Recommended Raw Cat Foods, Recipes & Feeding Resources
Updated: 7 days ago
There are a lot of different ways to feed a raw diet. Some people make food at home, some use commercially prepared raw, and some incorporate whole prey or individual ingredients into their cats' diets. Here are some of the resources and foods worth knowing about if you're researching raw feeding.
Premade Raw
Premade raw can be a much simpler option for families who want to feed raw without purchasing and balancing every ingredient themselves. When choosing one, look for a product specifically formulated to be complete and balanced for cats, rather than assuming every raw product is intended to be fed as a complete diet.
A long-standing raw pet food company offering a variety of raw cat foods, including kitten products, single-protein options, and meat-and-bone grinds. It's important to note that some of their products are intended as meal components rather than complete diets.
Offers raw cat food in several proteins, including chicken, turkey, and beef. Their cat recipes are formulated as complete and balanced for all life stages and are reviewed by veterinary nutritionists.
Offers fresh raw cat food in several proteins, including chicken, turkey, pork, beef, duck, and rabbit. Their cat recipes are formulated to meet AAFCO standards.
Offers frozen raw and freeze-dried raw cat foods, with a variety of proteins. Their complete-and-balanced cat foods are formulated to meet AAFCO nutritional standards.
Offers frozen and freeze-dried raw diets for cats, along with other raw-inspired products. Their cat food line includes complete-and-balanced options.
Offers frozen and freeze-dried raw foods for cats, as well as individual raw ingredients, treats, and other products.
A source for premade raw grinds, individual meats and organs, whole prey, and other raw-feeding supplies. We've personally used them for whole prey.
Homemade Raw Recipe & Formulation Resources
If you’re interested in preparing your cat’s food yourself, here are several resources available for learning about raw feeding, nutrient requirements, and recipe formulation. Homemade diets can vary significantly, so it’s important to understand what makes a diet complete and balanced rather than simply following a list of ingredients.
If you’re still deciding whether homemade raw is actually the right fit for you, be sure to read through What Homemade Raw Actually Takes before making a decision to move forward with that commitment.
One of my favorite resources for learning how feline raw diets are formulated. The site has extensive information on raw feeding, PMR/PMR+, ingredients, supplements, and a recipe calculator. They also offer individually formulated recipes for healthy adult cats and kittens.
A science-focused resource for learning how to formulate raw and cooked diets using established nutrient requirements. They provide educational material, formulation tools, recipes, and courses for both dogs and cats.
A veterinary nutrition service offering customized homemade recipes and nutrition consultations. Their team consists of veterinarians with extensive experience in clinical nutrition, and they offer recipe services for healthy adult cats as well as growth consultations.
A veterinary-nutritionist-founded resource that provides formulation tools and supplement products for homemade diets. Their recipe system can be useful if you're looking to build a diet around a particular set of ingredients.
Feline Future has published homemade raw cat food recipes for decades and provides recipes as well as information about its TCfeline premix. Their original recipe was developed in the 1990s and has been revised over time.
CatInfo / Dr. Lisa Pierson
Dr. Lisa Pierson, DVM, has published detailed information about homemade cat food, including raw and cooked approaches, recipes, ingredient preparation, and storage. Her site is one of the long-standing resources in this area.
This site contains several homemade cat food recipes and detailed information about preparation, ingredients, supplementation, and storage. YMMV
A Note About Online Recipes
Not every homemade cat food recipe you find online is nutritionally complete. Cats have very specific nutrient requirements, and research has found significant nutritional deficiencies in many homemade recipes, including recipes written by veterinarians.
Veterinary nutrition organizations recommend having homemade diets formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, particularly for kittens or cats with specific health needs.
If you choose to use a recipe, follow it as written rather than casually changing ingredients or leaving out supplements. Even seemingly small substitutions can change the nutritional profile of the finished diet.
We don't publish or share our own homemade recipe as if you are choosing to make your own raw food, you need to take responsibility for the understanding and research element of nutritionally supporting your cat(s). Instead, we'd rather point you toward resources where you can learn how feline diets are formulated and find recipes or professional help if you need it.
Other Options
Raw feeding doesn't have to mean keeping bags of frozen food in your freezer. There are also several shelf-stable or minimally processed options that can be useful depending on your situation.
Freeze-Dried Raw
Freeze-dried food starts with raw ingredients and removes moisture through freeze-drying. It is lightweight, shelf-stable, and convenient for travel or storage. Some products are complete and balanced meals, while others are intended as treats, toppers, or supplemental foods. Follow the manufacturer's directions, particularly regarding whether water should be added.
Dehydrated Raw
Dehydrated foods use gentle heat to remove moisture rather than the freeze-drying process. Like freeze-dried food, they can be much easier to store and travel with than frozen raw. Products vary considerably, so check whether the food is intended to be a complete diet or a supplemental product.
Fresh & Gently Cooked
For families who aren't comfortable feeding raw, gently cooked fresh food can be another way to provide a moisture-rich diet without feeding kibble. Smalls, for example, offers fresh gently cooked cat food as well as freeze-dried options. Their fresh food is formulated to be complete and balanced.
Raw-Inspired & Other Fresh Foods
You'll also find foods marketed as fresh, raw-inspired, ancestral, or minimally processed. These can range from complete diets to toppers and treats. The terminology alone doesn't tell you whether a food meets your cat's nutritional requirements, so look at the actual nutritional statement on the package.
Final Thoughts
The biggest distinction isn't necessarily frozen vs. freeze-dried vs. dehydrated vs. fresh. It's whether the particular product is intended to be fed as a complete and balanced diet.
A freeze-dried food can be a complete meal. A frozen raw food can be a supplemental ingredient. A dehydrated food can be complete- or it can be a topper. Always check the label rather than assuming based on how the food is processed.
There are a lot of different ways to feed a cat well, and raw feeding isn't something you have to decide on based on a single article, brand, or opinion. Do your research, understand what you're feeding, and choose an approach you can consistently provide well. Whether you ultimately choose raw, fresh, gently cooked, or something else, being informed about your cat's nutritional needs is one of the best things you can do for them.
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not veterinary or nutritional advice; you are responsible for your own cat's feeding decisions.
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