The health benefits of a raw diet

This post is sponsored by Darwin’s Natural Pet Food*

Adopted for decades by pet parents and holistic veterinarians, raw food is becoming more common as cat parents seek alternatives to feeding highly processed commercial pet foods. . I’ve been eating raw for ten years and I’ve seen my cats enjoy it. A raw diet can benefit your cat’s overall health and can also make a big difference with certain health issues.

Cats are obligate carnivores and they need meat not only to survive, but also to thrive. Just like human food, the less processed a food is, the better it is for your cats. A raw diet is closest to what cats would eat in the wild. Any transformation modifies the biological structure of food.

Better digestion

One of the first things cat parents go raw with their cats is smaller, less smelly stools. The reason for this is that raw foods have higher bioavailability, which means more of the food is absorbed and put to good use in the body rather than being eliminated through the stool.

Raw foods are not only easier on the stomach, they also provide the probiotics needed to restore a healthy gut.

Glossier coat

Cats that eat raw foods tend to have softer, shinier coats. Cat parents often report a dramatic change in appearance after only a few weeks of switching to a raw diet. A raw, meat-based diet provides the optimal levels of protein, fats, and trace minerals that result in an improved coat.

Improved dental health

Most cat parents have heard from their veterinarians that dry food is important for dental health. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most cats don’t chew their kibble long enough for the scratching action that is the theory behind this myth to kick in. Additionally, dry food leaves a carbohydrate residue in the cat’s mouth which actually promotes the growth of tartar and plaque. Chewing raw foods, especially if they contain bits of meat, helps keep gums and teeth clean.

Useful for cats with IBD

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the most common cause of gastrointestinal problems in cats. Although cats of all ages can be affected, it is usually seen in middle-aged or older cats. The term IBD is used for a number of chronic gastrointestinal disorders. Physiologically, it is characterized by an infiltration of inflammatory cells in the mucosa of the digestive tract. The location of the inflammation can help determine the specific type of IBD.

Increasingly, holistically oriented veterinarians are seeing a link between diet and IBD. These veterinarians believe that commercial pet foods, especially dry foods, are a contributing factor to the large number of cats with chronic IBD. They also found that many cats improved by simply changing their diet to a balanced diet of grain-free raw meat. Similar results can be achieved with a grain-free canned diet, but a raw diet seems to lead to faster and better results.

A Vet’s First Experience With Raw Foods

Dr. Andrea Tasi, holistic veterinarian and owner of Just cats, of course, first tried raw food for her own cats after a client told her that her cat’s chronic skin and ear problems were gone within weeks of starting a raw diet. “Poor Max had been taking cortisone type medication and prescription diets (prescribed by me!) for years to no avail,” Dr Tasi said. Her interest peaked, and she began talking to other vets and pet parents who had tried raw food. She first tried a raw diet with her (then) new kitten, Bug. “I had adopted Bug when he was sick (actually near death) and 6 months underweight. I saw him thrive on the raw food diet, gain weight in muscle mass but without getting fat, developing a beautiful coat, and resolving many of his chronic health issues without the need for conventional medication.I’m sure his raw diet was the foundation of his wonderful recovery.

My experience with raw food

I’ve been feeding raw food for over a decade, and I’ve been feeding Darwins for six years. He became a perennial favorite. Of all the cats I’ve had in my life, Allegra’s coat is the softest of all my cats. When Ruby first came to see me, after being fed grocery store brand dry food, her coat was rough and had no sheen. After only a few weeks of raw feeding, she became full and shiny.

About Darwin’s Natural Pet Food

As far as I’m concerned, Darwin’s does everything right, both in terms of what’s in the food and what’s not:

• 100% meat – no animal by-products or fillers
• Human-grade ingredients from farms they trust
• Formulated under the guidance of veterinary nutritionists
• Free-range, pasture-raised and cage-free meats
• GMO free
• No steroids
• no hormones
• Made fresh: you will receive your meals 4 to 6 weeks after production
• Ready to serve

Special offer: get 10 books for $14.95

Darwin’s has an unbeatable introductory offer so you can try it out for your own cats: for $14.95 you get 10 pounds of raw food. You can customize the proteins based on your cat’s taste preferences.

redeem code CONSCIOUS CAT to take advantage of this special offer.

For more information and to order, go to DarwinsPet.com.

*FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, meaning I was paid to feature this content. Regardless of payment received, you will only see products or services featured on this site that we have used or would use ourselves. The Conscious Cat participates in the Darwin Affiliate Program. This means that if you decide to purchase through one of our links, we receive a small commission.

Photo via Darwin’s Facebook pageused with permission