Do Bengal Cats Need To Eat Raw Meat?

Any Bengal cat owner will probably tell you that their Bengal loves to eat raw meat.

Our Bengal – Kala – has been a huge “meat enthusiast” from day dot.

But do Bengal cats need to eat raw meat?

In this concise article we are going to look at whether or not your Bengal actually requires raw meat for health and wellbeing.

There is a popular misconception that Bengal cats require raw meat for optimal health.

Let’s examine whether or not that is true, so you can understand what you need to feed your cat.

Bengal Cats Do Not Require Raw Meat

The first thing to note is that you don’t HAVE to feed your Bengal cat raw meat.

This isn’t to say that you cannot (or that your Bengal won’t love it – more on that shortly) but it is important to understand that it isn’t a requirement.

Plenty of Bengals live perfectly happy, healthy lives eating dry/wet cat food (check our guide here to the best food for Bengal cats for more information on what you should be feeding your Bengal).

If you don’t fancy the idea of feeding your Bengal raw meat (for whatever reason) then you don’t need to worry.

However, it is important to note that Bengals are obligate carnivores (like all other cats). They require a protein-rich diet based in meat. Dry/wet foods are therefore generally meat based, with other components/nutrients added in.

Your Cat Will Probably Love Raw Meat

We’ve established that Bengal cats do not require raw meat.

However, the truth is that your cat probably loves to have some – at least from time to time as a treat.

If you are going to feed raw meat, then we recommend red meat e.g. steak as this is less risky than chicken (see our article here on whether or not Bengal cats can eat raw chicken).

How much and how frequently you feed to your Bengal is up to you.

What we can say with confidence is that your cat will probably be very grateful to you for it!

Conclusion

Do Bengal cats need to eat raw meat for optimal health and longevity?

No, they do not.

However, raw meat is a great treat for your cat, and he/she will certainly be grateful for it.

Providing your Bengal with raw meat only (the basis of a “raw” diet) is a different topic altogether and something we will cover in another article. However, as an occasional treat, a piece of beef/chicken/turkey or any other meat is going to go down well.

But don’t buy into the myth that you must feed your Bengal raw meat in order to keep them healthy.

Make sure you check out our guide here to the best food for Bengal cats for more information on what to feed your cat.

Thanks so much for reading – please check out all the other Bengal cat articles and info on this website.