Is Venison Good for My Cat

The answer is “Yes.” Cats are meat-eaters or carnivores so they appreciate the taste of meat like their big feline counterparts. But now that they’ve been domesticated, the least we can do is to give them novel proteins like venison, kangaroo, duck, rabbit.

Venison is a good source of protein for your feline friend. It comes from the deer family, so that includes various types of deer, moose, elk, and the like. Deer meat has 20% more protein than beef; 7.4 vs 6.2 grams per ounce. It has more of the essential vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and B6 compared to beef. Of course, it has no added growth hormones, as found in conventionally raised cattle. It’s as healthy as red meat can be. And your cat is good for it.

Consider these before feeding venison to your cat

Is venison enough to fill the protein needs of your cat? Venison does not contain as much protein as other meats so if your pet needs a high-protein diet, then venison alone won’t just do.

Will you be feeding your cat raw or cooked venison? If you’re feeding your feline pet raw venison, don’t. Venison can carry bacteria and other diseases. It is highly advised that you fully cook venison before feeding it to your cat. Remember, before feeding your cat any novel meat or if you’re not sure, consult your veterinarian about it.

How long will you be feeding venison to your cat? I am sure you’re aware about rotation feeding so that your pet can have variety in his diet without compromising nutrition. Novel meats like venison are perfect for rotation feeding. For example, you can feed your feline venison meat for three days then turkey meat after, and so on. This will reduce the risk of allergy symptoms in your pet.

What to watch out for

Some cats don’t take to venison meat at all and may develop allergies. If this is your first time to feed her venison, watch out if your furry feline shows the following signs (these are the most obvious ones):

Scratching, biting and/or licking his skin
Hair loss
Skin rashes
Swelling in his face and limbs
Hives
Inflammation in his paws
Coughing and breathing difficulty
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Lethargy

Bring your pet cat to a veterinarian who may prescribe antihistamines or corticosteroids to help with itching and swelling. But if you’re already administering rotation feeding to your cat, your vet may recommend to not give medication so as to trace which novel protein your pet is reacting to. Once you find out and your vet has confirmed what particular novel protein causes allergy, keep that food away from her diet.

Addiction Foods has a wide range of pet foods ideal for your cats’ food rotation regimen.
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