Can cats eat raw meat?

Cats are built to eat meat. Their bodies run on animal protein and fat, which is why raw feeding suits a lot of cat owners. The tricky part with cats is usually getting them to try something new.

What cats need from raw food

The same 80/10/10 rule of thumb used for dogs works as a guide for cats: about 80% muscle meat, 10% bone and 10% organ. A few things are worth knowing:

• Taurine: cats need taurine from their food. Heart is a natural source, which is why heart features in a lot of raw cat food.
• Organ: liver and other offal round out the muscle meat.
• Bone: minced bone is an easy way to include it for cats. Never feed cooked bones.

Most owners rotate a few proteins rather than relying on one.

Which of our foods suit cats

We get asked this a lot. Five of our products are marked “For Dogs & Cats”:

• Fussy Mix: we made this one with cats in mind. It’s chicken mince for the bone, veal mince, and liver and heart.
• Veal Mince: 100% NZ veal. Veal is young beef, so skip it if your cat can’t have beef.
• Chicken Mince: 100% NZ chicken, minced with the bone.
• Goat Mince: 100% NZ goat. It can sell out, so check the product page.
• Lamb & Heart Rolls: lamb and lamb heart in 1.8 kg rolls, ten to a carton.

You’ll find them all together on our raw cat food page.

How much to feed

Adult cats usually eat about 3% of their body weight a day, split into two or more meals.

At 120 g a day, one 10 kg carton feeds a 4 kg cat for around 12 weeks, if raw food is all they eat. Our calculator has a cat setting that works it out for you.

Switching a cat to raw

Cats can be very suspicious of new food, so go slowly:

1. Mix a teaspoon of raw food into their usual food.
2. Increase the raw share a little every few days, over a week or two, or longer if they need it.
3. If they refuse it, go back a step and try again more slowly, or try a different protein.

Don’t let your cat go without food while you switch. If they refuse the raw food, keep offering their usual food and go more slowly.

Fussy Mix is a good place to start. Some cats take to it straight away: one customer wrote in to tell us their cat changed over to Fussy Mix immediately. If your cat prefers the fridge chill taken off, let the portion sit for a few minutes before serving.

Hygiene

Raw meat can carry bacteria, so handle it the way you would raw meat for your own meals. Thaw it in the fridge, wash the bowl after each meal, and don’t leave uneaten food sitting out. Our guide to thawing and storing raw food covers the routine.

Before you order

Can my dog and cat eat the same food?

Yes. All five products above suit dogs too, so one order can feed the whole household.

Do you deliver raw cat food to my area?

We deliver across Auckland and Waikato each week. Check your address to see your delivery day.