Last updated Aug 19, 2024
Marketed as food for true carnivores, RAWZ cat food is minimally processed and packed with animal protein, but is it the right choice for your cat? Find out in our unbiased RAWZ review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating RAWZ on What Matters
We’ve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality. Here’s how it rates in each of these six crucial areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 9/10
- Ingredient Quality – 9/10
- Product Variety – 8/10
- Price – 6/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 10/10
Overall Score: 8.1/10
In total, we give RAWZ cat food a 49 out of 60 rating or a A- grade.
Why Trust Cats.com
I’ve spent the past 15 years learning what cats need in terms of nutrition, and perhaps more importantly, what kind of cat food they actually like. With the help of my own cats—who are professional product testers at this point—I’ve reviewed dozens of major cat food brands and evaluated hundreds of products.
To write this detailed review, I spent time researching RAWZ to assess the quality of the products and customer satisfaction with the brand. Along with other members of the Cats.com team and their cats, I put several products to the test. Our testing process is designed to evaluate a cat food product’s overall appeal and species appropriateness with particular attention paid to metrics like aroma, texture, and ingredient quality.
About RAWZ
The story of RAWZ dates back to 1961 when Jim Scott Sr. purchased the Old Mother Hubbard line of dog products. Jim Scott III founded RAWZ Natural Pet Food in 2005 with a mission to provide pet owners with nutritionally exceptional recipes using the highest meat content possible. Through the RAWZ brand, the Scott family also makes an effort to give back to their communities and to pets around the country.
It is the company’s goal to utilize natural alternatives to highly processed ingredients traditionally used in pet foods. Every product RAWZ offers is made with the strictest attention to detail, quality, and safety. They use only fresh and dehydrated animal proteins—no meat meals—and all products are free from grains and potatoes.
Established in 2015, the RAWZ Fund was inspired by two of the Scott sons who acquired life-altering injuries and experienced the love and support only a dog can give through their family’s yellow lab, Boomer. In recognizing Boomer’s crucial role, the family pledged to donate 100% of their profits to support service dog training and placement programs.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
All RAWZ pet food products are cooked in small batches to ensure safety and quality. The company comments that “the moisture in our fresh poultry and fish supplies everything needed to cook the food in their own juices.” No water needed.
Most RAWZ pet food products are made in the United States using ingredients sourced primarily from the USA and Canada, with some spices and supplements being sourced from Europe and Asia. RAWZ shredded formulas are manufactured in Thailand by Chotiwat Manufacturing Company.
RAWZ comments that Chotiwat is “an award-winning human-grade facility with some of the highest standards in quality and safety, as well as environmental and human affairs.” The products made by Chotiwat contain many of the same ingredients as the U.S.-made recipes.
Recall History
The RAWZ product line is still fairly new, but it has been around long enough for a recall to happen. That being said, it can only be construed as good news that it hasn’t. To our knowledge, the RAWZ brand has not had a single recall to date for either their wet food or dry food products.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does RAWZ Offer?
RAWZ offers a wide range of cat food products, including both dry food and wet food options. Though RAWZ only offers three dry food formulas—one single-protein rabbit recipe and two multi-protein recipes—there are dozens of wet food flavors to choose from.
The most common proteins featured in RAWZ formulas include:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Rabbit
- Duck
- Beef
Most RAWZ canned cat foods come in pâté texture, though there’s a small selection of gravy-style foods made with bone broth. RAWZ offers a line of therapeutic canned cat foods formulated to support specific dietary or health needs, as well as a handful of life stage-specific recipes for kittens and senior cats.
The most popular RAWZ canned foods are single-protein recipes made with 96% muscle meat and liver. These recipes are often recommended for cats with food allergies and sensitivities—especially the formulas featuring novel proteins like rabbit and duck.
Finally, RAWZ shredded foods are available in cans and pouches. The pouches are marketed as food toppers, though all RAWZ products are considered nutritionally complete according to AAFCO nutrient profiles for cats.
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
RAWZ Cat Food: Top 4 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Price | Our Grade |
| RAWZ Meal Free Dehydrated Chicken, Turkey, and Chicken Recipe Dry Food | Dry | Chicken | $0.56 per oz. | B- |
| RAWZ 96% Turkey and Turkey Liver Pâté | Wet | Turkey | $0.55 per oz. | A |
| RAWZ Anjou Aku Tuna and Salmon Recipe Wet Food Pouches | Wet | Tuna | $1.33 per oz. | A- |
| RAWZ Real Rabbit Dry Food for Cats | Dry | Rabbit | $0.64 per oz. | B- |
#1 RAWZ Meal Free Dehydrated Chicken, Turkey, and Chicken Recipe Dry Food
One of two multi-protein dry food formulas RAWZ has to offer, this recipe features dehydrated chicken and dehydrated deboned chicken as the top two ingredients. In fact, the first seven ingredients are all high-quality sources of animal protein that come from chicken or turkey.
Aside from the animal ingredients, this formula contains several starches and plant-based sources of fiber. The starch serves primarily as a binder to help facilitate the extrusion process. The food also contains dried peas, however, which may contribute to the 44% dry matter protein content.
Overall, this is a high-protein, moderate-fat dry food formula packed with animal ingredients and natural poultry flavor. It’s higher in carbohydrates than we’d like, but that’s typical for dry food.
Ingredients
Dehydrated Chicken, Dehydrated Deboned Chicken, Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Liver, Turkey Liver, Turkey Heart, Pea Starch, Tapioca Starch, Dried Peas, Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Flaxseeds, Dried Tomato Pomace, Salt, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Carbonate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Calcium Iodate), Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Taurine, Citric Acid (Preservative), Rosemary Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Dehydrated Chicken, Dehydrated Deboned Chicken, Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Liver, Turkey Liver, Turkey Heart, Dried Egg Product
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Pea Starch, Tapioca Starch, Dried Peas
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Top seven ingredients are animal-sourced
- Contains more than 44% dry matter protein
- Small kibbles are easy for cats to eat
What We Didn’t Like:
- No dry food provides the moisture cats need
- Multi-protein formula might not be appropriate for cats with allergies
#2 RAWZ 96% Turkey and Turkey Liver Pâté
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
This Turkey & Turkey Liver Pâté recipe features real turkey as the main ingredient and a single source of animal protein. Having a single source of protein is particularly important for cats with food allergies or sensitivities, but can really be a benefit for any cat. We also appreciate the inclusion of nutrient-dense turkey liver.
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
As is common with wet cat food, there are fewer carbohydrate ingredients than in the dry food recipe. Dandelion greens are really the only source we see, and they are more nutritious than something like tapioca starch. The total estimated carbohydrate content of this recipe is negligible.
Ingredients
Turkey, Turkey Broth, Turkey Liver, Fenugreek Seeds, Dandelion Greens, Taurine, Natural Flavor, Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Salmon Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Salt, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Biotin.
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Turkey Liver, Salmon Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Single source of high-quality animal protein
- Very low in carbohydrates
- Rich in hydrating moisture
- May be appropriate for cats with food allergies
What We Didn’t Like:
- Some reviewers’ cats did not like the flavor
#3 RAWZ Anjou Aku Tuna and Salmon Recipe Wet Food Pouches
In addition to canned wet food recipes, RAWZ also offers a line of wet food pouches cooked in broth. This recipe features tuna and salmon as the primary flavors and, as you would hope, both are included in the first three ingredients.
Unlike the previous canned food recipe, this formula does contain some tapioca starch. That isn’t uncommon in gravy-style cat foods and cat foods in broth. Even with this starch, however, the carbohydrate content of the food is negligible.
Ingredients
Tuna, Fish Broth, Salmon, Tapioca Starch, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium Iodate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite), Sunflower Oil, Fish Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Calcium Chloride, Vitamins (Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Parsley, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, Salt.
Ingredients We Liked: Tuna, Salmon, Fish Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca Starch
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Contains more than 78% dry matter protein
- Rich in hydrating moisture
- Shredded texture is easy for cats to eat
- Negligible carbohydrate content
What We Didn’t Like:
- Significantly more expensive than other RAWZ wet foods
#4 RAWZ Real Rabbit Dry Food for Cats
For cats that prefer kibble but require a limited-ingredient or novel-protein diet, this rabbit recipe from RAWZ might be a good option. It contains rabbit as the single source of animal protein, though it also contains a concentrated source of plant protein. Measured as dry matter, the total protein content is just under 40%.
The primary source of added fat in this formula is plant-based as well. Marine microalgae oil appears at the end of the list, however, offering a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. The food also has a freeze-dried rabbit coating to enhance its flavor.
Ingredients
Rabbit Meal, Peas, Pea Protein, Rabbit, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Choline Chloride, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement), Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamins (Pantothenic Acid), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamins (Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Folic Acid, Biotin, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate), Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Potassium Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), dl-Methionine, Marine Microalgae Oil (Algal Oil)(Source of EPA & DHA), Rosemary Extract.
Ingredients We Liked: Rabbit Meal, Rabbit, Marine Microalgae Oil
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Peas, Pea Protein, Sunflower Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked:
- Made with a single source of animal protein
- May be appropriate for cats with food allergies
- Contains nearly 40% dry matter protein
- Small kibbles are easy for cats to eat
What We Didn’t Like:
- No dry food provides the moisture cats need
- Contains plant protein concentrate
What Do Customers Think of RAWZ?
Because RAWZ is primarily sold by small, independent pet retailers, online reviews of the brand are sparse. RAWZ doesn’t even have product reviews enabled on the brand website. There are a handful of RAWZ products with reviews on Amazon where most products appear to have an average customer rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars or higher.
Positive Reviews
Many customers are pleased with RAWZ cat food, though there are some whose picky eaters didn’t enjoy it for one reason or another. Satisfied customers who comment on the quality of the ingredients often note that product quality makes RAWZ worth the premium price.
“I chose this for our cats for two reasons: 1) they have a very limited ingredient list without “meal” and starches and grains; and 2) the smaller kibble size makes it easier for one of our cats to eat and digest. So far they prefer the chicken, but also eat the salmon.”—DCP Laker Fan on Amazon.com, July 23, 2024
“This is so great to have as an option. I have a cat who needs to eat more and she gets way more excited about this than the meats she usually has. We all wish it were less expensive.”—Catcentric Circles on Amazon.com, May 25, 2024
Negative Reviews
Negative reviews for RAWZ cat food were primarily focused on the price. There were also cats that simply didn’t like the food, though even some of those who commented said they were pleased with the quality and disappointed that their cats didn’t like it. Several customers have also commented that product texture and appearance may vary from one batch to another.
“I bought a few cans of this very pricy food a while back, and my cats loved it! Today, I bought a few more, and it looks and smells different. My cats wouldn’t touch it!”—Candace Rushing on Amazon.com, May 16, 2024
“”My cat stopped eating her old kibble so I thought I would try swapping to a more expensive brand and see if she liked it better. First day she ate it and loved it. The next day she ate it, she ended up throwing it all up. Now she wont eat it unless I mix it with another pate or broth.”—Grace on Amazon.com, September 6, 2023
How Much Does RAWZ Cat Food Cost?
One of the most common concerns customers have about RAWZ is the price. Not only is it a little tricky to find RAWZ in stores and online, but it tends to be fairly expensive.
You can find 8-packs of RAWZ Aujou pouches for around $25, which breaks down to over $3 each, or around $1.25 per ounce. RAWZ canned cat food averages about $40 for an 18-pack of 3-ounce cans or about $70 for a 24-pack of larger 5.5-ounce cans. This puts the per-ounce price between $0.55 and $0.75, depending on the recipe and retailer you choose.
RAWZ dry and dehydrated food ranges from $9 to $11 per pound, or about $0.56 to $0.69 per ounce.
Overall, Is RAWZ Cat Food a Good Choice?
The RAWZ cat food brand is dedicated to using high-quality animal proteins and is very open with details about ingredient sourcing and product manufacture. We love that every recipe starts with real animal protein and that carbohydrate levels are low.
That being said, customer satisfaction with the brand is mixed. In many cases, it’s a matter of preference for picky cats but it’s worth noting that a significant number of customers report issues with dented cans or variations in product quality. However, this could be an issue related to specific retailers rather than the brand.
Overall, RAWZ is a good brand but it’s still fairly new and only available from independent retailers. This makes it a little difficult to get a good sense of how much people like it and their impressions about anything other than the price.
Where Is RAWZ Cat Food Sold?
The best way to find out where to buy RAWZ cat food is to use the store locator on the brand’s website. You can find a store using your zip code or narrow the options down even further by searching for stores that have specific products in stock.
RAWZ does not distribute through Chewy.com or other major pet retailers like Petco or Petsmart. If you want to shop online, RAWZ has a list of authorized retailers that ship nationally posted on the website. You might also be able to find some RAWZ products on Amazon.com.
Hi here, our cat has food allergies, she seams to react to chicken , lamb , turkey , duck, salmon , tuna, , rabbit , etc.
Could BEEF cans be a solution , or is beef protein too much for daily feeding in cats ?
Thank you so much, I am getting desperate in finding a good protein food for her …. we have tested plenty over the last year !!!
Just curious. You gave Rawz an overall A- rating but none of the ones you reviewed were better than B. How did you come up with the A-?
Hi James, thanks for pointing that out. We are currently re-assessing our product and brand ratings and will aim to correct inconsistencies like this. Overall, I believe that the wet recipes should also receive an A-, but the original author will have to review this as well.
I’ve looked at 3 of your reviewed manufacturers. Just looking at your score for price alone, this does not add up. Your reviews for: Wellness, Weruva, and Rawz. According to your reviews, RAWZ is 4.6 times more expensive than Weruva and
7.6 times more expensive than Wellness. How then can you rate pricing for Wellness @ 7/10 , Weruva @ 4/10 and Rawz @ 6/10??
WELLNESS: 4 foods reviewed with a price range of $0.15 to $0.24 per ounce. (AVG .2025) You scored the brand a 7/10 in price.
Product Name Food Type Price per Ounce Our Grade
Complete Health Pate Chicken Entree Grain-Free Canned Cat Food Wet $0.19 A-
CORE Signature Selects Flaked Skipjack Tuna & Wild Salmon Entree in Broth Canned Cat Food Wet $0.15 A-
CORE Grain-Free Indoor Formula Dry Cat Food Dry $0.23 B-
Wellness CORE Kitten Turkey & Chicken Liver Recipe Canned Food Dry $0.24 A-
WERUVA: 3 foods reviewed with a price range of $0.31 to $0.29 per ounce. (AVG .33) You scored Weruva a 4/10 in price.
Product Name Food Type Price per Ounce Our Grade
Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken Wet $0.31 B+
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Love Me Tender Chicken & Duck in Gravy Wet $0.39 B+
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Chicken Frick ‘A Zee Aus Jus Wet $0.31 A
RAWZ: 3 foods reviewed with a price range of $0.45 to $0.61 per ounce. (AVG 1.54) You scored RAWZ 6/10 for price.
Product Name Food Type Main Protein Source Price Per Ounce Our Grade
RAWZ Meal Free Dehydrated Chicken, Turkey, and Chicken Recipe Dry Food Dry Chicken $0.48 B
RAWZ 96% Turkey and Turkey Liver Pate Wet Turkey $0.45 B
RAWZ Aujou Aku Tuna and Salmon Recipe Wet Food Pouches Wet Tuna $0.61 B
Kristin, this rating is based, not just on the price of the food, but on the perceived value for your money. Weruva is a very low-calorie food, so you’re paying more per calorie and therefore more per day for each product. Perhaps these ratings do need to be updated to reflect the latest information, but this is what we had in mind when writing these reviews.
My cat LOVES Rawz Turkey and Chicken Kibble. He’s 9, and never been healthier. Seriously.
I’d been feeding him other well-reviewed grain-free dry food plus wet food every day since the beginning, but regardless of the high priced foods, his coat and energy level were already beginning to deteriorate by age 7. I tried other well respected brands over the next year (introducing them properly, avoiding allergens), but it didn’t help, and he was also vomiting the very expensive wet foods, but not my homemade wet food.
I was not pleased with the meat meal and other questionable protein sources and other ingredients in even the most expensive pet food that wreak havoc on human gut biomes, especially after my vet told me that cats (being natural carnivores) can’t digest most plant-based proteins, but still need roughage, vitamins, and minerals…meaning most of what you find in pet foods (corn, wheat, pea, and bean proteins), even the more expensive “holistic” and “grain-free” formulas are also bulked up with nutritionally empty fillers and texturizers that irritate, so I began to research, and found RAWZ and one other brand to be well founded, simple whole meat based ingredients with added nutritional supplements, without a lot of added water (that demands added thickeners) and questionable/inflammatory ingredients like legumes, potatoes, Careegnan, and Bentonite Clay (which in tiny amounts is ok as a very occasional intestinal cleanse, but as daily food filler, it can really damage your kitty’s gut, cause chronic diarhea…and worse, because that can kill them in days).
There truly was a huge difference in his health and energy level once I switched to RAWZ, and after a year, he still loves it and at almost 10, his coat is sleek and luxurious again, and his kitten-like energy and playful personality have returned.
I supplement RAWZ meal-free kibble with my home-made meat and veggie pate with added Omegas and minerals I change up, and he’s a very happy healthy cat. I do trust one brand of wet food and it’s $2/3oz can, so I only keep a few cans in the house, just in case.
As for the cost, yes, RAWZ kibble does cost more, but I’m not buying canned anymore (i just buy a little extra of the meats and fish I eat), and he only eats about half the amount of kibble he used to chow down (maybe because he’s getting the quality nutrition his body needs with less bulk) ….so a 3.5 lb bag lasts us a while month! That translates to just $.80 cent’s/day!
Along with the supplementary home made pate’s his food cost averages $1.25/day, which is the price of a single can of premium wet food…or half a plain Starbucks… meaning we’re now spending 1/3 of what we used to on his food.
My cat’s name is Prince Charming Earl Grey of Furrington and he brings me far more enjoyment than a cup of coffee. I’ll bet your feline furry does too.
Me-Ow!
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Hi Susan,
Could you please share your home-made meat and veggie pate with me? I want to start making her food a human grade pate.
thank you
Hi susan I would love to ask you also to share your recipe! I am down to 7 cats from an original 13 taken in from a hoarder situation (a neighbor). Some have past and I was able to get a home for only 2 – they have health issues as can be expected. They have come a long way and doing well except a few with “IBS” as described by the vet; one more seriously where he had biopsy surgery. Thank goodness not cancer, yet…. but he needs close monitoring (does still throw up alot) The time and money I spend on trying to get them the best quality of life that they have left is taking its toll on me. I get very disappointed after being overwhelmed with all the information I’ve read and some of the ingredients still found in some of the most expensive “limited” ingredient options; or the prescription diet foods (there is one which has thyroid, another with urinary track blockages and infections, etc) They all like wet and dry and each with their own preferences, etc. But you are right – they bring a joy so its a commitment that I’ve gratefully made to myself. Thank you Susan