Raw feeding and parasites-questions

Someone asked me aren't I worried about my cats getting parasites with raw feeding. This is something I've thought about before, but have never seen it mentioned. I know cats who hunt and eat their prey have to be de-wormed, but how about cats that are raw fed?

Is there a danger of parasites being in raw food?

Is commercial raw safer from that standpoint than home made?

Do raw fed cats have to take dewormer regularly?

Are parasites killed by the meat being frozen?

Commercially produced American (and probably Canadian) meat doesn't have parasites. If you buy from a small farm you should ask about their anti-parasite program. If you feed wild game, it could be a problem. Freezing the meat for a certain amount of time (recommendations vary) kills most of the parasites.

I don't see why there would be a difference between commercial raw and homemade raw. Unless it's one of the pasteurized brands.

Did you ask the people if they're worried about getting parasites from eating rare steak? :tongue2:

I haven't started feeding raw yet... Boggled down by a billion open window tabs full of information. I think this video sums up most things I've found regarding parasites.



Just yesterday I was talking to a store clerk, at our only decent pet food store, and mentioned I wanted to start trying raw food. I got the usual eyebrow raise, along with disapproving glower accompanied by a scoff of "Well you better have your vet on call so you don't kill your cat, you really shouldn't mess with that stuff." The prejudice against things our human bodies can't handle is so thick, people can't comprehend that cats are a different species.

PS: That same clerk tried to argue with me dry food is NEEDED to clean cats teeth, but keep in mind he said only the HQ cat foods can do that... I don't even.

If this is another one of those "scare tactic" fallacies that people against raw feeding make up, here and now is a good place and time to lay this to rest.

Thanks Ivvycats! I don't have the patience to watch a 12 minute video :lol3:, though I am familiar with Dr Becker. I'll check her website and see if there is a print version.

I would appreciate if if someone could post some links to articles on this issue.

This is a deal breaker for me, because I will not give my cats de-wormers. So I need to know if there is a risk of them getting parasites, especially when I start making my own grind.

Your story about the store clerk illustrates what I am always telling people. "Don't take advice from pet store employees at face value. Research what they tell you because many don't know anything, and what they do know is told to them by the reps who sell the junk to the store, and then they, in turn try to sell it to you. And NEVER get medical advice from a pet store employee.

Ivycats said:

I haven't started feeding raw yet... Boggled down by a billion open window tabs full of information. I think this video sums up most things I've found regarding parasites.

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I found the text to the video on the Mercola site. Thanks Ivycats

http://healthypets.mercola.com/site...nd-healthiest-diet-for-pet-cats-and-dogs.aspx

Eliminating Parasites

It seems the biggest problem most people have with a raw meat diet revolves around parasites.

Parasites – roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms – are passed up the food chain and wind up in the guts of animals.

We don't feed guts to our pets! If you buy a commercially available raw food diet, you will not find guts in the formula because guts contain parasites.

If you prepare a homemade raw diet for your dog or cat, you don't include guts. Do not feed the stomach and small and large intestines. Those are the parts of the prey we get rid of, because those are the parts that harbor parasites.

Muscle meat – the part of the prey used to prepare raw food diets – is sterile except in rare instances when parasites escape the GI tract (guts) and travel there.

Certain parasites, like toxoplasmosis, that get into muscle meat can make your pet sick, which is why you should freeze raw meats for three days before feeding them to your dog or cat.

By freezing meats three days before serving (a lot like how sushi is handled), and by removing the guts of prey species, you can successfully avoid exposing your raw fed pet to parasites.

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My cat eats the guts of the mice I feed, but they are bred by me and if they have parasites it likely would have shown by now, my ferrets eat more prey with guts but all frozen beforehand.  Same with the dogs.  Never had an issue with worms yet. 

It's the freezing that's important I guess, to kill any parasites. Raw food should always bee frozen for at least three days, is what Dr Becker said.

Ya know, if there are parasites in the muscle meat, I don't really want to be eating it :/. I don't even want to eat cooked parasites! But I'm fairly confident it's not a problem.

I have been feeding whole live prey, to my domestics and foundation Savannah, for over a year now. I never had any problems. I would also like to add, that, if you are using human grade food, it should be "safe". Meaning, if, you use chicken, red meat, and such, that, YOU would eat, all should be just fine .
 

yawn, bored to death of the whole parasite thing.

My cat as i type is eating a spider --alert! alert! 

Who knows what he has just picked up. ?

Lets give him loads of supplements and recreatate the crap that he was eating in pre made meals in the first place.

Turks rule! said:

yawn, bored to death of the whole parasite thing.

My cat as i type is eating a spider --alert! alert! 

Who knows what he has just picked up. ?

Lets give him loads of supplements and recreatate the crap that he was eating in pre made meals in the first place.

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If you're bored with the subject, you are certainly welcome to avoid this thread. I still have concerns and things to learn. And I'm sure there will be many people who have not yet even thought of feeding raw (which was me as near as six months ago), who will also have the same concerns.

Oh glad the link helped. I feel like I need to take notes and study for a few hours every time I research raw diets. I read something, learn it, then 24 hours later have a strongly formed opinion on something but can't for the LIFE of me remember WHY or WHERE I sourced it from. x_x  It's horrible for when you're confronted by someone firmly in the belief that what's bad for humans is bad for cats. I can never prove my point, and usually end up crying as a last defense. Especially horrible when you're up against an anti-raw, science diet pushing, vet!

Turks, I think the most important thing we can do as a community is encourage these sorts of topics. Every time they pop up, tackle them, not just with personal experiences but PhD or DVM references that can help hedge the "this is your opinion vs my opinion" outcome of debates. Coming to understand Raw is so overwhelming, you can't just say, "been there done that" because it's a large hurtle as a whole to get over, and we need to encourage people into making the jump. Normally I'm totally one for the whole just look it up, and we've talked this through to death... but with cats, I have to be a better person. I mean... they're cats! CATS. Luff mah cats....

Every person we help, is more kitties we save. KITTIES. They need the savings.

otto said:

Turks rule! said:

yawn, bored to death of the whole parasite thing.

My cat as i type is eating a spider --alert! alert! 

Who knows what he has just picked up. ?

Lets give him loads of supplements and recreatate the crap that he was eating in pre made meals in the first place.

Click to expand...

If you're bored with the subject, you are certainly welcome to avoid this thread. I still have concerns and things to learn. And I'm sure there will be many people who have not yet even thought of feeding raw (which was me as near as six months ago), who will also have the same concerns.

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I think she was being sarcastic. That's why she said 'oh no, my cat ate a spider, wonder what he could have picked up!'

I understand that it was sarcasm. It was a pointless belittling comment that did not contribute to the discussion.

It is attitudes like that which put people off learning about raw feeding. A know-it-all rolling the eyes ennui toward someone else's honest desire to learn is not helpful. There are many who might not come back after a put down like that. Fortunately I am made of thicker skin, from years on public communities like this. But not everyone is.

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/gen_info/faqs.html
http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/Infopaks/parasites.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001752.htm
^^^ here are only a few. Of course meat has pathogens and parasites. If you do feed raw- deworm regularly. I don't know why a raw feeder downplays parasitic infection in meats... (don't want to affect their conscience or their "miracle" discovery? I don't know...)

bluebo said:

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/gen_info/faqs.html
http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/Infopaks/parasites.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001752.htm
^^^ here are only a few. Of course meat has pathogens and parasites. If you do feed raw- deworm regularly. I don't know why a raw feeder downplays parasitic infection in meats... (don't want to affect their conscience or their "miracle" discovery? I don't know...)

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Toxo - wash your hands.
The NDA - that page is from South Africa.... Standards in the US are quite different.
The third link is from 1988? Old. Besides, if you read the link, only 3 cases are accounted for commercial pork meat in 1986. The rest comes from raw wild meat. Simple solution? Freezing the pork meat - again, can be read in the link.

We don't downplay..... but we don't get terrified easily either.

By the way - there is a good discussion about the safety of Pork in here: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/241184/pork

Carolina said:

Toxo - wash your hands.
The NDA - that page is from South Africa.... Standards in the US are quite different.
The third link is from 1988? Old. Besides, if you read the link, only 3 cases are accounted for commercial pork meat in 1986. The rest comes from raw wild meat.
We don't downplay..... but we don't get terrified easily either.

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I just hope you keep your cats inside... loads if innocent kids that don't need to get round worm from your cats feces.

bluebo said:

I just hope you keep your cats inside... loads if innocent kids that don't need to get round worm from your cats feces.

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Sorry, but this is an entire other subject, and yes, I believe we all keep our cats inside.... NOT for those reasons

OP- of course there is a chance of parasites as well as other pathogens in raw meat. Use at your own risk (and the animals and the general public). Good luck in your decision!