If you decide you want to give raw feeding a go, you can do a few things to mitigate some of the raw feeding risks.

As we’ve seen, many raw diets are not correctly balanced for nutrients - and even if they are, a lack of feeding trials means that the diet may have nutrients that aren’t bioavailable to the cat. The problem is that we don’t know that until cats start to suffer problems. So, to try to reduce the risk, you should ensure that any diet you do buy comes from a large, well-known company that has formulated the diet to be complete and balanced. If you can find a company that has done or is doing feeding trials to prove their diet is safe - even better. Another way to mitigate the risk of unbalanced raw nutrition is not to feed it at every meal but to alternate it with your cat's regular diet. This allows them to get any vitamins or minerals they're missing from their kibble or wet food. Do bear in mind, though, that cats can be fussy and may not take to having their food alternated like this.

Safe storage and handling of raw food are essential to minimize the risk of you, your family, or your cats becoming ill. Most raw food is sent frozen, so it’s best to have a dedicated freezer for the food so that any salmonella or other contamination doesn’t pass to your food. Remember, freezers don't kill all bacteria - they just slow it down. You'll also need to defrost it - usually at fridge temperature - and again, we recommend a covered container separate from your own refrigerated items. Your cat should have a dedicated bowl, and any fork or spoon you use for portioning their food should be separate from your own. You should also have a good cleaning regime - the fork and bowl should be cleaned in very hot soapy water and food-safe, pet-safe sanitizer after each feed - remember that many sanitizers need to stay in contact with the dish for several minutes to work effectively. You will also need to wash your hands well after handling the food.

Lastly, don’t forget that people in the house - or people your cat comes into contact with outside - will need to be religious about washing their hands if you feed your cat raw. Your cat will spread bacteria from the meat over their coat when grooming, which can quickly transfer to hands when they're being petted. Children and elderly relatives should be particularly careful about touching the cat.