Raw diet advocates tout its many health advantages, from increased energy levels to curing cancer. But most of these claims remain subjective and hard to measure.
Prepare a raw diet can take time and requires careful attention in order to protect both cats and pet parents from pathogens that could potentially cause illness. This includes properly storing and handling food, using sanitizing solutions when preparing foods, and not feeding raw to children or immunocompromised adults.
1. Improved Digestion
Raw diets are easier for cats to digest, which can improve bowel movements and decrease stool volume, helping combat issues like constipation or diarrhea that often accompany commercial pet foods.
Cats fed on raw diets tend to have healthier skin and coats and less itching, due to the high protein and functional fats present. Furthermore, this diet provides energy which keeps cats active – something which is both good for them as well as weight reduction.
If you feed your cat a raw diet at home, it is vitally important that the ingredients are ground and chopped appropriately to prevent choking or other injuries. Furthermore, purchasing raw food produced by professionals who strictly abide by food safety protocols is advised.
Some individuals opt to purchase nutritionally balanced raw meals like Wellness CORE RawRev as this method is widely regarded as one of the easiest and safest methods of starting their raw diet at home.
2. Boosted Immune System
Cats who consume raw food benefit from an increased consumption of essential omega fatty acids that play an integral part of cellular and organ functioning, meaning your cat will remain more active, have healthier skin and coat, and be less susceptible to disease as they age.
Raw foods can easily digested and assimilated by your cat’s digestive tract, leading to decreased amounts of waste produced and less smelly stool deposits.
Additionally, the high moisture content of raw diets mimics what they would find and consume in nature, helping your pet remain hydrated and decreasing risk for urinary issues like cystitis.
Your cats would typically feed on their prey in the wild, including the bones. Bone is the main source of calcium in a raw diet and offers an abundance of minerals; organ meats provide nature’s multivitamins in a form your cat can use; this includes taurine which plays an integral part in heart and vision health. If handling raw meats is hard for you to do without getting overwhelmed, you can still give your cats access to raw feeding through meal completers like EZComplete that include organ meats as well as other key nutrients.
3. Stronger Teeth
Raw diets consisting of high quality meats, organs and bones provide cats with biologically appropriate nutrition that mimics what they would find in nature. Since cats are obligate carnivores with digestive tracts designed specifically to digest meat protein efficiently, this means nutrients in a raw diet are more efficiently absorbed so cats are able to use them according to nature’s design.
Chewing on meaty bones helps cats develop stronger teeth, which may alleviate dental problems. Cats who consume raw diets also tend to produce less pesky furballs due to improved digestion.
Note that raw diets must be well-formulated and balanced in order to provide your pet with all of the essential nutrients they require to thrive, since any deficiencies could prove fatal to cats. Make sure you adhere to recommended feeding guidelines, food safety procedures and storage recommendations for your specific raw diet. It is also wise to slowly transition your cat over 7-10 days as too much change at once can cause stomach upset, diarrhea or strain on their immune systems.
4. Better Skin and Coat
Supporters of the raw diet believe that cats should consume a diet which mimics what they would find in nature – which includes no fruits, vegetables, grains or carbs; instead they focus on meat and organs as their staple foods.
Raw diets contain high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for maintaining the skin and coat health in cats, while helping manage common digestive issues such as hairballs, vomiting and diarrhea.
Home preparation of raw diets can be complex and time-consuming, requiring refrigeration or freezing of food for refrigeration, however there are now a variety of convenient options such as frozen raw meals that come pre-frozen to thaw out and rehydrate, making this option suitable for busy pet parents looking to provide their cat with high-quality raw diet without having to prepare meals themselves.
If you plan to switch your cat over to a raw diet, be sure to consult with a veterinarian beforehand and be aware of any associated risks when handling raw food for consumption. Furthermore, only use high-quality frozen raw meals from quality suppliers in order to prevent infections or illnesses in their body.
5. Weight Loss
Though raw food may garner plenty of media coverage, it’s not suitable for every cat due to digestive limitations. Kitties experiencing issues may benefit more from switching over to lower calorie, grain-free kibble which provides plenty of protein and healthy fats.
Raw diets tend to contain higher concentrations of taurine than their conventional kibble counterparts, an essential nutrient for cat heart and eye health. Meat sources offer greater concentrations of this crucial substance. To get optimal benefits from taurine supplementation it’s best sourced through food rather than seaweed or brewer’s yeast which only contain trace amounts.
Raw diets contain more moisture, similar to what cats would find while hunting prey-model food in their natural environment. Kibble’s lack of moisture exacerbates dehydration issues for felines, increasing risk for urinary diseases like cystitis or bladder stones or crystals.
Although preparing a raw diet takes more time and dedication, many pet parents find the process straightforward and fulfilling. Pet parents may notice their cats have increased energy and can sleep through the night again instead of waking them up during feeding times or acting hungry.
