Frequently Asked Questions
Your pet needs very specific nutrients prepared according to AAFCO & FEDIAF pet food standards. Feeding your pet unbalanced and incomplete meals can lead to severe health hazards and illnesses. It is NOT recommended that you feed your pet home cooked food unless you are a certified pet nutrition specialist.
AAFCO& FEDIAF nutrient profiles are very specific and delicate. Essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and amino acids are critical to your pet’s health, and if they are not met your pet will become deficient. At the same time, some of the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids if exceeded become toxic to your pet. That’s why it is very difficult to prepare a balanced and complete meal by just adding a multi vitamin supplement.
Our recipes are delicately formulated by a certified pet nutrition specialist according to
AAFCO, FEDIAF and NRC standards, to ensure they are balanced and complete. We use
100% natural human grade ingredients as well as super foods and organic seeds and
herbs, providing all the necessary nutrients for a healthy and happy pet. Nutriyum’s
well-balanced meals are free from non-nutritious and possibly harmful ingredients such
as grains, nuts, corn, wheat, gluten, fillers and preservatives.
AAFCO is an acronym for the Association of American Feed Control Officials. AAFCO is a
non-profit organization that sets standards for both animal feeds and pet foods
requirements in the United States.
FEDIAF is the European Pet Food Industry. They have members from 18 different
European countries. FEDIAF has its own guidelines on pet food and pet nutrition which
is reviewed by independent veterinary nutritionist throughout Europe.
The NRC – National Research Council - is a private organization in the United States that
evaluates research on pet food and pet nutrition. They establish minimum required
nutrients for healthy pets.
It all depends on how the food is cooked. In our kitchen, the meals are gently cooked
preserving most of their nutrients and are fortified with natural vitamins and minerals,
omega 3 fatty acids, organic seeds and herbs that will give your pet the optimal
nutrition that they need for a healthy digestion and a shiny coat .
You will receive Nutriyum pet food frozen. You can order quantities in advance and have
your pet food in stock in your freezer. Remove one bag from the freezer and let it
defrost in the refrigerator 12 hours before serving. Once the food is defrosted, put the
recommended quantity in your pet’s bowl. If it’s too cold you can leave your pet’s bowl
outside for 5 – 10 minutes at room temperature before serving it. DO NOT heat the
food. DO NOT refreeze after defrosting. Keep the defrosted package in the refrigerator
and use within 3 days.
When you introduce a new food, you need to do it gradually in order to make a smooth
transition on your pet’s digestive system. Start by mixing ¼ of the recommended
quantity of Nutriyum with your pet’s old food for 3 days. Next mix ½ the recommended
quantity of Nutriyum with your pet’s old food for another 3 days. Then mix ¾ of the
recommended quantity of Nutriyum with your pet’s old food for another 3 days. Finally,
switch completely to Nutriyum.
Growth refers to puppies less than 4 months, and Reproduction is for pregnant and lactating dogs. Dogs in the Growth & Reproduction phases should follow a puppy food diet.
We use the same top quality ingredients mentioned in the food labels for our
cooked meals from local and international suppliers. As for the traits of these
natural fruits like size and color , it all depends on where and how the food crops
are being bred and cultivated before distribution. Some of the fruits (especially
berries) and vegetables may differ in color and size hence affecting the color and
texture of the end product. We guarantee the same nutritional values.
Pets should be fed based on their age and weight according to the feeding instructions
included on the label. Since each type of meal has a different number of calories per
serving, please follow the feeding guidelines specified on each package. The feeding
suggestions represent the total amount of food to be consumed per day. We highly
recommend that you feed your adult pet twice a day by dividing the daily quantity in
two portions. As for puppies, kittens and pregnant females and lactating females we
recommend that you feed the daily quantity in 4-5 portions. You can find the feeding
instructions in cups and in grams for each meal type in our product details. A cup is the
same measuring cup used in food recipes. Measuring cups are available in the website.
The feeding instructions on the labels are for an average weight pet. Hence if your pet is
overweight, you should reduce the recommended daily amount by 10%-15% until your
pet reaches the targeted weight. If your pet is underweight, then we recommend that
you increase the daily amount by 10%-20% until the targeted weight is achieved.
Pets up to 12 months of age are considered puppies/kittens (Growth phase). Puppies
should eat Nutriyum puppy food. Kittens should eat Cats & Kittens super meals which
are catered for both kittens and adult cats.
Pets 1 year and above are considered adult pets . Adult pets should be fed Nutriyum
adult food. Adult cats are fed Cats & Kittens Super Meals.
Growth refers to puppies less than 4 months, and Reproduction is for pregnant and
lactating dogs. Dogs in the Growth & Reproduction phases should follow a puppy food
diet.
Pregnant dogs and lactating dogs need more energy and more nutrients to support their
growing puppies, as well as breast milk production. Hence, we recommend feeding
your dog Nutriyum puppy food [<4 months] and dividing the daily portion into 4 to 5
servings per day.
Pregnant and lactating cats should eat the Cats & Kittens Super Meals with the
recommended quantities of <4 months kittens divided into 4 to 5 servings per day.
In general, small to medium dogs are considered seniors at about the age of seven
years. But larger breeds become senior sometimes as early as five years of age.
Cats enter their senior years at around the age of 9 years.
Senior pets are fed Nutriyum adult food, however we recommend that you add special
supplements to the food to slow down the aging process and to support their organs’
functions, digestive system as well as their joints and motility. Check out our natural
supplements’ section!
If your pet is NOT intolerant or allergic to a certain kind of food, then it actually is
beneficial to offer your pet a variety of food by switching occasionally between
Nutriyum meal types. Of course this will depend on your pet’s liking and digestive
system. When you first introduce your pet to a new Nutriyum meal type, please follow
the same process of introducing a new food. Once your pet is used to the new food you
can freely rotate between the different types of Nutriyum meals.
Yes, a change from a commercial to a healthy and natural food diet will start a slight
detox action where toxins are excreted from the body through mucus and water. These
symptoms will disappear in a few weeks. That’s why it is recommended that you
gradually switch to a new food.
Always gradually change your pet’s food. If the gas and/or diarrhea persist, it might be
that your pet has either an intolerance or an allergy to one of the ingredients. You can
try to reduce the new food and gradually increase it again. But if the symptoms
continue, then it’s better to stop the food. Please keep in mind that if your pet is allergic
to one of the ingredients, it means that you SHOULD NOT give your pet any food
containing this specific ingredient.
Unlike commercial food, Nutriyum Cats & Kittens food is composed of pure, natural and
fresh meat proteins with no fillers, no grains and no vegetables. Being fed pure and
natural meats and organs, your cat’s poop will look like this:
-Darker in color
-Firmer
-Smaller
-Less frequent
-Almost Odorless
It is absolutely normal for your cat’s poop to become darker and firmer when eating real
food and this does not imply constipation. Your cat is considered constipated when their
stools are abnormally hard and dry and they keep going to their litter box and struggle
to pass stool and lose their appetite.
Food intolerance happens when the pet’s body mistakenly identifies a certain ingredient
as a foreign body (an allergen) and creates antibodies to fight this foreign body.
Common intolerance symptoms may include skin rash, hives, itching, paw biting,
obsessive licking and sometimes nausea, diarrhea or vomiting. However, please keep in
mind that allergies could also be environmental allergies or even be some other
illnesses. If you notice similar and persistent symptoms, please check with your vet.
Allergies are totally related to a pet’s own immune system and NOT caused by the
quality of Nutriyum cooked meals, especially since all Nutriyum meals are made with
100% natural, human grade and high quality ingredients. Please note that if your pet has
an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients, you need to eliminate that ingredient from
all of your pet’s diet.
Our meals are packaged frozen. They are valid in the freezer for 3 months from
production date. Once defrosted, the food pack has a shelf life of 3 days in the
refrigerator.
Our treats can be frozen for 3 months from production date. You can remove the
desired quantity and defrost it in the refrigerator. Once defrosted, the treats can be
kept in the refrigerator and served within 7 days.