Holistic Pet Food

Holistic pet food is not a new ‘designer’ food for your pet. Feeding your cat or dog a holistic pet food simply means that the food supports complete nutrition for the entire body from ingredients derived from natural, whole foods. In addition, holistic pet food offers a balanced approach to nutrition by providing the appropriate ratio of proteins, carbohydrates, essential fats and vitamins for your pet. As the term literally implies, a holistic pet food product is of greater significance as an integrated whole than the sum of its parts.

Why Should I Feed My Pet Holistic Pet Food?

Many cats and dogs seem to fare quite well on commercially prepared dry and canned food. However, even so-called premium brands of commercial pet food are manufactured to standards established to enable an animal to merely survive. While these standards are defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the agency only serves in an advisory capacity and has no regulatory or enforcement governance whatsoever. In fact, the quality assurance of pet food is left up to individual state health departments, the majority of which don’t even bother with regular sampling or testing.

The philosophy of feeding holistic pet food isn’t based on what it takes to allow your pet to survive, but to help your pet thrive and avoid common ailments that an inferior diet may cause, including:

• Skin irritations
• Allergies
• Digestive disorders
• Cancer
• Liver and kidney disease
• Diabetes
• Obesity

How is Holistic Pet Food Superior to Commercial Pet Food?

There are legitimate concerns about what goes into a typical commercial pet food product. Aside from an abundance of artificial colors and preservatives known to cause cancer and kidney failure, there are also some lesser known facts about commercial pet food that raise an alarm, such as:

• A paper published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported that the average house cat consumes more lead each day than is considered toxic for children.
• Tissue from rendered ‘4D’ animals, or those dead, dying, diseased or disabled, often constitute meat byproducts, a primary ingredient in many pet foods.
• Up to 50% of the meat sources used may be contaminated with harmful bacteria, such as E. Coli. While most bacteria are destroyed during processing, dangerous byproducts known as endotoxins often survive.
• Many dry pet foods contain up to 50% grain, which is sometimes contaminated with mold or fungus that also produce harmful byproducts called mycotoxins.

In contrast, holistic pet food is formulated to not only exclude harmful substances as noted above, but also to incorporate ingredients that are suitable for human consumption and to promote optimum health. Such ingredients include:

• Real meat that is free of hormones and preservatives instead of meat meal or byproducts
• Whole grain rice, rather than corn-based fillers
• Essential fatty acids
• Probiotics
• Nutrients for healthy skin and coat

Does it Cost More to Buy Holistic Pet Food?

There is no doubt that the same size bag of holistic pet food will have a higher price tag than its commercial counterpart. However, as a measure of actual cost effectiveness, you might as well be comparing apples to oranges.

Holistic pet food is far more economical in the long-term than ordinary pet food. This is because holistic pet food is void of fillers. As a result, your pet will eat 25-40% less due to the lack of indigestible material simply filling the animal up. In fact, most dogs and cats overeat because they are starved for nutrition, not volume of food.

Yet more savings are realized from fewer visits to the veterinarian due to allergies, digestive disorders and other problems associated with inferior diet. In addition, a diet of quality holistic pet food is likely to extend the natural lifespan of your pet, a benefit any dedicated pet owner wouldn’t put a price on.