland issues.

Here at Furry Feasts we will always use human grade sources so you can be sure your pet is getting only the freshest, most natural food on the market.

So what are the benefits of swapping kibble and other processed food to raw?

IMPROVED DIGESTION

One of the great benefits of feeding whole raw food is that it requires some work on the part of the jaws and teeth to hack away at fleshy fibres and bones, and this takes some time. The time it takes to gnaw away at whole meaty bones gives the gut time to activate its gastric juices so that when the food finally does hit the stomach, it has a much better chance of being properly digested. Feeding commercial food encourages speedy gulping, because it requires no effort or time to consume it, so it arrives so rapidly into the dog’s stomach, that often there’s no time for its necessary digestive acids to be fully excreted resulting in poorly digested meals. Such meals may end up causing irritation or indigestion, which can mean a greater chance of them either being vomited up, or coming out the other end in a less than desirable form.

INCREASED STIMULATION

The psychological and physiological challenge of tackling large raw meaty bones is invaluable for the dogs general satisfaction, increased vitality and quality of life. Feeding raw, particularly large pieces, gives our dogs the opportunity to really get a mentally stimulating experience, it takes a lot more mental and physical work for a dog to rip and tear meat off and crunch through bones, often they have to stop and work out exactly how to tackle it. Anyone who feeds raw will know the enjoyment alone from watching their dogs eating and enjoying their meal.

IMPROVED SKIN AND COAT

This can be one of the first changes you will notice when you start feeding a raw meaty bone diet. If those persistent skin problems suddenly disappear or improve, and you no longer need vet visits, medicated washes, antibiotics, etc it has to mean something. It is really difficult to ignore the lustrous, thick and healthy coat on a raw fed pet!

STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM

A raw diet normalises and strengthens the immune system. Because the raw meat and bone diet contains a good balance of essential fatty acids and other immune normalizing and strengthening nutrients, it reduces inflammatory conditions and eliminates infections.

LEANER BODY MASS

By feeding a Raw meat and bone diet, your pet will lose unwanted fat and gain that much desired increase in muscle mass. This not only makes your pet look better, it increases your pets metabolic rate, its activity levels and its healthy life-span. The effect will be more rapid if you begin a routine exercise program with your dog.

IMPROVED STOOL VOLUME AND ODOUR

Once again this reflects the improved health of the immune system and the remarkable difference that bone eating makes in the production of firm stools which are essential for normal anal sac emptying. In addition, since commercial dog food usually contains a high percentage of carbohydrate based ingredients such as grains, corn and soy which are unnatural to a dogs digestion, the waste product is unnatural, smelly and takes considerably longer to decompose.
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