When it comes to cat food, meat should really be the first thing we talk about. What exactly is meat, and what kind could you feed your cat—and how?

Cats are what’s known as “obligate carnivores”. That means they rely on nutrients found in meat—nutrients they can’t get from plants or make themselves. After millions of years of evolution, the cat has become the ultimate predator, a sleek, meat-powered machine that quite literally can’t survive without animal flesh. Understandably, this presents a bit of an ethical pickle for many cat owners.

So, what is meat? In short, it’s the edible tissue of animals—mostly skeletal muscle along with fat and connective tissue—but it can also include organs. While the domestic cat would naturally hunt rodents, we substitute that prey with meat from farm animals or game when it is neither possible nor desirable for the cat to hunt its own food—which, let’s be honest, is the case for most house cats.

All meat comes from animals that were killed. There’s no sugar-coating it. While some people object to hunting, those neatly plastic-wrapped packs at the supermarket also came from an animal that met its end—often in conditions far less humane. It may not be the cheeriest topic, but understanding where your cat’s food comes from is both responsible and necessary.

When you choose to prepare your cat’s food at home, you’re taking control of its quality—and you’re also taking responsibility for the source. That means you get to choose which farming practices, ethics, and values you support with your money.

We love our cats dearly. But as carnivores, they must eat meat—and that meat comes from animals who die so our cats can thrive. We shouldn’t shy away from this reality. Instead, we can support practices that treat food animals with care, raise them in sustainable and humane ways, and give them a good life—even if a short one.

About twenty years ago, I took things a step further and started farming myself, so I could raise the meat my cats eat. As an animal lover and conservationist, I’ve always been opposed to factory farming. But I didn’t want to simply criticise the system—I wanted to be part of the solution. Farming has been an eye-opening experience, to say the least. It’s given me firsthand exposure to the realities of agriculture, meat regulations, small-scale farming culture, sustainable practices, factory farming’s impact, and the difficult truths around slaughter, animal welfare, and the concept of “ethical meat”.

Even though we raise animals for food, we hold ourselves to a high and unwavering standard of animal welfare. We treat our animals with respect and compassion. After all, keeping a carnivore as a companion—a creature who cannot thrive without meat—raises a moral question many of us grapple with. Can you love animals and still be responsible for their death?

My answer, hard-won through experience, is yes. You absolutely can. But that love must include how the animal lives, not just how it dies. Ethical meat isn’t just about the end—it’s about every moment leading up to it.

Now, I don’t expect every cat owner to become a farmer. But many people do want to support better farming, and your choices as a consumer matter more than you think.

In an ideal world, our cats would hunt their own food as part of a healthy ecosystem or farming community. But we don’t live in that world. Most cats and dogs today eat pet food made from by-products—often scraps and waste from our own food industry, which has been cleverly rebranded and repurposed. In fact, I suspect the pet food industry played a large role in our modern affection for cats and dogs—after all, what better way to turn waste into profit than by creating devoted customers who demand it?

Recognising what pet food truly is—that’s the first step. Making your own is the next. And finally, learning where supermarket meat comes from, and making choices based on that knowledge, gives you a powerful voice. What you buy shapes our food system—for better or for worse.

Hungry European Wildcat (Felis Silvestris silvestris) scavenging a deer carcass in winter. The European Wildcat is not a direct ancestor of the domestic cat (Felis catus), but a very close relative that can interbreed with the domestic cat – which is one of the greatest threads to their conservation. Image used under license. Credit to WildMedia, Slovenia.

The Meat of the Matter: Choosing What to Feed Your Cat

One of the greatest benefits of making your own cat food is the choice and control it gives you over the main ingredient: the meat. Depending on your values, lifestyle, or budget, you can choose to support organic farmers, raise your own animals, or simply snap up a good deal at the supermarket. The point is—it’s entirely up to you.

Is there such a thing as meats that are “more natural” for cats?

A mouse is the cat’s natural prey. You can mimic a mouse nutritionally by recreating its ratios of moisture, protein, fat, fibre, minerals, vitamins, and its balance of muscle, organs, bone, and skin. But let’s be clear—no other meat is quite like mouse meat, and no use pretending otherwise. Luckily, it’s the nutritional profile we need to match—not the species. That means you can choose meat based on what your cat enjoys, what agrees with them, and what suits your values, budget, and preparation habits.

Personally, I’m not convinced that chicken or rabbit are the best meat choices for cats. Some people insist they are, because cats hunt birds and rabbits in the wild—so, the logic goes, these are “natural” choices. I disagree.

Most commercial chicken comes from “fryers”—that’s a 5- to 7-week-old chick of a fast-growing hybrid breed. For reference, a chick of a traditional breed at that age would still fit in the palm of your hand. It raises the question: is the meat from such a young bird dense enough in nutrients and calcium to support a cat long-term?

The same goes for rabbit. Commercial meat rabbits are also sold as “fryers”, typically at 8–12 weeks of age—which, incidentally, is the natural weaning age for bunnies. They’re often raised in conditions not far removed from those of caged laying hens. To me, that’s a serious ethical red flag.

Cats are opportunistic hunters. They’ll chase anything that moves—mice, rabbits, birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, insects, even bats. The fact that a cat can catch something doesn’t mean it’s nutritionally ideal. Just because your cat wouldn’t be able to bring down a sheep or a deer in the wild doesn’t mean those meats aren’t excellent for them.

Meat from the Supermarket

Your average grocery store or supermarket offers a range of cuts from lamb, beef, sometimes bison, chicken or turkey that you can either grind yourself or chop into chunks—or you can buy them pre-ground to save time and effort. For many years, this is exactly what I did for my own cats. Just be sure to choose meats that were put on the shelf the day you buy and opt for lean or extra lean meats.

Organic & Specialty Meats from the Health Food Shop

Health food shops often stock a lovely selection of free-range, unmedicated meats—beef, bison (buffalo), sheep, goat, venison, chicken, turkey, even emu, if you fancy being exotic. These are excellent choices for your cat, and better for the planet too, thanks to their support of sustainable farming. However, they can be expensive, especially if you’re feeding more than one cat.

Buying from a Meat Wholeseller

You can often buy the same quality meat you’d find at a health food shop directly from a meat packer or wholesale distributor—at half the price. The catch? You’ll need to buy in bulk. Be prepared to clear out some serious freezer space and make time to portion and package the meat for future use in the cat food recipe.

Buying from Farmers

This is a fantastic way to buy top-quality meat for both your family and your cats. You can purchase “half” a cow or lamb, “cut and wrapped”, and store it in your chest freezer—giving you months worth of meat. Chicken and turkey are also available this way, although they’ll still need to be de-boned. It’s a commitment, but a rewarding one.

Meat from Your Own Farm

Yes… I did it. I moved to the country and now live on a small farm where we raise our own animals for meat. It’s a lifestyle that takes a lot of work, and it’s not something you’d take on just for your cat—though your cat would likely approve. Still, it’s worth mentioning because more and more people across North America are returning to small-scale farming, even just as a hobby.

Wild Game from Hunting

Hunting is a deeply rooted and highly regulated activity that now goes hand-in-hand with conservation and population control efforts. Hunters can’t just head out and shoot whatever they fancy—there are seasons, quotas, and laws. If someone in your household hunts, or you have a friend or neighbour who does, meat from deer, elk, moose, or caribou are amazing for cats. Avoid feeding meat from predatory animals like bears, as they can carry parasites dangerous to cats.

Roadkill (Yes, Really)

Why not? Thousands of deer, elk, and moose are hit by cars every year. If they’re not left in a ditch, they’re scooped up by highway maintenance crews and either dumped in the woods or sent to a rendering plant. If you’re practical-minded and not squeamish, fresh roadkill can be a valuable resource. I even have an arrangement with our local road crew—we’ve received many fresh deer this way.

In the end, whether you buy organic, free-range, un-medicated, grass-fed, backyard-farmed, or conventionally farmed meat is a personal decision—guided by ethics, environmental concerns, or simply your bank balance.

Animals raised outdoors on pasture and allowed to graze naturally, termed “grass-fed”, tend to be healthier. Their meat has a better nutritional profile—particularly when it comes to fatty acids. Compared with grain- and soy-finished animals, grass-fed meat has a more favourable balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids.

But if you can’t find or afford these premium meats, don’t despair. Feeding your cat a homemade raw diet using fresh supermarket meat is still leagues better—for your cat and the planet—than feeding commercial pet food. Most pet food is made from the absolute lowest-quality leftovers of the industrial meat system. Even so-called “organic” kibble or canned pet foods, in my view, don’t compare to a raw homemade diet using fresh meat from the common grocery store.