Diets Used at Heart'nsoul
FirstMate LID
Heart'nsoul kitties are free fed an all life stage diet called FirstMate Grain Free Limited Ingredient. The formulas we feed are: Cage Free Duck Meal with Blueberries, Chicken Meal with Blueberries and Pacific Ocean Fish Meal with Blueberries.
We also use the FirstMate Limited Ingredient canned diets in the following flavors: Chicken Formula OR FirstMate Limited Ingredient Wild Salmon Formula OR FirstMate Limited Ingredient Turkey Formula canned.
Why FirstMate? I really cannot say enough good things about FirstMate No, I do not get any perks for promoting this diet. It has taken me almost 15 years to find a diet that I am truly pleased with overall. First and foremost; all of my cats eat this and seem to enjoy it. This is HUGE because I have a lot of picky eaters!
Persians have a difficult time picking up food due to their facial structure, and this results in a lot of waste on the floor due to dropping kibble. Since using FirstMate LID, I have a lot less food ending up on the floor which tells me that they are able to more easily pick up and eat this kibble.
FirstMate is a Canadian family owned and operated facility with over 30 years of manufacturing excellence. The animals used in FirstMate products are humanely raised, transported and slaughtered and all fish are wild and sustainably caught. First Mate does not conduct laboratory research on animals. These Veterinary Formulated Diets contain only natural ingredients without the addition of artificial colouring or binders.
The three diets we feed have a very high percentage of meat protein (92-95%) and the remaining 5-8% is protein from vegetables. There are 0% grains, peas and flax. FirstMate Products contain healthy fats and oils in every bite thanks to their unique Vacuum Infusion System.
FirstMate No Grain Limited Ingredient canned diets contain 96-98% protein from meat with the remaining 2% protein being from vegetables. The diets are pea free, soy free, wheat free, epoxy free, carrageenan and Guar Gum free.
To find a store that carries FirstMate please go to the following link: https://firstmate.com/stores/
Raw For Pets
Heart'nsoul cats get raw each day, mixed with the FirstMate LID canned diets. Our adults get this mixture once per day and our kittens get it up to three times per day starting at 3 weeks of age. We feed Raw for Pets Salmon and Chicken formula.
Why Raw For Pets? Well, it is truly a quality product. We recently had a pretty bad experience with another raw food company, and are beyond grateful to have found Raw For Pets! Raw For Pets uses only locally sourced ingredients and their products are processed right here in Ontario. All of their products are free of flavorings, fillers, gluten and preservatives. I personally use Raw For Pets for both my cats and dogs.
Raw For Pets Chicken & Salmon is a mixture containing chicken, salmon, salmon bone and salmon organs. This diet is made up of 80% lean muscle meats, 10% bone and 10% organ.
To find a distributor please email info@rawforpets.ca
Their website is www.rawforpets.ca
The Raw for Pets store is located at:
43872 Talbot Line
St. Thomas, ON, Canada
N5P 3S7
Note: Whatever raw company you choose to use, please make sure to purchase from a reputable source. Additionally, ensuring the diet remains frozen (is not thawed and then refrozen), and is kept only 3 days after thawing is incredibly important. Do not leave the diet out for more than an hour as bacteria grows rapidly and raw is meant to be ingested immediately.
I have seen the benefits of feeding raw the last 15 years and I always try to encourage new pet owners to consider raw as an alternative to other diets. You will find that many people, specifically Veterinarians, are against feeding raw diets. And I can understand some of their concerns however; as someone who has owned pets for decades and who has fed an array of diets, I truly believe that the healthiest animals I have seen have been fed raw. And results are what really matter IMO.
How to calculate how much raw to feed based on your cats age and weight.
Kittens
2-4 months old: 10%-13% of their current body weight (in pounds) per day
4-8 months old: 6%-10% of their current body weight (in pounds) per day
8-12 months old: 3%-6% of their current body weight (in pounds) per day
12+ months and at their ideal weight: 2%-2.5% of their current body weight (in pounds) per day
12+ months and less active, senior, overweight cats: 1.5% of their current body weight (in pounds) per day
12+ months and active, underweight cats: 3% of their current body weight (in pounds) per day
Kittens/Cats Weight (in pounds) and multiply
0.10 to 0.13 (10%-13%)
0.06 to 0.10 (6%-10%)
0.03 to 0.06 (3%-6%)
0.02 to 0.025 (2%-2.5%)
0.015 (1.5%)
0.03 (3%)
Example
3 month old kitten weighing 3lbs and getting 13% (0.13) of their current body weight, three times a day.
3(lbs) X 0.13 (13%)= 0.39lbs divided by 3(meals) = 0.13lbs of raw three times per day
