Question:
After reading your column in my local newspaper, I visited your Web site to get your recipes for homemade pet food.I've been feeding my cats a raw-meat diet with cooked whole grains from recipes in Dr. Richard Pitcairn's book "Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats" (Rodale, 2005). My German shepherd also gets supplemental food of a high-quality kibble of lamb and rice. My older, overweight cat lost all of her excess fat and became lithe and active again. All my pets have glistening, silky coats and healthy teeth and gums.I notice in your recipes that you require cooking the meat. What about the destruction of taurine that results from cooking meat? I have been using uncooked hamburger, chicken, eggs and turkey without any adverse effects.
G.P., Washington, DC Oct 22, 2006
Answer:
The clam juice in my cat-food recipe will take care of the taurine need. Regular cooking does not destroy this and other essential nutrients nearly as much as does the processing involved in making commercial pet foods.There are parasites and potentially harmful bacteria in meat and poultry products, hence I advise light cooking and careful handling.People who feed raw meat and poultry to their animals can scald or rinse it in diluted hydrogen peroxide. I advise against buying ground meat and poultry since harmful bacterial contamination would be much more of a problem if the meat is uncooked. Solid, unground animal parts are safer and can be put into a grinder after surface cleaning and sterilization.
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