is it okay to feed cats roast beef?

Question

Thats the only thing my cat wants to eat since shes had a ear infection. She won't eat anything else. She has always loved it, but since shes sick it's the only thing she can't refuse!!!

Answer 1

Have you taken her to the vet? If not, you should. Contrary to popular belief, vets do not receive much education involving pet nutrition. However, they can give the best advice in the case of an ill pet- Because they are aware of what effects certain foods have (or may have) on pets with particular illnesses/conditions and on pets who are taking certain medications. Explain your kitty's eating habits to your vet, and he/she can tell you what you should do. You should also take your cat to the vet so the ear infection can be properly treated.

As far as just merely feeding roast beef to a cat- Yes, it's ok. But I don't recommend that being the only food that people feed their cats. Regardless of what others say, there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving "people food" to cats (depending upon what the item is). I'll copy & paste my diet recommendations [that I gave in response to another question] below:


Most commercial cat food is full of carbohydrates, which will do the same thing in a cat as in a human... Within a very short time after excessive carb intake glucose levels rise rapidly because carbs are digested very quickly. When glucose levels are back down to normal, insulin levels are still near maximum and continually storing glucose in fat cells. As a result, glucose levels fall below normal, and hunger occurs again soon.

This is my kitty diet recommendation that I posted in response to another cat food related question:


Most commercial pet food (regardless of whether it's generic, grocery, or premium) is full of corn, which is of no nutritional value to cats and loaded with carbohydrates. (A veterinarian may tell you differently in an effort to persuade you to purchase food.) Overloading a cat on carbs will fatten him/her up just as it will a human. And some experts agree that too many carbohydrates can lead to a UTI.

This is what I recommend:

25-50% of your kitty's diet should consist of meat. The bigger your kitty, the more meat he should eat. I suggest boiling boneless chicken until it's cooked medium (pink). Serve the broth to kitty as well. Many cats do well on raw meats, but don't switch kitty to raw immediately. If you do it, it should be done gradually. (Don't feed kitty tuna or liver. Tuna can cause steatitis (yellow fat disease), and liver can cause vitamin A toxicosis. And large amounts of fat can cause pancreatitis, so go easy on the fat.)

Commercial foods should consist of no more than 25% of kitty's diet. A superior diet doesn't include ANY commercial food, but we all know that sometimes we're in a pinch for time and sometimes need something quick to toss in kitty's bowl.
This is okay as long as commercial foods are kept to a minimum. When buying commercial foods, check the ingredients. Don't buy anything that lists corn as the first ingredient. This always means that corn is the primary ingredient. Look for foods that list meat or poultry as the first ingredient. And remember- Don't buy into the myth that dry food cleans teeth. If you must feed commercial cat food, try to stick with canned.

Leave grains out if at all possible, with the exception of white rice. White rice can help with digestive problems, but use it sparingly. Veggies should be routinely added to kitty's diet. Of the veggies, include broccoli, carrots, leafy greens, and peas. But be sure to shred/chop and cook.
It's not necessary to feed all of the above veggies every day. You can feed one or two one day, one or two the next, and so on.

I usually tell people to avoid dairy products since cats are lactose intollerant, but occasionally feeding yogurt and cottage cheese (very sparingly) won't hurt and can sometimes help with an upset tummy.

And, while it's best to avoid feeding too many carbohydrates, cooked and mashed sweet potato occasionally fed in small portions is okay if your kitty likes it.

Eggs are a great source of protein and can be fed cooked or raw, but try not to feed eggs more than twice per week (especially if fed raw).

But remember, sudden changes in diet can cause any number of problems. So "ween" kitty onto his new diet by mixing the ''new'' food with the food he is accustomed to and gradually increasing the amount of ''new'' food, and decreasing the amount of ''old'' food, with time as you notice positive changes.

Some people will say that bones are necessary for calcium and will add that cats have always eaten them. Firstly, broccoli and green leafy veggies, for example, are good calcium sources. (And, as someone kindly reminded me not long ago, you can purchase bone meal powder which is a great natural source of calcium and phosphorus.) Secondly, no one can state with authority that no cat is ever harmed by a bone splinter. It can, and does, happen. I realize that cats eat bones in the wild, but it's better to be safe than sorry in my opinion.

Others will say that a cat should be fed a diet consisting completely of meat. However, too much fish and meat (animal protein) causes excessive acidity. (And too much plant protein causes the urine to be too alkaline.) It's important to consider this when choosing kitty's diet because the most common cause of cat UTI is urolithiasis (which is the formation of stones in the urinary tract.) Struvite is the most common stone and is made up of minerals such as magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate. The acidic and alkaline properties of these minerals upset the pH level in the urine, which is also influenced by the proteins present in kitty's diet.



To add:

Contrary to what is written above, "human food" is perfectly fine, as I said, depending upon what you feed your cat. (Note that I said DEPENDING UPON WHAT YOU FEED YOUR CAT- In other words, I am pointing out that not ALL "human food" is suitable for domestic feline consumption.)

Additionally, I said nothing that would suggest that cat guardians should not be careful to ensure that a homemade diet include essential nutrients. In fact, nutrients are a concern of mine with regards to modern pet food. It is well-known that nutrients, such as taurine, are destroyed during modern cat food preparation.

The fact that pet foods contain materials not fit for human consumption is NOT a good thing. These foods often contain U.S. Department of Agriculture grade 4-D meat (which stands for dead, dying, disabled and diseased) consisting of (but not limited to): cancerous material from the reject piles of slaughterhouses and brain materials that can contain prions (the infectious organisms which cause diseases such as Mad Cow Disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or BSE) and Chronic Wasting Disease). Important to note: Cats are extremely susceptible to BSE. What's more, several pet food manufacturers process euthanized pets- which is why traces of euthanasia drugs and flea treatment chemicals can be found in many pet foods.


Concerning cats being obligate carnivores-

I will begin by saying that belonging to the order Carnivora does not implicitly mean that an animal does not or should not consume anything other than meat. The mere fact that domestic cats are, well, domestic sets them apart from their wild relatives. Firstly, most modern day pet foods contain plant materials that have been rejected for human consumption. In other words, it's a common sense fact that domestic cats have already been eating an omnivorous diet for many, many years. Secondly, domestic cats live in an artificial environment. The effects of this have been the following: #1) It has rendered the domestic cat incapable of instinctively consuming it's natural nutrient requirements (which is evident from the fact that domestic cats will lap up anti-freeze, eat toxic houseplants, and so on...) And #2) Just as domestication has drastically changed the dietary requirements of dogs (Domestic dogs are classified as Carnivores, but they've evolved into animals capable of existing solely on non-meat products.), the dietary requirements of the domestic cat have been altered greatly as well.

As in the case of the domestic dog, due to human interference, the domestic cat became very capable of consuming non-meats. And this capability eventually led to dietary requirements which are different from those of the wild cat. As I stated above, too much fish and meat (animal protein) causes excessive acidity. This is one result of the domestic cat having been fed an omnivorous diet. Ideally, our little feline friends would be wild and living in the wild- hunting and eating rodents, birds and insects. But, as a result of domestication, they have developed needs unique from their wild counterparts.

Realistically, there's no possible way of feeding the domestic cat a perfect diet. All we can do is learn as much as we can about their needs and try as best we can to meet those needs. That is what I feel that I'm doing, and I give advice based upon what I'm doing.

Answer 2

Beef For Cats

Answer 3

The only problems you may have is that human food can cause stomach irritation in animals and your cat isn't getting all it's proper nutrition in JUST roast beef. Plus you may want to ask your vet why she is craving one particular food, because it may signify that something is wrong. The safest bet is to simply call your vet or vet assistant and just ask. They can't charge you for a phone call.

Answer 4

Ist off let me say that i believe in what (Back in action) has said, very comprehensive and written with much thought.

Roast beef is fine,
if you ever give your kitten
Fancy feast beef in gravy, she will love you to death, it is a little expensive for a small serving compared to less expensive Chinese produced xx xx,
we almost lost our oldest cat to some cat food that was made in china. stick to something you can trust, stay away from foreign no name cat food.

Answer 5

Oh ya, my girls go mad for that stuff. My 17 year old is such a drama queen, crying like there's no tomorrow. She will eat any meat even if there is spicy red sauce on it. I wonder sometimes about about the sodium levels though. Then again, we all know cats crave salty foods. She knows the second i am frying up kippers. We can't win for losing, you know, cats' own us, lol.

Answer 6

Sometimes human food is prepared in a way that would be too salty for animals' systems. Maybe boil the beef first to get rid of some of the salt. Otherwise, food is food.

Answer 7

If cows can be fed with pig meat, why not Cats with roast beef?

Answer 8

Make sure its cooked all the way but it should be fine...theres probly some nutrient or protien that the roast beef has that her body is low on and thats why shes craving it

Answer 9

Well sure it is but in small amounts... but if your cats sick but you want to get her on normal food again this is what you do, mix a LITTLE bit of beef in with her normal food and she should eat the rest as well.:D

Answer 10

How is the ear infection being treated? If its with antibiotics, is it an antibiotic called clavamox? I ask because its rather infamous for causing an upset stomach.

How long has it been since she ate properly? If its been more than 48 hours please call your vet, as a cat who isn't eating is prone to several complications and you don't need to go there....

added:

contrary to what is writen below, a cat should not receive more than 20% of its diet from 'human' food. A homemade diet must supplement several nutrients including taurine and phosphorous and calcium. And cats do NOT require vegetables, and their diet SHOULD be mostly protein as they are obligate carnivores....

Answer 11

It's definitely possible, that's for sure