Raw Diet for Cats:

Felines, like most other species are naturally accustomed to raw foods, so raw cat food would be a lot more natural as compared to cooked or processed food diets.



Cats have been kept by man in homes and farms/barns to control and exterminate mice, rats, bugs and other unwanted animals. They can thus be considered true carnivores.





Cats eat an assorted diet in the wild birds, fish, insects, mice, small mammals, snakes and other reptiles, and also organ meats. A raw cat food diet would consist of food almost like what the cat would eat if not domesticated.



Such a raw meat diet would be supplemented with vegetables and fruits that contain fatty acids, certain enzymes and taurine. Research has also shown that cats have benefited from enzyme rich raw food as opposed to cats that were fed cooked food. However, this also gives rise to the question of raw meat being safe. Cats’ stomachs are more acidic than a human’s and while they can digest day old remains of animals in the wild, bacteria present in processed meat can be a problem. Keep the following points in mind while purchasing meat:

• Don’t buy meat from a supermarket; it is safer from a known and trusted butcher.
• If you are not using the meat immediately, freeze portions for future use.
• Add probiotics to the meat. These are easily available in pet stores and health stores.
• Remove and destroy any food that is not eaten within 30 minutes.
• Ensure that all equipment (cutting boards and dishes) are sterilized after each use.
• Do check with your veterinarian before starting a raw meat diet for an immunocompromised cat