What is the Ancestral Diet?

• Posted on 19 November 2013
• By Dr. Jill Tack
• Posted in ancestral diet for cats, ancestral diet for dogs, caveman diet, how to feed an ancestral diet, paleo diet, what is the ancestral diet
• 0

Before dogs and cats were domesticated, they would eat anything that they could find. However as omnivores, their diets generally consisted of different types of meat and plants. In the wild, dogs and cats would kill small animals like rodents, rabbits, and deer for food. They would also eat berries and fruit. Wild dogs and cats still sustain themselves on this diet. And, with growing concern about low quality processed pet food, many pet owners are looking to feed a similar, more wholesome diet.

Before dogs and cats were domesticated, they would eat anything that they could find. However as omnivores, their diets generally consisted of different types of meat and plants. In the wild, dogs and cats would kill small animals like rodents, rabbits, and deer for food. They would also eat berries and fruit. Wild dogs and cats still sustain themselves on this diet. And, with growing concern about low quality processed pet food, many pet owners are looking to feed a similar, more wholesome diet.

The Canine Ancestral Diet

You may have heard of the “Caveman Diet” (or paleo diet) as it applies to humans. The idea surrounding this diet is that we ought to sustain ourselves on unprocessed foods that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, as that was the diet of our ancestors who evolved successfully over thousands and thousands of years. The concept of the “Canine Ancestral Diet” for dogs and cats is similar to this.
Like humans, cats and dogs evolved successfully through hunting and scavenging. They thrived off of foods that were not at all like the commercial kibble found in grocery stores today. In fact, contemporary nutritional science increasingly supports an ancestral-type diet – high protein, balanced fats, and at least some fresh foods – as the healthiest approach to feeding most dogs and cats.

How to Feed an Ancestral Diet

With modern lifestyles and busy schedules, it can be difficult to make a drastic change to your pet’s diet. But, rest assured that there are steps you can take to feed your pet more of a nutritious, ancestral diet. If you haven’t already, you can make the switch to raw and/or grain-free foods. These diets not only promote the overall health of your pet but also help absolve food allergies, improve digestion, nourish pets’ skin and coat, and much more. You can start small with these diets by subbing in raw or grain-free foods a few times a week. Anything helps!

And if you need suggestions about which products are best for your pet, feel free to visit us in the store and we’d be happy to help you out!