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A Simple Guide To Getting your Pet Started on Raw!


If you’ve been wondering if you can feed your pet raw food, the answer is YES! If you have a pet that struggles with allergies, weight issues, digestive problems, or any other common conditions that affect dogs and cats, then feeding raw pet food might be the solution you have been looking for.  

Feeding your dog or cat as nature intended means that they will get nutrients from sources that their bodies are designed to digest, leading to improved overall health, and longer happier lives.

Chances are you have done some research on the amazing benefits and you are now committed to starting your raw pet food journey. But how do you get started?

Here’s our simple guide on getting started with raw. 

What is Raw Pet Food?

Firstly, let’s start by explaining the raw food diet. A raw food diet closely resembles the diet your dog or cat’s ancestors would have eaten or a diet as nature intended. It prioritises natural ingredients and a balance of vitamins and minerals to deliver what your pet needs from their diet. As the ingredients remain in their raw state, raw pet food doesn’t lose the enzymes and vitamins through cooking. In addition, the preparation of good quality fresh raw pet food also skips the preservatives, additives and fillers that can be found in low-quality brands and non-raw foods. 

Transitioning to Raw Pet Food

Making the switch to raw pet food is different for every animal. Some easily swap from one diet to the next with no negative effects, while others need a slower and softer transition. How you choose to transition should reflect what you know of your pet’s eating habits and sensitivities. Their feeding routine should also suit your daily schedule. If your dog or cat is known to have a sensitive stomach, then make sure you are going to be able to monitor your pet during the change.

Now keep in mind there are many different ways to transition your pet to raw food and you should choose one that is comfortable for you and your pet.  For those just starting out here are three common methods you might consider.  If you are transitioning a puppy, kitten or even a fussier cat you might like to do further research through our ‘extra reading’ links.

1. The Quick Way – If you are comfortable and confident with your pet’s digestive health then this might be your preferred method. If you think your pet has an “iron stomach,” then you might find success this way. Simply fast your pet for 12 hours (to ensure a good appetite) and switch completely to a raw diet. 

2. The Slow Way (Commonly Recommended) – If you have reasons to be a bit more cautious about your pet’s ability to handle food changes, then try a slower transition. You can do this by cutting up some of the raw food into medium to large-sized portions, and feed as treats over the course of 2-3 days.

If your pet seems to be handling the raw addition well, then fast them for 12 hours and replace one meal with raw. Monitor for 3-5 days. Once you feel confident that your pet is digesting the food well, then you can consider making a complete transition to raw food. 

3. The Slowest Way – Pets with a history of poor digestion may need a more cautious approach when switching diets. You might also like to consult your Holistic Vet on the best method for transitioning.  

This method extends each of the steps of ‘The Slow Way’ before switching to a fully raw diet. Start “raw treating” with just plain meat. Remember, this is a very slow transition so start with small pieces and slowly increase the size before swapping your plain meat treats for a variety of raw treats, organs, bone etc. This process can take longer, so don’t rush it. If your dog is tolerating the raw treats, then you can move onto the one meal switch.

How Much Should I Feed My Pet?

You can use our Raw Food Calculator to get a recommended guide for your pets daily raw food intake. We will ask you a series of questions relating to your pets weight, environment, age, health and activity level to calculate and recommend the required combination of protein, bone and organ on a daily basis.  Using the raw food calculator and providing us with information about your pet will ensure the most accurate daily calculation for your pet.   

This is an example of what our recommendation will look like:

80/10/10 diet, not all chicken. This means in basic terms 563 grams a day, is distributed below:

  • Meat: 451g
  • Raw Meaty Bone: 56g
  • Organ Meat: 56g
  • Total: 563g

The Foundations of Feeding Raw

Our pets need a variety of wholesome foods to provide them with a wide range of nutrients. Opt for leaner proteins (be mindful of fat), include fish and don’t be afraid to try the weird (sometimes icky) and wonderful things that provide a range of benefits for your pet. Here are the 3 main things to remember when planning out your pet’s daily meal.  You can refer to our raw food calculator to see the recommended portion of each.

1. The Raw Food Diet Must Have Calcium – Your pet needs calcium in their diet. And they need some phosphorus to go with it because these minerals work closely together. Bones contain both calcium and phosphorus. Meat is high in phosphorus and too low in calcium. So an all-meat diet may cause bone and nervous system issues in your pets and severe bone issues in growing animals. So you need to include bone in the diet. Read more about Feeding Bones Safely.

2. Organs Are The Multi-Vitamins – Organs are the nutrient-rich parts of the animal. Without them, your pet could be missing some important vitamins. Read more about which Vitamins and Minerals you should try to include in your pet’s diet.

3. Muscle Meat Is The Foundation – Once you get your meaty bones and organs in place, the rest of your pet’s diet should be nice lean meats. They need proteins to build strong tissues. And it supports the hormones and enzymes they need to survive and thrive.

To learn more about exactly what nutrients are in raw meats, organs and bones, browse our range of products. We also include specific feeding instructions and advice.

Why Instincto?

‘Necessity is the mother of invention!’  Instincto came to be because as a family we struggled to find a supplier of fresh raw preservative-free meat for our animals. This inspired us to create a place that not only had various mixes and bone products on offer but also shared education and contacts for our customers to have their own raw food journey of learning without preaching. It was essential that this place practised a fresh food philosophy. We know that many diseases start from the mouth and that a clean healthy meat and bone diet assists in keeping our favourite companions around for longer healthier lives, with fewer vet visits.

At Instincto, our fresh raw pet food range is processed 3 times a week and delivered around Brisbane with no:

  • Preservatives
  • Additives 
  • Fillers 

We supply and deliver fresh preservative-free, raw pet food to people who care to feed a more holistic, raw diet to their companion animal. Our beliefs are based on what our companion animals would eat in nature.

Still, have questions? 

Instincto is committed to helping you every step of the way to feeding your pet a raw food diet. Therefore, we are happy to discuss any questions with you and provide you with further information when required. We also have various helpful blog articles that are updated regularly to help you with all areas of your journey.  

You can also visit our FAQ page and contact us through our website or visit us at our shop in Capalaba. 

Ready To Get Started?

If you are ready to get started you can browse our huge range of fresh preservative-free raw pet food products via our online shop. When you are ready you can set up an Instincto account to purchase your products and choose a suitable time for delivery or pick up.

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