Vet's unfortunately have to see the worst case scenarios. This means owners who fed an incomplete diet and the pet suffered from life threatening deficiencies. So it's understandable that they would be wary of owners wanting to feed raw!
Since the early 1950s cats have been fed dry commercial food (different from the human scraps fed before) so recent test results and knowledge is based on commercial fed cats. Not raw fed. What's 'normal' May be different than a 'normal' for a raw cat. As we see society going back to feeding pets whole raw ingredients than the burnt, preservative food currently be fed, more and more vets will see the positives and have more experience. Right now, Vet's do not have alot of knowledge on raw feeding which is why you should never trust your vet on how to feed raw. ONLY trust your breeder who has years of knowledge and CRAP (Cat's Raw and Proud) Facebook group. If you visit other sites you will get incorrect and conflicting information. Please never feed fruits, veggies, carbs or completer supplements. The whole point of raw is to use whole fresh ingredients.
A common concern a vet will voice is exposure to salmonella & e.coli. However the risk for your pet is the same with raw or kibble. It matters where you purchase your food and how you handle your meat. If you practice same precautions vetting your own meat you will avoid many issues.
The majority of Kibble recalls have been due to contamination of pathogenic bacteria, but kibble was also recalled for a significant number of other serious health risk causes. 29 Kibble recalls for Salmonella and/or Listeria and/or E.coli, 7 Kibble recalls for insufficient or excess of Vitamins and/or Minerals, 6 recalls for deadly aflatoxin, 2 for foreign objects in the pet food, and 1 recall for mold in Kibble in just last year alone.
Your vet may try to scare you about Salmonella when in fact the risk for exposure is the SAME as kibble.
You are not at a higher risk if you buy your meat from a reputable source, don't bare handle your cats feces, and throw away meat that seems off. There are numerous kibble recalls each year. So for a vet to scare people away because of salmonella is hypocritical.
The bread is in the pudding. On average, not including genetic conditions, raw fed cats are leaner, bigger, have stronger immunity, and live longer than commercially fed cats.
Problems like crystals, diabetes, cancers happen much much later in life, if at all. Long time raw feeders of 40+ years have stated how amazing their 15yr+ cats look!!
Photo by SFRAW
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