🥩 Feeding Pets Raw Food: Benefits, Risks, and How to Do It Safely
I’ll never forget the day I opened the fridge to get pepper soup ingredients and instead grabbed Blaze’s raw meat mix. I was halfway through seasoning it before I realized it smelled a bit too... "zoo-like." I screamed. Tolu laughed. Stu ran. Blaze barked like he was calling his lawyer. He'd been following me around but I didn't know the reason.
It was my first attempt at raw feeding, and let’s just say—my kitchen has never been the same.
🧪 Did You Know?
Dogs and cats, by nature, are carnivores. Before commercial pet food, many were fed raw meat, bones, and scraps. The BARF diet (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) was coined in the 1990s and is still popular among natural pet feeders today.
But here’s the catch: raw feeding isn’t just about slapping uncooked chicken into a bowl. It requires balance, care, and cleanliness to avoid health risks—for both your pets and you.
💡 What I’ve Learned (The Hard Way):
🔍 Raw feeding can improve coat shine, digestion, and energy levels.
🔍 It’s not a one-meat-fits-all deal—you must include organ meat, bones, and supplements.
🔍 Bacteria is real. Salmonella doesn’t care that Blaze is your baby.
🔍 Cats can be even more sensitive than dogs—transitioning too fast can harm them.
🔍 You can’t store raw meals like you store leftover rice. Airtight, cold, and dated is key.
🍖 What We’re Practicing:
✍️ Blaze and Raya get raw meals twice a week (chicken necks, liver, pumpkin purée).
✍️ Stu? He sniffed it once and left. He’s team “Cook It or I Riot.”
✍️ We freeze raw portions in labeled bags (color-coded because children + chaos).
✍️ I prep meals with gloves and clean surfaces like I’m working in a lab.
✍️ We balance raw days with dry kibble days to avoid deficiencies.
🐕 What You Should Take Seriously:
✅ Consult your vet before you start raw feeding—especially if your pet has health issues.
✅ Raw diets must be nutritionally complete—imbalances can cause major problems over time.
✅ Sanitize prep areas thoroughly—don’t forget kids may touch those same surfaces.
✅ Store properly: refrigerate what you’ll use in 2 days; freeze the rest.
✅ Keep an eye out for choking hazards, especially with raw bones.
🛒 Fur Mom Lifesavers:
⭐ Instinct Raw Boost Mixers – Freeze-Dried Raw Bits
⭐ Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers – Airtight and Pet-Proof
⭐ Dexas Mud buster – Because Raw Means Messy Paws
📺 How It Ended:
The pepper soup didn’t happen that night. But Blaze got a well-seasoned sniff of what raw meat might taste like in Mama’s kitchen. Now he lingers by the fridge like a furry food critic. Tolu told his friends at school that "Mummy cooks for the dog but not Daddy." Sigh.
We’re not full-time raw feeders—but we do it intentionally. The pets love it. We got a smaller freezer just for raw food. We figured its more hygienic that way.
📝 Final Thoughts:
⏹️ Raw feeding can be wonderful—if done right.
⏹️ It’s not cheap, it’s not easy, but it can be worth it.
⏹️ Always prioritize safety, sanitation, and balance.
⏹️ No shortcuts when it comes to your pet’s belly.
🐾 Up Next: Homemade Meals and Treats for Pets: Pros, Cons, and How to Balance Nutrients
Also known as: How I accidentally made a batch of cookies the dog liked more than a bouncy ball. 👀
😂 Affiliate Disclosure:
Some of these links earn me a tiny commission—basically enough to buy Blaze one raw chicken wing or Stu a new attitude. No pressure, but every click feeds a furry ego (and maybe a hungry child if Tolu snatches petpet treats again).
Signing Out✌️
Nene Ajayi
Pet chef, fridge guard, and accidental raw food taster.
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