Cat Diet – Feeding Naturally

Cats are strict carnivores and have a high protein requirement. Their diet should be totally raw, and should not contain any canned or dry foods. They can not survive on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

90% daily ration

  • Fresh meat such as chicken, rabbit, turkey, duck, roo, lamb, beef, pork meat and some fat.
  • Offal (organ meats) kidney, liver, heart, tripe, brain, etc. These contain some essential nutrients not found in muscle meat.
  • Raw bones such as chicken necks, wings or minced bones.

* It is good to include some large chunks of meat to encourage chewing.
* If feeding minced meat, ensure it is free from all preservatives.

10% daily ration

  • Raw vegetables, microgreens or sprouts finely minced or pureed such as broccoli sprouts, herbs and leafy greens. Finely grated carrot may also help to deter intestinal worms.
  • Cooked and mashed pumpkin is often preferred by fussy cats to the above minced raw veggies.
  • AVOID onion, leek and chives.

Optional extras

  • Free-range eggs may be fed occasionally if your cat likes them but are not necessary.
  • Fresh or lightly steamed fish with bones removed. Small fish like sardines and pilchards may be fed whole.
  • Fresh grated coconut is enjoyed by most cats and contains vitamins and minerals.
  • Fresh coconut milk may be used to hide medicines.
  • Ground raw nuts and seeds may be sprinkled on food. Many cats love peanuts (which are a legume and not a true nut) but dont feed too many! Ground pumpkin seeds may help to deter intestinal worms.
  • Fresh raw goat’s milk may be used for kittens, but is not essential for adult cats.
  • Natural yoghurt or cottage cheese may be used occasionally to hide medicines.

How much to feed

The amounts fed can vary depending on how active your cat is, so this is a rough guide only and you may increase or decrease quantities to ensure ideal weight is maintained.

CATS – Approx. 2%-4% of your adult cat’s ideal bodyweight daily. This may be split into two meals.

For a 5kg cat: 150g meat + 1 teaspoon veggie pulp + raw organic chicken neck or wing tip

For kittens, feed 3 small meals daily for the first 3 months, then twice daily until around one year old. Then once daily is sufficient.

Supplements recommended

Green Tripe powder is a rich source of nutrients or Tripe Meal Topper or Promise Beef Liver Sprinkles are great for sprinkling over meals to tempt fussy cats.

Greenpet Essentials which contains a unique blend of nutrient rich foods to compliment your cat’s diet.

Cold-pressed oil such Greenpet Cod Liver Oil, or Tasmanian Salmon oil.

If you would like to use pre-prepared natural food for cats, try the following natural, preservative-free options:

Natural food options

Kiwi Kitchens is a natural freeze dried food which is tasty, convenient and full of goodness.

Ziwi Peak cat food is available in air-dried or wet cans are are complete and balanced meals ready to serve.

Lenny’s Kitchen is a dried muesli that can be mixed with warm water and then combined  with fresh meat for a balanced diet.

MFM dried cat foods contain a variety of quality, high-protein meats and seafood that cats are evolved to eat.

To prepare natural food for your cat

Place vegies, sprouts, etc; in food processor and blend until finely minced (or use the pulp from vegetable juicer) and mix this with RAW meat and process until well combined.

If you do not have a juicer or food processor, then lightly steam, and mash vegies or use Lenny’s kitchen or Complete Mix cat food.

You can make food up fresh each day or prepare a week’s supply and freeze in daily portions. Remove the following days serve and allow to defrost in the fridge for 24hours.

Vary the types of meat used and the vegetables, to provide variety and ensure a balance with the foods eaten. You would never consider eating the same food day-in-day-out, and neither should your cat.

It is not necessary to balance or measure out each meal exactly. A cat in the wild would eat plenty at times and other times sparingly, and their stomach is fully equipped to deal with this variation.

Start introducing raw chicken wings or necks gradually if your cat has not eaten them in the past. If they will not eat them, try grilling lightly under the grill to sear the outside, leaving the bone raw, to tempt fussy eaters. Or you may be able to purchase free-range minced chicken carcasses from your butcher. This way they are still getting the minerals from the bone, but do not receive the benefits of chewing bones.

Do not leave food out all day, feed only once or twice daily, unless otherwise recommended.

Remove any leftover food once the cat walks away. Reduce quantity for next meal, as you may be feeding too much. On the other hand, if your cat is waiting around after eating or cannot wait until the next mealtime, then he/she may need more at each feeding.

For fussy cats

Make changes gradually if you need to, by adding a little of the new food to their usual diet, gradually increasing the new and decreasing the old. But most importantly be consistent. If you weaken and give favourite foods, then it gives the message “that if I nag for long enough, they will give me what I want” so they will continue to refuse the new diet.  Start by adding a 1/4 teaspoonful of minced vegies to favourite meat or fish and increase gradually.

If the cat refuses to eat raw meat, then lightly cook outside, and reduce cooking gradually until eating meat raw. Serve all food at room temperature for the best digestion. Meat or bones may be plunged into hot water to warm before serving straight from the fridge. Do not warm in a microwave oven!

Try sprinkling crushed treats into meals for fussy cats and to provide nutrients in a dried form (these are all 100% natural):

BARF frozen patties from Canine Country are available from the clinic, which contain all-natural ingredients in a convenient serving size if local. Otherwise ‘google’ RAW FOOD for cats in your local area.

Contact us for more info.

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