Does raw food diet make the cat more aggressive?

GaryT

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Theo is the first cat I have had that I feed raw beef diet along with his can food (pate) and dry kibble. He is the most alert, intelligent, and sometimes aggressive cat I have ever had. So, I ask the ones who have been feeding raw for years. I put him on raw because the breeder was feeding him raw and sent along 2 tubes of raw beef from "Blue Ridge Beef" (kitten grind). He absolutely LOVES his raw beef.

I see the raw as being closer to what a wild cat would eat. He has been eating this for over a year and a half now. His coat is beautiful.
 

LTS3

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I think the Blue Ridge Kitten Grind is a complete diet. The non-kitten ones are not complete diets and pretty high in bone, just to let you know :)

Leroy has been eating raw his entire life. He's not aggressive at all. Some cats do get a little aggressive over food and maybe the occasional raw bone or organ you offer as a treat. But in general, a raw diet does not make a cat have an aggressive personality.
 

Azazel

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No, raw diets don’t make cats aggressive. They do give them more energy though. An aggressive cat would be one that is actually attacking other cats or humans. If your cat is just playful and high energy they’re not aggressive.
 

Talien

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What Azazel said. A raw diet does not make a Cat more aggressive, but it is much easier for a Cat to process food without all the carb heavy plant material and fillers that you find in kibble and many brands of commercial canned food. A Cat on a meat based diet like raw food will have more energy and in general be healthier than a Cat that eats food with lots of plant based ingredients.
 

She's a witch

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yes, my cats are more energized after raw comparing to canned. Back in Europe they were occasionally given raw that was never frozen and their energy level was even higher after such meal. I’d say raw will not make them aggressive, but if your cat has aggressive issues anyway, because of the poor socialization or if he was separated too early or for other reasons, and if he’s more aggressive when energized, then well, I can see why raw would seem to you as causing aggression. But getting him off raw will not solve this, only addressing underlying root cause will.
 

Willow's Mom

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I switched Willow to raw (from Purina Cat Chow) within a day or two of bringing her home. Her coat is amazing, she is huge for six months, incredibly friendly and outgoing, and she's got lots of kitten energy.

I would not describe her as submissive. My first cat had problems with being overly submissive for her whole life and I am currently working with an adolescent dog who has issues with submissiveness. This isn't one of Willow's problems, thank goodness.

My submissive animals were fear biters. You don't want that.
 
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GaryT

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Thanks for all the input! Theo is not really aggressive, I guess, But, at times he wil all of a sudden pounch on me and grab onto my leg and kick with his back feet. Sometimes I will be petting him and talking nice to him and he will all of a sudden meow and grab onto my hand biting and aggressive. He will be purring and calm just before this. He is an only kitten from him momma and didn't have playmates. He can be very lovable but all of a sudden change into a real wild man! VERY energetic! I do play with him off and on during the day.
 

Talien

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Thanks for all the input! Theo is not really aggressive, I guess, But, at times he wil all of a sudden pounch on me and grab onto my leg and kick with his back feet. Sometimes I will be petting him and talking nice to him and he will all of a sudden meow and grab onto my hand biting and aggressive. He will be purring and calm just before this. He is an only kitten from him momma and didn't have playmates. He can be very lovable but all of a sudden change into a real wild man! VERY energetic! I do play with him off and on during the day.
It sounds like he would benefit from having another Cat around for a playmate. If that's not doable, do you know anyone near you that also has a young Cat that you could maybe set up play dates for him with?
 

orange&white

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Thanks for all the input! Theo is not really aggressive, I guess, But, at times he wil all of a sudden pounch on me and grab onto my leg and kick with his back feet. Sometimes I will be petting him and talking nice to him and he will all of a sudden meow and grab onto my hand biting and aggressive. He will be purring and calm just before this. He is an only kitten from him momma and didn't have playmates. He can be very lovable but all of a sudden change into a real wild man! VERY energetic! I do play with him off and on during the day.
One of my two former ferals will go from letting me pet her belly to "attacking" my hand, grabbing with her front paws, kicking with her back paws, and biting. It's not an aggressive attack though as much as playful. I sort of encourage her, instead of trying to discourage it. She has an extremely soft bite...which says she is playing with me as she would play with another cat. When I let my hand "play dead", she starts licking as if she's grooming me. It's sweet.
 
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GaryT

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One of my two former ferals will go from letting me pet her belly to "attacking" my hand, grabbing with her front paws, kicking with her back paws, and biting. It's not an aggressive attack though as much as playful. I sort of encourage her, instead of trying to discourage it. She has an extremely soft bite...which says she is playing with me as she would play with another cat. When I let my hand "play dead", she starts licking as if she's grooming me. It's sweet.
Theo will do the same thing but sometimes he bites too hard. At any rate, I want to discourage him biting hands. I don't want him biting someone who comes here to visit. I never have encouraged him to do this. He is just very excitable and I am sure he sees me as a playmate/mom. When he bites like this I hiss at him and walk away from him. Play stops. He has gotten better but still does this at times. The raw diet must make him more alert and active, The vet remarked on how healthy he is when she saw him last visit.
 
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GaryT

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It sounds like he would benefit from having another Cat around for a playmate. If that's not doable, do you know anyone near you that also has a young Cat that you could maybe set up play dates for him with?
He has such a strong personality and being an only kitten in the litter, (he is alpha for sure) I don't think he would be happy with another cat or be the same cat afterwards. I like his personality. He never has had other kittens his size to play with.

But a bigger concern is expense. I am on a fixed income. I still buy the best I can for my baby. I would be compelled to do the same for a second cat and cannot afford to. Vet bills are the biggest thing. My Oliver got expensive late in life with vet bills. But, I did all I was told to do to try and help him.I can only afford to have one. The raw beef isn't cheap either. I have always had just one except for when my exwife got Teddy (another seal lynx point & half brother to Oliver). I know my limits.
 

orange&white

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Theo will do the same thing but sometimes he bites too hard. At any rate, I want to discourage him biting hands. I don't want him biting someone who comes here to visit. I never have encouraged him to do this. He is just very excitable and I am sure he sees me as a playmate/mom. When he bites like this I hiss at him and walk away from him. Play stops. He has gotten better but still does this at times. The raw diet must make him more alert and active, The vet remarked on how healthy he is when she saw him last visit.

It is good to discourage "rough house" play if you have children or elderly in your home...or really anyone who isn't accustomed to cat behavior. Children can play so rough with a cat that it makes the cat more aggressive!

The good check-ups at the vet's office are great. My geriatric-aged cat is slowing down physically, but all his bloodwork came in at normal ranges at the last check. :thumbsup:
 

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Cats can be over stimulated. Example; They may like their ears rubbed, but only for so long. After a certain point it no longer feels good, and they will react in a non-pleasant manner.
 

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Is the meat ground or cut? I think the extra chewing with unground can actually serve as a light form of entertainment, making a hyperactive cat a little less crazy (for a time..)
 
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GaryT

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Is the meat ground or cut? I think the extra chewing with unground can actually serve as a light form of entertainment, making a hyperactive cat a little less crazy (for a time..)
The meat is ground pretty good but not like ground beef we buy. It is called "Kitten Grind"
 

Willow's Mom

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I think we both have bitey kitties for more or less the same reason: lack of sibling interaction at criticval stages of development. There's no reason to feel bad about that because it was beyond both of us humans' control.

nwc has a valid point. Theo may still be teething too--I know Willow is and some purebreds, like Maine Coons, take longer to achieve full maturity than moggies.

Willow just had her first chicken wing. It's just a snack, so I'm not fussing with the EZComplete. She also gets feeder mice and rats, which may well be beyond your comfort zone, but as a lifelong veg*n and kibble feeder, EVERYTHING was beyond my comfort zone when I started raw feeding.

But a gizzard or two once a week isn't going to set you back much $$$ and will give Theo something to chew.

The other "weird" thing I've been doing about Willow's biting is positive reinforcement: her cue is "gentle", and then I tell her what a good kitty she is when she lets go or reduces pressure. It really does seem to be helping.

Willow is probably my last baby as well as my last cat, so of course I want full on contact but I have very thin skin and red stuff pours out of it and stains furniture and clothing if I don't set some limits.

She could also accidentally kill my dog much more easily than a pittie, shepherd, or lab could accidentally kill a small moggie.
 
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