Would like to hear people's opinions on raw diets- both commercially prepared and homemade prey model- for dogs and cats. :) I know it's a very controversial subject, so I'd like to hear some standings on it. Me personally, I feed my cat an all-raw prey model (80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 10% organ (5% from liver) diet, entirely homemade and 100% meat. He has been on a raw diet since July, and in the three years I've had him, I've never seen him healthier. His coat gleams and sparkles, he barely sheds any hair at all, he's full of energy, and his teeth are pearly white and his bad breath is gone. He has food allergies (to soy and vitamin E, incidentally- soy being the main protein used in most hypoallergenic veterinary diets) and after he continued to have reaction after reaction to even some of the highest quality pet foods on the market, I looked into other options. I did a lot of research before switching over to an all-raw diet, and I'm certainly not just throwing my cat cuts of meat without having done adequate research and taken the time to make sure his diet is balanced. Now, here's the kicker. I'm a certified veterinary assistant, and studied pet nutrition extensively in college. I know that a lot of the myths about commercial pet food and some of the ingredients that pet foods use (i.e, corn, byproducts etc) are completely bogus and most of the "problem" ingredients are perfectly fine and can be beneficial if processed properly and used in the correct amounts. Lets take by-products as an example. What comes to mind? Hooves? Hair? Beaks? I don't know about the US, but in Canada, it is illegal for hair, horns, feathers, beaks, hooves, viscera, and intestinal contents to be used in pet food. The definition of a by-product is simply "something produced incidentally to the production of something else". Vitamin E? A by-product of soybeans. Gelatin is an animal by-product. Usually "by-products" on a pet food label refers to blood, bone, fat, or internal organs. I have no problem with commercial pet food brands, as a whole (mind you I would never feed or recommend a brand that had harsh chemical preservatives, or artificial additives). I recommend veterinary diets to any clients coming into the clinic. I still think feeding a high quality commercial brand is important, compared to a cheap grocery brand, mainly because the quality of the ingredients is higher, they usually contain more biologically available nutrients, and less starches (which are good in moderation but should not make up the majority of the food) and also- this might interest some of you- higher quality foods are cheaper. Yes, believe it or not, you're actually paying less for a bag of Orijen than you would a bag of Kibbles and Bits- because in the long run, the bag of Orijen will last much longer, due to having highly digestible ingredients that the dog actually processes, so you don't have to feed even a quarter of as much. However, given the choice, I will always feed my own animals raw. I would never recommend a raw diet to just anyone. It takes a lot of work and research to make sure that it's done properly, and if someone doesn't put in the effort to do that, things can go terribly wrong. But if someone does know what they're doing, I honestly believe it is the most biologically appropriate, healthiest, most wholesome and natural diet possible. I've seen the difference in my cat. I've seen the difference in other people's animals. I can always spot a raw-fed dog or cat by their coat quality, their clean teeth, and how energetic and full of life they are. Likewise, I can always spot a dog that gets fed the cheapest, lowest quality crud that they buy at the grocery store. Their coat is itchy and either dry or greasy, their breath and teeth are terrible, their stools are huge, and they seem more lethargic. So, I'd like to hear some views on this. :) Also I might be able to catch some pictures of my cat chowing down on a raw meaty bone if anyone would like to see. ^^