Attempted to feed raw meat as a treat

So I tried giving Oliver a piece of raw beef as a treat the other night at the suggestion of my vet... It was just a little piece of beef that I snuck out of the meat we were using to make fajitas that night... it was bite-sized, not like a giant flank steak haha... so here's how Oliver reacted: he hunted it like it was a live animal (seems normal) ya know, batted it around the floor, pounced on it, stalked it, etc... he'd even pick it up in his paw and lick it, but not chew/bite or put it in his mouth... then he'd put it down and lick the paw... so I don't get why he wouldn't actually eat it?? Is it just because he hasn't been exposed to such a thing before? I'm not like planning on switching him to a raw diet, just thinking to use it as more of an occasional thing/treat... any suggestions/thoughts? I've kinda noticed this before when I RARELY offer him a tidbit of tuna as a treat, he won't touch the actual meat but basically inhales the juice... I eventually just picked up the piece and threw it away because a) he lost interest in the hunt and b) my black lab was eying it up and I didn't want a fight to break out haha

I would say about 50% of cats do not know that raw meat is to eat .... I say 50 since 1 out of 2 here didnt

It's quite common I think. Here's a video clip of Nikita back when she was 6 months old and recently spayed encountering raw meat for the first time:
She ate it when I cut it up very small and mixed a tiny bit of her wet food in with it so she figured it was food.

Boy was she excited though, heh..

Weird but probably normal. Charlie, Ling, and Keno all stay in the kitchen for handouts on the raw hamburger or beef. I'll give them each a bite or two - they don't waste time - they eat it because if they don't; there's another brother/sister right there to eat it for them

Originally Posted by Siggav

It's quite common I think. Here's a video clip of Nikita back when she was 6 months old and recently spayed encountering raw meat for the first time:
She ate it when I cut it up very small and mixed a tiny bit of her wet food in with it so she figured it was food.

Boy was she excited though, heh..

Click to expand...

LOL Cute video!

Originally Posted by Siggav

It's quite common I think. Here's a video clip of Nikita back when she was 6 months old and recently spayed encountering raw meat for the first time:
She ate it when I cut it up very small and mixed a tiny bit of her wet food in with it so she figured it was food.

Boy was she excited though, heh..

Click to expand...

That's pretty much exactly what Oliver did with the beef! But he eventually licked it and picked it up with his paw, yet no bite... weird... maybe he'd like some crumbled hamburger meat instead - more like the shredded meat in his MM wet cups

I havetried feeding lucky some raw, chicken livers, raw beef, she won't touch it, my daint little toy pom Sohie went crazy, she growled and snarled,so I gave it to her. at least somebody liked it

Enzo does that...... with every new raw meat I give him. Although he just LOVES chicken! I gave him a shrimp not too long ago, it was cooked, but he just batted it around licked it, licked his paw, I told him he was a freak and was supposed to eat it. He didn't eat it until he saw the other two eating some.....