Making Homemade Raw Food for Cats

In this section, the speaker introduces the topic of making homemade raw food for cats and mentions that it is cheaper than buying commercial cat food.

Ingredients Used

• The main ingredients used are fresh chicken thighs, chicken hearts, and chicken livers.

• Chicken hearts cost $2.49 per pound, while chicken livers cost the same.

• The speaker weighs out 14 ounces of chicken hearts and 7 ounces of raw liver using a food scale.

Importance of Organ Meats

• Organ meats such as hearts and liver are full of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are important for cats.

• When cats kill prey in the wild, they eat all internal organs along with muscle meat.

• Including organ meats in homemade cat food ensures that cats get all necessary nutrients.

Preparing Chicken for Grinding

• The skin needs to be removed from half of the chicken before grinding.

• If trying to reduce cat weight, remove skin from all pieces of chicken. However, do not remove fat as it is important for a healthy diet.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes by summarizing the importance of including organ meats in homemade cat food and emphasizes that it is cheaper than buying commercial cat food.

Key Takeaways

• Homemade raw food for cats can be made using fresh ingredients at a lower cost than commercial cat food.

• Organ meats such as hearts and liver are essential sources of vitamins and minerals for cats.

• Removing skin from some or all pieces of chicken can help reduce cat weight without sacrificing necessary fat intake.

Removing Bones from Chicken Thighs

In this section, the speaker demonstrates how to remove bones from chicken thighs and prepare them for grinding.

Removing Bones from Chicken Thighs

• Remove 25% of the bone from each chicken thigh.

• Place the chicken thigh on a board with the bone side up and cut along one side of the bone. Turn it around and cut along the other side.

• Use a knife to work underneath the bone and cut it free. Cut down the bone to free up as much meat as possible.

• Cut off any remaining bone or tough cartilage.

Grinding Chicken Thighs

In this section, the speaker shows how to grind chicken thighs using a stand mixer attachment.

Preparing Chicken Thighs for Grinding

• Cut chicken thighs into smaller pieces to fit into grinder.

• Use coarse blade when grinding bones.

Using Stand Mixer Attachment Grinder

• Use stand mixer attachment grinder purchased at Bed Bath & Beyond for $99.99 (with coupon).

• Grinder comes with fine, medium, and coarse blades. Use coarse blade first when grinding bones.

• Change out blade to medium after grinding non-bone pieces coarsely.

Grinding Chicken for Homemade Cat Food

In this section, the speaker demonstrates how to grind chicken for homemade cat food and explains the order in which different types of meat should be ground.

Grinding Chicken

• Attach the grinding attachment to the mixer and ensure that it is loose enough to fit in the chicken.

• Use a large aluminum pan to catch the ground meat as it comes out of the grinder.

• Start with organ meats because they are softest and easiest to grind. Follow up with firmer pieces of chicken.

• Use a food pusher to help push meat through the grinder.

Adding Ingredients

• Add four raw egg yolks. Do not add egg whites as they can block absorption of some B vitamins in cats.

• Add 2 capsules (2000mg) of taurine. Raw meat has taurine but some people like an extra boost.

• Add 4000mg fish oil using a supplement pump or by hand. Ensure cats eat fish-based food once a week for omega-3 intake.

• Add 200mg vitamin B complex by opening capsules and sprinkling them into mixture.

• Instead of light salt, use kelp powder for iodine content. Add two teaspoons (8 half-teaspoons).

• s Recipe calls for 200 IU powdered vitamin E, but liquid form is used instead.

The speaker also discusses the importance of consulting with a veterinarian before making homemade cat food and mentions that different vets have different opinions on whether additional taurine is necessary.

Mixing the Basic Homemade Cat Food

In this section, the speaker discusses how to mix the basic homemade cat food and provides information on the cost of making it.

Mixing the Cat Food

• The speaker puts on gloves and mixes the ingredients for the basic homemade cat food using her hands.

• The speaker provides information on the cost of making 10 pounds of cat food, including chicken thighs, organ meats, eggs, taurine, fish oil, vitamin B capsules, vitamin E liquid, and kelp.

• She calculates that it costs $1.87 per pound to make this cat food.

• This is compared to Friskies canned cat food which costs $2.33 per pound.

Adding Nutritional Supplements and Greens

In this section, the speaker discusses adding nutritional supplements and greens to boost nutrition in homemade cat food.

Adding Nutritional Supplements

• The speaker adds Amazing Grass Amazing Trio powdered grass supplement to provide additional nutrients for her cats.

• She explains that wild cats are obligate carnivores but do consume some plant matter from their prey's digestive tract.

• The powdered grass supplement contains vitamins A, C, K, calcium, iron sodium and potassium.

• By adding greens to the recipe she brings up total cost up to $1.96 per pound.

Adding Vegetables

• The speaker sometimes adds vegetables such as pureed pumpkin or steamed zucchini or carrots for additional fiber in their diet.

• Opinions on whether cats need vegetable matter in their diet are mixed.

Making Homemade Raw Cat Food

In this section, the speaker discusses how to make homemade raw cat food and why it is beneficial.

Benefits of Homemade Raw Cat Food

• Cats are obligate carnivores and should be on a meat-based diet.

• Homemade raw cat food allows you to control all of the ingredients and know exactly what your cat is eating.

• It is cheaper than buying canned cat food from supermarkets.

Ingredients and Cost

• The speaker uses a combination of chicken thighs, liver, heart, and gizzards for the recipe. Vegetables are added in small amounts.

• The total cost for 10 pounds of homemade raw cat food is $20.41 or $2.04 per pound.

Preparation and Freezing

• The speaker mixes all the ingredients together before freezing them in ice cube trays or paper ice cream containers labeled with the date made.

• Water is not added during preparation but mixed in before serving as it makes freezing easier and more condensed.

• The frozen food can last up to 48 hours in the refrigerator after defrosting, making it easy to portion out servings for cats over time.

Customization

• The recipe can be modified by using different meats such as turkey, quail, rabbit or cornish game hens with adjustments made based on bone quantity percentages found online.

Homemade Cat Food Recipe

In this section, the speaker shares a recipe for homemade cat food and discusses the rising costs of commercial cat food.

Benefits of Homemade Cat Food

• Making homemade cat food can be more cost-effective than buying commercial cat food.

• The savings are even greater when compared to more expensive brands of cat food.

• Homemade cat food allows pet owners to ensure their cats are getting all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Making Homemade Cat Food

• The speaker shares her own recipe for homemade cat food.

• She shows how she stores the homemade cat food in containers in her freezer.

• Pet owners should research and consult with their veterinarian before making homemade cat food to ensure it meets their pet's nutritional needs.

Conclusion

Making homemade cat food can be a cost-effective way to ensure pets are getting all necessary nutrients. However, it is important to do proper research and consult with a veterinarian before making any changes to a pet's diet.