Cat Health

Healthy Cats Made Easy with #InstinctRaw

Sponsored 9 years ago

As you know, we are big fans of raw food (or at least a form of raw food) for our pets, particularly when it comes to cats. But feeding raw can be intimidating (even to the most experienced nutritionist). We want to ensure our pets are getting the correct balance of proteins, the right types of carbohydrates, the exact amount of taurine or vitamins or minerals. There’s a lot to be concerned about when you’re making your own food.

That’s why we applaud brands like Nature’s Variety, who are focused on the development of a raw diet that you don’t need to think about. This month, we let our cats try out the new all-natural, grain-free, gluten-free frozen raw diet known as Instinct®.

We’ve been trying to get our cats on a new, healthier food for ages. I’m not going to lie and say it hasn’t been a challenge – our cats are confirmed junk food addicts. But, we know in the end the results will be a healthier skin, coat and gums; it will help us more easily manage their weight, and we hope the end result will be healthier, happier cats. When we were given the opportunity to try Instinct, we jumped at the chance.

[note style=”5″ icon=”yes”]This post is sponsored by Instinct® and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Instinct Raw but PetsWeekly™ only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Instinct is not responsible for the content of this article.[/note]

Instinct Raw Bites is a pre-made raw diet that you can feed alone, or mix with your pet’s normal kibble (be sure you understand the proper way to transition cats to new goods before you begin – it’s not a simple process if it’s done right and it must be done right). You’ll find it in your local Petsmart® (and many other pet stores) and it’s easily located in the freezers that are kept throughout the store. In the case of our store, it was right in the middle of Petsmart.

Like all cats, ours are notoriously picky about what they eat (and often not in a good way). They took to this food quite easily. We are still in the early stages of transitioning but we are excited to find a raw food they seem to accept.

You may notice the cost of feeding seems higher when you switch to raw, and I’m not going to lie – it is. But when you figure that you’re feeding less for a much healthier cat (which results in a lot fewer trips to the vet), the cost is actually less.

You also will feed a lot less when you switch to raw, so while each bag of food can be expensive, it will last nearly as long as a regular bag of dry food. Check this handy feeding guide from Instinct to find out the correct conversions.

We found the Instinct Raw Bites to be best for the cats and for use while transitioning, as it was much easier to break apart for a quick thaw in only a minute or two. It’s also a perfect bite size for cats. Packed with animal protein, these diets are made of 95% meat, organs and bones, 5% fruits and vegetables and 0% grain. Pure, whole food ingredients lead to optimal nutrient absorption. These diets are made of the highest quality ingredients and made by our own team in Lincoln, Nebraska. Additionally, there are a variety of protein options for your pet to enjoy – from chicken to rabbit to venison – there is something for every pet.

Instinct’s already formulated properly so there’s no need to worry about nutritional requirements, and there’s no defrosting required. You can just scoop and serve! But if you’re like us, and just working on proper transition (a bit at a time), you’ll need to keep it in the freezer and defrost a bit at a time. It only takes a few minutes to completely defrost.

[box title=”Tip: ” box_color=”#ff9933″]If you live in Arizona (or any other super-heated climate), take an insulated bag along to pack the food into while you drive home. Treat it like any other frozen food.[/box]

Their raw diets go through high-pressure processing as part of the strict quality controls in place. Learn more about the safety measures taken to insure a great quality food.
So, if you’ve been thinking of transitioning to a better-quality food for your cats, we really recommend doing so now and Instinct appears to be a wonderful place to begin the transition!

Interested in giving it a try? You can sign up for a $3 off coupon for Instinct Raw on their website. Use this to get started with either a trial size (only $3.99) or save that amount on one of the larger bags. Be sure to follow Instinct on Facebook for some great information on nutrition!