Shandong Vlink Pet Products Co., Ltd
In our daily lives, we often find that cats have an irresistible preference for raw meat. Whether it’s the crumbs that fall when cutting meat in the kitchen or the raw fish on the dining table, cats are always attracted to it at first, with a longing in their eyes. Behind this phenomenon lies the unique eating habits of cats, which are worth exploring in depth.
Cats belong to the feline family, and felines have been natural hunters throughout their long evolutionary history. Their ancestors survived in the wild, feeding mainly on catching small mammals, birds, etc. Most of this prey was devoured by the cat’s ancestors in the form of raw meat. Under long-term natural selection, the cat’s genes gradually adapted to this raw meat-based diet. The cat’s teeth are natural “cutting tools”. Sharp canines facilitate tearing the muscles and tendons of the prey, while molars can efficiently cut the meat into smaller particles for easy swallowing and digestion. Furthermore, cats have a relatively short intestinal tract, and this structural feature of the digestive tract allows cats to quickly digest and absorb the nutrients in raw meat, while also reducing the risk of food rotting and spoiling in the intestinal tract, which is an evolutionary advantage for cats adapting to a raw meat diet.
Cats are strict carnivores and their body’s need for nutrients is highly compatible with the nutritional content of raw meat. Raw meat is rich in high-quality animal proteins that contain amino acids, such as taurine, that are essential for cats’ growth, development and maintenance of body functions. Taurine is essential for your cat’s eye health, heart function, and proper functioning of the reproductive system. However, plant foods contain very little taurine and cats have limited ability to synthesize taurine on their own, so ingesting it from raw meat is the most direct and effective way.
Raw meat is also rich in fat, which is not only one of the sources of energy for cats, but also contains fatty acids that have a positive effect on the health of the cat’s skin and coat, keeping the coat shiny and smooth and reducing problems such as hair loss. In addition, the minerals and vitamins in raw meat, like iron, zinc and B vitamins, also provide comprehensive nutritional support for cats, helping to strengthen their immunity and maintain their metabolism.
Cats are strict carnivores and their body’s need for nutrients is highly compatible with the nutritional content of raw meat. Raw meat is rich in high-quality animal proteins that contain amino acids, such as taurine, that are essential for cats’ growth, development and maintenance of body functions. Taurine is essential for your cat’s eye health, heart function, and proper functioning of the reproductive system. However, plant foods contain very little taurine and cats have limited ability to synthesize taurine on their own, so ingesting it from raw meat is the most direct and effective way.
The hunting instinct of cats is deep in their bones. Even though cats no longer need to hunt for survival in the modern family environment, the hunting instinct in them has not completely disappeared. The process of grasping and biting raw meat satisfies the cat’s hunting desire to a certain extent, giving them a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction of “completing the hunting task”. Moreover, cats are able to chew more fully when eating raw meat, which helps them to sharpen their jaw muscles and keep their mouth and teeth healthy, like a natural way of oral cleaning and exercise.
Despite cats’ preference for raw meat, cat food is one of the main food sources for most cats in today’s pet feeding environment. Cat food has been scientifically formulated to meet your cat’s nutritional needs to a certain extent and is easy to store and feed. However, relying exclusively on cat food may cause your cat to miss out on some of the unique nutrients found in raw meat. However, raw meat is not without risk. If raw meat is not properly handled, it may carry bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens that can pose a threat to your cat’s health. Therefore, an ideal cat diet should consist of a balanced cat food and a moderate amount of raw meat (make sure the raw meat is fresh, safe and properly processed). For example, you can feed your cat some fresh chicken breast, beef or fish regularly, but be careful to avoid feeding meat products that contain ingredients that are harmful to cats, such as foods with a lot of seasoning or containing onions, chocolate and other foods that are toxic to cats.
Cats’ preference for raw meat is a result of their evolutionary history, physiological structure, nutritional needs and instinctive behavior. As cat owners, after understanding this dietary habit, we have to reasonably satisfy the cat’s preference for raw meat under the premise of protecting the cat’s health and safety, and at the same time combining with scientific cat food feeding to provide cats with a nutritionally balanced and palatable diet, so that they can live a healthy and happy life.
