Do not feed raw: feline toxoplasmosis

[Catmom1234567890]

Toxoplasmosis in Cats

I fed my baby raw her entire life because I've read and heard benefits of raw diet. Please read about feline toxoplasmosis. I wish I had known about it before I put her on raw diet. It all started with problems with lung then she started vomiting and refused to eat. 3 days later she died of liver failure and internal bleeding. My vet said without post mortem autopsy, its difficult to say, but most likely from parasitic infection causing liver failure was main cause of death.

 

[Willowy]

Sorry for your loss .

If you live in the US and only feed commercially raised meats (not wild game), toxoplasmosis isn't present in those meats. And almost every cat who has been outside has been infected with toxoplasmosis (from eating mice and such or being exposed to other cats' feces). So it almost certainly wasn't the raw diet.

 

[Maurey]

I am very sorry for your loss.

Responsibly sourced raw food is unlikely to be the source of T.gondii (especially since freezing for 3 or more days incapacitates the parasite), cats will most commonly get it from interacting with the faces of infected cats, or catching and eating small animals. Vets are often very quick to pin raw diets at fault for anything under the sun in countries where raw feeding is anathema. Please don't blame yourself -- you were doing what you thought best for your kitty.

Are you considering requesting a post mortem for her?

 

[Talien]

Raw food is safe so long as it's handled properly, if raw food is improperly prepared and stored then yes there's a risk of contamination by salmonella. Commercial raw food or properly prepared and stored homemade raw food is actually safer from bacterial contamination than dry food.

I'm sorry to hear that your Cat died, but placing blame without having any real information is not doing anyone any good, least of all yourself. If it was me I'd seriously consider requesting a postmortem to have some real answers, and closure.

 

[Catmom1234567890]

Not blaming, repeating what my vet told me.

 

[cataholic07]

Unfortunately vets are very prone to blame a raw diet. So sorry for your loss

 

[ScaryGoblin]

Toxoplasmosis in Cats

I fed my baby raw her entire life because I've read and heard benefits of raw diet. Please read about feline toxoplasmosis. I wish I had known about it before I put her on raw diet. It all started with problems with lung then she started vomiting and refused to eat. 3 days later she died of liver failure and internal bleeding. My vet said without post mortem autopsy, its difficult to say, but most likely from parasitic infection causing liver failure was main cause of death.

I am so sorry for your loss