Feeding your cat raw food is increasingly popular, but it’s not as easy as putting a piece of chicken in their bowl. I remember the first time I saw my own cat, Luna, turn up her nose at canned food but go wild for a bit of fresh chicken. That got me interested in raw cat food recipes.
Many cat owners are trying raw cat food recipes because it seems like a natural choice and it brings out the hunter in the indoor cat.
Cats have specific nutritional requirements, and making your own raw cat food recipe requires attention to detail, planning, and thoughtfulness about safety.
We can talk about everything you really need to know in the next few paragraphs, step by step, with a lot of personal tips and examples from my life.
What Makes a Raw Cat Food Recipe Complete?
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they don’t simply need other types of meat, they need a proper ratio of muscle meat, organ meat, a source of calcium or bone, plus vitamins and minerals as well.
If you don’t get the balance right, your cat could get sick or develop serious health problems. For example, taurine is essential for heart and eye health and is found mainly in heart meat. I learned the hard way when I skipped organs and bones, which made my cats sick.
That is why all of the raw cat food recipes you see here are properly balanced for what cats need.
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Key nutrients needed in every raw cat food recipe:
- Muscle meat (like chicken thigh or rabbit)
- Heart meat (for taurine)
- Liver and another organ (for vitamins)
- Ground bone or eggshell (for calcium)
- Some healthy fat (like fish oil)
- Vitamin/mineral supplement (to be safe)
How Can You Keep Raw Cat Food Safe?
At first, this was my worst fear! Raw meat may carry harmful bacteria (e.g. Salmonella and Listeria) that can make your cats sick. But with a couple of habits you can adopt, everything will be fine.
I freeze the meat that I will be using for at least three days and I always use Luna’s cutting board / knife and mine, for a little support. Then I wash my hands and her bowls with hot soapy water every time!
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My safety rules for homemade raw cat food recipes:
- Freeze all meat for 3+ days before use.
- Keep separate cutting boards and knives.
- Wash hands and surfaces right after prep.
- Store portions in the freezer and thaw in the fridge.
- Do not leave raw food out for longer than 30 minutes.
5 Wild Raw Cat Food Recipes For Maine Coon
Now the fun begins! These five raw cat food recipes are ones I have made with Luna and I will tell you what is unique about each one.
1. Wild Game and Heart Medley
If your cat is growing tired of chicken or beef then trying wild meats like rabbit or duck perhaps will excite them. When I introduced duck into Luna’s diet, her coat became shinier. This recipe is full of heart for taurine and organs for vitamins.
What you need:
- Rabbit or duck muscle meat
- lamb or beef heart
- chicken liver and kidney
- egg yolk (for nutritional value)
- finely ground eggshell (for calcium)
- salmon oil (for omega-3s)
- vitamin supplement
Pro Tip: In the event you source your own wild meats, I would freeze them for at least three days to kill any parasites. Once you have prepared the ingredients, mix as well as you can, portion out, and freeze whatever you won’t use in two days.
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2. Prey Model Raw (PMR) “Whole Prey in a Bowl”
This is the most like what a cat would eat in the wild. The whole prey “formula” consists of 80% muscle, 10% bone, and 10% organs – simple and effective. When Luna was a kitten, she loved gnawing on ground chicken necks.
What you will need:
- 80% muscle meat (preferably turkey thigh)
- 10% fine ground bone (chicken necks are wonderful)
- 5% liver
- 5% kidney or other organ
If you are worried about bones, go with eggshell powder instead. And always grind bones to fine powder to avoid choking!
3. Surf & Turf Omega-Boost Blend
By adding fish to the mix with land meats you can diversify some of the nutrition. After adding a couple of sardines to Luna’s meals her fur became softer too! Fish is a great source of omega-3 vitamin E, but do not overdo it, in large amounts some fish can be problematic.
What you will need:
- Chicken or beef muscle meat
- Chicken heart
- Sardines or mackerel (small amount)
- Liver
- ground eggshell or bone
- salmon oil
- Vitamin E and Vitamin B complex
4. Organ Power Superfood Mix
This recipe is very nutrient dense, so if your cat has been sick and needs a little extra nutrition or simply wants to use all of its hypoallergenic and organic benefits, it was a great advantage in helping Luna recover when she had been sick.
What is needed:
- chicken thigh
- an extra chicken heart
- liver and kidney
- raw egg yolk
- a pinch of psyllium husk (as a very mild fiber)
- taurine supplement
- a spring water for liquid
Don’t use too much fiber—cats don’t need a lot. Use spring water instead of tap water to avoid chemicals.
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5. Allergy-Friendly Kangaroo & Quail Formula
Why would I want to consider this one?
If your cat has allergies to food, having novel proteins such as Kangaroo and Quail can be a huge gift. My friend’s cat stopped scratching after she changed to this recipe.
What is needed:
- Kangaroo muscle meat
- Ground Quail bone
- Chicken or turkey heart
- Lamb Liver
- unflavored fish oil
- eggshell powder
- vitamin or mineral mix
Try to always rotate recipes so that they will get a very uncomplicated balance. However, you can use a decent vitamin mix to help you fill in the nutritional gaps.
Tips to Balancing Raw Cat Food Recipes
Never provide just meat—always provide organs and a source of calcium such as eggshell or ground bone.
While not needed, supplements can be important to make homemade raw cat food recipes complete.
Portion and freeze meals for safety and convenience. Label everything clearly.
When changing your cat’s diet, make the transition slowly: mix up to 25% of the new raw food with their usual food and monitor digestion carefully.
Risks and Precautions
Raw cat food recipes can harbor harmful bacteria to cats and humans. Always work with best hygiene practices.
Bones must be ground up very finely to avoid choking/impaction.
There are foods which are toxic to cats: do not use grapes, raisins, chocolate, garlic or onion in any recipe.
Homemade raw cat food recipes can be incomplete if not carefully balanced. Cooperative with a vet or feline nutritionist to ensure your cat receives everything they require.
Final Thoughts: Is Raw Cat Food Right for Your Cat?
Creating your own raw cat food recipe for your cat at home can be fun, but it also requires time, care, and attention to detail.
But seeing Luna happy, healthy, playful and a shiny coat makes it worth it for me. When formulating a raw cat food recipe, always rely on safety, balance, and variety.
Talk to your vet before you start, and always continue to learn about your cat’s individual needs.
References:
- https://www.purina.com/articles/cat/health/nutrition/raw-food-diet-for-cats
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/027153179591652S
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6849757/
