Why Raw vs Cooked?

[Pam and Will]

We feed both our boys raw diets, we went an easier route and found 'Blue Ridge Beef'. A pre-ground raw supplier with bone in various meats, beef, chicken, venison are what the boys have settled on as their favorites. We use a supplement, I add it while breaking down the 2lbs 'logs' and sprinkle a little extra tuarine and supplement for good measure.

For water I cannot recommend a fountain highly enough. I see the guys drinking very often from them, the sound of the falling water seems to draw them in. If nothing else they like to watch it fall into the bowl! And I can certainly tell by the litter cleaning they are cycling PLENTY of water through themselves!! LOL

 

[John Popp]

I'm not sure what the right answers are Matt, but when I started blanching the store bought chicken I was grinding our cats certainly seemed to like it a lot more. At first I was just giving the pieces a quick dunk in boiling water, next batch about 10 seconds and the last batch I had prepared between 10-30 seconds. It had moved chicken up the favorite menu items list to just behind rabbit.

I wasn't all that worried about the bit of nutrients I was giving up in the process as I liked the piece of mind I was getting about taking care of any surface bacteria. I was still adding all the taurine I really needed in powder form and a similar amount from chicken hearts. The rest I'm sure was not a consequential amount and pretty much no different than a rounding error.

Also, the only thing I did this with was the store bought chicken as I had greater trust in the other meats I was buying.

 

[Kristin]

Another note: I feed Zeddie pre-made raw that I buy from a specialty raw food store...we have different brands here though. Due to Zeddie's recent GI issues, I have been watering down her raw food, so she has been drinking a lot more. I also have 2 different types of water fountains...she doesn't drink so much as destroy

 

[Bekki]

So I should definately switch to raw dried then? then try moist food then actually go to raw. I saw advice that if you freeze the chicken 3 days before feeding it will kill any parasites. The rare occasion they actually get into muscle tissue. And if I use organic chicken or need i don't think I'm going to have an issue with salmonella or e-Coli, especially if cats stomachs are stronger than us?


"Those who wander aren't always lost"

 

[WitchyWoman]

So I should definately switch to raw dried then? then try moist food then actually go to raw.

You should transition the cat from whatever the breeder is feeding to canned then to raw. Some cats will skip the canned phase and go straight to raw. Experiment to see what your cat prefers. Your cat should stay on the breeders diet 2-3 weeks at your house before you try to transition to a new food. Some people would recommend keeping him on the breeders diet longer. Give him time to adjust to all the other changes that will be going on.

Although some cats may prefer cooked or partially cooked meat, it isn't necessary for the health of the cat. Their gut bacteria has evolved to handle the bacteria and virus that make us sick. Oftentimes the recommendation to partially cook/fully cook food is to make the food safer to handle by humans. I think a lot of vets (who are not given much nutrition training in school by the way) are resistant to raw diets because they fear the hygienic practices of humans when handling the food and the potential for us to contaminate ourselves.

 

[John Popp]

Freezing food does not necessarily kill parasites or bacteria. Their will be plenty of living organisms that just lie dormant while frozen. Deep freezing at or below 0 degrees fahrenheit will kill some additional bacteria and parasites, but the primary benefit of freezing is that it stops the multiplication of parasites and bacteria.

 

[John Popp]

WW is definitely right in the respect that much of the bacteria is safe for the cats digestive system where as it could be harmful to humans. Salmonella which your cat might do absolutely fine with can be passed through the feces and become a health risk for children. The rest of us are probably not going to expose ourselves to litter the same way a child might.

 

[Kristin]

You should transition the cat from whatever the breeder is feeding to canned then to raw. Some cats will skip the canned phase and go straight to raw. Experiment to see what your cat prefers. Your cat should stay on the breeders diet 2-3 weeks at your house before you try to transition to a new food. Some people would recommend keeping him on the breeders diet longer. Give him time to adjust to all the other changes that will be going on.

Although some cats may prefer cooked or partially cooked meat, it isn't necessary for the health of the cat. Their gut bacteria has evolved to handle the bacteria and virus that make us sick. Oftentimes the recommendation to partially cook/fully cook food is to make the food safer to handle by humans. I think a lot of vets (who are not given much nutrition training in school by the way) are resistant to raw diets because they fear the hygienic practices of humans when handling the food and the potential for us to contaminate ourselves.

Agreed. The vet tech where I work sometimes works in our dog daycare...and gets upset when anyone feeds their dog raw. She has told everyone in the clinic that she thinks dogs fed raw should not be allowed in daycare because everyone will get salmonella.

 

[Bekki]

Well I know it can lay dormant naturally In their feces to begin with. And the issue isn't the bacteria or parasites themselves so much as them reproducing that's where the problem sets in. example I use a uv day (Steri pen) to sterilize water when I go backpacking it doesn't kill the parasites or bacteria but sterilizes them so they cannot reproduce and cause harm. Our gut is perfect for harboring and growing bacteria. Food poisoning happens once bacteria multiplies


"Those who wander aren't always lost"

 

[Bekki]

And I wasn't to sure about the freezing with what it did. Because you can get e-Coli from frozen hamburger meat patties. Even cooking it won't completely kill bacteria. I think it was certain strains of worms is what I heard it helps with but if I went organic and grass fed to begin with I wouldn't see that being an issue. these problems with parasites usually occur due to overcrowded dirty living conditions. local farmers done do that we'll at least not my sources. And I agree about waiting. I want him to get all settled in before I go and change anything again. plus I want him neutered before that anyways.


"Those who wander aren't always lost"