Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - The Petshop Boyz
Subscribe! arrow_drop_up
Skip to content

FREE DELIVERY ON ALL ORDERS OVER $89

Get in touch today

Cat & Kitten

Ferret

FAQs

FAQ

petsGeneral Somerford

A raw diet isn’t complete without offal. Compared to regular cuts of muscle meat, organ meats are more densely packed with just about every nutrient, including heavy doses of B vitamins such as B1, B2, B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12. Organ meats are also loaded with minerals like phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, and iodine and provide the essential fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins and minerals are critical to the health and wellbeing of your pet.

No need to add anything, our food is naturally complete & balanced, no need to feed anything else.

All our food contains the perfect balance of meat, bone & offal + fruit & vegetable.


Meat content:
Muscle meat 80% | Bone 10% | Offal 10%

Adult
Meat 70% | Fruit & Vegetables 30%
Puppy
Meat 70% | Fruit & Vegetables 30%
Baby Puppy
Meat 80% | Fruit & Vegetables 20%

LOW PURINE
Meat content:
Turkey & Salmon:
Muscle meat 90% | Bone 10%

Beef

Meat content:
Muscle Meat 85% | Green Tripe 5% | Bone 10%

Adult

Meat 70% | Fruit & Vegetables 30%

Puppy
Meat 70% | Fruit & Vegetables 30%

Cat
Meat, Fat, Sinew, Connective Tissue & Heart 82% | Eible Bone 7% | Liver 5% | Other Secreting Organs 5% | Spinach 1%

The raw diet is designed to be eaten raw and fresh. Cooking destroys vitamins and changes the molecular structure of protein and fats. Domestic dogs and cats haven’t evolved to eat cooked food. The digestive tract of a domestic dog is no different from a wolf or a domestic cat to a wild cat.

So many pet foods these days are loaded with grains, preservatives and artificial additives that can all adversely impact your pets overall health - causing allergies & skin issues. Here at Somerford Raw & Natural, we get a lot of feedback from pet owners whose pets have benefited hugely from being fed our salmon or barramundi varieties.

For allergies, it is essential to put your pet through an elimination diet for up to six weeks and only feed one variety of Somerford Raw & Natural Complete Pet Food. This way, you are able to identify which protein (meat) your pet may be allergic to.

By fermenting the vegetables, it is much easier for your pet to break down and extract all the vitamins and minerals during the digestion process. Again, this imitates the wild dog diet, as a dog would consume the plant matter in the animal’s gut that it would catch and eat naturally in the wild.

Our Complete adult varieties are designed for smaller dogs above the age of 12 months and larger breeds 18+ months. For puppies, Additional Calcium & Protein is added to the mix to support growth and nutrition. If you are after a raw food diet for your puppy you should check out our puppy range here.

Dogs that are fed a dry kibble run a greater risk of being affected by bloating. After eating a dry kibble, this food swells in a dog’s stomach. Whereas a raw food contains moisture, resulting in no swelling in a dog’s stomach.

Dogs that are fed raw diets have stable blood sugar levels, reducing hyperactivity, reduced hunger cravings and less weight issues. A raw diet is easier for your dog to process, resulting in less stools. Stools are also firmer and less smelly.

Somerford Raw and Natural Complete Pet Food also contains live prebiotics and probiotics to generate good gut health and reduce flatulence and upset stomachs.

In addition to our 100% human grade fresh ingredients, Somerford Raw & Natural is a naturally complete and balanced pet food that also contains: 

GINGER - An antioxidant and tonic to enhance digestive health. Especially beneficial to older dogs whose digestive systems are a little sluggish.

GARLIC - In small amounts, garlic can be very beneficial to a dog’s all round health, stimulating the immune system and in fighting bacteria, viral and fungal infections. Garlic detoxifies and when combined with brewer’s yeast helps to reduce fleas.


FLAXSEED OIL – Containing Omega-3 and 6 essential fatty acids, flaxseed oil encourages healthy skin and coats in animals with sensitive or sore skin.


HEMP SEED OIL - Contains essential fatty acids in the perfect ratio. Also contains Omega-6 fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This is crucial for your dog’s diet.


COCONUT OIL – Coconut oil has many health benefits across your dog’s skin, digestive and immune systems, along with metabolic function and bone and brain health.


KELP POWDER – Kelp reduces itchiness in dogs with skin allergies and improves both skin and coat health. It’s also a natural flea repellant.


CRANBERRY POWDER (LOW PURINE FORMULAS) – Cranberry powder has been proven to assist in preventing urinary tract infections. Cranberry powder is added to our Low Purine range to assist in bladder and overall health.


LIVE PROBIOTICS – Probiotics help restore digestive balance in pets that have been on a course of antibiotics or drugs, eaten processed foods, along with allergy management. 

PREBIOTICS – Our added minced fermented seasonal fruit and vegetables provide good enzymes (prebiotics) that provide food for live probiotics and help maintain good gut flora.

Cats and kittens don’t drink as much per kilogram of body weight as do dogs, perhaps because of their evolution as desert animals. The weak thirst drive of cats puts some cats at higher risk of developing urinary tract issues. Feeding Somerford Raw & Natural will also help to protect against stone formation as a raw diet is naturally very high in moisture and can help compensate for low water intake.

petsCat

Cats and kittens don’t drink as much per kilogram of body weight as do dogs, perhaps because of their evolution as desert animals. The weak thirst drive of cats puts some cats at higher risk of developing urinary tract issues. Feeding Somerford Raw & Natural will also help to protect against stone formation as a raw diet is naturally very high in moisture and can help compensate for low water intake.

Taurine is an amino acid that cats require for health. For cats, it is an essential amino acid because their bodies cannot synthesize it, so it must be acquired from the diet. Taurine is necessary for brain, nerves, eyes, heart, digestion, immune function and foetal development. Natural Taurine is found abundantly in Poultry Meat, Fish and Offal.

Sometimes introducing a new food to your pet can take a little perseverance, even more so with Cats. If you’re finding that your Cat is needing a little encouragement to transition to Somerford Raw & Natural, here are some tips that will help. 

Slow transition, we recommend feeding 80% of your Cat’s regular food and 20% Somerford Raw. As your pet becomes used to the new flavour and texture, increase the amount with each feed until you are feeding a completely raw diet. 


• Use the 15-minute rule - put your pet’s food down in front of them and walk away. If they haven’t eaten it in 15 minutes, take the food away and put it back in the fridge. Offer no other food or treats until the next mealtime and offer the same food again using the 15-minute rule. A Cat won’t starve itself for long - sometimes you need to use a little tough love! 


• You can add a puree paste over the top of the food or mix it in, we find the Inaba Churu will tempt even the fussiest eater, this will encourage them to try the new flavour. 


• Lightly cooking or warming our food to room temperature can also be enticing to your cat. 


• The Key is perseverance, the health benefits of switching your Cat to Somerford Raw will greatly outweigh any inconvenience during the transition period.

In addition to our 100% human grade fresh ingredients, Somerford Raw & Natural is a naturally complete and balanced cat food that also contains: 

SPINACH – Small amounts of spinach are good for your cat, cats will often eat grass to add some greens to their diet. Spinach is Rich in vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A, K, B6, B2, E and C are quite abundant in even the tiniest portions of spinach. Moreover, this leafy green is also rich in magnesium, folate, calcium and potassium – all of which are essentials. Spinach also offers a good amount of fibre & is low in calories. 


HEMP SEED OIL - From the seeds of the hemp plant. It doesn’t contain THC, so no adverse effects on your pet. Contains essential fatty acids in the perfect ratio. Omega-6 (linoleic acid) to Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) fatty acids. Also has Omega-6 fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This is crucial for your cat’s diet. 


FLAXSEED OIL - Flaxseed oil contains Omega 3 and 6, which are essential fatty acids. These fatty acids encourage healthy skin and coats in animals with sensitive or sore skin. Essential fatty acids are necessary to keep your cat’s skin and coat healthy. Deficiencies in the so-called omega-3 family of essential fatty acids can lead to a host of abnormalities of the nervous system, ranging from vision problems to impaired learning ability. Another family of essential fatty acids, known as omega-6, has been shown to have important physiological effects in the body. Tissues that perform such functions as storage (fat), metabolism (liver), mechanical work (muscle), and excretion (kidney) tend to have cell membranes in which omega-6 fatty acids predominate.


COCONUT OIL - Coconut oil contains lauric acid. Coconut oil has many health benefits — for skin, digestive and metabolic function, immune systems and even your cat’s bone and brain health! 


KELP POWDER - There is substantial evidence that kelp in a pet’s diet will repel fleas. Kelp can be an important natural addition to the organic or chemical flea-fighting treatment you have chosen for your cat. Kelp reduces itchiness in cats with skin allergies and improves the general condition of skin and coat. 


LIVE PROBIOTICS - Live probiotics are an important addition to your pet’s diet - especially if they’ve ever had antibiotics or drugs, if they’ve ever eaten cooked or processed food, if they suffer from allergies, digestive upset or many other common immune related health issues. Live probiotics support the growth of good bacteria in your cat’s gut. 

petsKitten

Taurine is an amino acid that cats & kittens require for health. It is an essential amino acid because their bodies cannot synthesize it, so it must be acquired from the diet. Taurine is necessary for brain, nerves, eyes, heart, digestion, immune function and fetal development. Natural Taurine is found abundantly in Poultry Meat, Fish & Offal.

Sometimes introducing a new food to your pet can take a little perseverance, even more so with Kittens. If you’re finding that your Kitten is needing a little encouragement to transition to Somerford Raw & Natural, here are some tips that will help. 


• Slow transition, we recommend feeding 80% of your Kitten’s regular food and 20%  Somerford Raw. As your pet becomes used to the new flavour and texture, increase the amount with each feed until you are feeding a completely raw diet. 


• Use the 15-minute rule - put your pet’s food down in front of them and walk away. If they haven’t eaten it in 15 minutes, take the food away and put it back in the fridge. Offer no other food or treats until the next mealtime and offer the same food again using the 15-minute rule. A Kitten won’t starve itself for long - sometimes you need to use a little tough love! 


• You can add a puree paste over the top of the food or mix it in, we find the Inaba Churu will tempt even the fussiest eater, this will encourage them to try the new flavour. 


• Lightly cooking or warming our food to room temperature can also be enticing to your kitten. 


• The Key is perseverance, the health benefits of switching your Kitten to Somerford Raw will greatly outweigh any inconvenience during the transition period.

Extra goodness for optimal health - Somerford Raw & Natural is a naturally complete and balanced kitten food. In addition to our 100% human grade fresh Australian ingredients, our ultra-premium kitten food includes -

SPINACH – Small amounts of spinach are good for your cat, cats will often eat grass to add some greens to their diet. Spinach is Rich in vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A, K, B6, B2, E and C are quite abundant in even the tiniest portions of spinach. Moreover, this leafy green is also rich in magnesium, folate, calcium and potassium – all of which are essentials. Spinach also offers a good amount of fibre & is low in calories. 


CRANBERRY POWDER
contains proanthocyanidins (PAC’s) which inhibit the adhesion of Escherichia coli, the bacteria responsible for 80-90% of urinary tract infections & is suited for animals with poor kidney function or urinary tract problems. Cats & Kittens are prone to urinary issues due to a weak thirst drive that is characteristic among felines. Rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C to help support healthy urine pH which may reduce the likelihood of urinary crystal formation & urinary tract infections.


GREEN-LIPPED MUSSEL
are a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin, fantastic to support the growth & development of kittens. An excellent source of zinc, iron, selenium, and several B-vitamins as well as essential omega-3 fatty acids.


DEER ANTLER POWDER provides a natural source of: Collagen – The main support of skin, tendon, bone, cartilage and connective tissue, Hyaluronic Acid – Nature’s Lubricant for skin, joints and eyes. Calcium & Magnesium – To maintain strong bones and teeth, IGF, EGF, Amino Acids – To build muscle mass and strength


HEMP SEED OIL - From the seeds of the hemp plant. It doesn’t contain THC, so no adverse effects on your pet. Contains essential fatty acids in the perfect ratio. Omega-6 (linoleic acid) to Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) fatty acids. Also has Omega-6 fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This is crucial for your cat’s diet. 


FLAXSEED OIL - Flaxseed oil contains Omega 3 and 6, which are essential fatty acids. These fatty acids encourage healthy skin and coats in animals with sensitive or sore skin. Essential fatty acids are necessary to keep your cat’s skin and coat healthy. Deficiencies in the so-called omega-3 family of essential fatty acids can lead to a host of abnormalities of the nervous system, ranging from vision problems to impaired learning ability. Another family of essential fatty acids, known as omega-6, has been shown to have important physiological effects in the body. Tissues that perform such functions as storage (fat), metabolism (liver), mechanical work (muscle), and excretion (kidney) tend to have cell membranes in which omega-6 fatty acids predominate.


COCONUT OIL- Coconut oil contains lauric acid. Coconut oil has many health benefits — for skin, digestive and metabolic function, immune systems and even your pet’s bone and brain health! 


KELP POWDER - There is substantial evidence that kelp in a pet’s diet will repel fleas. Kelp can be an important natural addition to the organic or chemical flea-fighting treatment you have chosen for your cat. Kelp reduces itchiness in cats with skin allergies and improves the general condition of skin and coat.

LIVE PROBIOTICS - Live probiotics are an important addition to your pet’s diet - especially if they’ve ever had antibiotics or drugs, if they’ve ever eaten cooked or processed food, if they suffer from allergies, digestive upset or many other common immune related health issues. Live probiotics support the growth of good bacteria in your pet’s gut. 

FAQs

Subscription FAQs

Yes you can log into your subscription at any time & make changes or alternatively you contact us and we are happy to make any changes required for you.

Yes, you can add additional products to your subscription order at any time as a one time purchase or on a subscription basis, removing products is just as simple.

Choose “management payment” to update your details or select a new payment method.

Once logged into your account you can choose the “skip” function to miss your next scheduled charge date or choose a new date for your next charge to occur.

You will be charged by your chosen method of payment the afternoon of your selected date.

Just log into your account and add the new protein you would like & cancel your previous choice.

Yes you can choose as many products you like to be on subscription to receive the ongoing 5% discount.

Made fresh, delivered to your door Australia wide

FAQs

Our company is based in Mayfield West Newcastle, so if you find yourself pressed for time & are unable to come to and visit our store in person, we are happy to offer a fast & effective delivery service to all areas of Newcastle & the Central Coast for delivery of your Raw Dog & Pet food as well as other pet products that you may need from our store.

We offer a quick and convenient delivery service to all areas of Sydney & Wollongong. We have many regular customers for our Raw Dog & Pet Food in the inner-city suburbs of Sydney, The Northern Beaches areas and all the way to outer regions of Richmond or the Western Suburbs & everywhere in between. We also service all the way south to cover Wollongong and the surrounding areas.

We provide a fast & effective delivery service of our Raw Dog & Pet Food to all suburbs of Canberra & most areas of the ACT. We dispatch orders from our Warehouse in Newcastle Monday to Wednesday of each week ensuring fast delivery and no weekend delays.

Somerford Raw & Natural Dog & Pet Food offers free delivery on all orders over $79 to our many customers in Melbourne. We have delivery services all areas of Melbourne CBD, residential areas & surrounding suburbs as well as the outer regions of Geelong & south to The Mornington Peninsula. If you would like our naturally complete Raw Dog & Pet Food delivered on a regular basis, please have a look at our subscription offer which saves you 5% on all subscription products.

Our online orders come by an express delivery service to most areas in Brisbane & the Gold Coast, our Raw Dog & Pet Food is packed in freezer boxes with ice packs to ensure your order arrives at your door chilled & fresh. Whether you're feeding a new baby puppy, kitten or an adult cat or dog or a senior pet our Somerford Raw Dog & Pet Food varieties has the perfect formula for your pet.

Our big expansion in delivery areas due to our new refrigerated freight service now means we can service South Australia in the Adelaide area. Raw feeding has never been so easy for your Puppy, Dog or Cat, just order online & we pack your selection & deliver it right to your door.

Delivery To Perth Metro

We now deliver to the West Coast with our refrigerated freight service now covering Perth Metro, Geraldton & Bunbury areas. We offer delivery to your door on our full range of BARF Puppy, Dog or Cat, just order online & we do the rest.

Proudly Australian Made

All Raw & Natural meal packs are 100% Australian made and owned

100% Raw & Natural

No Grains, Fillers, Chemicals, Colouring, Preservatives, Heat Processing

Human Grade Single Protein

All varieties are human graded single protein varieties made with all Australian sourced ingredients, formulating a naturally complete and balanced diet

Product of Australia

All Raw & Natural meal packs are made from 100% Australian produce