FAQs

All our food is organic and natural, made of pure ingredients. No artificial raw materials, preservatives or colourings are added to Yarrah’s cat and dog food.

We don’t add any sugars to our dry food and wet food for cats and dogs. Nevertheless, our products can contain sugars that are present in some raw materials.

Stomachs, hearts, liver and kidneys are used in our products. No feather meal or blood whatsoever are used. Why do we use these animal byproducts? It would be a sin to throw away these useful byproducts. After all, heart, kidneys and liver contain plenty of essential minerals and vitamins. Stomachs contain plenty of proteins and very little fat. By adding these products to our food we are preventing food waste and it enables us to add an extra source of vitamins, minerals and proteins.

‘Crude’ in the declaration on the label refers to the total quantity of protein, fat, cellulose and ash derived from all raw materials in the food. Crude ash refers to the total amount of minerals remaining after food is burned in your pet’s body. This is the proportion of the food that can’t be digested. So it has nothing to do with what you would normally think of as ash.

Zinc is important for building proteins and ensures transport of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood. Zinc sees to it that your four-legged friend has strong bones. It also makes your cat or dog’s fur and skin healthier. Furthermore, zinc is good for the smell, taste and appetite, meaning your pet will be even more eager to eat his food! Zinc boosts the immune system. A deficiency could lead to your pet being more prone to infection and recovering more slowly. Consequently, we see to it that there is enough zinc in our food.

Vitamin B5 is necessary for your pet’s carbohydrate, protein and fatty acid metabolism. Furthermore, vitamin B5 supports the nervous system. A deficiency could lead to anaemia, dermatitis and neurodegeneration in your pet. If you feed your pet Yarrah food, then it will be getting enough vitamin B5.

Vitamin B1 contributes to ensuring that the nervous system and heart muscle function properly. Vitamin B1 also helps the conversion of carbohydrates to energy. A vitamin B1 deficiency will impact on the nervous system. For example, your cat or dog could get tired more easily, lose his appetite or exhibit signs of agitation. If you feed your pet Yarrah food, then it will be getting enough vitamin B1.

Fats are an important source of energy. The amount of fat your cat or dog needs will depend on how active he is. A deficiency in terms of fats could lead to a deficiency in terms of vitamins A, D, E and K. Your cat could end up with lacklustre fur and skin damage as a result. Careful consideration has been given to your pet's energy needs when formulating Yarrah food. The fat content has been adjusted accordingly. So no need to worry!

Manganese is a mineral. It is found in such things as cereals, rice, leafy vegetables, meat and fish. Manganese contributes to your pet's metabolism and helps foster better absorption of other nutrients into the body. Moreover, manganese is important for bone formation.

Magnesium is a mineral that is important for your pet’s good health and development. Together with calcium, magnesium sees to it that bones stay strong. Furthermore, magnesium is needed for proper heart function and processing nerve impulses. It also helps regulate the body’s acidity. Magnesium will make your four-legged friend better able to cope with stress and tension. If you feed your pet Yarrah food, then it will be getting enough magnesium.

Cobalt is part of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 (and cobalt) commonly occurs in animal food. It is necessary for haematopoiesis (blood formation).

Phosphorus is a mineral. When phosphorus binds with another substance, it creates compounds. These compounds are termed phosphates. By eating food your cat or dog will absorb these phosphates into its body. Phosphates are extremely important in the body. They form part of DNA, the carrier of personal characteristics. They also contribute to fostering strong bones and ensure that the body’s cells get the energy they need to be able to function. If you feed your pet Yarrah food, it will be getting enough phosphorus.

Proteins are also referred to as the body’s building blocks. Proteins are necessary for your pet to grow, as well as for repairing and maintaining the body’s cells and tissues. Proteins are an essential component of the blood and some enzymes. Proteins also provide energy when not enough energy can be obtained from fats and carbohydrates. A protein deficiency could lead to retarded growth, poor healing of wounds and anaemia. How do you know whether or not your cat or dog is getting enough proteins? Yarrah has already taken care of this in its food. If you feed your pet Yarrah food, it will be getting enough proteins.

The most important function of calcium in your dog’s body is to ensure strong bones and teeth. However, calcium is also needed for such things as coagulation, heart muscle contraction and processing nerve impulses. Calcium might also help protect against cancer. A calcium deficiency can lead to bones becoming more brittle and cause a vitamin D3 deficiency. If your dog or cat has a cut, then it will heal more slowly if he has a calcium deficiency, because the blood will not clot as readily. A proportion of the calcium is excreted through the faeces or urine. Yarrah ensures that there is always enough calcium in its food.

We occasionally use sunflower seed husks from the Netherlands, Germany and Ukraine in both our cat and dog food. It might not sound tasty, but they’re really rather useful! Sunflower seed husks contain plenty of dietary fibre. This makes them good for intestinal function and preventing constipation. Sunflower seed husks contain methionine, an amino acid that the body is not capable of producing by itself. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and muscle tissue and are indispensable when it comes to the body functioning properly. Which is why we also add sunflower seed husks to our food.

Dogs can’t live on meat alone. They also need plant nutrients. A dog’s digestive tract is short. This makes it difficult for them to absorb nutrients from plants. Plant matter takes a lot longer to digest than meat, you see. For that reason, the plant ingredients in our food are ‘rendered soluble’. What this means is that they are crushed and heated to make the nutrients more readily available. We use cereals as a source of plant nutrients in our food. Cereals are an important source of carbohydrates and crude fibre. Thus ensuring energy and optimum digestion for your four-legged friend.

We occasionally use organic seaweed in both our cat and dog food. Our seaweed comes from Ireland. Seaweed contains a plethora of vitamins (including vitamins A, D and E), minerals and amino acids. It’s rich in essential proteins, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Did you know that seaweed is good for bowel movements? What’s more, seaweed ensures lustrous fur, good physical condition, strong muscles and increased vitality.

We occasionally use organic carrots in our dog food. Carrots have several positive properties. For example, they contain retinol (vitamin A1) and beta-carotene. This is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is important for building capillaries and hence for the health of all cells. Thanks to carrot in our food, your dog’s body will therefore be able to function that little bit better.

We occasionally use organic tomatoes in both our cat and dog food. The tomatoes we use come predominantly from Spain and Italy. Tomatoes are veritable vitamin bombs. They’re bursting with vitamins A and C, carotene, vitamins B1, B2 and B6 and the minerals potassium, phosphate and magnesium. Tomatoes also contain lycopene. Lycopene is important for the immune system. It helps to reduce aggressive effects on the body before they are able to cause more significant damage. Which is nice! Sometimes you’ll hear it said that raw tomato is harmful. As long as it's given in limited quantities, the red parts of the tomato won’t be harmful to your four-legged friend. You’d be better off not giving your pet unripe tomatoes and the green parts of tomatoes. Our wet food contains just 0.2% dried, ripe tomato. The heat treatment process we use to sterilize our wet food no longer involves raw tomato and so it can't do any harm.

We occasionally use organic thyme from Turkey in both our cat and dog food. Thyme is well known for helping alleviate inflammation, skin problems and osteoarthritis. Does your pet have intestinal problems? Then thyme could help with these too.

Taurine is a natural acid found in muscle tissue (for example). Cats can't produce their own taurine. In order to have taurine, your cat will need to get it from his food. It is important for your cat to ingest taurine because a deficiency could lead to blindness and heart problems. For that reason, all of Yarrah’s complete meals for cats contain sufficient taurine.

We occasionally use spirulina from China in both our cat and dog food. Organic, of course. Spirulina has a plethora of beneficial properties. It contains various vitamins (including B12), minerals (such as calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium) as well as all essential amino acids required for a healthy diet. Spirulina contains plenty of proteins that maintain blood sugar and ensure strong bones. It also sees to it that your dog or cat will stay nice and supple for a long time, and not get ill as quickly. And your four-legged friend will recover more swiftly after exertion. Great, isn’t it?

Sorghum is a member of the grass family and is gluten-free. We occasionally use it in our cat and dog food. Our organic sorghum comes from Italy and is rich in vitamin B. Vitamin B contributes to fostering good digestion and a healthy nervous system.

We occasionally use organic soya or soya products in both our cat and dog food, primarily from France and China. Heat-treated soya is a good source of protein and ensures softer stools with a lower pH value and a low ammonia content. What’s more, soya helps foster a better cholesterol level in your four-legged friend.

We occasionally use organic beef from Uruguay, France, Austria and Germany in both our cat and dog food. Want to know more about the beef Yarrah uses? Find out more here.

We occasionally use organic rosemary from the United States in both our cat and dog food. We do so because it means we don't have to use any artificial preservatives. An extract of rosemary and vitamin E extends the food's shelf life. Rosemary also reinforces the intestines, helps the liver to detoxify and encourages gall production. Good news, isn't it?

We occasionally use organic rice from Italy in both our cat and dog food. We use paddy rice for this. Paddy rice is unpeeled and unpolished. It is the crudest version. The fibre ensures optimum, healthy digestion. We use rice due to the high degree of acceptance it enjoys. Furthermore, rice is gluten-free, a source of high-quality proteins and it encourages digestion.

We occasionally use organic parsley from the Netherlands in both our cat and dog food. Parsley is really good for kidney problems, as it has a diuretic effect and purifies the blood. It encourages digestion too. Additionally, parsley can prevent gallstones and alleviate rheumatism. It will also make your pet look a bit better, as parsley contributes to fostering strong nails, hair and skin.

We occasionally use omega-3 and omega-6 in our food. These are fatty acids occurring in fish. Omega-3 and omega-6 help prevent cardiovascular disease, arthritis and depression. And that’s not all! They lower blood cholesterol levels and have an anti-inflammatory effect. The fatty acids are also important for eye function and brain metabolism. What’s more, they’ll give your pet beautifully lustrous fur. And who wouldn’t want that?

We occasionally use corn in both our cat and dog food and in our snacks. It goes without saying that this corn is organic, and it is sourced from such countries as Russian and Ukraine. The corn flakes we use come from France. The cornflour is from the Czech Republic. We use corn in our food because it is a source of high-quality proteins. Furthermore, corn is gluten-free.

We occasionally use organic chicken in both our cat and dog food, primarily from the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. Want to know more about the chicken Yarrah uses? Find out more here.

We occasionally use turkey in both our cat and dog food. Organic, of course, and primarily from Germany and England. We add turkey because it enjoys a high level of acceptance. What’s more, turkey is very well tolerated and is readily digestible. Thus making turkey a great ingredient to work with. Every two years our quality manager will go and carry out inspections at all our suppliers, and our turkey suppliers are no exception. We do so as an extra check. Are the animals genuinely being given lots of space to roam? Are they not being fattened up? Is great care being taken when it comes to the hygiene in the processing factories? It’s best to be on the safe side!

Yarrah’s senior dog food contains field horsetail, also called common horsetail. Our organic field horsetail from Namibia is rich in silicic acid (silicon). Silicic acid is an extremely important part of the skin and hair, though it also reinforces the joint capsule and cartilage. Consequently, field horsetail helps reinforce the connective tissue and alleviate joint pain. Plus it’s good at remedying rheumatism, gout and neuralgia (nerve pain). Perfect for older dogs, then. Another great thing is that field horsetail has a diuretic effect and a stimulatory effect on kidney and bladder function, enabling prevention of bladder inflammation and bladder cramps. And it has beneficial effects in cases of kidney gravel and bladder or kidney stones. Need we say any more?

We use organic devil's claw from Albania, Croatia, France and Poland in our senior dog food. Devil's claw contains gluco-iridoids. These have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, sedative and diuretic properties. Perfect for the older dog. After all, it's good for detoxification and the suppleness of joints as well as reducing joint pain. Devil’s claw has a relaxing effect on the muscles. Furthermore, it encourages the excretion of waste and can help remedy poor appetite and digestive problems.

We occasionally use chicory in both our cat food and our dog food. Organic, of course. We get this chicory specially from France, and it’s a source of dietary fibre for your pet. For example, it contains the natural plant substance inulin, which contributes to ensuring healthy intestinal flora and good digestion. In addition, chicory ensures proper breakdown of fat and optimum gall stimulation. So thanks to the chicory in our food, then, your cat or dog will feel that little bit healthier.

Yarrah’s dry food contains an average of 25% meat product. The proportion of meat in our tinned food is higher, being around 45%. Our alu dishes contain around 40% meat.

The meat content in our dry food is indicated on our packaging as a percentage of dried chicken or chicken without moisture. To convert the percentage of dried chicken back to fresh chicken, this percentage is multiplied by about 5. For example, a 2kg bag of Small Breed contains 19% dried chicken, or 380g, which equals 1900g of fresh chicken. The percentage of fresh chicken in Yarrah Small Breed's total content is therefore 95%. We could add even more meat, but it is not necessary, because dogs and cats can get more than enough energy from the three sources offered in the food: proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In view of the general debate on excessive meat consumption and its negative impact on the climate, adding more meat than necessary is also not justified.

The following sum will enable you to work out the amount of carbohydrate in the food: First add together the percentages of the following ingredients. This information can be found on our food's packaging. Crude protein + Crude cellulose + Crude fat + Crude ash + Moisture = X% Next, subtract this percentage from 100%. The remaining percentage is the percentage of carbohydrate. Example: Crude protein: 26% Crude cellulose: 3% Crude fat: 12% Crude ash: 9% Moisture: 10%+ Adding this together, we get 60%. 100% - 60% = 40%, meaning that in this example the food is 40% carbohydrate.

Yarrah has two varieties of vegetarian dry food for dogs in its range: Vega and Vega Grain-Free. The most significant ingredients in the vegetarian dog food are cereals (wheat and maize), plant byproducts (sunflower seed flakes and wheat meal) as well as soya beans. All these products are sourced from certified organic farmers. Want to know more about the vegetarian and vegan dog food from Yarrah? Find out more here.