I’m continually asked about my opinion on the best diet for dogs and cats so I summarized a few of my thoughts regarding the pros and cons of each.  The lists for each are long and this is only a few things on the top of my mind at the moment.

I am and will always be an advocate for a balanced, raw diet for both cats and dogs.  Preferably a home prepared so you can select the ingredients and customize the diet to the needs of your animals.  There are however, many commercially available raw foods that make this easier for those who cannot prepare their own for one reason or another.

Raw foods are what nature intended for carnivores and this will always be the optimal diet for our dogs and cats, unless health issues require foods to be lightly cooked.

Balanced Raw Diet:

Pros:

• Natural diet of carnivores
• Provides the necessary enzymes for proper digestion
• When properly balanced, it provides the necessary vitamins and minerals needed in a healthy diet
• When preparing your own, you control the ingredients and can customize for your animals
• Highly palatable
• Builds a strong immune system, strong healthy bones, proper muscle growth and so much more (most dogs and cats thrive on this diet)
• Eliminates or reduces common issues such as food sensitivities, skin issues, digestive problems, weight concerns, infections, and many other common health problems
• Can be very cost effective depending on what ingredients/sources are used
• Plenty of commercial sources available for those who want this, although purchasing a balanced, raw diet can be expensive especially for large dogs

Cons:

• Can be time consuming if preparing your own
• You need to understand how to balance the diet
• Some thought required for storage, handling, and clean-up

Balanced Home Cooked Diet:

Pros:

• A better alternative than processed, commercial foods for those animals who require it
• Palatable
• You control the ingredients and can customize to your animals

Cons:

• Can be more time consuming than feeding raw because of the cooking process
• You need to understand how to balance the diet
• More supplements are needed to compensate for the lost enzymes, vitamins, and minerals from the cooking process
• Some thought required for storage, handling, and clean-up

Commercial kibble:

Pros:

• Readily available in all price ranges and varieties
• Easy for the pet owner to store, handle, and clean up after
• Most are balanced to ensure minimum nutritional requirements are met

Cons:

• Highly processed so all natural nutritional value is lost and must be added back in through synthetic vitamins/minerals
• Lack of control in the quality and ingredients used
• Highly processed foods as a majority of the overall diet, are not natural and not healthy for animals or humans
• You must pay attention to the ingredient lists because many include substandard ingredients and adders that should not be included in the diets of dogs or cats
• Highly susceptible to toxins, contamination, and spoilage
• Various health conditions are escalated in some animals

There are always many factors to consider and sometimes what is possible for one person may be out of reach for another.  Each animal is different and has their own needs so what may work great for one may not be so good for another.  For those who cannot commit to 100% home prepared, there are alternatives that can increase the palatability and the nutritional value of the overall diet.