Baraka's Story
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| Precious little Baraka |
I took her from my neighbour at around 2 months of age (the vet's guess based on her tooth development), although she looked quite a bit younger. She had been fed jarred baby food and had far from perfect digestion. After extensive research on the internet, it seemed a raw food diet was the only way to go. If you're curious as to why I absolutely refuse to feed my cat tinned cat food, just do a little google search on how these are made and I'm pretty sure you will come to the same conclusion. Dried cat biscuits are also detrimental to a cat's health due to the extremely low water content. Cats have a very poor thirst drive, due to their desert roots, so in the wild would get most of their water through fresh prey. Cats will never drink enough to compensate for the lack of water in the biscuits, which is why so many cats are now experiencing increased kidney problems.
There is only one diet a cat should follow. A raw meat diet. Cats are obligate carnivores- no vegetables required. Just look at what they naturally eat in the wild. I wish it was so simple for humans. With so many different foods and contradicting advice, deciding what we should eat has become a potential minefield and moral dilemma.
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| Devouring a raw quail |
So what do I feed my cat? Her staple is quail and she usually gets through one a day. And yes, she eats the whole thing, bones included. I also feed her liver, heart, kidneys, stomach, rabbit, chicken, clams and a little bit of beef. She gets the odd bit of cooked meat from my dinner plate, but the majority is raw. She also loves butter and fresh, organic eggs. Now, I know you'll think I'm biased as she's my cat, but trust me when I say she has the most beautiful soft, silky fur and big, sparkling eyes. She has absolutely no smell to her, including her breath and the most fascinating thing? Her litter box doesn't smell either! Her poops are hard, and odour free and will apparently degrade after 5 or so days in the sun. She goes every day and wees maybe 5 times per day, as fresh meat contains about 70% water.
The strange thing is, people are usually astonished when I tell them what I feed my cat. Yes, it is more expensive than tinned food, as I only provide her with the best quality, freshest meats I can find, but I'm careful what I eat, so why should my cat be any different? I made the decision to care for her, so I feel it is my duty to provide her with the best life I can. Some say she's spoiled to eat this kind of a diet while others are horrified that she's eating raw meat and actually feel sorry for her! All I can say is, she never suffers any kind of digestive upset and is an extremely happy, energetic cat.
If you are interested in feeding your cats the best possible diet, please check this site for a comprehensive explanation of the benefits and how to's of a raw food diet. Please don't start feeding raw without understanding the importance of keeping meat fresh and bacteria free and the nutritional requirements of a cat. Careful dietary planning is required, but you can learn all about that in the aforementioned site.
What you can expect:
- Better dental health including elimination of bad breath
- Healthy, pink gums and plaque free teeth due to cleaning action of bones.
- Improved digestion with virtually odourless poops
- Shinier, silkier fur with less shedding
- Peace of mind that your cat is getting a diet as close as nature intended (unless of course your cat has access to a safe hunting area where he can catch his own food)
- A happier cat!
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| Creating mischief on the Christmas Tree |
Has anyone else had success on the raw food diet? Any health improvements? Has anyone managed to transition their cat from tinned to raw? I'd love to hear your stories!
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