Best Way to Feed Cats Raw
In our raw feeding guide for cats, we give you detailed answers to common questions, explaining the benefits of a raw diet, how it works and much more.
We also introduce you to the nutritional science behind a raw diet for cats.
Jump to a section in our raw feeding guide for cats
Raw diet for cats | An introduction
Raw feeding is designed to provide cats with all of the nutrients that they need to thrive, maintaining optimum levels of nutrition by avoiding unnecessary cooking or processing.
The BARF raw cat food diet is based on the science of combining protein, healthy fats, bone content, key vitamins and minerals to create delicious meals that support feline health.
This raw feeding guide for cats outlines the benefits of a species-appropriate diet and the role it can play in your cat's nutrition.
What is raw cat food?
Raw cat food, including raw kitten food and raw senior cat food, is designed to mimic the diet that cats would naturally eat in the wild, often being referred to as ''Biologically Appropriate Raw Food' or BARF.
Processed commercial foods have become common in supermarkets and in marketing, including many ingredients that are unnecessary and in some cases, detrimental to feline health.
Instead, a BARF diet includes species-specific raw ingredients, removing the need to denature proteins (and removing their nutrient value) through cooking processes or adding unnecessary fillers your cat cannot digest.
What is in raw cat food?
Let's explore what goes into a raw diet for cats
1. High quality protein & bone
2. Healthy fats
3. Key vitamins & minerals
A high quality raw cat food will be made up of 100% natural ingredients and usually includes a combination of high quality protein (with a wide variety of options), healthy fats, key vitamins and minerals, and bone content.
Each ingredient should have a purpose and nutritional benefit that can help your cat maintain great health.
We will now take a look at each of the common raw cat food components in our raw feeding guide for cats. We will also explore why they are included.
High quality protein
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they require certain nutrients that can only come from meat. Cats also require more protein than omnivores such as dogs, because they regularly use protein for energy.
In addition to using meat protein to fuel their bodies, it also supports cats' nervous systems, hair growth and immune systems.
Common sources of protein in raw cat food include beef, turkey, chicken, lamb and fish. Explore our meals in more detail, we currently offer, chicken & turkey, lamb & duck and chicken & salmon.
The quality of meat protein plays a key role, with bioavailable protein being digested more effectively.
Variety of protein is also important. This ensures your cats receives a balanced diet. For example, feeding an exclusive diet of raw fish can lead to a thiamine deficiency due to its thiaminase content. Can cats eat fish?
Throughout a cat's life, their protein requirements will change and it's important this is tailored to their individual requirements.
Nursing cats require a higher protein intake to support kittens' development and older cats may require increased protein intake, to help them absorb and metabolise it.
Cats with health conditions may require close monitoring of their protein intake, such as those with chronic kidney disease, which must not be fed a high protein diet.
Fats & omegas
Healthy fats support healthy skin and coats in cats. Omega-3s in raw cat food have been shown to support the prevention of inflammation in joints, which can assist cats living with arthritis.
Key vitamins, amino acids & minerals
A nutrient-dense raw diet can provide key vitamins, amino acids and minerals that help cats to thrive. While organ meat can help to support cats' nutrition, bone content provides minerals such as calcium that are also highly beneficial.
Cats use amino acids found in meat to create energy for bodily processes and metabolism regulation, as well as for the creation of new proteins, repairing and growing tissue too. When cats become deficient in amino acids, their bodies can struggle to function.
Taurine is an essential amino acid that is found in protein. Cats require this from their diet, as they can't synthesise it for themselves.
Bone content
Having the correct balance and type of bone content is key for cats. Not only does raw bone provide nutrients, but it also has many other health benefits, such as promoting healthy teeth, gums and digestion.
Bella & Duke raw cat food uses lightweight, poultry bones as they are easy to digest, making them the most beneficial for cats.
Free from grains & fillers
The best raw cat food will be free from grains and fillers, allowing cats to fill themselves up with tasty, nutritious ingredients, rather than consuming bulking agents.
Grains are almost completely indigestible for cats as they do not produce amylase in their saliva. Many cat food brands on the market add grains into cat food as a cheap source of calories, despite being linked to intolerances and other digestive problems including constipation in cats.
Similarly, fillers are only ever added to bulk out food, while offering no additional nutritional benefits.
When choosing a raw cat food, make sure the ingredients are designed to offer the most nutrition possible.
A note on fruit & veg
Cats do not require fruit or vegetables to balance their nutrition. However, vegetables can work as an insoluble fibre, which can be beneficial for the digestive tract in small quantities. Learn more in our articles Can cats eat fruit? and Can cats eat veg?
Is raw cat food good for cats?
The benefits of raw cat food
Raw cat food is full of nutrients, helping cats to absorb everything that they need to thrive in a more natural way.
It's become increasingly common for humans to eat a healthy, balanced diet that avoids processed foods, leading to the question… why not do the same for our pets?
The key to making raw cat food as beneficial as possible is to know the exact ingredients, as well as making sure food preparation and storage is done safely and hygienically.
By feeding a balanced, species-specific raw diet, it is possible to support cats' overall health and wellbeing, as well as helping them to enjoy every nutritious meal.
As well as supporting balanced energy, healthy coats and good dental health, raw can also help cats to enjoy mealtimes more, due to the delicious tastes and scents of their food.
Vet opinions of raw cat food
We consulted with several leading vets, spearheading the movement for a change in the traditional, processed food approach. These top vets advocate a raw diet.((Click Here to read more about the Raw Feeding Veterinary Society)).
A raw cat food diet that predominantly consists of meat, organs, and bones is recommended. We interviewed them at a recent conference at Stirling University, and here is a sample of their responses:
If your vet is anti raw food, we have compiled a directory of raw food advocating vets in the UK to help you find one.
Raw feeding guide for cats | How to switch
Even for cats that have been fed on processed foods or kibble their whole life, it is never too late to introduce a more healthy alternative.
Most will happily switch immediately, some may need extra support to move to their new healthy food.
Switching to raw cat food can allow them to benefit from raw, easily digestible ingredients, as well as removing fillers and grains from their diets.
While some cats will happily eat anything put in front of them, others are more fussy, which is why we'll share three methods for switching cats to a raw diet.
- The straight swap
Keep it simple. Feed your cat the last meal of their old food the night before, leave it 12 hours and switch the following morning.
- One bowl method
Take your cat's existing old food and mix in a small percentage of the Bella & Duke Raw cat food. We recommend you start with 10%. Slowly increase this over 2 weeks until you have made a full transition. You may need to gently adjust this to a point where your cat will eat the food. It's best to avoid increasing too quickly with this method.
- Two bowl method
Place 90% or thereabouts of what you would normally feed your cat in one bowl. In a second bowl, place 10% of your new Bella & Duke raw cat food. Adjust the amounts daily as your cat adapts.
When switching to raw it's also important to make sure that you have enough raw cat food for whatever switching method you choose. Try our raw cat food calculator to determine exactly how much raw food your cat needs.
Top tips for fussy cats
If cats are introduced to a new food that they are unfamiliar with, it can take time for them to adjust. If they aren't showing interest in their new food, try these top tips:
- Be patient and go at your cat's preferred pace when switching
- Serve meals at room temperature
- Feed somewhere cats feel comfortable and safe, with 360 degree vision
- Keep feeding times calm so there are no distractions
- Place food bowls away from water and litter trays
- Use a saucer or flat board for feeding, as this keeps their peripheral vision clear and stops their whiskers touching the bowl
Raw cat food FAQs
In this section of our raw feeding guide for cats we will cover the most frequently asked questions about feeding raw cat food.
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they need to eat a protein-rich diet. The best meals for cats will include high quality meat protein, safe bone content, fats, omegas, vitamins, amino acids and minerals.
Raw cat food is the name given to meals that are not cooked. Designed to mimic the types of food that cats would naturally eat in the wild, this typically contains easily digestible proteins that are not denatured through the cooking process. It is important to make sure raw cat food offers everything that cats need to thrive.
Feeding cats a raw diet helps them to utilise the goodness in their meals without having any processing or cooking, which can often reduce the nutritional benefits.
Raw cat food can provide everything that a cat needs to thrive, allowing them to digest the proteins and other nutrients easily. When the ingredients are high quality, it helps meals to be easily digested, enabling cats to utilise the ingredients to support their health in the best possible way.
As well as being delicious and having a tempting scent for cats, raw cat food can provide everything that cats need to support a healthy, active and long life. Many people notice that a raw diet supports their cat's wellbeing, for example, making their coats more shiny, helping them to regulate their energy better and having more firm, less smelly poos. Raw cat food can also support healthy cat behaviour.
A suitable raw cat food should be completely free of grains and fillers, as these do not offer necessary nutritional benefits. Often, grains are used as a filler, to bulk out meals. Instead, a cat's diet should be designed to offer as much nutrition as possible.
Raw cat food is safe, providing it is prepared and stored properly. The best way to make sure raw food is safe, is to buy raw food that follows strict testing and is handled in line with human standard food hygiene processes throughout the supply chain. Discover 6 reasons the answer is yes in our article Is raw pet food safe?
Source: https://www.bellaandduke.com/learn/cat-nutrition/raw-feeding-guide-for-cats/
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