Feeding Guidelines

Why feed a raw diet

The "perfect" dinner

A raw diet recreates the way our pets' ancestors have eaten in the wild for thousands of years. Dogs and cats are carnivores. Left to their own devices, their typical daily diet, like that of their wild cousins (wolves and the big cats), would involve catching (or finding) and eating another animal. A raw diet returns our pets to this more natural and healthy form of nutrition, as if they had hunted and caught their "perfect" dinner. A meal that includes some meat, some bone, some organ meats (liver, heart, kidney, etc.), and a small amount of green vegetation. These ingredients are the five main food groups of a good raw diet.

Fresh, raw meat
Some uncooked bone
Some raw organ meats
Some green vegetation
Natural vitamins and minerals

Bravo formulates all of our products to include some or all of these ingredients.

The specific product you select should be based upon how you prefer to prepare your pet’s food (from scratch or serve a prepared complete and balanced formula right from the package) or on the specific needs of your companion animal.

Pets with highly sensitive digestive tracts or those suffering from allergies may want to feed a selection from the Bravo Basics or Bravo Boneless product lines.
Pets without these issues may do well on a diet formulated to include more of the five ingredient groups. For these animals, a selection from the Bravo Blends Bravo Balance product lines might work best.

The ability to customize your pet’s diet by selecting the exact type of formulation you want to use is one of the Bravo advantages enjoyed by our customers.

Advice about cats

Cats have special needs

Unlike dogs, who do very well on a balanced diet of meat proteins, vegetables and minimal amounts of grains, cats have lost the ability to synthesize certain nutrients on their own. A cat’s diet must have readily available sources of select amino acids, vitamins and minerals only found in diets rich in meat sourced proteins, organs and fats.

Cats have a low thirst drive and rely heavily on the moisture in their foods for hydration. This suggests foods need to offer a moisture content similar to that of wild prey (60-80%), not that of dry kibble (9-11%).
Cats need higher levels of protein (29%) when compared to dogs (12%), but the level isn’t the only factor, all proteins are not created equal. Protein sources differ widely in the quality, digestibility and utilization of the protein.
Cats also require additional amino acids, the building blocks of proteins and metabolism, which can vary by type of protein. Taurine and arginine, two of the amino acids cats cannot synthesize, are readily available in raw meats and organs.
Fat is a good thing for cats. It’s a great source of energy, aids in nutrient utilization and metabolic regulation, plus it improves food palatability.
Cats need a diet rich in animal tissue are high in fats and essential fatty acids (EFAs), especially readily available Omega 3 and 6.
Vitamin and mineral needs are also unique to cats, compared to dogs. They require very high levels of B vitamins and have special needs for Vitamins A and D. Unlike dogs, cats cannot convert beta-carotene to Vitamin A and require a preformed version from an animal source. And cats cannot synthesize Vitamin D, but usually meet their needs if eating a carnivorous diet. It’s also important to remember vitamins and minerals work synergistically and caution needs to be observed when adding high levels of supplements.

Weight Management

For Dogs

Obesity is the number one health problem among dogs and nearly 60% of adult dogs are overweight which leads to a wide variety of health problems that can seriously affect the quality and length of your dog’s life. To tell if your dog is at a proper weight, practice the following weight management test on a biweekly basis. Make adjustments to his diet as needed.

The rib check – a quick and easy way to tell if your dog is at the right weight.

With your dog standing in a normal manner and you standing next to him: Place your thumbs on the middle of your dog’s backbone and let the fingers of each hand spread down and across his rib cage on both sides.
If you can’t feel the ribs easily (without pushing) your dog is probably overweight. If you can easily feel each rib with deep depressions between each rib, your dog is probably a bit thin. If you can easily feel just the outline of each rib, your dog is probably at just the right weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PROPER NUTRITION AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FOR DOGS BY DOWNLOADING A COPY OF Bravo Beginnings.

For Cats

Just as with dogs, obesity in cats is becoming epidemic. How sad for a cat, who is designed to be sleek and agile, to find it cannot jump, play or even bend to clean itself. Follow the feline body condition chart (available through your vet), and find your cat’s shape. - A cat’s ideal physique should be well-proportioned with a waist indentation just behind the ribs.

The ribs should be palpable with a slight fat covering and a slight abdominal fat pad. If the ribs and back-bone are visible with minimal muscle mass, most likely your cat is too thin.
On the other hand, if your cat has a round abdomen, no waist, large fat deposits on the back, face and limbs, then he’s on his way to obesity.

NOTE: A weight loss program must be managed carefully and slowly with cats because of their specialized metabolism. Create a strategy with your veterinarian for a steady, slow weight loss plan.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PROPER NUTRITION AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FOR CATS BY DOWNLOADING A COPY OF Bravo Beginnings.