FAQ's - Proper Nutrition | Nature's Variety

FAQ's - Proper Nutrition

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What are the components of superior nutrition?

At Nature's Variety, we believe superior nutrition for dogs and cats starts with healthy, natural ingredients. This means high quality animal proteins like meat, poultry, and fish should make up the majority of your pet's diet. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are also beneficial, providing many vital nutrients for your pet's health and well-being.

What is rotation?

We believe dogs and cats will be healthier and happier with variety in their diet - just like you! We also believe that eating the exact same thing every day may contribute to the development of allergies or lack of interest at feeding time. For optimal nutrition, we recommend rotating between flavors (duck, venison, salmon...) and formats (raw, kibble, canned). A rotation diet consisting of more meat and less grain can help provide biologically appropriate weight control, sustained interest in the food dish, and better overall health and happiness for your pet. Click here to read more about how Nature's Variety makes it easy for you to rotate varieties.

How do I rotate foods for my dog and cat?

There's no right or wrong way to feed the Nature's Variety Rotation Diet; your pet will benefit from the variety of forms and flavors! Just offer various proteins (e.g. beef, chicken, and salmon) and forms (raw, dry, and cans) in your pet's diet. All Nature's Variety diets are specially formulated for rotation feeding – our raw, dry, and canned product forms can be rotated freely according to your lifestyle and your pet's preferences.

You can rotate on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. For example, offer our Prairie kibble New Zealand Venison Meal & Millet Medley one month, and Prairie kibble Salmon Meal & Brown Rice Medley the next. Meanwhile, rotate daily with our various varieties of canned and raw diets, like Prairie canned Chicken Recipe and Raw Frozen Lamb Formula. It's important to find a rotation regimen that works well for both you and your pet.

What does complete and balanced mean?

Complete and balanced means the diet contains all of the necessary vitamins and minerals that your pets needs for daily health and well-being. Nature's Variety foods are complete and balanced for all life stages and all breeds. We always recommend working with your trusted veterinarian when choosing your pet's diet, especially if you are feeding a puppy, kitten, or unique breed.

Is the information on your packaging and website dry matter or wet (as fed)?

The nutritional information on our packaging and on our website is a wet (as fed) analysis.

Why should I consider grain-free foods for my pet?

A dog and cat's natural diet is high in meat, poultry, and fish protein and low in carbohydrates. Instinctive nutrition helps dogs and cats thrive, nourishing muscles and building strong bones. Improved skin and coat, weight management and increased energy are some of the amazing testimonials we receive about our food.

Why should I consider raw food for my pet?

Dogs and cats are meat eaters by nature. That's why raw, fresh meat is the most instinctive diet for your pet. A diet consisting primarily of raw meat, organs, bone, and fat reflects what your pet would eat in his natural habitat. With natural proportions of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, and amino acids, raw diets provide wholesome nutrition for the health and well-being of your animal companions.

Are Instinct Raw Frozen Diets complete and balanced?

Yes, Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diets provide complete and balanced nutrition for dogs and cats, all life stages and all breeds. In fact, we are the 1st and only raw diet to be scientifically substantiated as complete and balanced for all life stages through AAFCO Protocol Feeding Trials. Furthermore, our formulas do not use synthetic vitamins and minerals; instead, each diet provides complete and balanced nutrition through thoughtful formulation of only natural, real, whole food ingredients.

Should I cook the raw food?

We do not recommend cooking our raw diets, as heat processing destroys the naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and probiotics. If you want a high meat, grain-free food that is cooked, we suggest you try our Instinct kibble or canned diets.

How do I handle raw foods when feeding my pet?

You should always practice good hygiene just like when you prepare meals for yourself or your family. Always clean and disinfect working surfaces and utensils. Your pet's food bowl should be washed after they finish each meal. Make sure to wash your hands before and after preparing you pet's meals. (These handling instructions are also found on the back of your raw food package.)

Why is there 5% vegetables and fruits in your raw formulas?

The percentage of fruits and vegetables in our Raw Frozen Diets is meant to mimic what dogs and cats would eat in the wild (fruits and vegetables would be present in the stomach of their prey). Our fruits and vegetables provide beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that promote health and well-being.

Why do you include raw ground bone in Raw Frozen Diets?

Raw bones are an important part of a dog and cat's ancestral diet. We include ground bones in our raw diets in the proper proportion that the dog and cat would have enjoyed in the wild. Raw bone is an excellent source of minerals, essential fatty acids, proteins, and enzymes. They are also a balanced source of calcium and phosphorus, and a natural source of chondroitin (for joint health).

Is the raw ground bone in your raw diets safe for my pet?

Yes, the bone has been very finely ground (we double grind all of our bones through a very small 0.25 inch plate). Moreover, uncooked bones are softer and more digestible than cooked bones. The raw ground bone should not present any digestive issues for your pet.

Why don't you have a raw formula specifically for cats?

Our Raw Frozen Diets are complete and balanced for cats AND dogs, all life stages and all breeds. In the wild, dogs and cats would eat the same prey animals. They have very similar nutritional requirements. Cats do need more protein, amino acids (taurine and arginine), B vitamins (thiamine and vitamin A), and fatty acids (linoleic and arachidonic acid). Our nutritious Raw Frozen Diets are formulated to meet all of these nutritional requirements – giving your carnivorous feline friend everything she needs for fitness, health, and happiness.