Many cats with chronic health issues respond well to a raw diet, provided it is humanely sourced and minimally heat processed.
Instinct provides an ideal way for you to introduce your cat to raw feeding with their freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, offering high quality nutrition with only small amounts of extra water added.
Strengthens Immune System
Raw diets provide essential vitamins and fatty acids, helping your cat’s immune system. Many owners have reported seeing their sick pets become healthier after switching to this way of feeding their felines.
Meaty bones provide your pet with an opportunity to chew away at their dental plaque and keep their gums healthy, while their rawbone chewing activates their digestive tract so they can digest food more quickly.
Raw foods contain more proteins and functional lipids, providing your pet with more energy during the day – which allows for increased activity levels while improving both their health and quality of life.
Raw foods offer much greater quantities of vitamins and minerals compared to kibble diets, making them especially helpful for young cats and kittens who require strong immune systems for healthy development.
Raw diets are often recommended for adult cats and senior dogs, though each animal may require unique attention in terms of nutrition. Even if you’re not ready to completely transition them over, adding even just a small portion to their current food regimen can still benefit their overall wellbeing.
Increases Energy
Raw diets tend to provide much more energy-dense meals for cats than their kibble counterparts, helping them remain alert and active throughout their days. Plus, digestibility becomes much simpler since chewing raw meaty bones activates digestion so quickly compared with typical kibble diets; additionally, raw diets often result in less frequent and smellier hairballs!
Raw diets require less water for cats as their water needs come primarily from the prey animals they hunt in nature – such as mice. Dehydration from dry kibble causes urinary tract diseases like cystitis, bladder stones or crystals; in comparison with this approach a raw diet provides higher moisture levels akin to that found in nature such as mice or other small prey animals they consume as sustenance.
Home-prepared raw diets for cats can be tailored to their preferences and health needs, including or excluding supplements. You can start by feeding your cat whole raw meats that you grind yourself; many pet parents find this approach the most time consuming but nonetheless prefer it as it ensures their cat is receiving all essential nutrition. You could also purchase premade nutritionally balanced raw meals.
Reduces Inflammation
Sometimes cats suffering from immune disease, arthritis or allergies will find that their health improves significantly after switching to a raw diet. Such diets contain plenty of nutrient dense foods rich in anti-inflammatory omega 3 & 6 such as high quality meats, fish eggs and vegetables; all essential building blocks to combat inflammation in their gut, joints and skin.
A properly balanced raw diet will also help your cat alleviate symptoms such as bloat, itching and dry, flaky skin that are common due to lack of essential fatty acids. By digesting their food more easily and quickly, raw diets often result in better, firmer stool that are lower-odor.
Gnawing on raw meaty bones helps your pet maintain healthy teeth. While carbohydrates contribute to gum disease and tartar accumulation, the enzymes found in raw bone and connective tissue contain proteins which break down protein and can reduce plaque buildup.
Raw diets will also help your pet shed fur more naturally with less odor and itching by providing essential nutrients that help their coat remain soft and shiny. We like adding cold pressed virgin coconut oil a couple times each week into their meals for added benefits in regards to gut health, inflammation and hairballs.
Digestive Health
Raw food is easier for your cat to digest than kibble because its natural enzymes help break it down, as well as improving bowel movements so they’re less frequent and stinkier. Plus, chewing helps clean their teeth more effectively reducing dental issues; plus it’s full of essential fatty acids which will contribute to healthier coats!
If you want to feed your cat a raw diet but lack the time or equipment to prepare its meals yourself, there are commercial manufacturers such as Stella & Chewy, RawZ and Wellness that provide convenient solutions that contain finely ground raw meats, fruits and vegetables with consistent nutritional values for easier digestibility and increased nutritional value.
Pet parents should take great care when selecting raw food products and providers as some can contain bacteria that could make their pet sick. When selecting commercial raw food products that use High Pressure Processing (HPP), such as commercial raw dog food products. Furthermore, set aside a bowl, cutting board, and storage containers specifically for raw meals to minimize cross-contamination risks and ensure safe transition over 7-10 days.
