I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with those who recommend feeding your cat a raw diet. I believe that it is important to note that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American College of Veterinary Nutritionists (ACVN), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA-CVM), the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), and likely other such organizations recommend against feeding cats raw food. As I understand there is no scientific evidence (from peer-reviewed studies) that supports the purported benefits of a raw diet (at least none that I have found).
There is, of course, anecdotal evidence regarding the benefits of a raw diet, which I am in no place to speak to (I don't feed raw nor do I personally know any pet owners that do), nevertheless I generally rely much more on empirical evidence than on anecdotal evidence. I choose not to feed raw primarily because there is no solid evidence of the benefits (that I know of), while there is solid evidence of the detriments (salmonella, potential nutritional imbalance, etc.). It is of course up to you to make an informed decision regarding what you believe to be best for your cat's nutritional needs, however, as someone who loves animals I believe it is important to present this information. A couple of links that you could check out are:
https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pa...imal-Source-Protein-in-Cat-and-Dog-Diets.aspx
https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FAQs/Pages/Raw-Pet-Foods-and-the-AVMA-Policy-FAQ.aspx
These links list some further relevant references. If I am wrong regarding the existence of empirical evidence in favor of a raw diet I would appreciate being informed of such evidence as I like to consider all facts when making decisions that impact the health of my two cats.
As a side note, someone made the point that salmonella and other bacteria have been found in commercial cat food, therefore the risk of illness exists either way so it's not as relevant. While the risk may exist with commercial cat food it is certainly lessened by cooking the meat. I could be hit by a car while crossing the street whether I look both ways or not, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't check for cars anyways. I hope your cat stays healthy for many years to come.
Gary
There is, of course, anecdotal evidence regarding the benefits of a raw diet, which I am in no place to speak to (I don't feed raw nor do I personally know any pet owners that do), nevertheless I generally rely much more on empirical evidence than on anecdotal evidence. I choose not to feed raw primarily because there is no solid evidence of the benefits (that I know of), while there is solid evidence of the detriments (salmonella, potential nutritional imbalance, etc.). It is of course up to you to make an informed decision regarding what you believe to be best for your cat's nutritional needs, however, as someone who loves animals I believe it is important to present this information. A couple of links that you could check out are:
https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pa...imal-Source-Protein-in-Cat-and-Dog-Diets.aspx
https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FAQs/Pages/Raw-Pet-Foods-and-the-AVMA-Policy-FAQ.aspx
These links list some further relevant references. If I am wrong regarding the existence of empirical evidence in favor of a raw diet I would appreciate being informed of such evidence as I like to consider all facts when making decisions that impact the health of my two cats.
As a side note, someone made the point that salmonella and other bacteria have been found in commercial cat food, therefore the risk of illness exists either way so it's not as relevant. While the risk may exist with commercial cat food it is certainly lessened by cooking the meat. I could be hit by a car while crossing the street whether I look both ways or not, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't check for cars anyways. I hope your cat stays healthy for many years to come.
Gary
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