Difference between revisions of "Make Raw Cat Food"
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=== Preparing to Make Raw Cat Food === | === Preparing to Make Raw Cat Food === | ||
#Get your cat examined. Your cat should be completely healthy before you begin feeding her a homemade diet. Take your cat to the veterinarian for a thorough examination. You should also show the diet and recipes to a certified animal nutritionist to make sure they provide all the nutrients your cat needs. | #Get your cat examined. Your cat should be completely healthy before you begin feeding her a homemade diet. Take your cat to the veterinarian for a thorough examination. You should also show the diet and recipes to a certified animal nutritionist to make sure they provide all the nutrients your cat needs. | ||
| − | #*The veterinarian can help you locate a certified animal nutritionist in your area or you can find one online.<ref>http://www.balanceit.com/ or http://www.petdiets.com/</ref> | + | #*The veterinarian can help you locate a certified animal nutritionist in your area or you can find one online.<ref name="rf1">http://www.balanceit.com/ or http://www.petdiets.com/</ref> |
| − | #Be prepared to supplement. When you grind and freeze raw cat food, this reduces the amount of taurine available to the cat.<ref>http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/how-much-taurine-should-i-add</ref> You'll need to supplement this amino acid to prevent major eye and cardiac problems.<ref>http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/cardiovascular/c_ct_taurine_deficiency</ref> Recognize that a taurine deficiency doesn't show up immediately. Instead, it will take a few years, but by then the damage may be irreversible.<ref>http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/taurine-in-cats/3857</ref> | + | #Be prepared to supplement. When you grind and freeze raw cat food, this reduces the amount of taurine available to the cat.<ref name="rf2">http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/how-much-taurine-should-i-add</ref> You'll need to supplement this amino acid to prevent major eye and cardiac problems.<ref name="rf3">http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/cardiovascular/c_ct_taurine_deficiency</ref> Recognize that a taurine deficiency doesn't show up immediately. Instead, it will take a few years, but by then the damage may be irreversible.<ref name="rf4">http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/taurine-in-cats/3857</ref> |
#*Ask the animal nutrition expert to recommend a specific dosage for your cat. | #*Ask the animal nutrition expert to recommend a specific dosage for your cat. | ||
| − | #Practice safe food handling. Any time you handle raw food, you need to wash your hands frequently and safely store the meat. This is important to prevent salmonella poisoning.<ref>http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/homemade-cat-food-and-raw-cat-food?page=2</ref> Always use fresh meat, never meat that looks like it's starting to go bad. This can increase the risk of disease. | + | #Practice safe food handling. Any time you handle raw food, you need to wash your hands frequently and safely store the meat. This is important to prevent salmonella poisoning.<ref name="rf5">http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/homemade-cat-food-and-raw-cat-food?page=2</ref> Always use fresh meat, never meat that looks like it's starting to go bad. This can increase the risk of disease. |
| − | #*Handling raw meat when pregnant can increase your risk for toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease. Wash your hands frequently or wear gloves when handling meat.<ref>http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/spooked-by-salmonella-raw-food</ref> | + | #*Handling raw meat when pregnant can increase your risk for toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease. Wash your hands frequently or wear gloves when handling meat.<ref name="rf6">http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/spooked-by-salmonella-raw-food</ref> |
| − | #*If you're concerned about the nutrition of a raw diet, understand that no nutrients are lost by preparing raw food rather than cooking it for your pet.<ref>https://www.petdiets.com/Homemade-Diets</ref> | + | #*If you're concerned about the nutrition of a raw diet, understand that no nutrients are lost by preparing raw food rather than cooking it for your pet.<ref name="rf7">https://www.petdiets.com/Homemade-Diets</ref> |
| − | #Purchase the meat. Depending on what meat you choose to use, you may have a hard time finding high-quality meat. While it might be easy to buy a whole chicken from your grocery store, you may need to seek out a local farmer or butcher to get organ meat. If you can only find whole chicken to use, only grind up and offer bones that are small. However, if you include bones that are too large, your cat will simply avoid them. Just make sure not to cook the bones, which can cause them to splinter and damage your cat's digestive system.<ref>http://feline-nutrition.org/answers/answers-raw-diets-and-cats-what-about-eating-bones</ref> | + | #Purchase the meat. Depending on what meat you choose to use, you may have a hard time finding high-quality meat. While it might be easy to buy a whole chicken from your grocery store, you may need to seek out a local farmer or butcher to get organ meat. If you can only find whole chicken to use, only grind up and offer bones that are small. However, if you include bones that are too large, your cat will simply avoid them. Just make sure not to cook the bones, which can cause them to splinter and damage your cat's digestive system.<ref name="rf8">http://feline-nutrition.org/answers/answers-raw-diets-and-cats-what-about-eating-bones</ref> |
| − | #*Fortunately, pre-made mixes of ground raw meat are increasingly available in refrigerated and frozen sections of pet stores. All you need to do is thaw and add supplements to the meat.<ref>http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/easy-raw-feeding-for-the-busy-person</ref> | + | #*Fortunately, pre-made mixes of ground raw meat are increasingly available in refrigerated and frozen sections of pet stores. All you need to do is thaw and add supplements to the meat.<ref name="rf9">http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/easy-raw-feeding-for-the-busy-person</ref> |
=== Assembling Raw Cat Food === | === Assembling Raw Cat Food === | ||
| − | #Prepare the meat. Cut up the carcass and separate the muscle meat. Cut the muscle meat into chunks or process it through a meat grinder using the extra-large grinding plate. Leaving chunks of meat can give your cat something to chew on and gives good tooth and gum exercise. Set the meaty bones aside. Place the prepared muscle meat in the refrigerator.<ref>http://catnutrition.org Cat nutrition - Original source of this article. Shared with permission.</ref> | + | #Prepare the meat. Cut up the carcass and separate the muscle meat. Cut the muscle meat into chunks or process it through a meat grinder using the extra-large grinding plate. Leaving chunks of meat can give your cat something to chew on and gives good tooth and gum exercise. Set the meaty bones aside. Place the prepared muscle meat in the refrigerator.<ref name="rf10">http://catnutrition.org Cat nutrition - Original source of this article. Shared with permission.</ref> |
#*If using chicken, remove as much skin as possible. Chicken necks are a good choice to use since they're mostly cartilage, are easy to chop, and are easy for the cat to digest. You can also use rabbit or dark meat from a chicken or turkey. | #*If using chicken, remove as much skin as possible. Chicken necks are a good choice to use since they're mostly cartilage, are easy to chop, and are easy for the cat to digest. You can also use rabbit or dark meat from a chicken or turkey. | ||
| − | #Process the organ meats. Once you've prepared the muscle meat, use a scale to weigh out the organ meats. Grind these through a meat grinder or food processor and set them in the refrigerator while you prepare the remaining ingredients.<ref | + | #Process the organ meats. Once you've prepared the muscle meat, use a scale to weigh out the organ meats. Grind these through a meat grinder or food processor and set them in the refrigerator while you prepare the remaining ingredients.<ref name="rf10" /> |
#*At this point, you can also take the meaty bones out of the refrigerator and pass them through a grinder. Avoid using a food processor to grind the bones, since it's probably not equipped to handle them. | #*At this point, you can also take the meaty bones out of the refrigerator and pass them through a grinder. Avoid using a food processor to grind the bones, since it's probably not equipped to handle them. | ||
| − | #Whisk together a supplement slurry. In a separate bowl, whisk the salmon oil, glandular supplement, kelp, dulse, vitamin E, vitamin B complex, egg yolks, and water until it's combined. If you're using the psyllium, add it last and stir again.<ref | + | #Whisk together a supplement slurry. In a separate bowl, whisk the salmon oil, glandular supplement, kelp, dulse, vitamin E, vitamin B complex, egg yolks, and water until it's combined. If you're using the psyllium, add it last and stir again.<ref name="rf10" /> |
#*You can discard or store the egg whites for another use. | #*You can discard or store the egg whites for another use. | ||
| − | #Combine the meats and supplement mixture. In a large bowl, combine the hand-chunked muscle meat with the ground meat and ground bones until completely mixed. Add the supplement slurry and stir again until it's evenly distributed.<ref | + | #Combine the meats and supplement mixture. In a large bowl, combine the hand-chunked muscle meat with the ground meat and ground bones until completely mixed. Add the supplement slurry and stir again until it's evenly distributed.<ref name="rf10" /> |
| − | #Package and store the food. Spoon the finished cat food into manageable containers such as freezer bags or one-cup plastic freezer containers. Avoid overfilling the containers. Instead, leave at least {{convert|1/2|in|cm|adj=on|1|sigfig=2}} gap or headspace at the top. This will allow the food to expand as it freezes. Label the containers with the type of meat and the date before freezing.<ref | + | #Package and store the food. Spoon the finished cat food into manageable containers such as freezer bags or one-cup plastic freezer containers. Avoid overfilling the containers. Instead, leave at least {{convert|1/2|in|cm|adj=on|1|sigfig=2}} gap or headspace at the top. This will allow the food to expand as it freezes. Label the containers with the type of meat and the date before freezing.<ref name="rf10" /> |
#*Wide-mouth mason glass jars can keep the food fresh for longer, but be sure to buy jars specifically made for freezing, not just canning. | #*Wide-mouth mason glass jars can keep the food fresh for longer, but be sure to buy jars specifically made for freezing, not just canning. | ||
| − | #Serve the food to your cat. Remove the food from the freezer during mealtime and warm the food in a baggie. If you have some of the food in the refrigerator, you'll still need to warm it up before serving it. Some cats will vomit raw food if it’s cold when it hits the stomach.<ref | + | #Serve the food to your cat. Remove the food from the freezer during mealtime and warm the food in a baggie. If you have some of the food in the refrigerator, you'll still need to warm it up before serving it. Some cats will vomit raw food if it’s cold when it hits the stomach.<ref name="rf10" /> |
#*To warm the baggies, simply run them under hot water until warm to room temperature or just above. Never use the microwave to warm the food, especially if you've used bones. Cooked bones splinter and can be very dangerous to a cat, but raw bones are soft and easily digested by a cat. | #*To warm the baggies, simply run them under hot water until warm to room temperature or just above. Never use the microwave to warm the food, especially if you've used bones. Cooked bones splinter and can be very dangerous to a cat, but raw bones are soft and easily digested by a cat. | ||
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*An all-meat diet can quickly become unbalanced. Unless you understand feline nutrition, it is imperative that you follow the recipe without alteration or substitution. | *An all-meat diet can quickly become unbalanced. Unless you understand feline nutrition, it is imperative that you follow the recipe without alteration or substitution. | ||
*Intestinal parasites are also a concern. Parasites can form cysts in the muscle tissue of livestock. Consider keeping your cat on parasite prevention available from your veterinarian. | *Intestinal parasites are also a concern. Parasites can form cysts in the muscle tissue of livestock. Consider keeping your cat on parasite prevention available from your veterinarian. | ||
| − | *Some vitamins are water-soluble which means if you use more than the recommended amount, you're not putting your cat at risk for toxicity, as any oversupply of water-soluble vitamins will be excreted. On the other hand an overdose on fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) are dangerous since the body is unable to excrete them. Vitamin A can cause toxicity in cats in the form of muscle soreness. Removing excess Vitamin A can reverse this problem.<ref>Nutritional Problems in Cats: Taurine Deficiency and Vitamin A Excess. K. C. Hayes. Can Vet J. 1982 Jan; 23(1): 2–5.</ref> | + | *Some vitamins are water-soluble which means if you use more than the recommended amount, you're not putting your cat at risk for toxicity, as any oversupply of water-soluble vitamins will be excreted. On the other hand an overdose on fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) are dangerous since the body is unable to excrete them. Vitamin A can cause toxicity in cats in the form of muscle soreness. Removing excess Vitamin A can reverse this problem.<ref name="rf11">Nutritional Problems in Cats: Taurine Deficiency and Vitamin A Excess. K. C. Hayes. Can Vet J. 1982 Jan; 23(1): 2–5.</ref> |
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