What is the difference between raw food diets for dogs and cats?
Cats are obligate carnivores, therefore our Big Dog Raw Food Diets for Cats are formulated to be higher in meat and lower in plant matter than our dog recipes.
We ask Animal Nutritionist, Narelle Cooke, if cats and dogs can eat the same food
Related FAQs
Why do you include vegetables in your cat foods?
The reason we add a very small amount of vegetables in our cat food is for the health benefits, vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content, and to add a little bit of fibre to their diet. They help us to balance our pet’s meals naturally.
How do I transition my cat to your raw food?
The transition from kibble to raw can be long and challenging, we recommend a very slow transition. The primary reason for this is to avoid upset stomachs but also because rejection of the food is to be expected. Give your cat the time and space they need to figure out their new diet. That being said, you do not want to leave it for more than 24 hours without eating something. Cats need to eat frequently as fasting is unnatural to them and could induce a case of Hepatic Lipidosis (feline liver disease).
Find our thorough transition guide for cats here: Transitioning to our Big Dog Raw Diet for Cats
How strictly do I need to adhere to your feeding guidelines?
Our feeding guidelines are located on our packaging and product pages on our website. These are just a guide and your pet's metabolism, breed, size, age and activity level may affect their overall nutritional requirements. The important thing to focus on ultimately is that your pet is within ahealthy weight range. Use our feeding guide as a starting point, feed and monitor their weight and adjust their feeding amount if required.
Our feeding guide is based on the life stage and energy requirements of your cat.
The calculation uses:
Resting Energy Requirements (RER)
Cats Body Weight (BW)
Maintenance Energy Requirements (MER)
Life Stage Factor
See calculation below that is used:
RER= BW(kg)0.75 x 70
MER= RER x life stage factor
Refer to link for example calculation and life stage factors:
Also taking into account treats as part of the daily energy from food being provided to your pet has an impact.
How much taurine is in your cat food?
Taurine is an essential amino acid in cats and must be obtained in adequate amounts in the diet to prevent deficiency.
According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the daily dietary taurine requirements for cats for growth and health maintenance is 0.20% (dry matter) per day and we easily meet these needs.
Chicken - 0.14% (as fed) - 0.50% (dry matter)
Turkey - 0.09% (as fed) - 0.32% (dry matter)
Kanga - 0.12% (as fed) 0.43% (dry matter)
Beef - 0.11% (as fed) - 0.38% (dry matter)
Combo - 0.11% (as fed) - 0.39% (dry matter)
The only time you may wish to supplement with additional Taurine would be during gestation and lactation. Feeding a few chicken hearts additionally per day is a great natural way to achieve this.
Which product should I feed my cat?
Our Big Dog for Cats range consists of mixed protein diets that provide all the macro and micronutrients your cat needs to be healthy and happy. These include protein, amino acids, taurine, healthy fats (including omega-3 fatty acids), moisture, antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics, fibre, phytonutrients, active enzymes and essential vitamins and minerals. Mixed protein raw food diets, most closely represent an evolutionary diet and the predominant protein source in each product represents the flavour of that product.
For more information on each product, see our products page for cats.
Can I feed my kitten Big Dog for Cats?
We generally recommend our food is suitable for kittens from 12 weeks of age.
If your kitten was weaned onto a raw diet, you can generally transition straight to a 100% Big Dog Diet.
If your kitten was weaned onto a cooked or processed diet (canned food, dry food, cooked rolls) then we recommend to transition more slowly.
A raw food diet is very different to a processed cooked diet and any sudden change in diet can create stomach upsets and gradually transitioning helps to minimise this.
Please follow these guidelines, whilst monitoring your kitten's stools. You should begin to notice smaller, less smelly stools as you transition towards a 100% raw food diet. Loose stools are OK during the transitioning period, but do make sure there is no persistent, watery stools.
Day 1-3: 20% New Diet 80% Old Diet
Day 4-6: 40% New Diet 60% Old Diet
Day 7-9: 60% New Diet 40% Old Diet
Day 10-12: 80% New Diet 20% Old Diet
Day 12+: 100% New Diet
The younger the kitten, generally the easier they are to transition. If you have an older cat or a particularly fussy kitten, please refer to our transition guide here.