Raw bones for cats are safe as long as you feed the right ones and supervise feeding.
Never feed cooked bones as they can splinter and cause your cat harm.
Raw meaty bones, however, provide jaw exercise, good teeth cleaning, and mental stimulation.
It’s also important to balance raw meaty bones in the diet for proper digestion.
Here’s your guide to raw meaty bones for cats:
- Are raw bones good for cats?
- What raw bones are safe for cats?
- How much raw bones should a cat eat?
- Where to buy raw bones for cats
- How do you feed raw meaty bones to cats?
- Why can’t cats eat cooked bones?
Note: Cats are sensitive to dietary changes. Please read through my guides thoroughly before making changes.
Disclaimer: I earn a commission if you purchase through affiliate links below. No additional cost to you.
Are raw bones good for cats?
Yes, raw meaty bones are good for cats. Wild cats eat the entire prey, including all of the bones.
So a balanced raw diet with raw meaty bones is the best way to replicate the cat’s natural diet.
Bones provide the most natural source of calcium for cats.
The benefits of raw meaty bones are endless! Raw meaty bones provide jaw exercise, mental stimulation, and teeth cleaning.
What raw bones are safe for cats?
Raw chicken and quail bones are the safest for cats. They are small and soft but not too small that they will choke.
Raw chicken necks, wings (cut up), and feet are perfectly safe to feed to your cat. All quail bones are also soft enough for your cat to chew on.
Jericho has also eaten duck necks (some parts are too big) and small rabbit front legs.
Cornish game hen bones are also small enough for cats to chew.
Again, think about what your cat would eat in the wild.
Adult mice are only about 1 ounce (28 grams). So you want to feed small and soft raw meaty bones to your cat.
Avoid weight-bearing bones like thighs, beef bones, turkey necks, and similar large bones.
How much raw bones should a cat eat?
The amount of raw bones a cat should eat is 7-10% of a cat’s overall raw diet. Some cats should eat more or fewer bones.
You will have to adjust this based on your cat’s individual needs.
The 7-10% guideline comes from the average of the cat’s natural prey.
Mice and rats contain approximately 5% bone. But a whole quail and whole rabbit are around 10% bone.
Add more bones if your cat’s stool needs firming up. Feed fewer bones if your cat’s stool is too hard and chalky.
Hare Today has a raw food ratio calculator that can help you balance a PMR diet.
Read BARF vs PMR if you need help deciding which raw diet model is best for your cat. There are important differences and cons you should know about first.
Where to buy raw bones for cats
My favorite places to buy raw bones for my cat are Hare Today and Raw Feeding Miami.
Both raw pet food suppliers have a large variety of protein options including raw meaty bones and whole prey.
They also have excellent rewards programs. These rewards help you save money!
Just create an account. You’ll earn rewards points on every order.
And you can share your referral link with friends and family to earn more discounts.
Hare Today’s rewards program is set up like this…
Points can be redeemed in 100-point increments, with every 100 points worth $2.00 off your purchase. You can use as many points as you want.
I was able to save over $100 with these points!
Raw Feeding Miami’s rewards program is set up differently.
You will get a fixed amount off your order per a fixed number of points. For example, you’ll get a $5 off coupon for 500 points.
And you can get 10% off your Raw Feeding Miami order using my referral link.
I currently buy whole prey quail from Raw Feeding Miami.
But I buy chicken wings from my local farmers’ market. I cut them up, give some to Jericho during the week, and I eat the rest.
Ask the farmer about their handling practices and only buy clean meat.
If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t feed it to your cat.
Ready to make your cat’s food at home? Get my Homemade Cat Food Starter Kit video course!
How do you feed raw meaty bones to cats?
Always supervise feeding raw meaty bones to cats. Use a food mat to keep your areas sanitary. And feed multiple cats in separate areas.
If your cat isn’t eating raw currently, you will have to transition to whole chunks of meat first. Start with lean white protein and smaller bones like chicken wingettes.
Your cat may not realize that the raw meaty bone is food. So you may have to top the bone with some meat chunks.
I used to top off Jericho’s whole quail chunks with some ground raw food. This gets him licking and eating.
Now he just goes all in since he’s adjusted to it.
He took to chicken wings right away too!
Safety tips for feeding raw meaty bones:
- 7-10% of overall diet
- Always supervise feeding
- Thaw in refrigerator 24 hours before feeding
- Do not leave out for more than 20 minutes
- Use a food mat and digital scale
- Keep a journal
Keeping a journal is essential because you’ll have to adjust bone content based on your individual cat’s needs.
Knowing your cat intimately is the best form of preventive care.
Check out my printable planners on Etsy!
Why can’t cats eat cooked bones?
Cats can’t eat cooked bones because they become brittle and splinter easily. This can cause serious harm to their teeth and insides.
Cooked bones harden and turn to shards. Cooking also removes a lot of moisture and nutrition.
But raw meaty bones are soft, pliable, and easy to chew. They also contain fresh nutrients.
Final thoughts on raw bones for cats
Raw meaty bones are great for cats, but you have to feed the right ones.
Avoid weight-bearing bones that are too large for your cat.
Smaller bones like chicken necks, wings, feet, quail, and pinkie rabbits are suitable for cats.
Never feed cooked bones to your cat. And always supervise feeding.
Aim for 7-10% of your cat’s diet, and monitor your cat’s stool to avoid constipation.
Ready to go from raw to a homemade raw meaty bones diet? Join my Homemade Made Simple membership for complete raw meaty bone recipes, meal prep videos, and live coaching with me every month.
