The raw cat food diet trend has been gaining in popularity over the last several years. Part of it is fueled by the notion that cats are biologically meant to eat a diet of raw meat, but it is also because of the recent spate of pet food recalls and scares, including the deadly Melamine pet food recalls in 2007.
Believing that raw meat is safer and more natural than commercial pet food, proponents of the raw cat food diet have swelled their rankings. Many veterinarians and other critics of the raw cat food diet argue that raw food can result in nutritional imbalance, intestinal damage, and foodborne illnesses.
Whatever your take, it is impossible to deny the popularity of the raw cat food diet, and there are now several brands of commercial raw cat food that may be purchased frozen or fresh.
Why Raw Food?
Cats are carnivores. They don’t just prefer meat; they need meat in their diet to remain healthy. Cats do not have the ability to make the amino acid taurine—one of the fundamental building blocks of protein. In order to maintain an adequate supply of taurine, cats need to eat meat, which has plenty of taurine.
Dry commercial cat foods have meat, but depending on the brand, can be of low quality. The worst part is that because of lax labeling requirements, even when you think you’re buying good quality pet food, it’s hard to tell what’s really in there.
The other problem with dry commercial cat food is, of course, the added carbohydrates. Vegetables and grains are used in cat food for nutrients, but they are also used as cheap fillers. If your cat is eating cat foods with excessive carbohydrate fillers, it’s not getting the meat it needs.
A raw food diet heavy in fresh meats gives your cat what it has evolved to require from a biological standpoint.
Proponents of the raw cat food diet also argue that raw meat more closely approximates the natural diet of a cat in the wild. They argue that because cats evolved over millions of years in the wild eating a raw diet, their physiology has adapted to a raw diet.
Why Not Raw Food?
Critics of the raw cat food diet argue that just because it’s natural does not mean that it’s safe. Although cooking food does break down some nutrients that are useful to cats, it also destroys parasites, bacteria, and other pathogens that can cause disease in both cats and humans. If handled properly, raw food can be safe, but generally, it is much more likely to be contaminated with disease-causing pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria than cooked commercial food.
The American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital Association, Companion Animal Parasite Council, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all discourage raw cat food diets precisely because of the risk of foodborne illness.
The other consideration is that a natural diet is not necessarily a balanced diet. Commercial raw cat foods, for all their faults, are scientifically formulated to provide your cat with all the nutrients it requires.
Simply feeding your cat raw meat is not a sufficient way to meet its nutritional needs. Your cat needs several different types of fatty acids, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, that aren’t necessarily found in meat.
Feeding Your Cat Raw Food
If you feel like a raw cat food diet is right for your cat, it is important to consult with a veterinarian to develop a recipe that will provide your cat with balanced nutrition. A balanced raw diet generally includes not just meat, but ground poultry bones, organs, and skin. It is also important to add supplements recommended by your veterinarian such as vitamins, minerals, and fish oils.
For busy cat owners on the go, who may not necessarily have the time to prepare raw cat food, there are now commercial raw cat foods that are sold frozen. Commercial raw cat foods are generally complete diets without the need for additional supplements, making it easy to feed your cat a raw diet.
To find out more about cat food, visit CatFoodInsider.com for reviews on all the major cat food brands, with in-depth analyses and the latest information on recalls.
