In this article I will explain the basic studies Dr Pottenger did and discuss whether they are relevant to feeding
cats raw meat diets today.
People who have made the switch to feeding
their cats a raw meat diet invariably describe their light bulb moment — that instant when they realized the food they had been feeding just wasn't right.
Not exact matches
ACO certified company Organic Paws produces a range of fresh and frozen
meat meals for
cats and dogs that require a
raw meat diet.
Experts are warning dog and
cat owners to be aware of the risks associated with feeding their pets
raw meat - based
diets (RMBDs), instead of the more conventional dry or canned pet foods.
As
cats become more popular pets, both consumers and retailers are embracing grain - free and
raw meat diets.
They are looking for the healthiest
diets to feed their dogs, and since the philosophy behind a
raw diet is that
raw meat is the ancestral
diet for dogs and
cats, they are finding the answer in
raw food.
They also discovered that many
cats improve by simply changing their
diets to a balanced grain - free
raw meat diet.
I started all my
cats on a
raw meat diet and was astonished at the results.
Thanks to Mina and other
cats, I dared to introduce a
raw and cooked
meat diet with bones and vegetables to dogs against the recommendation of
diet companies that continue suggesting low - protein kibble.
Objective, critical evaluation of the advisability of feeding a
raw meat - based
diet to pet
cats and dogs.
Thus, a
raw meat or homemade
diet that is 60 percent protein can help your
cat digest food more efficiently.
The researchers found that the
raw -
meat based
diet (RB) and cooked
meat diets (CB) were both better digested by
cats than an extruded (dry kibble) food, even though the kibble started out higher in protein.
Hill's Science
Diet did similar research many years ago, and also found that
cats did better on a
raw meat diet.
Pet owners are a breed all their own, so when it comes to controversial pet
diets, your veterinary practice has likely seen it all: from bottomless table scraps for dogs, to milk saucers for
cats — and
raw meat diets for both.
In recent years, there has been a movement in the dog and
cat world regarding feeding
raw meat diets.
Other
raw food
diets typically recommend
cats have a
diet of 80 % -87 %
meat, fat, skin, sinew, connective tissue and heart, 5 % -10 % edible bone, 3 % -5 % liver, and 5 % other secreting organ.
A
RAW meat diet is exactly what nature designed dogs and
cats to thrive on.
Those who feed home made -
diets often cite the work of Dr. Richard Pitcairn, developer of the Pitcairn
diets for dogs and
cats, and Dr. Ian Billinghurst, an Australian veterinarian who has created a
raw meat diet for pets.
I am not a fan of
raw diets - I have seen too many
cats become ill from the bacteria that sometimes contaminate
raw meat.
Ground
diets are usually what people start their
cats on when they first transition to a
raw meat diet.
Once the
cat gets used to eating ground
raw meats and the human gets used to serving it, most people get more comfortable with the idea and offer a more adventurous
diet to their feline buddies.
If you are reading up on
raw meat diets for
cats, at some point the name Pottenger will come up.
Based on my experience over the last 20 years, I would have to say that a high - quality
raw meat diet is by far the best health insurance policy you could ever get for you
cat.
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.
We are trained in animal nutrition, and we can tell you why
raw hamburger
meat and a saucer of milk is not a good or balanced
diet for your
cat.
My 14 - and 15 - year - old
cats have been on
raw meat diets since they were kittens, and they have never been sick a day in their lives.
The risk of disease to
cats due to not feeding a
raw meat diet is far greater.
It's a common belief that commercial
cat and dog food contains artificial preservatives, unnecessary fillers and other unhealthy ingredients (which is partially true) and that
raw meat diet would be a more natural choice for the dog.
The perfect daily
diet for dogs and
cats is rich in proteins and fats sourced from
raw meat and organs balanced with vitamins and minerals.
«
Cats and dogs that eat
raw meat diets are also more likely to become infected with antibiotic - resistant bacteria than animals on conventional
diets, which could pose a serious risk to both animal health and public health.»
We find that our CKD
cats do very well on a
raw meat diet, as the
diet supplies calcium and phosphorous in perfect combination.
«My
cats are now eating a species - appropriate
diet consisting of
raw meats (chicken and rabbit), finely ground bones, and organs using a properly balanced recipe.
Our
meat is delivered fresh or
raw daily in WholePrey ™ ratios to mirror your
cat's evolutionary
diet and promote peak health without long lists of synthetic...
Honoring Kentucky's Appalachian ranching heritage, this unique food is brimming with Angus beef, Yorkshire pork, grass - fed lamb, American bison and Blue catfish to mirror your
cat's evolutionary
diet.Delivered fresh or
raw in Wholeprey ™ ratios, and brimming with goodness and taste, ACANA Appalachian Ranch features a rich diversity of
meats, tripe, liver, kidney and cartilage that mirror your
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diet and nourish peak health, without long lists of synthetic supplements and...
When she decided to prepare their food herself, the effect of the homemade
raw meat diet on her
cats was so impressive that she created the line of Alnutrin ® supplements to help others transition their
cats to better
diets.
While that does not directly address the feeding of
raw meat diets it is hard for me to understand why pet foods are knocked by some people who favor the
diets that were prevalent when dogs lived closer to ten or twelve years and a fourteen year - old
cat was thought to be ancient.
While a student, she attended a lecture in 2007, and heard first - hand how the doctor and his wife, both veterinarians, had successfully treated many
cats with digestive problems by way of
raw meat diets.
She discovered that information on
raw meat diets for
cats was scattered and not very accessible, so she decided to do something about it.
Raw meat diets do not necessarily contain enough taurine, and it has been reported by an unpublished study by the Winn Foundation that some cats while on a raw meat diet have developed Dilated Cardiomyopathy from the lack of taurine and di
Raw meat diets do not necessarily contain enough taurine, and it has been reported by an unpublished study by the Winn Foundation that some
cats while on a
raw meat diet have developed Dilated Cardiomyopathy from the lack of taurine and di
raw meat diet have developed Dilated Cardiomyopathy from the lack of taurine and died.
Freeman, Lisa M., et al. «Current Knowledge about the Risks and Benefits of
Raw Meat - Based
Diets for Dogs and
Cats.»
Pros: Air - dried recipes are similar in nutritional quality to
raw food, many recipes feature novel proteins, all formulas are grain - free and carbohydrate - limited, recipes are made with at least 95 percent
meat ingredients, formulas are designed to mimic a wild prey
diet for
cats, no carrageenan in canned foods
Air - dried recipes are similar in nutritional quality to
raw food, many recipes feature novel proteins, all formulas are grain - free and carbohydrate - limited, recipes are made with at least 95 percent
meat ingredients, formulas are designed to mimic a wild prey
diet for
cats, no carrageenan in canned foods
Experts are warning dog and
cat owners to be aware of the risks associated with feeding their pets
raw meat - based
diets (RMBDs), instead of the more conventional dry or canned pet foods.
• Live enzymes • Less toxins and preservatives • No synthetic nutrients • Provides proper hydration (especially important for
cats) • Easier to digest • Maintains healthy teeth & shinier, healthier skin and coat • Maintains a healthy digestive tract and aids in weight control • Increased mobility in older animals • Mimics the natural
diet of
meat (
raw), bones, organs and shredded veggies • You know what your pet is eating
In fact, a researcher for a large pet food company once told me that the company had studied
raw diets, and
cats do much better on
raw meat than on cooked or processed
diets.
After switching our own
cats to a
raw meat diet in 2008 and seeing the dramatic changes in even our young, healthy
cats, we formed the Feline Nutrition Education Society to change how people thought about «
cat food» At the time, information was scattered, often fragmentary and not very friendly to the beginner still trying to figure it all out.
Our mission is to promote awareness of the issues involved in feline nutrition and health, with an emphasis on bio-appropriate,
raw meat diets for
cats.
Get as many
cats as possible onto a healthy
raw meat diet.
When I first switched my
cats to a
raw meat diet, I was amazed at the positive changes in them.
My
cats have been thriving for the past 11 years on a
diet that I prepare using either ground whole carcass rabbit (fed
raw) from a reputable farm, or whole
meats (chicken thighs) from Whole Foods Market that I grind myself after partially baking.