🐾 Raw Diet Guide
Many families are curious about feeding their Bengal a raw diet — and it’s easy to see why. Bengals are athletic, energetic cats with a natural love for fresh, protein‑rich foods. A thoughtfully prepared raw diet can support healthy digestion, a shiny coat, strong muscles, and overall well‑being.
This guide is here to help you understand the basics in a calm, simple, and supportive way. Whether you choose raw, high‑quality kibble, wet food, or a combination, we’re here to help you make the choice that feels right for your home.
❤️ Why Some Families Choose Raw Feeding
A balanced raw diet can offer several benefits:
• Healthy skin and a glossy coat
• Smaller, less‑odorous stools
• Strong muscle tone
• Steady energy
• Improved hydration
• A diet closer to what cats naturally thrive on
Many Bengals enjoy raw food because it’s rich in flavor and moisture — and it aligns beautifully with their active, athletic nature.
🌿 What a Balanced Raw Diet Looks Like
A proper raw diet is more than just raw meat. It should mimic the natural composition of a whole prey animal.
A balanced raw diet typically includes:
• Muscle meat (the main component)
• Edible bone (for calcium and minerals)
• Organ meat (especially liver, for essential nutrients)
Some families choose to add:
• Omega‑3 supplements
• Probiotics
• Egg yolks
• Small amounts of fiber
ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT is Taurine as cats can not produce this themselves and it can affect their hearts and brains.
Balance is key — and we’re always happy to help guide you.
🐆 Store‑Bought vs. Homemade Raw
Store‑Bought Raw (Easiest Option)
Many families choose commercially prepared raw diets because they are:
• Convenient
• Balanced to meet nutritional standards
• Easy to portion and store
• Available in many proteins
This is a wonderful option for beginners.
Homemade Raw (For Experienced Raw Feeders)
Homemade raw diets can be excellent, but they require:
• Careful balancing
• Safe handling
• Knowledge of supplements
• Consistent preparation
If you choose this route, we’re happy to share general guidance and reputable resources.
🧡 Transitioning to Raw — Go Slowly
If your kitten is currently eating kibble or wet food, a gentle transition helps prevent tummy upset.
A typical transition might look like:
1. Start with a small amount of raw mixed into their current food
2. Slowly increase the raw portion over several days
3. Watch for firm stools and good appetite
4. Adjust the pace based on your kitten’s comfort
Every kitten is different — and that’s perfectly okay.
🧼 Food Safety Tips
Raw feeding can be safe and simple with a few basic habits:
• Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw food
• Thaw in the refrigerator, not on the counter
• Store raw portions properly
• Use stainless steel or ceramic bowls
• Discard uneaten raw food after mealtime
These small steps keep your home clean and your kitten healthy.
🩺 When Raw Feeding May Not Be Ideal
While many Bengals thrive on raw diets, some situations call for caution:
• Households with immunocompromised individuals
• Families uncomfortable with raw handling
• Kittens with sensitive stomachs
• Homes where food safety may be difficult to maintain
A high‑quality wet or kibble diet is still a wonderful choice — your kitten can thrive on many types of nutrition.
💛 A Note From Our Family
We believe in supporting families, not pressuring them. Raw feeding can be a beautiful option, but it’s not the only path to a healthy, happy Bengal. What matters most is that your kitten is loved, nourished, and cared for — and we’re here to help you every step of the way.
If you ever have questions about raw feeding, transitioning diets, or choosing the right food for your kitten, please reach out. We’re always happy to guide you with warmth and honesty.
Cats are Obligate Carnivours, meaning they have a biological requirement for nutrients found only in animal tissue, like taurine, arachidonic acid, and specific vitamins, which they cannot synthesize from plants.
For those that would rather not make their own food, we have a link above to purchase it from, "Viva Raw".
We have ordered from Viva Raw and have had great success feeding it. Our cats love the varieties and we love the fast shipping. If your baby is new to eating raw we suggest starting out with a single protein like Chicken.
The recipes they use are what is called a 80/10/10 mix meaning its 80% meat, 10% ground bone and 10 % secreting organs, like liver.
This code gives first time buyers 20% off your first order so we always suggest making the most of it: TIKKASKYBENGALS.
SUPPLEMENTS
If you're feeding any kind of Raw, supplements are a must.
We use NuVet Plus Feline for all our cats & kittens.
You'll need our access code to order which is in the link above.
TAURINE IS A MUST FOR CATS!
Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid, but it is often referred to as an amino acid, a chemical that is a required building block of protein. Taurine is found in large amounts in the brain, retina, heart, and blood cells called platelets. The best food sources for taurine are meat and fish. In most animals it is a ‘conditional amino acid’ in that it can be synthesized by the body. However, in members of the cat family, it becomes as ‘essential amino acid’ because it can not be manufactured be the body and must be provided by the diet.
Taurine is essential for cardiovascular function, the development and function of skeletal muscle, retinal health and function of the central nervous system. If you feed a commercial processed pet food (canned or kibble diet) that is likely low in natural taurine, it will contain a synthetic substance produced in a laboratory be a chemical process but still misleadingly referred to as taurine on the label.
Taurine plays a role in the maintenance of normal contractile functions of the heart. Without sufficient taurine in the diet, an animal can develope dilated cardiomyopathy. This is a condition in which the hearts main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, is enlarged and weakened. This can lead to heart failure if taurine is not added to the diet soon enough.
- Shellfish: Scallops, mussels, and clams contain high amounts of taurine.
- Fish: Tuna, yellow sea bream, and white fish (cod, haddock).
- Meat: Dark meat of chicken and turkey (thighs, drumsticks) and beef.
Make your own Raw Grind using 80/10/10 mix
Below you will find a link on a grinder that will handle chicken and turkey bones and a recipe calculator to help you figure out how much of Meat, Bone and Secreting Organs you will need.
We use the 80/10/10 mix on all our home grinds and the cats love it.
We use a WESTON 22 grinder but if you have one that will grind Chicken Bone, it will work.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember is that you will still need to add supplements, which is why we use and recommend
NuVet Plus Feline (link above).