Interest in raw food diets for cats and dogs has grown over the past few decades. For those seeking to learn about raw food diets, the mass of conflicting information and misinformation can be overwhelming. This article addresses common questions regarding the safety, healthfulness, and potential risks of feeding cats and dogs raw food diets.
What is raw pet food, exactly?
Raw food diets can go by various names: Raw meat‐based diets (RMBDs), Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, Bones and Raw Food (BARF). They can be homemade or commercial. They include uncooked or undercooked animal proteins harvested from livestock or wild animals including:
- Muscle meat
- Organ meat
- Bones
- Eggs
- Unpasteurized milk
Commercial raw food products come in various forms:
- Fresh
- Frozen
- Freeze-dried meals or premixes for use with raw meat
- Food toppers
- Treats (jerky, pig ears, rawhide chews, duck feet, horns, tracheas, etc.)
- Bones
- Freeze-dried treats or coated kibble
The best way to identify a raw food product is by looking for the word raw on the label or seek advice from the pet store or food company.
Why do people choose raw food diets for pets?
Several studies have found a few key factors that motivated pet owners to feed their pets raw food. These include:
- Perceived pet preference
- Attributing personal values and practices to pets (using environmentally safe packaging, choosing organic food choices, eating less processed foods, etc.)
- Belief that raw food is overall healthier than other types of commercial pet food
- Belief that raw food is more natural than other types of commercial pet food
- Belief that raw food will improve pets’ immune systems
- In response to advice from veterinary resources unverified as evidence-based research, including from veterinarians associated with raw-food-producing companies
One 2017 study found respondents who fed pets raw food diets were more likely to consult online resources than their veterinarian for information regarding benefits of raw food diets. They also had lower levels of trust in veterinary information regarding their pets’ nutritional needs.
One popular rationalization for feeding pets raw food diets is that wild-living animals consume raw meat, as did their ancestors, and therefore so should their domesticated relations. Scientific evidence has refuted this argument. The history of domestication has changed the biology, lifestyle, and longevity of modern cats and dogs.
For example, studies have shown that throughout their domestication dogs have changed significantly. This includes their behavior, aggressiveness, social cognition capabilities, and morphological qualities such as brain size, teeth, and skulls.
In 2013, the first genome-wide sequence-based search for that which separates wild canids from modern domestic dogs found key mutations in canine genes regarding digestion. This adaptation allows increased starch digestion in modern domestic canines, meaning they are better able to thrive on more starchy diets than their wolf ancestors were. Put simply, modern domesticated animals have different nutritional needs and tolerances than their ancestors and those that live wild.
What are the risks of feeding pets raw food diets?
There is disagreement within the pet food and the veterinary medicine industries about risks and benefits. However, the practice of feeding raw diets to pets is discouraged widely by veterinarians, health officials, and medical organizations in the US and internationally. This view is evidence based, backed by many scientific studies over many years.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises that raw pet food poses significant health risks to pets and humans. Many organizations have released official position statements or endorsed others’ that discourage owners feeding pets raw or undercooked proteins. These include the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV).
There are several concerns about raw and undercooked pet foods:
Bacterial contamination:
- Salmonella
- Listeria
- Campylobacter
- Clostridium
- Escherichia coli (E. coli)
- Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus
Parasitic infection:
- Toxoplasma gondii
- Sarcocystis
- Cryptosporidia
- Giardia
- Echinococcus
- Tapeworms
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI or H5N1):
Cats and dogs can and have contracted HPAI, with cats being especially susceptible. The deaths of several cats that contracted HPAI after consuming raw food diets prompted warnings and new advisories from the FDA and prompted recalls of some raw food products for pets.
Nutrient deficiency and bone fragment harm:
- Many raw diets—especially homemade—may lack necessary nutrients, leading to harmful vitamin and mineral deficiencies in cats and dogs
- Some raw food diets marketed as nutritionally balanced, complete meals are not; they are only supplementary to meals
- Bone fragments in some raw diets can fracture teeth or perforate or obstruct intestines
A large amount of scientific data gathered over the past few decades proves there are substantial health risks to both animals and humans. Bacteria, parasites, and antimicrobial-resistant organisms can harm pets and humans, and have the potential to contaminate the environment through feces. Many of these pathogens can cause acute or chronic illness and can lead to death.
Even when infected pets are asymptomatic, they can pass harmful pathogens into the environment and onto humans and other animals, spreading illness. For example, antibiotic-resistant E. coli is known to spread between humans and pets, and Salmonella can infect humans who handle or come in contact with infected food.
Conflicting views, those that proport a wide range of benefits of feeding raw diets, are based heavily on opinion and lack evidence to support. There are no clinically proven benefits to feeding pets raw food diets, though one study found some raw-fed cats with improved stool quality. After years of debate, evidence still shows that the risks of illness from feeding raw food diets far outweigh any possible benefits.
Those most at risk for foodborne illness if they ingest or come into contact with raw pet food or surfaces raw pet food has touched.:
- Kittens
- Puppies
- Immunocompromised pets or those with certain conditions or digestive issues
- Elderly persons
- Young children
- Immunocompromised people of any age
- Pregnant women
How can owners reduce risk when choosing to feed raw food to pets?
For pet owners who still prefer feeding raw food to pets, it is important to follow guidelines for safe handling to prevent foodborne illness:
- Understand that cleaning and disinfecting are two different things and both are necessary to reduce risk of contamination and illness
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling raw food or touching any contaminated surface or object
- Clean and disinfect surfaces, bowls, and utensils that touch raw food
- Do not use pets’ bowls as scoops—use a separate clean cup or measuring scoop dedicated to pet food only
- Freeze raw products until ready to use and thaw in refrigerator or microwave only—not on counter or in sink
- To avoid splashing raw juices and spreading bacteria, do not rinse raw meat
- Keep raw food separate from other food
- Cover and refrigerate leftovers or throw them out
- Avoid kissing pets or allowing them to lick your face, and wash hands and any other part if your pet licks you
- Clean and disinfect after pets’ meals—any raw food spilled on the floor or other surfaces
- When cooking a pet’s food using raw animal proteins, avoid undercooking
- Talk to a veterinarian about a pet’s overall health and their nutritional needs to ensure they are being met
Raw pet food carries risks of causing illness in pets and people. This is not the debate. The debate is whether the benefits outweigh the risks. Ultimately, owners should talk to their veterinarians to stay informed about their pets’ overall health, their nutritional needs, and how particular diets can support them.
References
AVMA. Cat deaths linked to bird flu-contaminated raw pet food, sparking voluntary recall: Feline susceptibility to H5N1 a cause for vigilance. American Veterinary Medical Association. Published January 15, 2025. https://www.avma.org/news/cat-deaths-linked-bird-flu-contaminated-raw-pet-food-sparking-voluntary-recall
AVMA. Recalls & safety alerts. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/news/recalls-alerts
Axelsson E, Ratnakumar A, Arendt ML, et al. The genomic signature of dog domestication reveals adaptation to a starch-rich diet. Nature. 2013;495(7441):360-364. doi:10.1038/nature11837
Center for Veterinary Medicine. Cat and Dog Food Manufacturers Required to Consider H5N1 in Food Safety Plans. U.S. Food And Drug Administration. Published January 17, 2025. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/cat-and-dog-food-manufacturers-required-consider-h5n1-food-safety-plans
Center for Veterinary Medicine. Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet. U.S. Food And Drug Administration. Published February 22, 2018. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/get-facts-raw-pet-food-diets-can-be-dangerous-you-and-your-pet
Davies RH, Lawes JR, Wales AD. Raw diets for dogs and cats: a review, with particular reference to microbiological hazards. J Small Anim Pract. 2019;60(6):329-339. doi:10.1111/jsap.13000
Lenz J, Joffe D, Kauffman M, Zhang Y, LeJeune J. Perceptions, practices, and consequences associated with foodborne pathogens and the feeding of raw meat to dogs. Can Vet J. 2009;50(6):637-643.
Morgan SK, Willis S, Shepherd ML. Survey of owner motivations and veterinary input of owners feeding diets containing raw animal products. PeerJ. 2017;5:e3031. doi:10.7717/peerj.3031
Nemser SM, Doran T, Grabenstein M, et al. Investigation of Listeria, Salmonella, and Toxigenic Escherichia coli in Various Pet Foods. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. 2014;11(9):706-709. doi:10.1089/fpd.2014.1748
Safety of raw Meat-Based pet food products. Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/policy-and-outreach/position-statements/statements/safety-of-raw-meat-based-pet-food-products/