Why a Raw Food Diet is Safe and Beneficial for Dogs and Cats

Let’s dive in and get your questions answered.

Is raw meat good for dogs and cats?

Since our pets descend from wild animals, it makes sense that they would benefit from a raw diet. You might even be tempted to head to the grocery store for raw meat and bones, but that is a risky choice.

Raw meat from the grocery store has been produced in a way that assumes humans will cook it to safe temperatures before they eat it. If you feed your pet that same meat raw, they might be exposed to bacteria like Salmonella.

Leftover bones are not 100% safe because cooking makes them more brittle and prone to breaking. These shards can be very sharp and injure your pet when consumed.

Raw human food isn’t safe for dogs and cats, but well-made raw pet food for your pet is extremely safe and beneficial to their health.

Why is raw pet food safer than normal raw human food?

The raw food from your grocery store is processed, sent to a distributor, shipped to the store, sometimes inconsistently repackaged, and then sits in a cooler for a set period. This isn’t always a problem for humans, as we cook food and kill potential bacteria. But you’ll want to protect your companion by feeding them raw food produced with a special process that locks in nutrients and prevents contamination.

Vital Essentials raw pet food is carefully processed from wholesome ingredients in-house at our dedicated facilities. There are no middlemen or external processing plants, so we can control food safety and ensure freshness. Our products are also packaged at the height of freshness.

Here are five safety facts about our food that’ll give you true peace of mind!

1. Our pet food uses single-source animal protein proudly made and packaged right here in America’s Heartland.

2. Some of our pet food does include superfood fruits and veggies, but all our foods are pea-, lentil- and potato-free as well as low-carb.

3. Our food has no artificial preservatives or coloring, no rendered by-products, no added fillers or flavorings, and no synthetic vitamins or minerals.

4. We are a GFSI – FSSSC-2200 and EU-certified pet food facility with a comprehensive HACCP Food Safety Program developed in collaboration with Kansas State University. All those words and acronyms mean that our food is carefully created and inspected to meet strict safety regulations.

5. Our employees are trained on FDA Good Manufacturing Processes or (GMPs) to adhere to best practices, so we can continue to make safe, quality pet food. They’re pet lovers and parents too! Our employees are dedicated to crafting sensational and safe raw pet food.

What are the ingredients in raw pet food?

Our top-quality pet food is based on the ALPHA Prey-Model diet and consists of premium meat, organs, and bone for a nutrient-packed dinner that any carnivore will love. We mix fresh fruit and veggies in some of our products for an extra nutrition boost. For instance, our FUSION Dinner Patties have superfoods like apples, squash, carrots, blueberries, and broccoli!

Ready to go raw? Learn more about switching from kibble to high-quality raw in our feeding tips and mistakes article. Next, shop for our pet food, treats and supplements in a store near you or online!

For more information on Vital Essentials and our full product line, follow us on TikTok and Instagram. And if you have any questions, be sure to check out our FAQ page for answers. Together, we can ensure your pet gets the proper nutrition they deserve.