raw feeding + treats balance

I’ve been feeding raw for two months and my cat is doing great, but I’m struggling to figure out how many treats are okay when I’m already portioning his raw meals carefully.

Salsa is a 4 dsh and he’s super active, but I don’t want to mess up the balance I’ve got going. I try to keep his meals precise, but then he begs for a snack and I feel like I’m ruining the whole point if I just throw in a piece of chicken or a commercial treat. Does anyone have a rule of thumb for how much of his daily calories should come from treats vs the main raw meals? I’m worried about overfeeding him since he’s already a bit on the heavy side.

Welcome to the raw feeding crowd, Lisa. It is a very common question. The general rule is that treats should not exceed 10% of the total daily caloric intake.

To do this, you first need to know his Resting Caloric Requirement (RCR). You can find a good breakdown of how to calculate that in Calculating RCR for indoor cats. Once you have his total daily calories, you can subtract 10% and that is your maximum treat allowance. For instance, if his RCR is 200 calories, his treats should not add up to more than 20 calories a day. It is better to use small pieces of the raw meat you are already feeding rather than commercial treats, which often have fillers.

Thanks Sharon! I’ll look at that thread. I was actually using some of the raw meat as treats, but I didn’t have a number to aim for. Salsa also has fleas which is a pain, so I’m trying to keep his immune system strong. Does raw feeding help with the fleas or is that just a coincidence? I posted about that earlier in Fleas on a raw fed cat but I’m still not sure if the diet is helping or if I just need to keep up with the spot-on treatment.

While the 10% rule is standard, one must also consider the nutritional density of the treats. If you are using commercial treats, check the ingredient list carefully. Many contain grains or starches which are not ideal for cats on a raw diet.

I have found that using freeze-dried raw meat pieces is the most consistent method. It ensures that the treat is part of the same nutritional profile as the main meal. You can see some options and discussion in Low carb treats for diabetic and raw cats. It is important to weigh the treats if you are being very precise, as visual estimation can lead to overfeeding.

I agree with Pam about weighing things. I’m new to raw feeding for my Milo, a 3-year-old orange tabby. I’ve been reading a lot about the transition period and how to tell if they are actually digesting the food well.

I’m a bit anxious about getting the ratios right, especially since he is so energetic. I found this thread helpful when I was starting out: Transitioning to raw: signs of success. It mentioned that stool quality is a big indicator. Does anyone else use stool consistency to adjust their treat portions? I feel like I’m overthinking it, but I want to make sure I’m not causing any digestive upset with the extra snacks.

Okay, so I’m going to weigh my treats from now on. That makes sense. I was just eyeballing it which is probably why I felt like he was gaining weight even though I thought I was portioning correctly.

Also, I’m using some raw meaty bones for dental health, which I read about in Safe raw bones for dental health. Are those counted in the 10% treat allowance or are they considered part of the main diet? I’m trying to figure out if I need to reduce his main meal portions if I’m giving him bones on the side. I don’t want to underfeed him but I also don’t want to overfeed. Any advice on how to balance bones with the raw meat portions?