Your cats will thrive on a balanced raw food diet, and eating raw is very much biologically appropriate for them. Despite the traditional veterinarians shying away from raw diet and advocating for kibble, more and more owners and holistic vets, seeing the benefits of raw, start incorporating raw food and completely switch to it. Raw diet is not an overwhelmingly popular concept for many traditional veterinarians. However, with patience and proper transitioning, switching to raw is a way to help our four-legged friends stay happy, healthy and active well into their golden years.
Kibble is Meal Replacement
Your cat’s body and GI tract are specifically designed to digest wholesome living food (i.e. raw meat), the way they have done for thousands upon thousands of years in the wild. Dry, bagged kibble has only been introduced to pets relatively recently and has been mainly designed for the convenience of the owners. However, feline GI tract, although very resilient and adaptable, is not designed to process a high carb diet. Feeding kibble to cats is similar to humans eating fast food, which is only a substitute for a real wholesome home-made meal[1].
Vet Schools Overlook the Benefits of Raw Diet
Despite many cat (and dog) owners seeing how vastly superior raw food is to any commercially produced kibble or canned wet food, veterinary schools still include extensive coverage of bagged cat food formulas. Because this curriculum has become so ingrained in vet school students, too many professional veterinarians frown upon the thought of raw diets because they’re unfamiliar with it. In addition, some pet owners switch to raw too fast (please see our instructions on Transitioning to Raw) and see adverse effects, such as diarrhea, simply because the transition period is too short.
And What About Parasites?
It is natural for a concerned cat parent to worry about parasites. It is a very common concern with people deciding whether or not to make the switch to raw. Parasites only live in the innards of prey animals. Our raw cat food consists of meat and organs, and we do not include any intestines that may contain parasites. Some parasites, such as taxoplasmosis, can escape the guts and travel into the muscle meat. However, freezing the meat for a minimum of 3 days prior to serving avoids potential exposure to parasites[2].
Salmonella and Raw Food
Salmonella is the number one reason for pet food recalls. It periodically contaminates both human and processed pet food. The good news? Your cat is a lot better equipped to handle it than you are. Cats have a very high stomach acidity, as well as a short GI tract (unlike that of humans), which makes it hard for bacteria to travel a long way through the GI tract and multiply. As carnivores, they even have other built-in mechanisms to protect from bacterial invaders, such as increased quantities of lethal bile as well as pancreatic enzymes[3].
Healthy Digestive Tract
Though you and your cat have different dietary needs, both can benefit from diligent GI tract care. Don’t feed your cat vegetarian food, because feline system is not designed to process it. Just like with humans, if your pet is taking antibiotics, counter it with a probiotic to maintain the good bacteria that fend off parasites.
It takes a bit of extra work to put your cat on a living, raw food diet, but the health benefits are worth it. Your cat will live a healthier, and potentially even longer life without the negative effects of commercially processed kibble.
[1] Becker, Karen. “The Completely Healthy ‘Pet’ Food Your Vet Probably Vilifies”. Mercola.com.
[2] Becker, Karen. “The Completely Healthy ‘Pet’ Food Your Vet Probably Vilifies”. Mercola.com.
[3] Becker, Karen. “The Completely Healthy ‘Pet’ Food Your Vet Probably Vilifies”. Mercola.com.
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