Can one feed too many raw chicken hearts?

ghiblithecat

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Ghibli eats 60% commercial raw and 40% high quality grain free canned. I heard that meat chunks such as chicken hearts can help to clean their teeth. He loves raw chicken hearts more than any other food.... would it be okay to give him one or two a day? Is there anything in a chicken heart that can be bad in excess? I give him chicken hearts as a snack only. Thanks :)
 

jolie0216

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Only one of my  four cats will eat "for real" raw food - they all like to eat Primal freeze-dried & frozen, but  only one will eat actual raw meat!  I've gotten him chicken hearts & gizzards before from the butcher and he loves them!   There's a chance you could give him too much sodium, but it would take a lot of hearts to reach that level.  From what I've read, you can safely feed 3-4 chicken hearts a day with no worries.   It's a great snack when you have a cat who will eat them!  
 
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ghiblithecat

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Thanks! Yeah it was actually the first raw food he ever had :) I gave some to him right after he got back from the shelter (you know, when he would eat anything and wasn't picky), so I'm guessing they are just somewhat nostalgic to him or something :) or at least I like to think so. 
 

mschauer

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According to the USDA database chicken heart is no higher in sodium than muscle meat.

Do be aware though that feeding food that is not nutritionally balanced as snacks can result in your cats overall diet not being nutritionally balanced.  See this thread for more information:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/293162/...that-is-partially-unbalanced-raw#post_3700690

If you stick with feeding  no more than 2 hearts a day and assuming you continue to feed the same amount of commercial foods which likely provide an excess of nutrients you should be OK. Just be careful to not go overboard with the snacking and don't substitute the unbalanced chicken hearts for part of the commercial foods.
 
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