Feeding your cat raw food has sparked an avid debate among cat lovers, but most are in favor of it since it mimics a wild cat’s natural diet.
Raw diets are great for cats, but it still needs to be a complete and balanced diet.
Domestic cat hunting in the countryside
What is a Raw Diet for Cats?
source: thesprucepets.com
It can be hard to find healthy food for cats – there are so many different types and brands of cat food out there. Dry cat food, canned food, raw cat food, or human food, it can be incredibly confusing to know what is right for your feline friend.
A raw diet consists mostly of meat that is raw, cooked, cured or dehydrated, as well as raw bones.
Biologically appropriate raw food (known as the BARF diet) for cats is prepared using a formulated recipe that ensures that cats get the nutrition they need.
Most cat owners prefer to prepare raw food at home, however, you also get commercial raw pet foods that can be bought at the shops.
Try the raw food from Bella and Duke if you want to see how your outdoor cats react to it.
What raw meat can I feed my cat?
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- Raw chicken
- Raw chunks of steak.
- Beef or lamb heart and kidney
- Beef or lamb liver (only in small quantities)
- Rabbit chunks
- Raw turkey
- Raw commercial pet food
Just be careful of organ meat as it contains high levels of Vitamin A which may cause toxicosis.
Are raw food diets safe?
source: rawznaturalpetfood.com
There is some controversy around feeding your cat raw. Cooked foods or dry food eliminates pathogens that may cause diseases in your cat.
Bones in the food can also cause trauma if it perforates the gut. And not all cats will be able to tolerate raw food.
Nonetheless, these diets also include many health benefits to cats. Since the food is not dry, it helps with water intake. Cats evolved from desert-dwelling felines who got their water from their prey.
Feeding raw mimics the raw diets of these ancestors, and lessens the risk of urinary infections.
A raw diet helps with dental and skin health. It removes plaque from the teeth, and the fatty acids in the meat contribute to healthy skin and coats.
Raw diets can help manage weight in overweight cats. Raw foods are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, and raw pet food can fight obesity in cats.
A raw food diet is more natural
source: purina.co.uk
Raw and processed foods differ greatly in their benefits. Processed pet food industries use carbohydrates and other fillers to bulk up their foods, while a raw food diet has no added ingredients.
Raw fed cats appear to have more energy, and most people are happy to provide bio-appropriate food.
Although we may not know what cats think about a raw meat diet, they’re behavior indicates that it is a palatable food choice.
Conclusion
source: allaboutcats.com
Feeding raw food to cats have grown in popularity in recent years, especially in developed countries where raw cat food can be purchased at stores.
Although a public debate about the benefits of this diet continues to rage, anecdotal evidence suggests that outdoor cats will benefit from raw feeding. Visit Live Enhanced for more ideas.
