Melamine to Frankenprey: A Documented Journey

 

I'm finding that as I refine my sources, feeding raw food is considerably cheaper than buying canned.

 

In the above post, I went from paying $200 per month for canned to about $240 for every two months feeding raw. Last night, however, I found a source of turkey for only $1.29 per pound and chicken for only $.59 cents per pound. That cuts my original grocery bill in half.

 

Add to that a considerably reduced litter box load since the cats are able to digest so much more of their food, and fewer vet visits (not to mention happier cats) and I think I've got myself a winner!

 

Sharing a tip I learned tonight: To minimize the mess and necessary clean-up of a raw-feeding, spread a towel on the feeding surface and dump the food on the towel. Once everyone's done eating, simply roll the towel up and throw i t in a (lidded) laundry hamper. Voila! Clean up over!

 

To all you other raw-feeders out there: Are you ever concerned about cuddling your cats after they've eaten? Mine use their paws to hold the food down sometimes and they almost always groom immediately after eating - but not always.

 

In all the research I've done and the folks I've talked to, I haven't come across a single instance of either cat or owner becoming ill as a result of raw feeding, but, given the above, what's the mechanism that keeps that from happening?

 

 

You know what I think? I think the public (myself included) have had it hammered into our psyches that raw meat is (cue the spooky music) dangerous, when in fact, it's really not so much. If it were truly riddled with e. coli, salmonella, etc., I'm betting a lot more people would be dropping dead than we currently hear about.

 

Did you guys know that both e. coli and salmonella are actually contaminants?³ They come from waste products and don't belong on our raw food to begin with.

 

Pardon me, I'm gonna go pin a kitty down for a hug.

 

 

I've decided to feed as close to the whole prey model as I can get, so I ditched the ground breakfast idea. Instead, every third day, I'll offer a bone-in meal for dinner: chicken breast with ribs, chicken wings or whole divided Cornish Hens. This method does not appeal to my need to have exact measures and numbers, but if it works, I'll deal with it.

 

Except for the fresh chicken hearts, I canceled the Whole Foods order. My monthly cat food bill has now dropped to about $100, fully half what I was paying for commercial food!

 

Last night, I spent three hours cutting, bagging, weighing and labeling 10 chicken wings, 10 chicken breasts with ribs, 20 chicken quarters, 4 pounds of beef round stew, 2 pounds of liver (that stuff is way weird to handle *shudder*), two Cornish hens, half a dozen turkey drumsticks, and 1 pound of freaking expensive quail (they won't get that again). I'm exhausted!

 

I still have several pounds of pork to prep later today.

 

I am well pleased. I've yet to find a source for non-liver organ meat, but I've got a freezer full of good food, with more to come. My furkids are in heaven.

 

 

I've received a private message on the board about the "dangers" of feeding pork…

 

Cats all over the world eat raw pork just fine, some even eat it exclusively. If you're in a still developing country, there might be some issues, but commercial pork from the US, Canada, a few EU countries and Australia is safe.⁴ In fact, if you live in Australia, your peace of mind should be even greater; they have never had a problem with trichinosis!⁵

 

Trichinosis parasites die if frozen for three weeks, so even in the countries where it's common, it can be addressed.⁶

 

Again, we're all brainwashed about meat being ridden with evil, killing germs. Don't believe it, my friends! Sometimes, it takes a long, long time for fears to fade, even after the threat has gone.

 

On a totally different note, just for kicks and giggles, I'm picking up some bison meat tonight. I want to see if I can find something my carnivorous little friends won't eat.

 

 

I've received a tip about the liver: partially freeze it first, then cut it up.

 

I fed chicken breast with ribs tonight. This time, I did not remove any of the bone, although I admit to some trepidation. Would they be able and willing to handle the bone?