My Cat Ate A Chicken Bone: What Should I Do Now?

One of the hardest things to do when you are a pet parent is deciding what is the best diet for your pet.

That’s why, some cat owners are convinced that since cats are predators in the wild, raw bones should be part of their diet.

But if your cat ate a chicken bone, there are some considerations to make.

In fact, cats usually don’t have problems eating raw bones, but if they ate cooked chicken bones, they will most likely require medical assistance.

What Should You Do If Your Cat Ate Chicken Bones?

If your cat ate cooked chicken bones, you should immediately call your veterinarian and make them aware of the situation.

chicken bones

Cooked bones have high chances of being harmful to your cat, so you should discuss with your veterinarian and see if it’s the case to bring your cat in for a medical examination right away.

Waiting for symptoms to show up when ingesting cooked bones is not a good idea.

When your pet starts showing discomfort, it might already be too late to intervene, and ingestion of cooked chicken bones can be fatal.

On the other hand, raw chicken bones shouldn’t be dangerous for your cat, but should nonetheless be fed to them in a controlled environment.

Your cat shouldn’t be free to eat whatever they like and especially not food from your table.

Can Cats Eat Chicken Bones?

chickens

Cats can eat raw chicken bones because raw bones that come from small animals like birds are ideal if you want to start your cat on a raw food diet.

Cats in the wild have been hunting and eating their prey whole for thousands of years, and that, of course, implies that cats chew bones and eat them too.

Small birds like chicken and turkeys are recommended because there are fewer chances of gastrointestinal problems or suffocation upon ingestion.

Can Cats Eat Cooked Chicken Bones? 

Cooked chicken bones must be absolutely avoided as they pose a serious threat to the health of your cat and sometimes lead to death.

The main risks related to the ingestion of cooked bones are splintering and gastrointestinal blockage.

Splintering 

Cooked bones are weak and brittle, so they tend to splinter more easily. If they splinter inside your cat’s body, they can cause severe damage to the organs.

Splinters could poke holes in the stomach or intestines, opening wounds that would let gut bacteria out.

If the bacteria mixes up with the blood, it can circulate freely through the entire body, causing several infections or diseases.

The wounded organs might also go into necrosis and die shortly after.

In these situations, it might even be too late to perform surgery, so it’s important to avoid the problem at the root and never feed your cat cooked bones.

Gastrointestinal blockage

Cooked bones aren’t as flexible as raw bones and might get stuck in the digestive tract.

This may cause suffocation soon after ingestion or several problems later on, as the bone passes (or tries to) through the stomach and intestine.

Even if your cat swallowed a small chicken bone if it’s cooked chances are it will cause a blockage and won’t be able to come out.

Your cat should be visited as soon as they show any abnormal behavior.

Even if they don’t show any signs of discomfort, if you don’t find the bone in the feces after a couple of days, call your veterinarian immediately because your pet will need to be examined in order to prevent dangerous outcomes.

Benefits of Eating Raw Bones for Cats 

Many cat parents decide to introduce raw bones in their pets’ diets.

Indeed, cats eating chicken bones are going to gain some nice benefits from them.

In the wild, raw bones are intended to be healthy for cats to eat and provide them with the necessary components for survival.

That’s why they happen to be rich in nutrients, on top of being amazing for the health of your cat’s teeth.

Oral health

The urge to chew on things is as common for cats as it is for dogs.

Cats are great chewers and nothing gives them more satisfaction than chewing on something delicious like bones.

Chewing on raw bones will not only entertain and satisfy your cat, but it will also strengthen their teeth and clean them from plaque and tartar, which is a very common problem in cats.

Nutrients 

Raw bones contain several nutrients that are absolutely healthy and recommended for your cat.

They are a source of vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium.

Furthermore, raw bone marrow is a rich source of iron and blood cells.

Calcium 

Calcium is particularly useful because it acts as an amplifier for the other nutrients, like vitamins (A, D, E) and some minerals like copper and zinc.

Calcium will help your cat’s body to assimilate the nutrients more easily and to use them efficiently, which in turn will be beneficial for your cat’s brain, bones, muscles, and organs.

How to Safely Feed Raw Bones to your Cat

So, you decided to start introducing raw bones in your cat’s diet — that’s great! But don’t forget to take one step at a time and take all precautions necessary.

Cats can be very sensitive to changes in their diet, so keep in mind that you will have to go through some checking before you can effectively start feeding them bones:

  • Ask a professional: Don’t make any changes in your cat’s diet without consulting your veterinarian. You will need to go through your cat’s medical history and see if this choice is the best for their health;
  • Bone size and type: Be careful to choose the right size of bones for your cat’s mouth. It’s better to choose bones from small animals like chickens or ducks.
  • Supervise: Your cat should never be alone during their chewing sessions. Be sure to keep an eye on them so you can intervene promptly if anything goes wrong.
  • Going gradually: Don’t make raw bones a regular thing from the get-go. Let your cat get used to it with time. Start feeding them bones once a week or even less often than that, to see how it goes. Then you can slowly implement more raw bones in their diet.
  • Habits: It would be better to start a raw bone diet when they’re still kittens so that they have plenty of time to figure out what is the safest way to chew bones.

Alternatives to Raw Bones

chicken

A good cat owner is one who breaks their brain over what is the best option for their pet’s health.

If you’re not convinced about feeding your cat raw bones because you feel they might be too dangerous, there are good alternatives like bone broth.

Bone broth is delightful for both humans and cats.

It still contains its rich share of healthy nutrients and is absolutely harmless for your pet.

Make sure your cat only eats homemade bone broth, because this way you will avoid all dangerous additives of industrial products and you will feel safe knowing your pet only eats something that has been prepared entirely by you.

Remember not to add any dangerous ingredients like garlic or onions, which are very poisonous for cats.

Are Bones Safe for Cats? 

cat on table

There isn’t a precise answer to this question.

In fact, some veterinarians may have contrasting opinions about feeding raw bones to cats.

However, everyone agrees that cooked bones should never be fed to your cat because they are too harmful to their health.

Raw bones can actually be a healthy diet choice for your cat, as long as you take the right precautions and remember to consult your veterinarian first.

Keep in mind that every diet choice you make for your pet must be carefully researched and planned in advance if you want to ensure their safety and health.

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