Raw Feeding Resources
Why Feed a Raw Diet?
The Benefits of a Raw Diet for Your Cat, by Margaret Gates of the Feline Nutrition Education Society (FNES)
Benefits of a Natural Raw Diet: Whole Foods for Better Health and Feeding Cats a Diet of Whole Raw Foods Based on Nature's Model by Linda Zurich of RawFedCats.org
A Veterinarian's View of Raw Feeding by Andrea Tasi, VMD hosted at FNES.
Role of Diet in the Health of the Feline Intestinal Tract and in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PDF). This 2002 report resulted from research performed at and supported by the Center for Companion Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis. The authors were attempting to develop a "gold standard" diet with a single-source protein fed ground. While this short-coming affected the study, the UC Davis researchers did demonstrate there are obvious and intriguing differences with cats fed a raw diet.
Nutritional adequacy and performance of raw food diets in kittens (Progress report, Winn grant 09-002). The progress report indicates that "Innate immunity appeared to function at a higher level in the kittens fed a raw diet," and "Digestibility was highest for the raw diets, leading to less fecal matter." The final update: Raw food diets for kittens–final project report. "The raw food diets were associated with higher digestibility and decreased fecal matter, although a direct health benefit of this difference was not observed."
The Completely Healthy 'Pet' Food Your Vet Probably Vilifies... Dr. Karen Becker of Mercola's Healthy Pets talks about raw meat diets for pets – "why there’s nothing to fear and so much to gain by serving your dog or cat the food nature intended him to eat."
Introduction to Raw Feeding
For those new to raw feeding, this article, "A Raw Feeding Terminology Discussion," by Tracy Dion of CatCentric.org, will familiarize you with the different styles of raw feeding (Ground, Prey Model Raw (PMR, also known as "frankenprey," and Whole Prey)); the difference between secreting organs and organs considered muscle meat; and common terms.
Raw Feeding Styles - Comparison - TCS thread
General Raw Feeding Resources
Feline Nutrition Education Society: Extensive feline health and nutrition information from a collection of veterinarians, feline nutritionists, and other experts and advocates. Includes legislative and outreach efforts. Good for information on ground diet recipes and how-to guides as well as some commercial raw product information.
CatCentric.org: A raw feeding, feline nutrition, health and general cat care blog, article and resource site created by Tracy Dion. Extensive resources and information on Prey Model Raw (PMR) (otherwise known as "frankenprey") style of feeding, including information on whole prey diets, commercial raw, and canned products. PMR resources not found elsewhere include a weekly menu sample and a feeding calculator based on the 80% / 10% / 5% / 5% guideline.
RawFedCats.org: A highly informative feline raw feeding site by Linda Zurich. Focused primarily on prey model raw and whole prey diets.
CatNutrition.org: by Anne Jablonski. Full of helpful information and great resources with food-making pictorial and recipes for ground, many of the site's pages have been translated into other languages.
Recipes
One very easy option is to start with meat or meat and organs (whether ground or chunks) and add a commercially available premix of nutritional supplements that will make the food nutritionally balanced.
Introduction to making your own food: You can actually make your own cat food? Yes! You can! by Anne Jablonski of CatNutrition.org
Ground: Making Cat Food by Dr. Lisa Pierson at CatInfo.org (also available in French)
Ground: Recipes with and without real bones at CatNutrition.org (pictorial available; translated into Turkish, Italian, "traditional Chinese", Korean, French, and Russian).
Ground: Feline Nutrition's Easy Raw Cat Food (with bone and includes instruction for making the food with eggshell as a bone alternative).
Ground: TCS raw recipes & discussion, including a link to nutritionally balanced recipes (with analysis by mschauer):
PMR: A sample Prey Model Raw weekly menu (PDF) at CatCentric.org
PMR, Ground & Commercial: What does your menu look like? - TCS thread
Nutritional Supplements (Premixes)
Note: some are designed to make just meat complete; others require liver and/or a source of calcium to make the recipes balanced & complete. For most, a source of fiber is optional (which can be important for IBD kitties or as a method to lower fat for specific medical reasons). Please ensure you purchase the correct supplement for the recipe you intend to use.
Alnutrin Know What You Feed - A Guide To A Balanced Homemade Cat Food
Better-in-the-raw for Cats Better in the Raw for Cats (meant only for ground, not a "sprinkle on" supplement)
Call of the Wild Call of the Wild™ - Dog & Cat Suppplement for Heigh Protein Diet
Food Fur Life Food Fur Life - EZ Homemade raw food for pets!
TCfeline (Canada) Home The site also has an extensive library of informational articles.
TCfeline USA http://tcfeline.com/tcfeline-usa/
TCPremix EUROPE: http://tcfeline.com/tcpremix-europe/
Alnutrin has recipes and an online calculator enabling you to create and balance your own homemade food.
Commercial Raw
Commercial Raw Product Overview hosted at CatCentric.org (Commercial foods available in the U.S.)
Questions about commercial raw - TCS thread
Comparison of the cost to feed kibble, canned and commercial raw foods in the U.S., hosted at CatCentric.org
Canadian Sources of Commercial Raw Food - TCS thread
What about Pathogenic and Parasitic Concerns?
Feeding Raw to Cats - Safety Concerns - TCS article on raw feeding safety
Spooked By Salmonella: Raw Food!!! by Margaret Gates of FNES
Raw Feeding, Pathogens & Parasites - This TCS thread discusses the concerns in depth with information on how to minimize the risk.
Science and Raw Feeding
Is there empirical evidence that raw feeding is good for cats? - TCS thread
Scientific Studies Supporting Raw Food Diet - TCS thread
TCS Articles
Homemade & Raw Food For Cats – A Collection of Guides
Helpful Information
Composition of Proteins (Bone, Skin, Fat) - TCS thread
Tissue Percentage of some common prey of the cat by Christine M. Ruessheim (hosted at CatCentric.org)
Bone content in various chicken parts by Christine M. Ruessheim at AbyssinianCats.info
Nutrient Composition of Whole Vertebrate Prey Dierenfeld et al. 2002: The National Agricultural Library (NAL) of the USDA
Macronutrient Profile of common proteins (protein, fat, carbs) AND prey animals of feral cats - TCS thread
Calcium & Bones Information - TCS thread
Using eggshell or MCHA (calcium hydroxyapatite) as a fresh bone substitute (balancing the calcium component) - TCS thread
If you do not want to feed whole fresh bone / prey model raw, but want to create your own diet using real bone, this thread describes a method that does not require a grinder, just a pressure cooker and food processor: Bone Question, Dr. Pierson's ground recipe
How Much Food Does My Cat Need to Eat on Raw?: Nature's Variety's Feeding Guide
BUN & Creatinine numbers are often higher in raw fed cats - TCS thread
Transition guides are included in the Helpful Resources: Raw & Home-Cooked Cat Food Forum thread. But one TCS member's transition-to-raw thread in particular is instructive in that it includes the transition from a free-fed kibble & canned diet to raw: one of the kitties had IBD, one of the kitties was a hardcore kibble addict, and one of the kitties had a bone intolerance. Yet all three were successfully transitioned to a modified (boneless) prey model raw diet. This is going to be one for the books! Transitioning Lucky, Bugsy and Hope to Raw.... Challenges...
There are further resources that raw feeders may find useful in the Helpful Resources: Raw & Home-Cooked Cat Food Forum thread.
Why Feed a Raw Diet?
The Benefits of a Raw Diet for Your Cat, by Margaret Gates of the Feline Nutrition Education Society (FNES)
Benefits of a Natural Raw Diet: Whole Foods for Better Health and Feeding Cats a Diet of Whole Raw Foods Based on Nature's Model by Linda Zurich of RawFedCats.org
A Veterinarian's View of Raw Feeding by Andrea Tasi, VMD hosted at FNES.
Role of Diet in the Health of the Feline Intestinal Tract and in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PDF). This 2002 report resulted from research performed at and supported by the Center for Companion Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis. The authors were attempting to develop a "gold standard" diet with a single-source protein fed ground. While this short-coming affected the study, the UC Davis researchers did demonstrate there are obvious and intriguing differences with cats fed a raw diet.
Nutritional adequacy and performance of raw food diets in kittens (Progress report, Winn grant 09-002). The progress report indicates that "Innate immunity appeared to function at a higher level in the kittens fed a raw diet," and "Digestibility was highest for the raw diets, leading to less fecal matter." The final update: Raw food diets for kittens–final project report. "The raw food diets were associated with higher digestibility and decreased fecal matter, although a direct health benefit of this difference was not observed."
The Completely Healthy 'Pet' Food Your Vet Probably Vilifies... Dr. Karen Becker of Mercola's Healthy Pets talks about raw meat diets for pets – "why there’s nothing to fear and so much to gain by serving your dog or cat the food nature intended him to eat."
Introduction to Raw Feeding
For those new to raw feeding, this article, "A Raw Feeding Terminology Discussion," by Tracy Dion of CatCentric.org, will familiarize you with the different styles of raw feeding (Ground, Prey Model Raw (PMR, also known as "frankenprey," and Whole Prey)); the difference between secreting organs and organs considered muscle meat; and common terms.
Raw Feeding Styles - Comparison - TCS thread
General Raw Feeding Resources
Feline Nutrition Education Society: Extensive feline health and nutrition information from a collection of veterinarians, feline nutritionists, and other experts and advocates. Includes legislative and outreach efforts. Good for information on ground diet recipes and how-to guides as well as some commercial raw product information.
CatCentric.org: A raw feeding, feline nutrition, health and general cat care blog, article and resource site created by Tracy Dion. Extensive resources and information on Prey Model Raw (PMR) (otherwise known as "frankenprey") style of feeding, including information on whole prey diets, commercial raw, and canned products. PMR resources not found elsewhere include a weekly menu sample and a feeding calculator based on the 80% / 10% / 5% / 5% guideline.
RawFedCats.org: A highly informative feline raw feeding site by Linda Zurich. Focused primarily on prey model raw and whole prey diets.
CatNutrition.org: by Anne Jablonski. Full of helpful information and great resources with food-making pictorial and recipes for ground, many of the site's pages have been translated into other languages.
Recipes
One very easy option is to start with meat or meat and organs (whether ground or chunks) and add a commercially available premix of nutritional supplements that will make the food nutritionally balanced.
Introduction to making your own food: You can actually make your own cat food? Yes! You can! by Anne Jablonski of CatNutrition.org
Ground: Making Cat Food by Dr. Lisa Pierson at CatInfo.org (also available in French)
Ground: Recipes with and without real bones at CatNutrition.org (pictorial available; translated into Turkish, Italian, "traditional Chinese", Korean, French, and Russian).
Ground: Feline Nutrition's Easy Raw Cat Food (with bone and includes instruction for making the food with eggshell as a bone alternative).
Ground: TCS raw recipes & discussion, including a link to nutritionally balanced recipes (with analysis by mschauer):
PMR: A sample Prey Model Raw weekly menu (PDF) at CatCentric.org
PMR, Ground & Commercial: What does your menu look like? - TCS thread
Nutritional Supplements (Premixes)
Note: some are designed to make just meat complete; others require liver and/or a source of calcium to make the recipes balanced & complete. For most, a source of fiber is optional (which can be important for IBD kitties or as a method to lower fat for specific medical reasons). Please ensure you purchase the correct supplement for the recipe you intend to use.
Alnutrin Know What You Feed - A Guide To A Balanced Homemade Cat Food
Better-in-the-raw for Cats Better in the Raw for Cats (meant only for ground, not a "sprinkle on" supplement)
Call of the Wild Call of the Wild™ - Dog & Cat Suppplement for Heigh Protein Diet
Warning: Call of the Wild by Wysong may have iodine levels that are too high. Please see Warning - Call of the Wild high in iodine
Feline Instincts, "My Natural Cat" line of premixes: http://felineinstincts.com/store/products-page/Food Fur Life Food Fur Life - EZ Homemade raw food for pets!
TCfeline (Canada) Home The site also has an extensive library of informational articles.
TCfeline USA http://tcfeline.com/tcfeline-usa/
TCPremix EUROPE: http://tcfeline.com/tcpremix-europe/
Alnutrin has recipes and an online calculator enabling you to create and balance your own homemade food.
Commercial Raw
Commercial Raw Product Overview hosted at CatCentric.org (Commercial foods available in the U.S.)
Questions about commercial raw - TCS thread
Comparison of the cost to feed kibble, canned and commercial raw foods in the U.S., hosted at CatCentric.org
Canadian Sources of Commercial Raw Food - TCS thread
What about Pathogenic and Parasitic Concerns?
Feeding Raw to Cats - Safety Concerns - TCS article on raw feeding safety
Spooked By Salmonella: Raw Food!!! by Margaret Gates of FNES
Raw Feeding, Pathogens & Parasites - This TCS thread discusses the concerns in depth with information on how to minimize the risk.
Science and Raw Feeding
Is there empirical evidence that raw feeding is good for cats? - TCS thread
Scientific Studies Supporting Raw Food Diet - TCS thread
TCS Articles
Homemade & Raw Food For Cats – A Collection of Guides
Helpful Information
Composition of Proteins (Bone, Skin, Fat) - TCS thread
Tissue Percentage of some common prey of the cat by Christine M. Ruessheim (hosted at CatCentric.org)
Bone content in various chicken parts by Christine M. Ruessheim at AbyssinianCats.info
Nutrient Composition of Whole Vertebrate Prey Dierenfeld et al. 2002: The National Agricultural Library (NAL) of the USDA
Macronutrient Profile of common proteins (protein, fat, carbs) AND prey animals of feral cats - TCS thread
Calcium & Bones Information - TCS thread
Using eggshell or MCHA (calcium hydroxyapatite) as a fresh bone substitute (balancing the calcium component) - TCS thread
If you do not want to feed whole fresh bone / prey model raw, but want to create your own diet using real bone, this thread describes a method that does not require a grinder, just a pressure cooker and food processor: Bone Question, Dr. Pierson's ground recipe
How Much Food Does My Cat Need to Eat on Raw?: Nature's Variety's Feeding Guide
BUN & Creatinine numbers are often higher in raw fed cats - TCS thread
Transition guides are included in the Helpful Resources: Raw & Home-Cooked Cat Food Forum thread. But one TCS member's transition-to-raw thread in particular is instructive in that it includes the transition from a free-fed kibble & canned diet to raw: one of the kitties had IBD, one of the kitties was a hardcore kibble addict, and one of the kitties had a bone intolerance. Yet all three were successfully transitioned to a modified (boneless) prey model raw diet. This is going to be one for the books! Transitioning Lucky, Bugsy and Hope to Raw.... Challenges...
There are further resources that raw feeders may find useful in the Helpful Resources: Raw & Home-Cooked Cat Food Forum thread.
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