We receive a lot of questions from new, as well seasoned, animal parents who want to ensure they’re doing right by their (new) companion.
Let's start by debunking some of the most frequently asked questions:
Can cats and dogs thrive on a vegan diet?
The short answer is, no, because they need animal proteins. Dogs can tolerate small amounts of carbohydrates because they've adapted to living with humans over the past centuries and are able to enjoy a varied diet because of this. Cats have not evolved in this way and remain strict carnivores. Unless you intend to use supplements, we don’t recommend a diet based on vegetables, because vegetable proteins are harder to digest. But even more importantly, we should respect the nature of our companion.
Is a BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) diet better for them?
Not necessarily. Our companions would certainly welcome us preparing them a meal with fresh ingredients. However, you'd need to formulate recipes that contain the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals in the proper proportions to ensure that the meals are complete and balanced. Otherwise, you risk nutritional deficiencies or excesses in your companion's diet. It would be important to rely on your veterinarian and seek ongoing advice.
Is it ever okay to your companion leftovers?
No, never give them your leftover food or bones. Human food contains too many seasons (some of which can be toxic for cats and dogs) and is hard to digest, and bones can splinter and cause internal damage. Again, if you opt for a BARF diet, talk to your veterinarian.
Are "maintenance foods" different from "veterinary foods?"
Yes, maintenance foods are different from veterinary diet foods. The first one helps maintain the physiological health of your companion, the second one is usually suggested by a vet in order to tackle and correspond to a specific health issue. It's very important to select the right type of food in order to maintain the health of our companions.
Tips for cats: We recommend a Rotational Diet. Rotate different proteins from both our complete and balance meals (
HQS Complete,
La Cucina,
Daily Complete) and
HQS Natural and
Daily (also, allow your cat access to the dry food of your choice throughout the day). You’ll find them in many different recipes so you can offer them a new flavor every day. They're all maintenance products to help keep your companion in top shape.
Tips for dogs: We have a variety of recipes in
HQS Natural and
HQS Complete made with high quality, fresh HQS ingredients.
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