Science behind raw
The basics
The three main nutrients to look out for in people food are carbs, fats, and proteins. With cats, it's a little different. Cats are obligate carnivores whereas people are omnivores. Since cats eat meat they have little use for carbs.
Cats in the wild also eat the whole animal. Bones, organs, inside of the stomach, parts of the fur. This means they have a very specific nutrient requirement that would match the nutrients found in those parts of the animals.
Amino acids
A set of extra important nutrients in a cat's diet are amino acids. Amino acids are little molecules that build into proteins and also serve all sorts of physiological functions in a cat. Proteins aren't just for muscles, they do all sorts of jobs like helping digestion and balancing hormones.
Cat's cannot make the amino acid taurine which is essential for proper vision, heart health, and neurological function. The main source of taurine for cats in the wild is raw muscle meat from a fresh catch.
At home, we have to supplement taurine in our cat's diet since this amino acid quickly degrades in butchered meat. However, many other amino acids remain such as tryptophan, arginine, and cystine. These amino acids play various roles from skeletal repair to protein synthesis, detoxification, and collagen synthesis.
Water intake
Cats evolved from wild cats that lived in the desert. These wild cats evolved over millions of years to be finely tuned to deal with a lack of water and a surplus of heat. Cats overcame this hurdle by efficiently processing all the water out of the raw meat they eat.
Hydration is critical for cats since it affects their digestion, kidney function, and regulation of body temperature. Due to cat's low thirst drive it's important to feed them wet, preferably raw, food.
Proper hydration is especially important for a cat's urinary process as it prevents the build-up of urinary crystals. Hydration also aids in kidney health which is especially important for cats as its a common area of health problems. Renal failure and kidney stones are common symptoms of chronic dehydration. By feeding your cat an appropriate raw diet and keeping out a water fountain your cat should be fine!
Dental health
Cats in the wild keep their teeth clean and in shape by chewing on bones. Our food and most raw cat food brands use ground bones or some supplement for calcium and phosphorus needs.
However, the main concerns such as plaque and tartar build-up are caused by food sticking to the cat's teeth. Food sticking to the teeth happens more often with dry food than with wet food.
Conclusion
Raw cat food covers all the bases for a cat's diet. When prepared with a proper mix of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids you'll have a food that is naturally good for cats. The precise mixture of these nutrients is already found in raw meat, bones, and organs. We only have to supplement what's lost to oxidation after butchering and to cover organs that are very hard to find commercially.