Homemade Raw Cat Food Recipe- Is Cat Raw Food Healthy?

Can you make raw homemade cat food? The answer is yes! You can make homemade raw cat food recipes for your cat to meet their nutritional requirements. In fact, many pet owners across the world are leveraging raw food for cat recipes.

But, if you are wondering whether raw cat food is healthy or not then it is important to ask- how much raw food you are feeding your cat? Because raw food contains harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria which can lead to severe health issues.

Hence, it is crucial that your raw cat food diet recipe retains only necessary ingredients with high nutritional value.

Homemade Raw Cat Food Recipe

Homemade Raw cat food recipes can pose some challenges in the initial stages. You have to make sure that you don’t compromise the balance of nutrients and ingredients. To avoid such a situation below are some homemade raw cat food recipes to feed your cats:

2. Raw Lamb and Organ Meat Cat Food Recipe

This homemade raw cat food consists of a lamb and raw organs like a liver or kidney. You can also use ground eggshell powder or bonemeal for calcium.

Instructions:

1. Remove the bones from the lamb and cut them into small pieces

2. Cut the raw organs into small chunks

3. Mix the lamb pieces with raw organs in a mixing bowl. If you wish, you can also add some chopped parsley to the raw cat food mixture and it will be ready to be served.

3. Raw Beef and Chicken Cat Food Recipe

You will use the deboned beef and chicken pieces in this recipe. There is no requirement for a grinder, you can simply mix the ingredients.

Instructions:

1. Use the deboned beef along with the chicken and make small chunks.

2. Mix the chunks with eggs, sardines and parsley using the mixing bowl.

3. After mixing the ingredients thoroughly you can serve it to your cat. In addition, the remaining portion can be used for storing in the freezer.

4. Boneless Raw Cat Food Recipe No Grinder

Here you’ll need to decide on the type of boneless meat i.e. beef, chicken or turkey you would prefer for your feline friend. As there are no bones involved in the recipe, there is no need for you to use the grinder.

Instructions:

1. Take your preferred boneless meat and shred it down into small pieces.

2. Mix the shredded pieces with other ingredients such as salmon oil, and egg yolk thoroughly.

3. As you’ll be using boneless meat in the recipe, it becomes crucial to add a calcium supplement to the mixture. You can add eggshell powder or bone meal for making up for the missing bones.

5. Raw Sardine and Tuna Fish Cat Food Recipe

Cats love fish and you can form a simple recipe with sardines and tuna.

Instructions:

1. Remove the bones for the sardines and tuna, and chop them down into small pieces.

2. Mix the chopped pieces with parsley and the food is ready. In addition, as per your preference, you can add eggshell powder or bone meal to the recipe.

These were some raw cat food diet recipes you could use for your cats. Now let’s see the pros and cons of raw cat food.

Raw Cat Food: Pros

There are risk factors involved while using raw cat food but, there are many benefits as well. In fact, feeding Biologically appropriate raw food (BARF) can help cats have the wild experience, meaning, get a similar feel to eating in the wild.

Here are the benefits of using raw cat food recipes:

Helpful in tackling food sensitivities and is better than commercial food

Cats who are suffering from gastrointestinal issues such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) or have food sensitivities attain significant benefits from raw cat food. Raw food is less allergic when compared to commercial food. The commercial food pack retains a high proportion of carbs, grains, and fillers which can trigger allergies or cause stomach issues.

So, it’s clear that switching to raw food recipes for cats can change your cats’ health and protect them from potential allergies or any food sensitivities issues.

Easy Digestion

Cats are obligate carnivores and serving them raw food can ease up the digestion process. They have an acidic digestive system that specifically deals with a meat-based diet. Raw meat proteins are digested slowly and the cats are also satisfied and less hungry because of a long time.

High Energy

Cats’ energy is elevated when they have raw food because, in comparison with commercial food, they contain functional fats and high protein. This prospect plays an important role in the improvement of your cats’ quality of life.

Thus, if your cat gets excited after having the homemade raw cat food and instead of sleeping they show proactive intent then you shouldn’t be surprised at all.

Healthy Skin and Better Fur

The presence of Fatty acids in Raw cat food can help make the skin healthy and the fur will also get shinier and softer. In addition, feeding raw food will also lessen the hairballs, and improve certain conditions such as irritation, itchiness, or dry-breaking skin.

Teeth Get Healthier

The raw meat chewing activity helps clean up the teeth, make the jaw strong, and clean up the gums.

Less urinary and poop issues

Cats having raw meat food tend to have minimal urinal issues as they attain plenty of moisture from their raw food. The moisture proportion attained is roughly 70% which is nearly what they gain after eating their prey in the wild. This indicates that they stay hydrated and have less risk of getting any urinary diseases such as urinary tract infections, cystitis, bladder stones or kidney disease.

Further, when cats have raw food, their poop is dry, small, and less smelly. This makes cleaning the litter box easy for the pet owner.

Raw Cat Food: Cons

Going through the pros of raw cat food must have given you clarity as to how you can use homemade raw cat food recipes, however, there are a few cons as well. Following are some of the legit concerns pertaining to serving raw food to the cat:

Fear of exposure to fatal bacteria

Raw food product contains bacteria such as salmonella, listeria, and Ecoli which causes meat contamination and can easily lead to severe health issues. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), and Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) maintain a strong stance suggesting that raw food is dangerous for cats and humans as well.

To avoid risking cross-contamination you need to follow safe meat handling procedures. For instance, buying meat from reputed stores is a good start. This small step can give you psychological assurance regarding authenticity and help in handling meat without having to worry about any contamination.

Outlining a proper nutritional balance is tough

Figuring out the right balance in the raw cat food recipe is challenging. You have to be precise while using the proportion of ingredients, especially the supplements. To avoid any disastrous situation you can always consult the Vet for getting your recipes right.

Transition from commercial to raw is difficult for cats

Even if you manage to handle all the procedures of conjuring up a homemade raw cat food recipe, your cat may reject the food at first. They have precise choices and will reject any meal that is different from the normal smell even if it has the same ingredients as the commercial pack you previously served.

Cost issues

The cost issue mainly transpires when you initiate the process of making the homemade raw cat food recipe. You test the different combinations in this beginning phase and figure out which treat suits your cat the best.

Safety Tips To Consider While Handling Raw Cat Food Diet Recipes

Pet owners and their family members are in close proximity to the cats and their food. The slightest touch with raw food can expose them to the bacteria present in the food. So, it’s significant to handle the cat’s raw food carefully.

Here are some useful tips that you can consider to be safe while dealing with raw cat food:

• Wash hands thoroughly after handling the raw food.
• Clean up the places that came in contact with the raw meat.
• Keep other food items separate from the raw meat.
• Handle the raw meat and frozen poultry products properly. Freeze them before you use them.
• Don’t kiss your cat on the mouth after they eat the food. Also, don’t allow them to lick your face. If you do have such contact clean your face immediately.

FAQs

Can I make my own raw cat food?

Yes, you can! Making Homemade raw cat food is simple. In the beginning, you may face some issues but after some time you get the hang of it.

What should I put in the cat raw diet recipe?

You can put the following items in the cat raw diet recipe:

• Raw muscle meat
• Ground bones
• Organ meat etc.

Why are vets against raw diet for cats?

Vets don’t favour raw diet food for cats as they contain dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli. and Listeria. They can harm both the cat and the owner.

Do cats live longer on a raw diet?

Generally, cats’ health relies on environmental factors and genetics. There is no exact answer or definite indication of whether cats live longer on a raw food diet. But, if you handle the raw cat food recipes well and feed them with proper nutrition distribution they could have longevity.

Homemade Raw Cat Food Recipe – Final Verdict

Shifting towards raw cat food recipes is a personal choice. While it may seem time-consuming but if you get the recipes right chances are your cat might like them and would prefer them over commercial food. Vets don’t recommend raw cat food but you can consult them to outline specific recipes for improving your cats’ overall health.