Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Boost Cat Food Rabbit Mixer, 6 oz.

Product Information

Fold Hill Foods general manager, Ben Mankertz, said: “We are alarmed and deeply saddened to learn of reports from the food and veterinary authorities of some health issues in cats. The True Instinct ‘High-Meat’ range has a recipe ratio of 75% high meat and 25% natural fruit, vegetables and botanicals, which aim to provide complete balanced nutrition that helps to fuel cats and kittens’ active lives. If you just want to use raw food as a treat, and a way to lightly supplement your cat’s diet, then treats are a great option. Purebites makes some excellent treats, and they come in a wide range of flavors. If your cat likes seafood, then there are plenty of fish options, including shrimp and minnow (not something you see every day). As with most other raw food, these treats are free from grains, and good for cats with allergies, as they contain few ingredients that would inflame these kinds of issues. If you’re looking for a raw cat food that covers a variety of bases, then Orijen’s grain free mix is a great choice. Orijen uses what it calls the ‘whole prey’ approach, which means it mixes in a variety of raw meats, and guarantees that the first five ingredients into every batch of its cat food are animals or fish, before adding fruits and vegetables for other nutritional benefits. Orijen claims that the recipe is 90% meat, 10% other.

If pet parents decide they really want to feed a raw diet to their pets they should ensure the following: All raw food should be shipped and stored as recommended by the manufacturer – that means making sure it arrives properly frozen, and defrosting it overnight in the fridge, not in a warm place. It is recommended that when changing any pet’s diet, you do it gradually rather than a straight switch. I continued with the wet food, gradually adding in some of the new dry True Instinct food. Over a week I slowly increased the amount of dry food compared to wet food, gradually phasing that out completely. This is a precautionary measure whilst further investigations are carried out and we are working closely with the FSA, RVC and wider industry to determine the cause.There is no evidence to suggest this outbreak of feline pancytopenia presents any risk to human health."

Fold Hill Foods said products under the Sainsbury’s Hypoallergenic Recipe range and Pets at Home Ava range are being recalled. Pancytopenia is a rare condition where the number of blood cells (red, white and platelets) rapidly decrease, causing serious illness. I have been a loyal customer to the company for many years and ranged from 5-12 dogs over the years so spent plenty on money!

As a pet parent to two cats, I always find feeding time tricky. One cat eats more than the other and they always seem to swap bowls halfway through.

You want me to defrost contaminated raw meat in my fridge then lay it out in the kitchen to take pictures, really? This means that the flavor stays consistent, which is important for many cats, but it does limit choice – your kitty will either eat this, or it won’t. Of course it isn’t filled out with grain, or that would defeat the point of it being natural, raw cat food. What it does have, as an added bonus, is a coating of freeze-dried liver to retain the kibble shape, and appeal to your cat’s sense of taste. Changes to any pet’s normal routine, including food could lead to stress and one of my cats is prone to urinary tract problems (which can sometimes be caused by anxiety), so I wanted to make the process as stress free as possible. This follows reports from earlier this week of more than 130 cases of feline pancytopenia, an illness that can often be fatal in cats, since April, the FSA said. Overall the switch was a positive one and Pippy and Snoopy seem to love their new dry food. There were no tummy upsets or no refusal to eat the new food. They do seem to have upped their intake of water, which I assume is due to eating more dry food.

No unsafe cat food has been identified but the manufacturer and brand owners affected, based on investigations so far, are taking the precautionary action of recalling and withdrawing cat food products that have been linked to affected cats. The range is grain, gluten and cereal free with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives; all complete, balanced and veterinary approved.

I’ve definitely noticed a change, rather than begging for food they seem full after eating and more content. As their owner, I also feel better knowing that I am giving my cats a more nutritional diet that benefits their overall health. According to Dr. Woodnutt, there are two main reasons that most vets tend to steer clear of raw food diets: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Defra are advising cat owners not to give their pets food made by manufacturer Fold Hill as a precaution.

It’s a healthy, balanced diet– Just like humans, our furry friends need the perfect diet to maintain strong bones, muscles and digestion. Getting the balance right will mean a much happier, healthier dog or cat, both inside and out. Our biologically appropriate raw food is 100% natural just as nature intended. Weighing against this huge evidence of risk is the fact that there have been no demonstrated benefits to feeding a raw food over a cooked one. People claim lots of benefits to raw diets that simply aren’t proven in the literature. Many of these benefits are likely just down to the high-protein diet, or the change in protein type." Safety tips for feeding your cat a raw food diet When it comes to feeding your feline friend raw food, Dr. Woodnutt says there are some steps you can take to minimize the risks, both to their health and to yours. A Pets at Home spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the recent rise in feline pancytopenia cases identified by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). The health and wellbeing of pets is our top priority, which is why we are supporting the manufacturer’s product recall of Ava and Applaws dry cat food ranges.

REAP THE RAW BENEFITS

Raw diets may not be complete. One study compared two litters of kittens – one being fed raw rabbit and the other a normal cooked cat diet – and it had to end early due to the litter being fed the rabbit developing fatal heart problems. Raw diets are often created by small, ‘boutique’ pet food companies that may not have the experience or regulatory oversight to create a healthy balanced diet." I have never in all the years I have been with you once rang up to complain about your product and the one time I do you don’t believe me. So, when I was asked to trial the new High-Meat dry cat food from True Instinct, I was delighted to give it a go. My two cats, Pippy (female) and Snoopy (male) are both senior cats, so they have their own routine and personalities