How Much Raw Food To Feed Cat

How To Prepare A Raw Diet For Your Cat

It is essential that you find an expert to help you develop a complete and balanced diet that will truly benefit your cat. Your vet may also recommend special supplements to ensure your cat gets the nutrients needed to stay healthy.

Ingredients used in a raw food diet may include the following:

• Raw meat from muscles and organs
• Raw bones, ground

Commercial Raw Cat Food

Commercially prepared raw cat foods take a lot of the guesswork out of feeding raw. Reputable manufacturers follow the guidelines put forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials .

Make sure that you can find an AAFCO statement of nutritional adequacy like one of these on the label of any cat food you might purchase:

• Brand X Cat Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance, growth and reproduction, or all life stages.

• Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that Brand X Cat Food provides complete and balanced nutrition for adult maintenance, growth and reproduction, or all life stages.

You can be confident that any cat food, raw or not, that conforms to AAFCO standards will at the very least provide your cat with the basics of good feline nutrition.

Basic Methods Of Feeding Your Cat A Raw Food Diet

Thereare basically 3 ways to feed your cat a raw meat diet.

Youllhave to decide which method you prefer.

Thenyoull have to prepare him for the transition.

First, lets talk about the three main ways to prepare and feed a raw meat food diet to your cat.

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Newborn Kitten Age: 0

During this stage, most kittens rely on their mothers milk as their only source of nutrition. If their mother is present, you wont need to feed kittens at alltheyll know how to feed themselves! That said, if youve rescued an orphaned kitten, youll need to bottle feed him. Kittens require a kitten milk replacer, which replicates the nutrition found in mother cats milk. Do not feed a kitten cows milkit doesnt have the right nutritional balance to nourish a newborn kitten.

Grain Free Chicken Cat Food

Raw, Grain Free Chicken Cat Food that is easy to make, store, and serve your cats!

I have talked before about how Our Pets Arent Vegan, and I have also posted the recipe for the raw, Anti-Inflammmatory Dog Food that I feed Fluffie, our little, five-pound, four year old Yorkshire Terrier, Fluffie, so it seemed high time that I posted the recipe for the Raw, Grain Free Chicken Cat Food that I make for our outdoor tomcat, JG, and our Bengal cat, Mazel.

Surprisingly, this Raw, Grain Free Chicken Cat Food recipe is actually one of the most Instagram-requested recipes that I have created! Many people are interested in feeding their cats a raw food diet, especially when they learn that cats cannot digest carbohydrates because they do not have the enzyme to process carbs, which is amylase. This means that most store-bought cat foods are actually really unhealthy for cats to eat because the foods are mainly made with grains like corn or wheat.

Another plus to this Raw, Grain Free Chicken Cat Food is that the food is very wet, similar to canned cat food. This is great for cats because they need a lot of moisture in their foods to help with digestion and the processing of the high-protein content of their meals.

I would love to see your thoughts on this post, so please comment or ask any questions! In addition, if you were inspired to put a picture on Instagram because of this post, tag me at #shalomhomestead!

Best wishes and shalom, friends!

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Best Raw Cat Food Calculator

Hare Todays Raw Food Feeding Calculator is my favorite raw cat food calculator.

• Put in animals weight
• Choose feeding percentage
• Amount to feed per day is automatically calculated

Hare Today added a new section to this page in February 2021.

The section below is Budget Calculator.

This section will calculate how much youd spend per day, per week, and per month on your cats raw diet. Based on the weight and percentage you put in above.

• Choose meat, bones, and organs grind
• Select fish oil supplement

Fish oil and nutritional supplements are necessary to make the meal complete and balanced.

Here are a few example costs based on feeding a 10-pound cat at 3%:

• Beef = $59.97 per month
• Duck = $64.47
• Turkey = $52.77

These costs are calculated using 5-pound chubs. To offer a variety of proteins, you may pay a bit more by buying 1- or 2-pound chubs instead.

Additionally, you will have to keep shipping in mind.

Shipping is calculated based on how much you order and where you live.

I typically spend around $32 for about 2 months worth of food.

I pay for the 2-day express shipping so my order arrives frozen.

Hare Today also has a Raw Food Ratio Calculator. This helps you calculate how much meat, bones, and organs to feed. Please only use this calculator if you have a properly balanced diet recipe.

You may also like Raw Paws Pet Food frozen raw feeding calculator.

• Put in your cats weight
• Select type: kitten, adult, senior, pregnant/lactating

How Much Should You Feed Your 4

At this stage, kittens still need about twice as many calories per pound than adult cats. Refer to the feeding guidelines on your kittens food to determine how much to give him per pound of bodyweight.

Kittens in this age group need around 30 calories per pound of body weight per day. For example, an 8-pound kitten should consume about 240 calories per day.

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Homemade Raw Cat Food

Making your cats food at home gives you the most control over what they eat, but it isnt as easy as you might think. Meat alone is not enough!

Cats need the correct balance of amino acids, fats, vitamins, and minerals to thrive. These nutrients are best provided by a combination of meat, internal organs, vitamin and mineral supplements, and other ingredients eaten in just the right amounts and proportions.

To make matters worse, numerous studies have shown that its virtually impossible to find nutritionally complete and balanced recipes for homemade pet foods online or in print.

And even if you do start with a good recipe, like one designed by a veterinary nutritionist to meet your cats particular needs, it can be hard to stick to it. A paper published in 2014 found that many owners who made their pets meals at home eventually strayed from the recipe, which could lead to nutritional deficiencies or excesses over time.

Determining How Much To Feed A Cat

Different cats have different nutritional needs based on their size, life stage and more. Here are some factors to consider when deciding how much food your cat should eat.

• Age & Life Stage: Kittens have different nutritional needs than adults or senior cats. Pregnant or nursing cats also have different needs.
• Weight: If your cat is not at her ideal body condition, you may need to adjust what and how much you feed her, says Dr. Callie Harris, DVM.
• Activity Levels: Cats who are active and playful throughout the day may need more calories than those who prefer to spend their time napping.
• Indoor vs. Outdoor: Indoor cats may not get as much exercise as an outdoor cat would, so they need fewer calories. Outdoor cats living in regions with cold winters may need more food in the cold months.

The best way to determine how much food your cat needs is to talk with your veterinarian. They can tell you how much food your cat needs based on the above factors.

They can also help you troubleshoot any problems that may arise, such as your cat eating more or less than usual.

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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

Should You Feed Your Cat A Raw Diet 11 Questions To Ask First

Recent years have seen tremendous growth in raw food diets for cats and dogs. As obligate carnivores, cats can especially thrive on a complete, balanced and safely prepared raw diet. However, feeding your cat a raw diet is a significant responsibility and its one that many experts advise against. Read on for the details.

• What Do the Experts Say?

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Can Cats Eat Raw Chicken On The Bone

Another common question associated with, Can cats eat raw chicken? is, Can cats eat chicken bones? Although feeding cats raw chicken in any form is not recommended by some veterinarians, there is an extra danger associated with chicken bones. Dr. Werber explains that chicken bones are soft and easily broken and have sharp edges that can injure internally.

If your cat swallows chicken bones, do not try to induce vomiting as the bones can cause more harm coming up. Dr. Werber advises feeding your cat bread to try to coat any sharp edges as they pass through your cats digestive track and contact your veterinarian immediately.

Can My Cat Eat Other Chicken Organs

As with chicken liver, too much of other organs and muscles in their diet can be a problem for cats.

However, one advantage of feeding organs, such as the heart, is that the more work a muscle does, the more taurine it contains.

As we have seen, cats need taurine to function. Organs are a good source of taurine.

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Monitoring Your Cats Weight

To some degree you can assess your cats weight based on how they look and feel. Are they feeling heavier or lighter when you pick them up or when they sit on your lap?

We recommend regular weigh-ins to monitor your cats weight, especially when you first transition to a raw food diet.

You can use the scales at your local vet to weigh your cat, but the easiest method is to use digital bathroom scales at home.

Based on the scale readings and how much your cat weighs you can adjust how much you feed your cat.

You may need to feed your cat slightly more if he has lost weight since switching to raw food. Or, you may need to reduce how much you feed your cat if he is putting on weight.

Are Raw Diets For Cats Safe

In addition to the risk of nutrient deficiencies, raw diets pose other risks for cats. Any bones not completely ground up could cause intestinal blockages or even lacerations. Plus, raw foods are more likely to be contaminated with harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria. These foodborne pathogens can cause a variety of problems for cats, including diarrhea and vomiting. In severe cases, the results can be fatal. According to a study by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration , these bacteria arent just a risk for your catthey also pose a threat to you and your entire family.Your cat can spread the bacteria from her food either by grooming herself and then interacting with you or through her feces.

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Cat Food Portions Matter

Cats who have a hard time keeping slim should be fed several measured meals of cat food throughout the day rather than having 24/7 access to food.

How often should you feed your cat? You and your veterinarian can discuss the right frequency based on your situation. But, in general, cats do best when they eat multiple smaller meals throughout the daytwo at a minimum, but more might be better.

The math that you just performed can help inform your decision. In the example that weve used, the cat should be eating 3 1/3 cans per day. Wouldnt it make sense to feed three meals of one can each with the extra third of a can added to the last meal of the day? Whatever you decide, simply divide the number of cans you need to feed in a day by the number of meals you want to provide, and youll have the right portion for each meal.

If youre watching your cats weight, youll also need to subtract the calories provided by any treats you give as well as any dry food you offer. If it helps, keep a log of your cats daily caloric intake goals and then track the food and cat treats you give throughout the day to help keep your cats weight on track.

How Much Raw Food

Some raw feeders are guided by their cat when it comes to how much raw food they should feed. Whilst this is okay in theory, it only works if you have a cat who walks away from their food when their tummy is full. If you have a greedy cat with an insatiable appetite you need to measure and monitor your cats raw food.

It is generally recommended that you feed between 2% and 4% of your cats ideal bodyweight, split into two or three meals a day.

Every cat is different though, so when determining how much raw food to feed your cat you need to take into account factors such as:

• Age
• Metabolism
• Activity and Exercise Levels.

For example, a senior cat who lives indoors and spends his day napping in the sun and walking only as far as his food bowl and litter box, is going to require much less food than a young and healthy active cat who spends his days playing and running outdoors in the fresh air.

Image: Tiaan Nell via Unsplash

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Is There Any Difference Between Kitten Food And Adult Cat Food

Cats have evolved in their natural environment to eat the same prey diet for an entire lifetime. They do not eat a different diet when they are kittens than they do by the time they reach old age. Once feral kittens are weaned, they eat exactly the same diet as their adult counterparts. This includes rodents and small mammals, lizards, birds and insects. This diet does not vary, except to the degree of availability in the natural environment. The only difference between the wild kitten diet and the wild adult cat diet is that the kitten requires more calories per unit of body weight, due to the fact that the kitten is growing at a fairly rapid pace.

Studies done on nutritional profiling of typical prey animals, show that the average approximate dry matter protein is 55%, fat is about 35% and carbohydrates are less than 2%. The typical commercial kibble diet, on the other hand runs at about 33 37% protein and 28 36% carbohydrate . Commercial canned diets weigh in at about 49% protein and 15% carbohydrate. Obviously, canned cat food is preferable to dry kibble, but it is still a very heavily processed protein source, and in most cases the meat source is of very questionable quality.

Should You Feed Your Cat A Raw Diet

Jenna Stregowski, RVT has worked in veterinary medicine for more than two decades. Her veterinary experience ranges from routine wellness care and preventive medicine to emergency and specialty care, where she has performed duties ranging from specialized nursing to clinical administration. Jenna has been writing about pet care for over 10 years, including for publications like DVM 360 and DogTime.

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Are raw food diets good for cats? Everyone knows that proper nutrition is essential to a cat’s well-being. Choosing a cat food can be overwhelming, especially when we have to worry about commercial pet food recalls. Some owners choose to feed their cats home-prepared diets so they will know exactly what is in their cat’s food. These home-prepared diets may be cooked or raw. Many owners opt for a raw diet that mimics a cat’s natural diet in the wild.

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