Questions About General Diet Guidelines For Cats & Dogs, Ratio of Muscle Meat to Organ Meat to Vegetables & Fruits

[KellyM]

Hi I am learning more about raw food for dogs and cats (general guidelines) but have some questions...

(Regarding General Guidelines)

Q1. What ratio of muscle meat to organ meat to vegetables/fruits is appropriate for cats?

Q2. What ratio of muscle meat to organ meat to vegetables/fruits is appropriate for dogs?

Q3. In general, do those ratios stay the same regardless of the type of breed, weight, age, etc?

Q4. I read about rotating muscle meats and organ meats regularly, what kind of schedule would you suggest?

Q5. Is it safe for cats to eat wild caught salmon or wild caught sardines raw?

Q6. Is it important for the fat content of raw food to be over a certain % for cats and dogs? (If so what %)

Q7. Could cats only have heart as the meat organ? Or is it important to switch between different organs?

@Dr. Jeff

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Liver is the most important organ to include, since it contains so many vitamins. For cats I recommend following Dr. Lisa Pierson's recipe at www.catinfo.org

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Liver is probably the most important organ to include as it is the storehouse for so many vitamins. For cats I recommend following Dr. Lisa Pierson's recipe at www.catinfo.org

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Kelly!

You have lots of important questions!

Dr. Nick Thompson (President of the Raw Feeding Veterinary Society) said this about our desire to feed a diet to achieve optimal balance:

Raw Feeding without a Spreadsheet, Root Causes of Disease in Dogs, & Real Talk | Dr. Nick Thompson

Podcast Episode · The Alternative Dog Moms · February 23 · 1h 5m

podcasts.apple.com

I'll also pose your questions to Sage (the HA!-trained AI guide). Stay tuned (my pup needs to go out and play)...

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Here's what Sage says:

Great questions! Here are concise answers based strictly on our guidelines and examples in the materials you’re studying.

Q1. Cat ratios (muscle meat : organ meat : vegetables/fruits)

• Cats are obligate carnivores and “mostly meat.”
• BrightHaven often uses no veggies for cats; some cats do well with 5–10% veggies (up to 20% max in broader guidelines).
• Organ meat about 10% of the meat portion is common in the BrightHaven recipe. Practical cat guideline:
• 80–90% meat (primarily muscle, with ~10% of the total as organs)
• 0–10% veggies (pureed if used)

Q2. Dog ratios (muscle meat : organ meat : vegetables/fruits)

• Dogs are omnivores. Multiple guides suggest:
  • 50–90% meat/protein (muscle + organs/glands)
  • 10–50% pureed vegetables/fruits (and optionally small amounts of well‑cooked grains)
• BrightHaven’s dogs often eat ~2/3 meat mix to ~1/3 veggies, with organ meat about 10% of the meat portion. Practical dog guideline:
• 60–80% meat (include ~10% organs within this)
• 20–40% veggies/fruits (pureed), with optional small cooked grains

Q3. Do ratios stay the same for all breeds, weights, ages?

• No—adjust to the individual. The guides emphasize variety and individual preference/tolerance.
• Older/sick animals must transition very slowly and may need tweaks. Activity level, body condition, and health status guide adjustments.

Q4. Rotation schedule for proteins and organs

• “It’s always good to rotate proteins.” You may combine proteins but feed one at a time.
• Practical rotation: change primary protein every few days to weekly; across weeks rotate chicken, turkey, beef, fish, lamb, etc.
• Include a variety of organ meats (liver, heart, kidney, tripe, etc.). Keep liver to no more than ~10% of the diet and use organic when possible.
• Aim for steady variety over a month rather than strict daily balancing.

Q5. Raw wild-caught salmon or sardines for cats—safe?

• Raw fish can be more prone to parasites; recommendation is to freeze for about two weeks before feeding raw, or lightly cook.
• So yes, with precautions: freeze first or lightly cook; supervise and use variety.

Q6. Minimum fat content for cats and dogs?

• Specific percentage isn’t mandated, but BrightHaven notes: “Do not buy lean meat – a higher fat content is better.”
• Choose non‑lean cuts and let the natural fat of the chosen protein contribute to calories. Adjust based on stool quality, coat, energy, and weight goals.

Q7. Can cats use only heart as the organ?

• Heart is great (high taurine) but the guidelines stress “all organ meats are great” and to feed a wide variety because each provides different nutrients.
• Best practice: include a mix (heart, liver—limit to ≤10% and preferably organic—kidney, tripe, etc.), not just heart.

Extra practical notes from the guides

• Cats: avoid dry food; moisture in raw/cooked/canned usually suffices. Bones can be fed raw (e.g., chicken necks), but crush or choose softer/vertebral/cartilage pieces; never cooked bones.
• Dogs: raw meaty bones are ok with supervision; never cooked bones.
• Hygiene: handle raw carefully; consider freezing fish/game to reduce parasite risk.
• Supplements commonly used: calcium if no edible bone, omega‑3s, enzymes/probiotics; cat-specific taurine if organ variety is limited.

If you share your pets’ ages, current body condition, and typical proteins you have access to, I can suggest a simple 4‑week rotation plan within these guidelines. You’re on the right track—keep observing and adjusting!

 

[KellyM]

@Dr. Jeff

Thank you for your reply!

When you say liver no more than ~10% of the diet do you mean like within the ~10% of organ meats so the 90% of the organ meats should be something else?

And in your professional opinion can cats and dogs thrive without organ meats or they absolutely necessary to thrive?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

When you say liver no more than ~10% of the diet do you mean like within the ~10% of organ meats

Regarding what Sage said about liver and other organ meats., yes the general guideline is 10% total (out of the entire diet).

Ideally the liver is part of the organ meet blend. However, if you have a great source for one or more organ, gland or meat source. Lean on that ideally. Ideally from a local family farm or other humane and sustainable sources.

And in your professional opinion can cats and dogs thrive without organ meats

Yes.

 

[KellyM]

Regarding what Sage said about liver and other organ meats., yes the general guideline is 10% total (out of the entire diet).

Ideally the liver is part of the organ meet blend. However, if you have a great source for one or more organ, gland or meat source. Lean on that ideally. Ideally from a local family farm or other humane and sustainable sources.

Yes.

What could a healthy diet look like for cats and dogs if not including organ meats? Like would you just increase the muscle meat portion and add supplements? (If so, which supplements?)