Fish

[CathyW]

my husband has taken up sea fishing. and theres only a certain amount of white fish my freezer can take. so what id like to know is can i give the boys raw fish??? and do we have to de-bone and de-gut them. or just let them at it. (if they can chew on mouse they can eat anything)
or should i get it gutted n boned. and cook it for them???
for tonight the fussy 2 have got chicken. :-D

[rainbow]

IMO no, don't feed your cats raw fish, certainly not regularly, see below:

Raw Fish

Feeding raw fish regularly can result in thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency due to the enzyme thiaminase in the fish. It results in loss of appetite, seizures and (in severe cases) death. Although an occasional treat of raw fish is generally not harmful, over-consumption will cause problems. Cooking the fish will destroy the bad enzyme.

Some fish also contains environmental pollutants e.g. PCBs or mercury; these are not removed by cooking, but their levels may be higher in raw fish that have not been gutted (the cat may eat the fish organs as well as the flesh). Mercury poisoning has been reported in cats in a coastal region of Japan where fish was a main ingredient of the diet. If fed in excess, oily fish such as tuna can lead to steatitis (Yellow Fat Disease, pansteatitis).

[dandysmom]

I wouldn't BM. Backing up what Rainbow posted:

• Some fish contain environmental pollutants (such as mercury and PCBs), even when cooked. Mercury poisoning can cause several diseases and damage vital organs like the brain. Animals that eat food contaminated with PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), even in small amounts over several weeks, can develop many health problems, including injury to the stomach, liver, and thyroid gland.
• Raw fish can contain parasites, including tapeworm. Tapeworms can rob your cat of valuable nutrients if not treated.

• Raw fish that contain bones can cause the possibility of choking and lacerations or obstructions to the digestive system.

[calista24]

There is an interesting article here also -

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=whyfishisdangerousforcats