Can cats eat ground meat?
Cats are known as carnivores, or meat eaters. Therefore, a →healthy, balanced cat diet should always contain a high proportion of meat in it. You might be thinking: "Great, then ground meat is also suitable for my kitty." We can agree with you, because cats are allowed to eat ground meat, as long as it is not pork. Ground meat is not only a good source of protein, but also contains important vitamins. Compared to processed meat products like ham or sausage, ground meat is much healthier for your cat. But be careful! The fat content of ground meat is usually higher than that of high-quality, healthy cat food. Here’s what you should keep in mind when feeding your cat ground meat.
Our tips for ground meat as a cat treat:
Always buy lean ground meat, as too much fat in your cat’s diet can be harmful to her health.
Don’t feed your cat any of your ground meat casserole – other ingredients and spices like salt and pepper can be →toxic for your cat.
Raw ground meat: In principle, it is suitable for your cat, but dangerous pathogens may be present. Therefore, it is recommended to cook ground meat thoroughly.
Ground meat can be a tasty snack in between meals, but should not replace your kitty’s balanced diet.
Cat nutrition can be quite confusing, so we have put together our feeding recommendations for you!
Is raw ground beef suitable for cats?
In theory, cats can eat raw meat without concern. Beef, lamb, and other red meats are important sources of iron. If you want to feed raw meat, it’s best to offer it in small, lean pieces, and with ground meat you should avoid portions that are too large. Still, raw meat fed (just like →fish) should always be of the same quality you would eat yourself. Otherwise, your kitty could come into contact with dangerous pathogens.
A food poisoning or even parasite infestation can be detected quite quickly in humans, and you can get treatment from a doctor. Of course, your cat can’t tell you where it hurts, so her symptoms are usually harder to interpret. That’s why it’s advisable to cook ground meat thoroughly for your cat. This way you can greatly reduce the risk of transmitted diseases.
Before you welcome a kitty into your home, make sure to do your research – our 5 tips will get you ready!
Cooked meat reduces the risk of →diseases. However, you should note that raw meat contains the essential amino acid taurine for cats. For this reason, a purely →vegetarian diet for your cat or feeding only cooked meat is not suitable. When cooking (ground) meat, there is a loss of taurine, which is why the taurine content in commercial cat food is increased with additives. So your cat doesn’t develop a deficiency!
You want to feed your cat raw meat but want it to be easy, quick, and healthy too? Then our →BARF fresh menus for cats are just right for you! Packed with juicy meat, crunchy vegetables, important vitamins, and minerals.
Craving for crispy fresh BARF for your house tiger?
Can cats eat ground pork?
When feeding your house cat raw meat, you should always never use raw ground pork. Because feeding raw pork can have deadly consequences for your cat!
The meat from pigs and also game meat can be infected with the Aujeszky virus For this virus infection, there is unfortunately no treatment, it is always fatal. Aujeszky’s disease, also called "pseudorabies," breaks out two to nine days after infection. The disease then progresses rapidly and ends in death within 24 to 48 hours.
The symptoms of Aujeszky’s disease are quite similar to rabies:
The cat’s behavior changes, she becomes anxious and restless.
Twitching may occur.
The cat’s breathing becomes faster and her salivation increases.
There is severe itching, so the infected cat constantly and vigorously scratches herself.
Good to know: the pathogen in the meat dies at 60 degrees and is harmless to humans. Also, accidental consumption of pork does not necessarily lead to infection in your kitty. However, you should always avoid the risk.
