Raw cat food diet

[eybic]

Following on from this thread: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I know this seems to be quite an emotive subject so I'd be interested in hear the ph consensus on feeding my diabetic cat a raw food diet. I have been told of a lady that is a nutritionalist and is of strong belief that the condition is controllable with a raw food diet and she has a lot of people that have followed her advice and their cats seem to have gone into remission once on the diet. I want to state at this point that I'm not planning on not giving him his insulin.

I have thought about putting him on the diet before he was ill but thought that once he's stabilised, I want to try and give him the best quality food I can.

[Jasandjules]

Yes, I have heard this too.

Our cats are on a raw diet. What would you like to know?

[Mobile Chicane]

I'm not a vet, or medically qualified, but...

If you think about what cats would naturally eat in the wild, ie. mice (which last time I checked were 100% meat)

...it bothers me that the vast majority of modern-day cat foods contain cereals and sugars, over and above meat.

Since when did cats need carbohydrate in their diet?

[eybic]

A concern I have is that the vet is against it and from reading up on it, you need the vet involved as his insulin would need reducing as soon as the raw diet is started. I don't think Ted would be hard to swap over as he will eat anything.

Has anyone got any links to reliable information regarding the whole thing?

I've had a read through this site http://www.naturesmenu.co.uk/category-raw-cat-food... And it certainly seems the way forward.

[Jasandjules]

Mobile Chicane said:

If you think about what cats would naturally eat in the wild, ie. mice (which last time I checked were 100% meat)

Exactly. The same as dogs.

OP, you can find vets who do approve raw food (it is worth it) - many do not however as they for some reason which is no doubt a coincidence suggest using their "medical" (and somewhat expensive) food.

One thing I would add is that heart once a week or so is needed. There are quite a few websites that assist.

[Simpo Two]

'Controllable' and 'needing less insulin' are two different things I think. If the animal is insulin dependant, because its immune system has damaged its pancreas, changing the food isn't going to alter that.

[eybic]

Simpo Two said:

'Controllable' and 'needing less insulin' are two different things I think. If the animal is insulin dependant, because its immune system has damaged its pancreas, changing the food isn't going to alter that.

I agree. We seem to have caught it early so I'm not sure if his organs have been damaged, I don't think they have.

[croakey]

My BSH's live on a diet of mainly cooked turkey mince. They're not bothered by how boring it is.

This wasn't a deliberate choice but our boy cat gets chronic gut rot on cat food, even the ultra pure ones- which oddly enough contain vegetables!

Vet tried to sell me some other good as apparently it contained vital nutrients a cat needs... He struggled to carry this argument on when as others have pointed out in the real world cats live solely on meat!

[Mr Gearchange]

If its any help our two cats (British shorthair and a British Blue) are both now 10 years old and have always suffered with any end of minor ailments including Colitis, Eye infections, Ear infections etc.

A year ago they got moved onto a diet which consists of only raw minced beef and water - and everything cleared up and they have been in the best health of their life - even our vet (who was flogging us the insanely priced special diet) has said that its working wonders.

Cats are happy and healthier than ever, and its a hell of a lot cheaper than the premium cat food they were having