When we think of raw feeding for cats, what usually comes to mind is the BARF diet — carefully balanced meat, organs, supplements, and maybe a touch of vegetables. But what if there's an approach that's even simpler, closer to what cats ate for thousands of years in the wild?

Meet RMB — Raw Meaty Bones. It's a philosophy that redefines what your cat's meal can be.

What exactly is RMB?

The term Raw Meaty Bones was popularized by the Australian veterinarian Dr. Tom Lonsdale, author of the books Raw Meaty Bones (2001) and Work Wonders (2005). Over decades of practice, Lonsdale observed how cats and dogs fed commercial foods suffered from periodontal disease, digestive problems, and allergies — while animals fed raw bones and meat enjoyed markedly better health.

The RMB philosophy is simple: give your cat whole pieces of raw meat on the bone, just as it would eat its natural prey. No ground pastes, no powders, no complicated calculations. The cat tears off the meat itself, chewing on the bone cleans its teeth, and the body takes from the food exactly what it needs.

Nature is the best dietitian. Millions of years of evolution shaped the cat's digestive system to handle raw bones and meat perfectly.

— Tom Lonsdale, “Raw Meaty Bones” 2001

RMB vs BARF — the main differences

Although both approaches are based on raw feeding, they differ significantly in philosophy and practice:

  • BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) — created by Dr. Ian Billinghurst — calls for precise balancing of components: muscle meat, raw bone, organs, vegetables/fruit (optional for cats), and supplements. It requires calculating ratios of Ca:P, taurine, vitamins, and minerals.
  • RMB — emphasizes simplicity and naturalness. The main food is whole cuts of meat on the bone, supplemented with organs. Lonsdale believes that, with enough variety of ingredients, the body regulates the balance of nutrients on its own.

In practice, many experienced cat owners combine the two approaches: they use BARF as a nutritional base (with precise balancing) and add RMB elements as a supplement — for example, serving raw chicken necks or wings 2-3 times a week as "natural dental care."

Which bones are safe for a cat?

Not every bone is suitable for your cat. The key rule is: serve only raw, soft bones from small animals, always covered with plenty of meat.

5-15%

bone's share of the diet

That's how large bone alone (without the meat) should be in a cat's diet. Less = calcium deficiency, more = constipation and hard, white stools.

Recommended bones

  • Chicken necks — an absolute hit. Soft, cartilaginous, with an ideal meat-to-bone ratio. Most cats love them from the first serving. An excellent source of calcium.
  • Chicken wings — a little tougher than necks, but still safe. It's worth serving them after cutting off the last, hardest segment (the tip). They give the jaw muscles a great workout.
  • Rabbit ribs — among the safest bones there are. Delicate, thin, easy to chew through even for smaller cats. Rabbit meat is also hypoallergenic.
  • Quail wings and necks — ideal for cats new to RMB or for kittens. Small, delicate, proportional to the cat's size.
  • Chicken backs — lots of meat, soft bones, a cheap ingredient. They can be cut into portions matched to the cat's size.

Absolutely forbidden bones

These bones can kill a cat

  • Any bones that are cooked, baked, or fried — heat treatment changes the structure of the bone. They become hard and brittle, and splinter into sharp shards that can pierce the esophagus or intestines. This is the absolute, most important rule of RMB.
  • Beef and pork bones — too big, too hard; they can break a cat's teeth. Turkey drumsticks are also too massive.
  • Weight-bearing bones of large animals — the femur, shin, and humerus of cattle, veal, or lamb are material for soup, not for a cat's meal.
  • Vertebrae of large animals — too massive and hard for a cat's jaw.

Remember a simple rule: if you can't crush the bone with a firm squeeze of your hand, it's too hard for your cat. Bones suitable for cats should be cartilaginous and yield under finger pressure.

The benefits of feeding RMB

Regularly including raw meaty bones in a cat's diet brings measurable health benefits that are hard to achieve with ground meat or supplements alone:

  • Oral health — this is RMB's biggest advantage. Chewing and tearing meat from the bone acts like a natural toothbrush. The mechanical friction of bone against the teeth removes plaque and tartar, and the enzymes in a cat's raw saliva have antibacterial properties. Dr. Lonsdale's studies showed that cats fed RMB have dramatically less periodontal disease than cats on dry food.
  • Natural calcium and phosphorus — bone is the most bioavailable source of calcium. The cat's body is evolutionarily adapted to obtaining minerals from bone, not from tablets. The Ca:P ratio in chicken bones is about 2:1, which, combined with meat, gives ideal balance.
  • Mental stimulation — tearing meat from the bone, holding the portion with the paws, planning an eating strategy — this is an activity that engages the feline brain and satisfies the hunting instinct. A cat eating RMB is calmer and more content than one that gulps down ground mush in 30 seconds.
  • Strengthening the jaw muscles — regular bone-chewing keeps the jaw muscles strong, which is especially important in older cats.
  • Better digestion — raw bones contain marrow rich in fats, iron, and blood-forming cells. Cartilage supplies collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin, supporting joint health.

How do you introduce RMB into a cat's diet?

If your cat has never eaten raw bones before, don't suddenly toss it a chicken neck and expect it to manage right away. Introducing RMB takes patience — especially in cats that have eaten wet or dry food all their lives.

  1. Start with boneless raw meat — if your cat isn't on a raw diet yet, first switch it to raw muscle meat (chicken thigh, turkey heart). This can take from a week to several weeks.
  2. Serve ground meat with bone — once the cat accepts raw meat, start mixing finely ground chicken bone into its meals. Gradually increase the texture (more coarsely ground, then finely chopped).
  3. Move on to cut pieces — slice a chicken neck into 3-4 rings with a knife. Serve it as part of the meal, alongside ground meat. Watch whether the cat manages the chewing.
  4. Serve a whole neck — this is the moment of truth. Most cats instinctively grab the neck, hold it with their paws, and start chewing. The first attempts may be clumsy — that's normal. Stay with the cat, but don't intervene.
  5. Expand the repertoire — once the cat masters necks, add wings, rabbit ribs, quail necks. Variety is key to a complete nutritional profile.

Practical tips and safety

RMB is a safe and natural feeding method, but it requires following a few important rules:

  • Always supervise the meal — especially at the start. Watch whether the cat is chewing the bones rather than trying to swallow them whole. Cats chew by nature, but "gluttons" may try to swallow pieces that are too large.
  • Serve bones at the right temperature — take the portion out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before serving so it reaches room temperature. Bones straight from the freezer are too hard and can damage the teeth.
  • Don't mix with dry food — dry food digests much more slowly than raw meat. Serving them together can slow the digestion of bone in the stomach, increasing the risk of problems.
  • Keep the proportions — bone should make up about 5-15% of the diet (calculated as dry bone without meat). Too much bone = constipation and hard, white stools. Too little = a lack of calcium.
  • Buy fresh, good-quality meat — from trusted suppliers. Meat on the bone should smell fresh and show no signs of spoilage.
  • Don't cook it "for safety" — paradoxically, cooking bone is the one truly dangerous thing you can do with it. Raw bones are soft and pliable; cooked ones become hard and brittle as glass.
  • Consult a veterinarian — especially if your cat has dental problems, has had oral surgery, or suffers from digestive disorders. Not every cat is a candidate for RMB.

Summary

RMB is not a revolution or a fad — it's a return to what cats have always eaten. Raw meaty bones offer benefits no supplement can replace: natural calcium, healthy teeth, mental stimulation, and the satisfaction of a real "hunt" for a meal.

You don't have to choose between BARF and RMB. The best results come from combining both approaches: a precisely balanced BARF diet as the foundation, enriched with regular portions of raw meaty bones. Your cat gets the best of both worlds — scientific precision and the natural pleasure of eating.

Start with one chicken neck a week. Watch your cat. And prepare for a sight that will warm your heart — because there's nothing more beautiful than a cat that, with a wild gleam in its eye, devours a meal made for it by nature. If you want to calculate precisely how much bone belongs in the diet, use the mrumi calculator — it will work out the Ca:P ratio and tell you how many necks a week are enough.

Sources

  1. Lonsdale T. (2001). Raw Meaty Bones: Promote Health. Rivetco P/L, Australia. ISBN 0-9587657-1-1.
  2. Lonsdale T. (2005). Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones. Rivetco P/L, Australia. ISBN 0-9587657-3-8.
  3. Marx F.R., Machado G.S., Pezzali J.G. et al. (2016). Raw beef bones as chewing items to reduce dental calculus in Beagle dogs. Australian Veterinary Journal, 94(1-2), 18-23. PMID: 26763944.
  4. Buckley C., Colyer A., Skrzywanek M. et al. (2011). The impact of home-prepared diets and home oral hygiene on oral health in cats and dogs. British Journal of Nutrition, 106 Suppl 1, S124-127. PMID: 22005408.
  5. Plantinga E.A., Bosch G., Hendriks W.H. (2011). Estimation of the dietary nutrient profile of free-roaming feral cats: possible implications for nutrition of domestic cats. British Journal of Nutrition, 106, S35-S48.

Frequently asked

Are raw bones safe for a cat?

Yes, provided they are raw, soft, and come from small animals (chicken, quail, rabbit). The bones should be crushable with a firm squeeze of the hand. Cooked bones — without exception — are dangerous, because they splinter into sharp shards.

What's the difference between BARF and RMB?

BARF is a precisely balanced diet of ground meat, organs, and supplements. RMB is Dr. Lonsdale's philosophy based on whole cuts of meat on the bone — with no grinding, supplements, or vegetables. In practice it's best to combine the two: BARF as the base, RMB as an element.

What's the best way to start feeding RMB?

Quail or chicken necks. They're cartilaginous, soft, and easy to chew through even for a kitten. If your cat has never eaten bone, start with ground bone in meat, then sliced neck rings, then a whole neck. A staged plan increases the chances of acceptance.

Does RMB replace calcium supplementation?

Yes, if bone makes up 5-15% of the diet. Chicken bones have a Ca:P ratio of ~2:1 and balance the phosphorus from the meat. If you serve RMB regularly (2-3 times a week, plus ground bone in the remaining meals), additional calcium is unnecessary.

What should I do if my cat swallows bones whole?

Go back to ground bone or smaller pieces (sliced neck rings) and give the kitten time to master the technique. Some cats learn to chew in a few days, others need weeks. Always supervise meals with bones — don't leave the cat's side.