Raw feeding has become a popular trend, with many owners believing it’s “natural,” “healthier,” or closer to what dogs and cats would eat in the wild. But when it comes to puppies and kittens, a raw diet can be far more dangerous than people realise. Young, growing animals have delicate nutritional needs, immature immune systems, and developing bones; all of which can be seriously affected by an unbalanced or contaminated diet.
1. Nutritional Imbalances Can Cause Lifelong Damage
Puppies and kittens are not miniature adults. Their bodies require very specific amounts of:
Calcium and phosphorus
Protein and essential amino acids
Vitamins (A, D, E, B-complex)
Trace minerals (copper, iodine, zinc)
Fatty acids
Raw diets (especially home-prepared ones) often fail to meet growth requirements. Too much or too little of any one nutrient can lead to:
Bone deformities
Joint problems
Stunted or uneven growth
Developmental orthopaedic disease
Weak teeth and poor skeletal strength
Muscle wasting or poor immune development
A small imbalance during the growth phase can create permanent, irreversible skeletal problems.
2. Dangerous Bacterial Contamination
Raw meat is a high-risk food. Common pathogens found in raw diets include:
Salmonella
E. coli
Campylobacter
Listeria
Puppies and kittens have immature immune systems, making them much more vulnerable to infection. These bacteria can cause:
Severe diarrhoea
Vomiting
Fever
Bloody stool
Sepsis
Death in very young or immunocompromised animals
These pathogens can also spread to children and adults in the home through:
Food bowls
Licking
Contaminated surfaces
Shedding in the pet’s stool
This makes raw feeding a household health risk, not just a pet risk.
3. Bone Hazards: Broken Teeth, Obstructions, and Perforations
Many raw diets include whole or ground bones. For a puppy or kitten still developing teeth, jaws, and gastrointestinal strength, bones can cause:
Broken or fractured teeth
Choking
Intestinal blockage
Constipation
Sharp bone fragments perforating the intestines
These emergencies often require costly surgical intervention, and in some cases can be fatal.
4. Poor Growth and Weak Immune Development
Growing animals need consistent, predictable calories and nutrients every day. Raw diets (especially DIY recipes) vary hugely in:
Calorie density
Fat content
Protein quality
Micronutrient supply
This inconsistency can lead to:
Underweight or overweight growth
Reduced immunity
Slow muscle development
Delayed milestones in development
Commercial veterinary diets are formulated to avoid these risks- raw diets rarely are.
5. No Proven Benefits Over Balanced Veterinary Diets
Despite marketing claims, research has not shown that raw diets provide better long-term health, reduced disease, or improved longevity compared with high-quality commercial diets. What’s well-documented, however, are:
Higher bacterial contamination rates
Increased skeletal growth problems
Greater nutritional imbalances
For puppies and kittens, the risks far outweigh the potential benefits.
Safer Alternatives: What to Feed Instead
If you want the best for your growing pet, choose:
✔ A high-quality, AAFCO/FEDIAF-approved puppy or kitten food
Formulated specifically for growth and development.
✔ Wet or dry veterinary diets
Highly digestible, safe, and nutritionally complete.
✔ If you must feed raw
Do so only under the guidance of a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and ensure the diet is truly “complete and balanced for growth.”
Raw feeding may seem appealing, but for puppies and kittens it carries significant and preventable risks. Their bodies are still forming: bones, organs, and neurological systems, and they rely entirely on you to give them the safest foundation possible.
Choosing a balanced, veterinarian-approved diet is the most reliable way to support healthy growth and protect your young pet from avoidable illness and long-term harm.