I’m on board! Where do I start?
When it comes to feeding a species appropriate raw diet you have two options: buy it already prepared for you or make it yourself. To do the latter correctly, you’ll need access to a grinder or high powered blender that can handle bones!
I’ve been buying from Hare Today for many, many years and more recently Darwin’s!
Hare Today is a family owned farm in Pennsylvania that specializes in raw pet food. They are extremely passionate about providing a quality product and they truly value all the little lives that go into their product (which is why shipping to the west coast during warmer months is pretty expensive). As a vegan, this part is difficult for me, but I’m happy to support a company that cares about doing things the right way for the right reasons! They have an incredibly diverse selection of proteins and the product is very fresh!
However, Hare Today can be a bit intimidating for someone just starting out, so I was really hoping to find another manufacturer that I love that would be great for raw newbies. Well… I did!
Darwin’s makes feeding raw SO easy! They are equally as passionate about their product and the quality is top notch! So fresh! I had been eying Darwin’s for quite some time, but, because I feed my fosters raw, I wasn’t able to solely feed Darwin’s. Their price point is great for 99% of cat parents, but I’m usually feeding 10-20 mouths a day and I try to be very conscientious with how I spend donations!
Recently, Darwin’s asked if I’d like to partner with them to help support their mission to educate cat parents about the benefits of a biologically appropriate raw diet! If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know I don’t support products, services, or companies I don’t believe in. I’m very selective with whom I chose to align myself. Full disclosure: Darwin’s does not pay me to say any of the things I say. They do supply some food for my fosters (but not all).
If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend buying from Darwin’s so there’s no worry as to whether it’s missing any nutrients or the ratios are off. This way you can focus on establishing a new routine for you and your cats and not on whether you prepared a balanced meal correctly. Once you’re comfy with raw feeding, you can always switch to homemade raw if you’d like (although Darwin’s really makes it easy for you so you may not want to switch!)! Investing in a high quality grinder than can handle bones is a great option! Sure, that initial investment is high, but overtime it can save you money! You can also speak with your local butcher to see if they have a grinder that can handle bones. I’m sure you could order a combo of meat/organs/bones and have them grind it, then add supplements as needed at home!
A word of caution if you plan to make it yourself: human grade raw food is commonly left out in the refrigerator at the grocery store for days. This allows bacteria to proliferate rapidly. Because humans cook the meat, this usually isn’t a big concern (for humans). By contrast, manufacturers of raw pet food handle the meat much differently. Raw pet food manufacturers freeze the meat immediately to help keep bacterial counts low and it remains frozen on its way to you.
If you don’t believe me, I encourage you to do a little experiment! Take advantage of Darwin’s intro offer (currently 50% off your first order!). The day it arrives, pick up some human grade ground food from your local grocery store. Keep both in your fridge. Use Darwin’s normally to feed (don’t feed the grocery store meat), but smell each everyday. Notice which smells sour and rancid first!
my raw routine
My routine is to buy about 50 lbs at a time (remember, I’m feeding a small zoo). It comes frozen and I keep it in my freezer until I need it. I defrost a pack of pouches or a 5 lb bag in my sink and I keep the defrosted portion in a tupperware in my fridge and serve over the next few days. That’s it! It’s really no more difficult than feeding canned food and it’s A LOT less stinky!
I know your next question: how much do I feed? Darwin’s asks for your baby’s weight and calculates how much you’d need based on that. Hare Today has a calculator on their website to calculate how much your cat should get based on their weight. It’s roughly ¼ cup in the morning and ¼ cup in the evening (for a 10 lb cat), but check out the calculator so you’re accurate! It’s usually a lot less than you’d think!