FirstMate & Kasiks dog and cat canned diets have a unique texture. They are softer and juicier than a traditional pate. They are described by users in many ways: “Collapsible Pate”, “wet pate”, and the crowd favorite, “silky pate”. The reason our canned products are soft and tender is due to the complete lack of thickening agents such as: Carrageenan, Agar-Agar, Guar Gum, Xanthum Gum, Cassia Gum, Locust Bean Gum, etc.
FirstMate & Kasiks uses only Natural, Human Grade meats in our canned diets, with no artificial preservatives or coloring agents (and of course, no thickeners!). Therefore, our products are prone to natural variation. For example, if a salmon is pinker or juicier, it will show up the same in the can. A traditional pate has the same amount of moisture as our cans. However, by not adding thickeners our moisture is usually found around the outside of the pate. DON’T DISPOSE OF THIS LIQUID! It contains healthy fats/oils, proteins and soluble vitamins from our ingredients. Instead, we recommend mixing it with the pate in the can. Once mixed, our products take on a mousse or applesauce texture. If you prefer a gravy, simply add more moisture. This soft, silky, applesaucy texture is great for older animals. ALL our canned diets are complete and balanced and may be fed as a stand-alone diet. Our products can also be used as a topper for kibble, encouragement for taking medication, and for maximum excitement, frozen in a chew toy!
In addition, the lack of thickeners doesn’t just create a unique texture, it also helps with digestion. FirstMate canned diets can be great when a pet has an upset stomach or general touchy tummy.
We are proud to own and operate our human grade cannery in British Columbia, Canada and would love to hear about the unique way YOU use our cans. Email us at taplowf@firstmate.com or write to us on social media #FirstMateCans #KASIKSCans
PS: the video below shows how one of our staff prepares a can for their FirstMate!
MY dogs love your canned foods mixed with kibble. It only takes a small spoon full to mix with kibble. One can lasts a lot longer than other canned brands because of the wet nature of your canned product. My Llewellin Setters Sandy, Ginger, and Major are bird hunting machines and really preform great on all the FirstMate products.
My dog has currently been eating chicken and rice for a few months and would like to try other flavors within your grain friendly canned food. Do I need to slowly transition to a different flavor within your brand?
Hi Rebecca,
Thank you for your support of our FirstMate canned food for your dog. We appreciate you contacting us.
If you switch among the different proteins within the Grain Friendly line you should not need to do a gradual transition. The only difference between the formulas is the source of protein and most healthy dogs transition between the protein easily.
Don’t hesitate to contact us again if you have any other questions.
Sincerely,
Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
Manager of Research and Development
Hello!
Can you feed firstmate chicken wet dog food to cats? Just making sure.
Thanks!
Hi Jonathan,
Yes, you can feed the FirstMate Chicken canned formula for dogs to cats.
The ingredients and nutritional profiles of the canned cat and dog food are identical. Our company intentionally formulated the canned products to be identical and nutritionally balanced for both dogs and cats. In order to make a complete and balanced nutritional adequacy statement, our dog or cat food must meet the dog or cat food nutrient profiles established by the Association of the American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Although there is some variation in the minimum and maximum levels of nutrients required by dogs and cats, all nutrients show some overlap, allowing us to meet the requirements of both cats and dogs with one formulation.
Best wishes,
Wendy
Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
Manager of Research and Development
Hi, I just bought 12 cans of first mate turkey, chicken, and salmon for our cats as the person at the pet store said they were “identical” to the cat versions. Looking at the cans now I see one big difference is all three dog versions contain potato while the remaining turkey cat version advertises potato free right on the can. Are the dog versions with potato ok to feed to cats? If so why would potato free be advertised as a benefit to cats?
Hello Brian,
It is great to hear you’ve recently discovered our canned formulas. Yes, our Chicken, Turkey, and Salmon are all complete and balanced for dogs and cats. We have a version with a small inclusion of potato, another with peas, and lastly, rice. These inclusions are instead of artificial thickeners such as carrageenan or guar gum. We produce separate labels primarily because the feeding guidelines, nutritional adequacy statement, and other compliance would be too difficult to fit on a single label as they do need to be separate for dogs and cats.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any additional questions.
– FM Customer Service.
hello, I’m feeding my dog chi cross Mexican rescue apx 2 1/2 years old Honest Kitchen kibble. my veterinary says it’s to hy in carbs and too rich for him and I should add grain. he she’s now 17 lb even dough I feed less than what they recommend. so I’m thinking about switching to first mate after exhausted research. put the kibble grain inclusive seems to have 40% of carbohydrate. Honest kitchen beef formula has 46% . Chula also feels hungry all the time . would you have any suggestions for me .thank you
Hello Sylvia,
Thank you for your interest in FirstMate to help support the health of your dog. Chula may do well on our Grain Friendly Senior / Weight Management formula that provides high protein but moderate fat.
To help Chula feel more satiated on a restricted diet you could add some warm water to the kibble or even add some canned food as a topper with each meal. The increased water consumption can help fill the stomach and create a sense of fullness with fewer calories.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
Wendy