Can Cats Eat Raw Chicken? 6 Things to Know Before Feeding

We all understand that raw meats can be hazardous to human beings–however what about felines? Can cats consume raw chicken?

No, cats shouldn’t consume raw chicken. The Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) both caution versus feeding raw meat to cats due to the capacity for bacterial health problems. Feeding raw meats puts not just your cat however likewise your human family at danger.

In this post, we’ll go over 6 things to understand about raw chicken for cats, consisting of why it’s not suggested to feed it, how to finest serve chicken to cats, and more.

#1: Can Cats Eat Raw Chicken?

Whether or not cats can consume raw chicken is in fact quite questionable! Many individuals think a raw diet plan is best for cats, however a lot of specialists disagree.

Both the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA) protest raw diet plans for family pets, as they include a lot of dangers to animals and human beings alike.

Some will argue that raw meat is the most health food for cats–however cats are domesticated animals, and the illness that can be captured from raw meat are likewise natural. That definitely doesn’t make them helpful for our cats’ health!

#2: Risks to Feeding Raw Chicken to Cats

There are 4 crucial dangers to understand about in the past feeding raw chicken to your cat:

1. Parasites and germs in raw chicken can contaminate cats, human beings, and other family pets.
2. Homemade raw diet plans can result in dietary shortages.
3. It’s tough to keep surface areas correctly decontaminated with an animal like a cat because they lick themselves to groom.
4. Bones in the chicken can produce choking dangers or bowel blockages.

Raw chicken can consist of hazardous parasites and germs, consisting of Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens microorganisms. Though cats are less most likely than human beings to get ill, there is still a threat.

Your human family can likewise be threatened, even if you sanitize surface areas after preparing the meat. As the FDA notes, anything your cat licks can likewise end up being contaminated.

Any homemade diet plan is most likely to trigger dietary shortages. This isn’t unique to raw diet plans and isn’t an issue if you’re just feeding raw chicken as a treat.

If you do wish to feed any type of homemade diet plan, it’s essential to have the help of a qualified veterinary nutritional expert.

#3: Benefits of Feeding Raw Chicken to Cats

Here are 3 advantages of feeding cats raw chicken:

1. Cats are obligate predators, which indicates they require meat in their diet plan.
2. Chicken as a part of a raw diet plan can help cats slim down when compared to kibble.
3. Raw chicken can help to keep your cat hydrated.

It’s finest to listen to specialists when it pertains to your cat’s diet plan. Luckily, the majority of the advantages above are likewise seen in canned wet food for cats–and it doesn’t impersonate lots of dangers as raw feeding.

When it pertains to raw chicken as a treat, it’s much better to rather feed plain, prepared chicken.

#4: Can Cats Eat Chicken Bones?

Cats need to not consume chicken bones. Below, we’ll go over the drawbacks to feeding both raw and prepared chicken bones.

Raw Chicken Bones

Raw chicken bones can be choking dangers or produce intestinal tract clogs. They likewise have all the exact same dangers as raw meat, consisting of disease to your cat or family.

However, they won’t splinter in the method prepared chicken bones do.

Cooked Chicken Bones

Cooked chicken bones are likewise a no-go, regrettably. When cooked, chicken bones are more likely to splinter. This can cause tears in the throat or digestive system.

#5: How to Serve Chicken to Cats

Here’s how to cook chicken for your cats so that it is entirely safe for them to eat:

• Skip the seasonings, butter, and other additives! Just plain chicken will be tasty to your cat, and some additives can be dangerous to them.
• Cook the chicken thoroughly until it reaches an internal temperature of 165-175 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cut the chicken into small pieces and remove all bones before serving.
• Serve only fresh chicken, and always clean and disinfect any surfaces that come into contact with the meat while raw.
• Remember: if the chicken isn’t safe for human consumption (such as if it was left on the counter overnight), it’s likewise not safe for your cat! Cook and store your meat products properly.

Avoid already-prepared chicken for humans as it often contains other ingredients, such as seasonings, that can be toxic or dangerous to cats.

If you do choose to serve raw chicken, remember to wash and disinfect your food prep surfaces thoroughly. Serve only fresh meat and only what your cat can eat in one sitting. Wash their bowl as soon as they’re finished eating.

Keep in mind the risks, and wash your hands after touching your cat as they may transfer any bacteria from the meat onto their skin and fur while grooming.

Monitor your cat and the rest of the family for symptoms of illness, and see a doctor or veterinarian if needed.

Please avoid homemade cat food, either raw or cooked, unless you have a diet formulated for your cat by a certified veterinary nutritionist.

#6: Symptoms to Watch for After Your Cat Eats Raw Chicken

The following are common signs of bacterial illness that your cat may experience after eating raw chicken:

• Diarrhea
• Bloody stool
• Mucus in stool
• Fever
• Enteritis

If your cat presents with the symptoms above, please make an appointment with your veterinarian to discuss treatment.

Cats can also be asymptomatic carriers of illness and transfer it to their human family members.

What About Other Raw Meat?

As we discussed above, it’s not recommended to feed any raw meat to your cat due to the risks involved. Instead, try feeding plain, cooked meat without seasoning or other additives.

Avoid processed meats such as sausage, ham, pepperoni, lunch meat, and more. These meats are often too high in fat and salt to be healthy for your cat.

The best meats to feed your cat are plain, cooked scraps of white meats such as chicken or turkey.

Can Cats Eat Cooked Chicken?

Cooked chicken is very healthy for cats, and you’ll often see it as an ingredient in your cat’s food.

When feeding chicken as a treat, be sure to cook it thoroughly, and avoid salt, spices, and other additives. Plain meat is best for cats, especially since many commonly-used seasonings can be toxic. Even salt can trigger poisoning to cats in high amounts!

You can even use chicken to entice your cat to consume dinner by using it as a topper for their kibble or canned food. A chicken puree or even unsalted chicken broth likewise work well for this.

I hope this article has helped you to learn more about raw chicken for cats, why it should be avoided, and some healthier alternatives. Remember that plain, cooked chicken is great for cats and doesn’t come with the same dangers as raw meat.

Thank you for reading! If you have actually feedback on this post, please contact the AZ Animals editorial group.