Raw Cat Food

Cat eating prey

Some pet owners feel that raw cat food is the best thing for their cats. While it is closer to what a feral cat might eat, feeding your feline raw food is not without risk.

What Is Raw Cat Food?

Raw food is simply that. Raw ground meat, sometimes mixed with other ingredients and fed just as you would feed canned food. You can either buy raw food for cats or make your own. There are benefits to both ways of doing things, so it is important to do what you are most comfortable with.

Commercial Raw Food for Cats

When buying commercial cat foods, you have the benefit of easy feeding. Most commercially prepared raw pet foods are frozen or refrigerated, and all you need to do is open the package and feed your pet. Once in awhile you will find a brand that freeze dries the raw food, and then you add water to reconstitute it.

The nutrition has already been figured out and balanced for your cat's optimum health. You usually don't need to add anything or worry about whether or not your cat is getting enough vitamins, protein and other nutrients.

Some commercial available raw foods are:

There are many more products being released every day. It is important to speak with your veterinarian about which product is best for your cat. Do some research and buy products from companies that you feel you can trust.

While using commercially prepared foods has many benefits, there is also a down side. The cost of these commercial foods is often much higher than other feeding options. You can expect to pay five dollars a pound and up for commercially prepared raw cat food.

Homemade Raw Food

The other option is to make your own raw foods for your pet. There are a number of benefits to doing this. First of all, you will save quite a lot of money. While commercially prepared raw pet food costs in excess of five dollars a pound, you can find inexpensive cuts of meat in your grocery store for a fraction of that cost.

When you are making your cat's food homemade, you know exactly what is in the mix. You have complete control over the ingredients. You know exactly how fresh the food is and what you have put in it. This makes many pet owners feel more secure, especially after the tainted pet food recalls of the past few years.

The negative aspect to making your own food is the inconvenience and the stress of making sure that you get the formula right. You want to make sure that your cat has all the nutrients it needs. Getting a book about making your own pet foods or researching on the Internet can give you confidence in the recipe you are using. Again, it is important to talk to your vet before changing your cat's diet.

Benefits of Raw Foods

Those people that are proponents of a raw food diet for cats believe that since raw foods are close to what a cat would eat naturally, they are a healthier choice. Some of the benefits of such a diet can include:

  • Increased stamina and energy
  • Healthier coat
  • Better oral health
  • Better digestion
  • Increased overall health

There are also people who say that these benefits are unproven and that there is no scientific evidence that a raw food diet is healthier for cats than a conventional commercial diet. Perhaps the only way to decide for yourself is to try it and see how your own pet responds.

Dangers of Raw Foods

Some veterinarians have concerns about the raw food diet for cats.

  • Salmonella, e Coli, and other dangerous microbes may be present if the food is not cooked.
  • Raw foods may not have all the nutrients that your cat requires.

Feeding your pet carefully should take care of these potential problems.

  • Choose organic meats when possible.
  • Don't feed your pet commercially processed ground beef.
  • Add probiotics to your cat's food.
  • Dispose of uneaten food within 30 minutes or so.

Choosing a raw food diet for your cat may be a more natural way to ensure your pet's health. Always make changes to your cat's diet slowly over a period of about two weeks. This allows your cat to adjust to the new diet without digestive upset.