Can Cats Eat Raw Chicken? Is It Safe Or Harmful For Cats?

Many questions may pop up in your mind regarding feeding a raw diet to your cat. Similarly, most cat owners have this question somewhere in their mind that cats can eat raw chicken whenever they are feeding chicken-based food to cats. Well, it is always the best idea to consult a vet when feeding any raw diet to your cat.

For this reason, this article is going to focus on details about feeding your cat with raw chicken. You will get to know different benefits and harmful aspects of it and how you can feed it to your cat. Moreover, you will also get to see the difference between the commercial and homemade raw chicken. So be with us to get fully informed about it.

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Can Cats Eat Raw Chicken?

If you look at the ancestors of a cat who survived by hunting raw meat, the answer is definitely yes. Cats can eat raw meat, but it’s not just that simple. The cats in our homes are not used to eating raw meat, and there are many risks. Cats can get the intestinal infection and other parasitic diseases due to eating chicken.

Some veterinarians even discourage feeding raw chicken to cats. There should always be a balance in your cat’s diet, providing him all the important and required nutrition. Raw chicken has some benefits too for your cat, but at the same time, there are also some harmful effects. Therefore, it all depends on how you feed raw chicken to your cat.

5 Surprising Benefits Of Feeding Raw Chicken To Cats

There are a lot of benefits of raw chicken for cats. Raw chicken contains a lot of healthy nutrients that are important for your cat’s health.

1. Free from additives:

Commercial diets have fillers and additives that are harmful to your cat. Whereas the raw diet does not contain any filler, and you know what you are feeding to your cat.

2. Amino Acids:

Raw chicken also contains amino acids that are important for your cat’s health and well-being. Animal protein is one of the greatest sources of raw meat.

3. Low Carbs:

Chicken contains inadequate amounts of carbs, making it safe to maintain your cat’s ideal weight. Low carbs are also easily digestible and do not cause any problem.

4. Hydration:

There are more fluids in raw chicken than cooked chicken, which means that it improves hydration in your cat.

5. Increases Immunity:

Raw chicken for cats contains a proper amount of micronutrients as well. One of the most important benefits of raw chicken for cats is their improved immunity.

What Are The Harms Of Feeding Raw Chicken To Cats?

No doubt, there are a lot of health benefits of raw chicken for cats, but it’s not that healthy. It does not provide enough protein that your cat requires. Cats are carnivores, their main portion of meals should be proteins. Vets strongly recommend not feed raw chicken to your cat daily.

Moreover, it has been found that raw chicken is the reason for many bacterial infections. It has been reported that some cats died due to salmonella because they ate raw chicken. Recently different measures have been taken to avoid salmonella in chicken, but there is still a risk.

Amino Acid:

There are some essential amino acids that cats require for their health. These include cysteine, methionine, and taurine, etc. Raw chicken is not that nutritious and lacks some essential vitamins and minerals. Also, raw chicken lacks a vital amino acid called taurine, which is necessary for cats.

Bacterial Infection:

Raw chicken can cause food poisoning in cats because they are not used to eating raw chicken, and different pathogens can cause your cat’s problems. Salmonellosis is a common bacterial infection in cats that is caused by feeding raw chicken to your cat. There are different symptoms of salmonellosis in cats that you can notice. These include:

• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Rapid weight loss

How To Safely Feed Raw chicken To Cats?

Can cats have raw chicken? We have answered this question, but how to make it safe for your cat so that it can have all the benefits of raw chicken? There are some different ways of serving raw chicken to your cat so that it does not cause any problem, and your cat can safely eat it.

The best thing is to serve cooked chicken to your cat rather than raw chicken. It not only reduces the risk of salmonellosis but also makes the chicken tastier. However, if you still want to feed raw chicken to your furry feline, it is important to keep different things in your mind.

• Make sure that you serve small portions of raw chicken to your cat. It will reduce the risk of a cat’s illness and any bacterial infections.
• Raw chicken should always be fresh and homemade. Commercial chicken is only suitable for cooking, but it should not be served to your cat in raw form. Commercial chicken is washed with chemicals
• There is another option of serving frozen raw chicken to your cat that should be prepared by some well-known pet company. These chickens are free from salmonella, and your cat can easily consume it.

Commercially Available Raw Chicken Foods Vs. Homemade Raw Chicken Diets.

There is a difference between serving raw chicken and a commercial diet based on raw chicken. It has some benefits and some harmful aspects at the same time. Most of the raw cat foods that contain raw chicken are prepared by using high-pressure pasteurization techniques. These are ready through the flash-freezing process. In this way, the harmful bacteria in raw food are killed, and the food becomes safe for your cat to eat.

However, you should strictly avoid serving commercial raw chicken food that contains harmful bacteria. Moreover, it is also not a good idea to forcefully feeding raw chicken food to your cat if it is not used to it.

Homemade raw chicken diets are always best for cats than commercial raw chicken diets. Organic chicken is the best option, but make sure that it’s fresh. Moreover, also make sure that any hormones or antibiotics have not been used for growing chickens. You cannot leave raw chicken so that your cat can eat it later because it should be discarded once it has reached room temperature for some time.

What If Your Cat Has Eaten Raw Chicken Accidentally?

There is no need to panic if your cat has accidentally eaten some raw chicken that you were going to cook. Cats can be tempted to raw chicken, so if your cat has eaten raw chicken, you need to notice its behavior. Raw chicken for cats is not healthy because it can cause infection or other problems.

Your cat may experience diarrhea or vomiting after eating raw chicken. Therefore if you notice anything in your cat’s behavior, take it to the veterinarian for a complete checkup.

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What Are The Nutritional Requirements Of Cats?

A cat has different nutritional requirements; therefore, they need a diet to fulfill all their needs.  Proteins are the most important for cats, and these should be the central part of a cat’s food. Therefore, they need food that is high in protein content. A low dietary protein can cause malnutrition in your cat.

Some amino acids, such as arginine, cysteine, taurine, and methionine, are essential for the body’s proper functioning. Cats are not able to synthesize these amino acids, so they get it from their diet.

Apart from amino acids, cats also need vitamins such as vitamin D and A, essential for muscle growth, bone, and your cat’s vision. Moreover, cats also need vitamin K and E for healthy skin and coat.

Other Alternative Snacks That Are Healthy For Cats

Besides the raw chicken, some other snacks are healthy, and you can serve them to your cat. So let’s have a look at these.

Whole grains – Oats contain proteins, and you can easily make. Most cats even love to eat corn and cornmeal that has a good texture. You need to be careful that the grains should be digestible for your cat.

Fish – Fish is a source of omega-three fatty acids, which keeps your cat’s skin and fur healthy. These fatty acids are also beneficial for heart kidney diseases and arthritis.

Eggs – Eggs are also an essential source of protein, but they should be cooked well. Raw eggs, fish, and meat can be harmful to your cat

Vegetables – Not all vegetables are healthy for your cat, but they contain essential minerals and vitamins, and fibers that vegetables can provide to your cat. You can serve steamed cucumber, broccoli, asparagus, etc. to your cat. You can also feed:

1. Carrots
2. Zucchini
3. Peas
4. Pumpkin
5. Green bell peppers
6. Spinach
7. Barley or brown rice

Cheese – Cheese also contains a high amount of protein, so it is safe for your cat if you feed it in a small amount. However, you need to be careful because some cats cannot digest dairy products.

Which Parts Of Chicken Cats Can Eat?

As a carnivore, a cat can normally eat all parts of an animal’s body. However, you need to be careful that the pieces you are feeding your cat should be digestible for your cat, and they don’t cause any bacterial infection. Below mentioned are some parts that are entirely safe for your cat. These include:

• Raw chicken fat
• Chicken bones
• Raw chicken necks
• Skin of Raw Chicken
• Raw chicken wings

Can cats eat raw chicken liver?

It is safe for cats to eat liver, but too much liver can cause a problem for your cat. A high amount of liver can cause vitamin A toxicity, which can then affect your cat’s bones. There are different vitamin A toxicity symptoms that include bone growth on spine and elbow, deformed bones, and osteoporosis. It can also lead your cat to death.

Can cats eat raw chicken fat?

Cats can safely eat raw chicken fat. They can tear muscle tissue and resilient meat. It is safe for their digestive system, and they can easily digest natural chicken fat. Even it is safe for indoor cats to eat.

Can cats eat raw chicken mince?

It is not safe for cats to eat raw chicken mince because bacteria from the outer layer can be mixed with the inner layers while grinding the chicken. Therefore, it can cause infection and other problems. So for the safe side, it is essential to avoid raw chicken mince.

Can Cats eat chicken Bones?

Cats can eat raw chicken bones and also those that come from small animals or birds. If you want to shift your cat to cooked food, it is ideal that you serve raw chicken bones. These are also recommended because there are fewer chances of suffocation or any gastrointestinal problem.

Can cats eat raw chicken necks?

The raw chicken neck contains small bones with a variety of different minerals and vitamins. The raw chicken neck also contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Moreover, chicken necks are ideal if you want to give your cat something to chew on. However, be sure that all parts are digestible for your cat, and your cat does not have any trouble chewing.

Can cats eat raw chicken wings?

Chicken wings contain bones that your cat can easily chew on. Moreover, it can also eat raw chicken drumsticks, neck, and lamb shanks. Cooked bones are never an excellent option to give your cat because they can cause internal damage.

Can cats eat raw chicken skin?

Feeding only chicken skin is not a good option because a cat needs a balance of diet, and it should include all vital nutrition. However, you can serve chicken skin as a portion of their meal. As a carnivore, a cat can eat all parts of an animal normally.

Conclusion

Can cats eat raw chicken? You have got the answer now and must be aware of all the essential information regarding feeding raw chicken to your cat. Feeding raw chicken to your cat has some benefits for your cat, but there are some harmful aspects. Moreover, you should be aware of some ways in which you can safely feed raw chicken to your cat.

Cats can normally eat all animal parts but make sure that they do not cause any digestive problem to your cat. There are some alternative snacks other than raw chicken that you can feed your cat.