Raw feeding is one of the most powerful ways to support your pet’s health from the inside out. By returning to a biologically appropriate diet, many pet parents see improvements in digestion, skin, energy, and chronic conditions. This guide walks you through everything you need to know to start safely and confidently.
Feed your animals what they would eat in the wild like they did for centuries. They will get all the vitamins and minerals they need from the organs, muscles, tissues, etc.
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If your pet won’t eat raw, try gently cooked. Make sure you add a small amount of both secreting and non-secreting organs to their diet.
Bloodwork for raw fed pets is different than those who eat an ultra-processed diet.
Traditional vets will often try to scare the pet parent to transition back to an ultra-processed diet. Do not fall for this ploy.
Considering raw feeding? It can be a bit overwhelming. With so many options from DIY home recipes to convenient commercial products, it’s easy to feel a bit lost — especially with so much information (and misinformation) available. Let’s explore the different choices together, so you can find the perfect fit for you and your furry friend!
RAW FEEDING
Ensuring that what you provide is both complete and balanced is essential (protein, organs, bones, veggies, etc. in the correct proportions). Use a recipe from a trusted source to design a personalized diet plan that suits your pet’s needs. We have provided some trusted recipes and sources for recipes HERE.
Here are some essential tips for achieving success:
GENTLY COOKED
Some animals may not be able to tolerate raw food due to aging or underlying conditions. Transitioning to a gently cooked diet may be a good solution. “Gently cooked” meals are prepared at lower temperatures, which helps retain essential nutrients and ensures easier digestion. This option is particularly beneficial for dogs and cats with sensitive stomachs or those who have difficulty with raw food. Gently-cooked recipes often utilize methods like simmering or slow cooking ingredients, such as meat, vegetables, and fruits, to maximize their nutritional value.
Some gently cooking tips and insights:
FREEZE-DRIED
Freeze-Drying Process:
Many pet parents like the idea of feeding raw but they want something shelf stable that is easy to feed. Freeze dried is a great option for busy people or people who travel with their pets.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
Freeze-Dried Food
Pros: Better nutrient retention, long shelf life, lightweight, easy rehydration.
Cons: Higher cost, more brittle texture
“Is Raw Feeding Worth The Hype” by Paws of Prey.
Raw Pet Food Safety
A raw food diet is species-appropriate for your pet and is what nature designed them to eat. Many veterinarians’ concerns about feeding a raw diet are centered around keeping the humans in the house safe around raw food. I doubt they have these same concerns with their clients who cook themselves raw chicken; nonetheless, here are some storage and usage tips around safely feeding your pet a raw diet.
Why is a Raw Diet Safe for Your Pet?
Despite very aggressive marketing from the pet food industry, your dog and cat are carnivores. They have not evolved into omnivores or evolved to consume and thrive on an ultra-processed, high-carbohydrate, high-starch diet. You are told this because the pet food industry wants you to buy and feed your pet precisely that type of diet.
When we use the term species-appropriate diet, it is because it is the diet that nature designed this species to consume. Not only does nature design them to consume a raw meat diet safely, but the species can also get everything they need nutritionally from the diet. Three factors that show us that a raw meat-based diet is appropriate for carnivores are the mouth, specifically the teeth, a highly acidic stomach, and a short digestive tract. Your pet’s jaw can only move up and down, not side to side like your own, making grinding up plant matter impossible. The teeth are also designed to rip, tear, and shred raw meat. If meant to grind plant matter, they would have flat molars like herbivores and omnivores at the back of their mouth. The highly acidic stomach (pH of 1 or 0) works to break down the meat and bones before entering the digestive tract. This acid also instantly kills most contaminants or pathogens. The short digestive tract, about a third the length of humans or other omnivores, moves the food quickly, not allowing any pathogens that survived the acid bath the time to bloom or take hold and cause issues. When you look at your pet in this light, it is easy to see that they are designed to consume a raw diet and that it is perfectly safe for them to do so.
Pet Parent Safety with Raw Food
Many fears around raw pet food revolve around the safety of the humans in the house. Raw pet food is not different from the other raw meat you may bring into your home for your consumption. In many ways, it is safer, but by applying the same safe handling practices you do with raw chicken, you can keep yourself and everyone else safe. Keep and feed your raw pet food separate from your food. Don’t prep your pet’s food while you are cooking your dinner. Thoroughly wash and disinfect any utensils and bowls and the prep area after feeding, or consider having separate bowls and utensils used only for your pets. Thoroughly wash your hands after handling your pet’s food and before handling any of your food. If you have small children in the house, teach them to leave the pet’s food alone and to wash their hands after handling the pet, especially after the pets have eaten. These simple steps keep everyone safe and allow you to feed your pet as nature intended.
Storage of Raw Pet Food
Keep your raw pet food frozen until ready to use it. You can thaw it in the refrigerator or the sink filled with cold water. The latter is convenient for overnight thawing. Just put your rolls in the sink before you go to bed; they will be thawed when you wake up.
Once thawed, you should use your food within 5 days. You can keep it in the refrigerator during that time. You can refreeze any food you’ve previously thawed if you need to. You can do this multiple times.
Glass containers are best for storing your thawed food, but use what you can find or what works best for your situation. Wash these containers frequently; hand washing or dishwasher are both acceptable.
Closing Thoughts
Feeding a raw food diet for your pet can align with their natural dietary needs and promote their overall health. Understanding carnivores’ anatomy and digestive system reinforces the notion that a raw diet is not only appropriate but beneficial. By implementing proper safety measures for both your pet and family, such as maintaining hygiene and practicing safe food handling, you can ensure a smooth and worry-free feeding experience. You can confidently provide your pet with a diet that mirrors nature’s intent while keeping your home safe and healthy for everyone.
This course helps you learn how and why to feed your dog real food. It walks you through practical ways to help you make the transition.
“How To Feed Raw on A Budget” by Kelly Bone.
“How To Start Your Kitten On A Raw Diet – The Ultimate Guide” by Paws of Prey.
“How To Begin to Feed Raw for Your Pets” by Kelly Bone.
“Do Dogs Need Carbohydrates?” by Kelly Bone.
“10 Safety Tips When Raw Feeding Your Pet” by Paws Of Prey.
“What Is an Ideal Dog and Cat Food Diet” by Kelly Bone.
So, do you always have to feed a balanced diet?
No creature on the planet, including us, balances every single meal they eat. So ask yourself what makes dogs so different that they require that? The answer is nothing except that people figured out how to make money selling the idea of complete and balanced.
Think about this. For the last 70 years or so, dogs have eaten a complete and balanced diet according to AAFCO standards, and we wouldn’t be having this discussion if our dogs weren’t a mess nutritionally and health-wise. If you are going to feed what you consider to be a better diet than kibble, why would it be important to “balance” that diet according to standards developed for the diet you think was inadequate, inappropriate, and unhealthy?
Dr. Judy Morgan (2025 Holistic Veterinarian of the Decade): “Balance Over Time for Dogs.”
“Raw v Dry, Which is Safer?!! Come On, You’re Not Still Asking That…” Facebook post by Dr. Conor Brady.
“Switch Your Senior Dog To A Raw Diet With These 4 Simple Steps” by Dr. Jodie Gruenstern.
Dr. Judy Morgan (2025 Holistic Veterinarian of the Decade): “Our Pets Need High Meat Protein | Dog Longevity Made Easy.”
Raw feeding is incredibly nutrient dense, which means your pets will thrive on smaller portions compared to what you’re accustomed to with kibble. Here is a feeding guide to help you get started. You may need to adjust some for your pet’s specific needs. We also provided some good, better and best feeding options; including some amazing commercial brands we love and support to help get you started.
Also, the bloodwork and stools of a raw fed pet will be different than a kibble fed pet.
“Animal Diet Formulator Software” by Steve Brown, Dr. Susan Recker, Dr. Barbara Royal, Dr. Natasha Lilly and Robert Kelly.
Looking for ways to save money on homemade and raw dog food?
“Raw Feeding And How Much Does It Cost” by Paws of Prey.
“How I Feed My Dog a Raw Food Diet | Way easier and cheaper than you think!” by The Hoppy Homestead.
“The Cheapest Raw Food I Could Find for My Dog ” By Paws for Prey.
Are you apprehensive about feeding raw? It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing approach. You can always freshen up your bowl by feeding fresh proteins, vegetables and fruits. Additionally, you can supplement with nutritious add-ins like egg, sardines, Omega 3 oil, tripe, etc.
“Why Ditch The Dry with Dr. Judy Morgan” by ProDog Raw.
“How to Make Your Pet Food 100 Times Better for Less Than $.10 a day!” with Rodney Habib and Dr. Karen Becker.
“Raw Food Recipe For Dogs – Simple, Nutritious, Complete!” by Paws of Prey.
“How I Make Homemade Raw Cat Food in 6 Easy Steps” by The Cat Butler.
You can find more recipes on our recipes page.
When feeding dogs and cats a raw diet, organ meat is one of the most important components — but also the one most often overlooked or misunderstood. Here’s why it matters:
1. Nutrient Density
Organs (especially liver, kidney, spleen, and pancreas) are far richer in vitamins and minerals than muscle meat.
They provide essential nutrients like vitamin A, D, E, K, B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium in amounts that muscle meat alone cannot supply.
2. Species-Appropriate Nutrition
In the wild, carnivores consume the whole prey — not just muscle. Organs are often eaten first because they provide concentrated nutrition.
Feeding organs helps replicate this natural balance, supporting overall health and vitality.
3. Vital Roles for Health
Liver: Key source of vitamin A, copper, and B vitamins — supports detoxification and immune health.
Kidney: Supplies selenium and vitamin B12 — supports adrenal and kidney function.
Heart: Rich in taurine, an amino acid critical for cats (and beneficial for dogs) for heart and eye health.
Spleen & Pancreas: Provide trace minerals and digestive enzymes.
4. Balance is Critical
Too Little Organ: Diet is incomplete, risking deficiencies (especially vitamin A and taurine).
Too Much Organ: Can cause nutrient imbalances or toxicity (e.g., vitamin A from excessive liver).
General Raw Feeding Guidelines: Organs should make up about 10% of the diet, with about half of that being liver.
5. Variety Matters
Offering a mix of different organs covers a broader nutrient spectrum than liver alone.
Rotation of liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas, and heart (technically a muscle, but nutritionally similar to organ) is ideal.
.Dr. Judy Morgan (2025 Holistic Veterinarian of the Decade): “Feeding Organs to the Squeamish.”
Omega 3’s and 6’s. Without going into too much detail, both are found in food — usually, more 6’s than 3’s. 6’s are inflammatory, while 3’s are anti-inflammatory, so you want to balance them better. Grain-fed meat will have a higher ratio of 6 to 3 than grass-fed, but you should add some Omega 3’s no matter what you feed. If you are feeding kibble and boosting your bowl with raw meat from the grocery store, make sure you are adding sardines and an egg as well. Don’t skimp on the sardines because that grocery store meat is probably grain-fed, and you are increasing the omega 6s. If your dog is struggling with an illness and adding real meat made things worse, this could be why, likely from inflammation. Don’t blame the real food, and stop adding it. Balance it with some additional Omega 3’s.
Whole food sources such as small, oily fish are your best options. If you can’t do that, consider these factors when choosing a supplement.
Sustainability: Our oceans are overfished, and many fish oils on the market contribute to this problem. Consider a sustainable source such as algae oil. The small oily fish mentioned earlier, your sardines, anchovies, smelt, capelin, etc., are also sustainable sources, and these fish are food sources for larger animals, which means they are not in the water long enough to accumulate the toxins in our water. The algae used for algae oil is grown on land in a controlled environment that keeps out dangerous compounds and heavy metals.
Packaging: More is not better in the Omega 3 world. These oils go rancid very quickly. That giant pump bottle from Chewy will eventually do more harm than good. Buy in quantities that you can use in 30 days. Packaged in a dark glass bottle would be best. Store in the refrigerator between uses.
There are multiple options for quality Omega 3 supplements, we like Adored Beast Potent Sea Oil. It is sustainably sourced, 3rd party-tested, and packaged in a dark glass bottle, and the bottle size is perfect as a 30-day supply for a medium-sized dog.
Product Recommendations:
When it comes to feeding your pet, the type of bowl or feeder you choose can make a big difference in their health, comfort, and overall mealtime experience. Stainless steel bowls are often the gold standard because they’re durable, hygienic, and easy to clean. Unlike plastic, they don’t hold odors or bacteria, and unlike ceramic, they won’t chip. They’re lightweight and simple, making them an excellent everyday choice for most pets. The only downside is that they can be easy to tip if your pet is an enthusiastic eater, so look for ones with a rubber base or heavier design if that’s the case.
For some pets — especially seniors or those with joint issues — raised feeders can make mealtime much more comfortable. By elevating the bowls, your pet doesn’t have to bend as far, which can ease neck and back strain. Raised bowls can also help reduce mess by keeping food and water more contained. The key is choosing the right height: too high or too low can cause discomfort, so match the feeder to your pet’s size.
If your dog or cat tends to gulp their food or you’d like to make mealtime more stimulating, lick mats and puzzle feeders are wonderful tools. A lick mat encourages your pet to slowly lick up soft foods raw or gently cooked food. This not only calms them by triggering soothing endorphins, but it also slows down eating, aids digestion, and can even support oral health. Puzzle feeders and snuffle mats take things a step further by engaging your pet’s natural foraging instincts, providing both mental stimulation and a way to burn off extra energy.
In short, there’s no one “best” bowl for every pet — it depends on their needs and habits. A sturdy stainless steel bowl covers the basics, raised feeders add comfort for older or larger pets, and enrichment options like lick mats and puzzles can make mealtime more engaging. Many pet parents find that having a mix of these options keeps their pets happy, healthy, and excited about eating.
Bloodwork will be different for raw fed pets. Current research demonstrates that the laboratory results of hematological parameters in pets consuming a raw diet may exhibit variances when compared to those following a kibble diet. It is noteworthy that some veterinarians may not account for these disparities during the evaluation of your pet’s blood analysis. What are the implications of the various blood count markers? Explore this and additional insights on our bloodwork page for all the details.
Dr. Judy Morgan (2025 Holistic Veterinarian of the Decade): “Raw Isn’t The Only Type Of Pet Food I Recommend!”
“If Your Vet Hates Raw, Do This” By Paws of Prey.
“Is Your Pet Getting Proper Nutrition?” with Rodney Habib and Dr. Karen Becker.
“What’s the Best Diet for Dog Allergies?” featuring Rodney Habib.
“Holistic Vet: NEW SCIENCE on the Best and Worst Dog Foods” by Dr. Karen Becker.
A properly balanced raw diet can provide most essential nutrients, but some pets benefit from targeted support such as omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, or trace minerals. Supplement needs depend on the ingredients used and your pet’s individual health.
While some pets tolerate mixing raw with kibble or other foods, it’s generally best to feed them separately due to differences in digestion rates. If you’re transitioning, a gradual approach works well, but many pet parents choose to move fully to raw or fresh diets over time for optimal results.
Some improvements, like better stool quality and increased energy, can be seen within days to weeks. Other changes, such as healthier skin, coat, and overall resilience, may take several weeks to a few months depending on your pet’s starting point.
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