ALL ABOUT FEED
BOWL WOW™

Frequently asked questions

What raw materials are used to make the feeds, and where are they made?

Our feed is produced in Zhukovsky district of the Kaluga region, Russia. Raw materials used are mainly national as well as European.

What does the name of your brand mean? How is it pronounced?

We did our best to make a truly high-quality food for our beloved pets: with a high content of animal protein, no preservatives, flavors, flavor boosters and other unnecessary stuff. We believe that in the end, we got a real WOW effect in a food bowl. So, we combined the word ‘bowl’ and our delight from the result of the work done — BOWL WOW ™. It is pronounced as [bəul wau].

Will there be new flavors and wet food for cats?

Of course they will. Wet food and new flavors for your pets will be available very soon—early in 2024.

How to store the food properly?

The feed needs to be kept between +4 °C and +25 °C with a relative humidity of no more than 75% in a dry, clean, well-ventilated area. The feed should be used within 18 months of manufacturing if stored in a sealed container. Use the opened package within 6 months of opening. Keep the packaging away from hot surfaces, strong smelling items, and household chemicals.

How can I encourage my cat in switching to BOWL WOW™ food?

It is recommended to gradually introduce the new food over a minimum of one week. Mix a small amount of BOWL WOW™ into the regular feed, gradually increasing the volume to 100%. Every packet of our brand of food has a diagrammatic depiction of the transition to the new diet on the side.

Can I only feed my pet BOWL WOW™ dry food? Or should it be alternated with wet?

You can do that All the ingredients needed to maintain animals in a fundamentally normal state are included in BOWL WOW™ dry food. All your pet needs is access to fresh water and BOWL WOW™ food.

I would like to cooperate with you. How can I contact you?

We are so glad to hear that! Please contact us to discuss more details. You can phone us on +7499-302-4996, send us a message to hello@bowlwow.com or fill out the form on the home page of this website.

How do I figure out what food is right for my breed of cat?

BOWL WOW™ food is suitable for cats of all breeds.

С какого возраста котенка или щенка можно переводить с прикорма на сухой корм для котят/щенков?

Корма для котят и щенков подходит для питомцев от 3 месяцев.

At what age can a kitten or puppy be switched to dry food?

Once a kitten reaches 12 months of age, they can be transitioned to adult cat food. There are, however, some exceptions: it is preferable for large breed kittens (like Maine Coons) to transition to adult cat food at the age of 15 months.

A puppy's transition to adult dog food is based on the breed's size. If it is a small breed of dog up to 10 kg, puppies can be switched to adult dog food from 7-9 months of age, if it is a medium breed puppy from 10 to 25 kg - from 12 months of age. But if it is a large breed or giants in general, then the puppy is switched to adult dog food from 15-18 months of age.

Can two different BOWL WOW feeds be mixed together?

Mixing feeds with different fat content, amount of protein and ingredients is fraught with GI tract reactions. You can alternate feed, giving the animal, for example, one pack of food with turkey and another with chicken, if you want to feed it different flavors from the same manufacturer's line.

But BOWL WOW™ food does not currently have a wide variety of flavors within the same product line, and mixing different foods - for example, food for sterilized cats and kitten food - is not recommended.

Will the food for sterilized dogs be added in the lineup? And is it possible to use some feed from the current lineup?

It won't be possible to get food for sterilized dogs or dogs who are prone to gaining weight until late 2024 or early 2025. We recommend a diet with turkey, chicken, rice, and the inclusion of beet for mature medium breed dogs, out of the two options now available. The amount of fat, ash content, and calcium to phosphorus ratio in this diet is more appropriate for a sterilized dog.

Can unsterilized cats be fed food for sterilized cats? What is the difference between these feeds?

Non-sterilized cats can be fed sterilized cat food if they are healthy, young animals with no chronic diseases and do not have an overly thin physique. All BOWL WOW™ adult cat food contains reduced calcium and phosphorus (to prevent sand and stone formation), but the sterilized cat food also contains reduced fat and a variety of fiber to help cats get full faster with less food.

Are there any discounts for bulk ordering?

Of course, we can discuss the feed shipment you need and even collaboration. Contact us and we will discuss further details. Please call us on +7499-302-4996, send us an email at hello@bowlwow.com or fill out the form on the homepage.

What class does the feed belong to?

BOWL WOW™ dry food is a super premium food.

What kind of meat is in the composition of dry food? Dry, fresh, raw?

The dry food includes dehydrated chicken or turkey. Additionally, some feeds use purified beef protein (beef blood plasma) and pure beef protein (beef blood plasma) as natural flavoring agents and extra sources of animal protein. an additional source of animal protein, and lamb meat hydrolysate (meat emulsion) in lamb feed.

Is the food suitable for cats? Or is it just for cats?

Yes, all foods are suitable for both females and males of the respective animal species (cat/dog).

How many days does the food keep if the bag is opened?

Although an open dry food pack can be kept for up to six months, we advise giving it to your pet no later than one and a half months, since the food tends to become stale and lose its flavor.

The ingredients in the dry food say poultry. Are we talking about chicken?

Dry food may include chicken or turkey (or both types of protein), we make sure to decipher this in the composition as follows: "dehydrated poultry 32 % (chicken 22 %, turkey 10 %)".

How long does a cat's feed last?

A 1.5 kg bag might last roughly a month for a 6 kg cat on average. However, it all depends on both your cat's weight, activity, body condition, housing conditions, introduction of wet food into the diet, etc. We recommend using the table on the back of the packs or the feed calculator on this website. The calculator can be found on any product page under the "Feed Rate" tab.

What is the feed made of according to GOST?

The rations are made on the basis of GOST 55453-2022, and also correspond to the recommendations of FEDIAF, AAFCO, NRC.

Who is the manufacturer of the feed? Won't it disappear from the market?

The manufacturer of the feed is OOO Yuta, which is located in Zhukovsky district of Kaluga region, Russia, so the feed will absolutely not disappear from sale.

What is the shelf life of the feed?

The expiry date of the food is indicated on the back of the package in the lower left corner. If you order from marketplaces - unfortunately, we can't tell you the expiry date of a particular batch, it depends on what batch is in stock in your region. When you order from this bowlwow.com website, you can be assured that you will be receiving food from the most recently produced batch.

Should I feed my cat dry food? Is it not harmful because of the flavorings and flavor enhancers?

We understand your concern and desire to find a healthy diet for your pet. Animals can be fed both natural and dry food, as long as the diet meets the daily requirement of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. When feeding natural food, you need the help of a nutritionist to calculate the right nutritional ingredients for your pet. And when feeding dry food, it is much easier to meet the needs of the cat's body. However, it is important to choose a good grade of feed: premium and above.

No artificial preservatives, colors or flavors are used in our feeds. During the production cycle, chicken fat is sprayed on the pellets to give them a flavor that appeals to cats. Apart from its fragrant properties, it also serves as a source of fat and essential fatty acids and acts as an antioxidant. An article from a veterinary gastroenterologist on our blog can provide you with further information about feeding dry or natural food.

What is the amount of carbohydrates in the feed?

Carbohydrates are not declared on the packaging and are calculated according to the formula: Carbohydrates (%) = 100 % - Protein (%) - Fat (%) - Ash (%) - Fibre (%) - Water (%), so BOWL WOW™ has about 35 % carbohydrates for sterilized cats. But the exact figure can be known only after the laboratory analysis. Please be aware that every dry food contains % moisture. If the brand's website or packaging does not provide information regarding this indicator, it is typical to use the value "no more than 10%".

What is the calculated percentage of animal protein in dog food?

The composition of the product, which displays the ingredients used in decreasing volume of their content in the feed and the nutritional value per 100 g or 1 kg of the finished product, may be found on the back of each feed package. The BOWL WOW Adult Small Breed Dog Food with Turkey, Rice and Rosemary supplement of 26 g protein per 100 g of diet includes all proteins: both animal and vegetable proteins (26 g protein = 100%), and 70% of this 26 g protein is the total share of proteins of animal origin (from dehydrated turkey and fish). It is critical to understand where the percentage is calculated.

Why is turkey the main meat ingredient in the feed? Are the other flavors also turkey based?

The main meat component is turkey or chicken meal in dry feeds on the Russian market. Otherwise, they are also called dehydrated chicken/turkey. Poultry meal (chicken or turkey) contains more protein and less ash, so it is the best base for dry feeds. Everything else - lamb, rabbit, duck - is used in the form of hydrolysates or, in other words, meat emulsions. A maximum of 30% lamb, rabbit, or duck meat emulsion can be added to the production dosage; a greater volume cannot be added physically during the manufacturing process. It is critical to understand that moisture loss reduces 30% of the raw beef emulsion in production to 7%. As a result, producing a diet solely from rabbit, lamb, or duck hydrolysates is nearly impossible. Not only would it cost 4-5 times as much, but the composition would not be balanced in terms of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and be high in animal protein. The situation is identical with fish: dehydrated fish (usually a variety of different fish species) is used as a basis, and salmon is utilized as a hydrolysate.

Why are there three plant ingredients in one feed - rice, barley and peas? Is this a marketing ploy to keep rice off the top of the ingredient list?

This variety of carbohydrates is used to balance fiber. Rice provides easily digestible carbs and a tiny quantity of soluble fiber; barley is high in insoluble fiber and is used to compensate for rice's low level; and peas provide plant-based protein and soluble fiber as well. If there was only rice in the BOWL WOW™ formula, we would have figured out how and what to compensate for the lack of fiber anyway.

Why do you have the same amount of 32% dehydrated poultry (chicken 22%, turkey 10%) in cat food everywhere?

We keep a comparable ratio so that diets have an ideal functional balance of minerals, which implies a lack of diversity. A appropriate calcium Ca and phosphorus P ratio, for example, as well as a low ash level, are crucial components of a high-quality cat food. Each meal has a distinct calcium and phosphorus level, and chicken meal is very low in ash. Therefore, the ratio of different types of flour to get the perfect balance cannot vary much.

It is also important to consider many related factors and the needs of different groups of animals. In terms of the Ca:P ratio, our meals for sterilized cats, for example, can be suggested for older cats since we consider the stress on the kidneys and the likelihood of urolithiasis in old age and so keep the mineral content within preventive guidelines.

What else is important to consider: pay attention to both the percentage of protein and the sources of protein. Some feed manufacturers compensate for the protein percentage with plant protein, including gluten. On the other hand, we maintain high levels of animal protein.

Is the feed or its ingredients tested on animals?

During the manufacturing process, petfood is not tested on cats and dogs. Following the preparation of the test batch of feed, samples are taken and sent to a laboratory for analysis in terms of microbiology, safety, and compliance with guaranteed indicators, among other things. The food from this batch is sent to independent research centers and our four-legged friends after 10–14 days so that the strictest reviewers and actual sommeliers in the field of food can provide their opinions.

Do you have meat as part of the feed selection?

The primary meat ingredient in our feeds is dehydrated chicken or turkey. Poultry meal (chicken or turkey) is said to be the ideal base for dry food because it has less ash and more protein. It is combined with additional meat ingredients (duck, lamb, rabbit, etc.) in the form of offal or hydrolysates.

Why are peas in pet food ingredients?

In commercial dry pet foods, carbohydrate sources (rice, barley and peas) as additional sources of fiber (soluble and insoluble) and as a source of plant-based protein, and to give shape to extruded pellets. Peas in feeds are an additional source of plant-based protein and soluble fiber. And it also has a low glycemic index, which provides prevention of the development of diabetes mellitus in animals.

What does normal and reduced dog activity mean in nutritional standards? How can you tell?

We recognize that an individual animal's energy needs may vary from the average value listed in the feeding table, thus the owner must modify the amount of food given, taking into consideration the animal's weight gain or loss. Everything is highly dependent on things like animal activity, physical condition, and housing conditions. According to statistics, dogs classified as medium activity walkers walk one to three hours a day, while low activity dogs walk less than an hour (for example, while on a leash). On average, there is a 15% difference in feeding between a low-active and a medium-active dog. However, to avoid overfeeding and the risk of obesity, it is best to start at a lower calculated rate and add feed as needed to maintain the animal's optimal body weight.

How do you calculate the amount of B vitamins in nutritional value per 100 g of finished product?

Brewer's yeast values and vitamin and mineral supplements are converted to vitamins, particularly B vitamins. This does not take into account, for example, vitamins from meat and bone meal.

Why do your feeds have low iodine content?

The iodine content in our food is 0.2 mg per 100 g, FEDIAF norm is 0.18 mg for kittens, 0.13 mg for adults per 100 g dry matter.

Why does the amount of selenium in feed exceed FEDIAF allowable limits?

Here, it's crucial to take the country where the feed is produced and consumed into account. The top limit set forth in the FEDIAF guidelines for Europe relates to legality (label L) rather than nutritional content (label N). It has nothing to do with animal toxicity; rather, it has to do with European feed regulations. For the following reasons, according to EFSA, feed producers in Europe are subject to these standards: they maintain their environment and land well, and their productive animals contribute to the high selenium concentration of their soil. That is, selenium is not only found in vitamin-mineral complexes, but also in meat and vegetable ingredients of feeds. As for central Russia, it is a selenium-poor zone. Given that selenium has a limited digestion, a high selenium level in the feed is advantageous.

How do you control the package atmosphere?

Because to the zipper bag and the use of rosemary, a natural preservative, the product's quality is maintained longer in our feeds.

What type of fish is used in the ingredient "dehydrated fish"?

Sadly, the lack of specific fish species is a result of the limits of the Russian raw material base; the raw material suppliers are unable to provide information regarding the usage of a certain fish species in accordance with their standards. The most common usage is a combination of many fish species.

I would like to see more meat in dog food - both in volume and variety. Is it possible?

The body of the animal will frequently react negatively to a larger diversity of meat products in the same diet (e.g., allergies). It should also be remembered that large and uncontrolled amounts of animal protein can negatively affect the animal's kidney function - especially if the quality of the raw material leaves much to be desired. In order to lessen the strain on the excretory system, we're not only talking about the quantity of protein in the diet but also its quality, as well as the quantity and ratio of each necessary amino acid that matches the dog's amino acid profile. Our article "BVaap calculator and measuring the protein quality in pet food" has more information about protein quality and explains why "more" isn't always better.

What are the pellet sizes in your feeds?

Cat food:
6.5 mm is a kitten pellet size
All other cat diets in the range (adult, sterilized, sensitive digestion) have pellet sizes of 8 mm.

Dog food:
7-9 mm PUPPY / SMALL
10-12 mm PUPPY / MEDIUM
12-14 mm PUPPY / LARGE
8-10 mm ADULT / SMALL
12-14 mm ADULT / MEDIUM
17-19 mm ADULT / LARGE

How do you control the quality of the feed?

Our quality control process is multifaceted and starts at the formulation stage.

The feed formula is regulated in accordance with GOST, FEDIAF, AAFCO, and NRC laws and recommendations, and it is discussed with numerous veterinary professionals. After that, we carefully choose our suppliers by asking for all required paperwork and certifications. The suppliers of rice, peas, meat ingredients, and other staple foods are also the ones who provide the raw materials needed to make goods for human use. Samples from the produced batch of feed are sent to FSBI "ARRIAH" (All-Russian Research Institute for Animal Health) to obtain a declaration and certificate of conformity. The feed is then sent for prolonged examination to the Novosibirsk Regional Veterinary and Sanitary Welfare Center and then to several other laboratories. In order to draw conclusions about our feeds' short- and long-term nutrition, samples are sent for testing in parallel.

Are you specifying vitamins per raw ingredients or in terms of the final product to account for loss?

Vitamin loss in the final product is especially addressed in regards to both wet and dry foods.

Is there DL-methionine present in cat food? This is important for sterilized cats

Sulfur-containing amino acid DL-methionine is in fact frequently added to feeds to acidify the urine—that is, to prevent the precipitation of minerals (calcium and phosphorus) in the urine by dissolving them in the urine. However, urine is alkalized by plant proteins (apart from maize gluten) and acidified by animal proteins found in diets. BOWL WOW™ diets have a high % of animal protein, which acidifies the urine, and low levels of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium from the raw materials used, so it is not necessary to add additional DL-methionine. In reality, methionine is added separately if the feed contains a lot of vegetable protein and is characterized by high ash content. However, excessive urine acidification is not a permanent cure, as oxalates may start to develop.

Is table salt added to the feed?

The BOWL WOW™ diet, like most feed manufacturers, has chloride and sodium in the product formulation - a must for a complete feed. While chlorides are required to preserve acid-base balance, sodium is necessary to control urine concentration, water balance, and the kidneys' excretion of metabolic waste products. Therefore, a natural proportion of salt (sodium chloride) will always be present in animal feed. However, some producers might also add salt to pique animals' desire and encourage them to drink more liquid—especially water in the case of cats. BOWL WOW™ diets contain only the natural proportion of salt, we do not add additional NaCl during production.

Какие приюты вы поддерживаете и как?

На данный момент мы поддерживаем 6 приютов кошек и собак — суммарно около 500-600 животных. Мы работаем в формате безвозмездной поддержки и помогаем кормом по необходимым потребностям, ведь это одна из самых больших и проблемных статей расходов в работе любого приюта.

Приюты кошек: Эрмитажные коты, Velen, Приют Бездомышей, Королёвские Коты (ветеринарный приют).
Приюты собак: Домик Мелкашей, Dog’s Paradise.