Is It Ok To Feed Raw As A Side Dish?

[Tagrendy]

Hi everyone, just getting a second opinion. I have a 1 year old cat, and previously he has always eaten commercial food. Now I still give him commercial with the daily ratio required, but as a side dish I thought to give him raw meat. Today the first time I gave him a little - and he looooved it. So I'm thinking to continue supplementing his meal in-betweens with some raw chunks, plus he will get some water that way too. But I'm worried if there might be dangers I am not aware of? I know worms are possible problem, but I deworm him regularly every 3 months, would that then be ok? Or if he eats raw more often the deworming will need to happen more often too? Are there other illnesses / problems he might get from uncooked meat?

Thank you.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Maybe @Azazel or lalagimp can help you with this

 

[lalagimp]

I would treat unsupplemented raw the same as treats- no more than ten percent of the diet. Food safety would depend on what you are feeding. The boys have been eating fully supplemented raw diet for almost two years, and we never do deworming after they've reached adulthood. The cat practice I take them to is on board with any properly balanced diet and never recommended a routine worming. Trichinosis is practically non existent in the meat industry if you're interested in pork, which a soon as it reaches 145F I eat it myself when I'm cooking, instead of the common "kill it, kill it dead at 165".
There is so much more to talk about except I'm not feeling exceptionally coherent this week. But, if you keep it at ten percent, it would roughly be a half ounce of raw. I have one guy that eats 4 oz per day and another that eats over 7 ounces per day. Food scales are great, or you can use a gently heaping tablespoon.

 

[Tagrendy]

I would treat unsupplemented raw the same as treats- no more than ten percent of the diet. Food safety would depend on what you are feeding. The boys have been eating fully supplemented raw diet for almost two years, and we never do deworming after they've reached adulthood. The cat practice I take them to is on board with any properly balanced diet and never recommended a routine worming. Trichinosis is practically non existent in the meat industry if you're interested in pork, which a soon as it reaches 145F I eat it myself when I'm cooking, instead of the common "kill it, kill it dead at 165".
There is so much more to talk about except I'm not feeling exceptionally coherent this week. But, if you keep it at ten percent, it would roughly be a half ounce of raw. I have one guy that eats 4 oz per day and another that eats over 7 ounces per day. Food scales are great, or you can use a gently heaping tablespoon.

Thank you for the response. That's great, I can give him a tablespoon a day then. It's really shame I never tried it before, he loved raw a lot.

 

[1 bruce 1]

So long as the raw chunks aren't enhanced (grocery store, check the packaging) you'll be fine.