DIET
FEEDING OUR FELINE FRIENDS
Diet is the foundation of health. At EPC we feed a species appropriate, human grade and minimally processed raw food diet. To avoid disease, we encourage all kitty owners to do the same or to feed a gently cooked diet. Nonetheless, starting any new diet can be confusing and overwhelming so below we provide guidance on what to look for and how to get started. We want you to be well informed and feel confident in your decision regarding nutrition. Knowledge is power and when we know better, we can do better. Ready. Set. Learn.
WHAT WE FEED
Homemade & Commercially Produced Raw Meals
- About 60% of the meals we feed are homemade raw and 40% consist of commercially produced raw.
- Our homemade diet consists of single protein recipes of raw pork, rabbit, beef, and occasionally chicken.
- Commercial brands we purchase from include Viva Raw, Small Batch, Steve’s Real Food: Quest, Lotus, and Raw Dynamic. The commercial proteins we frequently feed are turkey, chicken, beef, duck, lamb, sardine and whitefish. Goat and venison are common seasonal proteins we offer.
- Occasionally, we feed cooked, species appropriate table scraps, kefir, goat milk and freeze dried treats.
Our Guidelines
- We only feed meats of human grade quality; meaning, no feed grade foods – no dead, dying, diseased or condemned animals. This eliminates about 90% of pet feed on the market from consideration.
- Min of 90% protein from animal meat. 10% – 15% of that consist of quality animal fat.
- Up to 10% consist of whole, gently cooked fibrous vegetables.
- Examples of vegetables we use: carrots, broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, zucchini, cabbage, spinach, tumeric, pumpkin (fruit), & mushroom (fungi). Plenty more are safe. Those are some common ones we include in our homemade recipes and some we commonly find in commercially produced foods we purchase.
- Our goal is to prevent nutritional deficiencies and encourage a robust appetite by offering balanced meals of 4 or more animal-based protein sources a month.
- Currently, we offer a min of 2 different protein sources a meal, up to 4 different ones a day, and up to 9 different ones a week.
- Proteins in order of most to least offered in our home: Pork, rabbit, turkey, chicken, duck, beef, lamb, whitefish & sardine. We offer seasonal proteins such as goat, venison, qual and elk on a very irregular basis based on availably near us and online.
- The recipes we make and the foods we purchase meet (and normally far exceed) AAFCO standards in nutritional value.
- Note, AAFCO standards are a rough guideline of MINIMAL nutritional requirements needed to sustain life; not a guideline mimicking the nutritional values of thriving animals.
Our Guidelines
- We only feed meats of human grade quality; meaning, no feed grade foods – no dead, dying, diseased or condemned animals. This eliminates about 90% of pet feed on the market from consideration.
- Min of 90% protein from animal meat. 10% – 15% of that consist of quality animal fat.
- Up to 10% consist of whole, gently cooked fibrous vegetables.
- Examples of vegetables we use: carrots, broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, zucchini, cabbage, spinach, tumeric, pumpkin (fruit), & mushroom (fungi). Plenty more are safe. Those are some common ones we include in our homemade recipes and some we commonly find in commercially produced foods we purchase.
- Our goal is to prevent nutritional deficiencies and encourage a robust appetite by offering balanced meals of 4 or more animal-based protein sources a month.
- Currently, we offer a min of 2 different protein sources a meal, up to 4 different ones a day, and up to 9 different ones a week.
- Proteins in order of most to least offered in our home: Pork, rabbit, turkey, chicken, duck, beef, lamb, whitefish & sardine. We offer seasonal proteins such as goat, venison, qual and elk on a very irregular basis based on availably near us and online.
- The recipes we make and the foods we purchase meet (and normally far exceed) AAFCO standards in nutritional value.
- Note, AAFCO standards are a rough guideline of MINIMAL nutritional requirements needed to sustain life; not a guideline mimicking the nutritional values of thriving animals.
What We Recommend You Feed
- This eliminates the potential for most contaminants/adulterants that commonly harm pets. Most commercial cat foods (nearly all kibble and canned foods) are feed grade food-like products designed for convenience and profitability, not health.
- Cats are STRICT CARNIVORES. This means the diet must be hydrated, contain proteins and fats from high quality, healthy animals, and should contain no carbs to at most 10% from whole, fresh fibrous vegetables. PMR based diets indicate a percentage closer to 3% indigestible fiber is more appropriate for cats.
- We do not recommend feeding fruits in general. But if fruits are offered we recommend they be used for specific medicial purposes, such as cranberries for urinary problems and pumpkin puree for GI upsets.
- Please keep in mind that nearly all kibble is comprised of 40 – 60% carbs and is therefore not species appropriate.
- Variety: 1) prevents nutritional deficiencies from forming, 2) encourages a robust appetite, and 3) strengthens the immune system.
- Offer a minimum of 4 protein sources a month and when possible, alternate between brands. Note that different brands use different formulas and have different sterilization techniques resulting in different amino acid, vitamin and mineral profiles; even when starting with the same protein.
- If you make it at home, make sure to follow a recipe that closely mimica a prey model diet or has been formulated by a trained feline nutritionist.
- If you purchase it commercially, the package will say if it meets AAFCO standards. If it does not say, this is indicative that it does not meant AAFCO standards and is meant for supplementary feeding only.
- To read more about the problems with the U.S.A nutritional gold standard for pet food read this BLOG. (Make BLOG a link when it’s published; i have it ready.)
THE 4 REQUIREMENTS
Human Grade
Species Appropriate
Minimally Processed
Varied Proteins
PROTEINS WE COMMONLY FEED
OUR CATTERY FEEDING SCHEDULE
| Mon | Tues | Wednes | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | H.M Pork & Rabbit | H.M Pork & Beef | H.M Pork & Rabbit | H.M Pork & Beef | H.M Pork & Viva Beef | H.M Pork & R.D Rabbit | H.M Pork & Viva X |
| Afternoon | Viva: Chicken & Turkey | Viva: Duck & Turkey | Viva: Chicken & Turkey | Viva: Duck & Turkey | Small Batch: Lamb | N brand: i.e. Quest WhiteFish | N brand: i.e. Lotus Sardine |
| Evening | H.M Pork & Rabbit | H.M Pork & Beef | H.M Pork & Rabbit | H.M Pork & Beef | H.M Pork & Viva Beef | H.M Pork & R.D Rabbit | H.M Pork & Viva X |
|
H.M = Home-Made | Raw Dynamic = R.D | N Brand = New Brand Day | Viva X = Seasonal Viva Protein |
|||||||
Note: On N meals we explore our kitties palette to repeat or different protein sources from companies other than Viva. Those companies often include Small Batch, Raw Dynamic, Lotus and Steves Real Food; Quest.
A VIDEO GLIMPSE INTO OUR KITCHEN & FRIDGE
Our HomeMade Cat Food
- We make about 300 to 400 lbs of homemade cat food a month; split between pork, beef, rabbit and chicken recipe.
- 5 to 6 days of our month are spent exclusively traveling to gather ingrediants and making cat food.
- We feed about 10 - 15 lbs of cat food a day. It cost us about 3.5 - 4k a month.
- We use 2.5 large deep freezers for storage.
- Making cat food for 15+ cats is not cheap nor easy, but it is the healthiest option so we consider it essential and a labor of love.
Video Overview: Prepairing 150 lbs of beef recipe for our cats.
Video Overview: Brands, portion sizes and proteins for you to consider.
Cat Foods in our Fridge . . . & Hopefully Yours
- To find a holistic pet store near you, use the STORE FINDER feature provided by brands such as SmallBatch. Then call local stores listed and inquire about brands that are human-grade, refrigerated, and flavors offered.
- For a large list of safe brands, I recommend purchasing Dr Susan Thixtons: List of Human Grade Cat Foods.
- If you are interested in making your own homemade cat food but would like guidance from a trained feline nutritionist, I recommend findhing one HERE. (Link the list of nutritionist on my Transitioning page)
ORDER CAT FOOD, PROBIOTICS & TREATS
Want to Purchase Raw Food Commercially?
Viva Raw ≈ $2- $4 a day or
$90 – $120 a month to feed a 10 lb cat
Above is an average cost to feed a balanced and varied diet of Viva using their staples – chicken, turkey, duck, beef and rabbit. The inclusion of seasonal proteins such as goat, venison and lamb is highly encouraged; will fluctuate cost.
Purchase Digestive Aids
- When TRANSITIONING to a new protein source, brand or recipe.
- To mitigate tummy upsets.
- Only purchase from trusted companies that are third party verified for efficacy.
The Top 2 Companies We Use & Recommend:
Our Fav Cat Treats
- Human Grade
- Species Appropriate
- Minimally Processed
The Top 2 Companies We Use & Recommend:
ORDER CAT FOOD, PROBIOTICS & TREATS
Want to Purchase Raw Food Commercially?
Viva Raw ≈ $2- $4 a day or
$90 – $120 a month to feed a 10 lb cat
Above is an average cost to feed a balanced and varied diet of Viva using their staples – chicken, turkey, duck, beef and rabbit. The inclusion of seasonal proteins such as goat, venison and lamb is highly encouraged; will fluctuate cost.
Purchase Digestive Aids
- When TRANSITIONING to a new protein source, brand or recipe.
- To mitigate tummy upsets.
- Only purchase from trusted companies that are third party verified for efficacy.
The Top 2 Companies We Use & Recommend:
Our Fav Cat Treats
- Human Grade
- Species Appropriate
- Minimally Processed