Vets do not sustain the topic we are elaborating on in this review with evidence that feeding a raw diet compared to a commercial or home-cooked diet provides any health benefits for the health of your cat, so get ready, to sum up and decide.
I will start this analytical review with a statement given by the CDC (Center for Diseases Control and Prevention), CVM (Center for Veterinary Medicine), and the US FDA (US Food and Drug Agency) according to which feeding your cat with raw food can be dangerous for you and your cat.
Choosing the right diet for your cat
Cats are carnivores. They need to take meat protein to protect and keep their heart strong. They need to preserve their good vision and healthy reproductive system and the owners are supposed to obtain that through a good diet. It can be set by the owner or with a consultation with the vet.
Small amounts of cooked beef, chicken, turkey, or lean deli meats are perfect ingredients that keep your cat fit. On the other hand, raw or spoiled meat can make your cat very sick.
It is widely known that the cat’s daily portion must contain 50-60% protein and 30-50% fat. This is a case with a normally active cat. If your cat is not very active the vet can suggest fewer amounts. The most important part of every cat’s diet is getting plenty of fresh water.
The best cat’s diet is a balanced cat diet. It simply means that you should be sure that your cat is taking the daily nutrients it needs to help it stay healthy. Some of the cat foods are labeled “complementary” and those foods are occasionally given to the cats alongside the regular diet. This complementary food does not have the demanded balance of nutrients and can cause weight gain and unbalance your cat’s diet, so this is only to be given when the vet suggests.
The food you are buying for the cat should be labeled “complete” and you will be sure it contains everything your cat needs for a healthy and balanced diet.
Most of the cats like to eat several times a day. Some cats can even have 10 small meals per day and some like to eat the whole huge amount of food in one go. This depends on the cat’s preference. The best way is to split their daily amount of food into two meals throughout the day.
So, let’s conclude when it comes to the commercial food cat diet and say that your cat has to get completely labeled cat food appropriate for its age. As with all other pets, cats also need different nutrients in different stages of their life. If you are wondering which food brand should you choose, please note that it should be recommended by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association.
What is a BARF Diet for Cats
While the acronym may sound strange, the BARF diet for cats is an effective way to control what has been mixed in their raw food diet so they will get all the daily nutrients as carnivores. BARF means Biologically appropriate raw foods or bones and raw foods.
In cat food, the term raw can include many options. You can make your own homemade raw cat food or buy prepackaged raw meals that are made by pet food producers available in stores. According to the statistics in the USA only 4% of the cat owners buy raw cat food.
The BARF cat diet, or the Raw Food Cat diet includes much of what feline will eat if they live in the wild. Uncooked prey is rich in protein and moisture and contains all the essential substances, such as taurine, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Potential Risks and Concerns of Raw Cat Food
There are two potential concerns about Raw Cat Food: nutritional imbalance and bacterial contamination.
Nutritional imbalances in terms of the prepackaged raw pet food that is sold in the pet stores are not a problem. That food is well balanced. All the raw pet foods bought in a store must have a nutritional adequacy label on the package. If such a label is not found then you will find another one telling you that the food has to be supplemented to be completely balanced for your cat.
With homemade raw meat, you may get in trouble. If you are wondering why, then it is also about the nutrient balance. In the wild, cats consume every part of the prey and different body parts and organs give the cat an adequate nutrient amount. Bones provide calcium, organs provide it with taurine and meat provides proteins and moisture. But what you usually make when you prepare homemade raw food for your cat is a lack of knowledge of how to balance the nutrients inside. That is how you can damage your cat because it may cause nutritional deficiencies which can lead to a variety of health problems.
Bacterial contamination and homemade raw cat food go hand in hand if the food is not correctly prepared. The bacterial health risk is bigger when the food is self-prepared since the zero bacterial conditions are not and cannot be followed at home. Manufacturers use different methods to preserve bacterial contamination when preparing raw cat food.
Benefits of the Raw Cat Food
Raw Cat Food which is prepared and inspired by what nutrients the cat will eat in the wild can provide it with the necessary proteins and hydration for a healthy life.
The benefits of consuming a Raw Cat Food diet are better digestion, less stool odor and volume, healthier coat, increased energy, improved urinary health, better weight control, and good dental health.
The lower heat when the raw cat food is prepared offers better quality and a high level of proteins and nutrients in the meal for the cat. Hydration is better in the raw cat food. Preparing raw meat at a lower temperature preserves the moisture which helps the urinary system of the cat and the kidneys process waste more efficiently.
So, what you should take care of when preparing raw cat food is s clean and disinfected cooking area.
