There are so many different choices when it comes to deciding what to feed our cats and there’s no real right or wrong answer. Each cat is unique and responds to each diet differently. More and more cat owners are turning to a raw food diet, and it’s easy to see why. There are a number of benefits to feeding raw. Whether you’re preparing your own homemade raw meals or buying packaged raw from the feed store, your cat is likely receiving some amazing benefits.
#1 – Improved Oral Health
Raw diets are probably the best way to keep your cat’s oral health in tip-top shape. Chewing on raw, meaty bones will scrape plaque and tartar off of your cat’s teeth and the enzymes found in raw meat will help keep their mouth clean.
#2 – Better Digestion
Raw meat and bones are digested much faster than kibbles and other commercial foods. The gnawing needed to chew raw meaty bones activates the digestive tract before the food even gets inside, making it easier to digest the food once it’s eaten. Feeding a raw diet will also improve bowel movements, making them less frequent and less smelly. This is because your cat is digesting a lot more nutrients and has much less waste to get rid of later.
#3 – Stronger Immune System
Raw diets are packed full of nutrients and naturally occurring essential fatty acids that strengthen the immune system. Many owners have found that sick pets have improved greatly even after a short time of being fed a raw diet. This is because the essential fatty acids ease inflammation and infection often brought about by weak immune systems.
#4 – Increased Energy
Because your cat will be getting a lot more nutrients in a single meal with a raw diet, they’ll have a lot more energy. Raw diets help provide a leaner body mass as they are lower in fat and higher in protein, giving your cat long-lasting energy. Since raw diets will reduce inflammation from immune disease and arthritis, you’ll notice an increase in activity.
#5 – Improved Coat Health
Since raw diets are so full of essential fatty acids and other nutrients, you’ll see a great improvement in your cat’s skin and coat condition. One of the biggest changes many owners see when starting to feed raw is soft, smooth skin and a shiny coat. Even cats that suffer severe allergies have seen improvements in their skin and coat condition. Healthy skin and coat are just the beginning of the underlying improvement in health going on throughout the body.