Why Feeding Your Cat a Species-Specific Raw Diet Is Purr-Fect for Feline Friends

Subscription based raw pet food delivery company Bella & Duke offers a range of nutritionally balanced treats and meals to help support your cat’s health.

As pet owners we constantly learn more and more about how to better fuel our own bodies to keep fit and healthy, so why should it be any different for our pets?

Our pets are important family members, but it’s important we don’t humanise them in a way that becomes detrimental to their health and ensure they are fed a species-specific diet.

According to the latest statistics from the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA), over 12.2m UK households now own a cat – that’s over a third of the entire country.

So, to help uncover the secrets to a long, happy and healthy life for your cat, Bella & Duke’s Chief Veterinary Consultant, Dr Brendan Clarke, reveals the top 5 signs of a healthy cat;

Balanced behaviour – your cat engages in normal, everyday activities without any sign of distress such as willing to get up off their bed, is active and interested in exploring their environment while being happy to go to their food and water when you place it down.
Healthy body condition – An easy way to assess your cat’s body condition is by feeling your cat’s ribs while lightly running your fingers along the side of their chest, just as you would feel your bones at the back of your hand. If their chest feels more like the palm of your hand, they may be overweight. If it feels like the knuckles at the back of your hand, they may be underweight.

Healthy digestion (poo) – The best way to assess your cat’s digestion is by checking if they are passing good firm stools, ideally twice a day. Watch out for diarrhea and constipation. See our poo chart here.

Clean teeth and gums – Make sure your cat has clean teeth and pink gums. Make sure there are low levels of gingivitis and an absence of plaque and discolouration with tartar on the teeth. Good oral health largely protects the rest of your cat’s systems, especially with regard to the functioning of their organs such as their kidneys, heart, and liver.
Low levels of inflammation – Low levels of inflammation is a great indication that your cat is healthy. Specifically low levels of gum inflammation (gingivitis), low levels of joint inflammation (arthritis), low levels of skin inflammation (dermatitis), and low levels of gut inflammation (enteritis). Being able to assimilate enough good nutrients helps your cat in this area.

Leading pet wellness company Bella & Duke offers a range of meals and treats packed with natural nutrients that our feline friends need to keep fit and healthy.

Why feed your cat a species-specific raw diet? 

By feeding your cat raw you keep in the natural vitamins, minerals and amino acids which are lost through the process of cooking. Highly processed pet food is cooked at very high temperatures, this results in a loss of vital nutrients which are instead replaced by artificial additives.

The lack of quality, nutritious and natural ingredients in processed cat foods heavily affects the lives of our feline friends. These missing nutrients are crucial to cat health and have been seen to help support the immune system, aid digestion, support gut health, and joints.

What are the benefits of a raw diet for my cat? 

Owners who feed their cats a raw diet can see major improvements in their cat’s poo, it becomes more compact easier to manage and less smelly. Many report improvements in their cat’s coat, particularly how shiny and soft it becomes. Enthusiasm at mealtimes increases too.

As 61% of UK cats are deemed overweight and a whopping 80% of all cats over 10 years old have arthritis it is clear that something in our cat’s lifestyles is negatively affecting their day-to-day life.

Other benefits of a raw diet include improved energy levels, a healthy coat, weight, supporting their digestion as well as keeping their teeth healthy.

New statistics from Bella & Duke’s Health and Happiness survey 2021 found, 58.7% of Bella & Duke customers saw an improvement in their cat’s weight since switching to raw and 24.9% said that a raw diet has helped maintain their pet’s joint health.

Mark Scott, CEO of Bella & Duke, said: “We are so busy constantly analysing our own diet and ways we improve our own health that sometimes we overlook what we are feeding our pets and how it affects them. At Bella & Duke we source the most fresh and best quality meats, to ensure each of our meals is packed with the correct nutrients that your pet needs to live a happier, healthier and longer life.”

With options across a variety of products, tailored and selected to meet the needs of your furry companions Bella & Duke offer a range of premium healthy treats, only using ingredients that contribute to the health and wellbeing of your cat:

What does Bella & Duke’s raw cat food range consist of? 

Premium adult cat packs

Bella & Duke’s premium adult range has all the nutrients to keep your cat fit and active. With a variety of different protein options including duck, turkey, salmon and lamb all offering unique nutritional value. They are also free from the additives, gluten and grains that are so often found in processed pet foods.

Treats

The following treats from Bella & Duke are suitable for cats. Prime Ox Liver Treats A perfect reward for your cat but best to be given in smaller doses, Supreme Sprats are a healthy source of Omega 3 for your furry friends and Scrumptious Venison Treats offer a healthy, protein-packed reward

Treats can be added to your existing meal subscriptions, each subscription is delivered direct to your door frozen to lock in essential nutrients, and in time for when you need your next batch of raw food.

You can find out more about the nutritional benefits and Bella & Duke’s product offering at: www.bellaandduke.com  

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