The Benefits of Raw Food for Cats

You've probably heard about the raw diet for cats. Its growth in popularity isn't without a reason. If you're curious to try it for your furry friend, read on! I'm going to share the important benefits of feeding your beloved pets a raw diet as well as tips on how to transition your pet from regular pet food.

Photo by Inge Wallumrød from Pexels

Beautiful and glossy coat

After a week of feeding my cats a raw diet, I started to notice their coat become not just beautiful but also glossy and no pet dander.

Less poop volume and way lesser stinky poop

I used to scoop the litter box(es) 2-3 times a day because of the amount of poop and how stinky it can get that quickly envelops the room. Now, I scoop once a day and my house doesn't smell of cat poop.

Better digestion

Given that I always feed my cats raw food in clean bowls, I find that they're not as gassy and no incidence of diarrhea(so far) compared to when I was still feeding them the usual carbohydrates-ladened kibble. Take note, carbohydrates are not optimal for cats because they're carnivores by nature!

Energy and normal weight

I previously had cats that were fed with regular cat food(these were even good brands that you can only get in pet stores) and they were overweight no matter how much play and exercise I gave them.

Back then, I didn't know that carbohydrates were the culprit. The biggest offender was corn! My cats now are both in normal weight and pretty energetic.

Better dental health

My cats don't have bad breath and they have very minimal to no dental plaque. That's because of the absence of carbohydrates in the raw diet and that the raw meat actually helps keep their teeth clean.

Where can you get raw food? 

Basically, you can make your own or get from reputable brands like Big Country Raw or Iron Will Raw Pet Food. 

Making your own is obviously cheaper and you can customize it to your cats' preference. The downside is the potential of contamination. This is eliminated from commercially prepared raw food but on a pricier side.

How long does it take to transition your cats to a raw diet?

It depends. My one young adult cat took about 9 days to transition(with my endless patience and perseverance) while my then, 3-month-old kitten, transitioned right away! I heard that some cats take a year to transition.

Here are some tips to help you transition your cats to a raw diet:

• Mix a little raw food with the canned food.
• Sprinkle bribe food on top of the raw food – water from water-packed tuna or crushed dehydrated cat treats like freeze-dried chicken liver.
• Try feeding your cats when they're hungry

Have you successfully transitioned your cats to raw food? Let me know if you have other ideas to share.