There is so much to looking after your animal these days, with toxins and misinformation everywhere it’s harder than ever. One area that is so often overlooked is that nutritional variety isn’t a luxury — it’s a biological need.
Somewhere along the way, we started believing that “complete and balanced” meant feeding the exact same processed food every single day for years.
For a wild animal, this would be unthinkable.
For your dog or cat, it’s a slow road to nutrient depletion, gut imbalance, behaviour changes, and chronic health problems.
People always associate this with kibble fed cats and dogs, but I also see it a lot in the raw fed clients. I hope this blog helps outline why this is an area we need to take really seriously, for the health and wellbeing of your pet, whatever species it is.
1. What They Would Eat in the Wild
Let’s be honest, most of our dogs, and quite a few cats (no one told mine), wouldn’t be able to hunt their own meals these days. Selective breeding has prioritised looks or temperament over natural hunting traits. Add to that modern living — limited space, lack of fitness, and instincts bred out — and it’s clear why they’re not out chasing dinner.
But that doesn’t mean we should forget what their bodies are built for. In the wild:
- Meals would vary — different prey species, different cuts, different nutrient profiles.
- What they got from each catch would depend on their status in the pack (dogs) or competition from other predators.
- They’d eat seasonally and regionally — only what they could hunt, scavenge, or forage at that time of year.
- Even grazing animals like horses — who people assume eat a “boring” diet — naturally select from trees, shrubs, multiple grasses, herbs, seeds, clays, and soils, each with unique minerals and plant compounds.
Nature doesn’t do “one food forever.” And neither should we.
2. How We Feed Our Pets Now
For many dogs and cats today, meals are the opposite of what nature intended:
- Same food, day in, day out — often dried or tinned, ultra-processed, and bulked with fillers.
- Synthetic vitamins and minerals — poorly absorbed at best, toxic at worst.
- Zero rotation — meaning the same nutrient gaps stay unfilled for months or years.
Another very important consideration that is often overlooked is that our pet’s sense of smell is their primary tool for deciding what’s safe to eat. However, when they live surrounded by man-made fragrances — from perfumed cleaning products to scented cat litter — they are constantly inhaling endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
These not only poison over time, they also blunt their ability to recognise safe, nourishing foods.
It’s no wonder cats and dogs can’t instinctively detect man-made toxins like antifreeze — they haven’t evolved to.
3. The Real Cost of a One-Food Life
Feeding the same food every day, no matter what the label claims, carries a hidden cost your animal will pay with their health, behaviour, and quality of life.
Micronutrient Gaps
No single food, or single meal given every day, however “complete,” can supply every trace mineral, phytonutrient, and enzyme your dog or cat needs. Without rotation, deficiencies build quietly over time.
Low Bioavailability
Synthetic nutrients do not absorb like those from real food, and can even build to harmful levels, straining the liver, kidneys, and other organs. In addition, most processed pet foods use synthetic vitamin and mineral ‘pre-mixes’ sourced from dubious countries with really poor safety levels, and have been linked to many product recalls and deaths.
Gut Imbalance & Microbiome Decline
A thriving microbiome depends on variety. In the wild, this happens naturally, different prey, plants, and seasonal shifts. In a one-food life, this diversity disappears, starving beneficial bacteria and weakening both gut and immune health.
Addictive & Misleading Flavours
Many processed foods are laced with synthetic flavourings that trick your animal into eating things they’d never touch in nature. They smell irresistible, but provide no true nourishment — and can cause inflammation, hormonal disruption, and disease.
4. Beyond the Bowl — Behaviour, Health & Connection
Nutrition doesn’t just affect the body, it shapes behaviour, relationships, and even social dynamics.
When an animal isn’t thriving physically, they know it. This creates stress that shows up in:
- Pheromones signalling poor health — other animals pick up on this instantly, which can cause tension, aggression, or avoidance.
- Behaviour changes — irritability, low mood, reduced playfulness, or sudden reactivity.
- Physical decline — from skin issues and gut problems to joint pain, lack of energy and hormonal imbalances.
And let’s be honest – what does that do to your bond?
It’s like being forced to watch someone you love eat Bill Gates’ fake, poisoned food every day, knowing it’s wearing them down… but without them being able to tell you in words. You’re in the drivers seat.
5. What You Can Do
This isn’t about guilt, it’s about taking back control and giving your animal the life they were designed for.
- Educate Yourself
Learn what a species-appropriate diet looks like. Dogs, cats, and every other animal have evolved with very specific nutritional blueprints. - Learn How to Prepare Balanced Meals
I offer courses for dogs and cats that show you exactly how to create fresh, balanced meals at home. It’s easier than you think, and you’ll know exactly what’s going into their bowl. - Support Ethical Companies
When making it yourself isn’t possible, buy from small, ethical producers who use real, high-quality ingredients. - Timing Matters Too
When you feed can be just as important as what you feed. Fasting windows, meal spacing, and avoiding constant snacking support healthy digestion. Cats and dogs have very different needs when it comes to when they are fed. - Monitor & Adjust
Your animal will tell you if it’s working, you just need to know the signs. Look at their coat, their eyes, their energy… and yes, their poo.
Your animals are completely dependent on you (well… my cats would argue that point), so it’s our duty to learn, adapt, and give them the best chance to truly thrive.
Convenience kills.
Let’s start saying NO to it — and YES to real, varied, life-giving food.
💡 Need help?
If you want step-by-step support, practical recipes, and personalised guidance, check out my consultations and courses. Together, we can get your dog or cat thriving — naturally.