veterinarian

Should You Feed Your Cat a Raw Diet? A Vet’s View

Author's Life| 70 Comments

A cat eating food

Vet Approved by Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ)

Cat owners are always looking out for their companions’ health, especially regarding food. The pet food industry is roughly valued at $95 billion globally and is expected to grow. This means that the variety of cat food available is quite expansive, which is good news for people who want to find top-quality food for their cats.

One kind of pet food that is getting a lot of attention is raw food, and it has piqued the curiosity of many cat owners. Since the raw food production industry has increased by 20% in 2021, it is becoming popular. But should you feed your cat a raw diet? This article covers the benefits of a raw diet as well as some things to keep in mind should you make the switch to raw food.

What Is Raw Food?

Raw cat food is uncooked and unprocessed food. The main ingredients in raw food include uncooked meat, organs, and ground bone (for calcium). A raw food diet cannot just include meat. There needs to be a proper balance of macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals in the raw food. This nutritional balance will ensure a cat’s overall health.

Since cats are obligate carnivores, they need a diet high in animal proteins to be healthy and thrive. Obligate carnivores cannot survive on plant proteins as their main food source. This is why many people are feeding their cats a raw food diet; these recipes are the least processed form of animal protein.

grey cat eating meat
Image Credit: Chendongshan, Shutterstock

What Are the Benefits of a Raw Diet?

Some cat owners are concerned about low-quality ingredients and the toxic end products resulting from thermal processing found in most standard wet or dry food. While there are plenty of companies that make cat food with high-quality ingredients, there are cat owners who prefer a purer form of food, whether they buy the raw food commercially made or make it themselves.

When the raw food is high-quality, there are some health benefits:

  • Boost in energy: Cats can get sluggish without the proper amount of meat protein. While a cat with low energycan mean several things, diet can be one of the causes.
  • Digestion is improved: As mentioned before, cats need a diet primarily of meat. Plant foods and excessive carbohydrates can disturb their digestion and metabolism. So, with a raw diet, cats get the ingredients their bodies were made to ingest.
  • Healthy Weight: Cat food high in carbohydrates can lead to weight gain because cats are trying to eat more to compensate for the lack of animal protein.
  • Hydration: Any cat owner will tell you that it can be a challenge to keep a cat hydrated. In the wild, cats get their daily moisture from the animals they eat. Dry food does not have enough moisture to help a cat stay hydrated.

Things to Consider with a Raw Diet

While there are several benefits to feeding your cat a raw diet, there are some things you want to keep in mind before you make the switch:

  • Risk of illness: Cat owners must know the potential issues in handling raw meat. If a cat owner prepares the food and does not consider the sanitation aspect, this can lead to increased risk of infection with Toxoplasmosis, Salmonella, E.coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter. People can get these infections when preparing raw food improperly, handling or touching their cat near the face and mouth after eating raw food, and by handling fecal matter.
  • Improper nutritional balance: Commercially made raw foods usually have added nutrients and minerals cats need to be healthy. However, cat owners might omit those essential components when making the raw food themselves. A raw diet cannot just be meat on its own. Making your own raw food can be tricky, so consulting your veterinarian on this matter is vital for your cat’s health.
  • Meat Source: If you are making homemade raw food, it is essential to get the meat from a highly reputable source. The animals must be slaughtered under hygienic conditions as well as having the meat be handed properly. These practices will reduce cross contamination of bacteria.
  • Time: Many pet owners like the convenience of packaged food. You can buy the food in bulk, which saves time and money. Dry food can sit out safely for a few hours, so you can add some food to a bowl earlier in the day if you plan on getting home late. But because there are some health risks surrounding improper preparation of raw food, some people may not have the time to make the cat’s meals safely. With raw food, people must take the time to disinfect the preparation area, wash their hands thoroughly after touching the food and your cat, and ensure you use fresh meat from reliable sources where the animals have been raised in sanitary conditions.
  • Generally, dry and wet food are less expensive than a raw diet. People on a tight budget might find it harder to get the ingredients to make homemade raw food or sign up for raw food subscription services.
    cat-eating
    Image Credit: Unsplash

Final Thoughts: Should I Feed My Cat a Raw Diet

A raw food diet can benefit your cat’s overall health and wellness. Many cat owners have been pleased with the positive changes they have seen in their cat’s physical appearance and overall health. However, switching to a raw food diet should not be taken lightly.

You want to consider a few things before changing the cat’s diet. If you do not think you have the time to clean up after raw food preparation safely or if you do not think you have the money to either get the proper ingredients to make raw food or buy it from the store or online, you might want to reconsider this meal plan.

However, if you are aware of the risks of improper raw food preparation and clean-up, as well as understand the time commitment and costs, reach out to a raw savvy-vet about how to switch to a raw food diet for your cat.

Featured Image Credit: Krakenimages.com, Shutterstock

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About the author

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cat-eating

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Healing_Animals_and_the_Vision_of-One_Health

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How to Choose the Right Vet for Your Pet: 7 Expert Tips & Advice

Feline Health| 26 Comments

cat-and-vet

For most people, choosing the right vet for their pets is much harder than choosing the right physician for themselves.   When choosing a vet, you’re not just looking for  someone with exceptional medical skills, but also for someone with excellent people skills who understands you and your pet.  And since most veterinarians work with a team of professional support staff, you’ll want to evaluate them, too, as you look for the best fit for you and your furry family members.

The worst time to find a vet is when your pet has a medical emergency, so plan ahead and do your research before you need one.   The following suggestions can help you in your search.

The 7 Tips to Find the Right Vet For Your Cat

1. Yellow Pages/internet search

While this is a good start, I think this should only be a first step.  Proximity to your home will certainly be a factor in your decision, but it shouldn’t be the only one.  A good vet is well worth driving a few extra miles.  If you’re using the internet to look for a vet, use common sense if you’re visiting review sites such as Yelp.  The opinions posted there are only that – opinions.   Do your own research and make up your own mind after visiting potential vets.

2. Word of mouth/referral from friends, neighbors or family members

With most service businesses, word of mouth is usually the best way to find a provider.  But a word of caution:  make sure that the person referring you shares your philosophy when it comes to how to care for a pet.  Not all pet owners consider pets members of the family, and even among the ones who do, there are varying degrees.   Don’t necessarily trust a referral from someone you just met.  When I got Feebee, who was my first cat, I was not only clueless when it came to how to select a vet, I was also new to the area, so I did what most people would do – I asked a neighbor who had a dog and a cat and didn’t pursue any other recommendations, nor did I research the clinic myself.  I later found out that the vet I took Feebee to had a reputation for cutting corners during anesthetic procedures, especially in the area of pain control.  Sadly, I didn’t find this out until after Feebee had already been neutered and had had a dental cleaning.

3. Membership in the American Animal Hospital Association

Member hospitals voluntarily pursue and meet AAHA‘s standards in areas of quality medical care, facility and equipment.

cat-vet-kitten
Image Credit: wavebreakmedia, Shutterstock

4. For cats – look for a feline vet

If at all possible, look for a vet specializing in cats.  Cats are not small dogs, and feline vets can address your cat’s special needs better.  Your cat’s vet visit may also be less stressful in a feline-only hospital.  (Read Is Your Vet Cat-Friendly for more on this topic).  For a listing of feline veterinarians, use the Find a Feline Practitioner search on the American Association of Feline Practioners’ website.

5. Facility

Does the hospital have separate cat and dog waiting areas?  Is the hospital clean and odor-free? Is the staff dressed in clean uniforms and lab coats?  Don’t rule out an older looking hospital – a fancy new facility doesn’t always guarantee that your pet will also get top-of-the line medical care.

6. Make an appointment without your pet

I think this is the best way to evaluate a veterinary practice.  Make an appointment and ask for a tour of the facility.  By going to see potential vets without your pet, you will be more relaxed and it will give you a chance to evaluate not only facility, but also the practice philosophy of the clinic.  If you want to speak to a veterinarian during this trial visit, offer to pay for an office visit.  Most vets will not charge you for an introductory visit, but it sets the right tone for a future relationship of mutual respect.  Come prepared with a list of questions that are important to you.  For example, if you’re holistically oriented, make sure that your vet is, too, or at the very least, is open to holistic modalities even if he or she doesn’t practice them.

Other questions to ask:

  • How many veterinarians are at the practice?
  • Will my pet always see the same veterinarian?
  • Are appointments required?
  • What happens if I have an emergency after clinic hours?
  • Are dogs and cats housed in separate areas?
  • Are diagnostic services such as x-rays, blood work, ultrasound, EKG, endoscopy done in-house, or will they be referred to a specialist?

7. Cost

While the cost of veterinary care is most certainly a factor in the decision pocess, I don’t believe that it should be the determining one.   When we bring pets into our lives, we know that they will need veterinary care – that’s part of being a responsible pet parent.  Even if we’re fortunate that they never get sick, they’ll still need preventive care.  Depending on what part of the country you’re in, routine veterinary care can run anywhere from $500-1500 a year.  These numbers can include annual wellness exams, parasite control, labwork, dental care, and more.

If you do use price as a determining factor in your search for a vet, be aware that simply asking for prices for certain services does not necessarily tell the whole story.  For example, prices for spay/neuter surgeries can vary widely between practices – sometimes, the disaparities are due the difference in the level of care your pet will receive.

Finding the right vet for your pet is one of the most important decisions you’ll make – there is nothing more reassuring than having a vet you know you can trust and rely on throughout your pet’s life.

Veterinarian explaining to woman cat medical condition
Image Credit: Nestor Rizhniak, Shutterstock

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