Ginger cat at food bowl

Cat Reviews Freeze-Dried Raw Food

Dear humans,

 

Ginger Grrrl here.

 

I’ve eaten a lot of things in my life. Some came from shiny bowls, some from high up in trees, and some from questionable dumpsters. So when my humans were asked to try Freeze-dried raw food, I knew it deserved a closer sniff.

So What Is Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food?

Let me break it down in plain cat terms. Freeze-dried raw food is meat that’s been:

 

  • Flash-frozen
  • Put in a vacuum
  • Dried without heat, so it stays raw

No cooking. No crunching. Just whole meat.

Because no heat is used, freeze-drying helps preserve the good stuff that we cats crave:

 

  • Natural enzymes (which are good for my gut)
  • Vitamins and minerals that hate cooking
  • A nice, meaty smell (Boulder Holistic Vet, Nov 2025). 
two cats on kitchen floor
These cats are ready to try raw.

Humans say their cats on raw diets often have more energy, shinier coats, better digestion, stronger muscles—and litter boxes that don’t offend the neighborhood (Malmanger 2021).

 

That said, not every cat thrives on raw. We’re individuals. Kwazi, Uli, and I like raw food, but some cats refuse anything unfamiliar, like my step-sister Chi. If she were a human, she’d probably love McDonald’s.

Why Raw Makes Sense to a Carnivore Like Me

Here’s the thing: we cats are obligate carnivores. That’s a fancy way of saying I’m built to eat meat. Not corn. Not peas. Definitely not mystery fillers.

 

Good freeze-dried raw food usually has:

 

  • 90–98% meat, organs, and bone
  • Zero fillers
  • Zero artificial junk

Compare that to a lot of kibble, which contains carbohydrates I’d never catch in the wild.

two cats eating in kitchen
Uli and Kwazi had no complaints.

Listen Up: Add Water!

My dear human, cats evolved in dry places, so we get most of our moisture from food.

 

Unlike wet food (that’s about 75% moisture) and dry kibble (about 10%), freeze-dried raw has about 2% moisture. We need you to rehydrate freeze-dried food so we don’t get sick.

Is Raw Food Safe?

Now we get to the serious part. Raw and freeze-dried foods can carry more bacteria, viruses, and parasites than cooked foods, posing health risks to both humans and cats.

 

In one study, 16% of frozen raw products contained Salmonella enterica. Researchers also identified E. coli in frozen raw food (Brahmakshatriya et al., 2009). Moreover, freeze-drying doesn’t always kill bacteria—it can put them to sleep, waiting to wake up later (that’s when they show up in the litter box).

 

This means is that you must take safety precautions when using raw. My cat parents know one human who’s fed her cats raw for over fifteen years without any problems. Of course, she follows strict safety rules and advice given by veterinary professionals.

 

If you’re going raw, be smart:

  • Choose brands that use a “kill step” (see below).
  • And you probably want to skip raw altogether if you live with beings who are young, elderly, or have a weakened immune system, because these humans can become seriously ill or die from these pathogens.

The Importance of a “Kill Step”

One of two processes is needed to reduce dangerous pathogens:

 

  • High-Pressure Processing (HPP): Uses intense cold-water pressure to kill bacteria.
  • E-beam irradiation: Uses controlled radiation to reduce microbes and viruses.

Watch us try out the raw food!

These steps can help you relax—while we cats enjoy our meals in peace.

Handle It Right, Human

Even with safety steps, you still need to be clean about it. The USDA says:

 

  • Clean: Wash hands, bowls, and surfaces.
  • Separate: Keep raw pet food away from human food.
  • Chill: Refrigerate leftovers right away.
  • Follow directions: Don’t wing it.

How to Choose a Good Freeze-Dried Raw Food

Best practices for buying raw include:

 

  • Transparency: Does the company explain how it keeps food safe?
  • A kill step: HPP or e-beam technology
  • Nutritional balance: Meat, organs, bone—and an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement

Whole-prey nutrition matters.

Other Options Besides Raw

Let’s be real. Some humans can’t afford raw food.

 

Also, not every cat likes it.

 

And importantly, even holistic vets say that raw diets aren’t right for every cat (Boulder Holistic Vet, Oct 2025).

 

Luckily, many of the benefits of raw diets can be achieved in other ways (Delgado, Dec 2025). Good alternatives, include:

 

  • High-quality canned foods
  • Protein-focused commercial diets
  • Freshly cooked meats (Delgado, Dec 2025)

Other types of cat food, especially canned, may not be the best, but they do taste delicious.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about raw versus cooked food. Vets want us to remember these facts:

  • Kibble is the most processed form of food, but the truth is, plenty of cats eat it and live long, happy lives.
  • Quality canned food is still a good choice for moisture and protein.
  • Cats with kidney or urinary health problems do well on special canned prescription diets, such as Hills c/d (Boulder Holistic Vet, Oct 2025).

Final Thoughts from Ginger

No matter what type of cat food you choose, look for:

 

  • Real meat as the first ingredient(s)
  • No unnecessary fillers
  • An AAFCO statement

 

Freeze-dried raw food is a nutrient-dense healthy meal. Just remember:

 

  • Handle it safely.
  • Choose brands with strong safety practices
  • Check for nutritional guarantees.
  • Always add moisture.

Feed us like the hunters we are—even if we now hunt in the living room.

Peace out ~ Ginger

 😼😸🐈

 

Please share a comment below.

Written by Ginger Grrrl with a little help from Mewla Young, December 2025. 

REFERENCES

 

Boulder Holistic Vet (21nov2025). Episode 32-The Raw Dog Food Controversy: What You Must Know Before You Feed Raw. Tails of Truth Podcast. https://boulderholisticvet.com/pages/podcast?srsltid=AfmBOooVEGrVwxUpJBpi0at42G4ss98zQeZfNlpm9md34fcN5YvCQLz2&q=Pet+vaccine

Boulder Holistic Vet (31oct2025). Episode 29- What to Feed Your Cat: From Fancy Feast to Raw. Tails of Truth Podcast. https://boulderholisticvet.com/pages/podcast?srsltid=AfmBOooVEGrVwxUpJBpi0at42G4ss98zQeZfNlpm9md34fcN5YvCQLz2&q=Pet+vaccine

Brahmakshatriya V, Lupiani B, Brinlee JL, Cepeda M, Pillai SD, Reddy SM. Preliminary study for evaluation of avian influenza virus inactivation in contaminated poultry products using electron beam irradiation. Avian Pathol. Jun2009;38(3):245-50. doi: 10.1080/03079450902912150. PMID: 19468943. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/03079450902912150?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

Delgado, M. M. (18dec2025). What’s in that raw and freeze-dried cat food? Turns out it’s more than food. Downloaded 18dec2025 from https://whatyourcatwants.com/whats-in-that-raw-and-freeze-dried-cat-food-turns-out-its-more-than-food

FDA (US Food and Drug Administration), 03/05/2024. Food Irradiation: What You Need to Know. Downloaded 18dec2025 from https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-irradiation-what-you-need-know#:~:text=How%20Will%20I%20Know%20if,irradiation”%20on%20the%20food%20label.

Malmanger DMV, E.  (19jan21). Is Freeze-Dried Cat Food Better? Downloaded 18dec2025 from https://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/freeze-dried-cat-food-better

USDA (US Department of Agriculture). Irradiation and Food Safety FAQ. Downloaded 18dec2025 from https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/irradiation-and-food-safety-

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