FAQs of a Frozen Raw Diet

A frozen raw pet food diet is becoming increasingly popular among pet owners who seek to provide their furry friends with a more natural and nutritious diet and it is our favorite way to feed pets! However, with any new dietary change, come questions and concerns. So we are answering some of the most frequently asked questions about a frozen raw pet food diet we received on Instagram!

What is a frozen raw diet?

Frozen raw pet food consists of a combination of completely uncooked meat, bone, and organ meat, along with supplemental produce and very few, if any, unnecessary ingredients. The meat and produce are ground into a chunky texture for easy consumption!

Why is a frozen raw diet good for my cat or dog?

Frozen raw food is considered the most biologically and species-appropriate diet for dogs and cats, and is truly what our dogs and cats are built to eat, and because of this, it is almost irresistible to pets. Raw pet food boosts your pet’s immune system, it is very bioavailable so that means less waste for you to deal with. Many of our raw foods have lots of leafy green veggies, and there has been research done that indicates that leafy greens can help prevent cancer in pets. Raw food provides extra hydration, which helps keep pets’ coats and skin extra healthy! It can be a part of effective treatment for many ailments, such as yeast infections because raw food has fewer starches than other kinds of food.

The more a food is processed, the more nutrients it loses. Because it is minimally processed, frozen raw food has the highest concentration of nutrients!

Is feeding raw really safe? What about bacteria?

Yes! We believe that a raw diet is one of the best things you can feed your dog or cat. They are the most biologically appropriate diets, and most pets thrive on a raw diet. Dogs and cats have short and highly acidic digestive systems, allowing them to digest raw foods safely and quickly. On top of that, the raw foods we carry all have very high standards and strict safety procedures in place to ensure your pet is getting a food that’s completely pathogen-free. 

How do I safely handle raw pet food?

​Even though feeding your pet a raw diet is very safe, it is still raw meat and needs to be handled properly. According to our friends at Northwest Naturals, the following tips are best practices for safely handling frozen raw food!

• Frozen foods should be kept in the freezer until you’re ready to feed your pet. For cats and smaller dogs, we suggest that at each meal, you simply pour the number of nuggets you will feed into a separate bowl and defrost in the refrigerator. For large and multiple-dog families, you can defrost the entire bag in the refrigerator. Food stays wholesome for about four days in the refrigerator.

• With pourable frozen raw foods, you never handle the raw product and you place the portion you do not use back into the freezer.

• Frozen raw pet food should not be cooked or heated in a microwave. To maintain nutritional value, it’s important to keep the food raw and in its natural state. All of our recipes include raw ground bone. Raw bone is incredibly safe and an essential part of a pet’s diet, it becomes brittle and can splinter when cooked; this poses an unnecessary risk to your animals. Raw diet foods can be served frozen, defrosted, or at room temperature. Some pets like their food slightly warmed, you can place a portion in a zip-lock bag and drop it in a pan of warm water for 5 minutes.

I don’t have a lot of freezer space to dedicate to pet food!

Many of our foods come in smaller, easy-to-serve packages! Savage Cat and OC Raw have varieties with single-serve packs, which makes for easy storage!

How do I transition my pet to a raw diet?

Slowly transitioning to a new food is always the safest bet to avoid digestive upset. We suggest making the transition occur over the course of a week or two. Start off by feeding 25% of the new food and 75% of the current food for 2-3 days. Then gradually increase the new food to 50% of your pet’s daily intake, and decrease the current food to 50% for another 2-3 days. If that’s going well, bump up the new food to 75% and the old food to 25% for another 2-3 days, until you can feed your pet 100% of the new food.

Can I use raw pet food as a treat or supplement?

Absolutley, frozen raw food can be used in many ways including as a kibble topper, in a West Paw Toppl, with lick mats, and more! Our staff gives their pets raw treats in a multitude of ways!

Lizzi & Rocco’s Natural Pet Market is based in Columbia, Missouri. We focus on helping your pet live it’s best possible life through high quality nutrition and top of the line services. Learn more about us here!