Raw Cat Food

A raw cat food diet is beneficial for your pet as cats are obligate carnivores and thrive on the meat, organs and bones of smaller prey. Their bodies are designed to digest flesh and bone in the raw state.

Cats and Their Nutritional Needs

 Even in the past, cats have adhered to a carnivore’s diet and have only eaten the flesh of prey and insects. They require animal tissues to maintain good health. Their diet should therefore contain a good source of protein along with certain vitamins and minerals like taurine, vitamin A, and fatty arachidonic acid, all of which are found in animal tissues and not in commercial dry cat foods.

Most often than not, domesticated cats are fed cooked food and commercial cat food products by their owners and these foods are deficient in essential nutrients.

Is a Raw Meat Diet Safe for Cats?

A raw meat diet may not be safe for humans but is very safe for cats. Their digestive systems have evolved over the years and their stomachs have a highly acidic environment. This highly acidic environment kills any bacteria that they may consume. In the wild, cats eat putrid matter but rarely die of food poisoning.

Precautions:

  • It’s best to avoid packaged supermarket ground beef
  • Buy meat and poultry from a butcher
  • You should add probiotics to the raw food
  • Uneaten food should be disposed to prevent contamination

Pros of a Raw Food Diet

Since raw foods are rich in enzymes and nutrients that are otherwise destroyed during the process of cooking, cats on a raw food diet have healthier teeth, better muscle tone, fewer allergies, higher energy levels, glossier coats and healthier weight levels than those fed commercial food products. Raw foods contain more water than kibble. Hence, cats on a raw food diet drink less water. This reduces the risk of bloating.

Since you prepare the raw food at home, you are sure that all the ingredients are fresh and human grade and that your pet is receiving the best quality food that you can provide him.

Cons of a Raw Food Diet

Preparing a raw food diet for your pet is more expensive and time consuming than buying a product that is commercially available. You have to ensure that the food is stored properly to minimize the risk of spoilage. If not eaten within half an hour, the food should be discarded.

Tips for Feeding a Raw Food Diet to your Cat

A variety of meat and other foods should be fed to your cat in order to ensure that you are feeding him a nutritionally balanced diet. 60 to 75 percent of the food should consist of bones covered with meat and the rest of the diet should consist of organ meats and blended fruits and vegetables. You should see to it that your pet is fed 2 to 3 percent of his body weight to ensure a healthy weight.

Pork meat should be avoided and meats such as beef, chicken, and turkey should be given to provide variety. Fish shouldn’t be fed too often or in large amounts to your pet.

As an alternative to homemade raw food, you can give your pet a commercial raw food diet. Such foods claim to offer all the benefits of a fresh raw food diet with less preparation time and since the moisture is removed from such foods, there is less risk of spoilage.

 

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