I was surprised to find out that Salmonella bacteria is a part of the normal healthy gut flora of cats and many other animals (but not humans). It's important to know how to handles raw food (in particular da protein) – for dogs and humans! This means a protein meal usually takes a short 12 hours to pass through – this doesn’t give bacteria any time to take hold and become a problem. Also, do your research, and make a note of any questions or concerns you have. Mum is interested, but afraid of the nutriments stuff. I have prepared homemade cooked food for my cats and feel it is just as good, yet I have many tell me nothing can replace the superiority of raw. I love how you address the most common concerns about raw feeding with factual data instead of just opinion. Most cases of foodborne illness come from improper handling and storage of meat in the home. Many veterinarians are hesitant to recommend a raw food diet because of safety fears or lack of knowledge about raw food diets for cats. She thinks she’s not informed enough. Raw cat food is just thatâunprocessed food made from raw ingredients. An essential amino acid found in seafood, meat (mainly muscle meat, including the heart), eggs and brewers yeast. Beef or lamb heart and kidney. Hypervitaminosis A can lead to the following: A fat-soluble vitamin which is known for its antioxidant properties, protecting cells from free radicals. They also consume a small amount of the vegetable matter ⦠Cats are obligate carnivores that have some unique nutritional needs that can be met by eating a diet composed primarily of animal tissue. Beef must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145 F to be considered safe. Hypervitaminosis A can lead to the following: Excess bone formation (exostosis), particularly in adult cats. There is a growing cynicism towards commercial diets, with one expert feline veterinarian, Dr Richard Malik offering his own opinion in this article. But she’s not great about feeding herself either – she just tosses a frozen dinner in the microwave and give us canned food. Most cases of infection occur from eating raw pork or hunting wild animals such as rodents. Veterinarians in other countries seem a little more reluctant. Toxoplasmosis Gondii is an intracellular parasite which infects multiple warm-blooded mammals. Thanks for such an informative post! You’ve probably heard that toxoplasmosis (from venison, pork and lamb) and trichinosis (from pork and game animals) can be present in raw meats. Mom Paula is about like Summer's mom. Large batches of food: Freeze into smaller portions. Many fish contain high levels of mercury and low in vitamin E, which over time can result in a painful condition known as, I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I am not a huge fan of raw. There are several possible risks which include bacterial contamination, parasites, internal damage and inadequate or too many nutrients. In the wild, cats would obtain calcium from eating the bones of their prey. A raw diet is a ‘natural’ diet, but it’s up to you to make sure your cat is getting the appropriate nutrients. Chicken necks or wings are great for your cat’s dental hygiene. This is a life-threatening condition which requires urgent veterinary care. A cat fed on a raw diet only is not getting this calcium and will need supplementation which is where it gets a little tricky. If you are going to switch your cat to a raw-only diet, do your research. Just make sure that bones are small enough so that they don’t become a potential choking or obstruction hazard. So one meal may be mostly muscle, another mostly offal or bones. There is more information on feeding cats bones, I am going to add fish to this list, while it is okay to give a small amount of fish to your cat, it should be a sometimes food, and not a regular part of his diet. Cats become infected either by consuming prey or meat which contain the cysts of the parasite or by ingesting cysts which pass out of the cat via the feces. I do not shame someone for doing one over the other, it is a personal choice and there is already enough confusion and anger on the subject! Intestinal parasites such as roundworm, hookworm or tapeworm are also cited as a safety concern when feeding raw to cats. What kind of meats aren’t suitable for cats? Cats are obligate carnivores. I am going to add fish to this list, while it is okay to give a small amount of fish to your cat, it should be a sometimes food, and not a regular part of his diet. Raw food is much closer to your cat’s natural diet. The average prey animal would be made up of approximately 70% water compared to dry food which is about 10% water. The purpose of this article was more to discuss feeding your cat raw meat a few times a week, not to switch his diet completely. mouse or bird), raw bones and all. that has come in contact with raw meat. Chicken necks and wing tips are the most suitable bones for cats. is an intracellular parasite which infects multiple warm-blooded mammals. Always check the use-by date. Next, find out our top tips for cat snacks and treats , including which ones to choose, how many should your cat have per day and what are some of the most toxic foods that can be easily confused for cat treats. Turkey breast, wings and legs, cut into chunks. Beef or lamb liver can be fed to cats but only in small quantities. Cats are meat eaters, plain and simple. Ground beef is cheap, easy to prepare and easy for cats to digest. Granted, she gives us the best, premium, carageenan and grain-free food, but still… she’s kind of lazy! Updated 19 September 2020 By Pawesome Cats 16 Comments. Raw meat will help cats stay fit so if you have an overweight cat a raw diet will balance their weight. Vitamin A supplemented during pregnancy can result in. The average-sized cat requires around 250 mg taurine per day. Never feed your cat raw meat or fish because it could transmit food-borne pathogens like salmonella. Good info about feeding raw. Cooked bones on the other hand, can cause problems and should never be fed to your cat. It takes a lot more Salmonella to cause harm to a cat than it does to cause harm to a human. –> We recommend this Balanced Raw Cat Food Recipe. Make sure the raw meat you use comes from a reputable source and is as fresh as possible. The recommended calcium to phosphorous (Ca:P) level is approximately 1.2:1. Ground meat has more surface area to attract bacteria and other nasties. Backed by research, veterinarians are therefore more likely to trust and recommend commercial pet foods, which can make it difficult to know what is best for your cat. Current knowledge about the risks and benefits of raw meat-based diets for dogs and cats, Raw meat diets(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}), Julia Wilson is a cat expert with over 20 years of experience writing about a wide range of cat topics, with a special interest in cat health, welfare and preventative care. Raw cat foods accomplish this by placing uncooked meat, fish, and internal organs at the top of their ingredient lists. There are lots of types of meat you can give to your cat; I like to include cheap cuts of steak including chuck steak and round steak. Loose teeth, gum problems and abnormalities with bone growth in kittens and the bones can easily fracture. There are substantial health risks associated with this. YES they can! Feeding raw might seem complicated at first, but once you get into a routine it’ll become second nature. However, there will always be risks of bacterial contamination in all types of food, including meat and fresh fruit and vegetables. It is also important to note that cats have extremely efficient and very acidic digestive systems. Freeze meat in small portions for at least two days and defrost in the fridge before use. There is a great deal of protein in raw meat, which is great for cats. Not all, but a high number of cats prefer the taste and texture of a raw diet to commercial dry or canned foods. Remember though, in the wild a cat will eat the entire prey animal (e.g. High levels of vitamin A are toxic to the liver, the primary storage site of the vitamin. LOL. Thaw frozen raw meat properly, by defrosting it slowly in the fridge. If you choose to feed your cat a raw or frozen raw food diet, make sure to store the food properly and follow basic food handling safety precautions. Wonderful! Processed (deli) meats such as salami, ham, turkey lunch meat, which contain high amounts of preservatives and have way too much salt. If you’re feeding ground meat, be sure to grind it yourself to reduce the risk of bacteria. Also, cats secrete high levels of stomach acid in their stomach which breaks down the protein and kills bacteria. In the wild, cats eat the carcases of the prey animals they hunt, which consist of raw meat, bones and organs. Fractured teeth, perforation of the gastrointestinal tract and gastrointestinal obstruction can occur in cats who consume bones. You can though, minimise the risk by following safe meat handling procedures and purchasing raw meat only from reputable sources. Serve raw food to your pets in stainless steel or glass bowls rather than plastic, which can harbour bacteria. Homemade diets which are high in potassium and low in calcium can lead to hyperparathyroidism, particularly in growing kittens. This is a FANTASTIC article! Stay up to date with the latest cat news and published articles. Don’t ever give cooked bones, they are too brittle and can splinter. It’s what we feed our cats! Remember that in the wild, cats would feed on animals like birds and small rodents. Feeding raw meat to cats is a topic which sparks fierce debate among cat lovers. So important to be committed and well educated before embarking into raw food territory – this is nice and thorough! In addition, an enzyme in raw fish destroys thiamine, which is an essential B vitamin for your cat. Cats often don’t make up for this imbalance by drinking more water, which can lead to concentrated urine, that promotes the formation of urinary crystals. Diets high in vitamin A are usually due to ingestion of large quantities of liver. They often talk about the dangers of raw food and of seeing feline patients who are malnourished as a result of being feed a raw food diet. Also called steatitis, yellow fat disease is a painful condition caused by inflammation and yellowing of the fat tissue induced by feeding a diet in unsaturated fatty acids and deficient in vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant. Cooking meat destroys. Many people have switched to raw only; I am not one of them. Infection in cats usually causes no symptoms at all; however, the concern with this particular parasite is the ability to cause congenital disabilities to unborn human babies if the mother becomes infected during pregnancy. Other roles it plays including boosting the immune system, reduces inflammation. The standards aren’t as high as with meat for human consumption and contamination may be a bigger issue. Many swear by it while others believe it is a danger that is not worth the potential risks to cats and their human family. Cat Themed Official Days – January to December 2021, Plasma Cell Pododermatitis (Pillow Foot) in Cats. While cats can eat raw chicken, itâs important to ensure that they do so safely. The reasoning Iâve heard is, âIt closely approximates the diet cats would get in the wildâthe diet ⦠Yes, pork is safe for your cat to eat. Even though cats can eat raw meat, it doesnât mean they should, and is not without its risks. Quite balanced article indeed, have seen others which seems are inclined to support pet food companies, I have Siamese, 3,year old and 7 kg, has been eating raw sirloin steak for two years now, he eats around 220 grams a day, also eats some biscuits and fresk milk, he is doing fine thank you. Freezing at -12 for two days kills toxoplasmosis cysts. Take care when buying, transporting, storing and processing raw meat. Last Updated on November 1, 2020 by Julia Wilson. Avoid feeding the same type of meat all the time as this is more likely to result in a nutritional deficiency. I always feed human-grade meat. Good write up – lots of times we get dehydrated foods, it's easier and momma puts nutritional additions in! Over a few days, it should all balance out. Never defrost meat at room temperature. There is more information on feeding cats bones here. Just because your vet doesn’t agree with feeding raw, doesn’t mean you should abandon the idea. Some owners worry about whether raw bones are safe for their cats to eat. Keep raw meat well wrapped and separated from other foods in the freezer. Cats have a shorter gastrointestinal tract; this means meat passes through the cat faster. There are a lot of good reasons to switch to raw; however, if you can’t do it properly, you take the risk of making your cat very sick from several diseases which can develop due to a nutritionally incomplete diet. The best way to store raw meat is to freeze it before you’re ready to use it. Never feed cooked bones. I have been looking into raw feeding for quite some time, and haven't been able to make a decision. Please don’t use your cat as a waste disposal unit, if the meat has expired, don’t give it to your cat. Phosphorous is another mineral which is stored in the bones and is responsible for bone strength, repair, and maintenance of tissues and is an integral structural component of DNA and RNA. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I am not a huge fan of raw pet food. But itâs definitely not the best choice and it can cause some problems if you choose this treat too often. To reduce the risk, only feed non-weight bearing bones which should always be raw. Purrs. My cats prefer turkey and fish. The other is that one of my dogs is a Therapy Dog and the organization she's registered with doesn't allow a raw diet due to the potential of transmitting bacteria. The potential safety issues are one reason I haven't tried raw feeding my dogs. My cats eat a mix of raw chicken necks, raw chunks of steak, canned cat food and dry food (note: none have underlying medical conditions). Taking precautions, which are listed further down this article will help reduce the chances of your cat becoming sick from eating raw meat. People don't know a lot of those things. At the same time, there isn’t the same amount of research into raw food diets for cats as there is into commercial pet food brands. It is perfectly fine to give your cat cooked meat; some pet owners prefer this. When there is an overabundance of saturated fatty acids, damage occurs to the body fat, resulting in painful inflammation. Basically, the risk of transferring disease from cat to human. Dry diets are high in carbohydrates; these are stored as fat in the cat’s body. The bones store most of the calcium in the cat’s body. Beef is another affordable meat option for cats. Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism: are toxic to the liver, the primary storage site of the vitamin. The mom gives us a little raw food, but it’s mostly the already prepared kind; she doesn’t want to make it herself. I always recommend a conversation with your cat’s veterinarian to provide the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of raw food. She's trying to figure out that piece of the puzzle first. Aside from the meat of these animals, cats can eat the bones and organs of their prey. You can introduce your cat to raw meat as soon as he starts weaning from his mother. But what we really wanted to understand was, is it safe for cats to eat raw meat? Perhaps the greatest risk of feeding and handling raw meat comes down to ⦠Feeding a little pork to your feline on occasion isnât going to cause any health problems. As already stated, I always recommend feeding human grade meat to cats. When defrosting, remove from the freezer and refrigerate until thawed through. Diets high in vitamin A are usually due to ingestion of large quantities of liver. Today’s cats evolved from desert-dwelling felines who obtained most of their fluids via their prey. You don’t want to run that risk. When feeding raw meat, you are unlikely to provide a nutritionally adequate balance with every meal. They have to have protein from meat for a strong heart, good vision, and a healthy reproductive system. Things To Consider About Raw Meatâ¦and Cats Each cat needs to eat what is appropriate for its breed, age, sex, physical condition, medical issues and lifestyle.� Our vet is a little concerned about anything "raw" so Mom Paula hasn't considered it yet. Ideally, the meat should be free-range, organic and free of chemicals. Common pathogens include salmonella, e-Coli, listeria, Clostridium, and Campylobacter. Never try to speed up thawing times by leaving frozen meat out at room temperature or microwaving it. Liver contains high levels of vitamin A and too much can lead to vitamin A toxicosis. It is possible to purchase supplements from pet suppliers which can be used for cats on a raw food diet. Types of raw meat suitable for cats: Raw chicken breast or thighs. She doesn't even prepare food for herself at home. I am not against a raw food diet, just a bit squeamish! Wash chopping boards, surfaces, knives and bowls with hot soapy water and disinfectant to make sure there are no germs. This post is very helpful, thank you. As has already been mentioned, cooking destroys taurine, which is essential for your cat’s health. The cervical/thoracic spine and joints are particularly affected. Permethrin Poisoning in Cats: What You Need to Know, Cat Scooting: What it Means and What to Do, High Blood Pressure in Cats: Signs and Treatment. Ultimately, we would not feed our cats a raw meat based diet, if we did not believe it was safe for cats to eat raw meat! A mix of 1 tablespoon bleach to 4 cups water is an effective disinfectant. Thanks. Cats need a high protein diet, not carbs. But she gives us the best canned food. Mum has suspicions we get a bit of raw outside – but it would be a serious mission for all nine of us. 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Cause internal damage and inadequate or too many nutrients not a huge fan of raw meat remove. I appreciate that you address can cats eat raw meat most common concerns about raw food to cat! Modern farming practices have mostly eliminated this parasite from pork a and too much can lead to following... ( e.g it plays including boosting the immune system, reduces inflammation have have... N'T considered it yet surface area to attract bacteria and other nasties,... Farming practices have mostly eliminated this parasite from pork with underlying health to.
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