Feline Nutrition. About This Website. The raw meat cat food recipe I developed in the period of 1995-1997 has become the bread and butter to many who feed a raw meat diet to cats today. The Biggest Myths About Raw Food (And Why They're Mostly Nonsense). The Simply Pets raw food diet has been developed by Dr Anuska Viljoen. A qualified veterinarian, homeopath, nutritionist, clinical pathologist and acupuncturist. Honey’s is a small, ethical, family-run, artisanal, working dog food company. We make feeding a raw or . Our dog food (made using completely. Although many people rely on dry cat food as a staple for their cats' diets, canned cat food is a must for developing strong bones and muscles, while mitigating many. A veterinarian explains the basics on properly feed cats which are strict carnivores, and the link between a poor quality diet and common diseases. Both cats and dogs are designed to consume raw meat but many vets recommend commercial pet food instead of telling owners to prepare the proper pet diet. I started this website in 2. IBD while eating premium grain- free diets. I have been asked by many people to share my adaptations of popular recipes and the research that I have done on feline nutrition. I maintain this website as a free public service. I am not a veterinarian, the information shared here is available in research journals, scientific textbooks on animal nutrition, and from veterinarians educated in feline nutrition. This website is dedicated to the memory of Tristan, who passed away at age 2. Raw Essentials Real Food for Cats & Dogs 8 AUCKLAND STORES 1 HAMILTON STORE. Tristan began to develop IBD symptoms when he was about 8 years old. After a few years of unsuccessful veterinary treatments including speciality diets, we finally decided to make the effort to transition our cats to a home made minimal ingredient raw meat diet. The results were astounding. Tristan’s IBD went into complete remission and remained so for the last 1. He bore the scars of inflammation, however, in the form of permanently thickened intestines. Tristan had 1. 1 very happy, healthy years after making the switch to a more natural diet, and it is my hope that by sharing this information other cats suffering from IBD and other afflictions related to an inappropriate diet. To wild cats, health is a prerequisite for survival. For cats in the company of people it is the potential to live life to the fullest. For now I’m planning to feed 2 meals of wet and 1 of dry. Both of my cats seem to enjoy drinking out of the water fountain, so I’m wondering: If. What Your Cat Was Meant to Eat. Cats are the most specialized hunters of all the mammals, they are strict carnivores. Cats evolved to eat raw whole rodents and small prey, they cannot digest carbohydrates the way other mammals can. Dry cat food is much higher in carbohydrates than a cat’s natural prey, and even the grain- free kibbles contain potato which is a very starchy vegetable. When fed long term, high- carb dry cat food leads to obesity, diabetes and often irritable bowel disease in cats. Cats are descended from desert creatures, naturally they get most of their water from their food. Feeding dry cat food causes chronic dehydration which leads to serious urinary tract problems such as crystals and infections. It can also lead to kidney damage over time. High quality meat based canned foods or a raw meat diet are much more suitable for cats. Contrary to some theories, dry cat food does nothing to clean teeth. The only way to effectively clean your cats’ teeth is by veterinary cleaning under anesthesia. In fact a high carb diet contributes to dental problems due to the sugars that form when carbohydrates are broken down. Commercial cat food was invented relatively recently. Before commercial food, cats mostly lived outdoors and hunted for their food and were supplemented with scraps of meat and milk. When cats started to become indoor pets and move into cities, commercial cat food was invented, and since then there have been a multitude of problems with these commercial foods – from lack of taurine resulting in blindness and heart disease to contamination with a variety of toxic substances. Commercial cat food production is not regulated or subject to testing on a routine basis. We all know that a diet based on whole foods is healthier than processed foods. The same is true for cats! There is a difference between meeting the basic needs for short term sustenance and sustaining long term health. The Ideal Diet for Your Cat. The ideal diet is the one your cat and his ancestors has been eating for thousands of years – primarily whole fresh raw rodents, rabbit and a few game birds and insects. For kittens and young cats with good teeth, introduce whole prey such as mice and rats available from reptile feeder suppliers. Whole food provide all the nutrition your cat needs as well as the dental benefits of chewing their food. Yes, just thaw the mouse in the fridge or at room temperature and feed to your cat, fur and all. Some cats prefer their meals warmed to body temperature which is best done by immersing in a bag in warm water for a few minutes. The closest many of us can come to this – especially when transitioning older cats or those with many missing teeth – is to feed a home made raw meat diet, consisting of whole ground prey with added supplements to make up for what is lost by freezing, thawing and storing the meat. If a home made raw meat diet is simply out of the question for some reason, a high quality grain- free canned food is the next best thing. A food with very high meat content and limited total number of ingredients is best. However if your cat has IBD or food allergies, you should try a home made diet so you can control and eliminate ingredients. Important Considerations. Generally it is best to change your cat’s diet gradually. Mix in some of the new food with the old food, or feed small amounts separately and gradually feed more of the new food and less of the old food. You do not need to transition your cat to canned food before raw, but it is easy to mix in raw food with canned. If you currently feed kibble just start out with a tablespoon of raw meat 2x a day and transition over a period of 2- 4 weeks. It is not a bad idea to start out with only the raw meat/bones/organ mix and added taurine – no other supplements. This way you can add the other vitamins or supplements one at a time and you’ll know if one of them causes a problem. Cats evolved to eat the whole prey – muscle meat, bones, organs and all. Cats cannot synthesize their own taurine, so taurine is an important ingredient. We add additional taurine because studies have shown that freezing, thawing and storing meat can deplete the natural taurine. In addition, domestically- raised meat may be lower in taurine than wild prey. Cats cannot synthesize Vitamin A, they get it from liver, so liver is also essential. I do not recommend long term feeding of a diet with vitamin A and D added to replace liver, but for short term rotational batches of food it is acceptable – please refer to catnutrition. A and D substitute instructions. The ideal Calcium to Phosphorus ratio for cats is 1. Fortunately, an entire carcass of a small prey animal such as rabbit, mouse, quail, chicken contains a ratio in this ideal range. If you are not using whole small prey, make sure you are feeding the correct ratio of meat, bones and organs. Look for the nutritional analysis and divide the amount of Ca per serving by the amount of P per serving – any units as long as the units are the same for both minerals – to determine the ratio. For example if a food contains 1. Ca and 0. 9. 8 % P, that comes out to a Ca: P ratio of 1. Do not feed your cat boneless meat alone for more than the occasional meal without adding the correct proportion of calcium. Doing so will create a calcium deficiency which affects not only the bones but also the brain, heart and nerves. Homemade Raw Cat Food . Speak to your veterinarian so he/she may address any concerns. This diet is not recommended for cats that have chronic renal disease. If you wish to make a homemade diet for your cat(s), use only a raw food recipe. Cooking the diet will destroy many of the required nutrients and you will be serving a less than balanced diet. If you would prefer to serve a cooked food, purchase a quality canned food. Commercially produced raw food is also available. However, making raw food for your cat will be more cost effective than purchasing it and you will have absolute control of the ingredients used. The recipes below are based on Natascha Wille's, initial recipe for raw cat food, distributed since 1. Veering too far from these appropriately balanced recipes may be detrimental to your cat. Ingredients that are optional, if your cat has an aversion to them or has problems digesting them, will be noted. The recipe below is the one that Dr. Lisa Pierson uses with slight modifications. The only recipe offered is made with ground bone. There really is no substitute for fresh ground bone. It is also important to note that cooked bone can splinter and is very dangerous to cats. However, raw ground bone is easily digested by carnivores. If you are taking on the task of making a homemade raw diet, you might as well buy a grinder and use bone with the recipe. There are a number of reasons to do it this way. Conversion can sometimes be a long process with cats and you shouldn't get discouraged to the point of giving up. Give yourself and your cat time to adjust to the new diet. One quick way of introduction would be to cut up a chicken breast into small bite- size pieces to see if your cat is already interested in this natural diet. Protein Sources - Main Ingredient. This recipe calls for chicken thighs but whole chickens can be used as well. When using whole chickens, remove the necks and backbones to reduce the amount of bone or the calcium- phosphorus ratio may be compromised. Beef and fish have been shown to be hyperallergenic in the cat and raw fish should never be fed because it contains thiaminase which will lead to a thiamin (vitamin B1) deficiency in the cat. Fish also tends to be addictive to cats because of the strong scent and taste. Certain species of fish, such as tuna, may be contaminated with heavy metals such as mercury. Fish is also high in magnesium which may cause a problem for cats that already have or are prone to urinary problems. Grain- fed beef is also higher in fat, lower in protein, and usually loaded with antibiotics and growth hormones than grass- fed and/or organically raised cattle. Bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE – mad cow disease) may also be spread to cats in the form of feline spongiform encephalitis (FSE). Pork is not recommended. Trichinosis is caused by eating raw pork that is contaminated with the larvae of the roundworm Trichinella spp. Pork is also extremely high in fat and is no substitution for small rodents and birds. Additional meats that can be used are Cornish game hens, quail, turkey, or rabbit. The turkey bones will not go through the grinder as is, without first being broken into smaller pieces. Tips. It is best to use organic, free- range, antibiotic- free chicken and eggs. Whatever best fits your financial situation is appropriate. Currently, there are no FDA approved growth hormones for poultry, therefore, all poultry in the United States is currently hormone- free. Chicken hearts are sometimes hard to source, especially in the quantities needed if you make large batches of food. In this case, taurine is substituted. Check with your local butcher or large grocery store chain. They may be able to source the hearts for you if you give them a few days notice each time you need them. Ethnic food stores are also a good place to check as they typically offer foods not offered in the traditional grocery stores. You'll notice that chunking much of the meat is suggested, providing some dental health benefit. Using poultry shears works much better than a knife. However, if your cat will not eat the chunks, grind all of the meat instead. If chunking the meat, make small pieces about nickel- sized or smaller for your cat. Make sure to wash your hands well before beginning and use only clean utensils and bowls. For most meat grinders, including the one I use, it is best to wash all parts by hand to prevent rusting. If you will be freezing your cat food for more than two weeks, you may wish to sprinkle a little extra taurine on your cat's food when serving one or two of the meals per week. It is well known that taurine is sensitive to both grinding and freezing. Chunk up most of the muscle meat with poultry shears (or grind all of it). Grind the rest of the muscle meat, bones, skin, heart, and liver. Measure two cups (4. B complex, vitamin E, lite iodized salt, and added taurine (if using in place of hearts and/or adding because of freezing). Mix the chunked meat, ground mixture, and supplement mixture together. Leave room in the containers for expansion from freezing. Mark the containers with both the contents and date and freeze. As you can see, high (meat) protein, moderate fat, and low carbohydrates would be on the menu of a wild- fed cat. Nutrient profile of a rat carcass. Nutrient*Rat Carcass Moisture 6. Protein 5. 5% Fat 3. Carbohydrate 1. 2% Fiber 0. Ash 5. 2. 2% Calcium 1. Phosphorus 0. 9. 8% Magnesium 0. Linoleic Acid 9. 1% Iron 2. Vitamin A 8. 4,8. IU/kg Niacin 1. 56. All nutrients expressed on a dry matter basis except moisture. The effect of a rat carcass diet on the urinary p. H of the cat. Comparison Animal Practice. August): 5- 9. You may also wish to use freezer specific glass jars. Another method is to vacuum seal the contents in plastic or using zipper type freezer bags. The most important issue is making sure that the storage container is rated for freezer use. Also, if at all possible, only use BPA - free plastic. The food must be kept frozen until it needs to be thawed. If you do not have enough space in your kitchen freezer, you may need to purchase an additional small freezer or make smaller batches of food. Small freezers are available at large department stores, home improvement stores, and appliance stores. This raw food diet should not be stored more than a couple of months in the freezer. Extended storage may lead to the breakdown of most if not all of the taurine and there could be a decrease in essential fatty acid activity and destruction of vitamin E. Freezing this diet for a minimum of 4. If you live in an area that experiences frequent and lengthy power outages, you may need a portable generator. Make sure to follow the directions for the generator, as it produces invisible and deadly carbon monoxide fumes. Used correctly, they are safe and handy to have. Thawing & Feeding. Calculate the approximate amount to feed each cat per day. Most cats eat about 4- 6 ounces per day. Then calculate how much you will be feeding per day and place that amount in the refrigerator to thaw, at least 2. Smaller packages will thaw more quickly so you may opt to split a daily serving into two smaller containers. Larger containers may take up to 4. You should not leave thawed meat in the fridge more than 4. Plates are easier for cats to eat from than bowls. Small plates allow cats to put their heads down without interfering with their whiskers. When eating small prey, cats' whiskers are held straight out from their faces. When cats try to eat from a bowl, their whiskers are forced backwards, which for some cats may prove bothersome, causing them to walk away from the food. Feeding two to three meals per day is suggested. Leave the food down for no more than 3. You may cover the food and return it to the refrigerator to try later and then discard it. Never place food that has been served back into the original container. Kittens will eat more than adult cats and seniors will eat less. Kittens should be fed several times a day to keep up with their active metabolisms and growing bodies. Whether feeding kittens, adults, seniors, or pregnant or lactating queens, the recipe is the same. However, this recipe is not recommended for cats with kidney disease. Thawing Raw Food in a Pinch. If you forgot to thaw the food out or need to quick- thaw the food that is not completely thawed, put the food to be thawed in a plastic baggie and zip it closed tightly. Float the bag in cold tap water for about 3. You may change the water out after 1. It is imperative you do not use warm or hot water. Meat may be warmed in hotter water for serving but not for thawing. The heat will activate the bacteria that may be present in the food. Warming & Serving the Raw Diet. Take the serving of thawed food from the refrigerator and transfer it to a zipper type baggie. Press it flat then zip it closed tightly. Let it soak in warm water, in a shallow bowl, for a minute or so then replace the water with warm water again and flip the bag to the other side for another minute. This will heat it up a bit. Cats prefer their food at mouse body temperature (9. You may also opt to remove the raw food from the refrigerator about 3. This method is fine if when served, it is eaten right away. It seems no one agrees on whether microwaves damage the amino acids, vitamins, and minerals in the food when heating. I have been unable to find any definitive sources that agree one way or another, so to be safe, always warm the food in a water bath and never microwave it. Safety & Handling of a Raw Diet. Your cat evolved to eat its food raw and makes efficient use of the nutrients in a raw diet for optimum health. A raw food diet is the most natural of all diets to feed the feline. Food poisoning is always a possibility, but with proper handling as you would with any meat product you would prepare for yourself or your family, cats may be fed a high quality raw diet safely. Cat saliva contains an enzyme called lysozyme, which attacks bacteria as it enters the mouth by digesting the coating of the bacteria .
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