It is widely believed that many foods can be given to a cat in their raw, original form, and nothing will happen to the animal. Is it so? Can cats eat raw meat and other raw foods? Is this kind of feeding beneficial for a cat? Let's try together to consider this issue in more detail and understand all the nuances.
Many, even experienced cat owners, are not really well versed in the issue of proper feeding of their mustachioed pets. It seems that there is nothing difficult in this - feed with ordinary food that people eat themselves, and that’s the end of it. However, everything is not so simple, and the animal’s body treats many products in a completely different way than it seems to people.
As many adherents of raw feeding quite rightly believe, cats in nature do not prepare their own food, but eat their prey raw. This is precisely why people argue that cats should be fed raw foods - they say that it is healthier and more natural for the cat’s body. However, here the first argument against it arises: our pets are no longer the wild cats that got their food in nature, which means that in the course of selection and long coexistence with humans, domestic cats have significantly changed their lifestyle, as well as their digestion. That is why there is no clear answer to the question of whether cats can eat raw meat - it all depends on many factors. Let's discuss the different types of foods and their effects in raw form on the body of domestic cats.
Raw meat
Can cats eat raw meat? No matter how much we would like to idealize our gentle purrs, they are real predators, which means that their main diet should be meat in its various types. And this is where the burning question arises: can cats eat raw meat, or should it be processed before feeding?
In fact, cats can, and even need, raw meat, because their stomach and digestive tract are perfectly adapted to obtain energy from high-protein foods. Small kittens must be fed raw meat without fail, because their proper development and formation depends on this, but with caution, and if you are confident in the quality of the meat.
However, there is also some danger: raw meat often contains eggs of various parasites, which are guaranteed to get into your pet with raw meat.
How can you protect your cat from these uninvited guests? It's simple: it is recommended to freeze the meat for several days before feeding - usually this is enough to kill many known parasites.
It is also worth considering that cats are only allowed to eat beef, as pork is too fatty for their digestion and can cause stomach upset. In addition, pork consumption often causes obesity, which is very harmful to the pet’s internal organs. Beef, in addition to all the necessary nutrients, is an excellent source of taurine, which is vital for your animal during the active growth stage and in later life. However, it is worth remembering that meat contains a lot of phosphorus, but practically no calcium. Its deficiency must be replenished, otherwise your cat runs the risk of developing fragile bones.
If we summarize all of the above, then we can confidently answer the question of whether cats can be given raw meat in the affirmative, but the meat should be frozen before feeding!
Raw chicken and turkey
Can cats eat raw chicken or turkey? As is the case with large animals, many breeders are interested in a completely logical question: can cats eat raw chicken and turkey? After all, in fact, poultry meat is a very high-calorie, protein-rich food, which, moreover, has a reduced fat content, which has a beneficial effect on the cat’s health. And in terms of cost, which is important, chicken is much cheaper than beef, which means feeding your cat will be cheaper.
We can confidently say that cats can be given raw chicken meat, with the same caveat as with beef - heat treatment at temperatures down to -20 degrees is required for 7-10 days. This ensures that the meat is free of parasites and pathogenic microbes that can infect a cat.
When researching the question of whether cats can be given raw chicken, it is worth considering that chicken is rich in proteins and essential amino acids, but fillet has very little calcium. The ideal food option for a cat would be a whole chicken carcass, but it will be problematic for a pet to eat it. When using a grinder that allows you to process chicken bones, you will get the perfect minced meat for feeding, which will have all the nutrients well balanced, as well as the vitamins and minerals your pet needs for a full life.
So, it becomes clear whether it is possible to feed a cat raw chicken - of course it is possible and even necessary, but only after treatment at low temperatures. It is also worth making sure that your cat’s food does not contain tubular bird bones - their chips are very sharp and are quite capable of damaging the animal’s digestive tract. This can cause serious health problems and even the death of the cat.
Therefore, do not be lazy to check if there are any dangerous bones or splinters in the minced meat prepared for the animal - this will save your furry from diseases, and you from unnecessary worries.
What kind of chicken is best to give to cats?
Factory-bred poultry can be raised on various chemical additives. Also, in order to increase the sales period, unscrupulous sellers treat meat with special chemical compounds. Animals have a more developed sense of smell, so they will only eat “bad” food when they are very hungry.
In general, if you are thinking about whether you can give chicken to cats, you should give preference to poultry. It is better to purchase meat from farmers. Based on your pet’s behavior, it will be clear who has the best chicken and where to buy it.
However, an animal’s refusal to eat meat does not always indicate a low quality product. Many cats prefer fish. I especially like sea gobies. This is a more budget-friendly food option. Contains a large amount of protein, iodine, phosphorus.
Can a cat have chicken with bones? Tubular bones can damage the stomach, although, as mentioned earlier, in the natural environment the entire bird carcass is eaten. Only the feathers and beak remain. In general, if you doubt whether your cat can eat chicken and whether he will like it, just treat your pet with a dietary treat!
Raw eggs
Breeders are also concerned about the question of whether cats can have raw eggs. It seems that giving cats eggs is not worth it at all, but from the point of view of complete proper nutrition for your mustachioed friend, chicken eggs are very useful. They contain animal protein, which is very easily digestible, and in addition - a whole list of vitamins and microelements that a cat needs. Thus, it can be argued that eggs are a necessity.
But in what form should you give them to your cat, and is it worth feeding cats raw bird eggs? Here it is worth paying attention to the dangerous possibility of the presence of the causative agent of salmonellosis in raw eggs. And if previously it was believed that quail eggs were immune from this, today salmonella is increasingly found in quails. Therefore, in order to avoid problems with the pet’s health, it is recommended to boil eggs before feeding.
In this way you will protect your cat from illness and allow him to receive a lot of useful elements and nutrients. So we have figured out the answer to the question of whether it is possible to give raw eggs to cats.
How to give: the best recipes
It is useful to give your pet boiled breast with carrots and broccoli.
Cat owners recommend preparing the following simple chicken dishes for natural-fed pets:
- Chicken with vegetables. The breast is boiled and chopped. Add steamed broccoli and carrots in equal proportions. Then a small amount of fresh broth is introduced.
- Liver with garnish. Finely boil and chop 400 g of offal with the addition of 2 tbsp. l. olive or sunflower oil. Add 200 g of steamed oatmeal and 50 g of steamed green peas.
- Kidneys in sauce. Boil and chop 200 g of chicken kidneys. Add 4 tbsp. l. prepared oatmeal and ¼ cup grated carrots. Melted butter of medium fat content - 30 g is poured on top. Then 70 ml of yogurt without additives is added.
- Nutritious breakfast. Boil 70 g of rice. It is better to use unrefined, as it improves intestinal motility. Combine 1 boiled chicken egg in one plate, 1 tbsp. l. chopped carrots and boiled green beans and 20 g of chopped chicken fillet. 3 tsp is introduced. olive fruit oils.
If your cat previously ate exclusively dry food, raw chicken may not be of interest to her. Veterinarians advise boiling it and adding treats that your pet loves.
For babies and older cats, veterinarians recommend placing cooked food in a blender to facilitate digestion and prevent constipation. It is not enough for cats to eat meat in its pure form; the menu must be supplemented with sources of carbohydrates and fiber - bran, vegetables or fruits.
Raw fish
Can cats eat raw fish? It just so happens that cats have always been associated with eating fish and milk. This misconception still exists among people today, but whether this corresponds to the truth is a big question. If we can confidently say about milk that it is not suitable for feeding a cat, since it is not digestible by many adult animals, then with fish everything is not so clear.
The question of whether cats can eat raw fish worries many breeders, because fish contains many useful and essential substances that positively affect the development and functioning of the cat’s body. But there is always a risk of infecting your pet with parasites or bacteria that live in raw fish, and besides, not every type of fish is suitable for feeding cats.
If you decide to feed your cat fish, then you need to forget about small river fish once and for all - they contain a huge number of small bones, and river fish are often infected with helminths, which can subsequently cause such a serious disease as opistyrchiasis in the cat.
If you are already concerned about the question of whether a cat can be given raw fish, then the best choice in this case would be good sea or ocean fish, which has no bones and a lot of protein. Of course, it’s not cheap, but it’s not worth feeding your animal fish - it’s enough to add a few pieces of boiled or frozen fish to your cat’s diet twice a week.
If you give your cat a lot of fish, this can lead to diseases associated with a lack of vitamin B1, which is actively broken down by the thiaminase enzyme contained in fish. But if you know when to stop, boiled fish will benefit your pet. Before feeding, you need to freeze the fish at a temperature of -20 -25 degrees for a week. This will certainly rid the fish meat of parasites and pathogenic bacteria.
Raw liver
Is it possible to give cats raw liver? Compared to all other meat by-products, liver looks more than attractive: the price is significantly lower than meat, digestibility is quite high, and it is also rich in vitamins and nutrients. The question of whether it is possible to give cats raw liver does not have a clear answer, because depending on the processing method, the liver can both strengthen and have a laxative effect.
Boiled liver strongly strengthens, but raw liver, on the contrary, weakens the cat’s gastrointestinal tract. By-products should be introduced into the animal’s diet gradually, in small quantities, despite the fact that they contain quite a lot of vitamins A and B. This has a good effect on the development of the skeleton and helps the kitten develop harmoniously. However, the optimal age for a pet to “switch” to offal is one year old. At an earlier age, it is better to give such products in very small amounts, mixing them with porridge.
However, there is another opinion. Its essence is that the liver is the body’s natural filter, and with the help of this organ various toxins and wastes are eliminated. This means that with the liver, the cat can eat all the “byaka” filtered by it. In addition, it is worth knowing that the liver may contain parasites or pathogens of dangerous infectious diseases.
So, by giving your mustache raw liver, you risk infecting your pet. It is best to freeze the offal thoroughly (for several days) in the freezer, then defrost it and pour boiling water over it (if you don’t want to cook it). But ideally, it’s still good to boil the liver and drain the broth (after all, medications and other “garbage” that have settled in the parenchyma of the organ will be released into it).
That's all the information regarding feeding your mustachioed raw food. As a result, we can say that all products are healthy, but in the right proportions. By developing a balanced diet for your pet, you will provide him with energy and strength for a full life, which guarantees longevity and the absence of diseases associated with improper food.
Still have questions? You can ask them to our site's in-house veterinarian in the comment box below, who will respond to them as soon as possible.
What to feed a Scottish cat
The health and appearance, playfulness and life expectancy of a cat directly depend on how high-quality and balanced nutrition it receives. Owners of purebred cats and female cats especially need to carefully select the diet. When choosing a menu, you need to take into account the breed’s propensity for certain diseases of the digestive and other vital systems. The body of the Scottish cat, as well as other representatives of the cat world, is very similar to that of humans, which means that the animal’s nutrition must be correct, high-quality and healthy.
