Rawz canned experiences?

[5CatDraw]

I’ve been considering trying the Rawz pates. Would like to hear from those who feed it.
I’ve been reading reviews on Amazon (for the Rabbit Pate) and have worked myself into being concerned about potential quality control issues.
Quite a few customers reviewing in late 2022 and all through 2023 reported that they had been feeding it and their cats loved it, but then the last time they purchased it their cats refused to eat it. They also noticed a change in the consistency of the food, and the smell.
Also, quite a few people reported (going back to 2020) that when they bought a case, some of the cans were only half full (or less) and/or there was a big difference from can to can regarding moisture content. And some reported that one or more cans within a case had obviously gone bad, from the smell.

The majority of these Amazon reviews were positive (most were 5 star), but still there were enough of the bad ones that it has me a little nervous about quality control. Particularly that several reviewers said that their cats loved it then suddenly when starting a new case, they refused to eat it.

Getting some feedback from Rawz feeders here would be extremely valuable to me.

 

[silent meowlook]

When I wasn’t able to get the Royal Canin PR canned due to back order I used the RAWZ rabbit with a couple of instances of vomiting but no other problems.

 

[maggie101]

I used to give to my cat Maggie,now she doesn't like it. My cat peaches never liked it so if she ever has to eat lid I will give rawz to my cat coco

 

[5CatDraw]

I used to give to my cat Maggie,now she doesn't like it. My cat peaches never liked it so if she ever has to eat lid I will give rawz to my cat coco

Thanks for the reply. So you have fed it to Coco on/off? Did you ever notice differences from can to can?

 

[5CatDraw]

When I wasn’t able to get the Royal Canin PR canned due to back order I used the RAWZ rabbit with a couple of instances of vomiting but no other problems.

I'm assuming your cat might have been prone to vomiting anyway? So you didn't necessarily think it was from the Rawz? Or did I misread?

 

[Tobermory]

I used to feed Rawz to the girls and didn’t have any issues with it. I didn’t feed the rabbit because they didn’t care for it, but they liked the others. Mouser was another good one I used. I’ve switched to a freeze-dried raw brand so I’m not feeding either Rawz or Mouser now. No particular reason, just switching things up!

 

[silent meowlook]

I think any sort of diet change done quickly, which I was forced to do, would have caused problems. Otherwise, she did fine on it. Both cats likes it.

 

[maggie101]

Thanks for the reply. So you have fed it to Coco on/off? Did you ever notice differences from can to can?

She will eat anything so I never noticed a difference. Plus it was way too expensive

 

[lisahe]

Our cats (even Edwina, who tends to eat anything and everything) are both on-and-off with Rawz. They're the same with Mouser, which is more reasonably priced. I do usually feed half the can and freeze half the can so I don't throw half of it away. But I can only get away with feeding Rawz or Mouser once a week, max.

 

[LadyLondonderry]

As I mentioned on your other thread, I fed my cat Sylvie the Rawz rabbit pate as her main food for quite a while. From the email records of my orders, it looks like at least three years. She enjoyed it and there were no problems with it. I also ordered various other varieties of the Rawz pate over the years, including the turkey, salmon, and beef. The only one I recall a manufacturing issue with was the beef; at one point I received a case where the meat seemed to have shrunk and was sitting like a hockey puck in the middle of the can, with very little liquid around it. That was a one-time occurrence, fortunately.

I do think a lot of companies struggled with quality control in 2020-21, with pandemic-related changes in suppliers happening. I'm not sure what might be causing issues more recently.

Besides all that, there's always the question of whether your particular cat will eat it. Sylvie will eat Rawz, but never with the same enthusiasm as, say, Fancy Feast or certain freeze-dried raw foods. I think of it as something like the cat version of broccoli--something that's good for you and your mom really wants you to eat lots of, but you'd rather have Twinkies. Side note: Not so much now (different formula?), but some years ago, I used to find Fancy Feast positively scary because of the wild reaction it would cause in my cat. "Kitty crack" and all that!

I share your hesitance to buy an entire case of a food you're not sure about, especially one at Rawz's prices. I have ordered individual cans from Incredible Pets to try out new flavors or test Sylvie's willingness to return to an old favorite. I think they are the only authorized seller of Rawz that offers single cans as well as cases. When I do order a case, I buy it from them or one of the handful of authorized sellers, rather than from third parties on Amazon.

 

[neely]

I didn’t feed the rabbit because they didn’t care for it, but they liked the others.

I recently started feeding our cat Rawz so don't know about the quality control in previous years. He really likes it with the exception of the rabbit which is also more expensive than the other pates. Note: I buy it from an independent pet store NOT Amazon. Personally I'd rather give the independent pet stores my business. His two favorite flavors are chicken/chicken liver pate and turkey/turkey liver pate. He tried the beef/beef liver and ate it but the consistency seemed thicker than the chicken or turkey.

 

[5CatDraw]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I’m going to order some Rawz from Incredible Pets! plus some Mouser. I had never heard of that brand until it was mentioned here. And maybe try a few cans of some other brands. What a great find (recommendation) Incredible Pets! is. To be able to order just a few cans at a time so I can try things out without the commitment of a case.

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their experiences. Glad that there were no terrible experiences reported on Rawz, so that gives me the confidence to try it.

 

[5CatDraw]

I used to feed Rawz to the girls and didn’t have any issues with it. I didn’t feed the rabbit because they didn’t care for it, but they liked the others. Mouser was another good one I used. I’ve switched to a freeze-dried raw brand so I’m not feeding either Rawz or Mouser now. No particular reason, just switching things up!

I'm curious which freeze dried you feed. Still trying to find a brand that my cats will eat.
So you have 3 angels and one not-so-much?

 

[5CatDraw]

She will eat anything so I never noticed a difference. Plus it was way too expensive

I’m so envious that your cat will eat anything. If I find something that all of my cats like, doesn’t cause barfing, and seems healthy to me – I’ll pay just about anything.

 

[5CatDraw]

As I mentioned on your other thread, I fed my cat Sylvie the Rawz rabbit pate as her main food for quite a while. From the email records of my orders, it looks like at least three years. She enjoyed it and there were no problems with it. I also ordered various other varieties of the Rawz pate over the years, including the turkey, salmon, and beef. The only one I recall a manufacturing issue with was the beef; at one point I received a case where the meat seemed to have shrunk and was sitting like a hockey puck in the middle of the can, with very little liquid around it. That was a one-time occurrence, fortunately.

I do think a lot of companies struggled with quality control in 2020-21, with pandemic-related changes in suppliers happening. I'm not sure what might be causing issues more recently.

Besides all that, there's always the question of whether your particular cat will eat it. Sylvie will eat Rawz, but never with the same enthusiasm as, say, Fancy Feast or certain freeze-dried raw foods. I think of it as something like the cat version of broccoli--something that's good for you and your mom really wants you to eat lots of, but you'd rather have Twinkies. Side note: Not so much now (different formula?), but some years ago, I used to find Fancy Feast positively scary because of the wild reaction it would cause in my cat. "Kitty crack" and all that!

I share your hesitance to buy an entire case of a food you're not sure about, especially one at Rawz's prices. I have ordered individual cans from Incredible Pets to try out new flavors or test Sylvie's willingness to return to an old favorite. I think they are the only authorized seller of Rawz that offers single cans as well as cases. When I do order a case, I buy it from them or one of the handful of authorized sellers, rather than from third parties on Amazon.

“Kitty Crack” is right. I am curious what kind of wild reactions Fancy Feast caused.

Also very curious which freeze dried foods Sylvie likes. I’ve tried many brands and my cats all turn up their noses. Either rehydrated or dry. I found a few brands that are more firm than the others (Quest, Nulo, and Ziwi Peak) and I have been mixing those with the dry food that they have been eating. But they pick the dry out and very little, if any at all, of the freeze dried gets eaten.

I know that if I really want to get serious about making them eat healthier I will need to take the dry away, but I’m not there yet. I have free fed dry all of their lives, so it would be a big adjustment and I guess I’m not up for such unrest in the household right now.

 

[Tobermory]

I'm curious which freeze dried you feed. Still trying to find a brand that my cats will eat.

I’m feeding rehydrated Northwest Naturals, rotating duck (Mocha’s favorite), turkey, chicken, and beef/trout. I like the ingredients and the fact that the bone content is less than Stella & Chewy or Primal—about 7%. The company is family-owned, located in Portland, Oregon. My local independent pet supply store carries it.

So you have 3 angels and one not-so-much?

Mocha is a sweetie. The other three crossed the Bridge in 2017 (Max), 2021 (Lily), and 2023 (Iris). Kitty angels. I have other cat angels in my past, but those were before cellphones and the photos are waiting for me to scan them.

 

[lisahe]

Northwest Naturals is a good one. I used to feed that to Edwin and Ireland, too. They always seemed to like it.

Mocha's such a little beauty, Tobermory !

 

[LadyLondonderry]

“Kitty Crack” is right. I am curious what kind of wild reactions Fancy Feast caused.

Gobbling it up at the speed of light and then aggressively begging for more, in a way she never did for any other food. The kind of reaction that makes you wonder "What the heck are they putting in this stuff?!"

Also very curious which freeze dried foods Sylvie likes.

She has enjoyed Primal (pork nuggets) and Stella & Chewy (Plate Lickin' Pork and Duck Duck Goose morsels), thoroughly rehydrated with warm water and mashed up into smaller bits. She seemed to like the Wysong freeze-dried quail the first time or two I offered it to her, but quickly lost enthusiasm for it.

 

[lisahe]

She has enjoyed Primal (pork nuggets)

Our cats loved pork Primal, too! But Ireland just didn't do well with the bone, even though that one wasn't/isn't super high in bone.

 

[5CatDraw]

I’m feeding rehydrated Northwest Naturals, rotating duck (Mocha’s favorite), turkey, chicken, and beef/trout. I like the ingredients and the fact that the bone content is less than Stella & Chewy or Primal—about 7%. The company is family-owned, located in Portland, Oregon. My local independent pet supply store carries it.

Mocha is a sweetie. The other three crossed the Bridge in 2017 (Max), 2021 (Lily), and 2023 (Iris). Kitty angels. I have other cat angels in my past, but those were before cellphones and the photos are waiting for me to scan them.

Sorry that I misinterpreted the halos and you had to explain. May Max, Lily and Iris rip. My 5 are all getting old, so I have some losses coming in the next few years.

I’ve been thinking about NW Naturals. Mostly what stopped me is that the iodine content is high. The duck and rabbit are over the AAFCO max. Turkey and chicken are just under. I have one cat that is hyperthyroid, so I’m careful about iodine. But if it were a small part of their diet, maybe . . .
Are the nuggets firm so they would be crunchy if I don’t rehydrate?

Are you estimating bone content from the ash content or getting it directly from the companies? For foods that don’t include a calcium supplement I guess the calcium content is a good indicator of high bone content too, right? I have gotten the impression lately that excessive bone content might be becoming a problem in dog & cat foods. Companies finding yet another way to increase their profits?