Your domestic house cat needs to be fed a healthy and rich diet of protein, specifically meat. Cats are carnivores and have adapted their lifestyle to be hunters. Therefore, it is pertinent to feed your cat a diet rich in meat. That’s not to say that cats can’t be fed anything other than meat, but meat should be an integral part of their diet when it comes to your cat’s diet.
Most people are blissfully unaware of what they should be feeding their cats, which is wrong. If you want a strong and healthy cat, you should feed them a rich and suitable diet. That’s why it’s essential to know the best meats for cats to eat.
If you have been searching for that, you have come to the right place as we will discuss everything you should include in your cat’s diet. Therefore, here are the best meats for your cats to eat:
Chicken, Turkey, and Duck
You can feed your cat any protein, but poultry is the best form. You want to feed them protein that comes from the thighs and breasts of chicken, turkey, or duck. These are known as lean meat and are perfect for your cat, as they form a nutritious diet for them.
When feeding your cat chicken or turkey, ensure that it is cooked well and doesn’t have any additional seasoning, as cats prefer meat without seasoning. Duck meat is higher in fatty content, and therefore, you should only feed your cat duck meat sparingly.
Beef
Cats love eating beef, and you can easily incorporate beef into your cat’s diet. It’s nutritious and contains all the energy supplicants your cat needs to be healthy. However, you should cook beef at the right temperature to ensure that it is edible for your cat.
Beef can be prepared easily in the kitchen, so it is a popular meat option for cats. Most cats can digest beef easily, and you won’t have any tantrums from your kitty when you feed them beef.
Pork
You can also choose to feed your cat pork, as it is safe for them to consume. However, you should limit the quantity of the portion of pork you are feeding your cat as too much pork in their diet can have negative consequences for the cat.
Just because pork is safe for cats to eat doesn’t mean that you should be feeding your cat ham or bacon, as these aren’t appropriately digested by cats and can cause problems for them later on. When cooking pork for your cat, ensure that you have cooked it at the right temperature and always feed them in moderation.
Lamb and Veal
Cats can also eat lamb and veal, although both meat options are expensive and aren’t ideal for your cat. You should cook lamb to an ideal temperature and feed it to your cat in moderation because it contains many fatty ingredients.
You can also feed veal to your cat, but you must cook it to perfection and only offer them a small amount as your cat may not be used to eating veal. Ensure that you are feeding them in small quantities to keep your cat healthy.
Fish
You may assume that fish is something that cats love eating and will devour them quickly, but some fish should not be a part of your cat’s diet. Salmon and Tuna are carnivorous fish and contain high mercury levels, which can be dangerous for your cat.
Therefore, they should be fed to your cat sparingly, while other fish such as halibut, flounder, and cod are ideal for feeding your cat. You should also not feed your cat a lot of canned fish as they have higher sodium content, which isn’t ideal for your cat.
Other Seafood
If you want to give your cat a treat, you can get other seafood such as calamari, shrimp, and scallops. However, these are expensive and should only be given in moderation to your cat so that they don’t get an upset stomach.
Some cats can also be allergic to seafood, so you must check to see if they like eating seafood before you start incorporating it into their diets. Some cats love eating small seafood as it contains less mercury and is safe to eat.
Should You Feed Raw Meat to Your Cat?
Most pet owners prefer feeding raw meat to their cats, but it’s a controversial topic and one that you should discuss with your vet first. Some cats can eat raw meat easily while others won’t prefer it; plus, you should know about health concerns before feeding your cat raw meat. These should be discussed with your vet to create a healthy and balanced diet for your cat.
In general, feeding raw meat to your cat is discouraged even if you are preparing it at home because it doesn’t sit well with the cat’s digestive system. Some cats can also be allergic to the high sodium content in raw meat, which can cause serious health issues for them.
Your vet will guide you properly about the most appropriate diet you should be feeding your cat and let you know about the best meats for cats to eat.
Our Final Thoughts
Cats will eat just about any meat you put in front of them, but you should avoid doing that if you don’t want them to fall seriously ill. You should discuss your cat’s diet extensively with the vet to ensure that there isn’t anything seriously wrong with what you are feeding your cat. If you’re a first-time pet owner and don’t know what to feed your cat, we have outlined the best meats for cats to eat above.
