Feeding 80/10/10 to Cats and Ferrets.
Most 80/10/10 foods are marketed as working dog foods. However, this does not mean that they aren't suitable for cats and ferrets too. After all, the ratio is made up to mimic the makeup of natural prey. The actual ingredients are no different as it is simply a carnivorous diet made up of meat bone and offal.
Cats and Ferrets are obligate carnivores which means they require nutrients only found in animal products - in other words, they cannot synthesize nutrients found in plant matter, they must have a diet consisting of only animal products.
80/10/10 is a great choice as its typically made up of a suitable ratio of meat bone and offal.
Raw diets & Taurine
Taurine, an essential amino acid that cats and ferrets require, is exclusively found in animal based proteins. It is critical for normal vision, digestion and heart muscle function, for the maintenance of a healthy immune system, and the maintenance of normal pregnancy and fetal development.
Food's richer in Taurine include red meats, dark meats and heart. Feeding the likes of beef, lamb, pork, goat and venison are great inclusions in any cat or ferrets diet. Heart is also super well known for being a fantastic source of Taurine, often people choose to feed these daily as a food topper.
Taurine is partially destroyed by heat when cooked, which is why commercial foods eg: kibble and tinned/pouches require it to be added via a supplement. It is also worth noting that commercial foods are not a natural diet, and rarely do they contain a sufficient meat source which is why they contain lots of added supplementation. Raw meat on the other hand is a natural diet, in turn, not needing added supplementation.
If you are concerned about not feeding enough taurine through diet alone, the good news is you cannot feed too much of it so for peace of mind, you can choose to top your 80/10/10 minces with a taurine supplement.
Feeding a complete and balanced 80/10/10 diet
Just like dogs, the more proteins the better when it comes to a raw diet. Feeding a variety of protein sources is key to ensuring your pet gets a complete range of essential amino acids for optimal health. Its also great as it adds variety and excitement so your pet is less likely to get bored of their food.
Whole prey
An optional choice to feed along with 80/10/10 minces is whole prey. It offers complete and balanced nutrition and offers lots of enrichment too due to the more natural experience. This is often most enjoyed completely thawed and at room temperature.
Although, not for the faint hearted, it is exactly what it sounds like and may be a little squeamish for some, most suitable for pet owners comfortable for seeing and handling raw animals.
The whole prey stocked at Raw Feeding Dagenham come from reputable and responsible suppliers.
We hope that this article helped answer any question you may have ha in regards to feeding cats and ferrets 80/10/10 raw dog food products. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.