Proponents of raw diets for cats believe the carbohydrates found in commercial dry cat food may lead to diabetes, arthritis and urinary tract issues in cats. Many cat parents prepare a raw diet at home using recipes approved by veterinary nutritionists as complete and balanced diets for their cats.
Others opt for pre-made raw meals which are easily administered to their cat without needing to prepare anything ahead of time. This option provides all of the benefits of raw nutrition without the hassle.
1. Improved Digestion
Cats are naturally carnivores and their digestive enzymes have evolved to metabolize raw meaty food efficiently. Studies show that such diets promote improved digestion which may alleviate issues like gas, diarrhea and hairball formation!
A balanced raw diet for cats provides them with essential nutrients like protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and omegas – in addition to providing the ideal raw bones to promote teeth and gum health.
Raw diets can even aid cats with chronic disorders like allergies, obesity, kidney and digestive issues by offering low-glycemic food options that support them! Before making the switch to raw feeding for your cat or kitten it is wise to consult your vet first as adding too much raw food too quickly can cause digestive upset – start gradually increasing amounts over seven to ten days until reaching desired amount.
2. Increased Energy Levels
Cats are obligate carnivores and their digestive tract is optimized to break down meat as food source. A raw diet provides essential proteins, vitamins and minerals necessary for their survival; any digestive issues a cat may experience such as vomiting, diarrhea or constipation may improve significantly with switching over to this natural source of nutrition.
Raw diets offer superior bone health than processed food options due to the abundance of calcium and phosphorus found in raw bones; their combination provides essential bone-healing vitamins. Furthermore, raw bones contain important sources of chondroitin and glucosamine that help decrease joint inflammation.
Raw diets for cats can be highly digestible due to the naturally-occurring enzymes present in raw meat that aid digestion, producing firm stools that exert gentle pressure on anal glands helping them express naturally.
3. Weight Loss
As cats are carnivores, they thrive on a raw diet consisting of meat (typically muscle and organ meats), bones and healthy fat sources such as salmon. Raw foods contain natural protein sources that provide more energy than those found in commercial pet food such as dry or canned varieties.
Raw meals provide a much healthier alternative than processed kibble, since heat processing degrades proteins and alters amino acid profiles, impacting how efficiently your body can absorb essential nutrients. A raw diet also supports kidney health as kidneys naturally process protein-rich meat into waste products for efficient metabolic utilization and processing.
Most importantly, raw diets contain high amounts of proteins and low amounts of carbohydrates to prevent nutritional deficiencies like taurine deficiency. Switching to raw feeding often resolves digestive issues associated with your cat’s current diet such as hairballs, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation; furthermore the high-taurine content helps protect heart valves against calcification.
4. Better Skin & Coat
Fresh meat contains high amounts of moisture that help your pet’s skin and coat stay in optimal condition, which also means less hairballs! Raw diets made up of muscle meat, organs and bones offer your pet an optimal biological diet modelled on what he would consume in nature – providing crucial calcium (raw bone) essential minerals, and essential vitamins like thiamine that is often lacking from conventional pet food diets.
Cats are natural carnivores with digestive enzymes designed specifically to digest raw meat! That is why feeding cats a diet rich in raw, easily digestible ingredients such as beef or lamb will often alleviate many common pet ailments like gas, diarrhea and constipation. Even those fed a processed diet can benefit from transitioning gradually over several weeks or months by slowly adding raw food ingredients progressively into their daily meals.
5. Stronger Immune System
Raw diets provide cats with biologically appropriate nutrition that mimics what they would eat in nature, providing high levels of protein to support a strong immune system while offering natural multi-vitamin benefits from bones and organs.
Raw diets contain more water than cooked food, providing cats with an additional way of staying properly hydrated and helping alleviate urinary tract issues. Furthermore, this may assist with arthritis symptoms as well as chronic skin/ear issues caused by insufficient hydration.
While preparing a raw diet may take more time and preparation, many commercially available products make the task simpler. Simply follow food safety regulations when refrigerating and keeping food covered when feeding raw to your cat. For those uncomfortable handling raw meat, freeze-dried or dehydrated diets may also work well as an option.
6. Better Sleep
Raw food contains bones and connective tissues which provide your cat with essential chondroitin, glucosamine and collagen to keep its joints healthy – something which is especially vital for older cats whose grain-based diets lead to more joint inflammation than raw diets do.
Raw feeding tends to produce smaller, less smelly stools than dry kibble diets do, leading to less cleaning of litter boxes and overall healthier cats overall.
Raw diets may provide additional advantages in terms of your cat’s dental health. Chewing on raw meaty bones, meat, connective tissue and skin can help prevent gum disease caused by diets high in carbohydrates; natural enzymes in raw meat help break down plaque which keeps teeth clean. To ensure maximum bacterial safety for both pet owners and themselves, food handling techniques must always be observed when feeding raw food, with no more than two hours sitting out at room temperature before placing the raw food directly into their pet’s bowl for consumption.
