Chicken Necks For Dental Health

[Moka]

My senior (RIP 2018) Reeses, had such bad teeth by the time she came into my care that there was little I could do. I want to give my 17 month old kitten, Salem the best start to life as possible. She is the first cat that I am raising on my own from kittenhood. I have been brushing her teeth, but not on a schedule yet. I have heard great things about chicken necks in regards to maintaining dental health. But, I have never fed my cats anything raw beyond freeze dried meat treats and even that is fairly new. I am not opposed feeding raw meat and I have even considered supplementing Salem's Crave kibble with a premade raw food. Right now though I thought I would try the chicken necks first. I figured it would be good for her teeth and good dietary supplement. The problem is I can't get fresh raw chicken necks locally and it would be a big investment to order them frozen online for just one cat. I am on a very tight budget. So, I found freeze dried chicken necks on Amazon. Has anyone tried the freeze dried ones before? Do you rehydrate them or do you feed them dry? Salem is a kibble addict and won't even eat treats if they are soft. She will probably only take a chicken neck dried and crunchy. Is there any risk of a cat choking on all those bones? Do I need to prepare the chicken neck or serve it in any special way? How often should Salem get a neck to help promote dental health? I apologize for all of the questions. For some reason, this makes me a little nervous and I don't want to end up hurting my little one.

 

[Azazel]

If your cat isn’t used to eating raw meat or crunching on bones you probably want to just give a small piece of raw chicken to see if she will eat it first. I wouldn’t start with raw bone because it can be dangerous if the cat doesn’t know how to chew it. Kittens especially are still learning to tear and chew meat properly. Also, once you do start to transition to bones, you don’t have to use necks. I would actually start with wing tips since they’re easier to chew. Make sure you supervise at all times. But again, work your way from raw meaty chunks to bones.

Also, you don’t necessarily have to feed raw bones for dental health. You could just stick with meat chunks. Chicken gizzards, if you can get them, are particularly good because they’re very tough, but you can really use any small chunks for meat.

If feeding bone, you don’t want to overdo it because it’s high in phosphorus and you’d need to balance out your phosphorus/calcium ratio. I personally don’t use bones, I just give raw meaty chunks for dental health. You could do a small chunk every day.

Also as a side note, I wouldn’t order any raw or freeze dried meat from amazon. Always buy from a reputable or trusted supplier. Amazon can be iffy.

 

[MissClouseau]

I don't know about chicken necks but the best way to take care of teeth is to brush them. Good to hear you are doing it already! There are even some meat-flavored toothpastes for cats.

ProDen Plaque Off also has good reviews. This one lasts for more than 6 months for one cat. I'm told around 8 months.

 

[LTS3]

Can you ask the butchers at the local grocery store to get some raw chicken necks and gizzards for you? You can also use the tip of a chicken wing. Any good grocery store with a fresh meat section will have chicken wings.

Brushing your cat's teeth is another option. Use only pet toothpaste.

 

[Moka]

If your cat isn’t used to eating raw meat or crunching on bones you probably want to just give a small piece of raw chicken to see if she will eat it first. I wouldn’t start with raw bone because it can be dangerous if the cat doesn’t know how to chew it. Kittens especially are still learning to tear and chew meat properly. Also, once you do start to transition to bones, you don’t have to use necks. I would actually start with wing tips since they’re easier to chew. Make sure you supervise at all times. But again, work your way from raw meaty chunks to bones.

Also, you don’t necessarily have to feed raw bones for dental health. You could just stick with meat chunks. Chicken gizzards, if you can get them, are particularly good because they’re very tough, but you can really use any small chunks for meat.

If feeding bone, you don’t want to overdo it because it’s high in phosphorus and you’d need to balance out your phosphorus/calcium ratio. I personally don’t use bones, I just give raw meaty chunks for dental health. You could do a small chunk every day.

Also as a side note, I wouldn’t order any raw or freeze dried meat from amazon. Always buy from a reputable or trusted supplier. Amazon can be iffy.

Oh wow, I am glad I asked here instead of just giving the chicken necks to Salem. Thank you!!! I will only offer Salem some meat chunks, not the necks. Right now, the only things she will eat is her Crave kibble. I like the idea of supplementing Salem's diet of kibble with bits of raw meat. Feeding raw meat to Salem will probably benefit her in more ways than just maintaining her dental health. Feeding raw is completely new to me and I will definitely be doing a bunch of research. But can I ask you a few questions? The biggest thing that I have always wondered is. . . Can you just pick up any pack of raw chicken at the grocery store and give it to a cat or does it need to come from a different source? I checked my local grocery store (Meijers) and they carry a pack of frozen Tyson brand chicken hearts and gizzards. Is that safe for a cat? Do you just defrost it and give it to the cat or do you have to prepare it in some way? If I cut the gizzards up, will it still be beneficial for Salem's teeth?

 

[Moka]

I don't know about chicken necks but the best way to take care of teeth is to brush them. Good to hear you are doing it already! There are even some meat-flavored toothpastes for cats.

ProDen Plaque Off also has good reviews. This one lasts for more than 6 months for one cat. I'm told around 8 months.

My goal is to get Salem on a brushing schedule. How often do you think a cat should have their teeth brushed? I am thinking maybe twice a week to start out. I don't think I am going to give Salem the chicken necks right now (maybe never) due to the risks A Azazel mentioned. But, I might give her bits of meat. I had always planned to give her the raw in conjunction with the brushing not instead of. I actually have a malt flavored enzyme cat toothpaste that Salem tolerates fairly well.

 

[Azazel]

Oh wow, I am glad I asked here instead of just giving the chicken necks to Salem. Thank you!!! I will only offer Salem some meat chunks, not the necks. Right now, the only things she will eat is her Crave kibble. I like the idea of supplementing Salem's diet of kibble with bits of raw meat. Feeding raw meat to Salem will probably benefit her in more ways than just maintaining her dental health. Feeding raw is completely new to me and I will definitely be doing a bunch of research. But can I ask you a few questions? The biggest thing that I have always wondered is. . . Can you just pick up any pack of raw chicken at the grocery store and give it to a cat or does it need to come from a different source? I checked my local grocery store (Meijers) and they carry a pack of frozen Tyson brand chicken hearts and gizzards. Is that safe for a cat? Do you just defrost it and give it to the cat or do you have to prepare it in some way? If I cut the gizzards up, will it still be beneficial for Salem's teeth?

Ask the meat department at your grocery store what the source of the chicken is and whether it was raised without antibiotics. You can also ask how fresh it is. Most meat suppliers will freeze chicken right away before sending it to the distributor so it should be fine. Also make sure it doesn't have any added salt. Always buy whole piece of meat and never pre-ground ones, as the pre-ground meat is likely to have more bacteria. If you can buy organic certified meat it's probably best, but not necessary. Most people who feed raw don't use organic meat. I purchase my meat from local butchers/farms. Some of it is certified organic, others are raised without antibiotics and free range/non-GMO grain fed and are pretty close to organic but no certification. I know lots of people get their meats from the grocery store.

Hearts and gizzards are great treats - they may be too big to give as a full treat. I usually cut them down into 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size. If I buy frozen hearts and gizzards I will defrost them slightly, just enough that I can cut them up (a pair of kitchen sheers is really helpful). Then I will slice them into chewable pieces and re-freeze them. I usually do small half an inch to 1 inch chunks - it depends on how much your cat likes to chew. If you cut it too small they probably won't chew it, but you don't want it too big that they will choke if they accidentally swallow it. There's a few ways store the pieces, you could put them in a ziplock bag and layer with cookie sheets, or just wrap them individually with saran wrap or something to separate them.. then take a piece out of the freezer the morning that you want to feed it and let it defrost in the fridge. Careful when feeding - you probably want to lay down some towels or something because some cats like to drag meat around when eating.

You can also just give small pieces of the meat you buy for yourself when you're cooking to your cat. Chicken breast or thighs are good too.

On another note - have you tried giving wet food to your cat at all? It really would be good to add some wet to your cat's diet because cats need lots of moisture in their food. Doing mostly or all wet food is actually recommended.

 

[Moka]

Can you ask the butchers at the local grocery store to get some raw chicken necks and gizzards for you? You can also use the tip of a chicken wing. Any good grocery store with a fresh meat section will have chicken wings.

Brushing your cat's teeth is another option. Use only pet toothpaste.

I already brush Salem's teeth with a malt flavored enzyme cat toothpaste that she tolerates fairly well. I just need to work out a schedule and get into the habit of brushing regularly.
The only grocery store that I can get to is Meijers. They are a local chain of superstores sort of like Walmart. They do have a meat counter. I can definitely ask ask next time I go. But, how do you know if the meat is safe to give to a cat raw? They do carry packs of frozen Tyson brand chicken hearts and gizzards. Do you think that is safe for a cat?

 

[Azazel]

They do carry packs of frozen Tyson brand chicken hearts and gizzards. Do you think that is safe for a cat?

Is it these? Fresh Chicken Hearts & Chicken Gizzards | Tyson® Brand

Looks good. Start with little pieces to see if your kitty likes it. Don't worry, she will be fine. Cats are made to handle lots of bacteria. They are natural born obligate carnivores and predators. They live to hunt prey, tear into raw meat, flesh, and bones, and to be able to handle all kinds of bacteria that they encounter out in the world. Since yours is a kitten you might want to also add a bit of probiotics to her food to help build healthy bacteria in her tummy. You can usually buy probiotics from the pet store or your vet. Look for one with lots of strains of different good bacteria.

Cats have short and highly acidic digestive tracts that handle bacteria found in raw meat. This doesn't meant that they are immune to illness, but that they are made to be able to eat their meat raw without it having to be cooked.

 

[Moka]

Ask the meat department at your grocery store what the source of the chicken is and whether it was raised without antibiotics. You can also ask how fresh it is. Most meat suppliers will freeze chicken right away before sending it to the distributor so it should be fine. Also make sure it doesn't have any added salt. Always buy whole piece of meat and never pre-ground ones, as the pre-ground meat is likely to have more bacteria. If you can buy organic certified meat it's probably best, but not necessary. Most people who feed raw don't use organic meat. I purchase my meat from local butchers/farms. Some of it is certified organic, others are raised without antibiotics and free range/non-GMO grain fed and are pretty close to organic but no certification. I know lots of people get their meats from the grocery store.

Hearts and gizzards are great treats - they may be too big to give as a full treat. I usually cut them down into 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size. If I buy frozen hearts and gizzards I will defrost them slightly, just enough that I can cut them up (a pair of kitchen sheers is really helpful). Then I will slice them into chewable pieces and re-freeze them. I usually do small half an inch to 1 inch chunks - it depends on how much your cat likes to chew. If you cut it too small they probably won't chew it, but you don't want it too big that they will choke if they accidentally swallow it. There's a few ways store the pieces, you could put them in a ziplock bag and layer with cookie sheets, or just wrap them individually with saran wrap or something to separate them.. then take a piece out of the freezer the morning that you want to feed it and let it defrost in the fridge. Careful when feeding - you probably want to lay down some towels or something because some cats like to drag meat around when eating.

You can also just give small pieces of the meat you buy for yourself when you're cooking to your cat. Chicken breast or thighs are good too.

On another note - have you tried giving wet food to your cat at all? It really would be good to add some wet to your cat's diet because cats need lots of moisture in their food. Doing mostly or all wet food is actually recommended.

Thank you so much for the information! I am going to try the hearts and gizzards first.
Yes, I have tried every brand and flavor of wet food I could get my hands on. I have tried the whole slowly reducing the dry while offering the wet. Salem still refused the wet. I have tried warming it up, mixing it with her dry, crushing the dry and using it as "seasoning". Salem is beyond picky about her food and she is a frustrating combination of stubborn and smart. She even fought me when I tried to get her on a better quality dry food. I mixed it 25% new and 75% old. She ate around the new. When I stepped it up to 50/50, she went on hunger strike. I eventually gave it and just gave her the Crave back. I know cats can get very ill a relatively short amount of time without eating and kittens even more so. She was going on 24 hours refusing to eat anything when I finally gave in. Salem dislikes wet food so much that she does not even get excited at the sound of a can opening.

 

[Moka]

Is it these? Fresh Chicken Hearts & Chicken Gizzards | Tyson® Brand

Looks good. Start with little pieces to see if your kitty likes it. Don't worry, she will be fine. Cats are made to handle lots of bacteria. They are natural born obligate carnivores and predators. They live to hunt prey, tear into raw meat, flesh, and bones, and to be able to handle all kinds of bacteria that they encounter out in the world. Since yours is a kitten you might want to also add a bit of probiotics to her food to help build healthy bacteria in her tummy. You can usually buy probiotics from the pet store or your vet. Look for one with lots of strains of different good bacteria.

Cats have short and highly acidic digestive tracts that handle bacteria found in raw meat. This doesn't meant that they are immune to illness, but that they are made to be able to eat their meat raw without it having to be cooked.

Yep that's it! I am going to buy a pack next time I go shopping. Thank you for all of your help with this!

 

[Azazel]

Thank you so much for the information! I am going to try the hearts and gizzards first.
Yes, I have tried every brand and flavor of wet food I could get my hands on. I have tried the whole slowly reducing the dry while offering the wet. Salem still refused the wet. I have tried warming it up, mixing it with her dry, crushing the dry and using it as "seasoning". Salem is beyond picky about her food and she is a frustrating combination of stubborn and smart. She even fought me when I tried to get her on a better quality dry food. I mixed it 25% new and 75% old. She ate around the new. When I stepped it up to 50/50, she went on hunger strike. I eventually gave it and just gave her the Crave back. I know cats can get very ill a relatively short amount of time without eating and kittens even more so. She was going on 24 hours refusing to eat anything when I finally gave in. Salem dislikes wet food so much that she does not even get excited at the sound of a can opening.

For sure keep her on the dry food for now if that's all she will eat, but I wouldn't give up on the wet. Have you tried the Weruva chicken flavor ones? Cats really like them because they smell like chicken and fish oil and they have the texture of flaked chicken.

Another thing to try is sprinkling some fortiflora probiotics on the wet food to get her to eat it. Cats go crazy for fortiflora cause it's made of mostly animal digest. You can get samples of it at the vet before investing in a whole box.

 

[Azazel]

Here's a helpful document written by a vet with tips on transitioning to wet food.

https://catinfo.org/docs/TipsForTransitioning1-14-11.pdf

 

[jen]

I just wanted to chime in that unless you are brushing once or twice every single day then there really is no point. It would be like us only brushing 2 times a week.

 

[ArchyCat]

Moka --> Don't feed your cat chicken bones! They can splinter when the cat chews on them and can cause cats and dogs serious internal injury!

 

[Azazel]

Moka --> Don't feed your cat chicken bones! They can splinter when the cat chews on them and can cause cats and dogs serious internal injury!

This is not true. It depends on the size of the bone and whether it’s cooked. Cooked bones are not safe, but most cats can handle raw bones from chicken necks and wing tips. Raw bones are a healthy part of a cat’s natural diet.

 

[ArchyCat]

Mouse bones. Wild bird bones. All smaller than chicken bones. I stand by my statement.

 

[jen]

It is important to note COOKED bones can splinter very easily, small raw chicken wing tip bones specifically are perfectly fine, as are chicken necks.... However if your cat has never had them before supervise them the first time.

 

[Azazel]

Mouse bones. Wild bird bones. All smaller than chicken bones. I stand by my statement.

No one is recommending to feed big bones. We are talking about chicken necks and wing tips. I have personally fed raw bones to cats with no problem.

 

[LTS3]

Supermarket meat is fine but check the teeny print on the package. You do not want to give your cat meat that has been enhanced with flavorings, salt solutions, preservatives, etc.

Pet stores sometimes sell frozen bones for dogs. You can take a look the next time you are there. Some bones will be too big for cats. Primal is one brand that has frozen chicken necks: Raw Meaty Bones

Is there a butcher shop in your area? A butcher would be able to cut up a whole chicken or even something like a rabbit or duck into small pieces and you can give those to your cat. I'm not sure if a supermarket butcher would be able to or are allowed to do this.

Brushing at least once a week is better than nothing. You can slowly increase over time until you're brushing most days. Try CET poultry flavored toothpaste. Most cats love that so it would be easy to try to brush every day.