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The BARF Diet (or ‘Biologically Appropriate Raw Food’ and ‘Bones and Raw Food’) follows the principle of evolution that cats are descended from wildcats (African & European), and although humans have changed their external appearance as well as special skills (mainly hunting), the cat’s digestive system however remains unchanged.
Cat’s belong to the family of obligate carnivores, this type of carnivore is one that depends entirely on meat because their diet requires nutrients that are only found in animal flesh. The natural raw diet is high in protein, moderate in fat, has minimal amounts of carbohydrates and consists of raw muscle and organ meat and raw meaty bones. Unlike dogs, cats have little to no interest in fruit and vegetables as they don’t really give them any nutritional value. This is because Dogs are not considered obligate carnivores but they are not true omnivores either. This means that while dogs do need meat to survive, they can also benefit from plants in their diet as well. Cats and other obligate carnivores (like dolphins, seals, eagles and walruses) are not able to digest plants properly and can not get enough nutrients from them.
All felines are obligate carnivores, whether it’s a domesticated house cat or a wild mountain lion. Throughout their entire evolutionary history, cats have been obligate carnivores, making their need for meat a biological necessity and an ancestral trait.
The anatomic and physiologic adaptations of a cat include unique characteristics that make it easier to eat a meat-based diet.
Generally thought of as hunters, cats have evolved by eating raw prey immediately after it has been hunted. A cat’s digestive tract is short compared to other types of eaters, and it is designed to digest protein and fat quickly.
The necessity of eating meat, which may involve hunting live prey, makes sharp teeth and claws a common adaptation of obligate carnivores. Cats have four front canine teeth that help them grip and bite into flesh, and their strong jaw is extremely helpful to facilitate ripping the meat from prey’s bone and to aid in shredding the meal.
Cats’ ears and eyes are also designed to make it easier to hunt, their forward-facing ears are made up of 20 different muscles that can detect and locate the sounds of prey. Their eyes contain many rod cells in the retina, which makes it easy for them to see in very low light.
As carnivores, cats thrive on a diet consisting primarily of meat. However, unlike herbivores or omnivores, cats are less able to adapt to wide ranges in dietary composition.
Because cats get the nutrients they need to survive from the animals they are eating, their bodies no longer have the ability to make certain vitamins and amino acids like herbivores or omnivores can. Cats have a dire biological need for niacin, taurine, vitamin A and arginine, all of which can be found in meat sources.
The intense heat used to prepare some commercial cat food allegedly destroys and reduces nutrients like vitamins, minerals and enzymes, taking away a lot of their natural goodness from the ingredients. Some types of dry and wet processed foods also contain a large amount of grains, cereals and other fillers together with artificial colouring, additives and preservatives.
We feel these are inappropriate for cats and if fed over a long period of time, allegedly can result in allergies and intolerances as well as a number of other health conditions.
Because cats are obligate carnivores their bodies require nutrients that are only found in meat. Raw diets that are inspired by what a cat would eat in the wild can provide the nutrition, protein and hydration they need to live a healthy life.
The health benefits that have been attributed to the BARF Diet include:
The lack of heat processing in a raw diet offers better quality and higher levels of proteins and nutrients. Hydration levels are also greatly improved with a raw diet. Unlike dogs, cats do not have a natural thirst drive because their bodies are designed to get moisture from their prey — this is why many modern cats develop kidney and urinary issues. Since raw meat has no heat processing, much of the moisture remains, which promotes urinary health and can help the kidneys process waste more efficiently.
A raw diet is completely safe for your cat to eat. If you are wanting to feed a pre-packaged complete raw food then you will be minimizing any risks that come with handling raw meat along with making sure the meal is giving your animal everything they need. If you are wanting to make a ‘homemade’ raw food, then there are two primary concerns about the safety of raw feeding for cats: nutritional imbalances and bacterial contamination.
Nutritional Imbalances
The majority of pre-packaged raw pet food options sold are complete and balanced, but some labels will make you believe that it is a complete pet food by using terms like “80,10,10”. If the label does not state it is a complete pet food, then it is most likely a complimentary food, meaning it is missing something like fruit or veg, vitamins etc. All pet food for sale must have nutritional information on its packaging, so you should look at the labels to verify that it is complete and balanced.
Homemade raw meat is where there can be a risk. In the wild, cats consume nearly every part of their prey, which provides the appropriate amount of nutrients — bones provide calcium, organs provide taurine and meat provides protein and moisture. One of the biggest mistakes pet owners make when switching to a BARF diet is not understanding how to prepare complete and balanced raw food. Homemade BARF diets need to mimic the diet of a cat in the wild as closely as possible. That means incorporating the right amounts of meat, organs, bones, vitamins and supplements. An incomplete or unbalanced raw diet can cause nutritional deficiencies that can lead to a variety of health issues.
This is why a complete and balanced raw cat food is a better option to provide everything your pet needs to be healthy and thrive. If you would still like to create your own raw food this is fine, but please make sure you are adding in the correct ingredients to avoid health issues.
Bacterial Contamination
Homemade raw diets, if not prepared correctly, can pose more of a bacterial health risk than prepared raw foods if the proper handling and cleaning procedures are not followed. You can make yourself very ill if proper hygiene and cleaning measures are not taken before and after the meal has been prepared and eaten. Cleaning work surfaces, washing hands and cleaning all items involved in making the raw meal is key. Do not let raw meat defrost and then refreeze, frozen and thawed food will develop harmful bacteria quickly and this can cause major problems for your pet when it is defrosted again to be eaten.
*You are about to see the word taurine A LOT now, get ready. You have been warned*
Unlike dogs, cats cannot create their own taurine from other amino acids. Therefore, it is essential to ensure a cat’s diet provides sufficient amounts of taurine. Cats are unable to synthesize their own taurine due to the minimal activity of the enzymes Cysteine Dioxygenase and Cysteine Sulfinic Acid Decarboxylase. Taurine is an essential amino acid that is only found in animal muscle and organ tissues. Different proteins along with different muscle and organ tissues will have varying levels of taurine.
Taurine is an essential amino acid for cats and kittens that is needed to maintain optimal eye and heart function and it is also found to be important for fetus development, growth, reproduction, neuro-modulation, sight, hearing, blood platelet, immune response, antioxidation, and production of bile acid.
A well rounded raw diet that uses whole cuts of meat will be abundant in taurine. When feeding a raw diet, please don’t cook it! Cooking raw food destroys more than half (about 65%) of the taurine content. Additionally, vegetables, fruits and grains contain almost no measurable amounts of taurine.
Muscle meat contains fairly high amounts of taurine and the amount of taurine in meat depends on how much work the muscle performs. Darker meat indicates hard working muscles, therefore indicating higher levels of taurine. The heart being the hardest working muscle in the body will contain the most taurine.
Larger animals such as cattle have a lower concentration of taurine and smaller animals have a much higher concentration of taurine. It is abundant in most fish, birds, and rodents!
Be sure to feed the “blood” (myoglobin) from thawing meat. When meat defrosts, the majority of the available taurine is left behind in the meat juices. This liquid is called myoglobin and contains many essential nutrients including taurine.
Taurine levels will vary by protein based on the animal’s overall size. The amount will also vary between different muscle and organ tissues within the animal. As stated before, taurine is found in higher concentrations in harder working muscles and in smaller animals. Therefore, the highest concentrations will be found in smaller animal’s organs and heart. These taurine levels are organized by protein type below:
Tongue 1752mg taurine/kg
Lung 956mg taurine/kg
Spleen 874mg taurine/kg
Liver 688mg taurine/kg
Heart 652mg taurine/kg
Round Steak 362mg taurine/kg
Kidney 225mg taurine/kg
Heart 1179mg taurine/kg
Liver 1100mg taurine/kg
Dark Meat 1690mg taurine/kg
Necks 584mg taurine/kg
Backs 584mg taurine/kg
Leg 337mg taurine/kg
Boneless and Skinless Breast 159mg taurine/kg
Leg Meat 1780mg taurine/kg
Whole Mackerel 2070mg taurine/kg
Whole Herring 1544mg taurine/kg
Salmon Fillet 1300mg taurine/kg
Smelt 687mg taurine/kg
Leg Meat 473mg taurine/kg
Kidney 239mg taurine/kg
Liver 855mg taurine/kg
Lung 775mg taurine/kg
Kidney 773mg taurine/kg
Loin 610mg taurine/kg
Sirloin 560mg taurine/kg
Dark Meat 3060 ± 690mg taurine/kg
Light Meat 300 ± 70mg taurine/kg
Taurine Data Source:
Taurine amounts in cuts of meat collect from: Taurine concentrations in animal feed ingredients; cooking influences taurine content (A. R. Spitze et al, 2003). Do not worry about over feeding taurine. Taurine is water-soluble and is processed though the kidneys. If the cat cannot process the amount of taurine ingested, the excess is passed in the urine.
There are various schools of thought in respect to switching your cat’s food over to a high quality raw diet.
Some believe that it’s acceptable to just make a complete switch whereas we believe that it’s best to make a gradual switch over a period of some 7 to 10 days, gradually reducing the original food and increasing the raw percentage.
Initially it is best to stick with a single protein source, we would normally recommend something like Tripe as this is easily digestible and contains a lot of nutrients. Another good option is Chicken or Turkey, these are less likely to cause any upset stomachs.
Once your cat has settled into a new feeding regime we recommend the use of small meaty bones (like raw chicken necks) and offal after a few weeks.
Occasionally when a cat’s diet is switched to a raw food diet you may find that they vomit a small amount of white foam or yellow bile usually in the morning, this is the digestive tract adjusting to the higher protein, lower carbohydrate diet and is usually nothing to worry about. However, should this persist please contact us for advice.
If your cat is already used to eating a percentage of raw meat and bones in its diet then switching to a complete raw diet should be very easy, (yes this does include the mouse and bird they catch and eat at the door step every few days). If your cat is not used to the taste and texture of raw meat then you will need to introduce this slowly as his digestive tract will need to adjust to this new food.
For a cat we suggest giving a small amount of the raw food on a spoon. If the cat takes it, try another spoon! In most cases this wont happen. If you cat has been fed on dry or wet cat food, it will be hard to get them to move over to a raw diet. Wet food contains high amounts of sugars that the cat gets addicted to (even though they can’t taste them!). It will be a challenge but once they are eating raw, it will be worth it!
If you are still feeding kibble as well as raw meals then it is advisable to treat it and raw meat as two separate meals because kibble takes longer to digest.
Defrost as much food as you need per day. Do not re-freeze food once it has been defrosted but, any food that you have not used, can be kept safely in your fridge for 3-4 days.
Always ensure your cat has free access to clean, fresh drinking water.
At Homefeeds we don’t currently stock an official ‘Cat Raw’ food. But our ranges in store for dogs will be ok for most cats. These brands include Albion Country Bowl, Wilsons Raw, Cotswold Raw and even Taylors Choice Connoisseur Raw. Quality vegetables and fruit are added to our complete meals ready for you to defrost and serve up for your cat! But as cats don’t need vegetables in their diet, a complimentary meal will be fine. Or you could even create your own raw using meat chunks available in store!
We offer a wide choice of meat and fish variety meals including Beef, Chicken, Tripe, Lamb, Mackerel, Salmon, Turkey, Rabbit, Venison and Duck as well as a selection of offal treats, bones, Beef Chunks, Tripe Chunks, Chicken Wings and Necks and Fish Fillets to add variety to mealtimes.
Albion, Wilsons, Cotswold and Taylors Choice raw ranges do not contain wheat, rice, soya, eggs, dairy produce, animal derivatives, additives, preservatives or colouring. Many people believe that such ingredients have been the cause of a variety of health problems in cat.
No extra vitamin supplements are added to Albion meals, MJ’s minces and Taylors Choice Connoisseur Raw as all the vitamins and minerals that your cat needs come straight from the natural ingredients in the food. This is the philosophy of a true BARF Diet, nothing added, nothing taken away, just healthy food containing quality ingredients.
Meat (lean meat, fat, offal) supplies the body with an excellent source of protein and contains the essential amino and fatty acids that cats of all ages need. It also contains minerals and vitamins needed to maintain good health.
Tripe contains the lactic acid bacteria, which is the main ingredient in probiotics, the same gastric juices that help cattle with digestion aid the cat in digesting and efficiently utilising food.
Chicken is also a good source of Omega 3 & 6 essential fatty acids as well as a natural source of Chondroitin and Glucosamine, which are essential for the joints and cartilages.
Lamb and Beef are rich in vitamins and minerals, which help to protect a cat’s immune system.
Fish is an excellent source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids and is especially good for cats with sensitive stomachs.
Bones ground or whole contain Calcium and Phosphorous, which are important for strong teeth and bones.
The addition of raw bones to the diet offers stimulation and exercise for the jaw as well as introducing natural minerals into your cat’s diet. Raw bones provide amazing dental health benefits for cats as when chewed, they help remove tartar or calculus from their teeth, helping to reduce the risk of gum disease.
Always make sure that he or she is supervised when eating one – never feed cats cooked bones.
We recommend that raw food products are thoroughly defrosted prior to feeding, either in the fridge overnight in a suitable sealed container, or, at room temperature for a couple of hours. Some people find it easier to decant the meat from the packaging prior to defrosting. We would not recommend the use of a microwave.
Freeflow minces may take up to 2 hours to defrost at room temperature but do tend to defrost quicker than the blocks due to these being a denser product.
Once defrosted do not re-freeze. Keep in a refrigerator and use within 24 hours of opening.
Good food hygiene is very important, and we always recommend that you thoroughly wash hands, feeding utensils and work surfaces following the handling or preparation of raw materials.
We do not recommend that you cook raw products as this could affect the nutritional values as they are designed to be safely fed raw.
We have tried to make getting your raw cat food portions right easier than ever. Simply enter your cat’s weight and our raw cat food calculator will tell you how much raw food to be feeding.
Please note: You may find you need to adjust the amount of raw food you feed your cat. Depending on your cats age, activity levels and metabolism. No two cats are the same so adjust as you see fit.