Feeding raw food to cat is potentially dangerous to both the cat and to you. Commercially available raw foods for bacteria that can cause illness, the raw pet food products were frozen in tube-like packages made from ground meat or sausage. Nearly 25% of the raw food sample tested positive for harmful bacteria including Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. These bacteria can pose a health risk for the cats who eat the raw food as for the cat owners who handle the food while preparing it.
Kind of illness Salmonella cause:-
According to CDC estimates that 1.2 million or more causes of foodborne salmonellosis occur in humans in the US annually. Approximately 400 people die each year from this disease.
Symptoms:-
- Fever
- Diarrhea(often bloody)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain
Symptoms of salmonellosis in human generally start 12-72 hours after exposure.
Children, the elderly, pregnant woman and immunocompromised individuals(chemotherapy, HIV etc.) are at greater risk for more severe symptoms. Cats can actually carry salmonella in their intestines without signs of illness, thus serving as a reservoir for ongoing exposure to the humans in the household. In cats, the symptoms of salmonellosis include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea(often bloody)
- Fever
- Inappetance
- Lethargy
Ways to protect you and your family:-
The best protection against salmonellosis and listeriosis to avoid the bugs altogether by not feeding raw food to your cat. There are some ways in which you can protect yourself if you do handle raw cat food:
- Thoroughly wash your hand with soap and water after handling raw food.
- Clean and disinfect all surfaces and objects that come into contact with the raw food.
- Keep raw food frozen until you are ready to use it and then thaw it in the refrigerator or microwave(not in the sink or on the counter)
- Keep raw food separate from other food.
- Cover and refrigerate what your cat does not eat, or discard the leftover safely.
- Do not kiss your cat on the face or allow him to lick your face- particularly right after he has eaten raw food.
- Wash your hands after petting or being licked by your cat.
Feeding a raw diet to your cat is a questionably sound idea from a nutritional perspective as well, due to the difficulty in balancing the ration among micro-and macro-nutrients. It is reasonable to conclude that a commercially prepared, conventional, complete and life-stage balanced ration is a better choice. Your veterinarian can help you to choose the nutrient profile that best fit for your cat.
Come see us at Parkgate Animal Hospital to discuss with the doctor the best way to deal with this! or
Give us a call at 604-929-1863 with any questions!
