Different Ways to Approach Mealtimes with Your Pet
Healthy Cats | December 16, 2021
Nutritional variety is essential for all dogs and cats. No matter how balanced, nutritious and carefully made dog and cat foods are, variety through feeding different proteins to your household carnivores is one of the best ways to support the health of your pet.
Variety doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. If you feed kibble, the goal should be adding some less processed protein through a topper of wet or raw food. If that isn’t possible for your household, you can rotate between different flavors of the kibble you buy to make sure your dog or cat is eating different proteins every time you buy a new bag of food.
If you already feed wet or raw food, focus on switching between different proteins and adding less processed sources of protein where you can. Consider adding a fish oil supplement to all foods for a more potent form of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
Explore your local Mud Bay by visiting our store or browsing online for a new flavor or food form if it’s been a while since your dog or cat has tried a new food. If you need help, be sure to talk to a Muddy at your local store. We can make recommendations to fit any budget or diet. And if you’re not sure what will fit your dog or cat’s needs, we have free samples for your pet to try, too.
Ready to add more variety to your cat’s diet? Depending on your cat’s preferences and your household’s needs, there are several approaches to consider. First, think about how many meals you can feed your cat. Cats thrive on frequent small meals, so if you have the ability you might want to offer them four or five small meals throughout the day. Second, consider how much variety your cat will accept. Older cats may have preferences that are difficult to change, while kittens will usually accept many varieties of foods. Finally, see how you can add more moisture to your cat’s diet. Cats don’t have the thirst drive of other animals, which can lead to chronic dehydration and kidney problems. Feeding moisture-rich foods and supplements can help your cat stay healthy throughout their life.
To see how adding more variety might work for your cat, take a look at these three examples of cat feeding plans.
Dogs often happily accept more variety in their diet, but they can experience stomach upset if they’ve been eating one single food for months or years. Adding a digestive supplement as you slowly add variety to your dog’s diet can significantly reduce or eliminate the chance of digestive issues in most dogs. Budget can be a significant concern when adding variety, especially for larger dogs. Consider using a high-quality kibble as a base and supplementing with another food type, or at the least rotating among different proteins or brands every time you purchase a new bag of kibble. If you’re supplementing with a balanced food form made for dogs, such as wet or raw food, consider a 25% minimally processed food form and 75% kibble split. If you want to supplement with whole foods, such as eggs, sardines and meat, make sure that they are less than 10% of the overall diet. Rotate through different foods depending on the day or week for the best nutritional results.
Below are three different meal plans made for three very different dogs that all incorporate variety.
It’s never a bad time to chill. 🧘♀️ 🐾
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Swell`s My Chill Time Premium Dog Gelato is made with functional ingredients like chamomile and passion flower tea, which help your pup stay cool, calm, and collected when summer activities makes thier day-to-day a little more stressful. Plus, it includes blackberries, 🥥 coconut milk, ginger, beets, and 🍯 🐝 honey, which are great for digestion and antioxidant support.
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Swell Premium Dog Gelato is not only a tasty treat on a hot summer day, but it also helps keep your pup living their best life and staying CHILL. Shop My Chill Time from Swell in-store or online at Mud Bay this summer. 🌞
#mudbay #swelldoggelato #swell #dogs #chill
Adventure-ready and made for the water, the Ruffwear Float Coat helps keep your dog comfortable during every swim.
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The Float Coat offers a secure, telescoping neck closure that adjusts to fit a variety of dog sizes, while the lightweight foam panels support natural movement and buoyancy in the water, keeping them comfortable and safe.
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Plus, it offers a super handy, low-profile handle that makes it easy to lift your pup out of the water, and reflective accents that add extra visibility for long days at the lake, beach, or river.
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Bring your pup in-store or shop with us online for the Ruffwear Float coat today!
#mudbay #summer #adventures #ruffwear #doglife
🌞 🎆 🎉 Summer brings celebrations, late nights, travel and events that can leave your pets feeling uneasy.
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Mud Bay is here to help, offering products that bring calm and comfort to your cat or dog when things get noisy.
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We carry calming collars, tinctures, treats, and pheromones to help your pets handle everything summer brings—Shop Mud Bay in-store or online to find the right calmatives for your pets.
#mudbay #summer #keepcalm #healthypets #calming
Fluff & Tuff`s #IGIVEAFLUFF is Coming Soon!
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Starting June 8th, National Best Friends Day, our friends at Fluff & Tuff are once again kicking off #IGiveAFluff to help put toys in the paws of shelter and rescue dogs who need them most.
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And we want you to be a part of it, and it couldn`t be easier to participate!
Here`s how it works:
📸 Snap a photo of your dog with their favorite Fluff & Tuff toy.
📱 Share it on social media using #IGiveAFluff.
🐾 Fluff & Tuff donates a toy to a shelter or rescue dog.
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Since 2015, with the support of pet parents like you and the generosity of Fluff & Tuff, over 22,000 toys have been donated to shelters and rescue dogs. Want to participate, but you need a Fluff & Tuff toy? Take a tip from Frank and stop by your local Mud Bay or visit us online. Click the link in our bio to learn more about #IGIVEAFLUFF
Canagan canned cat food is grain-free and made with your cat in mind, using high-quality protein from chicken, salmon, tuna, and more.
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It’s inspired by what cats are naturally built to eat, with a focus on animal protein and no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
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It’s also an easy way to add moisture to your cat’s routine—something many cats don’t get enough of—which can help support your feline friend with kidney and urinary-tract health.
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🛍️ Shop Canagan Complete Cat Food in-store or online at Mud Bay.
Summer is coming, so be like Goose 🐕 and stay cool 😎 ❄️ on every outing with the Swamp Cooler Harness from Ruffwear.
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Whether she’s out on a trail or enjoying a long walk or run, this harness is built for warm-weather adventures, offering cooling comfort and secure control in one breathable design.
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Shop in-store or online at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #adventures #pnw #dog #summeriscoming
Mud Bay Memorial Day Hours ⏰
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Today, Monday, May 25, all Mud Bay locations will be open from 10 am to 6 pm.
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Delivery orders placed after 2 pm on Sunday will arrive on Tuesday. Store pickup and Instacart will still be available. 🐈 🐕 🚚
#mudbay #holidayhours #healthypets #mudbaydelivery #pets
🐾🌷The Ruffwear Front Range Flex Collection
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Meet Harley, out in the tulip fields and ready for her next outing in the Front Range Flex Harness, Collar, and Leash.
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Whether it’s a walk through the neighborhood or your next PNW adventure, this collection is designed for everyday use and changing conditions:
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Lightweight and built to handle wet conditions
Easy to clean, just hand-wash and air-dry
Made with durable materials for every outing
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Harley picked her look… now it’s your turn.
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The Ruffwear Front Range Flex Collection is now available at Mud Bay. Shop in-store or online today!
#mudbay #ruffwear #adventure #dogwalk #pnwdogs
This cheese-flavored 🧀 💊 pill wrap helps make giving medicine easier for both dogs and cats. 🐕 🐈 Simply tear, wrap, and serve. It’s quick and mess-free.
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The soft texture can be torn to fit any pill, and the cheese flavor makes each dose easier to give. Now with pumpkin, and always free from grain, gluten, and soy.
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Stashio’s is a woman-owned company from Minnesota that creates simple solutions for daily pet care.
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You can find Stashio’s wrap-ups at Mud Bay, both in-store and online.
#mudbay #stashios #wrapup #healthypets #pnwpets
Let your dog relax 💆 and unwind with a Puptail.
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After a walk, run, hike, or just because, this brunch-inspired Puptail is a fun way to help your pup slow down and take it easy. It’s easy to make and flexible, so you can mix and match to make it your own.
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Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Green Juju Golden Blend
- 1 tbsp blueberries
- 1 tbsp banana slices
- 1/2 cup Primal Raw Goat’s Milk Cranberry Blast
- Swell Dog Gelato Banana and Peanut Butter (for topping)
- Wagster Banana and Toasted Coconut Biscuits
- Green Juju Freeze Dried Vitality Blend
- Furvor Concentrated Beef Bone Broth (for ice cubes)
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Optional Extras 🐕 🐶
Blueberry and bone broth ice cubes
Wag and Bright Supply Co. Spirulina and Beef Collagen dog chew
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Directions
1. Add Green Juju Golden Blend as your base
2. Layer in blueberries and banana slices
3. Pour in goat’s milk between layers
4. Repeat layers as desired, then freeze or serve as is
5. Top with gelato, biscuits, and freeze-dried blend
6. Add ice cubes and extras for a cool finish
#mudbay #treatyoself #pup #summeriscoming #puptail
Furvor bone broth is made with 100% human-grade ingredients and is up to 30 times more concentrated than regular broths. It provides protein, collagen, amino acids, and important nutrients to help your dog’s gut, joints, skin, coat, and overall health.
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The 20 oz bottle provides more than 20 servings, making it an easy way to add beneficial nutrition to your dog’s daily routine at home.
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If you’re out and about, Furvor’s single-serve pouches will help keep your dog hydrated, with a pep in their step wherever you go. They’re great for summer, hikes, walks, or days by the water.
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Just tear open, squeeze, and serve. You can mix it with water, pour it over kibble, or give it on its own. You can buy them one at a time or in a pack of six.
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Shop Furvor Bone Broth in-store or online today! 🛍️ 🐾
#mudbay #furvor #healthypets #pnwpets #bonebroth
Capstar Oral Flea & Tick Treatment
🐾When fleas show up, it helps to act quickly. Capstar is an easy-to-use oral treatment that starts working in about 30 minutes and can kill most fleas within the first few hours. It’s a simple way to bring fast relief and can be used alongside your dog’s regular flea and tick routine.
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Vetality Flea & Tick Monthly Topical Treatment
🐾 For ongoing protection, Vetality Avantect offers vet-quality coverage at a great value.
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These broad-spectrum topicals kill and repel fleas, flea eggs, ticks, and mosquitoes, while also targeting all stages of the flea life cycle. It also helps repel biting flies and kill lice. Available in four weight ranges and a four-month supply for continued protection.
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🛍️ Shop in-store or online today.
#mudbay #fleaandtickseason #healthypets #dogs #fleafree
