Raw and lightly steamed foods contain enzymes and other factors that are destroyed by the processing necessary to prepare commercial food. Organic vegetables and naturally reared, hormone free meat will offer the best nutrition to your animal companions, although they will benefit from grocery store produce and meat if more natural food is not an option. When making diet changes, it is best to go slowly and to begin with lightly steamed veggies to allow the animal's digestive system to adapt to the new food. Abrupt changes can unbalance the digestive tract, leading to queasiness and possibly vomiting and diarrhea. Onions should not be fed to dogs or cats.
Some guardians prefer to prepare food for their animal companions.
Using recipes which have been nutritionally balanced will ensure that your animal receives appropriate levels of the nutrients necessary for good health. If you are considering preparing your animal's food or adding vegetables and meat to an all natural commercial food, it is a good idea to purchase one of the books available on these topics, like Dr. Pitcairn's Natural Health for Dogs and Cats. Some animals cannot not tolerate fresh foods, whether raw or steamed. For these animals, supplementation with a product like barley or wheat grass may be an alternative. Improper diet for long periods can cause health problems for our animal companions by failing to supply their bodies with the nutrients needed for maintaining a healthy state.