Can I feed my cat chicken every day? How about raw chicken? What can I do to the chicken itself to make sure that it is healthy enough for my cat?
These might be just a few of the questions you have if you’ve thought about giving your feline companion a tasty chicken meal lately.
In this article, we will dive deep into the types of chicken your cat can eat, how often they can eat it, and what pet formulated chicken alternatives might be available for you to feed your cat instead of regular chicken.
Table of Contents
Can I Feed My Cat Chicken Every Day?
As long as you’re giving your cat chicken in a healthy way, it should be totally fine if your cat wants to eat chicken every day as long as it is boneless and cooked properly.
Cats are carnivores and as such, they require a meal that is protein-based. Chicken happens to be a great source of lean protein, and cats absolutely love the taste of chicken as well.
With that being said, it might be a good idea to offer your cats a bit more variety than just chicken. They may get tired of eating chicken every day.
Try mixing it up a little by alternating chicken with other suitable meat types, such as turkey, salmon, or beef. Just make sure it is cooked properly for your cat to consume.
Can Cats Eat Raw Chicken?
The short answer is yes. However, if you’re going to feed your cat raw chicken, make sure it is of the sushi-grade variety, also known as sashimi-style chicken.
It’s important to note that the sushi-grade raw chicken is prepared by a completely different process than at a commercial butcher. Sushi-grade chicken is thoroughly cleaned and immediately put in the freezer.
It then stays in the freezer long enough for any dangerous bacteria or parasites to be killed off.
So when you hear of people giving their cats chicken as part of their raw food diet plan, this is the type of chicken they are talking about.
You really shouldn’t give your cat ordinary raw chicken from the grocery store because that is where E. Coli and Salmonella thrive.
Cats are definitely not immune to food poisoning. Signs of food poisoning in cats include difficulty breathing, excessive saliva, vomiting, and diarrhea.
If you can’t find sushi-grade chicken, then the next best option would be for you to cook whatever chicken you do bring home from the grocery store.
This will keep your cat from getting sick with food poisoning or any other parasitic diseases such as Toxoplasmosis.
How Do I Cook Chicken for My Cat?
Because of the fat content, you should not give your cat any fried chicken. If fried chicken isn’t very healthy for us, it surely won’t be for your cat either.
Also, avoid cooking the chicken with onions, garlic, oils, or any other seasonings. It should be as plain as possible.
The best way to cook chicken for your feline companion is by boiling it. This is also the easiest method and you don’t even have to thaw out the chicken completely before you start. I recommend using boneless chicken breast.
First, you’ll want to clean and rinse off the chicken using lukewarm water. While you’re doing this, it is a good idea to have a pot of water boiling on the stove.
After the water in the pot is at a rolling boil, put the raw chicken in the pot. You’ll want to boil the chicken until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
When you take the chicken out of the pot and cut it, it should not be pink inside. After you have cooled the chicken, you can then cut it up into bite-sized pieces for your cat.
If you cooked a chicken that wasn’t boneless, make sure that you get rid of any bones before giving the pieces to your cat.
Bones could cause your cat to choke. And if they swallowed a bone, it could lead to digestive issues as well.
Store any leftovers in your fridge for up to 2 days or freeze them. Make sure you heat them up slightly for your cat when you feed them.
Cats like their chicken slightly warm. Never give them hot chicken for obvious reasons.
What Is the Best Chicken Cat Food?
In general, the best chicken cat food will be made from real chicken and preferably grain-free as well. It also depends on the type – wet or dry food.
The healthiest chicken dry cat food option is the American Journey grain-free food. The reason this is the top pick is that it has a ton of protein and it’s also grain-free, which means it doesn’t have any corn or wheat in it.
The winner of the best chicken variety of wet cat food is the Blue Buffalo Wilderness brand. It’s completely grain-free and chock full of healthy protein for your feline companion. Cats love this stuff!
Final Thoughts
Feeding your cat chicken on a regular basis is a great way to make sure your cat is getting enough protein in their diet.
Just make sure it’s the right kind of chicken and you prepare it so your cat can enjoy the chicken without getting ill.
When in doubt, it’s best to just find a healthy commercial alternative in order to avoid the chance of parasites or food poisoning.
