Easy Raw Feeding for the Busy Person

Whole Foods 4 Pets: Sells ground and whole rabbit, shipped frozen via FedEx from Washington state.

 

Primal: Offers Raw Frozen Grinds in beef, buffalo, chicken, lamb, sardine and turkey in 2 and 5 pound rolls. They use human-grade meat that is hormone, antibiotic and steroid free. Available at retail outlets.

 

Check with natural pet food stores in your area, as many offer meats from local farms, sometimes organic. They may offer locally produced items in their stores or be able to put you in contact with the farms directly.

 

Here is a supplement recipe for five pounds of pre-ground meat/bones/organs:

Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly, and add to the thawed or partially thawed grind. Portion out into plastic containers, glass mason jars or Ziploc® bags and freeze immediately. You can put any that you will use that day or the next in the refrigerator. If you would like to make your own nuggets, spoon the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. These have the advantage of being quick to thaw and a mostly uniform size which makes portioning easier.

 

 

There are a number of pre-mixed supplement formulas available. This makes it easy to add the necessary vitamins and minerals. Please note that some of these pre-mixed supplements are meant to be added to ground meat with no bone. They contain added calcium to make up for the lack of bone in the grind. Please don't use this type of supplement if you have purchased a meat/bone/organ grind, as it will result in too much calcium in the mix. Besides constipation, too much calcium in the diet can have other health consequences.

 

Feline Future: Makers of Instincts TC® powder. Add this supplement to raw ground meat without bones, liver and water. They also make InstinctsPLUS® for use without liver. Feline Future is one of the pioneers of raw feeding, and their online book The Backyard Predator is a must read.

 

Wysong: Call of the Wild® powder. Add to fresh meat without bone.

 

Platinum Performance: Feline Wellness Formula® powder. Add to ground meat with or without bone.

 

Many people use a combination of different methods of raw feeding. Feeding some commercially prepared foods, some home-mixed and some whole parts. Feeding whole parts — called " frankenprey" — such as chicken wings, necks or gizzards is an easy addition to their diet and provides chewing exercise. Chewing on whole parts helps keep their teeth, gums and jaws healthy. However you decide to feed raw, complete diets, a ground mix with your own supplements or pre-mixed supplements, or a combination of these, you will see improvements in your cat's energy level, coat and digestion.