I've been getting loads of questions lately if it's safe to feed ferrets raw and kibble simultaneously (mixed diets). While I have my own personal opinions on the subject (and I'll get to them later!) , I'll try to make the bulk of this post as unbiased and fact-based as possible! To be quite honest, I've put off talking about this topic simply because we really don't have all the answers, certainly not for ferrets. While there's lots of overlap between carnivores, ferrets are still an entirely separate species from the cat and dog. There are still little details that are only relevant to the ferret. I bring this up because dogs are further evolved and have somewhat of an ability to digest foods better than the cat and ferret. Some pet parents believe cats can enjoy raw food with kibble just fine as well (read more here). Before viewing all sides of the argument, let's see what makes the ferret unique: The Ferret's Digestive SystemLike cats, ferrets are obligate / hyper carnivores. Meaning, they can only efficiently digest and absorb nutrients from animal-based foods, unlike the dog who is a facultative carnivore. Faculative carnivores can digest some plant matter. Ferrets begin breaking down food in the mouth via their molars, crunching meat and bone. They do not produce any enzymes that help with sugar and starch digestion, making these foods harder to utilize. Once in the stomach, food is processed and digested by gastric fluids. Eventually, it passes to the small intestine, where the macronutrients; protein, fat, and carbohydrates are absorbed. It then hits the colon, where water from the digested food mush is absorbed and the leftovers are fermented (oversimplified explanation...much more actually goes into it!) All the while the body is working to adjust the pH of the food while it's being transported. In general, the ferret's digestive system works in a similar fashion to the cat and dog. Dogs do have amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch in their pancreas. According to this scientific journal on comparing digestion of dry foods by ferrets, dogs, and cats, it claims mustelids have similar protein digestion to cats and dogs, they're also better at digesting fats than cats. Dogs still take the cake on fat digestion for all three species. In the study where they were compared, ferrets had lower digestibility values. Which may explain why they consumed twice as much as the other species per kg of body weight, they require more food to compensate for low digestibility of nutrients. Ferrets fed dry kibble diets presented lower DM, NFE and protein digestibility than dogs and cats. However, ferrets present fat digestibility similar to that of dogs and higher than that of cats. Therefore, to formulate practical diets for ferrets it is important to consider the quality and amount of protein, and the use of fat as an energy source." Other studies show that ferrets have a tougher time digesting crude protein compared to cats, most likely due to their tiny G.I. tracts and intestinal transit time. This begs the question if cat foods are suitable for ferret consumption, as they're often recommended over ferret formulations. The linked study suggests that due to their lower protein digestibility rates, they would require more protein. Maybe a topic for another day? My point in bringing this up first is to establish ferrets are entirely different from the dog and cat. While there are many similarities, what works for other species simply may not work for the ferret, a very important factor when looking at the raw and kibble debate. #1 Rate of DigestionThe dominating argument against feeding raw and kibble together is that they require different periods of digestion. Raw meats must be pushed through the body in a speedy manner, as to not let pathogenic bacteria (if present) set it's hooks in the ferret. Kibble could potentially impact this process. There's also some claims that kibble could interfere with the digestion process of meaty bone, potentially increasing the risks of bowel obstruction. However, as of now we lack the information to back up any of this, so this argument really can't be made at this time. That being said, we do know there are many factors that influences the rate of digestion; moisture levels, fat %, size of the food, etc. It's worth noting that kibble is the exact opposite in size, moisture, and fat to raw meat and bone, but that's all that can really be said about this point right now. #2 Stomach pHAnother argument against feeding kibble and raw together is that kibble creates a different pH level in the stomach than raw meat and bone. While researching, I only found information for dogs and cats; many sources state kibble fed animals have an acidic pH too, which may support feeding them together with no issues of mixing pH (for cats and dogs). At the present time, I can't say for sure if this argument is valid either, due to lack of information and published studies on the topic. #3 Leaky GutI'd say this is the strongest argument against feeding kibble and raw simultaneously. Most kibbles contain starches and carbs, triggering a domino effect in the ferret. The gut microbiome is nothing to underestimate. This bacteria is responsible for protecting your ferrets against disease, absorbing nutrients, and maintaining strong intestinal walls. If this bacteria is compromised in any way, it will begin to attack your ferrets in the forms of allergies and disease. Kibbles that contain carbs and starches will offset this crucial harmony. These ingredients make for yummy food for the pathogenic bacteria as well, contributing to overpopulation, and very sick ferrets. Preservatives, GMOs, lectins, and food dyes (found in most kibble) can speed up this process. (ref) This results in holes in the gut lining, allowing intestinal contents to flow into the bloodstream. A shocked immune system begins to attack itself, and create other issues:
We do have a couple studies that look at the differences of microbiome between raw fed animals and kibble fed: From our results and from the comparison with existing scientific evidences, it appears that the modification of microbiome can be attained when a considerable variation of dietary regimes is applied. Specifically, the administration of highly digestible feed, combining fresh meat with readily fermentable substrates, promoted a more balanced growth of bacterial communities and a positive change in some of the readouts of healthy gut functions." - The fecal microbiome and metabolome differs between dogs fed bones and raw food (BARF) diets and dogs fed commercial diets According to the results of this study, the microbiome varied greatly between the dogs fed different diets. When fed highly digestible foods, the bacteria flourished in a healthy way. The results show that dietary fibre inclusion into a raw meat diet altered the faecal parameters assessed, bringing them closer to those produced by feeding a kibble diet. Associations between faecal bacteriomes and organic acid profiles from the different diets suggests complex cross-feeding may occur within the gastrointestinal microbiome." - Addition of plant dietary fibre to a raw red meat high protein, high fat diet, alters the faecal bacteriome and organic acid profiles of the domestic cat Another study showing variations of the microbiome when plant fiber is added to the raw diet for cats. How could this affect the ferret? Ferrets are built with a short digestive tract and intestinal transit time to protect the body from pathogenic bacteria in raw meats and kibble. They also have a very strong stomach pH and microbiome to protect them. We know that the ingredients in kibble greatly affects this microbiome; feeding a mixed diet may open up more opportunities for bad bacteria to harm your ferrets. My ThoughtsI can say anecdotally that the ferret's body reacts differently to eating raw food while on a kibble diet. Many of the ferrets I work with experience multiple instances of severe vomiting after consuming raw during the transition. It's suggested while transitioning to feed them separately to potentially avoid issue. That being said, the body could learn to adjust. I can't say for sure if it would learn to tolerate a mixed diet long term at this time. I do know a handful of ferret parents who feed this diet with no issues, but some have also reported chronic G.I. upset with loose stools. I haven't personally spoken with anyone who has fed the diet long term to multiple generations of ferrets, no real personal results can be determined by myself. I can't personally confirm the arguments of differing pH and digestive time, but I can say with upmost certainty, kibble has a significant effect on the animal's gut microbiome. As someone who struggles with a chronic autoimmune disease due to leaky gut, it's serious stuff. With compromised gut flora, your ferrets can't be at their full potential, and are at risk of various diseases and conditions. This will always be a risk when feeding kibble, but mixing the two can (and has, in my experience) triggered G.I. distress...we just don't know if this would be a long term problem. We also know from the minimal studies done that ferrets have a tougher time digesting proteins and carbs from dry food compared to other species. I can say I do notice increased sensitivities to new foods in my ferrets compared to my dog. Any change of protein, supplier, anything at all and it will trigger some tummy upset (loose / seedy stools). I don't think it's entirely unwarranted to worry about how they'd handle a mixed diet long term. Finally, I wanted to bring up a controversial opinion I have on mixed diets. In my opinion, any raw foods you add to your ferret's processed diet will probably not create any significant health differences for your ferrets. You can totally disagree with that, this is just an opinion I formed with what I know about ferrets and processed pet foods. I bring this up because most people want to feed a mixed diet for the "health benefits." While it is a general agreement that whole food additions are healthful for all humans, we don't have any human foods even remotely comparable to what kibble is like. Kibble is the equivalent to us eating ultra cooked, ultra processed food with synthetic preservatives, dyes, and ingredients we aren't biologically able to digest for every single meal of our entire lives. We simply don't have anything like it, and it certainly couldn't be marked safe for human consumption. Let's say we did. I highly doubt a minuscule amount of healthy food would offset any damaging effects produced by the base diet. The solution would not be to feed more meat, and less kibble! Kibble is meant to be fed "as-is" with exception to added moisture. If you're feeding too much raw it will offset the nutrition provided from the kibble. If you're not careful, you could seriously render your ferrets deficient in critical nutrients. Even excess of nutrients can create deficiencies in other areas of the diet, and excess itself can be very harmful. ⚜Who knows what the future holds for ferrets. At any moment, a study could be published proving one side of the argument over the other.
Anything you choose to feed your ferrets is at your own risk, I can only provide the facts of what we have now, it's up to you to decide what to do! I will say, I came into this subject with a very straightforward opinion, but have since loosened up a bit after viewing the facts. As always, happy feeding!
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