Alright, let’s talk about this whole raw food thing for indoor cats. It wasn’t something I just jumped into, believe me. For years, my two furballs, Jasper and Cleo, were on kibble, the expensive kind, mind you. But Jasper started getting these weird skin issues, kind of flaky, and Cleo, well, she was becoming a bit of a chunk despite my efforts.
I started digging around online, late nights, scrolling through endless forums and articles. Everyone seemed to have an opinion, you know? One site screams “raw is the only way!”, another says “it’s dangerous!”. It was confusing as heck. Lots of talk about balancing nutrients, calcium-phosphorus ratios… stuff that made my head spin. Honestly, I almost gave up right there.
My First Messy Steps
I decided to try a pre-made frozen raw food first. Seemed easiest. Went to a fancy pet store, picked one that looked decent, lots of good reviews online. Got home, thawed it out carefully, presented it like it was some gourmet meal. And what happened? Both cats sniffed it, looked at me like I’d lost my mind, and walked away. Total rejection. I tried mixing a tiny bit with their old food, nope. Tried warming it slightly, nope. That first batch mostly went in the bin. Frustrating, and not cheap either!
Then I thought, maybe DIY? Control the ingredients myself? I bought a grinder, sourced some chicken thighs, hearts, liver… the whole shebang based on some recipe I found. My kitchen looked like a crime scene. It took hours. And the clean-up? Don’t get me started. Plus, I was constantly worried – was I getting the balance right? Was I missing some vital nutrient? Jasper actually nibbled at this one, but Cleo was still holding out. And the sheer effort involved… I have a life, you know?
Finding What Actually Worked (For Us)
Okay, so the super-convenient pre-made failed, and the full-on DIY was too much work and stress for me. I was about ready to throw in the towel. But then I stumbled onto a different approach. Some companies offer freeze-dried raw. It’s shelf-stable, you just add water. Seemed like a good middle ground.
I picked up a couple of different brands of the freeze-dried stuff. This time, success! Sort of.
- Jasper loved it almost immediately. He gobbled down the chicken flavour like there was no tomorrow.
- Cleo, my picky princess, took some convincing. I had to crumble it super fine over her wet food (yes, I was still giving them some wet food during this transition) and gradually increase the amount. Took about two weeks, but she finally started eating it properly.
I stuck with the freeze-dried raw, mostly chicken and turkey formulas because that’s what they both seem to prefer. It’s way less messy than frozen, easier to store, and I feel better knowing it’s nutritionally complete (it says so on the bag, anyway, and the brands seemed reputable). It’s still more expensive than kibble, for sure, but less hassle than DIY for me.
So, What’s the “Best”?
Look, after all this trial and error, I can tell you there’s no single “best” raw food. It really depends on your cats, your budget, and how much time you’re willing to put in. For us, the freeze-dried raw turned out to be the sweet spot. Jasper’s coat looks amazing now, really glossy, and the flakiness is gone. Cleo actually slimmed down a bit and seems more playful.
My biggest takeaway? You gotta watch your own cats. Introduce stuff slowly, see how they react, how their digestion is, how their energy levels are. What works wonders for one cat might be a total flop for another, even in the same house. It’s a process, sometimes a messy and frustrating one, but seeing my cats thriving now makes it feel worthwhile.
