Raw cat food
Raw cat food means meat, bone and organ fed uncooked, sold either frozen in blocks or portions, or freeze-dried into a lighter, shelf-stable form you rehydrate before serving. It suits owners who want to feed a diet closer to what a cat would eat naturally, but it changes how you shop, store and handle food far more than switching between wet and dry does.
What raw actually means on a label
A raw product is built from uncooked animal ingredients, usually muscle meat, bone and offal in proportions meant to mirror a whole prey diet. Complete raw foods are formulated to meet a cat's full nutritional needs on their own, while raw mixers, toppers or single-protein treats are not and are meant to sit alongside a complete diet rather than replace it. That distinction matters more with raw than with a familiar pouch or kibble, because a raw product that looks like a full meal can, in fact, be a treat.
Frozen raw is the traditional format: portions or blocks kept in the freezer and thawed in the fridge before feeding. Freeze-dried raw has the water removed under vacuum rather than heat, which keeps more of the original nutritional profile than cooking would while making the food shelf-stable at room temperature until opened. Some freeze-dried products are fed dry as a crunchy treat; others are meant to be rehydrated with water first, so check which your cat's is.
What changes day to day versus wet or dry
Storage is the biggest practical shift. Frozen raw needs freezer space and a plan for thawing safely in the fridge rather than on the counter, and once thawed it behaves like any raw meat and should be used within the timeframe the packaging gives. Freeze-dried avoids the freezer entirely and travels well, which is one reason it has become popular with owners who found frozen raw impractical.
Portioning is more exact with raw than with a bag of dry food you can top up freely, because a raw diet is usually weighed out to a daily amount based on your cat's size. Waste is different too: raw bones and offal are handled and disposed of like any raw meat product, with the same hygiene habits you would use preparing meat for yourself, including washing bowls, surfaces and hands after handling.
What to check before switching
Look for whether the product states it is complete and balanced for the life stage you are feeding, rather than assuming any raw product is. A complementary or mixer product is a genuinely useful addition to a complete diet, but it is not a diet on its own, and confusing the two is the most common mistake owners make with raw food.
Introduce a new format gradually alongside what your cat already eats, over several days rather than swapping overnight, and watch how they get on. If your cat has a health condition, is very young, elderly, or on a diet recommended by a vet, check with them before changing format, since raw feeding is not the right fit for every cat.
This format, in stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Nutriment Adult Cat Raw Chicken Formula
Complete raw chicken cat food with 80% chicken and bone in a 500G pack
£4.29
Nutriment Adult Cat Raw Lamb Formula
Complete raw lamb and chicken cat food in a frozen 500G pack
£4.09
Nutriment Adult Cat Raw Beef Formula
Complete raw beef cat food with 60% beef heart in a 500G pack
£4.49
Raw Aid for Dogs & Cats
A pelleted balancer for raw-fed cats and dogs, built around 27 vitamins and minerals
£21.80
Applaws Natural Wet Cat Food Tuna Fillet with Prawn in Broth
Tuna fillet and prawn in broth, with two can sizes to choose from
From£16.69
Felix as Good as It Looks Meaty Selection in Jelly
Twelve 85G pouches of chunks in jelly, in a selection built for a cat who changes its mind
£5.79
Bell & Duke Cat Complete Chicken
A complete raw chicken meal for kittens, adult and senior cats, 98% chicken. Frozen 250g tub.
£3.65
Sheba Fine Flakes Cat Pouches Poultry Collection in Jelly
Fine flake cat pouches in jelly, a poultry collection across duck, chicken and turkey
From£7.49
Felix Pouches Deliciously Sliced Fish Selection in Jelly 12pk
Sliced fish in jelly across four recipes, for cats fed a fish-based diet
£6.49
Bella & Duke Cat Complete Turkey, Chicken & Lamb
A complete raw meal for kittens, adult and senior cats, made with turkey, chicken and lamb. Frozen 250g tub.
£3.65
Bella & Duke Cat Complete Lamb & Duck
A complete raw meal for kittens, adult and senior cats, made with lamb and duck. Frozen 250g tub.
£3.65
Bella & Duke Cat Complete Turkey & Salmon
A complete raw meal for kittens, adult and senior cats, made with turkey and salmon. Frozen 250g tub.
£3.65
Common questions
- Is raw food better for cats than wet or dry food?
- It is a different approach rather than a proven better one — cats can do well on a properly formulated diet in any of the three formats. What matters most is that whatever you feed is complete and balanced for your cat's life stage, and that you introduce any change gradually.
- Do I need to cook raw cat food before serving it?
- No, raw food is designed to be fed uncooked, which is the whole point of the format. Cooking it would change the diet you are actually giving your cat, so follow the preparation instructions on the pack rather than treating it like a normal piece of meat for the kitchen.
- Can kittens eat raw food?
- Only a product specifically formulated as complete for growth, since kittens have higher and more specific nutritional needs than adult cats. If you are considering raw for a kitten, check the label carries a life-stage claim for growth, and speak to your vet if you are unsure.
- How do I store raw cat food safely?
- Keep frozen raw in the freezer until you need it, thaw portions in the fridge rather than at room temperature, and use thawed food within the time stated on the pack. Wash bowls, utensils and surfaces after handling, the same way you would after preparing raw meat for yourself.
- What is freeze-dried raw cat food, and is it the same as frozen raw?
- Freeze-dried raw starts as the same uncooked ingredients but has the moisture removed under vacuum rather than by cooking, which makes it shelf-stable and lighter than frozen raw. Some are fed dry as a treat and some need rehydrating with water first, so check which applies to the product you have.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.