When it comes to cats, the rule has to be fresh is best. Dogs are naturally adapted to eating both freshly killed and partially decayed meat. This is due to them descending from animals that relied on scavenging. Cats are hunters , descended from hunters, truth is they are barely domesticated anyway.
The feline hunter kills and eats while the flesh is fresh. They will consume both meat, bone and sometimes feathers. They will rarely consume the stomach contents of it’s prey.
So when it comes to cats, eating raw bones is completely natural and alongside fresh meat should be included in the diet.
When a cat misses out on eating fresh bones, what is it actually missing? It is not just the chewing exercise, which is essential in dental hygiene. bones contain the most easily digestible source of calcium that they can eat. Calcium is very important in the diet as it balances the phosphorous content, found in higher levels in fresh meat.
What Bones?
softer smaller bones such as chicken necks and wings. But given a bit of training and cats may be coaxed into more challenges such as small bits of roo tail and even small lamb bones.
During a kittens growth stage a bone every day is great, as adults, cats can be fed a bone daily but can get by with only a couple every week and still benefit. Older cats should be fed daily as calcium intake requirements rise with old age.
One benefit of feeding bones from youth is the teeth will be in great condition in old age and cats should maintain great dental health whole of life.
Under no circumstances should a cooked bone be fed to a cat. (or a dog for that matter) cooked bones render the calcium indigestible and are just plain dangerous.
