As with any diet it is never a good idea to switch abruptly from one food to another. Raw food does have a different texture and smell to most other foods, and it is generally more digestible, so allow a little time for the transition. Begin by offering a small amount of raw food alongside the existing food. Once your dog or cat is accepting the new food, you can begin to increase the proportion and reduce the quantity of the existing food until the changeover is complete. It can take a while, especially with some cats, but it is definitely worth the patience.

Frozen food should be stored at below minus 14°C and can be kept for up to 4 months in the freezer. Any opened containers or unused food should be kept refrigerated at below 4°C for a maximum of 48 hours.

Food should be fully defrosted and the correct quantity weighed out according to the feeding guidelines. Any extra should be covered securely and stored in a fridge for a maximum of 2 days. Dogs can be fed once per day, or some can benefit from having 2 meals per day. Cats and puppies should be fed as frequently as possible, but the total daily allowance should not be exceeded. Above all, you should continually assess their pets’ body condition and the food portion should be adjusted according to whether your pet is gaining or losing weight. If they’re getting fat, reduce the quantity of food, if they’re getting skinny, increase. Easy. Please refer to our feeding guideline for more details.

If your dog or cat rejects the raw food initially, return to the previous food and try again at another time or reduce the amount you are mixing in with their existing food. Raw food has a different texture and smell because we don’t add any processed ingredients or smell enhancers into our products. Occasionally it can take a few tries for your pet to adjust to the new smell before they venture in. Cats are very suspicious of anything new. You can put a small amount of raw food in a small bowl next to their regular food at each meal for a few weeks so the raw food is no longer ’new’ (obviously you’d use fresh food each time!). They may then start to investigate or you may be able to reduce their regular food a little to encourage them.

Human grade means the product is formulated, tested and approved for use or edible by humans. Normal pet food is not edible for humans and can only be legally fed to animals as the regulations around pet food are less controlled. Pet food or “feed-grade only” ingredients are typically waste products from the human food industry that become “by-products” such as dead animals from farms, animal shelters, grease and fats from restaurants etc. Products not suitable for human consumption. Human grade is important in pet food as it means the ingredients in the products are more rigorously regulated than normal pet food and are of a higher quality, as they are classed as “edible” and therefore more costly.

Yes. Dogs and cats are able to cope with comparatively high levels of microbial activity in food but it is us humans, that are less able. Therefore, the same hygiene application should be adhered to as you would use in preparing raw ingredients for humans. In other words, owners should wash their hands after handling the food, and all contact surfaces should be cleaned. Defrosted food should not be re-frozen, just as we would not re-freeze food for our own consumption.

Our ingredients are sourced from human grade, organically grown and locally produced ingredients wherever and whenever possible. Where our products contain bones or such, we again source the purest form in order to give you a top quality product. All our recipes are formulated in accordance with the European FEDIAF guidelines for the nutritional requirements of dogs and cats as this is one of the highest standards to apply to the industry. Our products contain human grade meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and oils. There are no added fillers, chemicals, by-products, harmful products, sugars, salts, grains or preservatives added to our ingredients.

Yes totally. Cats are natural meat eaters. It is biological essential for their survival that they eat meat. They are known as “obligatory carnivores” in that the digestive system of cats is specifically adapted to eating raw. Their digestive tracts are short and they have little ability to make amino acids and vitamins in their bodies the way other animals do. They have high requirements for taurine, which in its truest form is found in flesh. They need a high amount of protein in their diet to convert to glucose rather than digesting carbohydrates. Everything about a cat’s digestive system is adapted for raw eating. Simply put, it’s essential cats eat raw.

Firstly, we recommend that you stop leaving food out all day. For optimal health, your cat should have regular meal times. In adult cats, this is two to four times a day. For cats, less than one year, you’ll need to feed them more often. Please refer to our feeding guide for more info. If you have a young kitten it's likely they will start eating raw straight away as it’s more in line with their natural instinct. It’s important you introduce different meats as they need a variety of proteins in their diet for their over well-being and nutrition. If you have an older cat, then start by adding a little of the raw food to their current food. Once they start eating the raw, gradually increase this until you can eliminate the other food altogether. Some cats prefer their food “body temperature” warm so you can always place the bag of food into a bowl of warm water before serving. If you cat has always been feed a kibble diet this can take some time for the cat to adapt and understand that the raw food is food as it contains no chemical enhancers. Not all cats will eat raw straight away so it’s vital that you have patience as some cats don’t do well with change and need more encouragement, but the benefits to your cat’s health are worth the switch.

It’s vital you talk to your vet before starting the diet change if your cat has medical issues so they can monitor and assess your cat. Raw feeding can have a positive impact on your cat’s health but it’s important you know your cat and assess your cat’s health. Raw food is highly digestible so you’ll also need to monitor if you cat is losing or gaining weight.

In the wild dogs and cats of different ages would all eat the same food, it needn’t be different for domestic pets. When fed a nutritionally balanced high quality raw food like Authentica's, dogs and cats of all ages will digest and use those nutrients they need for their particular life stage and eliminate what they do not.

Raw food will suit pets with some conditions, e.g. Diabetes, IBD or food intolerances, it may not be ideal for every sick dog or cat. It is essential to discuss the option of feeding raw with your veterinarian to determine whether or not the recipes are suitable for your pet’s particular condition.

It is ideal for small dogs. It is very digestible and suits animals with a small digestive system with high nutritional demands (e.g. small breeds, cats, kittens and puppies). They can obtain more nutrients from small raw meals.

A recent study involving 79 veterinarians from 11 different countries around the world (including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and countries in Europe) and reviewing over a ¼ of a million pets that had moved over to raw feeding, the resounding conclusion was that 85% of pets that were fine on a commercial diet showed signs of improvement. Those signs were cleaner breather, cleaner teeth, less smell in the skin, less itchiness, less greasiness, better digestion, less wind, better poos and less anal gland problems. Their overall energy and vitality improved and they had better satisfaction with eating the diet. It was concluded that pretty much every parameter of health can be improved with a raw food diet and the majority of pets are happier on a raw food diet.

Raw food is more digestible than most other pet foods and the quantity that is eliminated as stool is reduced. Improved digestion makes the stool less smelly. It can also change colour, particularly just after changing over from a dry food. This is completely normal. Stools of raw fed cats and dogs generally have a more solid consistency indicating an improved digestive system and healthier bacterial populations.

Raw food naturally contains a higher quantity of water than most processed pet foods, so their water intake will often reduce once on the diet. However, all dogs and cats should be offered plenty of clean, fresh water throughout the day as its essential to their health.

Our food fats and oils have not been subjected to high temperature or pressure processes, such as those used in the manufacture of artificial food for pets. The healthy natural oils in raw foods are more easily absorbed and used by pets, leading to healthier, shinier and virtually odourless coats. The overall condition of the skin and coat will improve considerably and become healthier on raw food. Healthy on the inside, beautiful and shiney on the outside.    

One of the first indications that a food is not suitable for a dog or cat is dry and itchy skin. Skin inflammation can be a sensitivity response to food, a bit like food allergies in humans. Food sensitivities are usually to one or more ingredients in the formula, but can also be caused by the industrial processing used to cook artificial foods. Our raw recipes do not contain any of the cooked foods that cause these sensitivity reactions.

It’s very importance to feed your pets RAW bones NOT COOKED. The best raw bones for dogs are none leg bones. Bones such as neck, jaw, skull, back bones, ribs and brisket work well. For cats, the best raw bones are chicken wings, chicken carcasses, turkey necks, turkey backs.

If you’re feeding your pet a good quality diet like Authentica, which contains bone within the meals, then you should still give raw bones to your cat or dog to clean their teeth. It's natures natural toothbrush and aids in the breakdown of plaque in your pet's' mouth. It's also a very good exercise to strengthen their jaw, the muscles in their chest and it is a great mental stimulation. Raw bones can be given two or three times a week. If you are feeding your pet with a processed and cooked food then you shouldn’t really feed a raw bone unsuprvised, simply because when pet’s eat processed food they vacuum it up and when feed a raw bone, they need to learn to break it down and chew it. It's essential that you supervise when giving a bone the first few times and watch your pet closely to make sure it’s breaking and chewing the bone to eat it and not just wolfing it down. 

Raw bones are no more dangerous to a small dog than they are to a large dog. In fact, small dogs are easier to feed raw bones to than larger breeds, as the chances of them swallowing a bone in one go are very very small. Avoid feeding leg bones to your dog unless it’s a veteran raw feeder and has been eating raw bones for about a year or so.

If you’re feeding raw chicken or turkey necks, wings etc. to a cat the chances of them having a problem are very very slim as cats are still wild enough to know what to do with them. (yes even the cats that sleep on your bed!) There is a very small chance of risk feeding your dog a raw bone, the first few times. The best way to introduce raw bones into your dog’s diet is to start once it’s been on a raw food diet for a minimum of two months. Start slowly and with a large bone so there is no chance of them swallowing the bone in one gulp, then gradually reduce the size of the bone. Don’t feed any leg bones. Feed bones such as chicken/turkey neck, jaw, skull, back bones, ribs and brisket. Don’t feed two dogs together as they can get into competition with each other. If you have a medium sized dog, feed large or small bones, not medium sized bones. Small dogs are usually too small to get problems with bones. Large dogs can just swallow most boney bits and pieces without problems.

Raw food is no more dangerous to little breeds than it is to large breeds. The experience of many Vets around the world is that raw food is inherently very very very safe. Also for example, if you don’t feed raw food you’ll probably be feeding kibble and your dog will be developing a bad mouth and teeth. Toy dogs are renowned for developing very bad mouths very quickly, quicker than other breeds, for which it will need a general anesthetic every year or so to sort its teeth, as bad teeth are linked to heart disease in pets. There is an inherent known risk with a general anesthetic but if you’re feeding your pet a raw food diet you’ll get a lot fewer problems with your dog. It’s good to feed even the smallest of dogs with a raw food diet.

Neem is a tree that grows in tropical and sub-tropical countries.The leaves, fruit, oil and bark have amazing properties that can be used for both human and animal ailments. It's been classed as "an ancient cure for a modern world".  Neem in its various forms can be used for different applications but our products have been formulated to maximise the beneficial properties of neem without the use of artifical preservatives, colourings or other chemicals. Neem is completely natural and nourishing, supporting a healthy skin and coat. The raw materials have been carefully sourced from reliable and ethical sources and using state of the art manufacturing technology. The properties in neem make it an ideal natural product in the treatment of fleas, ticks, lice and for pets that suffer with itchy skin. Our neem products are suitable for pets with sensitive skin.

Ideally you want to avoid this situation if you can. Kibbles are high in carbohydrate, even if they are grain free (they use carbs to bind the little biscuits together. If they didn’t they’d disintegrate into crumbs and dust!). Grains are digested in the stomach at a moderate acidity. Proteins are digested in the stomach at an acidity 10-100 times more concentrated. If you combine proteins and carbs in the same bowl, then one or other is going to be digested less efficiently, probably both and the overall nutrition your pet gets from the food will be low.

If you’re transitioning a kibble-fed dog onto raw, you can combine the kibble and raw in the same bowl, but only for a week or so. To wean a dog, start with 1/7th raw, 6/7ths kibble on the first day. 2/7 raw and 5/7 on the second day, etc. until you’ve weaned the dog onto the raw after 7 days. Some dogs will transition more quickly. Some dogs will just go straight onto 100% raw from one day to the next. Puppies general adapt straight away as it's following their natural instinct. Cats don’t like unfamiliarity so put a small amount of the raw in a bowl next to their regular food for 2-3 weeks to get them familiar, then slowly increase the amount of raw whilst reducing the amount of kibble. Kittens generally adapt straight away as it's following their natural desires.  

Not really, maybe just some tummy rumbling, a bit of bloating and sometimes some loose stool. However, if you have to feed kibble, make it as a separate meal, e.g. kibble for breakfast and raw for dinner. Never feed raw and kibble in the same bowl at the same time over a long period. Refer to the question on "Can I combine raw with kibble" for more clarity.