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Starting your cat or dog on a natural diet is the better, healthier option - truly chicken soup for the pet lover’s soul.

COCKTAIL FACT

Singer Dusty Springfield specified in her will that her cat be fed only imported babyfood.

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home ›   tip library ›   Natural Pet Food

What ISN'T in your best friend's chow dish?

The Bite

With descriptive names like “Homestyle,” “Select Bites,” and “Gourmet Gold,” you’d think that most pet foods were fit for human consumption. But unless you like eating chicken butts and antibiotics, we wouldn’t recommend it.  Fortunately, there are plenty that aren’t composed of factory farm byproducts.

The Benefits

  • Healthier, longer-living pets. The #1 killer of cats, after car accidents, is kidney failure, which may have something to do with the nasty stuff from which many commercial pet foods are produced.
  • Support pet food companies that don’t conduct animal lab tests for their products (which includes force-feeding).
  • In the US, labels on pet food containers aren’t regulated like their human equivalents. Choose natural and avoid the trouble of navigating confusing ingredients labels.

Personally Speaking

Cricket worships Pet Promise’s all-natural food, as does Froggy, Cricket’s cat-brother. Jen noticed that Froggy lost needed weight after a month on the product, and Cricket’s coat got even shinier.

Wanna Try?

Jun 01,2006


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I used to feed my dog Puppy Crack

I had this dog GG, featured stage left. She was a battered adoptee that needed massive training, so I haphazardly got these Beggin' Strips from the g-store. Okay, first off, the ingredient list has the word "meat" in it. Beef is meat. Pork is meat. Horses, monkeys, and allegedly Arby's roast beef are meat. Second, they were bright red and smelled like twice baked meat vomit.

But I was desperate. So I fed them to her. And apparently she was very hungry because she would go nuts trying to please me to get a treat. A la Puppy Crack - makes you spin around in circles for a serious chemical high. I tasted it too (I was jonesing I guess. Kidding.) Let me tell you: it tastes nothing like bacon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Sorry G-money girl!)

Now with the Crick, I wanted to keep her off crack, and was soooooooo pleased to find the Pet Promise brand. (We tried the holistic food at Pet Smart but it costs an arm and a leg, smells kind of like a vitamin bottle, and the Crick wouldn't eat it.) Pet Promise also offers all-natural bison jerky as treats (that my ex used to actually eat... says a lot, hu?). And great food selections. Both Cricket and Froggy both dig the food. And I LOVE that it supports the sustainable ranching micro-industry, and that Dr. Weil is behind the brand.

Off to ponder whythings like SPAM (with subscript, A Food Product) and Dog Food need to specify "FOOD" - like it could be a question.

- Jen

PS: here is an interesting blog posting from Snopes about the content of conventional dog food: Most commercial pet foods contain bone meal and protein concentrates which are produced at rendering plants throughout the world. Rendering plants produce these meat products from the carcasses of animals collected from many sources, including pet shelters and road kill. Whether the food is nutritious or over-processed, cancer causing poison is a matter for debate, but it is true that unless you are feeding your dog "human grade" food, they are eating the rendered carcasses of dogs, cats, possums, skunks, raccoons, and anything else that happens to get flattened on the highway. Don't believe it? Check this out: http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow/mad6301.cfm


Biter Comments...
Castor and Pollux is also a great choice. I have concerns about the meat used even if it is whole parts. C&P was the only "healthy" dog and cat food that I found they used certified organic chicken, not to mention other fantastic ingredients. As a nutritionist and herbal medicine practitioner, this brand is my recommendation. Plus all their other products are the fave in our house.

Posted by: Peggy | June 01, 2006 at 09:09 AM

Just a word of caution - I have tried Wellness brand food for my cat and found that it gave him awefully nasty diarrhea. The vet said that this was fairly common with Wellness because cats that have grown up on commerical brands are not used to digesting all of the veggies, grain, and fibre used in this food. I have found that Eagle Pack (www.eaglepack.com) is a good one, as is Innova (www.naturapet.com).

Posted by: Naumi | June 01, 2006 at 09:56 AM

The "human grade" salmon dry cat food? I'm guessing that the salmon is coming from factory farms. A big no no.

Posted by: lstoerkel | June 01, 2006 at 10:50 AM

Want more info about why its so importaint to get your 4-legged kids off the doggie and kitty crack, as well as the nasty pet food kibble? Then take a look at the Animal Protection Institute's report, "What's Really in Pet Food." It's an eye-opener for you - & stomach turner for your little darling. http://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1 sure, it can take a bit of work to coax them off the *crack* (every addiction does), but it is so worth it!

Posted by: Sherry | June 01, 2006 at 12:02 PM

Personally, I won't feed my dog ANY dog food. I make her food. Ground turkey, beef...whatever she happens to be in the mood for :). I throw in somebrown rice and either green beans or mixed veggies and she's happy. No CRAP for my poochie! And, honestly, it's pretty cheap, too...especially when you consider what you're protecting your best friends from.

Posted by: Sarina | June 01, 2006 at 04:07 PM

I fed my first dog on expensive kibble......OK, so he grew up into a 225# English Mastiff but got terrible arthritis and had to be euthanized at age 9. My Mastiff now was rescued after being abandoned at a Vet's clinic (can you say Super-Size Separation Anxiety?). I got him at age 4 1/2, with epilepsy and a torm ACL, and about 50 pounds underweight. I rode with the local coordinator of Friends Of Rescued Mastiffs--I got a 20-hour dissertation on the perils of kibble (Hi Rachel!!) Now, I feed him exclusively a raw diet, roughly one raw chicken per day. A small baker is only about $2.50 and my dog is thriving! No big bags of kibble to store in the garage; no kibble sitting in a bowl to attract mice; no chemicals or preservatives. I am always looking for deals on boney meat pieces, beef, goat, elk legs (thanks to my hunter friends!), and so forth. I hope that feeding my dog this way will extend his life and improve his health......

Posted by: Nina Aguilar | June 01, 2006 at 07:56 PM

I fell into the mass produced, commercial pet food trap for many many years until my one cat was diagnosed with Feline Urinary Tract Syndrome. In male cats, this can be fatal within 24 hours, and every six months or so I was spending a couple hundred dollars to have him flushed out. So of course I went on a quest to find a food that didn't make his FUTS flare up. We tried a couple commercial foods theoretically made for cats with FUTS, then the prescription food - none of which worked much better than the regular choices. So I went online and researched this. I found pages recommending BARF (Bones And Raw Food) and decided I couldn't handle it if my cat ate raw chicken wings in the living room, however natural it is. I found recipes from Dr. Pitcairn's book (Excellent, by the way! That's my backup.) Then I found Sjourner Farms (http://www.sojos.com) - a fantastic mix between doing it from scratch and pre-made. You buy the mix, put in raw meat (your choice), a handful or so of veggies, water, and presto! I tried it on the dogs first (not to be cruel, just their stomachs are a little more tolerant than cats), and they loved it! The cat - I haven't had to have him flushed in almost ten years. (He's 15 now, and still has moments of kittenish behavior.) The real advantage showed up after about a year of feeding them Sojo's - the male cat finally got down to what the vet considers a healthy weight, and my little girl (who had pulled almost all her fur out after we got her fixed) started growing her hair back! Who knew many cats are allergic to corn? And the secret advantage - the dogs leave NO food for the starlings that invade our yard now, so they've moved on to easier pickings. ^_^

Posted by: Deb | June 02, 2006 at 06:48 AM

With regard to the Pet Promise food, My wife & I have researched this diet and although the company seems to have some good values for the envrionment, the actual food does not contain great ingredients! Brewer's Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, & Oat Groats are fractions of grains and may be by products from the human good industry. They are lacking in nutrients - hence the huge list of vitamins and minerals that the company has to add, to make the food nutritionally complete. Just thought I'd pass along this info becuase what is good for the environment is not always the best choice for a pet, on an individual level. There are many more biologically appropriate foods available from some other great companies which are well worth researching.

Posted by: Ted | June 02, 2006 at 12:07 PM

I've been feeding my crew of 7 dogs & 3 cats pet promise food for at least six months. It has cut their shedding in half, and none of my cats had any trouble with it. I'd love to make their food but with so many I doubt it's possible.

Posted by: lara | June 05, 2006 at 08:31 AM

That's great that it is working for your dogs. I just think there are better options available without some of the marketing gimmicks. When we'd called the company a while back to find out about their products, it turned out Pet Promise is actually made at Nestle Purina! Not your typical 'eco-friendly' supplier.... It just made us quation the validity of some claims. Anyway to each their own. For what it's worth, my wife and I feed a dehydrated raw food made by http://www.thehonestkitchen.com and it's superb.

Posted by: Ted | June 05, 2006 at 05:39 PM

I was speaking with the owner of a small pet store that only sells natural & organic pet food, and she told me that Wellness *used* to be a good food, until it was bought out by a huge consulting firm and then resold. They now use lower-grade ingredients and processes which they used to condemn (such as extrusion and flash-baking, if I remember her right)--resulting in a lower-quality food under the guise of a trusted label.

Posted by: Tracelina | July 05, 2006 at 02:36 PM

From above: "Froggy lost needed weight" ???? Sounds like Froggy is starving to death on this dog food!

Posted by: PeterPeter | September 16, 2006 at 11:44 AM

My male cat (10 years old) developed a condition that dissolved his teeth, caused him mouth pain and, consequently, weight loss. He had to have all but two of his teeth removed. I believe firmly that the cause was the Friskies canned food I fed him but the vet never mentioned it could be a food-related problem. After the teeth extraction, I continued to feed him Friskies until I realized that he was not gaining weight. It was only after I put him on a different diet, eliminating canned food entirely, that he began to regain his weight and showed no further signs of pain. I believe most of the mainstream pet products are terrible for our companion animals. It is unfortunate, though, that many of us cannot afford the natural products.

Posted by: fleetstreet | September 21, 2006 at 08:16 PM

We have been feeding our dog Karma now for 2 1/2 years and he is the healthiest dog I know. It really is worth it. As organic as it gets. http://www.karmaorganic.com/ And yes, I have tried it myself - not too bad!

Posted by: Chris | September 28, 2006 at 09:01 AM

Hi, In this discussion of what 'food' to feed, no matter how 'organic' or 'natural' the ingredients that make up the kibble, they are all cooked and then extruded into the 'kibble'shape. This cooking process KILLS most all of the wonderful vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and the many other components of REAL food, leaving it empty & processed (like junk food). Dogs are carnivores, and, as such, need raw meat and bones in their diet. Not the processed stuff we have been sold on by the pet food companies (and vets, by the way). Doesn't your beloved pet deserve a fresh food diet? You will be amazed at the result: shiny coats, clean teeth, clean ears and eyes, tiny poops with no smell!! The information is out there! Go look :-)

Posted by: Lynn Mirassou | September 28, 2006 at 10:57 AM

Raw food is the way to go for so many reasons, number 1 being that cats are obligate carnivores. Check out http://www.catnutrition.org/index.html Recommended reading - "Raising Cats Naturally" by Michelle Bernard. I've been following her recipes for a couple of years now and my seven cats have never been healthier. If you can't go raw, all homeopathic vets I've spoken to suggest Wysong.

Posted by: Mary | September 30, 2006 at 10:02 AM

I just want to give your readers a wonderful alternative for feeding companion animals. Dr.Harvey's makes all-natural and organic foods,treats and supplements for dogs, cats and birds. These products are made with love and integrity and I think they are the healthiest products available. And the best part is that they are delicious. There is a lot to read about at the website www.drharveys.com There is also a toll free number to reach Dr. Harvey 866-362-4123 and you can actually speak to him directly. There is no charge for this service. Visit the site and see why the most discerning of guardians use and love Dr. Harvey's!67

Posted by: Wendy | January 24, 2008 at 10:31 AM

That couldn't have been good for your puppy. Did you have to lock him inside a portable dog crate like the ones at http://www.transportdogcrates.net after feeding him that?

Posted by: Dog | March 19, 2008 at 04:49 AM

wow, you are so warm hearted to take care of these dogs. Hannah pet supply and accessories

Posted by: hanna | September 19, 2008 at 12:06 AM

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