Over the years of educating people about feline nutrition, I have noticed some consistent things that influence people’s openness to raw feeding. Certainly, some of these things influence me personally. Read on to see if some of these resonate with you, too.
Influence of love language
Have you heard of “love languages” before? It’s the idea that people give and receive love in different ways. There are generally thought to be five love languages. People tend to have a primary, as well as secondary one. (You can take an online quiz to see what yours might be here.)
acts of service
I think that the love language of “acts of service” can be a major influence in regard to raw feeding. If you are an acts of service person, you show love for those you care about by doing things for them. This can include making their food—see where I’m going here? One of the ways I show my love for Hazel is by making her food. It brings me joy to do this for her. I don’t experience making her food as a chore (most of the time).
If you didn’t figure it out already, you probably have now, I am a primary acts of service person. I wonder how many other raw feeders are acts of service people, too?
Influence of personality
tolerance for the unconventional
People who are willing to try raw feeding often have a higher tolerance for going against the norm. Some people are much more comfortable and even relish going against popular norms; while for others, this is very uncomfortable.
Since so many veterinarians are not supportive of raw feeding, a raw feeder often has to be able to tolerate going against their vet’s advice. This isn’t always an easy thing to do. (You can read more about working with veterinarians as a raw feeder in this previous blog).
The ability to tolerate the unconventional can be a significant influence in a person’s openness to raw feeding.
easily bored
Another influence to consider is related to boredom. People who feel bored more easily are often more willing to try something new. This can include raw feeding.
Think about it, scooping the same old food from the same old bag or can is boring. On the other hand, feeding raw can be really interesting and exciting! This is especially true since there are so many different ways to feed raw. Feeding a varied raw diet helps deter boredom for the cat AND the person.
curiosity
People who are genuinely curious tend to be more open to learning new things and exploring new ideas in general. There can be a lot of fear when trying something new. Often it’s our curiosity to learn more and our drive to do better that helps us push through the fear. This can be a major influence in being open to raw feeding.
Influence of personal experiences
foodie
People who love trying new foods, making food, shopping for food, etc., are more apt to be curious about their cat’s food. Their love of food may influence them to wonder if their cat enjoys their food and what other foods are available for them.
Food preparation can be a very creative and enjoyable process. Plus, you have so much more control over ingredients and the preparation process itself. No ultra processed junk food here! Raw feeding is not such a far leap for people who genuinely like food and want their cats to enjoy their food, too.
inner science geek
Another influence for some raw feeders is their inner “science geek.” People who are into actual science, (not marketing BS by big pet food), like biology, physiology, zoology, and nutrition, are often more open to raw feeding.
People who enjoy reading research learn how much sense raw feeding makes from a scientific perspective. Not to mention that people who are truly open to science are more willing to re-evaluate their previous held beliefs when presented with new valid information!
human nutrition
For people who are into nutrition for themselves, it is not a stretch to think about their pets’ nutrition as well. We know that avoiding ultra processed foods for both humans and animals is preferred for better health outcomes. Many raw feeders, after evaluating and overhauling their own diets, turn their attention to their pets’ diets and discover raw feeding.
feline health issues
Sadly, an all too common influence is an illness or other health related issue. Many current raw feeders struggled to find effective ways to address their cats’ health issues through conventional methods.
After exhausting the medications and prescription foods that were available to them, cat parents started researching other options, including diet and nutrition. Subsequently, they discovered raw feeding to support their cats’ health.
Facing a scary illness will often influence us to consider new approaches that we might not otherwise have been open to previously.
What influences you?
These are just some of my thoughts about what influences people to be open to raw feeding. But this is certainly not an all inclusive list. What influences you?
3 responses to “What Influences People to Be Open to Raw Feeding?”
Dr. Judy Morgan started me understanding and changing my cats diet. I’ve been reaching out to other groups to see what they’re doing and what diet format they’re following for their cats so I could get the best food for my cat that I could afford. Fortunately unfortunately now I have kittens And Ferrels with kittens so I have to do the best I can to balance a nonexistent budget and helping them the best I can
That’s great that you are researching and are open to new information. Thanks for taking care of ferals and their kittens, and for doing the best you can. 🙂
The information from Dr. Pierson’s website helped me understand the basics of feline nutrition, which led me to gradually switch from dry to canned food. However, when this change didn’t fully resolve my cat’s health issues, I transitioned to a raw diet, and my cat’s health improved significantly.