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Although Timberwolf formulas provide a complete nutritional profile, some pet owners may want to mix raw foods in with the kibble. This practice is known as Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF). Feeding raw foods can be a great way to supplement your pet's diet, but care must be taken. Certain foods are known to cause toxicity symptoms and even death in pets.

Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your dog or cat has ingested one of these foods:

Avocadoscontain a substance called persin that is potentially toxic to pets. Any part of the avocado can damage heart and lung tissue, possibly leading to heart failure. The fatty acids may also cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Certain fruit pits and seedscontain cyanide, which is poisonous to both pets and humans. We only use the actual fruit in the production of our pet diets.

Certain mushroomsmay contain toxins that are fatal to pets.

Chocolateis extremely toxic to dogs and cats. It contains the chemical theobromine, a natural stimulant that can affect the central nervous system, kidneys and heart. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, racing heart, increased urination and muscle tremors.

The darker the chocolate, the more deadly it is. Cocoa powder and baking chocolate have the highest concentrations of theobromine, and are the most dangerous forms of chocolate. A 20-pound dog only needs to consume about 0.1 ounces of chocolate per pound of body weight for toxicity to develop. Semi-sweet chocolate is less dangerous, followed by milk chocolate, but both are harmful if eaten in large quantities.

Coffeeproduces symptoms similar to chocolate toxicity.

Cooked Bonescan splinter, causing internal damage and bowel obstruction.

Grapes and raisinsare among the most toxic foods a pet can eat. They can cause acute kidney failure, leading to death.

Macadamia nutscontain an unidentified toxin that causes abdominal pain, vomiting, difficulty walking, tremors and weakness. As few as six macadamia nuts have been shown to cause severe toxicity in dogs.

Onionscontain a chemical called thiosulphate, which can damage and destroy red blood cells. The more onions the animal eats, the higher the toxicity.

Potato sprouts and green (unripe) potatoescontain poisonous alkaloids, which cause vomiting, dizziness, depression, difficulty breathing and irregular heartbeat. The green stems of tomatoes have a similar effect. We use ripe fruits and vegetables in our products, and we do not use leaves, sprouts and stems.

Xylitolis a sweetener commonly found in sugarless chewing gums and candies. It is deadly to dogs. Xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, seizures, depression, and liver failure. Symptoms can develop within 30 minutes of ingestion.

Yeast Doughcan expand in the stomach, causing bloating and abdominal distress.

The History of the Housecat

Alternately affectionate and haughty, cuddly and predatory, cats never let us forget their true nature. That sweet kitten may be purring in your arms one moment and pouncing on a toy the next. Every twitching tail or leap at a moving target serves as a reminder that domestic cats still retain the fundamental traits of their wildcat ancestors.

According to a 2007 study, all domestic cats descended from five subspecies of wildcat in the Middle East. Researchers theorize that cats wandered into human settlements, where they were welcomed for their ability to control vermin and protect the food supply. In contrast to dogs, which were domesticated by humans, cats most likely domesticated themselves.

As mankind ventured out to explore faraway lands, cats spread around the world. The domestic cat has played a prominent role in society throughout the ages: worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, used by the Vikings for pest control, slaughtered in mass numbers during the Middle Ages for their association with witchcraft, and seen as a good-luck symbol by the Japanese. It is believed that cats helped stamp out the Black Death in Europe by killing the rats that caused the plague.

Like their wildcat ancestors, domestic cats are strict carnivores. They require a diet that is high in meat-based proteins and low in carbohydrates. The cat’s digestive system is built to break down protein sources and utilize the nutrients for growth, metabolic function and immune response. Cats also require the amino acid taurine, which is essential for eye, heart and digestive function. Unlike dogs, cats cannot produce taurine and must obtain it from their diets. Taurine deficiency can cause reproductive failure, developmental problems, and retinal degeneration resulting in blindness. Cats may also develop a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy, which can lead to heart failure.

Timberwolf recognizes the unique dietary requirements of the domestic feline. Our Serengeti Herbal Felid formula is high in meat proteins and provides an excellent source of taurine to help cats thrive. Serengeti lets you feed your wildcat the way Mother Nature intended.