Homemade Food For Cats
If youre like me and not comfortable feeding a raw food diet to your cats but still want the best, be in control and know what exactly goes into your cats food then consider cooking it or buying it pre-made yourself.
I like to keep their food as minimally processed as possible.
I actually buy my cats food from a company called NomNomNow.
They prepare all their food fresh and deliver within 2 days still ice cold.
Ive been using them for about three months now and I dont see myself ever going back solely to canned food.
The biggest thing here is cost, especially with 4 cats. I still supplement using Crave cat food for variety or when the fresh food runs out.
Can Cats Eat Raw Meat Yes They Can
Before we switched our cats to a raw food diet we did a lot of research. Yes, we knew cats can eat raw meat. But what we really wanted to understand was, is it safe for cats to eat raw meat? What are the safety concerns that make most veterinarians hesitant or even opposed to recommending a raw food diet for cats? How can we ensure that the raw food we feed our cats is prepared with safety in mind?
Image: Arnaud Paillard via Flickr
What Are The Benefits Of Raw Cat Food
Confused about raw cat food? Read the pros, cons, and benefits of feeding raw
Raw cat food is something that is discussed a lot. Hearing about it may have sparked your interest – after all feeding the best cat food, whether that be the best dry cat foods or the best wet cat food, to our cats is one of the ways we like to be good pet owners. Raw feeding champions claim a number of benefits from the best raw cat food, including better skin and haircoat to fewer behavioral problems. You may also have heard some of the counter-arguments for feeding raw – including the spread of disease and nutritional deficiencies.
Raw feeding advocates often center their argument around the fact that cats are hunters. Over millions of years of evolution, cats have only had their food cooked for them in very recent history. It stands to reason that theyre perfectly capable of digesting and utilizing raw food – and raw feeders say that they get more nutrients out of it. They say there are big benefits to raw cat food – cats are healthier, with fewer medical issues and a shinier coat. They also say that the raw-fed cats have a better appetite and more energy.
What is certainly clear is that raw feeding is a bit of a minefield, and its not always clear what is opinion and what is fact. Were going to wade in and try to sort it out.
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What Cat Diseases May Be Helped With Raw Food Diets
I have seen diabetes, asthma, lower urinary tract problems, chronic vomiting and/or diarrhea , skin and ear problems and other health issues either markedly improve or completely resolve when raw diets were introduced. Every cat will respond in their own way, but I now view real, fresh, raw food as the best medicine for many of my patients.
Can I Give My Cat Raw Vegetables
Although cats are obligate carnivores, when they’re hunting and eat their prey, they eat the vegetable matter in the preys gut. Cats are built to tolerate a certain amount of roughage in their diets.
If your cat is overweight, adding some veggies to his diet can help keep his weight down. Feeding your cat vegetables can also boost his immune system and can lessen the effects of ageing.
Vegetables that can be good to offer your cat are:
- Chopped carrots
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My Assessment Of Making Your Raw Cat Food
- Can be very nutritious and beneficial for your cat, but its super important to have a proper recipe that your vet confirms is properly balanced. Not all recipes you find for making raw cat food online are good for your cat. **
- Can be cost effective, depending on the quality of meat and supplements you purchase for use.
- Can be challenging to source a quality meat source and obtain the right supplements.
- This method makes me a bit nervous as I always worried about making a mistake in measuring ingredients. .
- Lots of work to grind the meat and bone. .
- Can be convenient to make in large batches and freeze in portions.
Commercial Raw Diets For Cats
If you are not able to take the time to develop recipes and prepare raw food at home, you may wish to try one of the many commercial raw diets available. Raw diet supporters often consider commercial raw diets inferior to those prepared at home. However, they are considered healthier than feeding kibble.
Commercial raw diets are usually frozen or freeze-dried to reduce pathogens. Remember that safe-handling precautions should still be taken with these diets to prevent cross-contamination. Ask your veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist for help finding the right commercial diet. Make sure it is considered complete and balanced according to AAFCO standards.
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Why Raw Food Is Bad For Cats
Some raw cat foods may provide cats with excellent nutrition, but they are still not without their disadvantages as well. According to studies, raw pet foods prepared commercially are contaminated with Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli at a higher rate than those prepared in-store. Compared to regular pet foods, coli is less toxic.
What You Should Know About Preparing A Raw Food Diet For Your Cat From Scratch
Preparing your cats diet from scratch is NOT to be taken lightly.
Dont just wing it and throw togetherraw meat, ground bone and a few supplements.
Ask your holistic vet for a recipethat is sound and will be a good choice for your cat. There is a delicatebalance of muscle meat, ground bone and organ meats that goes into the pre-preparedfoods.
If you dont follow a proper recipe you will make your catill as he wont get the proper nutrients he needs to be healthy.
Not all raw food diet recipes for cats are suitable
Ifyou find a recipe for making raw cat food, run it by your vet , for approval. There are recipes on the internet which are NOT properly balanced. There could be an overabundance ofsome nutrients or an understated amount of nutrients of other nutrients, whichwill definitely cause health problems over time.
Can be difficult to find a good, clean source of meat.
I personally found it hard to find agood source of meat that I could rely on consistently, to make my own cat food.
Grinding meat and bone can be, well, kinda gross.
It may not bother you much at all, but grinding meat and bone through a meat grinder at home, is not the most pleasant task. It looks and also sounds gross. So this may be something you should consider if you find yourself a bit squeamish.
Tricky to Manage
If the raw food needs to thaw, time and planning are necessary so your kitty isnt left licking frozen meat hockey pucks. Thawing food in your fridge, will also take up valuable space.
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One: The Easy Simple Way
The easiest and simplest way to feed your cat a raw food diet is to buy the meals already prepared and frozen for your convenience.
Theingredients used in these meals are correctly proportioned so your cat gets abalanced diet and the nutrition he requires to achieve good health.
Thereis a wide variety of these already to go meals to choose. The main proteins inthese meals includes meat such as pure turkey, lamb, beef, chicken, rabbit,fish, bison and other exotic meats.
Its not only fast, simple and easy to feed your cat frozen raw meat meals but its also cost effective.
Since all the grinding and mixing is already done, theres no need to do anything, but thaw, measure up an appropriate portion and serve.
It really is that easy!
Check out your local pet store for available selection of frozen raw foods or freeze dried foods. Availability seems to vary from store to store.
What Are The Risks Of Feeding Your Cat A Raw Diet
There are several possible risks which include bacterial contamination, parasites, internal damage and inadequate or too many nutrients.
Bacterial contamination:
All meat will have some bacteria in it however, high levels and certain strains of bacteria can result in sickness. Common pathogens include salmonella,e-Coli, listeria, Clostridium, and Campylobacter.
Cats have a shorter gastrointestinal tract this means meat passes through the cat faster. Also, cats secrete high levels of stomach acid in their stomach which breaks down the protein and kills bacteria. However, there will always be risks of bacterial contamination in all types of food, including meat and fresh fruit and vegetables. Taking precautions, which are listed further down this article will help reduce the chances of your cat becoming sick from eating raw meat.
Parasites:
Toxoplasmosis Gondii is an intracellular parasite that infects multiple warm-blooded mammals. Cats are the definitive host, meaning that the parasite can only reproduce in the cat. Cats become infected either by consuming prey or meat which contain the cysts of the parasite or by ingesting cysts that pass out of the cat via the feces. 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.
Trauma from bones:
Taurine deficiency:
Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism:
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There Are Other Illnesses You And Your Cat Could Get From Raw Food
The parasite Toxoplasma gondii can be passed from animals to humans, and can cause miscarriages, abortions, and illness in adults. Raw fed cats have greater presence of toxoplasma, and humans in the household can also catch it from contact with their food. As already discussed, the outbreak of tuberculosis was traced to a brand of raw pet food that used venison. Its rare for tuberculosis to transmit from cat to human, but it is possible. In addition, cats that get TB are often recommended to be euthanized – in the recent outbreak, 83% of the cats were euthanized due to the severe nature of their illness and the risk of them passing it on to their owners.
Is It Ok To Give Cats Raw Meat
Yes, it is safe to feed your cat raw meat that is hygienically prepared. Felines have short and acidic stomachs, making it possible for them to consume raw meat as the bacteria wouldnt harm them.
However, you just have to be extremely careful when you prepare the meal, as the problem usually occurs when there is cross-contamination.
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How Much Raw Food To Feed A Cat Check Our Raw Feeding Guides
How much raw food do I feed my cat? Is there a raw feeding guide for cats? Those of two of the questions were often asked by readers transitioning their cats to a raw food diet.
> Scroll down to view our Raw Feeding Guide charts, which show you how much raw food to feed your cat based on their bodyweight.
Image: Cloudtail via Flickr
What Do Cats Need To Eat Meat
Cats need a source of high-quality protein in their diet.
They are carnivores and living on a vegan diet will not give them the nutrients they need to survive.
Basic foods your cats need to eat:
- Protein
Honestly, the confusion between feeding raw or cooked cat food is the quality control.
When deciding to go raw or cooked for your cats, comes with some risks.
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Why Not Just Use Dry & Canned Diets
The aforementioned benefits of feeding your cat a raw diet are not often realized with a processed diet.
However, the barriers to feeding a safe, complete and balanced raw diet can keep cat parents from making the switch to raw. As with our own meals, a balance must be struck between convenience and healthy nutrition when it comes to providing your cat with a healthy diet.
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Is Raw Food Better For Cats
10 December 2021
Blog Post
29 November 2021
Thinking about feeding your cat a raw diet? We take a look at whether a raw food diet is better for cats.
Feeding cats a raw diet means feeding them uncooked animal muscle meat, organ meat, and bones. This type of food is sometimes called the BARF diet, which stands for “bones and raw food” or biologically-appropriate raw food.
Cats do not actually need vegetables and carbohydrates in their diets. In fact, they can only tolerate carbohydrates in small amounts. Instead, cats thrive on high-protein, high-moisture diets rich in substances only found in meat.
Most nutritionists will recommend that if you are using a home-cooked recipe, it is sensible to vary the ingredients using reasonably equivalent substitutions to balance out any marginal nutritional deficiencies. This needs quite a lot of nutritional knowledge, and if you are going to take this approach you should do as much reading as you can on the subject.
There is a lot of controversy around raw food diets for cats. Those who support raw food diets say there are many health benefits, including shiner coats, cleaner teeth, obesity is prevented, and their overall health is better. While these claims are usually true, the opposition has valid concerns about the safety of raw food diets.
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Why Choose A Raw Cat Food Diet For Your Feline
Its really a simple answer…HEALTH and LONG LIFE for your feline.We all want our felines to live a long, happy and healthy life. As with any living creature, including ourselves, its starts with a natural, healthy and nutritional diet. The goal of the healthy diet is it to prevent many of the health alignments that seem to rise during our adult to senior years. Most is due to improper nutrition throughout ones life, disabling the body to continuously repair itself, weakening the immune system and the over all body function, especially as we age and the bodies over all function and cycles slows down.
One might think, we been feeding a commercial dry and wet foods everyday and my kitty is doing just fine. Well, thats to be seen. You rarely see the negative results of poor nutrition in your younger years but as you reach those mid to senior years when the body can no longer over compensate for lack of good nutrition.
Providing a nutritional diet that nature intended for your feline, could be a mouse, bird, rat or other critter. Or an easier and cleaner option… homemade RAW MEAT diet recipe using our TCfeline Premix.
The best medicine to prevention starts with what you put into the body.
Bladder infectionsUrinary crystals Cystitis Kidney Disease HyperthyroidismHepatic Lipidosis Feline Asthma/Allergic Airway Disease
Should I Feed My Cat Raw Meat
Ancient humans in the far distant past would eat raw meat before they discover fire. Cats ancestors also eat raw meat as there has never been a documented case of cats learning to start and control fire. Its pretty clear that cats can handle raw meat but should you be feeding it to them?
Yes, you can feed your cat raw meat although you want to feed them raw meat in moderation and its recommended to add some other ingredients such as peas, oatmeal, water, carrots, etc
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Feeding Dehydrated Raw Without Rehydrating
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lisamarie12 said:I wouldn’t give any freeze dried raw without reconstituting it, other than a small piece or two occasionally as a treat but not as a meal. Cats don’t eat anything dry innature, just because it’s raw it would still be too dehydrating and you don’t want to risk any urinary tract blockages.Have you tried any freeze dried meat treats as toppers, e.g., Whole Life, Bravo, Pure Bites? A couple of toppers crumbled on top of the food may help.Assuming also you were rotating proteins? Cats can get tired of eating the same thing consistently.
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Are Raw Food Diets Safe
It is important to know that feeding raw food to your cat does come with some risks. Raw food may contain pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli that can lead to serious life-threatening infections. Cooking food removes most of these pathogens, which is why we humans tend to cook our food.
Cats often digest raw foods better than humans because they have shorter, more acidic digestive tracts. Many pathogens will pass through a cat without causing any issues. Most cats will tolerate raw food, but those with health concerns may need cooked food.
Perhaps the greatest risk of feeding and handling raw meat comes down to cross-contamination. Feeding your cat a raw food diet can expose you and other people in your home to dangerous pathogens. Pathogens may remain on preparation surfaces, food dishes, in cat fecal matter and even on your cat .
Raw diets should not be fed to cats living in homes with immune-compromised individuals. They should also be avoided in households with young children and/or elderly people.
While it’s impossible to eliminate all risk, there are some ways to try to be safer when feeding a raw food diet to your cat:
- Prepare the food in a contained area of the home clean and sanitize thoroughly when done
- Wear gloves when handling raw meat
- Handle food frozen when possible
- Use meat ingredients from a reliable source
- Feed your cat in an area that is easy to clean
- Sanitize food bowls immediately after feeding
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