When we think about feeding protein to our dogs and cats, most owners usually only consider the basic muscle meat section of an animal.

However in the wild, whenever a predator consumes prey, it naturally consumes the muscle, organs, connective tissue, bones and the outer skin, fur, or feathers. This is a particularly important detail as each part provides a different combination of vital nutrients.

Today we will be exploring how organs are not simply another source of protein, they are actually some of the most nutrient dense foods found in an animal.

Let's get started with a deep dive into the most common ones!

Turkey Liver, Lamb Liver, Duck Liver (Dehydrated), Duck Liver (Freeze Dried)

Liver: Nature’s Nutrient Powerhouse

Obviously we had to start with the most popular one you'll notice at every pet store, on every shelf, pretty much anywhere you go!

Liver is exceptionally rich in several essential nutrients, including:

• Vitamin A
• B vitamins
• Copper
• Iron
• Folate

Vitamin A supports normal vision, immune function and cellular health.

B vitamins are involved in energy metabolism, nervous system function and numerous cellular processes.

Copper plays an important role in iron metabolism, connective tissue formation and normal cellular function.

Liver is incredibly nutrient dense, which makes it valuable in appropriate amounts.

Keep in mind that because liver is so concentrated in certain nutrients, particularly vitamin A and copper, feeding excessive amounts over time can create nutritional imbalances.

This is meant to encourage a more balanced distribution of organ feeding, not to discourage feeding it entirely.

Pork Kidney, Beef Kidney, Rabbit Offals

Kidney: A Nutrient Dense Organ With a Unique Profile

Kidney is often overlooked when people talk about organ meat, but it provides an equally impressive combination of nutrients that is different from liver.

It is a good source of B vitamins, selenium, iron and zinc, nutrients involved in energy metabolism, immune function, blood health and normal cellular function.

Kidney is particularly notable for its B vitamin and selenium content. Selenium is an essential trace mineral that supports antioxidant protection, immune function and healthy thyroid activity.

And despite the common misconception, our opinion is that the liver and kidneys do not "store toxins."

The liver processes and helps detoxify substances in the blood, while the kidneys filter the blood and remove many water soluble waste products through urine.

Beef Spleen, Lamb Spleen

Spleen: An Exceptional Source of Iron

Spleen is one of the lesser known organs, but nutritionally speaking on what it can offer, we think it is just as worthwhile to incorporate!

The spleen plays an important role in blood and immune function. It helps filter and recycle aging red blood cells and acts as a storage site for certain blood cells and platelets.

Because of its role in blood metabolism, spleen tissue can be particularly rich in iron. 

Research comparing different animal tissues has found spleen may contain even more dramatically higher levels of iron than muscle meat and most other organs.

Iron is essential for producing hemoglobin, the protein that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. It also supports energy production and normal cellular function.

On a Traditional Chinese Medicine related note to our female readers;

Spleen can be a good food to eat during menstruation, notably because of how exceptionally rich it is in iron.

During menstruation, you lose some iron through menstrual blood loss, so iron rich foods can be useful for replenishment. Spleen is one of the more concentrated dietary sources of iron while also providing vitamin B12 and other nutrients involved in red blood cell production.

Beef Green Tripe Patties, Beef Green Tripe, Bison Tripe

Green Tripe: More Than Just a Stomach

Green tripe is the unbleached, minimally processed stomach lining of ruminant animals such as beef or lamb.

It naturally contains high quality protein, essential fatty acids, digestive enzymes, and beneficial microorganisms from the animal's stomach contents.

Unlike conventional tripe that is extensively cleaned and bleached, green tripe retains more of its natural nutrients and digestive components. It also provides minerals such as iron, zinc, selenium, and phosphorus, along with B vitamins.

For dogs and cats, green tripe is particularly valued for its palatability and natural nutritional complexity. Its signature strong aroma may not appeal to us as humans, but to our pets, that's exactly what makes it irresistible, even for the pickiest of pets! Think poop! Or is manure the more politically correct descriptor?

Green tripe is one of those great examples of nose to tail nutrition. Minimally processed, nutrient rich, and naturally appealing to our cozy carnivores!


Beef Brain, Pork Brain

Brain: A Unique Source of Fat and DHA

Brain is one of the most unique organs you can feed your dog or cat because it is naturally rich in DHA and other phospholipids, the fats that are important structural components of the brain, eyes, and nervous system.

DHA is especially relevant for pets because it plays an important role in normal brain and retinal development and function.

This makes brain a particularly interesting ingredient for growing puppies and kittens, as well as a source of these important fats for adult animals.

Brain also provides high quality protein, B vitamins, and cholesterol. Cholesterol isn't simply something to avoid. It is an essential component of cell membranes and is used by the body to make hormones and other important compounds.


Bison Heart, Chicken Heart, Duck Heart, Venison Heart

Heart: Protein Plus Taurine

Though heart is technically an organ, nutritionally it behaves much more like muscle and should be treated as such when considering animal nutrition.

Since it is a highly popular "organ" to feed, we'll go over this one too!

Heart is particularly rich in CoQ10, a compound involved in cellular energy production and antioxidant protection.

It also provides taurine, an amino acid that supports normal heart and eye function. It is also required for bile acid conjugation, which helps our animals properly digest and absorb fats. 

Unlike dogs, cats have a limited ability to synthesize taurine and therefore rely heavily on their diet to meet their needs. Because taurine is so important to cats, a consistent dietary source is personally considered a non negotiable in our household. 

A few years ago, taurine received tons of attention in the dog world because of its connection to dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, a condition that affects the heart muscle.

While most dogs can produce taurine on their own, some dogs with DCM have been found to have low taurine levels and may improve when taurine is added to their diet. 

The relationship between taurine and DCM is still being studied and not all cases of DCM are related to taurine. That said, providing naturally taurine rich foods such as heart may be a valuable player in preventative care and something we aim to do ourselves.

Does Feeding Organs Make a Diet Complete?

Now before you go off feeding these most nutrient dense parts of an animal, remember to keep percentages to roughly 10% of the total diet (5% consisting of liver).

Much higher than that will likely result in loose stools or diarrhea due to the extreme richness.

It is important to remember that both dogs and cats require many different nutrients in specific amounts and ratios. A complete diet accounts for those requirements as a whole.

If a pet is already eating a complete and balanced commercial diet, organ treats and meal toppers should generally be viewed as an additional food rather than a replacement for the primary diet.

Everything in moderation!

What About Cats?

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning their nutritional biology is adapted to obtaining essential nutrients from animal sources.

Cats have dietary requirements for nutrients such as taurine, arachidonic acid and vitamin A that are closely tied to their animal based evolutionary history.

This means animal based foods provide nutrients that are biologically relevant to cats in ways that plant based ingredients cannot adequately replace.

What About Dogs?

Dogs have somewhat greater nutritional flexibility than cats, but that does not make animal based nutrition irrelevant.

Most dogs benefit from a varied diet that provides different sources of protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. Organ meats can be a nutrient dense component of that variety.

Organs can also be an excellent way to introduce different animal proteins and textures into a dog's diet.

Norwegian Mackerel, Whole Prey Quail Hatchlings, Whole Prey Rabbit Fuzzies, Whole Prey Quail

Why We Believe in Feeding the Whole Animal

At Naked Beasts, we have always believed there is value in respecting the entire animal.

Nature does not divide food into convenient categories of muscle meat, supplements and synthetic nutrients. The animal itself is the package.

We lean towards the concept of whole prey nutrition and highly encourage feeding as many different animal parts as you are able to get your hands on.

When these different organs and other parts are supplemented into the diet, they provide a much broader range of nutrients than relying on one type of muscle meat alone.

Take a few minutes to browse our wide selection of various muscle meats, bone, and organ offerings.

It will quickly become apparent just how much we support nutritional diversity and rotational feeding as much as possible!