Our £15 sample of Raw To Go was delivered today and we were assured that we wouldn't need to be at home to receive it, as it would be so tightly packed that thawing would be minimal.

We came home to find the box in our safe place (which is down a dark passageway so out of sunlight) and when I lifted the box down, blood started dripping out of it.

I got the box into the kitchen and there was blood pooling on the worktop as I placed it down.

Upon opening the box I noticed that all of the bags of mince were open, not sealed, which accounted for the leakage in a CARDBOARD box... and every single bag was absolutely drenched in blood.

As for the smell... my partner said it smelt like an ogre with bad breath and that's a pretty good description. Having had a sample pack from Darling's I was expecting something similar but maybe a bit more rough 'n' ready from Raw To Go but it was absolutely nothing like Darling's... it was a nightmare getting all of the packets out, then having to double-bag them (as they were dripping).

Pretty much all of the food had thawed quite a bit. There were some in the very middle which had a frozen centre and then thawed mince surrounding it, and all of the mince was COLD... just not frozen. The blood-soaked ice pack was also melted.

So... I have kept one packet out but have frozen the rest. My question is, would the mince in the freezer even be safe to feed my kittens if it's already been partially defrosted and has now been re-frozen? I'm not convinced it would to be honest and am feeling quite disappointed.

I can't believe how RANK that massive box of blood smelt.

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Bonnie and the gang xxx

If it were me, I would ditch the lot.

I have got no issue with my cats eating food that had been partially defrosted (say i buy something that is frozen that I need to "work" with), then frozen again but I know how long i have partially defrosted it for. And it certainly shouldn't smell rank girl.

Hope you will phone them tomorrow to complain.

Hmm.. That's put me right off trying them to be honest, was just going to give them a go once to see what they were like but sounds like it'll just be a waste of money! Shame

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My delivery was frozen when it got delivered but they do stink, even when you've got them in the fridge.

I'm with Hobbs here I'd be ditching the lot and asking for a refund or replacement.

They shouldn't be delivering them in cardboard boxes surely?

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I have Natural Instinct for mine and its all still frozen ,as its in containers and in a polysterene cool box ,then packed in a cardboard box.

Yes it was an old wine box. Didn't seem particularly professional to be honest with you. It was just a load of unsealed bags shoved in a carrier bag, shoved in an old wine box, which was sealed with parcel tape. I couldn't believe the amount of blood that leaked out.

I couldn't believe how stinky it was compared to Darling's and even tinned food (and I don't really like the smell of tinned food). It smelt like an abattoir. Not like a butcher's shop or anything like that - don't mind that smell and am a meat-eater myself - but this was something else. It actually made me gag and I have a pretty strong stomach!

I just can't imagine my kittens smelling that and thinking "Mmmmm dinner!" but maybe it's okay... I don't know?!!

I HATE wasting stuff so if it's meant to smell vile maybe it's actually okay? I have no idea. I won't be ordering from them again but I'm torn between ditching the lot and letting the cats have a sniff of it to see if they think it smells okay, as if this is just the smell of animal blood and offal (which I'm not used to I suppose) then it may be fine?

Aurelia I thought you ordered from Raw To Go? Or was that someone else?

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Bonnie and the gang xxx

My last order with raw to go was pretty much the same. It stank and some bags were partly defrosted. I put them all straight in the freezer and have since used the lot Inc feeding very young puppies with absolutely no I'll effects.

I'd complain to Lesley about it if your not 100% happy

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~Rachel~

Thanks Rach, that's reassuring. I not sure whether it's safe or not but maybe I am applying human hygiene principles to my kittens!

I did email Lesley about it and she's put my mind at rest a bit and she agreed that it does stink. It doesn't smell like the Darling's but then I think that is a much drier mince on the whole whereas the Raw To Go has a lot more blood. I think it's actually the blood (and the blood-soaked cardboard) that was causing such a stink.

I might put a little bit of it out for the kittens tonight and let them sniff it and decide for themselves whether they want to eat any. They do say cats have very sensitive noses and don't eat "off" food - unlike dogs who will tend to eat anything.

I'm still in two minds about it though!

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Bonnie and the gang xxx

Hmm, I was thinking of trying an order but don't think I will now. Not terribly keen on blood leaking everywhere and unsealed bags that's not right.