Feeding Your Cat Bones: What Bones Can I Feed My Cat or Kitten?
Eating bones is an extremely important part of feeding any pet. It is vital for certain vitamins and minerals to be obtained as well as maintaining overall oral hygiene, so you might be asking yourself just what bones can I feed my cat or kitten?
Can Cats Eat Bones?
Feeding a cat a bone is a little different to giving dogs bones. While a cat isn't about to gnaw through a giant marrow bone like a dog may, cats have specially designed teeth that allow them to nibble off excess meat and fat from these bones. If you do happen to purchase larger bones with connective tissue and meat still attached, your cat will have a great time nibbling the tasty excess while reaping the nutrient benefits.
What Bones Can I Feed My Cat?
When feeding a raw diet, you have to put yourself in your cats paws ‘If they caught their prey to eat, what size would that prey be?’ And in that lies the answer to your question.
You need to think about how your cat will be eating the bone and that should answer your question of what bones can feed my cat.
How he or she will manoeuvre around the bone with their mouth to access all parts of it, into all the little crevices, getting to the marrow etc. as well as using all teeth to do so, the canines, the chewing teeth (back) and even the little ones at the front.
Domesticated cats being on the smaller end of the size scale when talking carnivores with smaller mouths and teeth, would likely take down prey like birds, possums, rabbits, rats, mice or lizards to name a few. All these animals are small in size and thus so their bone structure.
What Bones Can I Feed My Kitten?
Introducing bones to a kitten's diet is equally, if not more, significant as it is for adult cats. Young kittens are rapidly growing, and they require essential nutrients for the proper development of their bones, teeth, and overall health. So, what bones can you safely introduce to your young feline friend?
When considering bones for kittens, it's essential to think even smaller than for adult cats. Just like the principle of adult cats hunting small prey, think about what a young kitten might be capable of tackling if it were in the wild.
Kittens, given their petite size and still-developing jaws, would likely target insects, tiny birds, or even smaller rodents. Therefore, the bones that you introduce to their diet should mimic the size and texture of these small prey's bones.
Very soft, fine bones from small birds like quails can be suitable. Another option would be tiny fish bones from small fish species, but always ensure they're safe and free from any choking hazards. The bones should be small enough for the kitten to chew on safely without posing a risk of splintering or causing harm.
Can Cats Eat Chicken Bones?
From the menu at Raw & Fresh, our recommendation for the ideal raw meaty bone to best suit a feline are chicken necks or chicken wings. Some larger options would be chicken cages, turkey necks, lamb necks or roo tails – these are all great options but being bigger would need to be split into smaller portions or taken away and set aside for next time.
Cooked bones should never be fed to dogs or cats as the cooking dries out the bones and they are far more likely to splinter when chewed. The then splintered bones can slice or puncture a pets mouth, throat or stomach.
You needn't worry about feeding your cat fresh sardines either. Sardine bones are soft enough to eat.
Add a couple of kilos of raw bones to your next raw cat food order, separate and freeze them and feed a couple a week if you can. You’ll find you have a happier kitty and less dental visits down the track!