Can I give my cat a raw chicken breast?

Can I give my cat a raw chicken breast?

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Discussion

Dr Murdoch

Original Poster:

3,427 posts

134 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
Seem like there is lots of contradictory advice on the web.

Has anyone got any experience of giving their cat/kitten raw chicken?

I'm not looking to change his diet, but if there is some chicken that isn't going to get used I would rather give it to the cat as a treat than put it in the bin.

mikal83

5,340 posts

251 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
You do know they dont exactly cook birds, mice , voles etc eh!

HustleRussell

24,602 posts

159 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
I really wouldn't. The mice / shrews / voles are fresh and the chicken could be contaminated. That is why it must be cooked.

Dr Murdoch

Original Poster:

3,427 posts

134 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
mikal83 said:
You do know they dont exactly cook birds, mice , voles etc eh!
I do, thanks for your input.

Edited by Dr Murdoch on Tuesday 16th October 12:15

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
We feed our dog raw food, but it is purchased frozen from a known supplier. I think I`d be a bit wary of feeding him an odd random bit that I had left. Could you not cook it for them ?

Dr Murdoch

Original Poster:

3,427 posts

134 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
Grahamdub said:
We feed our dog raw food, but it is purchased frozen from a known supplier. I think I`d be a bit wary of feeding him an odd random bit that I had left. Could you not cook it for them ?
Yup I could easily cook it. Was just wondering of actual experiences with feeding raw supermarket grade chicken to cats. I'm not really that up on the process that chicken goes through before it ends up in the supermarket.

DuraAce

4,240 posts

159 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
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Mine are very fussy and don't like it raw.
Cook it up for them its like crack, they go nuts for it!

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
We raw feed. They get chicken. If we cook a chicken breast we cut the fat off and they get that too, raw obviously.

As above, cats are obligate carnivores, they eat meat and they do not have little campfires etc so they eat raw. They are designed to eat raw, giving them cooked food reduces the health benefits for them.

S100HP

12,645 posts

166 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
We raw feed. They get chicken. If we cook a chicken breast we cut the fat off and they get that too, raw obviously.

As above, cats are obligate carnivores, they eat meat and they do not have little campfires etc so they eat raw. They are designed to eat raw, giving them cooked food reduces the health benefits for them.
Cats with campfires laugh

Saleen836

11,061 posts

208 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
No problem at all, I used to feed the 2 cats that lived here raw chicken wings once a week and they loved it, also fed them raw pig heart, lamb liver etc all purchased from locl supermarket

Dr Murdoch

Original Poster:

3,427 posts

134 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
Well that clears that up then.......well 50/50!

As no one has come on and said my cat went to catty heaven after eating eating it, then thats fine.

Lastly, chlorine on chicken? or is that used in other countries?

Tyre Smoke

23,018 posts

260 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
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Honestly, what is wrong with you lot?

As long as it's not obviously harmful (dogs and chocolate) then if they'll eat it, let them.

Ours get raw beef, both chunks and minced, chicken, pork and all manner of wildlife. One of them dragged a very live squirrel into the house last week.

mikal83

5,340 posts

251 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
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Dogs eat other dogs turds FFS...……...whats a piece of friggin chicken. Get a grip man

Mobile Chicane

20,738 posts

211 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
quotequote all
Raw is fine. In fact cooking destroys the taurine content in food which cats need.

You could freeze it first if you're concerned about worms.

Jambo85

3,311 posts

87 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
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Jasandjules said:
As above, cats are obligate carnivores, they eat meat and they do not have little campfires etc so they eat raw. They are designed to eat raw, giving them cooked food reduces the health benefits for them.
You are right of course, but I wonder if all the above holds true with modern intensively reared poultry. When cats were evolving their digestive systems in previous millennia, I doubt the majority of their prey was infected with campylobacter, whereas the majority of chickens bought today are. Are cats immune to this?

I have no facts or experience to offer, but I don't think it's such a daft question from the OP.